I Love Cats. But...

I have already written how organizations like PeTA and Blue Cross are double-crossing the cultural/religious/personal rights of individuals and communities. These are the groups pushing to ban Jallikattu. They went to courts to get humans killed and maimed by stray dogs. They are behind the protests against Eid sacrifices. Now they have stricken again. This time members of the Nari Korava tribes are the victims of these "animal love-makers".

I myself have kept many cats and I love cats. They make adorable pets. Almost all members of  my family accept a feline pet over any other pet. I have personally rescued many kittens from drainage pits, barbed wires etc. But that should stop there. I should not behave like the so called "dog lovers" who are offended by Chinese (Yulin) Dog Meat festival, but want millions of cattle slaughtered to feed their dogs. My love for cats stops with me. I have no right to force my opinions on others. There are superstitious people who say that cat is a bad omen. Should I get offended by that too?

According to various reports from TV channels and news sites, the Blue Cross of India have taken law in to their hands and "captured" 3 Nari Korava men for "cruelty towards animals". Reason? The Nari Korava men were catching feral cats (possibly to eat, which is part of their food habits). Where this insanity will stop? Sadly, our Nari Korava brothers don't have Facebook activists who can write lengthy conspiracy theories that "PeTA is a foreign funded organization that is set to eradicate native cat breed and introduce foreign breeds" like they have done for bulls. But I have few questions on this aspect.


1. All these organizations regularly euthanize animals and they run in public money. (They forced me to pay money to take a rescued cat in, very humane indeed!) Will they publish the number of animals in and out of their facility transparently?

2. Will they also get offended if a cat eats a rat? If rat is natural food of cat, then meat is natural food of humans. They should not get offended by humans eating meat.

3. Will they also protest against eradication of flies and mosquito? Don't those insects have right to live? What about plants? What these people are feeding their animal brothers?

4. Blue Cross vaccinate dogs for rabies. Why they are not respecting the rights of rabies virus? If they consider dog life is more important than virus life then the same logic can be applied like this. "Human life is much more important than dog life".

5. Who are they to decide which stray animals can be killed and which cannot be? What is morally correct is subjective and changes with time and region. Killing dog for food may sound repulsive to some while for someone else it may be their favorite food since childhood.

6. They claim they want all animals happy. Have they conducted any survey among the animals they keep? How they are so sure that what they do is best for animals?

Some valid reasons to take action:

1. If someones pet has been captured or killed, action can be taken on that, provided the pet remained in the premises of its owner or accompanied by the owner and didn't pose a threat to anyone else. Killing a dog or any other animal in self-defense should not be a crime. This line of reasoning can be extended to plucking a flower from neighbors' garden.

2. Killing or capturing wild animals or endangered species can be counted as crime. But wait, that too includes even trees and plant life.

3. Slaughtering animals in unsuitable places can be prevented. This is purely in grounds of hygiene and for regulating slaughter. Not for anything else.

4. An economical and sustainable approach can be taken to reduce over-hunting or over-fishing or over-exploitation of resources. People who violate this can be punished.

5. No one should be punished for killing the following animals. Animals which they themselves have grown, that have been properly bought with money or other means, that are feral/stray, in self-defense, to prevent spread of diseases, to keep the environment safe and clean etc.

Some points to ponder:

1. Humans evolved from other primates just 2 lakh years back.

2. Humans domesticated cows, cats etc only within last 15,000 years. (Before that there were no such animals! Dogs were not domesticated at first and they just evolved along human hunters some 40 to 27 thousand years ago.)

3. Humans were hunter-gatherers for good part of their history. Just the most recent 5% (10 thousand years approx. out of 2 lakh years) of human history we started agriculture.

3. Without eating meat, we might not have evolved as humans.

4. Without humans domesticating, these animals will be extinct within few generations.

5. Agriculture causes more extinctions and environmental damage than sustainable hunter-gatherer cultures like those of Nari Koravas. So Blue Cross and PeTA should first try to ban agriculture.

New Source:

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Cats-of-Tondiarpet-narrowly-escape-gypsy-soup-get-mew-lease-of-life/2016/08/17/article3583010.ece

மீன்களில் பாதரசம்

மீன் ஒரு நல்ல உணவு. உடலுக்குத் தேவையான புரதம், இதயத்துக்கு இதமான ஒமேகா-3 (ஒமேகா-3) என்னும் நல்ல கொழுப்பு, வைட்டமின் பி  வரிசைச் சத்துக்கள் என்று மீன் உணவு உள்ளடக்கியுள்ள சத்துக்கள் ஏராளம். ஆனால் ஒன்றில் நாம் கவனமாக இருக்க வேண்டும். மீன்களில் சிலவற்றில் பாதரசம் அளவு அதிகம் இருக்கும். அவ்வகை மீன்களை கர்ப்பிணி/பாலூட்டும் பெண்களும் 15 வயதுக்குக் கீழ் உள்ள சிறுவர்களும் அரைவே தவிர்ப்பது நல்லது. மற்றவர்களும் அளவுடன் சாப்பிடுவது நல்லது. இதைப் பற்றி விரவாகப் பார்ப்போம்.

பாதரசம் - ஒரு பார்வை:

பாதரசம், இதளியம் அல்லது இதள் (mercury) ஒரு உலோகம். அறை வெப்பநிலையில் திரவமாக இருக்கக்கூடிய உலோகம். தூய பாதரசமும் அதன் பெரும்பாலான வேதிச் சேர்மங்களும் கொடிய நச்சுத்தன்மை கொண்டவை. இந்திய பாரம்பரிய மருத்துவ முறைகள் இதை மருந்தாகப் பார்த்தாலும் அறிவியல் இதை நஞ்சு என்று சந்தேகத்துக்கு இடமில்லாமல் நிறுவியுள்ளது. குறிப்பாக மீனில் உள்ள மெத்தில் மெர்குரி (methyl mercury) என்னும் சேர்மம் நம் உடலிலேயே தேங்கி இருக்கக்கூடியது. நம் அனைவரின் உடலிலும் வெகு வெகு சிறிய அளவு பாதரசம் உண்டு. ஆங்கிலத்தில் இதை trace amount  என்று கூறுவர். அதே போல நாம் உண்ணும் அனைத்து மீன்களிலும் பாதரசம் உண்டு. ஆனால் பெரும்பாலான மீன்களில் அது பாதுகாப்பான அளவிலே இருக்கும். சில மீன்களில் அது தீங்கு விளைவிக்கக்கூடிய அளவில் இருக்கும். இதனால் மூளை மற்றும் நரம்பு மண்டலம் பாதிக்கப் படலாம். ஆகவே மூளை மற்றும் நரம்பு மண்டலம் வளரும் நிலையில் இருக்கும் சிறுவர்கள் மற்றும் கருவில் இருக்கும் குழந்தைகள் பாதரசத்தால் அதிகம் பாதிப்படைய வாய்ப்பு உள்ளது.

எவை எல்லாம் ஆபத்தானவை?

பொதுவாக நன்னீர் மீன்களைவிட கடல் மீன்களே பாதரசம் அதிகம் உள்ளவையாகக் காணப்படுகின்றன. குறிப்பாக கடலிலும் தாவர பட்சி மீன்கள் பெரும்பாலும் மிகக் குறைந்த பாதரச அளவு கொண்டவையாக உள்ளன. அதேபோல பெரிய மீன்களில் சிறிய மீன்களைக் காட்டிலும் பாதரசம் அளவு அதிகமாக இருக்கும். அதற்கான காரணம் பின்வருமாறு.

