January 14, 2020
The combination of the two would alter kal yuga to satya yuga
Author Para H’s Adrift makes for an interesting read due to its gripping storylines and its narrative. Author Para H — or Paramasiviah Harshavardhana — is actually a shortened form of spiritual leader Swami Paramahansa Yogananda’s names, whom he follows. Inspired by the materialism of the West and spiritualism of the East, Para H confronts the contrasting worlds with an intriguing concept.In Adrift, the author writes about a catastrophic seismological event that causes a massive chunk of Southern California to break away and float into the Pacific Ocean.More than 10 million Americans struggle for survival and can sink any minute.Travel Vacuum Space Bag
The protagonist Kate, a spirited young woman, takes charge with father Duncan, to quell the growing panic on board.The island speeds away from the USA at breakneck speed and just when they are close to crashing into the Chinese mainland, the island again changes course.Will Kate and Duncan succeed in saving the masses and where do they all end up?Adrift is a thriller that travels into the realm of science fiction and also reflects the growing acceptance of interracial romance.Author Para H — or Paramasiviah Harshavardhana — is actually a shortened form of spiritual leader Swami Paramahansa Yogananda’s names, whom he follows. The book is the author’s "humble way of paying respect to himâ€.Coming back to the book, it makes for an interesting read largely because of its unique storyline, constantly developing narrative and in-depth technical and seismological knowledge to make the physical reshaping of the world, believable.The writing is also crisp and visual and seems like the perfect storyline for a 20th Century Fox film with booming Dolby soundtrack — the description of a massive land mass breaking and drifting away rapidly with all the advanced technologies in the world failing, grips the imagination.Adrift by Para H, Published by Zorba Books, Pp.232, Rs 224.But unlike a science fiction film, this adventure thriller probes the deeper questions of life – such as what does Indian philosophy have to do with the Americans’ struggle for survival?The title is also layered and is a reflection of the author’s observation of the world.Speaking about the symbolism in his book, the former graduate of IIT Madras and the President and CEO of TransCloud Networks in the US, said: "My personal view is that most people in world, in every culture, have lost their mooring. We are floating aimlessly in the ocean- adrift in some way."No wonder how accomplished or grounded you are, people are missing the deep feeling of well being from the inside. The title is a metaphor of the mind of everyone today.â€For Mr Harshavardhana, 62, who has a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California, having grown up in India and lived in the US for a few decades, made him wonder what would happen if the two contrasting worlds collided.He said: "I just wanted to highlight the possibility that if such a thing happened, it could mean a significant change for the world."For example Southern California is the most advanced place on earth technologically. If you break it off, it will probably still rank in the top 10 in its industrial, economic and defence strengths."Imagine combine that with the best of spirituality.
The combination of the two would alter kal yuga to satya yuga – the more advanced stage of life that our scriptures have foretold.â€But what does Indian philosophy have to do with American survival?"The main reason for writing the book was that I find a big vacuum in the West. The emphasis is far more on excelling and advancing materially."On the other hand, the East has degenerated over the last couple of thousand of years and they need a Western ‘can do’ attitude to change society and improve things for the better."I view religion as a tool for human to seek God. It can give people faith and hope that what is protecting them and driving them is a force, that is much larger than the material.
As the Gita says: ‘Just do your duty and don’t worry about consequences’.â€As with his personal take on spirituality, the inspiration for his characters were also drawn close to home.Certain characteristics in Kate, for instance, is loosely based on his wife, Shaku, who works as assistant vice president of cyber security portfolio at a research establishment in Maryland.He said: "I did not start out that way but at every significant step I kept thinking what Shaku would do. She tends to take bull by its horns and only after completing the book that I realised she had been my inspiration all along.â€Similarly, other characters are drawn around his classmates from IIT Madras. Hari Sharma, involved in an interracial relationship, has a sharp intellect and is capable of extracting the best of the east and the west and he is a reflection of several of his classmates, all of whom are acknowledged in the book.
The book, which was published last month, ends interestingly with scope for it to be taken forward. So is there another book in the pipeline?Mr Harshavardhana added: "If the response is encouraging then yes. I have already thought of how I could move the story forward.â€So if you are up for a thrilling adventure with a dose of spirituality, the book is recommended.
