Take my vote, get lost and leave me alone

I came across a painting where I can see picture of women without her breast and vagina and tag line of the painting was "Just Take Them and Leave Me Alone". This painting by Raoof Haghighi touched on the most raw-nerve at the centre of the Iranian Women's Rights movement. It depicts a surreal image of a woman who, as her breasts and groin have been removed, is left free from the abusive constraints or demands placed on her because of the male response to those parts of her body.

This painting has something to do with the democracy of the world, I mean woman who is fed-up of her breast and vagina in patriarchal society, so has been the situation of the citizen with his/her voting rights. The way dominant cult is catapulting the stability of minds just to make them feel insecure in all possible way and harness on their insecurity just to gain some additional votes.  

It is hypothetical to assume a women without her femininity and similarly a citizen without his voting rights. But how to escape those prowling eyes and their shrewd attempts to overcome the resistance faced by them who see your vote as an obstacle between them and their motivated vision is a challenge unto you. 

As I said there is always a summer after winter and we can always count on our collective conscience which never fails us and expects nothing but a sincere effort from you to see through the din.

Bridging the gap

Today I got a whats-app forward which mentioned that books acts as a tool to bridge the gap between knowledge and ignorance. Yes! Indeed bridging the gap is most vital for sustenance of society from total collapse. Every act of ill-will widens the gap and every act of good-will counters the ill-will to bridge the gap created by the latter.

As stated earlier, books acts as a tool of bridging the gap, and the most popular trending book in the Indian context is its Constitution and its associated Preamble. So what gap our Preamble is actually trying to bridge that it took the entire ill-will ecosystem to plot against the same. 

The answer is though simple but not as simple as being mentioned. Our Constitution is trying to bridge the gap between oppressed and oppression free mankind. I know that most of my friends might not understand what oppression really look like and how epidemic it is in real sense as we are lucky to have traveled through that phase wherein society was really in two minds in arriving at a conclusion whether oppression can really make it beyond the modern philosophy which the well versed individuals of the society were experimenting with.

We are really lucky that we weren't indeed forced to give-in to the evil side of the society. As I keep mentioning in my previous posts we are ever indebted to our forefathers who put their heart and soul to make us feel a lucky generation. And the best way to honor our forefathers lies in not making our next generation to feel as lucky as we were but we can really put our heart and soul to prevent them from feeling that they are forced to pass through the unluckiest phase because of indifference of our generation.

Access algorithm

Access is the most important factor which decides the status of the individual in this society. A worker has access to his supervisor, a supervisor has access to his manager, a manager has access to board of directors. In any case if a worker wants to access manager he has to go through the supervisor in what we say as through proper channel. Though at the outset this may look hierarchical but acted as a fine rule in the administration ecosystem.

With advent of Artificial intelligence, the access hierarchy has somehow become non-relevant. As everyone has access to artificial intelligence which may look great but have you ever wondered that when a worker has access to his supervisor, it is as good as saying supervisor has access to worker. It is a two way exchange. Similarly when everyone has access to artificial intelligence it as good as saying AI has access to everyone or everything. Hope I am clear with the seriousness of the subject.

Universal access is better criteria when seen from prism of education and healthcare but when it comes to privacy we may not indeed appreciate the same. How would you react when your personal dairy is given the universal access i.e. AI access? Sounds bizarre right. 

More and more the world starts embracing the AI, we are indirectly giving universal access to our life, both public and private.

Right to Access Markets

The effect of globalization and open economy during the decade had enormous ramification on trade between markets of the countries. To put in simple words access to markets was so genuine that ushered close relationship between the economies of the country.

By late Mr. Trump has been threatening economies of the world by what is called as tariffs in accounting language which is nothing but restricting the access to its markets in unprecedented manner. And there is something interesting link in Indian context wherein Muslims were restricted of their access to temporary markets in Prayagraj.

Yes! You have read the writing on the wall in the right context. It is nothing but gaining a traction on access to markets which the powerful believe in for arm twisting the perceived threats. 

Markets are arenas in which buyers and sellers can gather and interact. A high number of active buyers and sellers characterizes a market in a state of perfect competition. The market establishes the prices for goods and other services. These rates are determined by supply and demand. The sellers create supply, while buyers generate demand. Markets try to find some balance in price when supply and demand are in balance.