நன்றி: விக்கிமீடியா

1. எல்லா மீன்களிலும் பாதரசம் உண்டு. அது மெத்தில் மெர்குரி வடிவில் இருக்கும்
2. ஒரு மீன் மற்றொரு மீனைத் உண்ணும்போது உண்ணப்படும் மீனில் உள்ள மெத்தில் மெர்குரி உண்ணும் மீனின் உடலில் சேருகிறது.
3. ஏற்கனவே சொன்னதுபோல ஒருமுறை உடலில் சேரும் மெத்தில் மெர்குரி உடலிலேயே தங்கிவிடுகிறது.
4. அதிகமான மீன்களை உண்ண உண்ண, நாட்கள் செல்லச் செல்ல, அளவு வளர வளர அதிக அளவு மெத்தில் மெர்குரி சேர்ந்து விடுகிறது.

நெய்மீன்(கடல் மீன், நெய் கெளுத்தி மீன் நன்னீர் மீன்), வஞ்சரம், சுறா, ஊளி, சீலா, முரல் போன்ற மீன்களில் அதிக பாதரசம் இருப்பது கண்டறியப்பட்டுள்ளது. இவற்றை கர்ப்பிணிகள், பால் கொடுக்கும் பெண்கள், 15 வயதுக்கு உட்பட்ட சிறுவர்கள் உண்ணக்கூடாது. மற்றவர்கள் அளவாகவும் இடைவெளி விட்டு உண்ண வேண்டும் (மாதம் 2-4 முறை, 100-200 கிராம், அளவுகள் மீனின் வகை மற்றும் பருமன் பொறுத்து மாறலாம்!).

இறால், நண்டு, விலை, பாறை, மத்தி, வாவல் போன்ற தாவரம் உண்ணும்/சிறிய மீன்கள் மிகவும் குறைந்த அளவே பாதரசம் கொண்டவை. இவை பாதுகாப்பானவை.

கட்லா, மிருகால், ரோகு, சிலேபி, கெளுத்தி, அயிரை போன்ற நன்னீர் மீன்கள் அனைத்தும் பாதுகாப்பானவை.

**பால் கொடுக்கும் தாய்க்கு சுறா மீன் கொடுப்பது மரபுவழி வழக்கமாக இருக்கலாம். ஆனால் அறிவியலின் பார்வையில் அது ஆபத்தானது. ஆகவே உங்கள் வீட்டில் அதுபோல யாரேனும் சொன்னால் அவர்களுக்கு நீங்கள் விளக்கிக் கூறுங்கள். மரபை விட மனிதனின் நலமே முக்கியம்!

முடிவாக

மீன்கள் நல்ல உணவாக இருந்தாலும், அவை சில சமயங்களில் உடலுக்குத் தீமை செய்யும் நச்சுப் பொருட்களையும் கொண்டிருக்கலாம்! ஆனால் அறிவியலின் துணையோடு ஆராய்ந்து சரியான மீன்களைத் தேர்ந்தெடுத்து உண்டால் நலமும் வளமும் நமதே!

The Dog Question

You may be working late. After you reached your area by the sub-urban train or city bus, you have to walk the last mile to your home. You start walking... Suddenly, a dog runs towards you barking!

Has this happened to you?

You are a law abiding citizen who wears helmet while riding your motorcycle. But the street dogs of the locality don't like it. They give a good chase now and then. One day you hit a pothole or a stone, throwing you over the handle bar.

Has this happened to you?

Every day around 100 people are bitten by dogs in Chennai alone (as of 2013). From people going for a walk/jog for their health to street vendors who carry their bags and baskets on head for a living, dogs are making everyone's life miserable. Yet for few "animal lovers", everyone needs to tolerate these ugly and demonic creatures.

If you raise a complaint with the city officials, they will say that they will only do a "family planning operation" (this is the exact way they mention sterilization!) and capture only rabid dogs. Also, they claim that almost all dogs are vaccinated and there is no risk of rabies! But again, every year around 10 people are dying in Chennai alone due to dog bites (as of 2013). Chennai Corporation has a habit of appending "ALL DOGS ARE NOT RABID DOGS" in all complaints related to dogs. But there are still lots of questions unanswered! Read on...

What Are The Problems With Dogs?

1. They bite:

Unlike what these people say, not only rabid dogs bite. ALL DOGS BITE. It is almost arbitrary. Anything can intimidate them. For some dogs, just carrying a luggage, being tall or heavy, having a beard etc. are enough to get intimidated. Also they bite out of fear. Irrespective of what corporation or Blue Cross claims, after getting bitten by a dog, we MUST visit doctors and get the injections immediately. Else we may end up as rabies victim statistics of the year! I have seen dogs biting women, children, elderly people and disabled people with my own eyes. One of the case was heart wrenching. A visually challenged man was selling pencils boxes. A dog bit him. When some of the public (including me) tried to stone the dog, a lady (from what she said, I assume she feeds those stray dogs daily) came and defended the dog saying, it is the mistake of the blind man to show a cane. So her dog got upset and afraid of his behavior and bit him! What a logic?!!

2. They Contaminate the Surrounding

Not only stray dogs. But ALL dogs pee and defecate. How good it will be to get greeted with dog poop or dog vomit on your doorsteps? They drip their saliva everywhere they go, pee anywhere they like and defecate wherever they want. This poses a great risk for people's health. Dogs can carry many virus/bacteria apart from rabies which can cause diseases and even death in humans. Will these dog lovers come and clean every dog shit and vomit on call basis? These dogs take dip in drainage and roam freely on roads. Who knows what percentage of diseases is spread through these 100,000+ dogs in the city!

3. They Are Nuisance for Road Users

Almost everyone has a friend/family or self who got chased by a dog while riding a bike and crashed, fracturing few bones and got some stitches. But the denial of corporation authorities and animal lovers are sickening. They are hurt by a stone thrown on a dog, yet they want us to take it easy when our loved ones suffer fractures! How humane? Also we have to count the cost of servicing the vehicles too! How much public's money is wasted for the kinks of some?

4. They Bark and Howl

Dogs destroy peaceful sleep of people. What about the grandpa who recently had bypass? Or the new born baby in her cradle? Don't they deserve sleep, let alone the night shift workers, early risers and students? These dogs howl and bark suddenly and wake people during nights and days!

5. They Give a Hard Time for Pedestrians

People are encouraged to take a walk to nearby places for sake of health and environment. But these filthy creatures make it hard for people to take a walk on the road. They bark, they chase and they come and smell/lick our bags and dress. It may be OK for animal lovers to get "licked" by dogs. But not for me! I have seen people chased by dogs, falling down or getting hit by vehicles.

Who Is Behind This?

Blue Cross, People for Animals and PeTA (yes! The same group that kills thousands of animals in USA every year and the one that protested against Jallikattu) are claiming that it is cruel to kill dogs. They don't even want the dogs to be relocated or kept in shelters. They want the dogs to be free on the streets! They want the dogs to be treated humanely. But at what cost? By treating humans like dogs? If their sterilization strategy had worked, how can the dog population can be 170,000 and counting? If their vaccination programs are for real, then how can 10+ people are dying of rabies? These are deaths that happen apart from general population which takes anti-rabies shots shortly after bitten by dogs. I myself have a firsthand experience with Blue Cross. I rescued a cat from a pit. I called them, but they refused to pick the kitten up. So I took it to their office myself. They took the kitten and asked me for money! They said that I must give money to feed the animal or else I should take it back! This is their version of love for animals it seems. If they are animal lovers, why they force a person who rescued a kitten to pay money? These organizations involve in many more questionable activities and put animal interests (or what they see as animal interests) over human interests.

