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rambabu replied to the topic Trump Triumphs!.
Then why the Protests ?Americans are supposed to be highly educated. They are supposed to elect Hillary Clinton.
9 years ago
usha manohar replied to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
I agree, some out of the ordinary discussion topics definitely help us gain knowledge..in fact mythology and history cover a whole range of interesting topics...
9 years ago
usha manohar liked a reply to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
9 years ago
usha manohar liked a reply to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
9 years ago
usha manohar replied to the topic Ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes .
Once all your money becomes accountable naturally the black money levels come down. As of now black money hoarders are trying to convert their Money into white by giving g...
9 years ago
usha manohar replied to the topic Trump Triumphs!.
rambabu wrote:
Arunima Singh wrote:
Well right now he is going through the pain of facing the...
9 years ago
Vishakha Purohit created new article Photography: An art of capturing memories.
Photography is an art of capturing the moments we want to save or we wish to see, it is also the art or practice of taking and processing photographs. It is also a hobby for many people and a profession for a few. It is said that an image is equal to thousands of words. With help of photography, we can capture our memorable moments of our life through which we can look back at those moments after taking photos of these moments. Whether, it is an event or birthday party, wedding, national and international events, family get-together and business meetings. Photos not only captures moments but also those minute detailed things that our naked eyes can't see. The word "photography" is a combination of the Greek root words "photo" that means "light" and "graphia" that means "writing" or "drawing". Thus, "photography" literally or in other words means writing or drawing with light.
In 1839, Sir John Herschel coined the terms "photograph" and "photography", and established them in the academic and general vernacular, and where they have remained relatively unaltered since. "Photograph" the word indicates the product of photography, shares the same etymology. The word "photograph" competed against other contenders before its acceptance, which includes heliograph, photogene and sunprint. It was Sir Herschel's lecture on photography to the Royal Society in London in March of 1839 that appears to have solidified the use of the term. Photography has impacted society by allowing people to see others whom they would never have an opportunity to see otherwise. This includes presidents, politicians, celebrities and people from foreign countries. The advent or arrival of photography changed citizens behavior. Photography is also largely responsible for the modern-day concept of celebrity.
Before the invention of photography, it was impossible for one person to have millions of fans and followers worldwide. Photography is also important to society because it enables the diffusion of objective information through the visual capture of things as they really are. Photography allows people to accurately familiarize themselves with far-off landscapes and cultures. It also has the power to sway or influence public opinion through the presentation of emotionally moving images.
Photography is also said to be the art, process, or job of taking pictures with a camera. Photography is the series of actions which involves light or electromagnetic radiation to record images of objects on various surfaces. Photography requires light to duplicate the real-life image being taken. A camera is used to capture the image needed to produce the recreation of the image onto photographic film. I realize everything in photography comes down to one word- 'vision'. Call it vision, imagination, or seeing, it all comes down to the same thing- the ability to envision a final result in your mind's eye, and then to make it so with your tools at hand. This is how photography is performed throughout the whole world globally.
9 years ago
rambabu replied to the topic Trump Triumphs!.
Arunima Singh wrote:
Well right now he is going through the pain of facing the protest in the country which ironically elected...
9 years ago
Bineesh Balakrishnan created new article Looking for love.
I've gone through a seachange in tghe last few years. I'm no longer the timid, tall guy that I was during my late teens, or the angry young man in my 20s. Reading has permeated every nook & corner of my existence. Honestly speaking, I've never felt this bodacious in all the 33 revolutions that I've taken around the sun!! Like some wisecark once said:"All love begins with self-love." I love myself now, Love my job ( I'm a Physaitrist), love the fact that I'm financially independent, & love the boosts technology has given for nurturing your soul & new relationships...
Like billions out there, I'm looking for love. Prosaic, as that may sound, I'm not looking for a plastic relationship, inspired by movies or novels. I'm at an age, where I have to choose a life partner. There has to be a girl who is simple, yet listens to Britrock; someone who has read tons of books, but yet knows the value of silence; someone who has modern dressing styles, but inside her heart values commitment...
To help my search, I've enrolled on a matrimonial site, & I socialise with girls whenever possible, so that I can get to know them. When I'm searching for something, I leave no stone unturned!! On one murky Tuesday, I ran into Geethu, she's a House Surgeon ( aka Intern ), & she kinda skydived into the pool of my heart...She loves Britrock, is very open minded, & also reads quite a bit. My 'loveometer' ( the part of my adaptive subconscious that instantly calculates the chances of me falling for a girl!!) gave her a score of 4/5...So I start talking & flirting with her, & we get along quite well. She meets me with a 'genuine smile', each time!! ( for novices in micro-expressions, a genuine smile is poles apart from a fake one!!)...She hails from North India, & she was leaving in a week's time. I asked her if she wanted to hang out, & she flashes that celstial smile again...'She's not offended, that's cool', was the thought that flashed through my mind....She gave me her number, & claimed that she was busy at that point in time...I was not let down, or anything of that sort, because her statement seemed all too genuine...
That afternoon I reached my room, & was thinking about Geethu...She loves Oasis, reads quite a lot, is a very genuine person, I don't think my 'loveometer' was wrong...That evening, after the daily workout, I checked out a song by 'The White Stripes' called ' Fell in live with a girl'...Needless to say, that song became a earworm for days on end...
Geethu's posting ended, & though she responded to my messages, she did get busy. Anyone who completed MBBS, knows the doggednessthat we have to live through when the course ends ( a long list of certificates we have to apply & wait for!! applying for Amnesty, is easier!!)..So Geethu left, & as usual I needed to keep looking for real love ( or my cliched version of it!!)..So one evening, while drifting through my matrimonial profile, I noted the profile of a Dentist-Nisha, who reads a lot, who showed interest in my profile...I aksed my parents to 'proceed' with that proposal...3 weeks later, I was informed that the horoscopes matched!! 3 freaking weeks, no wonder some of my married peers, referred to those bundles of paper as 'horrorscopes'!! So this could work out for me..I went through her profile, a couple of times more...Nisha likes Philosophy, & I'm so into that field, that it literally runs through my veins!!...Nisha's parents called us over to their place, to get to know us. ..On a Sunday, we started out for Nisha's residence. So after 'small talk' ( in arranged marriage circles, 'small talk' takes roughly an hour, & is super boring!!), I get to talk to Nisha...For a person who reads a lot, she seemed rather withdrawn. But after talking with her , I realized she had a lot of values, my 'loveometer' showed a score of 3/5...Nisha's parents promised to get back to us...As I wait, the song lines from 'The White Stripes' song go through my mind-"My left brain knows that all love is fleeting..."....But I'll keep searching.....
9 years ago
haripriya Palanisamy created new article Social Life Today.
Earlier in olden days before the invention of telephones and other means of communication people, people would travel miles and miles to see their friends, relatives and even their loved ones. The conversations were more lively involving more love, affection, and happiness. People back then were much more friendly and treat even strangers with a loving and welcoming face. In India and many other countries especially in villages, it is still a traditional practice to invite strangers into their homes and give some water when they come in search of address or looking for someone. Life back then was much more peaceful and people were a lot healthier with having to eat only natural organic fresh fruits and vegetables. This was the scenario in the early 1900's or so. But slowly with the advancement in technology and improving the standard of living, people started to become more and more selfish and reserved.
To talk about the younger generation of today they are reducing their time spent for their family. As a fact, they are willing to spend hours and hours of their time with their friends on Facebook and twitter rather than for their family. This has been creating many problems like misunderstandings, heartbreaks. These problems can be solved if they think about all the good things that their parents have done for them. Moreover, the biggest problem is using social media sites to share their photographs which if gets in the hands of wrong people, it will create additional mental tension and in the extreme case, death. So spending time on social media sites is not a bad thing but we should not forget our limit and should also think about the ill effects it causes. Therefore, the best way to lead a social life is that engaging with people, actively participating in campaigns and activities related to creating awareness about a depressing issue, motivating people about how to overcome struggles in their life by sharing our own experiences, helping people in terms of both knowledge and money as much as possible. So, stay happy and healthier and lead a better social life than the many others.
9 years ago
Arunima Singh created new article Supreme court gives a retrogressive judgement.
"Triple Talaq is here to go"- this made the headlines of majority of news channels in country.
When the judgement against Triple Talaq was being welcomed by Muslim women across the nation, there came another judgement which shook women like me across the nation.
"Hindu son can file for divorce if his wife tries to separate him from his parents"
An striking irony that the two judgement came parallel in time. While one supported the rights of women as an equal gender, the other one brought total disgrace to women.
I did not find it making headlines of newspapers or the news channels. I might have missed it or failed to notice it. And I did not find any channel debating it either. I got this news from one of the social platform and ignored it. It did not appear to be true in today's progressive society and I misunderstood it as thousand of misguiding rumors going viral on social platform. After a couple of days, I had to take it as a reality with a pinch of salt. There were petitions and forum discussions on various platforms about this law.
It did not get so much of limelight like the triple talaq ban. Maybe because it was not fighting against a draconian practice as in case of triple talaq. However, I felt that it also needs the similar limelight as it also involves the right of equality of a woman, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a daughter-in-law and above all a mother-in-law.
I read about this law on Internet and from the information that I collected ( pardon me! if I missed anything), I could come to a conclusion with surety that this judgement was a sexist and retrogressive judgement.
As a woman, I felt disgraced.
Disgraced as a duaghter. My parents can do their best to give me the best childhood and best education. But after my marriage, they lose their rights over me. I will be lawfully owned by a new set of parents. I don't owe the responsibility of taking care of my old parents. as I do not enjoy the right to seek divorce if my spouse stops me from doing that. From a loving custody of my parents I will be handed over to the lawful custody of my spouse and his parents.
Disgraced as a sister. My brother can enjoy living with my old parents without any obligation from his wife. But I can enjoy having my parents with me only if permitted by my spouse and in-laws. Traditions always allowed parents to stay with sons. Daughter were always seen as "paraya dhan" and now this patriarchal mindset has got a boost by a legal stamping.
Disgraced as a wife: In the institution of marriage, I do not stand equal to him in my rights. He has got a legal upper hand. So the institution of marriage is not a relationship between equals anymore. The female has been dwarfed by this sexist judgement. While taking the vows of marriage, we talked about sharing our life and responsibilities together. While I am entitled to share his responsibility of taking care of his parents, he can escape his vow. He can only do it if he desires to do so. But I have to do it under the legal threat to my marriage.
Disgraced as a mother: Being a mother of daughter, I do not enjoy the same social status as that of the mother of a son. I am at the mercy of my son-in-law's wish to take care of me. But if I have a son, my daughter-in-law is lawfully bounded to serve me. Think deep. Are we not promoting the want of son, sex determination and killing of female wombs??