Market access is a deep topic and requires a good amount of time to research various dimensions involving the same. Market access refers to the ability of a company or country to sell goods and services across borders. Market access can be used to refer to domestic trade as well as international trade, although the latter is the most common context. Market access is not the same as free trade.

We have discussed about many rights mentioned in Constitution but it is time for our lawmakers to arrive at a template which guarantees its citizens right to access the markets which have become breeding ground fomenting the activities of separatism within the country.

Raising to the occasion

I was hearing tamil song 'ஒருவன் ஒருவன் முதலாளி' from Muthu featuring Superstar Rajni Kanth in lead role. The song was full of facts which ticks off our wisdom. And one line which stood out was 'வாழச் சொல்லுது இயற்கையடா வாழ்வில் துன்பம் செயற்கையடா'. To translate in english lyrics states that happiness in natural and sadness is artificially man made creation.

If you look deeper most of the time sadness is result of someone's ignorance and associated greed, who fails to realize that his greed whose repercussion has to be felt even by last mile person distantly linked in the chain. One of the most hidden fact when some unwelcome incident occurs is that only the person who resulted in the damage is held responsible but fact of the matter is that there will always be one person who is aware of such incident about to happen but absolves from his responsibility from preventing the same due to various reasons adding more fuel to the fire.  

'Raising to the occasion' is preventing most of the mayhem in the world orchestrated by the vulgar think tanks. When an anti-social element crosses the limits police has to raise to the occasion, when a terrorist cross the limits Army has to raise to the occasion and when a government crosses the limits opposition has to raise to the occasion. 

Raising to the occasion is a double edged sword, wherein one who raises to occasion has to do it with purest intentions as he is exposing himself to strongest version of rebuke from against whom he is waging the lonely war. So next time when you hear a news that a major mishap has been averted thank that soul which rose to the occasion amidst the most insecure environment.

 

Escaping the curve - Generational imbalance

We might be sitting here right now enjoying our music, with a cup of coffee before a laptop. But lot of things are running in the background like in a laptop where in it is a team work of multiple instances of code. 

Our next course of action is relative, a layman is worried about his income, a businessman his next deal and a politician his next election. It is a curve, sometimes defined by us and sometimes defined by our circumstances. And when I say circumstances it is about collective space wherein we agree with interconnection of curves. Mostly everyone are less or more worried about their growth but doesn't mind if their curve can benefit curve of the co-inhibitors.

Politics is one such area wherein we authorize an committee to define the curve for the nation on behalf of its citizens. A lot of things goes in the background just like in a laptop in arriving at best definition of the curve. In normal scenario and when dealing with normal circumstances we chose an individual who shares certain commonness and curve authorized by him more or less doesn't harm the country even if it missed set goals. And this fluctuations are balanced by the generational bonding who can cushion-effect and take responsibility for vagaries thrown by abrupt misbehavior of curve which was unintentional.

But it becomes a huge payback criteria when a curve posted as a result of limitless greed of an individual who is least worried about its after effects resulting in a tremendous constraints on generational bonding and thereby culminating in generational imbalance due to generational inequality. The problem with solving this disruption is more related to mistrust created by the greed and less about the technicalities.

Religious and charitable endowment act

You might have come across the trend wherein you see VHP , a religious organization vouching for freeing temples from government control. The bone of contention is the religious and charitable endowment act which empowers the government to look into the financial accounts of the temples and keep a record of its donors and donor money usage pattern by the temple administration.

Another interesting fact is that most of the de-facto Hindu saving organizations like RSS, Art of living, Isha foundation identify themselves as non-religious organizations established to forward spiritual experience of its donors. The very reason for these organization to register themselves as non-religious organization is to subvert the religious and charitable endowment act from being enforced upon them and again to prevent financial transparency guaranteed by the act. 

The above are only a sample and these type of organizations are a plenty when you look in the Hindi heartland, each having their own satellite channels and millions of donors. It consists of good part of spiritual economy but without transparency.

In my opinion, instead of repealing the religious and charitable endowment act, the act itself gains more proportion wherein so called organizations (apart from the temples) which identify themselves as guardians of religion should be brought under the ambit of the act to streamline the donors and their source of funding to such organizations.