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December 30, 2019
It is ultimately the voice of the people that matters in democracy
To be a recognised Opposition, a political party needs to have at least 10 per
cent of the total number of seats in the Lower House. However, there is no
denying that whether in the form of a single party playing the role of major
Oppo-sition, or various parties raising their voice over a specific policy
issue, the role of a strong Opposition is a mandatory prerequisite for the
proper working of parliamentary democracy.The absence of a recognised Opposition
of course doesn’t mean the erosion of the Opposition’s political space or that
it has become irrelevant. Unless violent, disruptive and secessionist in nature,
these protests are an integral part of democracy.
From 1950 to 1977, there was
no recognised Opposition because none of the Opposition parties managed to get
the prerequisite number of seats.The media, the fourth pillar of democracy, is
supposed to play an active role as a watchdog and critic Wholesale vacuum compressed bag of
the government. Nationwide protests are being held on the first anniversary of
demonetisation not only to highlight its disastrous effect on the Indian
economy, but also as part of an attempt to forge Opposition unity against a
bullying government that has little respect for divergent views, and prefers to
impose draconian steps like demonetisation and ill-conceived ones like GST on
the people without wider consultation.
The Chipko movement and Narmada Bachao
Andolan, different ethno-cultural and linguistic movements, students’ protests,
the agitation for special status and reservations; and many other type of
protests that may or may not have the indirect backing of political parties have
often surfaced. The widespread protests that followed the horrific Nirb-haya
gangrape case in Delhi in December 2012 led to major changes in the criminal law
in 2013. During UPA-1, for example, the BJP and the Left, from opposite ends of
the political spectrum, united to oppose the US civil nuclear deal and attack
the government. So even in the absence of a political party as the recognised
Opposition, there is enough political space within the Indian parliamentary
system to accommodate Opposition voices. Instead of questioning the government,
they question the legitimacy of Opposition demands.
It is ultimately the voice of
the people that matters in democracy, and there are several instances where the
people’s views have forced the government to drop a proposed law, roll back a
policy or enact a new law. This despite the fact that the Left was earlier
supporting the government from outside, and withdrew support over this issue,
though the government survived.
Outside the formal political spectrum,
acti-vists and the general population have participated in several movements to
voice their opinion and protest against certain policies. In November 2016, an
RTI activist in Madhya Pradesh landed in jail for criticising demonetisation,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Today,
November 8, 2017, is being observed by various Opposition parties as a "Black
Day†in protest over the demonetisation move exactly a year ago. There is now a
legitimate concern about rising intolerance and the increasingly narrower space
for dissent. It was a historic moment in India’s political history as the new
party won the election and formed the first non-Congress government in
post-Independent India.
In recent years, the Anna Hazare movement led to the
enactment of the Lokpal Act. Just before the 1977 general election, various
parties with diverse ideologies and glaring mutual contradictions came together
with the single aim of defeating Indira Gandhi and formed the Janata Party.The
absence of a recognised Opposition of course doesn’t mean the erosion of the
Opposition’s political space or that it has become irrelevant. But Indian
democracy is strong and resilient enough to overthrow any autocratic regime that
attempts to control and intimidate its critics. Parties like the Bharatiya Lok
Dal of Chaudhury Charan Singh, the Swatantra Party, the Socialist Party of Raj
Narain and George Fernandes and the Jan Sangh dissolved their separate
identities and formed the new party. Though it is becoming rare, there are even
instances in the past where members from the treasury benches had opposed and
criticised the government. Now, even within the narrow Opposition space and a
concerted attempt by ruling party circles to suppress dissent, citizens find
ways to express their unhappiness through novel protest methods like "award
wapasi†led by artistes and intellectuals, and hugely successful events like
"Not in My Name†organised and attended by hundreds of ordinary citizens. Just a
few days ago, a man was arrested in Tamil Nadu on a BJP leader’s complaint for
allegedly criticising Mr Modi in a private chat!The right to debate, dissent and
disagree are among the most basic principles of democracy. One shouldn’t forget
that outside the political class, the media or social media space, there is a
huge silent majority which doesn’t necessarily or vociferously voice their
opinions or criticise the government, but when the time comes to excercise their
right to vote, they act decisively. Similar was the case from 1980 to 1989,
during the seventh and eight Lok Sabha, when there was no formal Opposition.
That too is not without peril as any vehement critic of the policies and conduct
of the ruling side is inevitably trolled, abused, intimated, and sometimes even
physically arrested. Various parties individually and collectively raise their
voice against the government’s policies and conduct.