Disgraced as a daughter-in-law: I love to take care of my spouse's parents because I get so much of love and support from them not because the law threatens me to do so.
Disgraced as a Mother-in-law: Well, this law seemingly supports me. But on deeper introspection, it disgraces me. My daughter-in-law is lawfully bonded to take care of me and not because of the strong bonding we share as two women in a relationship. I own her because of my status and not out of the respect that I earned in return of my love for her.
I felt disgraced and so did many Hindu women across the nation. Not only women, even the progressive males felt the same.
Many argued that the judgement is in line with our age old traditions. I feel we have witnessed reforms in traditions earlier for a better society. Traditions have to be reformed for betterment.
I would have embraced the judgement with open arms if it was not sexist and would have not demeaned our old tradition but rather glorified it by saying-
"The institution of Marriage is a beautiful relationship between two people who are equals and share the responsibility equally for taking care of both sets of parents"
9 years ago
Arunima Singh created new article Yoga and Pilate during Pregnancy.
Pregnancy is the time that requires you to be in best of your health. A good health means complete well-being, which means you have to be fit physically, mentally, emotionally and not to miss out spiritually. Yoga is the best way to your mental, physical and spiritual fitness and to assure a happy and healthy pregnancy.
Yoga and Pilate are highly recommended during and after pregnancy. They help you to get a comfortable and smooth pregnancy and bounce back to your shape post delivery.
The joy of pregnancy is accompanied by it's own baggage of discomfort- dull backaches, emotional stress, hormonal outbursts and mood swings and many of these will stay a little long even post delivery. Yoga during pregnancy and post delivery will surely help you to ease out these discomforts. It would be really rewarding to to give you the needed physical and mental support to carry on a healthy pregnancy and will get you emotionally prepared for motherhood. It is always advisable to practice Yoga during pregnancy under the supervision of a qualified Yoga instructor. Tell your Yoga instructor about your pregnancy and about the stage of your pregnancy, your concern and what you are seeking from these Yoga sessions. Yoga exercises can be tailored as per your need and safety. Certain positions of Yoga are a strict NO for a pregnant lady. Overheating can be detrimental to fetus and so expecting mother should never try "Bikram Yoga/Hot Yoga"
Breathing exercises. mild poses and meditation help you to fight the stress and mood swings.
Pilates is one of the most suited exercise for expecting moms. It helps you build your core strength and tone your abdominal, back and kegel ( pelvic floor) muscles. This helps you with a comfortable pregnancy and smooth delivery. Pilates exercises are also adaptable and can be modified to suit your pregnancy stage and needs.
You can practice Yoga or Pilates or a combination of two during and after your pregnancy. Keep in account the following points:
Consult your doctor: You should consult your doctor. Your medical care provider knows of your condition and complications and is the best person to advise whether you can go ahead with these exercises. Some complications might restrict you from doing such exercises.
Strict NO to lying on back pose: Whether Yoga or Pilate, you should no do poses that requires you lying flat on your back. It can be quite harmful to the baby as it obstruct the circulation to the fetus. You ca prop your feet but keep your hips down. Never put your feet over your head. Eliminate your sharp movements from your exercise routine like those vigorous sidekicks and exercises on jump boards. Do overstretch as it might strain your muscles.
Cautious over your balance: Your growing belly night shift your center of gravity. You have to be extra cautious about your balance during poses.
Listen to your body: This is the key rule. Your pace and duration of exercise should be in accordance with your body comfort and so will change with your growing pregnancy and growing belly. Avoid the poses that are over stressing and cause any discomfort.
Stay Hydrated: Dehydration during Yoga or Pilates cause nauseating sensation. Do keep in mind to keep yourself hydrated and to eat well. Eat those extra healthy calories as you are eating for two and also to make up for those calories that you have lost during your exercising session.
A healthy lifestyle and good diet along with Yoga and Pilates ensure the healthy growth of the life inside you as well as well being of the mother
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Are the Indian Armed Forces Dissatisfied? .
The Indian armed forces consist of the Army. Airforce and Navy. All 3 arms trace their pedigree to of the Raja. They do not draw any sustenance from the Imperial Mogul force or any other Indian military formation. The British Raj@pinnaclemanpower.com established the 3 arms with the army being the oldest and the airforce which camcame up in 1932 being the youngest.
The armed forces were modeled on the British forace and laws and acts as well as regulations were all courtesy the English. The army was er lier the East India army which later became the British Indian army. After 1947 when the British voluntarily left India the same army was christened the Indian army. The same applied to the other 2 arms the air force and navy.
The British granted India freedom by an act of the British parliament duly passed in the 2 chambers of the UK namely the house of commons and house of Lords. Called the government of India act it received its assent from the King of England . Control of the armed forces passed into the hands of the new Indian government led by Jwaharlal Nehru, who became the first prime minister.
The new Indian leadership had spent a lifetime in organising protest and civil disobedience. They had no concept of what is power politics or geo political power. Nehru , Patel and Gandhi had thus no concept of the role of military power, Most likely they had never heard ofClausewitz or the dictum that the army is an extension of the political aim. Thus the new Indian leadership led by Nehru adopted policies that were detrimental to the army. In particular Nehru who was the main leader and prime minister had a phobia of the army. He feared a military coup and with Burma and Pakistan under the boots of the arm Nehru lost all sence of military as a source of power.
Nehru thus started to defend the army. In his limited horizonhe started by abolishing the post of Commander in Chief. This post had existed for a hundered years and was an extremely negative step. The C in C is there in all armies and coordinates the 3 services. It exists in the British and American militry as the Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Nehru foolishly thought he had achieved his aim. He followed up by refusing the latest weaponry as well as reduced the pay and perks. Hisaim to have de- fanged army that would not be threat to him. Most of his fears were imaginary, but he paid a terrible price for his foolishness . The Indian State lost the initiative against both China and Pakistan. A border war with China in ,1962 ended in a rout and on the world stage Nehru cut a sorry figure. He was humiliated and spent the next 2 years in hiding. He passed away like a defeated leader
.Nehru's death did not end the discrimination against the army. The new leadership still feared the army and worse followed. In 1973 Indira Gandhi further cut the services to size by reducing pensions and other benefits. The order of preference was so formulated that army officers were reduced in status. The ministy of defense was entirely manned by a civil cadre and in in any committee or the pay commission th armed forces were studiously ignored.
Governments of Narsimiha Rao and Vajpayee and even Modi continued the Nehruvian concepts. The latest flip by Modi is reduction of disability pension for soldiers much below their civil counterparts. Modi has also approved approved a disproportionate increase in allowances for civilians while army is pegged low. This is hard to understand as all along Modi had trumpeted that he not only would sanction OROP but also restore the izzat of the forces. This has not happened and the armed forces under him are down graded. His failure to sanction OROP as per the approval of parliament which had approved it as per the Koshiari commission is a blot on him. His talk is to claim credit for army action by chest thumping while downgrading the military.
There is a fire all around and the Indian State must take note of it. Otherwise I am afraid the Indian State may not have a leg to stand on. One must remember that Mao stated" Political power comes out of the Barrell of a gun". Modi is a fast learner and he better learn this dictum for the good of India.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Worlds first Stealth Fighter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_F-117_Nighthawk
When I visited the USA in 1998 as part of the air team we were quartered at one of the USAF bases. At one end (that area was kept off bounds) we could see dark bat shaped planes. They were part of the secret arsenal of the USAF and from my knowledge; I knew that this was the famous stealth fighter. It was given the number as F-115 and called Night Hawk. The plane at that time was the most advanced in the world and nobody had anything like it.
The Night Hawk cost 111 million dollars apiece and was discontinued in the USAF after 25 years and replaced with the F-22 or Raptor. Never the less the F-117 was something unique and incorporated the stealth technology. This technology was published in a research paper presented in 1964 by a Russian scientist named Pykr. The Russians ignored this paper but the engineers at Lockheed studied the paper in detail. In effect, the Prof has stated that a plane could be made that could allow the radar waves to bounce off the plane and thus render the aircraft invisible to detection by radar. it could only be sighted visually.
It meant making a plane with an unconventional design > it had to have angles of construction, that were of a particular slant so that the radar waves could bounce off. The plane thus had the look of a bat and was christened the Night Hawk. The Night Hawk first flew in 1981 and a few years later was inducted into the USAF. The Night Hawk was a revolutionary design and for 5 years the Americans kept it secret before the world came to know of this unique plane. The Russians rued the development of the F-117 and wondered how they had missed the bus.
The Night Hawk was put into operational use and used extensively in the air bombardment of Iraq, during the 1992 US-Iraq war. The plane despite a slow speed of some 660km/hr could not be detected. It had limited range of about 1000 km and thus for a target it needed mid-air refueling. It carried no defensive armaments relying on its ability to attack a target undetected. It carried 2 x 1000 il laser guided bombs that could penetrate even 12ft of concrete and was thus a force multiplier. The Russians were however hard at work to perfect their own stealth fighter and the US the need of another plane was felt. Research started and this led to the led to the Raptor, which had a longer range and flew at 3 times the speed of the Night Hawk. Once the Raptor was ready for combat duty, the F117 was phased out, but it served the US interests for 25 years. During this period only one Night Hawk was lost in combat over Serbia when a Russian missile was able to hit it. The pilot was rescued in a dramatic rescue mission, but the plane crashed. Russian engineers as well as Chinese salvaged parts of the plane and took it to Moscow and China in an effort to understand the stealth technology. Parts of the plane can see be seen in the Museum at Belgrade.
The F-115 remained the only stealth fighter in the world during the days of the cold war and even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the plane was the mainstay of US offensive action. It was used extensively in Afghanistan when the USA mounted an invasion and no plane was lost despite missiles with the Taliban. It hastened the defeat of the Taliban by a relentless bombardment with laser guided bombs. The plane was also used in operations in Kosovo and Yugoslavia.
The Russians were wary of the Night Hawk and later they did develop their own stealth fighter, but one wonders whether the Russian plane is as good as the latest American plane with stealth technology the Raptor. This plane is the successor to the Night Hawk and much more lethal. The Night Hawk is now part of aviation history and will have a respected name in the world of military aircraft. it incorporated a technology that was not much heard of earlier but now is commonplace. The F-117 had played a significant part in US domination all over the world. One wonders when the Indian's will be able to duplicate such a plane.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article India at the cross roads; another division on the cards.
India became free when British rule lapsed in 1947. It was freedom granted by the British and duly passed by an act of the British Parliament. It was not a freedom won by any coercive action like a war of independence. The freedom was without a fight, more as a gift and was solely dependent on the British perception that the Indian military for long the pivot of British rule could no longer be trusted. Many Indians had joined the Azad Hind army and coupled with a continuous mutiny in the navy had an unsettling effect. The British decided to leave and Gandhi and Nehru got freedom on a platter.