If They Want...

So, if they want to keep dog(s), they can. But they have to keep it in their house and when they bring them out, they should accompany them. The dogs can be free inside their home and but they should be chained and handled properly on roads. If any dog without chain or a human company is encountered, people should be allowed to kill the dog in self-defense. Even if the dog is licensed, if there is no chain AND no human supervision and the dog is not inside a private property, we should have the right to kill them.

If they want to save the stray dogs, they can take them to places like Blue Cross or PeTA, where they can give whatever royal treatment they want to give. They can "love" their dogs as they claim that they are "animal lovers" and enjoy their dogs' licking skills. They can have "family planning operations" or have planned families. They can vaccinate or they can skip it for fear of "vaccination induced autism" or for treating rabies virus humanely.

If their flawed argument is applied to other creatures like cockroaches, flies, mosquito etc., imagine where we will be heading to! Will corporation also refrain from pouring larvicide in water tanks to treat mosquito humanely? Or are we supposed not to kill rats and cockroaches in our houses? What about the tapeworm or ringworm? Are doctors wrong to kill them with Albendazole? Where these people's stupid anti-human love for "animals" will end? Will they also fight for humane treatment of polio virus by banning Polio vaccine? If it is OK to kill certain virus/bacteria/insects/animals for human welfare, why not these dogs?

Already these dog-lovers are protesting against dog meat in China yet they never fail to buy mutton or beef for their beloved dogs. Why it is OK to kill a lamb or ox to feed a dog and not OK to kill a dog for well-being of many humans living in that area? These animal welfare lobby are a bunch of rich people with followers (yes, they are a cult) from all walks of life. They just touch the emotional nerves and make people believe that they have a point. Unless we count their paraphilia for animals, there is not point to defend these dogs.

Government should take rigid steps to ensure safety of civilians and suppress this type of people with deviant and unethical views and behaviors. Life and well-being of citizens are far more important than few stray dogs. They don't have a family waiting for them. They don't have a future for themselves. But people who lost their life and health to these dogs have all these. My vote in coming election is to the party that will surely eliminate all these unworthy creatures.

Reliable Source

Introduction

What is a reliable source for any information? Anybody with an Internet connection can write anything they want. Even this blog is one such thing. I have no qualification to write on any subject with authority save for some "public static void main". But still I am writing. So if a thousand blogs say that something is correct and only few "unknown" sites say the opposite, democratically, is it not correct, because that is majority? Is truth is what we feel and experience or something that is proven beyond doubt? Is truth is what works for me and may not for you? Is there no ultimate truth that is objective instead of subjective "feelings" or "experiences"? Is that coffee is hot for me and cold for you? But is there not a thermometer that says the coffee is 67C? What if someone sounds like a genuine skeptic while questioning the caliberation of the thermometer itself? I have seen people questioning moon landing and vaccines like true skeptics. Does questioning something makes you a skeptic while questioning something else makes you an idiot?

People who believe Coco-Cola and Mentos can produce cyanide without a question suddenly start to ask millions of question if you say that it won't. People who don't even have a doubt that solar eclipse causes birth defects become "Doubting Thomases" when you say that mercury in shark is harmful for lactating mother and label you as a foreign agent who questions their native wisdom! The source for the Coke-Mentos story may be a blog written from Brazil and the source for mercury in shark is FDA's own website. It doesn't matter. Both are websites. And some even argue that it is better to trust the Brazillian blogger as he has no financial interest than the FDA site which is influenced by corporate lobby! So whom can we trust?

History of Writing

Back in the old days, people who were educated alone could read and write. And only a minority of the educated minority wrote books. Majority of the population never had a chance to read something or express their ideas to a wider audience. Hand written copies of books were costly to produce, hard to maintain and almost out of reach for the public. Some countries allowed only the rich elites to possess books. Even worse, in some other countries only those people who were born in to particular castes were allowed to read and write.

Then came the printing press which allowed mass production of books. Books became cheaper and were within the reach of public. At the same time, industrial revolution and political changes allowed majority to get education. As literacy rate grew along with the increase in number of books, we saw a boom in creativity, inventions, discoveries and critical thinking. But there was a problem. Even though almost anyone could read a book, not everyone was able to publish a book. You can have your own manuscripts on your desk. Else you can even print a copy for yourself. But hitting market was out of question.

Even today, to reach a good number of audiences, you need a publisher. And the publishers lay out certain rules and restrictions to the buyers as well as to the writers! Writers are asked to surrender the copyright to publishers. Readers are restricted from creating derivative works. Even reselling of books and photocopying are becoming "offences" in the eyes of corporate publishers. On one side, quality books are becoming costlier and costlier. Also on the other side, whoever has money can publish anything they want. The books cover, paper quality and print, everything will look exactly like an encyclopedia from a renowned university, yet the content will be no better than "Weekly World News". On the third side, rise of Internet provides costless (apart from what you pay for data) information. Again in Internet, most of the serious researches and information are pay-walled, and anyone with a connection can write anything (they don't even need the power of money!) the picture is becoming very complex.

Let me categorize them vaguely.

1. Really Good Books

These are books that are product of serious research or study or skill. They are genuine works and they can be verified scientifically. They are written by scientists and researchers who invest their time, money and effort on their fields. These books are meant to be consumed by public and increase the awareness, ignite discussions and pave way for improvements or rectification of existing ideas. But the sad facts about the books are as follows. They cost more. They are "dry" and uninteresting for general public and most people seldom know the titles of these books! Add to this the threats and violent opposition to such books which dare to question existing beliefs or status quo!

2. Bad Books that Resembles Good Books

Majority of books sold in railway stations or book fairs etc. are of this category. They have polished covers, colorful photographs, shiny paper, good quality print, cost you a fortune and authored by a famous writer/activist you often see on TV or in movie credits. They resemble the "good books" in every aspect from ISBN to Best Seller endorsements. But they are nothing more than self-help crap, new-age rap, astrology bullshit, biased history batshit or mumbo-jumbo on any subject. Go to any book shop. You can find at least a dozen of books on Homeopathy but you can't get a book that explains Homeopathy is fake! As the free market neutrality and voting-with-your-wallet democracy "naturally selects" the "fittest for survival", you have books that endorse Homeopathy, Crystal Therapy, Astrology etc. widely and cheaply available, while a good book on astro-physics or bio-chemistry is out of stock (never been in stock) or out of budget!

3. Good Sites

Enter the Internet! There are some sites which are actually continuation of international science journals and serious magazines with genuine journalism from the printing era. They have made their way in to the Internet. But most of them are pay-walled. Even some of them are not pay-walled but they are unpopular among masses. Again, these sites serve articles that are not so "interesting" to read. Even though serious efforts (like this) are taken to make books that are already in public domain freely available to people in digital format, relatively new and fresh information is blocked by subscriptions, pay per view etc. Also attempts like Facebook's Internet.org (FreeBasics) will add another layer in between people and these sites. If you have to pay Rs. 200 every month for a full-fledged Internet connection while FreeBasics comes for Rs. 0 (I won't say it is free of cost! It costs your privacy and freedom of choice), most people will choose to stick with the few sites provided by Facebook. As far as Whatsapp is working, who cares to do a data recharge?