Personal Dairy

 This is one of my personal account regarding a recent incident which made a development in my day today happenings. 

I wanted to register my mother's name in government records as a physically disabled person who lost her legs to diabetes recently. The procedure was simple which required me to register her details in government hosted website https://www.swavlambancard.gov.in/ After registering the details we are required to visit the allocated government hospital for getting the time slot for verification by a government doctor in order to enumerate the applicant in the government records.

In my case it was KC general government hospital at Malleswaram. We reached the hospital at the allocated time slot and were waiting for our turn amongst a slew of other applicants who wanted to get themselves enumerated.  

Opposite to our department was blood bank department. And there were a couple of patients who reached out to the blood bank for blood availability required for blood transfusion for their beloved admitted in the hospital. Concerned workers turned down the request citing some reasons. This made the patients to contact their doctors updating them about the status. And doctors had to walk down to the blood bank to convince the workers about the urgency of the occasion but to no avail.

It is imperative for us to avail the services of private hospital as we do not wish to take risk when it comes to health of the our beloved ones and we are ready to spend lakhs no matter how it may affect our financial terms. And this mentality funds the growth of private sector hospitals. But is it true that in this country only private hospitals provides the best care for their patients? The reality may not be so. And the best example is AIIMS chain of hospitals funded by the government providing health services on par with any other privately run hospitals attracting patients even from neighborhood countries who visit them in order to avail latest procedures in medical field.

So the question is why is that the standards maintained by these premiere run government funded organization missing in the local taluk hospitals. Is it merely due to lack of funding? The answer once again is a big no.  

The same situation extends to government run educational institutions wherein we see government run IITs and NITs providing world class education but the standards drastically get reduced when it comes to public schools run by the same government setup.

Meanwhile I got my mother verified by the government doctor and waiting for the update regarding status of the application through an online portal.

H-Factory - 2

In last post I had explained the need for Goodwill to evolve in tune with evolution of crime factories or something more. Goodwill is most important need to be maintained between two entities to prevent feud between them. Goodwill may be required between two individuals or two groups, two communities as well as between two countries to maintain a harmonious relationship between them. Once Goodwill is lost a smallest misunderstanding can offend one of the two parties and hence resulting in clash of interests.

The most important tool to restore eroded Goodwill followed by contemporary powers is known as Confidence Building Measures also known as CBMs in short form. There are many key points that formulate CBMs and the most factor that comprises CBMs is 'exchanging'.  

Exchanging is one of the important factor that shapes a contemporary form of evolution unique only to human race. It can be anything like exchange of wishes, exchange of pleasantries, exchange of technology and most important is the cultural exchange.

Cultural exchange programs are a vital tool for promoting global understanding and peace. They provide individuals with the opportunity to learn about different cultures, and promote personal growth and development. Additionally, these programs can play a critical role in promoting international relations and peace. It is therefore important for more individuals and organizations to participate in such programs.

The H-factory

Gone are the days when injustice and harassment was a rare occurrence and when reported to concerned law makers there was rule of law implemented. This was the procedure when the crime was more individualistic surrounded by a cartel which believe in individualistic ideology.

But the scenario has something evolved where in crime is being manufactured in a factory and hence produced as an output on a mass scale. These crime factories are well outlay-ed with more spelt-out provisions in executing the mass produced crime.

The danger isn't these crime factories but the more dangerous is rate at which these setup evolve over a period of time when compared to rate of evolution of goodwill necessary to counter these crime factories operating on the lines of making a community or a society dwell in superiority complex.

Crime takes a different shape wherein it is more concerned on disallowing evolution of goodwill which is one of the goals of the crime factories and their idea of mass producing the crime. But the world and goodwill isn't hopeless and at the times demonstrating through innovative ways that goodwill has the capable impact to over ride these concentrated attack on its provisions.

Milestones of 2024 - Conclusion

In the concluding section related to milestones of 2024, we would look into the events that shaped spiritual domain of the universe. Having spoken about spirituality and how could one miss the spiritual capital of the world, our very own India. 2024 is something special in India's spiritual journey as we witnessed the realization of much awaited dream of millions of Ram bhakts to have a darshan of Ram lalla in a bhavya Ram mandir at Ayodhya. 