Hindu-Muslim divide
The British were past masters in a policy often referred to as ' divide and rule'. They supported a concept articulated by the poet Iqbal that Hindus and Muslims can not live together and in fact were two separate nations. Thus the concept of a homeland for Muslims emerged. This was Pakistan and Mohammad Ali Jinnah became its foremost exponent. The concept of Pakistan, however, did not solve the Hindu-Muslim divide as a large number of Muslims were left in India. They now number close to 20 crores and they can't be wished away.
Nehru the Indian leader had a golden chance to integrate this community with the rest of India. But he failed and on a number of cases protected Muslim laws and life. He failed to enforce a uniform civil code, even as he reformed Hindu law. He thus allowed a separate Muslim identity that is detrimental to the Indian State. The Muslims were allowed to practice the Sharia and this despite the directive principles in the constitution that enjoin the government to pass a law as a uniform civil code. Thankfully a request for a separate electorate was not accepted.
The UCC
The wheel has now turned full circle and 70years down the line there is a clamor for a Uniform Civil Code ( UCC). The case being brought out is the concept of triple talaq. This gives a power to a man to divorce his wife by just uttering the words talaq the 3 times. This can be done even by telephone. It's a draconian law and most Muslims consider this ad sacred and inviolable.
The Supreme Court is hearing the case and the court asked for the government opinion. In an affidavit , the government has stated that triple talaq is not compatible with the Indian aspirations and violative of the constitution that talks gender equality. The government of Modi has taken the right decision, but it has served as a red flag to a bull.Almost all Muslim parties have closed ranks and called it an interference in their religion. Led by the Muslim law board, the Muslims state that they will practice the Sharia and no power on earth can enforce a UCC. In addition, they also say that Triple Talaq cannot be abrogated and is part of Muslim ethos. They are not concerned with gender equality and feel that the rights of man take precedence all the time.
Dilemma
The government is on the horns of a dilemma and it does not know how to bite the bullet. The Muslims are adamant that their personal law cannot be touched. One wonders how the Muslims are so vociferous in India while they except the civil code in Europe and the USA without a murmur. This is because of weakness in the government and more so of the Hindus who have let matters drift for 7 decades. One is reminded of days of Muslim rule when the Muslims never asked Hindus whether they would like to pay the Jizia, a tax on Hindus as per the Koran. Those were the days of Muslim rule that lasted 9 centuries and during the days of the Mughals, the Hindu population declined by 80 million. That amounts to 30% of the population at that time.
Muslims are on the warpath and the number of adherents to the ISIS is rising with many from Karnataka, Kerala, and Hyderabad making a beeline. It's a frightening thought in case even 10% of the Muslim population were to take part in such activities what will happen to India? Can anybody guess it?
Last word
The UCC is just a tip of the iceberg but it is a pointer of things to come. How will the Modi and later governments deal with this? The UCC is, as I said, a small thing but the Muslim mind wants something more and who knows whether the seeds of another division of India are not already sown.
9 years ago
usha manohar created new article Pros and cons of the Indian Education system .
We get to hear more Cons than Pros about the Indian Education system by Indians themselves. This is probably because in most cases people like to criticize and look for faults rather than appreciate anything positive. However an impartial analysis of any subject is always good since it makes us think and it is only when we think and analyse that we are able to change and improvise any system and let it grow. This is true of our education system as well, which is probably one of the most voluminous systems in the world. It also goes without saying that quantity necessarily does not mean quality . But with all the adversities present in our society , Indian education is still one of the most competent systems in the world.
Looking Back
To go back in history , Indian education started with the concept of Guru Kula where the students , almost all of them coming from Brahmin and Rajput families stayed with the Guru ( Teacher) and his family living a frugal life until their education was complete. Guru was highly respected often giving advice on matters of the state to those of his students coming from Royal families and later taking on the responsibility of ruling the kingdom. There was a lot of prestige attached to the system except the fact that education was not available to all because caste factors dominated life during those periods.
But with time and western influences in the form of the Portuguese and the British education took on a different look altogether. Western education was unbiased and available to all regardless of caste ,creed and class. The spread of western education is one of the greatest gifts that we received from foreign rule. By the time India became independent education was widespread and people had realised the importance of education which gave them status and the power to earn and be independent.
Education in the Indian context
When we speak about Education, in the Indian context all that comes to one's mind is a class room , teachers and the ultimate goal of attaining a degree. This is the drawback that makes our system lacking and incomplete. Unless Education facilitates not only learning and acquiring knowledge but also includes developing one's skills, values and personal development , a student will not be fully equipped to make a mark or become an independent thinker which quality is equally important.
The system of education in India started out with a lot of ambition. Many Indians went abroad to study law and other competitive courses during the British rule. It was through the dedicated effort of some progressive minds of that time that education began to evolve here . However, once we got our Independence things began to change. The government schools in the initial years were considered the best option for everyone except a very few who could afford to gain entry and study at the prestigious private schools started and nurtured by the British
Coming back to the present we have the government run schools and colleges, most of which suffer due to the negligent attitude of the concerned authorities. However the Higher level professional colleges ,IITs and IIMs are run very well. In fact many of the professional colleges attract foreign students who find it cheaper to study here without compromising o the quality.
Some of the major drawbacks in our education system
1, Most of the educated old timers of the forties, fifties and even sixties studied in government schools and colleges and one can see the dedication and the all round knowledge that they received. Even with a Pre-university or a bachelors degree they rose to very high positions in their career and managed to leave a mark. It could be because of the smaller numbers combined with the initial enthusiasm that is normally there. But over a period of time, all though education became widespread, the value and quality began to take a back seat.
2, The growth became lop sided with our politicians realising an opportunity to make education into a business venture. So, now we find a clutter of Professional colleges all over the country filled to 50% capacity. Last year more than 2 lakh seats across the country were lying vacant in Engineering colleges alone. When I say lop sided , I refer to the total neglect at the pre school, primary and secondary levels of education which has hardly seen any kind of push except in some private and International schools. Unless students are given a solid all round foundation in the early years it is not possible to achieve much. In the early years after Independence the push was for an all round education where extra curricular activities, sporting activities and hobbies were given equal importance.
3, The standard of government schools have steadily deteriorated , in spite of the fact that more than 85% of the students still study at government run schools. I have seen many government schools close down because there are no teachers willing to go to remote areas due to lack of facilities. Unless this basic need is taken care of , there will be very little development made in the education system as a whole. If we hear or come across some achievers coming from remote areas, we have to appreciate the individual effort that has gone into it by the student, parents and the teacher but not by the education department which has failed so far to provide the basic needs.
4,The major problem with our system of education is a lack of vision and lack of commitment by the concerned authorities , who are able to bring in the much needed change in the system. We see Education portfolio is more a political circus where just about anybody, depending on their proximity to the top leaders are given the post. Instead if it is given to a minister who is educated and has worked in the educational field for sometime, we may see some far reaching changes. There must be several bodies set up to monitor the system consisting of highly educated and brilliant minds that our nation has produced in spite of many lapses. But do they have the freedom to bring about any positive changes ?
5, It is also a fact that our political system is at the root of all the problems that the education system faces today. There is no minimum educational qualifications laid down for contesting an election where caste, minority issues and sycophancy play a major role. After winning the election one among the candidate who has won will be given a portfolio and if a well- educated person is given the ministry of education, we must consider ourselves lucky.. When such is the case it is not possible to expect any kind of improvement in the near future although some small measures are being taken from time to time.
Conclusion
No system is perfect anywhere in the world , one can only strive harder to make it better. However, positive changes are happening the world over at a much faster pace than in India. We are still at the basics stage where infra structure itself is not up to the mark. So, we cannot even compare our basic school education system to any of the developed countries. Some halfhearted initiatives are taken by the respective states more to garner votes rather than improve the system. Free food and free education for lower castes and scheduled caste is one such measure. It may help to some extent in drawing crowds but is that enough ? In fact such a measure can backfire in the long run since it also teaches the youngsters to expect doles and freebies forever which definitely is not contributory to the society.
To conclude, with all the above points where I have highlighted the negative points in our educational system , it is still considered almost at par with other advanced systems of the western countries. In fact there are many students who have studied in governments schools with very basic amenities but were able to do brilliantly well, with regard to their academics and career . This may be because they realise that unless they work hard they will not get much help from the system, so they tend to go all out to achieve their goals. The very fact that in the United Kingdom the National Health service has more than 40% Indian doctors and the US is filled with our IT Engineers who have studied in India goes to show that Indian students have the potential to compete with any society and its needs around the world.
(image - wikipedia)
9 years ago
usha manohar created new article Taking Care Of Our Heart .
Introduction
According to researches and many heart specialists, it is now becoming clear that the more outgoing and social you are, the better your chances of keeping away heart diseases. I was reading a medical journal and this is what one of the heart specialists from a prominent hospital in Bangalore had to say- the merrier you are the stronger your heart remains! As more researches being conducted on heart diseases and heart health, it has now been proven beyond doubt that the state of one’s mind definitely affects the heart. Getting stressed beyond a certain limit can have an adverse effect on our mind, body and our heart. Like all other organs heart too has its own limitations and when it is stressed beyond limit, it can easily give up many a times beyond repair!
Letting go of negative feelings like stress, anger and depression helps our body while holding on to them only hurts it. It is not an easy task to become immune to your emotions, people and surroundings but one can decrease the damage to a great extent by learning to control one’s emotions and reactions to negative situations. Did you know that a person who talks fast, walks fast and lives life to the fullest and is in the fast lane is perfectly healthy and is happy? This is what modern day researchers say, this is because they have no time to sit and brood over negativities of life and they take life as it comes. Such people neither worry over losses nor do they make much of gains. A balanced outlook definitely helps you keep your balance and your heart healthy and ticking.
Testing our personality/personalities
At the outset I wold like to point out that many of us don't necessarily fall under any one category since we may have more than one personality traits in us. The ones given below are some of the prominent personality traits in general, that have been identified among human beings.
The Brooding type
The more you sit and brood the more you are likely to be felled by a heart attack or stroke. Some people take a long time to recover from illness or a distressing incident that has taken place in their life making life difficult not just for themselves but for those around them as well. According to studies, such people are 84% more likely to lose at least 5-10 years of their life span. We see some people always muttering and grumbling about everything and this type of attitude can lead to depression which increases heart beat rate , higher level of stress hormones which don't sync with their physical activities. Depressed and unhappy people are also more likely to take up unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking excessive liquor or become drug addicts, which again make their condition worse.
The Worrying Type
No doubt that we all worry to a certain extent or the other, which is quite normal in most people. It is how much you worry that matters. You may worry about the price of onions or petrol or about the increasing household expenses, but normally forget about your worries when you are spending time with your family or when you are with your friends etc.