Not just forming alli-ances
for elections, parties in the Opposition join hands on specific policy issues to
oppose the government. In this context, the social media has come to play a
significant role, offering a platform for political activists and citizens to
voice their opinion and criticise the government.Parliament as an institution is
collectively responsible for acting as a watchdog over the executive.A strong
Opposition is essential for the proper functioning of any democracy, and it’s
indeed a matter of great concern that due to the lack of numbers, the current
Lok Sabha doesn’t even have a recognised Opposition. However, instead of
standing up for citizens, many media groups and journalists are now acting as
agents of the government. (Representational image) Today, November 8, 2017, is
being observed by various Opposition parties as a "Black Day†in protest over
the demonetisation move exactly a year ago. This, however, is not for the first
time
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December 27, 2019
The bringing down of the Russian aircraft has created
He then announced that Syrian capabilities would be enhanced to deter future
attacks with the S-300 missile systems that have been on the Syrian wishlist for
five years. By October 10, all militants in Idlib will have to surrender their
heavy weapons, including tanks, mortars and heavy artillery. While some
extremists could merge with mainstream opposition groups as a tactical ploy,
hardcore radicals may not surrender — jihadi ideologue Abu Mohammed al Maqdisi
has declared Mr Erdogan an "apostateâ€, while Jabhat Nusra fighters have refused
to give up their weapons. One, in a reversal of his earlier dismissive position,
President Vladimir Putin, at a five-hour meeting at Sochi, agreed to accommodate
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s insistence that the military attack on
Idlib, the last major bastion of the Syrian opposition, be postponed and he be
given more time to arrange a peaceful end to the confrontation between the
rebels and government forces. This cordial relationship is part of Russia’s
interest to be close to all players in West Asia to enhance its influence by
filling the vacuum left by an inert and directionless United States, and promote
stability in the conflict-ridden region.
Turkey will then have the responsibility
of separating the "moderate†opposition from the extremist elements, including
Jabhat Nusra. They form a lethal component of the Hayat Tahrir al Sham alliance
of hardline groups, mainly located in the town of Jisr al-Shughour, southwest of
Idlib. It had initially revealed a rare public divide between Mr Putin and his
defence establishment: Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said that Israel
bore "full responsibility†for the attack, while Mr Putin attempted to defuse
the situation by saying it was caused by a "chain of tragic chance eventsâ€. They
are expected to fight hard against the government assault. Those who retain
their weapons and remain in the city could be subjected to targeted attacks.
Thus, following Sochi, Mr Erdogan has agreed to set up a 15-20 km buffer zone at
Idlib by October 15 that will separate government and rebel forces and will be
jointly patrolled by Russian and Turkish military units.
Again, Syrian defence
units would now be able to electronically jam onboard radar communications and
satellite navigation systems. Despite Israeli protestations, Russia asserted
that an Israeli plane had deliberately "pushed†the Russian aircraft into the
line of fire.For Turkey, separating the moderates from the extremists will be
difficult. Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: AP) On September 17, two
developments impacted on Russia’s interests in Syria.These two developments have
further complicated the already convoluted Syrian scenario. Turkey is also
concerned that the battle will lead to thousands of refugees swarming across the
Turkish border for safety.A week after the attack, Russia revealed its iron
hand. Now, though, Hanging
vacuum storage bag Israel seems anxious to mend ties with Russia — its
earlier aggressive public posturing has become more muted. Israel has also
benefited from the relationship since Russia alone seems capable of restraining
Iranian military activity in Syria.
However, he recognises the high stakes for
President Erdogan: Turkey supports a "moderate†opposition group, the National
Liberation Front (NLF), made up of Arab and Turkoman fighters, as a
counter-weight to the Syrian Kurds, and wishes to ensure they are not
annihilated in a full-scale government assault on Idlib.Two, a few hours after
the Sochi agreement, during an Israeli air attack near Latakia, Syrian
retaliatory anti-aircraft fire brought down a Russian military plane, killing 15
Russian military personnel on board.An important area of uncertainty is the fate
of some 3,000 foreign militant fighters at Idlib, mainly from Uzbekistan,
Chechnya and some Uighurs from China.. While anxious to avoid a bloodbath in
that city with three million people, many of them refugees from other cities, he
sees Idlib overrun by 50,000-90,000 militants, including a few thousand elements
of the Al Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat Nusra, and is sceptical about a peaceful
outcome. While some had earlier joined the Islamic State, most of them have
remained with Jabhat Nusra. Peace in Syria remains elusive. He recalled the
various ways in which Russia had been accommodating Israel’s interests in Syria,
most recently by ensuring that Iranian forces were kept 140 km from the Israeli
border at Golan Heights during operations in southeast Syria.The bringing down
of the Russian aircraft has created fresh uncertainties in the complex Syrian
scenario. Militants will have the option of joining the "moderate†opposition,
the NLF, or leave Idlib. It is also feared that some extremists could sneak into
Turkey and carry out terrorist operations.