4. The Other Sites

The rest of the Internet is nothing but the noise you hear in the market. Absolute democracy! Everyone has their say! From flat-earthers to neo-Nazi racists. All are given equal opportunity to write and spread their "message" to the world. Whatsapp messages, Youtube videos, Facebook updates and retweeted blog links can enlighten us on GM diet, while nobody cares to check what it is actually. Even some widely read news sites publish unethical articles (see example below) and distance themselves from questioning by a lame disclaimer that the opinion expressed is the writer's and not of the publisher's. Again the genuine idiocracy democracy of the Internet wins! abchomeopathy.com has Alexa rank of 72,613 and quackwatch.org has a rank of 193,968. You know what it means right? People at abchomeopathy.com are 267% correct than people at quackwatch.org. If 100 blogs say that vaccines contain poisonous chemicals and cause autism and 3 or 4 sites say vaccines are needed to prevent diseases like polio or mumps, then surely those 3 or 4 sites are run by corporate funded doctors who have no idea about vaccines while those blogs are run by highly concerned citizens who are rightly qualified in UFOlogy or Tarot reading.



This article from The Hindu (Tamil version) claims that a single Siddha medicine can cure diseases cold, diabetes, cancer and AIDS. How can a Newspaper like The Hindu publish an article like this without moral responsibility?

Screen grab from the The Hindu's article titled "தொற்றுநோய்களை விரட்டும் மகா சுதர்சன மாத்திரை"

What’s My Problem?

People are choosing what they want to believe and it is their choice and their life. How can you say what you believe is correct and what I believe is wrong? What is your problem? Do you know whatever you say is 100% correct? Nobody is 100% correct. Unless you experience it yourself, you won't believe.

These are the usual response people give when confronted that what they believe is pseudoscience or hoax.

An engineering graduate believes that a pulse check by a naturopath is equally valid as an ECG and a glass of coriander juice is equally good as angioplasty. He even said that former is better than later as it is fully natural, safe and without side-effects. You don't see a problem?

A person with pain due to gall stones ignores it and goes for acupuncture to treat the pain. He is rushed to ICU with severe jaundice. No problem yet?

A project manager enrolls his son in mid-brain activation class for a hefty sum of money against his son's wish to join Karate or Swimming. Still no problem?

An MBA gold-medalist spending Rs. 8,000 a month on red-mushroom powder and Spirulina capsules and genuinely believes that it can cure any sort of disease.  Not a problem at all!

Magnetic necklace, pyramid schemes, water therapy, energy treatment, de-tox diet, positive vibrations, vaasthu fish, snake oil, faith healing all are real. Thousands of people are saying it worked for them. So I am just trying it out. Nothing is wrong in trying that. If it fails, I may lose some money or time. But what if it works? And we should fight the "leftist conspiracy" to infect our children with evil ideas like evolution, germ theory of disease, astronomy, physics, chemistry, history, biology and English grammar (their r grammer Nazis r8? Dey cn’t evn tolrite ma Whatsapp msg!). Also we should fight the right wing corporates who are trying to kill the people by vaccination, anti-biotics, fertilizers, cellphone radiation, chem-trails, GM food etc. We should rely on our UFO masters, spirits of nature, kundalini energy, water memory, cosmic waves and organic foods to save us!

Absolutely no problem! Go ahead!

Solution?

What is the solution? Am I the expert to ask? Not so. But here is my opinion. Researches, studies and serious work of science, history and politics should be made cheap or free of cost for the public. Government and rational intellects should encourage people to read and share that information. Sharing, derivative works, collaboration etc. should be encouraged rather than being met with lawsuits in patent courts. On the other hand, people who knowingly circulate unscientific and unethical ideas, misinformation, rumors etc. should be banned and punished. Yes. I hear you crying that I am for censorship and against freedom of speech. But for your kind information, spreading misinformation about vaccine or endorsing a home-made cure for cancer is harmful. It is not freedom of speech. It has direct impact on people who are foolish enough to fall for it. Lives are lost. Damages done in irreversible ways. Yet these people are walking free on pretext of free speech! Scientific community with the help of volunteers should set up a universal review panel to review and rate sites based on the content. Again, these may result in censorship. But we should think a way to make it impartial and honest system rather than giving every retarded view an equal opportunity to corrupt the minds of public. If there are sources with 95% truth and 20% truth, both are logically partial truth. But practically they are not equally valid. It is our duty to ensure the 95% truth grows to 99.999% and 20% truth (80% false) obscured from the public. Long live democracy! Long live freedom of speech!

Sympahty for Homeopathy?

I am deeply saddened by the death of three students of SVS college. But what bothered me more is, the college taught Homeopathy. Homeopathy is proven to be a fake system of "beliefs" and unlike Siddha and Yoga there are no way to explain the working of Homeopathy. Traditional medicines like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Chinese medicine etc are all having some or other active ingredients. Again Yoga as a stretching exercise has a basis for efficacy. But Homeopathy? How can a system without any explanation of its working can be approved by government to be taught in colleges? How can people who are trained in this fake system be allowed to practice as "doctors"?

First to make some points clear, I support only science based medicines i.e. medicines that are proven effective by proper studies and trails (be it garlic or statin). Also I strongly believe that there is NO divine touch on any medical system. All the traditional systems are developed by continuous observations,experiments with whatever methods available at that time, trail and error, blind luck, guess etc. That is why unless studied, tested and proven, it is safe to exclude "traditional cures" for any problem, let alone serious problems. But my problem with Homeopathy is that it is plainly false. 100% lie. 0% true. Fake! Bullshit!

Homeopathy Principle:

Like cure like - Any substance that causes a symptom in large dose will cure diseases with the same symptoms in smaller doses.

This is the basis of Homeopathy. There is no germ theory of diseases. It doesn't deal with nutrients and their deficiencies. There are no room for hormone imbalances etc in Homeopathy. For example, this website of Homeopathy advocates says that germ theory is wrong. Compare this with Siddha. If you look at Turmeric, it is proven anti-septic (type of disease: germ induced). Siddha has clam-shell powder to treat Calcium deficiency (type of disease: nutrients deficiency). There are drugs in traditional medicines to regulate bile secretion, acidity etc (type of disease: imbalance of secretions). But Homeopathy has no such system to address any of the above said type of diseases. It again and again claims that "Like cure like".

Also Homeopathy has no equivalent to vaccination or physical exercise or surgery, which even traditional systems have! But still there are success stories for Homeopathy as people are assuming Homeopathy cured their self-limiting diseases. Some diseases come and go by themselves and some others wax and wane over the time. People wrongly assume that Homeopathy is working! Their "anecdotal evidences" are the "proofs" Homeopathy has!

When the concentration of a drug drops below a certain limit, there is literally no chance to have even a single molecule of the supposed "cure" in the medicine. But Homeopaths claim that water has "memory" to hold the effect of the cure! If so, why water has forgotten all other impurities it came in to contact before it got distilled? And the funniest part is that, they claim, the more you dilute, the more potent the cure will become!

A Typical Homeopathy Medicine (DIY):


Here I am going to explain two Homeopathy Remedies that you can do it yourself! (Disclaimer for stupid enough people: Don't take the following remedies seriously and try them on yourselves or on others! Serious harm may happen! If you have any health problem go to a properly educated doctor!)