On the other hand if you worry all the time , you are only worrying yourself to death. Constant worry has the same effect as acute anxiety causing increased blood pressure and increased levels of adrenaline and other hormones that cause the heart to beat faster and signaling the cells to dump fat into the bloodstream for quick energy. Repeated Blood pressure surges can damage the arterial linings, which in turn leads to a blockage of the coronary artery. The end result is that high anxiety can speed up a heart attack in a person 4 times more than in a person who is normal and is able to keep his worries and anxieties under control.
The Anger addict
Anger is our body's normal response to being threatened or frustrated. When you are angry you breath harder, your heart beats faster, your blood pressure rises, your pupils dilate and your digestion gets suspended and finally your blood sugar levels soar. The combined effect of all this is that blood gets diverted from other organs to the heart, the central nervous system and muscles. The brain sends a message to pump action hormones which kick starts fatty acids from your fat deposits. So we see how a single reaction sets about so many chemical reactions within our body, all of which lead to a near heart attack.
Anger, we should realise is a very powerful poison to our system since it is a emotion that combines hostility and cynicism all of which are negative reactions linked to the heart. However, according to modern day researchers blowing out once in a while is far better than bottling up your anger and emotions and letting it steadily and slowly poison you. Harboring anger not only strains the heart but can affect the blood's clotting ability, constrict arteries and slow down blood flow into different organs. A person who is perpetually angry with others and the world in general is more likely to seek solace in nicotine and alcohol and we all know where that can lead to - straight to the heart and its well being which gets threatened.
The person who Stifles his/her feelings
We like to keep certain things to ourselves and there is nothing wrong in that, but there is a limit to the levels of being able to stifle your feelings to yourself. Most of the emotions that contribute to heart disease can be buffered by interactions with other people who are close to us .Social support could be had by opening out to a trusted friend or a family member, who could be your spouse, sister, brother or your parents or a close friend. Even superficial chatting can help since you are interacting and feel that there are people who understand you .The more social you are the happier and healthier you remain and the less isolated you remain and the less contact you have with others , the worse is your heart disease prognosis.
The person who has lost Control over life
This may not always happen but does happen to some people when life has been very trying for them. They may have lost their job, had a failed marriage or had some harrowing experience which has left them feeling dejected, lost an important court case etc. This causes a chain reaction of negative emotions which play a major role in how you respond to stress. Such people are very likely to have a heart attack when things further go wrong or have some added stress.
How to get over it - a few useful and practical tips
1. Do not let your self be consumed by one single aspect of existence - be it work , rearing children or being a housewife or getting addicted to any one activity. Lend your talents to a cause and more importantly explore yourself and see what your potentials are , set realistic goals and try to work towards achieving them. The good old saying Jack of all trades, master of none can now be rewritten Jack of all trades master of some!
2. Remaining busy with some activity or the other at all stages of your life is very important and essential for the well being of your heart. It also diverts your mind from pressing worries, if any!
3. Loosen up a bit instead of remaining rigid and stiff. Learn to let go and laugh at yourself and enjoy every moment of life. There is no point in being critical and judgmental of others instead overlook minor defects, since none of us is perfect and make others feel comfortable and wanted by your interactions with them. This will be a rewarding experience since you get what you give.
4. Self analysis always helps - when you are stressed , angry or depressed, sit quietly and go through your emotions and go into the root of it. You will have a better idea as to how you should handle the situation once you have analysed it impartially from every angle and this exercise in itself brings our positivity in you.
5. Strengthening family ties is very important since we need an anchor. A happily married person is less likely to have a heart attack than a person who is single. Having children and maintaining a happy and healthy interaction with them gives us strength, support and structure.
Conclusions
To conclude, most studies have shown that individuals having strong ties with their parents, spouse and children, also have a reduced risk of heart disease. There is a solution for every problem in our life so instead of brooding, taking the positive way out, by analysing and finding the right solution helps immensely. Negative emotions like physical pain are a signal to the body that there is something wrong and the issue should be addressed at some level right away.
Most heart diseases are the result of neglect over a long period of time. The proverb " A stitch in time saves nine " applies here too, since the more we neglect the more far reaching the health effects would be and with regard to our heart, we cannot afford to take any chances at all..
(image - wiki images)
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9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Narendra Modi's other half his wife.
Narendra Modi is the prime minister of India. He ha scripted a rise which almost reads like a fairy tale. But like in all fairy tales there is perhaps an ogre or a witch. Narendra Modi before becoming prime minister was the chief minister of Gujarat. He won his spurs as an astute administrator there and also made a name for himself. There is no doubt that Modi is a dynamic man. But having said this one has to acknowledge that there are broken bridges in his life which have no satisfactory pillar. In other words, there is a gap and creates a mystery.
Modi was for years a Pracharak or a worker of the RSS a Hindu revivalist party that talks of going back to the age of Rama and 'Ram Rajya'. When he joined the RSS he declared he was unmarried. This in real terms was a lie as Modi at that time was a married man. He had agreed to an arranged marriage with a Gujarati lady named Yoshada Behen. She was a typical Indian girl from a small town who was in my view meek and submissive. This weakness was perhaps exploited by the young Modi.
Not much is known about the marital life of Narendra and Yoshada, though some claim the marriage was not consummated. There is no way this can be verified, but what we know that Modi remained a married man for 3 years. One fine day he told Yoshada that he was going away. He advised her to study as he left her, a better word is abandoned her. Modi went away never to return home.
Yoshada accepted the advice of Narendra and joined college. After completing her education she joined as a school teacher. She continued to teach in the school and finally retired a few years back. She draws a small pension and stays with her brother.
Modi having left never looked back and did not even divorce his wife as he strutted about claiming he was an unmarried man. However a lie cannot be repeated and during the last Lok Sabha election while filling his nomination on oath wrote that he was married. This let the cat out of the bag and what many had suspected became a reality. Modi acknowledged he was a married man but side stepped all questions as to what was his relationship with his wife. Modi's acknowledgement of his wife was more due to pressure of politis than to any act of atonement.
Modi has been chief minister of Gujarat for close to .12 years and many times hepassed close to his wife residence. He avoided meeting her, this is again a mystery as to why he never met her or gave any financial support. This dhws a callous attitude and none of the apologists of Modi can say much on this approach of Modi. Modi clearly violated the law where a wife is the responsibility of the husband and if he leaves her he must pay her.
Sadly Modi's wife lives in a small town and like the proverbial Indianwife has suffered silently. This makes her a greater woman than Modi the man. Probably Modi has a heartless sreak in his mental makeup. It would be so nice if he could give his version of this tale. Prima facie Modi is to faulted for deserting his wife and not looking for her upkeep. One would like to ask why he never divorced Yoshada and shy he claimed he was unmarried.
Modi is now the prime minister and wearing a suit that cost Rs 9 lakhs. He wore it during the visit of president Obama who remarked that Modi had dressed up as a Bollywood star. The suite was later auctioned, but that does not detract from the affluent life that he leads. Modi attends banquets and dinners and jets around the world, while his wife travels in a rickshaw. Yoshada still prays for Modi as all people around her know her as Modi's s wife.
Many notable personalities have commented adversely on this approach of Modi. Many wonder what is his commitment to social uplift of Indian women when he has such a callous behavior towards his wife. Would ' Modi please comment as what Indian men should? Should they follow Modi. The fact is his assertions that Indian women should be emancipated sounds hollow, when one thinks of how he treated his wife. Did he not exploit a weak woman?
Khalil Gibran wrote that the moving finger writes and having written moves on. What is done cannot be undone. Modi will however have to face the bar of god and some form of atonement is due from him.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article The Uri Attack and the Future of Kashmir.
The Kashmir problem has been festering for 69 years with no solution in sight. One can trace the genesis of this problem to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. This man, in one of the blunders of world history, took the matter to the United Nations and worse, agreed for a ceasefire. This, at a time when the Indian army had the tribal invaders on the run. This was not all, for Nehru more the philosopher than the statesman incorporated Article 370 in the Constitution that allowed Kashmir to have its own flag and Constitution.
Nehru died in 1964 but left behind a problem that is like an anchor around the neck of successive Indian governments. The leaders just carried on from where Nehru had left and like an ostrich, tried to hide from the gathering sandstorm. The result is there for all to see. Violence has become a trademark and despite a curfew ongoing for over 2 months, the shouts of Azadi( freedom) are becoming shriller.
There is an insurrection on in the valley and now the Indian state wails like a wounded wolf that Pakistan is fomenting terror is neither here or there. Pakistan has been fomenting terror attacks since almost 2 decades and yet the Indian government never launched an all-out diplomatic or economic offensive against Pakistan. There was no need to go to war but had economic measures been taken to strangle Pakistan it would have borne results.
The attacks have now become more brazen. The latest is the attack on a brigade HQs in Uri close to the LOC. It was a sad day as 19 soldiers were martyred and the situation is alarming as a brigade HQ was targeted. I don't recollect this happening earlier. In addition, there are questions of security and one wonders how the terror group could enter inside the perimeter of a fortified area and hold their own for 15 minutes till they were neutralized. It showed the fatalistic approach of the terror group who had decided to die for their cause.
Add to this complete defiance of security forces in the valley despite an unrelenting curfew for over 70 days. What does this mean? Stone throwers despite a curfew are food for thought. It means there is no element of fear in the eyes of the rioters of the security forces and that is not a good thing.
One is reminded of the statement of General Ne Win, the strong man of Burma. At the height of a student agitation in Rangoon, he warned the students that the military if it intervenes is tasked to kill and that is the role of the army and in case the students do not desist he would unleash the military. Sure enough, the military intervened, there was a blood-bath but all agitation died down for 10 years till Ne Win expired.
In India because of pussy-footed leadership the security forces are de-fanged. there is no reason that despite armed police and curfew the urchins instigated by their masters in Pakistan still throw stones at the soldiers and get away with it. It can only be stopped by an iron hand and that is lacking even with Modi in power.
Fighting Pakistan is not an option. The option is to quell the uprising in Kashmir and put the anti-India forces on the mat. There are tens of thousands of Indian supporters in Kashmir who are cowed down and their morale is low because of the policy of the central government. Surely something should have been done in the last 70 years.
How did Bangladesh solve the insurrection of the Chakmas in the Hills of Chittagong? They just settled Muslim farmers in the tracts and over a decade the insurrection by Buddhist tribals died down. Surely something like that could have been done in Kashmir?
The Indian government is thus guilty of grave dereliction of national ethos right from the time of Nehru. Even a spell of the BJP under Vajpayee and now Modi has yielded no results and probably there will be none till the Indian state integrates the valley with India. Till that is done I am afraid there is no option but to bleed with a 100 cuts for all time to come.