Most regional commentators believe
that the Turkish peace initiative will fail and military operations, backed by
Russian air support, could even begin from mid-October. This process should end
by December 10. There are even suggestions that the new military facilities in
Syria will remain under Russian control.Mr Putin backed Mr Erdogan’s interests
at Sochi to retain Turkey, a Nato member but long estranged from the United
States, as a regional ally and as a partner, with Iran, in the Russia-led Astana
peace process in Syria. On September 24, its defence spokesperson accused Israel
of "criminal negligence†and "ungratefulnessâ€.By facilitating the attack on the
Russian aircraft, Israel had perhaps wished to convey to Moscow that it retained
the right to safeguard its security interests despite its ties with Russia.
The
bringing down of the Russian aircraft has created fresh uncertainties in the
complex Syrian scenario.While this will restrict Israeli attacks in Syria, it is
likely that Russia and Israel will soon be drawn together by their shared
interests.Russia and Israel have worked closely in Syria over the last three
years, with Russia quietly accepting at least 200 Israeli air attacks in the
last 18 months. The Russian military, however, firmly rejected a presentation by
the Israeli air chief in Moscow blaming Syria for the loss, and saying that its
aircraft had returned home when the Russian aircraft was hit.The Sochi agreement
is a major concession by President Putin. Mr Putin has said that by
end-December, the Aleppo-Latakia and Aleppo-Hama highways, passing through
Idlib, will become functional.Meanwhile, at Idlib, we can expect military action
soon after Turkey’s President Erdogan has taken his "moderate†rebels to safety,
when jihadis will engage in their final battle
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December 23, 2019
Future AI capabilities will allow smartphones to learn
Audio AnalyticThe smartphone’s microphone is able to continuously listen
to real-world sounds. The smartphone will be able to keep frequently used apps
running in the background for quick re-launch, or to shut down unused apps to
save memory and battery.1.
It will leverage its sensors, cameras and data to
accomplish these tasks automatically. Gartner predicts that by 2022, 80 per cent
of smartphones shipped will have on-device AI capabilities, up from 10 per cent
in 2017. For example, a smartphone hears a user snoring, then triggers the
user&Travel Vacuum Space
Bag39;s wristband to encourage a change in sleeping positions. Google
expects almost every new Android phone will be AR-ready out of the box next
year.
Your smartphone will track you throughout the day to learn, plan and solve
problems for you,†said Angie Wang, principal research analyst at Gartner. As
the smartphone market shifts from selling technology products to delivering
compelling and personalised experiences, AI solutions running on the smartphone
will become an essential part of vendor roadmaps over the next two years.
Users
can receive protection and assistance dynamically, depending on the activity
that is being carried out and the environments they are in (e. "Digital Me"
sitting on the deviceSmartphones will be an extension of the user, capable of
recognising them and predicting their next move. Service providers such as
insurance companies can now focus on users, rather than the assets.4. They will
understand who you are, what you want when you want it, how you want it done and
execute tasks upon your authority. One example of how AR can be used is in apps
that help to collect user data and detect illnesses such as skin cancer or
pancreatic cancer.
For example, there are different aesthetic preferences
between the East and West — most Chinese people prefer a pale complexion,
whereas consumers in the West tend to prefer tan skin tones. Computer
recognition software can detect any content that violates any laws or
policies."With smartphones increasingly becoming a commodity device, vendors are
looking for ways to differentiate their products," said CK Lu, research director
at Gartner. This isn't just about making the smartphone smarter, but augmenting
people by reducing their cognitive load. Emotion recognitionEmotion-sensing
systems and affective computing allow smartphones to detect, analyse, process
and respond to people's emotional states and moods.9) Personal
photographingPersonal photographing includes smartphones that are able to
automatically produce beautified photos based on a user's individual aesthetic
preferences.
Augmented Reality (AR) and AI VisionWith the release of iOS 11,
Apple included an ARKit feature that provides new tools to developers to make
adding AR to apps easier. Objectionable images, videos or text can be flagged
and various notification alarms can be enabled. For example, smartphones can
capture and learn # a user's behaviour, such as patterns when they walk, swipe,
apply pressure to the phone, scroll and type, without the need for passwords or
active authentications. Natural-language understandingContinuous training and
deep learning on smartphones will improve the accuracy of speech recognition,
while better understanding the user's specific intentions. Car manufacturers,
for example, can use a smartphone's front camera to understand a driver's
physical condition or gauge fatigue levels to increase safety. "Going forward,
smartphones will combine two or more AI capabilities and technologies to provide
more advanced user experiences.7) Personal profilingSmartphones are able to
collect data for behavioural and personal profiling.