1. Insomnia

Ask some 5 to 10 of your friends or family members. At least two or three will complain that they have problem in sleeping. So here is a quick and easy Homeopathy remedy for them! You can prepare it in the kitchen itself. All you need is some coffee powder, distilled water, clean ink filler, clean vessels and sugar pills.

We all know that coffee in higher doses hinder with sleep. So according to Homeopathy, coffee in minute doses can cure insomnia!

Step 1: So take a pinch of instant coffee powder. (Important Note: If you are a Surya fan, use Sunrise or if you are a Karthi fan, use Bru. Else use any other brand you like!) Mix it well in 5 liter water.

Step 2: Now with a clean ink filler pick one drop of the coffee solution and mix it in another 5 liter water. Now stir well. Again

Step 3: Repeat step 2 for any number of time! The more you do, the more potent the drug will become. Now take the sugar pills and spray some "cure" on them.

Call in your friend and ask him to take 5 pills. If you have done the dilution enough, he may fall in coma immediately! Does that sound funny? But before you laugh, take a look at here. They claim the same. But people are believing what they say, while laughing at me?!

2. Indigestion

Now instead of coffee, you can grind a pizza or a scoop of briyani or a piece of chicken 65 and dilute it as explained above and spray on sugar pills. That will treat indigestion. As all these foods cause indigestion in large doses, they ought to treat the same in minute doses. Good luck with that!

Conclusion:

As you can see, a system that is based upon flawed understanding of both disease and drug will not work! Then how can government allow colleges to teach Homeopathy as a medical discipline? Is it not counter-productive to other medicinal systems bundled with Homeopathy? Won't it impact their validity negatively? In my opinion, severe action should be taken against the people who are responsible for the deaths of the students. At the same time, similar action should be taken on all Homeopathy practitioners, hospitals, colleges etc. They should be shutdown and banned immediately. Who knows how many people are being mislead by this fake system and not getting proper treatment?

Leave The Bulls Alone!

The the common bulls of Tamil Nadu are classified along bears, panthers, tigers etc and hence Jallikattu is technically banned. Wow! Kerala can go ahead with its elephants, which are actually wild animals in every sense. But Tamils should not touch the bull. The bulls of Tamil Nadu are selectively bred for their strength and endurance. As an agrarian society, Tamils relied upon bulls for ploughing and drawing carts from prehistoric times. You can't say that selectively bred and domesticated animals are "wild" by any definition. Also, if bull is wild then how cows can be allowed to be kept in farm and their milk to be sold? Can we sell tiger milk?

Unlike bull-fights of Spain, where the bull is actually killed, Jallikattu actually ends with just holding a bull for certain seconds or certain count of jumps. Usage of liquor, torture devices etc are non-native practices and they should be monitored and stopped. But to stop the event itself is far-fetched. Are we going to ban cricket due to gambling? Also regulations can be made to ensure audience safety. Instead of taking such rational and simple steps, organizations like PeTA are forcing government to ban the event itself.

On the other side there are people who are crying that there is a corporate conspiracy to kill the native breed. This also seems to be an overkill. So these people are saying that same PeTA which wants to ban milk and leather industry in the West wants to bring foreign breed cattle here in India! Also some Facebook/Twitter posts by these conspiracy theorists claim that PeTA is silent about beef but protests Jallikattu. In reality PeTA is actively protesting against all forms of meat from chicken to beef. They will surely protest against goat/rooster sacrifice in rural temples. They have already protested against Eid sacrifices. Please go through the links below.

http://www.petaindia.com/blog/celebrate-life-vegan-eid/ - PeTA against Eid
http://www.petaindia.com/issues/animals-used-for-food/milk/ - PeTA against milk
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/meat-environment/ - PeTA against meat
http://action.petaindia.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=111&ea.campaign.id=2856 - PeTA in action
http://www.petaindia.com/blog/victory-animal-sacrifice-banned-at-nepals-gadhimai-festival/ - PeTA against Hindu animal sacrifice

From above links, it is clear that PeTA is a militant and stupid organization that wants to push its version of morality, disregarding the sentiments and traditions of native people. But the conspiracy theorists selectively portray that PeTA is only against Jallikattu and trying to bring other breeds of cows. This nonsense also takes religious and racist tones in some posts. If you people are silent about other activities of PeTA, then the price you pay for it will be a ban on Jallikattu. Are you ready to fight PeTA in all fronts? Then we can get Jallikattu back!

We either look it as a conspiracy by West/NGO/Corporates or we see it as animal cruelty and act of barbarianism. Both are not exactly true. The truth is some where in the middle.

PeTA, which protests against everything from KFC to cow's milk, is often ignored as a fringe group. But that fringe group already has a lot of impact in our everyday lives. They want to save stray dogs at the cost of road users and children's lives. They want to portray meat eaters as criminals, rapists etc. They want to portray traditional foods like fish, poultry, lamb etc as unhealthy. They want to ban fishing, farming of animals, leather, wool, testing drugs on animals and the list goes on! All these have a direct and enormous impact on our lives. Yet they are deceptively hiding the facts and portray themselves as people for protecting animals and a group that is fighting against cruelty.

From hate speech to scaremongering hoaxes, PeTA has tried its hands on many "below the belt" tactics with the public. And with politicians and bureaucrats, they cheat, bribe, threaten or lobby with people's money against people's interest. This organization without any help from corporates can do such dirty jobs and I think this group itself is a corporate! So what we need to do is to identify such groups, isolate them and ban them. One such group is Greenpeace, which our government rightly identified and banned recently. PeTA should face the same fate.

Some people are cherry picking PeTA's campaigns to support some of their views and care less about what PeTA is doing in other issues. For example, some people who are opposing meat, support PeTA thinking that they are actually helping. But they care less about PeTA's stand on milk. How many Indian vegetarians are ready to give up milk? If you support PeTA, think twice. Check out their motto and modus operandi in all issues and then decide if you want to really support them.

So to conclude, the fight is not only towards Jallikattu ban. Tomorrow it may be a ban on animal sacrifice in temples or ban on camel slaughter during Eid. So for everyone's interest, let us fight these inhuman organizations like PeTA, AWB and other such elements that cause too much trouble in the society.

Update: Central Government has made amendments to allow Jallikattu in the law, but the decision has been challenged in court!

Online Offers or Outright Scams?

Recently I bought some instant pasta and got some gift coupons with it. It said that there is 500/- off on purchases above 1200/- in a popular online store. As my running shoes were wearing off, I thought I can use it to buy a pair of shoes. I checked the price of some shoe models and compared it with another online store's prices. There was almost 600 to 700/- difference. So, they just give 500/- off while pricing things 600/- more. Is this an offer?

Again, one day everyone around me at office were panicking. They said that some online shops are giving unbelievable discounts. But again, when checked against some other online stores, people realized that it is just a publicity stunt and the so called offer prices are higher than other sites.

Some other companies give you "free" talktime offers with purchase of things like noodles and dishwash bars. But that requires you to "register" yourself with some sites. This is the catch. They get your email id, mobile number etc. And as usual we never read the "terms and conditions" but just click "I Agree". So this information can be misused. I am not saying that all such offers are threat to your privacy but you can not trust all such offers. Nothing in the world comes for free from "businesses". They themselves say that they are not charities!

So am I against all online purchases? Definitely not! I myself purchase lot of things online. But what I am saying is, clever marketing gimmicks and enticing offers should not mislead us to waste our money on something that is not worth. Now let me list out how these online stores are serving us better as well as how they are spoiling us!