9 years ago
rambabu replied to the topic Trump Triumphs!.
Then why the Protests ?Americans are supposed to be highly educated. They are supposed to elect Hillary Clinton.
9 years ago
usha manohar replied to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
I agree, some out of the ordinary discussion topics definitely help us gain knowledge..in fact mythology and history cover a whole range of interesting topics...
9 years ago
usha manohar liked a reply to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
9 years ago
usha manohar liked a reply to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
9 years ago
usha manohar replied to the topic Ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes .
Once all your money becomes accountable naturally the black money levels come down. As of now black money hoarders are trying to convert their Money into white by giving g...
9 years ago
usha manohar replied to the topic Trump Triumphs!.
rambabu wrote:
Arunima Singh wrote:
Well right now he is going through the pain of facing the...
9 years ago
Vishakha Purohit created new article Photography: An art of capturing memories.
Photography is an art of capturing the moments we want to save or we wish to see, it is also the art or practice of taking and processing photographs. It is also a hobby for many people and a profession for a few. It is said that an image is equal to thousands of words. With help of photography, we can capture our memorable moments of our life through which we can look back at those moments after taking photos of these moments. Whether, it is an event or birthday party, wedding, national and international events, family get-together and business meetings. Photos not only captures moments but also those minute detailed things that our naked eyes can't see. The word "photography" is a combination of the Greek root words "photo" that means "light" and "graphia" that means "writing" or "drawing". Thus, "photography" literally or in other words means writing or drawing with light.
In 1839, Sir John Herschel coined the terms "photograph" and "photography", and established them in the academic and general vernacular, and where they have remained relatively unaltered since. "Photograph" the word indicates the product of photography, shares the same etymology. The word "photograph" competed against other contenders before its acceptance, which includes heliograph, photogene and sunprint. It was Sir Herschel's lecture on photography to the Royal Society in London in March of 1839 that appears to have solidified the use of the term. Photography has impacted society by allowing people to see others whom they would never have an opportunity to see otherwise. This includes presidents, politicians, celebrities and people from foreign countries. The advent or arrival of photography changed citizens behavior. Photography is also largely responsible for the modern-day concept of celebrity.
Before the invention of photography, it was impossible for one person to have millions of fans and followers worldwide. Photography is also important to society because it enables the diffusion of objective information through the visual capture of things as they really are. Photography allows people to accurately familiarize themselves with far-off landscapes and cultures. It also has the power to sway or influence public opinion through the presentation of emotionally moving images.
Photography is also said to be the art, process, or job of taking pictures with a camera. Photography is the series of actions which involves light or electromagnetic radiation to record images of objects on various surfaces. Photography requires light to duplicate the real-life image being taken. A camera is used to capture the image needed to produce the recreation of the image onto photographic film. I realize everything in photography comes down to one word- 'vision'. Call it vision, imagination, or seeing, it all comes down to the same thing- the ability to envision a final result in your mind's eye, and then to make it so with your tools at hand. This is how photography is performed throughout the whole world globally.
9 years ago
rambabu replied to the topic Trump Triumphs!.
Arunima Singh wrote:
Well right now he is going through the pain of facing the protest in the country which ironically elected...
9 years ago
Bineesh Balakrishnan created new article Looking for love.
I've gone through a seachange in tghe last few years. I'm no longer the timid, tall guy that I was during my late teens, or the angry young man in my 20s. Reading has permeated every nook & corner of my existence. Honestly speaking, I've never felt this bodacious in all the 33 revolutions that I've taken around the sun!! Like some wisecark once said:"All love begins with self-love." I love myself now, Love my job ( I'm a Physaitrist), love the fact that I'm financially independent, & love the boosts technology has given for nurturing your soul & new relationships...
Like billions out there, I'm looking for love. Prosaic, as that may sound, I'm not looking for a plastic relationship, inspired by movies or novels. I'm at an age, where I have to choose a life partner. There has to be a girl who is simple, yet listens to Britrock; someone who has read tons of books, but yet knows the value of silence; someone who has modern dressing styles, but inside her heart values commitment...
To help my search, I've enrolled on a matrimonial site, & I socialise with girls whenever possible, so that I can get to know them. When I'm searching for something, I leave no stone unturned!! On one murky Tuesday, I ran into Geethu, she's a House Surgeon ( aka Intern ), & she kinda skydived into the pool of my heart...She loves Britrock, is very open minded, & also reads quite a bit. My 'loveometer' ( the part of my adaptive subconscious that instantly calculates the chances of me falling for a girl!!) gave her a score of 4/5...So I start talking & flirting with her, & we get along quite well. She meets me with a 'genuine smile', each time!! ( for novices in micro-expressions, a genuine smile is poles apart from a fake one!!)...She hails from North India, & she was leaving in a week's time. I asked her if she wanted to hang out, & she flashes that celstial smile again...'She's not offended, that's cool', was the thought that flashed through my mind....She gave me her number, & claimed that she was busy at that point in time...I was not let down, or anything of that sort, because her statement seemed all too genuine...
That afternoon I reached my room, & was thinking about Geethu...She loves Oasis, reads quite a lot, is a very genuine person, I don't think my 'loveometer' was wrong...That evening, after the daily workout, I checked out a song by 'The White Stripes' called ' Fell in live with a girl'...Needless to say, that song became a earworm for days on end...
Geethu's posting ended, & though she responded to my messages, she did get busy. Anyone who completed MBBS, knows the doggednessthat we have to live through when the course ends ( a long list of certificates we have to apply & wait for!! applying for Amnesty, is easier!!)..So Geethu left, & as usual I needed to keep looking for real love ( or my cliched version of it!!)..So one evening, while drifting through my matrimonial profile, I noted the profile of a Dentist-Nisha, who reads a lot, who showed interest in my profile...I aksed my parents to 'proceed' with that proposal...3 weeks later, I was informed that the horoscopes matched!! 3 freaking weeks, no wonder some of my married peers, referred to those bundles of paper as 'horrorscopes'!! So this could work out for me..I went through her profile, a couple of times more...Nisha likes Philosophy, & I'm so into that field, that it literally runs through my veins!!...Nisha's parents called us over to their place, to get to know us. ..On a Sunday, we started out for Nisha's residence. So after 'small talk' ( in arranged marriage circles, 'small talk' takes roughly an hour, & is super boring!!), I get to talk to Nisha...For a person who reads a lot, she seemed rather withdrawn. But after talking with her , I realized she had a lot of values, my 'loveometer' showed a score of 3/5...Nisha's parents promised to get back to us...As I wait, the song lines from 'The White Stripes' song go through my mind-"My left brain knows that all love is fleeting..."....But I'll keep searching.....
9 years ago
haripriya Palanisamy created new article Social Life Today.
Earlier in olden days before the invention of telephones and other means of communication people, people would travel miles and miles to see their friends, relatives and even their loved ones. The conversations were more lively involving more love, affection, and happiness. People back then were much more friendly and treat even strangers with a loving and welcoming face. In India and many other countries especially in villages, it is still a traditional practice to invite strangers into their homes and give some water when they come in search of address or looking for someone. Life back then was much more peaceful and people were a lot healthier with having to eat only natural organic fresh fruits and vegetables. This was the scenario in the early 1900's or so. But slowly with the advancement in technology and improving the standard of living, people started to become more and more selfish and reserved.
To talk about the younger generation of today they are reducing their time spent for their family. As a fact, they are willing to spend hours and hours of their time with their friends on Facebook and twitter rather than for their family. This has been creating many problems like misunderstandings, heartbreaks. These problems can be solved if they think about all the good things that their parents have done for them. Moreover, the biggest problem is using social media sites to share their photographs which if gets in the hands of wrong people, it will create additional mental tension and in the extreme case, death. So spending time on social media sites is not a bad thing but we should not forget our limit and should also think about the ill effects it causes. Therefore, the best way to lead a social life is that engaging with people, actively participating in campaigns and activities related to creating awareness about a depressing issue, motivating people about how to overcome struggles in their life by sharing our own experiences, helping people in terms of both knowledge and money as much as possible. So, stay happy and healthier and lead a better social life than the many others.
9 years ago
Arunima Singh created new article Supreme court gives a retrogressive judgement.
"Triple Talaq is here to go"- this made the headlines of majority of news channels in country.
When the judgement against Triple Talaq was being welcomed by Muslim women across the nation, there came another judgement which shook women like me across the nation.
"Hindu son can file for divorce if his wife tries to separate him from his parents"
An striking irony that the two judgement came parallel in time. While one supported the rights of women as an equal gender, the other one brought total disgrace to women.
I did not find it making headlines of newspapers or the news channels. I might have missed it or failed to notice it. And I did not find any channel debating it either. I got this news from one of the social platform and ignored it. It did not appear to be true in today's progressive society and I misunderstood it as thousand of misguiding rumors going viral on social platform. After a couple of days, I had to take it as a reality with a pinch of salt. There were petitions and forum discussions on various platforms about this law.
It did not get so much of limelight like the triple talaq ban. Maybe because it was not fighting against a draconian practice as in case of triple talaq. However, I felt that it also needs the similar limelight as it also involves the right of equality of a woman, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a daughter-in-law and above all a mother-in-law.
I read about this law on Internet and from the information that I collected ( pardon me! if I missed anything), I could come to a conclusion with surety that this judgement was a sexist and retrogressive judgement.
As a woman, I felt disgraced.
Disgraced as a duaghter. My parents can do their best to give me the best childhood and best education. But after my marriage, they lose their rights over me. I will be lawfully owned by a new set of parents. I don't owe the responsibility of taking care of my old parents. as I do not enjoy the right to seek divorce if my spouse stops me from doing that. From a loving custody of my parents I will be handed over to the lawful custody of my spouse and his parents.
Disgraced as a sister. My brother can enjoy living with my old parents without any obligation from his wife. But I can enjoy having my parents with me only if permitted by my spouse and in-laws. Traditions always allowed parents to stay with sons. Daughter were always seen as "paraya dhan" and now this patriarchal mindset has got a boost by a legal stamping.
Disgraced as a wife: In the institution of marriage, I do not stand equal to him in my rights. He has got a legal upper hand. So the institution of marriage is not a relationship between equals anymore. The female has been dwarfed by this sexist judgement. While taking the vows of marriage, we talked about sharing our life and responsibilities together. While I am entitled to share his responsibility of taking care of his parents, he can escape his vow. He can only do it if he desires to do so. But I have to do it under the legal threat to my marriage.
Disgraced as a mother: Being a mother of daughter, I do not enjoy the same social status as that of the mother of a son. I am at the mercy of my son-in-law's wish to take care of me. But if I have a son, my daughter-in-law is lawfully bounded to serve me. Think deep. Are we not promoting the want of son, sex determination and killing of female wombs??