Analysts predict 80 per cent
of smartphones shipped will have on-device AI capabilities by 2022. For example,
with many sensors, smartphones can better understand and learn user's behaviour,
such as when to use which app. AI capability on a device is able to tell those
sounds and instruct users or trigger events. For example, taking photos in
high-security facilities or storing highly classified data on company-paid
smartphones will notify IT.g.
Content Censorship/DetectionRestricted content
can be automatically detected.â€
Content Censorship/DetectionRestricted content
can be automatically detected.â€Gartner has identified 10 high-impact uses for
AI-powered smartphones to enable vendors to provide more value to their
customers." As an example, natural-language understanding could be used as a
near real-time voice translator on smartphones when travelling abroad., home,
vehicle, office, or leisure activities).â€2. Similarly, Google announced its
ARCore AR developer tool for Android and plans to enable AR on about 100 million
Android devices by the end of next year.(source).Gartner predicts that by 2022,
80 per cent of smartphones shipped will have on-device AI capabilities, up from
10 per cent in 2017. However, AI capabilities on smartphones are still in very
early stages.
Future AI capabilities will allow smartphones to learn, plan and
solve problems for users. For instance, when a user says "the weather is cold,"
depending on the context, his or her real intention could be "please order a
jacket online" or "please turn up the heat. On-device AI is currently limited to
premium devices and provides better data protection and power management than
full cloud-based AI since data is processed and stored locally."
Over the next
two years, most use cases will still exploit a single AI capability and
technology,†said Roberta Cozza, research director at Gartner. User
authenticationPassword-based, simple authentication is becoming too complex and
less effective, resulting in weak security, poor user experience, and a high
cost of ownership. For example, in the connected home, it could order a vacuum
bot to clean when the house is empty, or turn a rice cooker on 20 minutes before
you arrive. For example, they will be able to adjust the car insurance rate
based on driving behaviour.
The proliferation of virtual personal assistants and
other AI-based technology for conversational systems is driving the need to add
emotional intelligence to better context and an enhanced service experience.
Security technology combined with machine learning, biometrics and user
behaviour will improve usability and self-service capabilities.6) Device
managementMachine learning will improve device performance and standby time.
(Representational Image: Bixby) Artificial intelligence (AI) features will
become a critical product differentiator for smartphone vendors that will help
them to acquire new customers while retaining current users, according to
Gartner, Inc
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December 16, 2019
The bottom line is you are the only one trying here
Do it gradually and be gentle with you. You probably never faced the fact that
somewhere along the line you became a doormat. I merely worked on me so that I
wouldn&Vacuum bag39;t become a
hurt and cynical person, calcified by wounds that wouldn't heal due to repeated
hurt? Instead I just taught myself to intuitively and observantly figure out
friendships, to look for signs as well as look within my subconscious for
pointers and respond accordingly. No harm retaining that friend with as much
nonchalance and superficial bon homie that she pulls off with such élan.The
tell-tale signs are dead give aways of whether you must step back and allow a
pleasant acquaintanceship to exist happily in some remote background of your
heart or work harder at making it work.
Take it slow, take your time to evaluate
and grow into a together closeness.If you introspect and search within yourself
for answers it would be crystal clear when the person you thought was a 'close
friend' doesn't care. Maybe school friends or even a colleague who is interested
in you as a person. You could make excuses to your spouse or parent in
embarrassment yes- but please be honest with yourself. You cannot be a friend of
someone's in a vacuum.And yes it is difficult to tell - especially in the
beginning of a friendship when you are bowled over by your new friend- whether a
friend is a caring deep person or a frivolous manipulator.Look out for the
signs, introspect, be receptive to your own observations rather than
deliberately overlook dead giveaways and obvious justifications which are more
often than not made by you!
Your friend cancels your friendship dates often;
your friend never reciprocates a gesture; if you're upset your friend never
brothers to ask what particular factor in the situation hurt you because she or
he is too busy and too involved in their own issues to care or maybe even
notice, even too busy to have a conversation, your friend is offhand about your
presence and does not give you attention at their birthdays and anniversaries
but invites you as an obligation. It's a smart way of self-preservation. # Begin
to spend that time nurturing other friends while you wean yourself away from
this disinterested one. You cannot explain, complain and make it happen. You
cannot force liking or affection. The give away signs of a one sided affection.