 Though the inauguration of Ram temple was out of context as the same was done at will of power politics between two warring groups but fact remains the Ram janma bhoomi movement found its relevance and culminated into bhavya mandir.

Another interesting side of spiritual milestone of 2024 again pertaining to India was that of divine intervention which demonstrated that in a spiritually vibrant country like India weaponization of andh bhakti was totally prohibited, a lesson taught to andh bhakts in a most will-full manner.

At the outset, year 2024 was milestone in God's timeline as there was tremendous development in the spiritual domain of world requiring intervention of none other than the God by himself to keep the vulgar minds at bay and protecting the sanctity of bhakti on the whole.

Jai Shri Ram

Milestones of 2024 - Part 3

 We would look into major events in science and economics that shaped 2024.

1. CRISPR and Gene Editing Advances

Researchers made significant strides in CRISPR technology, successfully editing genes to correct mutations responsible for genetic disorders. A notable achievement was the first successful application of CRISPR in treating a rare genetic disorder in humans, demonstrating its potential for curing diseases that were previously thought to be untreatable.

2. Breakthroughs in Quantum Computing

In 2024, scientists at a leading tech company unveiled a quantum computer capable of solving complex problems exponentially faster than classical computers. This advancement could revolutionize fields such as cryptography, materials science, and drug discovery, paving the way for unprecedented computational power.

3. Fusion Energy Milestone

The pursuit of clean energy reached a new milestone as researchers achieved a net positive energy output from a nuclear fusion experiment for the first time. This breakthrough demonstrates the feasibility of fusion as a sustainable energy source, potentially transforming the global energy landscape in the years to come.

4. Discovery of Ancient Life Forms on Mars

NASA’s Perseverance rover discovered fossils of microbial life in ancient Martian rock samples, providing compelling evidence of life that existed on Mars billions of years ago. This discovery ignites excitement in the search for extraterrestrial life and deepens our understanding of the planet’s history.

5. Advancements in Alzheimer’s Research

A major breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research was reported, with scientists identifying a new biomarker that can detect the disease in its earliest stages. This discovery opens the door for earlier intervention and potential treatments, offering hope to millions affected by this devastating condition.

6. New Exoplanets and the Search for Life

Astronomers discovered several Earth-sized exoplanets within the habitable zone of their stars, reigniting the search for life beyond our solar system. These discoveries were made using advanced telescopes and highlight the ongoing quest to find potentially habitable worlds in our galaxy.

7. Artificial Intelligence in Drug Discovery

AI technologies made significant headway in drug discovery processes, reducing the time and cost of bringing new medications to market. In 2024, a new AI platform successfully identified and synthesized a promising compound for treating a common form of cancer, showcasing the transformative potential of AI in medicine.

8. Climate Change and Ocean Absorption Research

A comprehensive study revealed that the world’s oceans have absorbed significantly more carbon dioxide than previously estimated, affecting climate models and projections. This research underscores the importance of understanding oceanic carbon dynamics in addressing climate change and developing effective mitigation strategies.

9. Breakthroughs in Carbon Capture Technology

Researchers unveiled a new carbon capture technology that can efficiently capture CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it into useful materials, such as fuel and construction materials. This innovation presents a promising avenue for combating climate change while providing sustainable resources.

10. Insights into Human Consciousness

Neuroscientists made strides in understanding the nature of human consciousness through advanced brain imaging techniques. They discovered specific neural patterns associated with conscious thought, offering new insights into how consciousness arises and its implications for understanding mental health disorders.

 Source: https://www.absolute-knowledge.com/top-10-science-discoveries-of-2024/

The Global Conflict Economy: How Wars Shape Economic Landscapes

Wars have historically devastated national economies, but the interconnected nature of today’s global economy magnifies their impact. Ukraine, locked in a protracted struggle against Russian aggression, has seen its GDP contract by 29%. The energy infrastructure targeted in coordinated attacks has left millions without power, further exacerbating an already dire economic situation. Meanwhile, the ongoing blockade and aerial bombardments in Gaza have resulted in estimated losses exceeding $4 billion, crippling any semblance of economic recovery.