The Good Side:

1. They don't need to rent a large showroom, air-condition it, pay hefty electricity and water bills and employ staffs. All they need is a website and a warehouse. That's why they can offer cheaper prices.

2. They offer more choices. For example, they provide option to buy phones and laptops of brands that are seldom available in conventional market.

3. They allow you to shop at your convenience. More payment choices and offers.

4. There are some tax differences between states. As these products are shipped from various locations across India, you can get a cheaper deal in that way too!

The Bad Side:

1. Things like shoes, dress etc can have mismatch against your expectations.

2. Purchasing lesser known brands may look like steal deals. But in some cases, there can be poor after sales service that will make you regret the purchase!

3. Delay in shipments are possible. Also some damaged products may need lengthy follow-ups to get rectified or refunded. Some times that even won't happen.

4. Unlike in case of conventional shopping which happens once in a while, people can constantly waste their time by looking in to online stores. Some tempting offers and targeted ads create an unwanted urges to spend on things that people seldom need.

So, to summarize, online stores are inevitable effect of the IT revolution. There is no point in protesting against it. Resistance is futile! These stores provide us more options and choices. But be careful! Don't purchase anything in a hurry. Compare price in other online stores and conventional shops. (Recently I bought a helmet of same brand/model/size for a much lesser price than in any online store from a conventional shop!) Before buying anything ask yourself if you really need it and will use it for sure and it is worth the money you are going to spend on it. Once again! Beware of online offers. Be extra cautious before buying anything (not only online but also in normal shops).

Rain Rain Go Away?

It is rainy season again. A good rain is what farmers need to grow crops, forests need to sustain the flora and fauna, people in cities need to replenish the ground water, power-plants need to supply us with electricity and the list never ends... The purest natural source of water, "The Elixir of Life" as told by Sir C V Raman, is rain. Nature itself distils the water! Removing salts, killing germs and leaving behind sediments, Sun works as a huge boiler that provides us with pure water. Whenever scientists look for life in other planets/moons they look for liquid water. As Valluvar said, "The world can't sustain without water!". But what our people think about rains? Some people like the "Little Johnny" want their life to go on as usual and feel rain as a spoiler! But for a "regular" life 365 days, we have to happily receive rain for at least 15 days!

Bad Roads?

A subway, completely submerged in water.

We should not be angry with the rain for bad roads. We should raise our voices in proper forums to repair the roads regularly before the winter begins. Also the sewer system should be prepared to handle rainwater and waste water efficiently. Rainwater falling on highways and other places like bus stands and railway stations can be harvested easily. Already government has started some initiatives like that, but due to bad maintenance, these systems are barely working. So stop accusing rains for bad roads!

Mosquitoes?!

Mosquito repellents are secondary!

Rains are not the "cause" of increased mosquitoes and mosquito borne diseases. It is human inefficiency to keep the surroundings clean of stagnant water which creates suitable breeding havens for mosquitoes. And one more thing, mosquitoes that cause diseases mostly breed in fresh water. They don't breed in drainage or murky waters usually. Also the water on roads usually dries in few days, hence mosquito larvae can't grow to mosquitoes in road side puddles. But on the other hand, water stored in tanks, pots, vessels are where these mosquitoes find fresh water to breed. Also places like AC machine cases, discarded tyres, broken plastic/glass articles can hold clean water for many days providing suitable space and duration for mosquitoes to breed.

Fever and Diseases

Maintain cleanliness!

With rain, we get more fever and diseases. It is not the rain water itself that causes the diseases. It is the germs which utilize the moisture in air and on surfaces to survive for longer periods and easily spread from person to person. Sunlight, which kills many germs in sunny days of summers is also scarce. So what can we do? By maintaining clean habits, one can protect himself and others from catching infections. Frequent hand washing, avoiding touching face/eyes/mouth/food without washing hands, sneezing in to kerchiefs, wearing shoes, avoiding urination and defecation in open etc can prevent lot of infections. Taking brooms in hand is not the only way to create a "Clean India"! Every person maintaining a good personal hygiene is a soldier in this fight against diseases.

Conclusion

Some believe that if people are upset due to rains, there will be lesser rainfall! I am not one of them. We can neither summon rain through rituals nor we can send rain away by wishful thinking. But what I mean by this article is, if we take proper steps and remain well prepared, rainy seasons are enjoyable. It is a chance to thank the Almighty for the divine providence. Next time when it starts raining when you are half way to office, just find a teashop, have a hot tea/coffe and enjoy the love of nature poured upon us!

Apartments Analysed

Introduction

The recent trend among IT sheeple is to go to onsite within 4 years of joining a job. Save some money by living on bread and jam. Return here and buy an apartment by paying 20% as down payment. Marry a  girl and demand dowry to close the loan faster or force her to work so that she can help in repaying EMI. Is a block of space in a concrete structure worth your entire life's hard work? Let me share what I have learnt from what I have seen/heard. I am not against living in a rented/leased apartment or buying an apartment for the sole purpose of renting. But this is for those "clever" people out there who think that buying an apartment for living is a good idea.

Cost and Returns:

Most apartments are built and sold by so called "builders". Those who buy apartments don't own the land. In some cases, the land is given in to collective ownership or in some cases, the builder owns the land while buyers own the house under some agreement. Water connection, electricity connection etc too remain with builder's ownership in some cases. These houses cost a hefty sum of money, that even onsite returns feel way too much. Mostly people buy these houses with loan unless their parents spend their pension benefits or father-in-law wants to ensure a happy life for his daughter ;-) But what happens to the money. These apartments have no resale value compared to land. For example, land prices quadrupled in 6 years at a sub-urban area, but my friend who bought apartment can't sell that for the cost he spent on it 5 years ago. So, technically, apartments lose money at worst or gain meager or no money at best. So, what happens to those who took loan and bought the apartments? They will be paying twice or thrice the amount as interest and get no returns on the property. Sad! Isn't it? On the other hand, imagine if you had bought a land for same amount, it would have at least tripled in value when you finish your loan and hence you lose nothing! Even wiser decision is to buy land for the money you have on hand instead of taking loan. This is the most beneficial investment. But some people have too much money, so they buy apartments and rent it. It may be good. It is better if it is a house built on own land and best if they can buy the entire apartments with land. But for others apartments are poor choice for investments.

I hear some of you saying that instead of paying rent, you are paying EMI. It is better to do the math. How much you will be paying in rent for the same house you own through EMI? Calculate the difference and multiply with number of EMIs. There you go! You can buy another apartment! The best bet is to take a house for lease, even with loan. Pay just the interest for the loan and at the end of the lease terms, repay the loan. Cheapest of available options.

Freedom to Live?

The most important aspect of owning your house is your freedom. You don't need to wait for your turn to get the metro water. You don't need to wait till the fixed time to switch on the motor. You can lock/unlock any door any time. You can use the front space, roof or backyard without seeking permission from anyone and the list goes on. Let me give you few incidents that I have seen in real life!

1. One of my friend is good in rangoli. She moved to an apartment after marriage (bought with some down payment by her father, onsite return husband and a promise from her to help him pay the EMI by working! WOW!!). I told her that apartments sucks as they lack space in front. She said "We have car parking space." I asked, "So, you're gonna draw your rangolis there?"