Mail her at nishajamvwal@gmail. Begin to spend that time nurturing other friends
while you wean yourself away from this disinterested one. Don't cover up for a
friend in your mind.com. Maybe school friends or even a colleague who is
interested in you as a person. Don't rush. These things mostly are instinctive
and begin from a point of mutual attraction and a desire for camaraderie with
you.
You have set yourself up for a major let down, and this is your chance to
wake up and move away without making it too obvious. In that case don't be that
doormat you so despise when you see that behaviour in others.If you introspect
and search within yourself for answers it would be crystal clear when the person
you thought was a 'close friend' doesn't care. And no, I'm not saying that you
must replace your intense personality and change into a 'fake'. Don't ignore
these tell-tale signs. Your friend takes every mobile call and is very
distracted with her phone when around you nor gives you undivided attention in
conversations?
The bottom line is you are the only one trying here!Be smart and
before you get hurt start schooling yourself to move a few steps back. Too fast
a withdrawal will make you want to rush back at the slightest hint of
loneliness. Your friend never takes a moment to appreciate you or notice any
changes on your look or feel or mood. If you introspect and search within
yourself for answers it would be crystal clear when the person you thought was a
'close friend' doesn't care. There are your type of people out there, let the
misfit go and open the door and let something more pleasant in. Never
underestimate the power of mutual respect. Mutual respect is a biggie in a long
lasting friendship. I didn't.The writer is a columnist, designer and brand
consultant
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December 09, 2019
Although the use of coal will probably increase
Many observers are not much worried about Trump leaving the landmark accord but
fear that his team might sabotage the progress. US President Donald Trump speaks
about the U.S. role in the Paris climate change accord. (Photo: AP) With US
President Donald Trump announcing earlier this month that the United States had
decided to walk out of the Paris accord on climate, the world was stunned but by
no means bowed down.
By sending the message, Mr Trump has isolated his country,
and the leadership of the Paris Agreement has passed onto China and the European
Union. And the ability of the Trump administration to influence the outcome is
limited by several large US cities and some key states vowing to stick to the
Paris climate deal.
Mr Trump had named China and India as the countries that
stood to gain the most from the aborted agreement, contending that the countries
would benefit from the relaxation in using coal. He further added that China
will be allowed many coal plants, and India will be allowed to double its coal
production by 2020, but not the US. At stake, he explains, are 70,000 jobs in
the US. This is like inverting the argument for new energy sources because the
shift to solar and wind energy will create many more jobs than will be lost in
coal mines.
India, for instance, has announced big plans for clean energy,
proposing an addition of 175,000 MW for solar and wind capacity, more than
enough to take care of any additional energy needs. The country uses 60 per cent
of the coal extracted for power generation. Coal is a polluting source of
energy, releasing more greenhouse gases than any other source and a major reason
for climate change. This has to change.The Paris climate change agreement is
different from earlier negotiations like the Kyoto Protocol as it has a
"bottom-up†approach — a flexible framework that gives every country the leeway
to meet the climate challenge as it sees fit, and not as imposed by the
negotiations.With its emphasis on consensus-building, the Paris pact allows for
voluntary and nationally-determined targets and specific climate goals are
politically encouraged, rather than legally-bound. Indigenous production of
solar cells in India is likely to suffer because Chinese manufacturers will cut
prices further to get a greater share of the Indian market, as they lose part of
the US market.
Although the use of coal will probably increase, specially with
the private sector making inroads into it at the cost of government-owned
companies, the Indian initiative to concentrate on solar and wind power is more
revolutionary than it seems. These sectors call for a completely different set
of skills, mainly in the small-scale service sector, and will require several
hundreds of thousands of people, including miners, to be retrained to fit into
the new economy. There has not been enough emphasis in the Paris accord on the
training for the new jobs, which will be necessary.China, being the factory of
the world, has the dirtiest industry — steel — that shifted from economies such
as Japan and the US largely because of environmental concerns. For China and
India to rebalance their economies and to mitigate the loss in agriculture will
require considerable investment. The Paris deal makes it possible by having a
fund of $100 billion a year to help adjust to the change.Another relevant fact
is that the role of government agencies will be limited in most instances. The
private sector will take the lead by expanding its investment in "clean tech,
low-carbon ventures†and innovative companies which pursue environmentally-sound
corporate strategies and thus will play a greater role than governments.In the
US, the former steel town of Pittsburgh joined 210 other cities representing 54
million Americans in pledging: "We will intensify efforts to meet each of our
cities’ current climate goals, push for new action to meet the 1.5 degrees
Celsius targetâ€. Additionally, 12 states representing 97 million Americans — 30
per cent of the population — have decided to continue their efforts to fight for
lower greenhouse gas emissions despite what the US government does.But it is
getting too late, and the target of stopping a rise in temperature beyond two
degrees Celsius by the end of the century may be unattainable.