Disgraced as a daughter-in-law: I love to take care of my spouse's parents because I get so much of love and support from them not because the law threatens me to do so.
Disgraced as a Mother-in-law: Well, this law seemingly supports me. But on deeper introspection, it disgraces me. My daughter-in-law is lawfully bonded to take care of me and not because of the strong bonding we share as two women in a relationship. I own her because of my status and not out of the respect that I earned in return of my love for her.
I felt disgraced and so did many Hindu women across the nation. Not only women, even the progressive males felt the same.
Many argued that the judgement is in line with our age old traditions. I feel we have witnessed reforms in traditions earlier for a better society. Traditions have to be reformed for betterment.
I would have embraced the judgement with open arms if it was not sexist and would have not demeaned our old tradition but rather glorified it by saying-
"The institution of Marriage is a beautiful relationship between two people who are equals and share the responsibility equally for taking care of both sets of parents"
9 years ago
Arunima Singh created new article Yoga and Pilate during Pregnancy.
Pregnancy is the time that requires you to be in best of your health. A good health means complete well-being, which means you have to be fit physically, mentally, emotionally and not to miss out spiritually. Yoga is the best way to your mental, physical and spiritual fitness and to assure a happy and healthy pregnancy.
Yoga and Pilate are highly recommended during and after pregnancy. They help you to get a comfortable and smooth pregnancy and bounce back to your shape post delivery.
The joy of pregnancy is accompanied by it's own baggage of discomfort- dull backaches, emotional stress, hormonal outbursts and mood swings and many of these will stay a little long even post delivery. Yoga during pregnancy and post delivery will surely help you to ease out these discomforts. It would be really rewarding to to give you the needed physical and mental support to carry on a healthy pregnancy and will get you emotionally prepared for motherhood. It is always advisable to practice Yoga during pregnancy under the supervision of a qualified Yoga instructor. Tell your Yoga instructor about your pregnancy and about the stage of your pregnancy, your concern and what you are seeking from these Yoga sessions. Yoga exercises can be tailored as per your need and safety. Certain positions of Yoga are a strict NO for a pregnant lady. Overheating can be detrimental to fetus and so expecting mother should never try "Bikram Yoga/Hot Yoga"
Breathing exercises. mild poses and meditation help you to fight the stress and mood swings.
Pilates is one of the most suited exercise for expecting moms. It helps you build your core strength and tone your abdominal, back and kegel ( pelvic floor) muscles. This helps you with a comfortable pregnancy and smooth delivery. Pilates exercises are also adaptable and can be modified to suit your pregnancy stage and needs.
You can practice Yoga or Pilates or a combination of two during and after your pregnancy. Keep in account the following points:
Consult your doctor: You should consult your doctor. Your medical care provider knows of your condition and complications and is the best person to advise whether you can go ahead with these exercises. Some complications might restrict you from doing such exercises.
Strict NO to lying on back pose: Whether Yoga or Pilate, you should no do poses that requires you lying flat on your back. It can be quite harmful to the baby as it obstruct the circulation to the fetus. You ca prop your feet but keep your hips down. Never put your feet over your head. Eliminate your sharp movements from your exercise routine like those vigorous sidekicks and exercises on jump boards. Do overstretch as it might strain your muscles.
Cautious over your balance: Your growing belly night shift your center of gravity. You have to be extra cautious about your balance during poses.
Listen to your body: This is the key rule. Your pace and duration of exercise should be in accordance with your body comfort and so will change with your growing pregnancy and growing belly. Avoid the poses that are over stressing and cause any discomfort.
Stay Hydrated: Dehydration during Yoga or Pilates cause nauseating sensation. Do keep in mind to keep yourself hydrated and to eat well. Eat those extra healthy calories as you are eating for two and also to make up for those calories that you have lost during your exercising session.
A healthy lifestyle and good diet along with Yoga and Pilates ensure the healthy growth of the life inside you as well as well being of the mother
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Are the Indian Armed Forces Dissatisfied? .
The Indian armed forces consist of the Army. Airforce and Navy. All 3 arms trace their pedigree to of the Raja. They do not draw any sustenance from the Imperial Mogul force or any other Indian military formation. The British Raj@pinnaclemanpower.com established the 3 arms with the army being the oldest and the airforce which camcame up in 1932 being the youngest.
The armed forces were modeled on the British forace and laws and acts as well as regulations were all courtesy the English. The army was er lier the East India army which later became the British Indian army. After 1947 when the British voluntarily left India the same army was christened the Indian army. The same applied to the other 2 arms the air force and navy.
The British granted India freedom by an act of the British parliament duly passed in the 2 chambers of the UK namely the house of commons and house of Lords. Called the government of India act it received its assent from the King of England . Control of the armed forces passed into the hands of the new Indian government led by Jwaharlal Nehru, who became the first prime minister.
The new Indian leadership had spent a lifetime in organising protest and civil disobedience. They had no concept of what is power politics or geo political power. Nehru , Patel and Gandhi had thus no concept of the role of military power, Most likely they had never heard ofClausewitz or the dictum that the army is an extension of the political aim. Thus the new Indian leadership led by Nehru adopted policies that were detrimental to the army. In particular Nehru who was the main leader and prime minister had a phobia of the army. He feared a military coup and with Burma and Pakistan under the boots of the arm Nehru lost all sence of military as a source of power.
Nehru thus started to defend the army. In his limited horizonhe started by abolishing the post of Commander in Chief. This post had existed for a hundered years and was an extremely negative step. The C in C is there in all armies and coordinates the 3 services. It exists in the British and American militry as the Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Nehru foolishly thought he had achieved his aim. He followed up by refusing the latest weaponry as well as reduced the pay and perks. Hisaim to have de- fanged army that would not be threat to him. Most of his fears were imaginary, but he paid a terrible price for his foolishness . The Indian State lost the initiative against both China and Pakistan. A border war with China in ,1962 ended in a rout and on the world stage Nehru cut a sorry figure. He was humiliated and spent the next 2 years in hiding. He passed away like a defeated leader
.Nehru's death did not end the discrimination against the army. The new leadership still feared the army and worse followed. In 1973 Indira Gandhi further cut the services to size by reducing pensions and other benefits. The order of preference was so formulated that army officers were reduced in status. The ministy of defense was entirely manned by a civil cadre and in in any committee or the pay commission th armed forces were studiously ignored.
Governments of Narsimiha Rao and Vajpayee and even Modi continued the Nehruvian concepts. The latest flip by Modi is reduction of disability pension for soldiers much below their civil counterparts. Modi has also approved approved a disproportionate increase in allowances for civilians while army is pegged low. This is hard to understand as all along Modi had trumpeted that he not only would sanction OROP but also restore the izzat of the forces. This has not happened and the armed forces under him are down graded. His failure to sanction OROP as per the approval of parliament which had approved it as per the Koshiari commission is a blot on him. His talk is to claim credit for army action by chest thumping while downgrading the military.
There is a fire all around and the Indian State must take note of it. Otherwise I am afraid the Indian State may not have a leg to stand on. One must remember that Mao stated" Political power comes out of the Barrell of a gun". Modi is a fast learner and he better learn this dictum for the good of India.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Worlds first Stealth Fighter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_F-117_Nighthawk
When I visited the USA in 1998 as part of the air team we were quartered at one of the USAF bases. At one end (that area was kept off bounds) we could see dark bat shaped planes. They were part of the secret arsenal of the USAF and from my knowledge; I knew that this was the famous stealth fighter. It was given the number as F-115 and called Night Hawk. The plane at that time was the most advanced in the world and nobody had anything like it.
The Night Hawk cost 111 million dollars apiece and was discontinued in the USAF after 25 years and replaced with the F-22 or Raptor. Never the less the F-117 was something unique and incorporated the stealth technology. This technology was published in a research paper presented in 1964 by a Russian scientist named Pykr. The Russians ignored this paper but the engineers at Lockheed studied the paper in detail. In effect, the Prof has stated that a plane could be made that could allow the radar waves to bounce off the plane and thus render the aircraft invisible to detection by radar. it could only be sighted visually.
It meant making a plane with an unconventional design > it had to have angles of construction, that were of a particular slant so that the radar waves could bounce off. The plane thus had the look of a bat and was christened the Night Hawk. The Night Hawk first flew in 1981 and a few years later was inducted into the USAF. The Night Hawk was a revolutionary design and for 5 years the Americans kept it secret before the world came to know of this unique plane. The Russians rued the development of the F-117 and wondered how they had missed the bus.
The Night Hawk was put into operational use and used extensively in the air bombardment of Iraq, during the 1992 US-Iraq war. The plane despite a slow speed of some 660km/hr could not be detected. It had limited range of about 1000 km and thus for a target it needed mid-air refueling. It carried no defensive armaments relying on its ability to attack a target undetected. It carried 2 x 1000 il laser guided bombs that could penetrate even 12ft of concrete and was thus a force multiplier. The Russians were however hard at work to perfect their own stealth fighter and the US the need of another plane was felt. Research started and this led to the led to the Raptor, which had a longer range and flew at 3 times the speed of the Night Hawk. Once the Raptor was ready for combat duty, the F117 was phased out, but it served the US interests for 25 years. During this period only one Night Hawk was lost in combat over Serbia when a Russian missile was able to hit it. The pilot was rescued in a dramatic rescue mission, but the plane crashed. Russian engineers as well as Chinese salvaged parts of the plane and took it to Moscow and China in an effort to understand the stealth technology. Parts of the plane can see be seen in the Museum at Belgrade.
The F-115 remained the only stealth fighter in the world during the days of the cold war and even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the plane was the mainstay of US offensive action. It was used extensively in Afghanistan when the USA mounted an invasion and no plane was lost despite missiles with the Taliban. It hastened the defeat of the Taliban by a relentless bombardment with laser guided bombs. The plane was also used in operations in Kosovo and Yugoslavia.
The Russians were wary of the Night Hawk and later they did develop their own stealth fighter, but one wonders whether the Russian plane is as good as the latest American plane with stealth technology the Raptor. This plane is the successor to the Night Hawk and much more lethal. The Night Hawk is now part of aviation history and will have a respected name in the world of military aircraft. it incorporated a technology that was not much heard of earlier but now is commonplace. The F-117 had played a significant part in US domination all over the world. One wonders when the Indian's will be able to duplicate such a plane.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article India at the cross roads; another division on the cards.
India became free when British rule lapsed in 1947. It was freedom granted by the British and duly passed by an act of the British Parliament. It was not a freedom won by any coercive action like a war of independence. The freedom was without a fight, more as a gift and was solely dependent on the British perception that the Indian military for long the pivot of British rule could no longer be trusted. Many Indians had joined the Azad Hind army and coupled with a continuous mutiny in the navy had an unsettling effect. The British decided to leave and Gandhi and Nehru got freedom on a platter.