Sudan offers a stark example of a nation in freefall. Since April 2023, the civil war has displaced over 12 million people, disrupted agricultural production, and pushed half the population into acute food insecurity. The war’s regional spillover, particularly in Chad and South Sudan, is overwhelming local economies already burdened by refugee influxes.

In Myanmar, the economic repercussions of the military coup in 2021 continue to reverberate. The country has devolved into a patchwork of conflict zones, with armed groups vying for control over natural resources. The resulting instability has stifled foreign investment and trade, relegating Myanmar to economic stagnation.

 

The economic impact of conflicts is no longer confined to war zones; it is a global phenomenon. The interconnectedness of financial systems, energy markets, and supply chains ensures that violence anywhere is felt everywhere. This new reality demands innovative approaches to conflict resolution and economic resilience.

First, targeted investments in conflict-prone regions could preempt instability. Infrastructure projects that integrate local economies into global trade networks, coupled with job creation initiatives, can serve as deterrents to violence. Second, international frameworks must adapt to ensure that humanitarian aid is not just reactive but preemptive, addressing the root causes of displacement and deprivation.

Finally, diplomacy must prioritize economic interdependence as a tool for conflict prevention. The European Union’s reliance on Ukrainian agricultural exports and Africa’s energy potential highlight the mutual benefits of stability. Aligning these economic imperatives with security strategies could redefine how nations engage with fragile states.

Source:  https://www.financialexpress.com/policy/economy-the-global-conflict-economy-how-wars-shape-economic-landscapes-3708987/

 

Milestones of 2024 - Part 2

 In last episode, we saw how in 2024 elections were hosted in majority of the countries and therefore shaping resultant political scenario. In this episode we will look into the development in the sports sector.

2024's important sporting event was Olympics 2024 which was the biggest sporting event organized in France hosted from 26 July to 11 August 2024. There were many world records created in the event to name a few in athletic section as below:

Athletics:

Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda) - men’s 10000m (athletics) - 26:43.14 

Previous record - Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) - Beijing, 17 August 2008 - 27:01.17

Niklas Kaul (Germany) - decathlon javelin - 77.78m 

Previous record - Leonel Suarez (Cuba) - London, 9 August 2012 - 76.94m

Lindon Victor (Grenada) - men’s decathlon discus throw - 53.91m 

Previous record - Bryan Clay (USA) - Beijing, 22 August 2008 - 53.79m

Winfrid Yavi (Bahrain) - women’s 3000m steeplechase - 8:52.76 

Previous record - Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (Russia) - Beijing, 17 August 2008 - 8:58.81

Cole Hocker (USA) - men’s 1500m - 3:27.65 

Previous record - Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Norway) - Tokyo, 7 August 2021 - 3:28.32

Roje Stona (Jamaica) - men’s discus throw - 70.00m

Previous record - Virgilijus Alekna (Lithuania) - Athens, 23 August 2004 - 69.89m 

Arshad Nadeem (Pakistan) - javelin throw - 92.97m 

Previous record - Andreas Thorkildsen (Norway) - Beijing, 23 August 2008 - 90.57m

Marileidy Paulino (Dominica) - women’s 400m - 48.17 

Previous record - Marie-Jose Perec (France) - Atlanta, 29 July 1996 - 48:25

Tamirat Tola (Ethiopia) - men’s marathon - 2:06.26 

Previous record - Samuel Kamau Wanjiru (Kenya) - Beijing, 24 August 2008 - 2:06.32

USA - men’s 4x400m relay - 2:54.43

Previous record - USA - Beijing, 23 August 2008 - 2:55.39

Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) - women’s marathon - 2:22.55 

Previous record - Tiki Gelana (Ethiopia) - London, 5 August 2012 - 2:23.07

Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) - women’s 1500m - 3:51.29 

Previous record - Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) - Tokyo, 6 August 2021 - 3:53.11

Tamirat Tola (Ethiopia) - men’s marathon - 2:06:26

Previous record - 2:06:32 - Samuel Wanjiru (Kenya) - Beijing 2008.

When it comes to India, this Olympics season was a disappointing one as the country ended up without a gold haul and most heartbreaking aspect was that of unexpected disqualification of sportsperson Vinesh Phogat in wrestling domain.