According to the
UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the emission cut targets in November 2016 will
result in temperature rise by three degrees Celsius, which is above the
preindustrial levels and far above the two degrees Celsius target of the Paris
agreement.In addition, a study published in the reputed journal Nature in June
2016 observes that the current country pledges are insufficient to meet the
Paris agreement goal of keeping the global temperature rise "well below two
degrees Celsiusâ€.Many observers are not much worried about Mr Trump leaving the Hanging
vacuum storage bags Factory landmark accord but fear that his team might
sabotage the progress.
The vacuum in leadership left by the exit of the US
requires a greater role for other countries. China and the EU, being the largest
polluters, should form the new leadership.India too can play a major role but it
must show that it is capable of such a vision, instead of being consumed by
matters of Hindutva mobilisation.Having taken the initiative in shifting to
clean energy technologies, it has the size and the market power to make a
difference to the world as well as its own economy.
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November 18, 2019
The kind of content we see on YouTube
With more actors venturing into the digital space, we talk to industry insiders
about why they move to the other side. Maybe they should make a House of Cards
type drama with him, don’t you think?†he winks. "As a viewer, a single film
with the whole multiplex experience won’t cost you less that Rs 2,000 (for a
family of four).
The kind of content we see on YouTube and other web portals
and VoD streaming services is rare. With Kevin Spacey’s House of Cards, Neil
Patrick Harris starring in A Series of Unfortunate Events, Winona Ryder in
Stranger Things and Ashton Kutcher in Ranch, quickly becoming audience
favourites, it won’t be wrong to assume that it is only encouraging actors to
make the jump. "Experimenting in terms of building your characters, the
plotlines, the basic foundation — this is one of the biggest advantages of
making something in the digital space,†he says.
Kalki KoechlinBut
internationally, Hollywood A-listers have had no qualms about making their way
to content on the Internet. This is the story closer home. Saif Ali Khan is all
geared up to act in Netflix’s first Indian web series, Sacred Games, and is the
first Bollywood A-lister to take up a project with the video on demand (VoD)
streaming service. It is affordable consumption, apart from the fact that one
can watch it anywhere, anytime,†he explains. A still from Inside Edge.— With
inputs from Garima Arora.Saif Ali KhanKaran, who conceptualised Inside Edge,
stresses on how affordable and convenient the digital space is for the
consumer.â€
Angad, the chauvinist bad boy in Pink, who now plays Arvind Vashishth
in Amazon Prime’s Inside Edge, lists another advantage that comes with web
content — the character development. You see an old woman falling in love with a
young man and stories from the LGBT community among many other offbeat ideas,â€
says the actress.After being part of the short film titled Naked and
thought-provoking video It’s Your Fault, Kalki Koechlin is gearing up for her
first web series titled Smoke. Saif is only the latest actor in the list to shed
his inhibitions and get on the digital content bandwagon.With actors now
greeting the web space with open arms, Hansal says he cannot wait till more
A-listers make it on the other side. Hansal says the shift is very likely
inspired by international A-listers. She feels that feels that the "out-of-boxâ€
content on the web is what’s helping in a conceptual push in the cinematic
content. "I’m looking forward to when Shah Rukh Khan stars in a web series. "A
creative revolution along these lines expects creators (actors, writers and
directors) to want to be a part of it,†he explains, adding, "The VoD or web
series format is a new thing that gives one a bigger idea to work around. From
Vivek Oberoi, Richa Chadha, and Angad Bedi starring in Karan Anshuman’s Inside
Edge, to Rajkummar Rao’s upcoming project based on the life of freedom fighter
Netaji Subash Chandra Bose the experimental space that the digital platform
provides is worth indulging in. "Now that we are starting a creative revolution
back home, it is heavily inspired by the quality of work that is churned out
internationally. "In Pink, I was playing a male chauvinist, an egoistic
character, but in Inside Edge, I play an earnest, upright captain, who has
cricket in his blood and is extremely headstrong — see the difference? As an
actor, this has given me a lot of space to experiment with my calibre and even
deliver the actor in me to a bigger audience,†he says.†Equating the format to
literary longform, the director explains how working in the digital spaces
allows him to experiment more with his original idea. But, a web portal
subscription costs you just Rs 500 — that too annually.Hansal Mehta, who has
critically acclaimed films to his name like Aligarh, Shahid and Citylights, and vacuum
compressed bag will be working with Rajkummar on the Bose series, believes
that it was only a matter of time that the cinema creatives shifted from the
quintessential cinema to the digital platform
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October 30, 2019
In the organised sector value added products
The organised market in dairy industry currently stands at only around 22 per
cent in India. The Rufil paneer will be available in a packaging of 200gm and
1Kg. Jaipur: Rajendra and Ursula Joshi Food Industries Pvt Ltd (Rufil)vacuum
compressed bag Suppliers has
launched its all new paneer in the market. Rufil paneer manufactured in its
state of the art facility with automated operations is packed using German
technology for giving one of the best vacuum packed paneer in the market.