Hindu-Muslim divide
The British were past masters in a policy often referred to as ' divide and rule'. They supported a concept articulated by the poet Iqbal that Hindus and Muslims can not live together and in fact were two separate nations. Thus the concept of a homeland for Muslims emerged. This was Pakistan and Mohammad Ali Jinnah became its foremost exponent. The concept of Pakistan, however, did not solve the Hindu-Muslim divide as a large number of Muslims were left in India. They now number close to 20 crores and they can't be wished away.
Nehru the Indian leader had a golden chance to integrate this community with the rest of India. But he failed and on a number of cases protected Muslim laws and life. He failed to enforce a uniform civil code, even as he reformed Hindu law. He thus allowed a separate Muslim identity that is detrimental to the Indian State. The Muslims were allowed to practice the Sharia and this despite the directive principles in the constitution that enjoin the government to pass a law as a uniform civil code. Thankfully a request for a separate electorate was not accepted.
The UCC
The wheel has now turned full circle and 70years down the line there is a clamor for a Uniform Civil Code ( UCC). The case being brought out is the concept of triple talaq. This gives a power to a man to divorce his wife by just uttering the words talaq the 3 times. This can be done even by telephone. It's a draconian law and most Muslims consider this ad sacred and inviolable.
The Supreme Court is hearing the case and the court asked for the government opinion. In an affidavit , the government has stated that triple talaq is not compatible with the Indian aspirations and violative of the constitution that talks gender equality. The government of Modi has taken the right decision, but it has served as a red flag to a bull.Almost all Muslim parties have closed ranks and called it an interference in their religion. Led by the Muslim law board, the Muslims state that they will practice the Sharia and no power on earth can enforce a UCC. In addition, they also say that Triple Talaq cannot be abrogated and is part of Muslim ethos. They are not concerned with gender equality and feel that the rights of man take precedence all the time.
Dilemma
The government is on the horns of a dilemma and it does not know how to bite the bullet. The Muslims are adamant that their personal law cannot be touched. One wonders how the Muslims are so vociferous in India while they except the civil code in Europe and the USA without a murmur. This is because of weakness in the government and more so of the Hindus who have let matters drift for 7 decades. One is reminded of days of Muslim rule when the Muslims never asked Hindus whether they would like to pay the Jizia, a tax on Hindus as per the Koran. Those were the days of Muslim rule that lasted 9 centuries and during the days of the Mughals, the Hindu population declined by 80 million. That amounts to 30% of the population at that time.
Muslims are on the warpath and the number of adherents to the ISIS is rising with many from Karnataka, Kerala, and Hyderabad making a beeline. It's a frightening thought in case even 10% of the Muslim population were to take part in such activities what will happen to India? Can anybody guess it?
Last word
The UCC is just a tip of the iceberg but it is a pointer of things to come. How will the Modi and later governments deal with this? The UCC is, as I said, a small thing but the Muslim mind wants something more and who knows whether the seeds of another division of India are not already sown.
9 years ago
usha manohar created new article Pros and cons of the Indian Education system .
We get to hear more Cons than Pros about the Indian Education system by Indians themselves. This is probably because in most cases people like to criticize and look for faults rather than appreciate anything positive. However an impartial analysis of any subject is always good since it makes us think and it is only when we think and analyse that we are able to change and improvise any system and let it grow. This is true of our education system as well, which is probably one of the most voluminous systems in the world. It also goes without saying that quantity necessarily does not mean quality . But with all the adversities present in our society , Indian education is still one of the most competent systems in the world.
Looking Back
To go back in history , Indian education started with the concept of Guru Kula where the students , almost all of them coming from Brahmin and Rajput families stayed with the Guru ( Teacher) and his family living a frugal life until their education was complete. Guru was highly respected often giving advice on matters of the state to those of his students coming from Royal families and later taking on the responsibility of ruling the kingdom. There was a lot of prestige attached to the system except the fact that education was not available to all because caste factors dominated life during those periods.
But with time and western influences in the form of the Portuguese and the British education took on a different look altogether. Western education was unbiased and available to all regardless of caste ,creed and class. The spread of western education is one of the greatest gifts that we received from foreign rule. By the time India became independent education was widespread and people had realised the importance of education which gave them status and the power to earn and be independent.
Education in the Indian context
When we speak about Education, in the Indian context all that comes to one's mind is a class room , teachers and the ultimate goal of attaining a degree. This is the drawback that makes our system lacking and incomplete. Unless Education facilitates not only learning and acquiring knowledge but also includes developing one's skills, values and personal development , a student will not be fully equipped to make a mark or become an independent thinker which quality is equally important.
The system of education in India started out with a lot of ambition. Many Indians went abroad to study law and other competitive courses during the British rule. It was through the dedicated effort of some progressive minds of that time that education began to evolve here . However, once we got our Independence things began to change. The government schools in the initial years were considered the best option for everyone except a very few who could afford to gain entry and study at the prestigious private schools started and nurtured by the British
Coming back to the present we have the government run schools and colleges, most of which suffer due to the negligent attitude of the concerned authorities. However the Higher level professional colleges ,IITs and IIMs are run very well. In fact many of the professional colleges attract foreign students who find it cheaper to study here without compromising o the quality.
Some of the major drawbacks in our education system
1, Most of the educated old timers of the forties, fifties and even sixties studied in government schools and colleges and one can see the dedication and the all round knowledge that they received. Even with a Pre-university or a bachelors degree they rose to very high positions in their career and managed to leave a mark. It could be because of the smaller numbers combined with the initial enthusiasm that is normally there. But over a period of time, all though education became widespread, the value and quality began to take a back seat.
2, The growth became lop sided with our politicians realising an opportunity to make education into a business venture. So, now we find a clutter of Professional colleges all over the country filled to 50% capacity. Last year more than 2 lakh seats across the country were lying vacant in Engineering colleges alone. When I say lop sided , I refer to the total neglect at the pre school, primary and secondary levels of education which has hardly seen any kind of push except in some private and International schools. Unless students are given a solid all round foundation in the early years it is not possible to achieve much. In the early years after Independence the push was for an all round education where extra curricular activities, sporting activities and hobbies were given equal importance.
3, The standard of government schools have steadily deteriorated , in spite of the fact that more than 85% of the students still study at government run schools. I have seen many government schools close down because there are no teachers willing to go to remote areas due to lack of facilities. Unless this basic need is taken care of , there will be very little development made in the education system as a whole. If we hear or come across some achievers coming from remote areas, we have to appreciate the individual effort that has gone into it by the student, parents and the teacher but not by the education department which has failed so far to provide the basic needs.
4,The major problem with our system of education is a lack of vision and lack of commitment by the concerned authorities , who are able to bring in the much needed change in the system. We see Education portfolio is more a political circus where just about anybody, depending on their proximity to the top leaders are given the post. Instead if it is given to a minister who is educated and has worked in the educational field for sometime, we may see some far reaching changes. There must be several bodies set up to monitor the system consisting of highly educated and brilliant minds that our nation has produced in spite of many lapses. But do they have the freedom to bring about any positive changes ?
5, It is also a fact that our political system is at the root of all the problems that the education system faces today. There is no minimum educational qualifications laid down for contesting an election where caste, minority issues and sycophancy play a major role. After winning the election one among the candidate who has won will be given a portfolio and if a well- educated person is given the ministry of education, we must consider ourselves lucky.. When such is the case it is not possible to expect any kind of improvement in the near future although some small measures are being taken from time to time.
Conclusion
No system is perfect anywhere in the world , one can only strive harder to make it better. However, positive changes are happening the world over at a much faster pace than in India. We are still at the basics stage where infra structure itself is not up to the mark. So, we cannot even compare our basic school education system to any of the developed countries. Some halfhearted initiatives are taken by the respective states more to garner votes rather than improve the system. Free food and free education for lower castes and scheduled caste is one such measure. It may help to some extent in drawing crowds but is that enough ? In fact such a measure can backfire in the long run since it also teaches the youngsters to expect doles and freebies forever which definitely is not contributory to the society.
To conclude, with all the above points where I have highlighted the negative points in our educational system , it is still considered almost at par with other advanced systems of the western countries. In fact there are many students who have studied in governments schools with very basic amenities but were able to do brilliantly well, with regard to their academics and career . This may be because they realise that unless they work hard they will not get much help from the system, so they tend to go all out to achieve their goals. The very fact that in the United Kingdom the National Health service has more than 40% Indian doctors and the US is filled with our IT Engineers who have studied in India goes to show that Indian students have the potential to compete with any society and its needs around the world.
(image - wikipedia)
9 years ago
usha manohar created new article Taking Care Of Our Heart .
Introduction
According to researches and many heart specialists, it is now becoming clear that the more outgoing and social you are, the better your chances of keeping away heart diseases. I was reading a medical journal and this is what one of the heart specialists from a prominent hospital in Bangalore had to say- the merrier you are the stronger your heart remains! As more researches being conducted on heart diseases and heart health, it has now been proven beyond doubt that the state of one’s mind definitely affects the heart. Getting stressed beyond a certain limit can have an adverse effect on our mind, body and our heart. Like all other organs heart too has its own limitations and when it is stressed beyond limit, it can easily give up many a times beyond repair!
Letting go of negative feelings like stress, anger and depression helps our body while holding on to them only hurts it. It is not an easy task to become immune to your emotions, people and surroundings but one can decrease the damage to a great extent by learning to control one’s emotions and reactions to negative situations. Did you know that a person who talks fast, walks fast and lives life to the fullest and is in the fast lane is perfectly healthy and is happy? This is what modern day researchers say, this is because they have no time to sit and brood over negativities of life and they take life as it comes. Such people neither worry over losses nor do they make much of gains. A balanced outlook definitely helps you keep your balance and your heart healthy and ticking.
Testing our personality/personalities
At the outset I wold like to point out that many of us don't necessarily fall under any one category since we may have more than one personality traits in us. The ones given below are some of the prominent personality traits in general, that have been identified among human beings.
The Brooding type
The more you sit and brood the more you are likely to be felled by a heart attack or stroke. Some people take a long time to recover from illness or a distressing incident that has taken place in their life making life difficult not just for themselves but for those around them as well. According to studies, such people are 84% more likely to lose at least 5-10 years of their life span. We see some people always muttering and grumbling about everything and this type of attitude can lead to depression which increases heart beat rate , higher level of stress hormones which don't sync with their physical activities. Depressed and unhappy people are also more likely to take up unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking excessive liquor or become drug addicts, which again make their condition worse.
The Worrying Type
No doubt that we all worry to a certain extent or the other, which is quite normal in most people. It is how much you worry that matters. You may worry about the price of onions or petrol or about the increasing household expenses, but normally forget about your worries when you are spending time with your family or when you are with your friends etc.