2. One of my friend was so upset and told me this. Ground water went down in his apartments. He is at 2nd floor. Two of the apartments are not in use (as they went to onsite :D). Ground floor is rented to a family who is not so "rich" compared to these "owners". Now the 3 out 5 apartments need to share the cost of lorry water. But the problem blew up when the ground floor family refused sharing the lorry water. They said, we will fetch water from public water pump. As 2 people can't afford lorry water every other day, they tried their best to convince the tenant. Due to this, the tenant called his owner (in some other city on deputation) and told him that, "If I am to share the cost of water, I will deduct it from rent!". Hearing this the owner took leave on loss of pay and rushed to solve the issue. Then they went to the apartments' secretary for solution. He told that the maintenance fund can't be spent for lorry water. When my friend finished the story, I was late for lunch!!!

3. One of my friend was so interested in vaastu. His vaastu consultant told him that the color of house should be ink blue and he should shift the toilet to some other place. Else he need to do some rituals for Rs. 80,000. He could neither paint the house with choice of his colors nor move the toilet! At last, he rented the house for Rs. 8,000 and saving the money to conduct the ritual. (Extra info: He is paying Rs. 26,000 as EMI every month!) In no way I am telling you should believe in vaastu. But you don't even have freedom to choose the color of your house.

4. I know a person, who lives in an exclusive (people belonging to a particular community only) apartments. One of the owner sold his property and the new owner rented it to a different community. Believe me, now the case is in court. The new owner is claiming the right to rent it to anyone he wishes, while the others in the apartment are siting a clause in the agreement that no other community people can live in that apartment! Again, in no way I am supporting caste/religion based apartments. But your freedom to rent it to anyone you like is not practical.

I can tell even more incidents, but I think the above incidents are enough to make you understand what I mean when I say you have no freedom.

Lack of Neighborhood

Apartment life is nothing but a prison with luxury. People live without knowing the names of each other. There is no co-operation at all in any aspect. The only time they see each other is when the garbage collector blows the whistle. The children are conditioned to play only inside the gates of apartments as the children outside are poor/dirty/indecent. People won't even ask you what happened when you are screaming for your life. But invitations to birthday parties will be prompt to show their stuff off to others and get the gifts in return. Awesome! Maids are the only channel through which news about one apartment travels to other, of course with some annotations!

Light, Air and Nature

Unless you live above 4th floor, you need electric lighting during days too. If you open the window, you are greeted with the nice view of your neighbor's wall. Sunlight has negative probability to enter in such homes. Nights are no better! You need air-conditioning to survive. But don't worry, everyone in the apartments using double-booster will ensure that you bathe in sweat all night! You can't allocate a space to grow a tree. Already the parking space is filled up, you know?

Swimming Pool, Shopping Mall and Lifts!

Very few apartments maintain these advertised "value adds" in long run. And the apartments that maintain them properly are out of reach for the upper middle class. They are only for CEOs and Delivery Managers. Anyway if you reach that level, you will have no time for shopping or swimming. Good luck with that!!! Some apartments raise the cost of maintenance on their wish. If few people refuse to pay, the services are stopped or the remaining people forced to share the expense. I heard one such cozy apartment dweller speaking like this. "Whenever my wife goes to swimming pool, that guy was watching from his balcony. I asked her not to go. What else can I do?"

Cyclic Reasoning

I asked my childhood friend why he bought apartments. His chain of reasoning is as follows.

1. It is difficult to shift house often. (So, why you are shifting house often?)

2. It is hard to travel to new office (Why you change company often?)

3. For onsite chance/ for higher pay. (Why you need onsite/higher pay?)

4. To repay the loan faster. (Why you took loan?)

5. To buy apartment. (Why you buy apartment?)

6. Go to answer 1

So What Can Be Done?

Try take a house on lease (even with loan) that is the cheapest means to live in a city. Else the next best option is to rent a house. Restrict your expenses imagining that you are paying EMI and save the money and buy a land or built individual house in sub-urban areas or even at your native. That will give you returns lot much compared to apartments. Also you can change the house whenever you want. If it is own house, you can modify it the way you want and you are the one who decides what need to be done in every aspect of the house!

Conclusion

Every time some one tells me that they are buying a new apartment, I pity them for their poor choice. They are going to lose their money, freedom and peace of mind due to the ad hype and peer pressure. "Every one is doing it! So it can't be wrong!" is their mindset. Well, that is the mindset of sheep. It is your money and your wish. But whatever you do, do it calculating all the risks and benefits in the long run. Finally, "Apartment", the name suits. Even though the people live closer, their hearts are apart!

Note: If you are a rabid apartment owner and want to vent your anger by commenting here, for your kind information, this blog is not a collective property as your apartment. I own this blog. So my rules apply here ;-)

10 Ways to Help Free Software Movement

1. Use Free Software

First thing you can do to support Free Software Movement is to use free software. Why use a proprietary software when a free software alternative is available? Don't use proprietary formats for documents or codecs for media. For example, go for .odt file format instead of .doc. Go for .ogg file format instead of .mp3 format. By this we can reduce the market share and dominance of unethical companies behind the proprietary software. Once their cash flow is cut off, they will not be able to stop the Free Software Movement by lobbying or through lawsuits and other cunning tactics. So we should show the world that free software are not used by few people in isolation but by everyone who wants to preserve their freedom. Some free software alternatives may have lesser functionality or a bit tough to use. But still they are superior because they respect your freedom. Which is better? curd rice prepared by mom or briyani given by politicians?

2. Release Your Code Under GPL

Whatever code you write, release it under GPL v3. This is the most apt license to release your code in most cases. In some rare cases, you may need other licenses. Please visit http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-recommendations.html to know more about the license that suits your need. By doing this, you are directly contributing to the Free Software Movement. Now a days people are lured to use the so called open source licenses that don't do justice to users or the developers. Some licenses allow others to include your code and yet release their software with a different license. This results in misuse/abuse of your code. For example, lot of corporate IT companies steal code from open source projects and never credit the real developers or donate the projects. In some cases they even try to compete and destroy projects from which they stole the code. To avoid all these along with hardware locking, you MUST use GPL v3 or any other license by FSF in future. Don't think your project is worthless or your code is not good. There is no wrong in releasing it under GPL v3 than letting it die in your PC. Someone may take it up and improve it or it may find relevance in some other place.

3. Code for Free Software Projects

The next thing you can do is, if you have time, then you can take write code for existing Free Software Projects. You can take up small bugs from their bug tracking systems and fix them. You can also go through the code and optimize/add functionality. This is relatively easier if you have lesser free time. You can just take a bug and try to fix it on a weekend. By this, you can improve the quality and robustness of the free software. Also you can improve your skills by knowing to do things in better way. If you mention that you are an accepted committer in a well known free software project, think how weight your resume will be!

4. Review Free Software Code

The other thing you can do is that, you can review the free software code in your free time. By this, you can spot previously unknown bugs, inefficient or non-standard code, malicious commits etc. Due to this activity, the overall quality of the free software projects will improve. Your skills will also get polished as you read more code and learn from rights and wrongs of others. This is one of the easiest way for anyone who can understand code, even if they don't have time to write code, to help Free Software Movement.

5. Report Bugs

Points 2,3 and 4 are only applicable for people with programming knowledge. But how can a person from different background help Free Software Movement? You can use free software and when you encounter a bug, don't curse and switch to proprietary software. Just report it in the bug tracking system of the project. Sooner the bugs will be fixed by someone else. Nobody will accuse you for reporting a bug! No! They won't come and ask "How dare you can report a bug when I gave it for free?". But they will thankfully see it as a help and try to fix it. By this you are helping the free software less error-prone. You can also become beta or even alpha tester by using the versions under development and actively reporting issues you face. Your contribution as a tester is always welcome!