This
helps in giving better quality product helps in retaining the freshness and
softness of Paneer for much longer time than compared to other packaging
available in the market.The sale of paneer in Rajasthan in the year 2017-18 was
more than 1600 metric tonnes. The Rufil paneer will be available in a packaging
of 200gm and 1Kg.With plant in Mahindra World City, Jaipur, the company boasts
of Swiss expertise in dairy processing and products. The company first ventured
out in production of Value Added products with its cup dahi and masala chhach
whereas going forward the company plans to launch more products like ice-cream,
Swiss-style yogurt, Cow Ghee etc. Currently, Rufil produces products like milk
(Full Cream, Toned, Double Toned) in 500ml and 1000ml packaging, curd in 1kg
packaging, plain buttermilk, cup dahi and masala chhach.Abhishek Joshi,
Director, Rufil, said "The organised market in dairy industry currently stands
at only around 22 per cent in India.
In the organised sector value added
products make up for about 25 per cent, wherein paneer constitutes only about 3
per cent. Currently the market of loose paneer is huge but we see the consumer
trend is changing towards packed paneer. Consumers are increasingly getting
conscious about food safety, hygiene and overall quality of product especially
in a sensitive product like paneer. Therefore we believe that by consistently
delivering premium quality paneer from Rufil, we will be able to convince
consumers to shift from loose paneer to packed paneer.â€The company will also try
to promote usage of its products, especially paneer among restaurants and
hotels. Rufil paneer will be available in Jaipur, Ajmer and the Shekhawati belt
of Rajasthan, and for now it will be available at more than 500 Rufil partner
stores. Rufil Paneer’s special packaging has a light barrier, will prevent it
from contamination and will improve its shelf life, making it last longer.
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October 15, 2019
Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine had said
Satheesh Reddy said on Saturday that extensive simulations done before the
anti-satellite test (A-SAT) had shown that there was no possibility of the
debris of the destroyed satellite hitting the International Space Station
(ISS).DRDO chief said that International Space Station (ISS) was around 120
kilometres above from the point where the missile had hit the test
satellite.
Because satellite is tracked by many stations across the world by
manypeople,†said Mr Reddy."The mission of this nature, after the test is
conducted, cant be kept secret technically .Also laterally there was difference,
as the test was carried out at Bay of Bengal and ISS at that point was over
French Guyana..Mr Reddy said that the while India has capability to bring down a
satellite at an altitude of 1000 kilometres, the test was done below 300
kilometres to ensure safety of space assets and debris below this level decays
fast..He said that anti-satellite test (A-SAT) done by India on March 27 could
not have been kept secret as many countries keep track of satellites.India had
shot down a live satellite on March 27 with an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile
developed by DRDO.India’s recent test of anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile has been
termed as "a terrible, terrible thing†by NASA.
Senior Congress leader P
Chidambaram had hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing that
India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability, saying only a "foolish
government†would make such a disclosure and "betray†a defence secret. He said
that even US and China had to come out about these tests... DRDO chairman G.
Satheesh Reddy (Photo: File) New Delhi: DRDO chairman G. Of those, 24 went above
the apogee of the ISS, the point of the space station’s orbit farthest from the
Earth. India is fourth country after US, Russia and China, which have such
capabilities.
Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine had said that just 60 pieces of
debris were large enough to track.Nasa had said that India’s anti-satellite
missile test created at least 400 pieces of orbital debris placing the
International Space Station (ISS) and its astronauts at risk. He said that
mission was designed Vacuum
Storage Bag Factory in such a way that minimum debris go up.DRDO chief said
that as per simulations all the debris of the satellite will decay within 45
days
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