On the other hand if you worry all the time , you are only worrying yourself to death. Constant worry has the same effect as acute anxiety causing increased blood pressure and increased levels of adrenaline and other hormones that cause the heart to beat faster and signaling the cells to dump fat into the bloodstream for quick energy. Repeated Blood pressure surges can damage the arterial linings, which in turn leads to a blockage of the coronary artery. The end result is that high anxiety can speed up a heart attack in a person 4 times more than in a person who is normal and is able to keep his worries and anxieties under control.
The Anger addict
Anger is our body's normal response to being threatened or frustrated. When you are angry you breath harder, your heart beats faster, your blood pressure rises, your pupils dilate and your digestion gets suspended and finally your blood sugar levels soar. The combined effect of all this is that blood gets diverted from other organs to the heart, the central nervous system and muscles. The brain sends a message to pump action hormones which kick starts fatty acids from your fat deposits. So we see how a single reaction sets about so many chemical reactions within our body, all of which lead to a near heart attack.
Anger, we should realise is a very powerful poison to our system since it is a emotion that combines hostility and cynicism all of which are negative reactions linked to the heart. However, according to modern day researchers blowing out once in a while is far better than bottling up your anger and emotions and letting it steadily and slowly poison you. Harboring anger not only strains the heart but can affect the blood's clotting ability, constrict arteries and slow down blood flow into different organs. A person who is perpetually angry with others and the world in general is more likely to seek solace in nicotine and alcohol and we all know where that can lead to - straight to the heart and its well being which gets threatened.
The person who Stifles his/her feelings
We like to keep certain things to ourselves and there is nothing wrong in that, but there is a limit to the levels of being able to stifle your feelings to yourself. Most of the emotions that contribute to heart disease can be buffered by interactions with other people who are close to us .Social support could be had by opening out to a trusted friend or a family member, who could be your spouse, sister, brother or your parents or a close friend. Even superficial chatting can help since you are interacting and feel that there are people who understand you .The more social you are the happier and healthier you remain and the less isolated you remain and the less contact you have with others , the worse is your heart disease prognosis.
The person who has lost Control over life
This may not always happen but does happen to some people when life has been very trying for them. They may have lost their job, had a failed marriage or had some harrowing experience which has left them feeling dejected, lost an important court case etc. This causes a chain reaction of negative emotions which play a major role in how you respond to stress. Such people are very likely to have a heart attack when things further go wrong or have some added stress.
How to get over it - a few useful and practical tips
1. Do not let your self be consumed by one single aspect of existence - be it work , rearing children or being a housewife or getting addicted to any one activity. Lend your talents to a cause and more importantly explore yourself and see what your potentials are , set realistic goals and try to work towards achieving them. The good old saying Jack of all trades, master of none can now be rewritten Jack of all trades master of some!
2. Remaining busy with some activity or the other at all stages of your life is very important and essential for the well being of your heart. It also diverts your mind from pressing worries, if any!
3. Loosen up a bit instead of remaining rigid and stiff. Learn to let go and laugh at yourself and enjoy every moment of life. There is no point in being critical and judgmental of others instead overlook minor defects, since none of us is perfect and make others feel comfortable and wanted by your interactions with them. This will be a rewarding experience since you get what you give.
4. Self analysis always helps - when you are stressed , angry or depressed, sit quietly and go through your emotions and go into the root of it. You will have a better idea as to how you should handle the situation once you have analysed it impartially from every angle and this exercise in itself brings our positivity in you.
5. Strengthening family ties is very important since we need an anchor. A happily married person is less likely to have a heart attack than a person who is single. Having children and maintaining a happy and healthy interaction with them gives us strength, support and structure.
Conclusions
To conclude, most studies have shown that individuals having strong ties with their parents, spouse and children, also have a reduced risk of heart disease. There is a solution for every problem in our life so instead of brooding, taking the positive way out, by analysing and finding the right solution helps immensely. Negative emotions like physical pain are a signal to the body that there is something wrong and the issue should be addressed at some level right away.
Most heart diseases are the result of neglect over a long period of time. The proverb " A stitch in time saves nine " applies here too, since the more we neglect the more far reaching the health effects would be and with regard to our heart, we cannot afford to take any chances at all..
(image - wiki images)
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9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Narendra Modi's other half his wife.
Narendra Modi is the prime minister of India. He ha scripted a rise which almost reads like a fairy tale. But like in all fairy tales there is perhaps an ogre or a witch. Narendra Modi before becoming prime minister was the chief minister of Gujarat. He won his spurs as an astute administrator there and also made a name for himself. There is no doubt that Modi is a dynamic man. But having said this one has to acknowledge that there are broken bridges in his life which have no satisfactory pillar. In other words, there is a gap and creates a mystery.
Modi was for years a Pracharak or a worker of the RSS a Hindu revivalist party that talks of going back to the age of Rama and 'Ram Rajya'. When he joined the RSS he declared he was unmarried. This in real terms was a lie as Modi at that time was a married man. He had agreed to an arranged marriage with a Gujarati lady named Yoshada Behen. She was a typical Indian girl from a small town who was in my view meek and submissive. This weakness was perhaps exploited by the young Modi.
Not much is known about the marital life of Narendra and Yoshada, though some claim the marriage was not consummated. There is no way this can be verified, but what we know that Modi remained a married man for 3 years. One fine day he told Yoshada that he was going away. He advised her to study as he left her, a better word is abandoned her. Modi went away never to return home.
Yoshada accepted the advice of Narendra and joined college. After completing her education she joined as a school teacher. She continued to teach in the school and finally retired a few years back. She draws a small pension and stays with her brother.
Modi having left never looked back and did not even divorce his wife as he strutted about claiming he was an unmarried man. However a lie cannot be repeated and during the last Lok Sabha election while filling his nomination on oath wrote that he was married. This let the cat out of the bag and what many had suspected became a reality. Modi acknowledged he was a married man but side stepped all questions as to what was his relationship with his wife. Modi's acknowledgement of his wife was more due to pressure of politis than to any act of atonement.
Modi has been chief minister of Gujarat for close to .12 years and many times hepassed close to his wife residence. He avoided meeting her, this is again a mystery as to why he never met her or gave any financial support. This dhws a callous attitude and none of the apologists of Modi can say much on this approach of Modi. Modi clearly violated the law where a wife is the responsibility of the husband and if he leaves her he must pay her.
Sadly Modi's wife lives in a small town and like the proverbial Indianwife has suffered silently. This makes her a greater woman than Modi the man. Probably Modi has a heartless sreak in his mental makeup. It would be so nice if he could give his version of this tale. Prima facie Modi is to faulted for deserting his wife and not looking for her upkeep. One would like to ask why he never divorced Yoshada and shy he claimed he was unmarried.
Modi is now the prime minister and wearing a suit that cost Rs 9 lakhs. He wore it during the visit of president Obama who remarked that Modi had dressed up as a Bollywood star. The suite was later auctioned, but that does not detract from the affluent life that he leads. Modi attends banquets and dinners and jets around the world, while his wife travels in a rickshaw. Yoshada still prays for Modi as all people around her know her as Modi's s wife.
Many notable personalities have commented adversely on this approach of Modi. Many wonder what is his commitment to social uplift of Indian women when he has such a callous behavior towards his wife. Would ' Modi please comment as what Indian men should? Should they follow Modi. The fact is his assertions that Indian women should be emancipated sounds hollow, when one thinks of how he treated his wife. Did he not exploit a weak woman?
Khalil Gibran wrote that the moving finger writes and having written moves on. What is done cannot be undone. Modi will however have to face the bar of god and some form of atonement is due from him.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article The Uri Attack and the Future of Kashmir.
The Kashmir problem has been festering for 69 years with no solution in sight. One can trace the genesis of this problem to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. This man, in one of the blunders of world history, took the matter to the United Nations and worse, agreed for a ceasefire. This, at a time when the Indian army had the tribal invaders on the run. This was not all, for Nehru more the philosopher than the statesman incorporated Article 370 in the Constitution that allowed Kashmir to have its own flag and Constitution.
Nehru died in 1964 but left behind a problem that is like an anchor around the neck of successive Indian governments. The leaders just carried on from where Nehru had left and like an ostrich, tried to hide from the gathering sandstorm. The result is there for all to see. Violence has become a trademark and despite a curfew ongoing for over 2 months, the shouts of Azadi( freedom) are becoming shriller.
There is an insurrection on in the valley and now the Indian state wails like a wounded wolf that Pakistan is fomenting terror is neither here or there. Pakistan has been fomenting terror attacks since almost 2 decades and yet the Indian government never launched an all-out diplomatic or economic offensive against Pakistan. There was no need to go to war but had economic measures been taken to strangle Pakistan it would have borne results.
The attacks have now become more brazen. The latest is the attack on a brigade HQs in Uri close to the LOC. It was a sad day as 19 soldiers were martyred and the situation is alarming as a brigade HQ was targeted. I don't recollect this happening earlier. In addition, there are questions of security and one wonders how the terror group could enter inside the perimeter of a fortified area and hold their own for 15 minutes till they were neutralized. It showed the fatalistic approach of the terror group who had decided to die for their cause.
Add to this complete defiance of security forces in the valley despite an unrelenting curfew for over 70 days. What does this mean? Stone throwers despite a curfew are food for thought. It means there is no element of fear in the eyes of the rioters of the security forces and that is not a good thing.
One is reminded of the statement of General Ne Win, the strong man of Burma. At the height of a student agitation in Rangoon, he warned the students that the military if it intervenes is tasked to kill and that is the role of the army and in case the students do not desist he would unleash the military. Sure enough, the military intervened, there was a blood-bath but all agitation died down for 10 years till Ne Win expired.
In India because of pussy-footed leadership the security forces are de-fanged. there is no reason that despite armed police and curfew the urchins instigated by their masters in Pakistan still throw stones at the soldiers and get away with it. It can only be stopped by an iron hand and that is lacking even with Modi in power.
Fighting Pakistan is not an option. The option is to quell the uprising in Kashmir and put the anti-India forces on the mat. There are tens of thousands of Indian supporters in Kashmir who are cowed down and their morale is low because of the policy of the central government. Surely something should have been done in the last 70 years.
How did Bangladesh solve the insurrection of the Chakmas in the Hills of Chittagong? They just settled Muslim farmers in the tracts and over a decade the insurrection by Buddhist tribals died down. Surely something like that could have been done in Kashmir?
The Indian government is thus guilty of grave dereliction of national ethos right from the time of Nehru. Even a spell of the BJP under Vajpayee and now Modi has yielded no results and probably there will be none till the Indian state integrates the valley with India. Till that is done I am afraid there is no option but to bleed with a 100 cuts for all time to come.
9 years ago