Olympics gloom was over-ridden by World chess championship 2024. The World Chess Championship 2024 was a chess match between the reigning world champion Ding Liren and the challenger Gukesh Dommaraju to determine the World Chess Champion. The match took place between 25 November and 12 December 2024 in Singapore. It was played to a best of 14 games, with tiebreaks if required. The match was won by Gukesh 7½–6½ after 14 games. The win made Gukesh, at age 18, the youngest undisputed world champion. 

 

 

Milestones of 2024 - Part 1

2024 was as interesting as any other year of millennium. As usual there were ups and downs for the human race with unexpected conned side of human civilization trying to pull off surprise.

Yes, political ecosystem was burdened with more and more empowered mob trying to gain their prime time space which otherwise was occupied by learnt till then. Let us have a look at some important milestones achieved in the political world w.r.t. 2024.

2024 was a remarkable year for elections as voters in more than 60 countries went to the polls. It also turned out to be a difficult year for incumbents and traditional political parties. Rattled by rising prices, divided over cultural issues and angry at the political status quo, voters in many countries sent a message of frustration.

Raise of right wing:

Frustrations with the political class have created opportunities for right-wing populists and other challengers to traditional parties and the political status quo.

• Right-wing populist parties, many of which campaigned on sharply anti-immigration platforms, gained ground in this year’s European parliamentary elections.
• Parties on the left and in the center worked together to keep Marine Le Pen’s right-wing populist National Rally out of power in France in this year’s parliamentary elections. But Le Pen’s party nonetheless significantly increased the number of seats it holds in the National Assembly. In early December, National Rally voted with New Popular Front, a coalition of left-leaning parties, to end the government of conservative Michel Barnier after just three months.
• In Austria, the far-right Freedom Party won 29% of the vote in September elections – a higher share than any other party and its best-ever result. It is unlikely, however, that any governing coalition will include the party.
• Three far-right parties had a strong showing in Romania’s Dec. 1 parliamentary elections. Also, right-wing candidate Calin Georgescu received the most votes in the first round of the country’s presidential elections. However, on Dec. 6, Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the first-round results after evidence emerged of substantial Russian interference in the election.
• Portugal joined the list of European nations with a significant right-wing party following Chega’s success in the March elections. The party won 50 out of 230 parliamentary seats, up from just 12 in 2022 and one in 2019.
• Reform UK won the third-highest share of the vote in the United Kingdom’s general election, with 14%. And its leader, Nigel Farage, finally won a seat in Parliament in his eighth attempt.
• Alternative for Germany became the first far-right political party to win a state election in Germany since World War II.

Over the past decade, commentators have regularly debated whether right-wing populism in Europe is rising or falling, based on the results of the most recent election. But the larger story is that right-wing populist parties have become embedded in Europe’s political landscape, significantly disrupting the continent’s politics.

In some cases, right-wing parties have won the most votes, as in the Netherlands in 2023 and Italy in 2022. Sometimes they have lost power, as in Poland’s late 2023 elections. But they are now consistently competitive in ways they were not until relatively recently.

Populists have had success outside of Europe as well. In the United States, Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement has become the dominant force within the Republican Party. The party has moved in a populist direction that looks very different from the pre-2015 GOP.

With Republican electoral victories this year, the party will soon control the executive and legislative branches of government. Republican presidents have also appointed six of the nine current Supreme Court justices. Trump appointed three of these in his first term and may have the opportunity to appoint more in his second.

Different varieties of right-wing leaders have found success in other regions as well. In India, Narendra Modi may have suffered a setback in this year’s elections, but he still dominates the nation’s politics. In Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto won the presidential election amid concerns about his human rights record.

Populism has had some success on the left, too. One example is Mexico’s Morena party, which has only been in existence for about a decade but now dominates the nation’s politics. Building on the popularity of outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the country’s relatively positive economic mood, Morena won outright majorities in both chambers of the Congress. And Morena’s Claudia Sheinbaum is now Mexico’s first female president.

Whether on the right or left, populist parties have been able to capitalize on voters’ frustrations with elites – and the belief, shared by many, that establishment parties and leaders are out of touch with ordinary citizens.

Source:  https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2024/12/11/global-elections-in-2024-what-we-learned-in-a-year-of-political-disruption/