6. Write Documentation

The other way to help without coding is to write documentation. Many good Free Software projects need good documentation too, so that new users can easily use them. So, if you are a person with good understanding of working of an application, and if the application lacks proper documentation, you can help it out by writing/editing/reviewing the documentation. Even you can fix spelling/grammar mistakes in the documentation. Every small help, when accumulates, results in great changes!

7. Translate

If you are a person with good command of language, then you can translate the documentation or the software itself in to your local language. By this you are making the free software more appealing to people from various countries and cultures. You are not only helping Free Software Movement, but also your local language by making technology available in that language.

8. Professional Advice

Not all free software developers are experts in various fields. For example, a very good C++ developer may be writing a free software for accounting. He needs expert advice in some aspects of accounting to make his software function in the right way. So, if you are an expert in any field like medicine, chemistry, music, electronics, language etc, you can provide your valuable ideas and suggestions to improve free software projects. By collaborating across various domains of expertise, we can innovate in ways we have never before in human history.

9. Spread The Word

You, as an individual you can introduce free software to your friends and family. If every free software user introduces at least 5 persons to free software, soon, we can put a full stop to the proprietary software. Already many such groups are active across the world. So, search for such local groups in your area and join them. Else, start one! Also don't stop just with talking about free software. You can help others installing free software and guiding them to use it. You can push your government/school/office to switch to free software by outlining the benefits of doing so. Write blogs about free software, put banners supporting frees software in your sites/blogs. Free Software Movement is mostly run by donations. So they can't afford costly advertisement campaigns. So, it is up to us to do it for freedom!

10. Donate

The last thing you can do is by donating money or material for the free software projects. You can donate to specific project or to Free Software Foundation itself! Check out the FSF donation banner at top right corner of this blog! Not only money. You can donate by distributing CDs/DVDs containing free software. You can sell free software or books on it and give part of profit to free software projects. You can donate hardware for free software projects. You can buy merchandises, books and other stuffs sold by FSF or other free software projects. If you are not wealthy for all these things, at least you seed torrent downloads of free software projects. By this you are offloading their servers and helping someone who is downloading free software!

Conclusion:

These are not the only ways. My knowledge is limited. So there may(should)be many other ways I have missed. Please share your ideas. Also share your experience of helping Free Software Movement in comments. Thanks for reading.

I Love Pathaneer (பதநீர்)

Summer is approaching with the mercury levels raising everyday. On the other hand, water and electrolyte levels in our bodies are falling every hour. It is very important to keep yourself well hydrated and to maintain the electrolytic balance during summer season to avoid a lot of health problems and tiredness. So here is a sweet and affordable solution from Mother Nature! Pathaneer!

What is Pathaneer?

Pathaneer is a sweet beverage extracted usually from palm trees (sometimes also from coconut trees, but in Tamil Nadu, they are almost always from palm trees). It is a non-alcoholic beverage. But without proper preservation techniques, fermentation will kick in due to airborne yeast/bacteria, which will turn it in to alcoholic toddy. Pathaneer has a unique taste, which is predominantly sweet with a hint of astringent taste. It a translucent, white, watery liquid in pure form.

How it Is Extracted?

Pathaneer is collected overnight from palm trees by scrapping/cutting the tender spathes on top of the tree and keeping a collection pot. Usually the collection pots are coated with calcium carbonate to reduce the risk of fermentation. Tree climbers climb the trees during evening and prepare for the collection. Before daybreak, they again climb the trees and collect the Pathaneer as raising temperatures after sunrise may accelerate fermentation. They may need to climb 40 to 50 trees every day and most of the times, they work overnight. At this point, I take pride in remembering my ancestors who were such tree climbers (toddy tappers). That might be a job forced on them; but still, they didn't cheat or steal or forced others in to slavery!

Health Perspective

I can falsely claim that Pathaneer can cure all known diseases from hairfall to obesity. But the truth is Pathaneer is good at treating a major disease that affects almost everyone during summers. Thirst and dehydration. They may sound silly. But they can bring a host of health problems even before you become aware. Head aches, fatigue, increased blood pressure, decreased electrolyte etc can be caused by excessive sweating. So Pathaneer is an easy way to replenish the water and essential electrolytes in your body with a punch of carbs to keep you kicking throughout the day. Carbohydrates are the major nutrient, followed by calcium, phosphate, Vitamin B, Vitamin C and other trace micro-nutrients. It is surely a better choice than sugary sodas or packed fruit juices (which are nothing but chemical flavors and sugar). Only other alternate is tender coconut.

Where to Buy?

Pathaneer is packed and sold by Tamil Nadu State Palmgur Cooperative Federation in 200ml plastic pouches (like curd or milk packs). It costs around Rs. 10 and available in shops near you. They are cheaper than tender coconuts which are sold at a higher price around Rs. 30 to Rs. 40. Pathaneer packs are refrigerated and hence you can get a cool and refreshing drink without any hazardous chemical or excessive sugar for just 10 bucks. They are processed and packed to ensure that no fermentation happens and shoul be stored in optimal temperature. So don't buy if not stored in refrigerator.

What Else?

Pathaneer is just one product of palm nectar. It can be allowed to ferment to produce alcoholic beverage (toddy – கள்ளு). Fermented toddy can be distilled to produce arrack (பனஞ்சாராயம்). The nectar can be further boiled and processed to produce palmgur (கருப்பட்டி /பனைவெல்லம்), palm sugar (பனஞ்சீனி) and palm candy (பனங்கற்கண்டு). There are hell lot of other products/by products of palm tree, but they are not relevant to the Pathaneer which we are discussing here. So those who are interested can check “Additional Links” section.

An Appeal for Toddy!

I hear by humbly appeal both the Indian Government and Tamil Nadu Government to lift the ban on toddy and regularize the sale of the same as they have done with Pathaneer. If Pathaneer sales can be standardized, regularized and monitored to ensure quality, then why not toddy? Also, the government is allowing the sales of hard liquors, which contain more than 40% alcohol manufactured by corporates. But toddy contains only 4 to 5% of alcohol. By banning other liquors and allowing naturally brewed toddy, wine and beer, we can ensure that the livelihood of farmers are improved while the livelihood of drinkers are protected from excess alcohol consumption and economy drain.

Conclusion

So, enjoy Pathaneer this summer and be a proud Tamilian by drinking this palm elixir which is part of our cultural heritage. Also please appeal to government in whatever democratic ways you can to ban sales of hard liquor and allow toddy to be sold in a regularized and controlled way through cooperative societies or Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). And when it comes to alcohol, my personal advice is to avoid it altogether than becoming an addict. Because “Perfect moderation is harder than total abstinence!” as told by St. Augustine.

Additional Links:

http://ta.wikipedia.org/wiki/பனையிலிருந்து_பெறப்படும்_பயன்கள்

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neera

Walking Tips

According to America Heart Association, we should get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity every week. That is the bare minimum. Each segment should last at least 15 minutes. This activity includes swimming, brisk walking, aerobics etc. But all things cost or need special location/trainer except walking. So I do this easy and effective exercise everyday.

WARNING: Walking for exercise (especially prolonged and brisk walking), like any other exercise have some limitations. You may need to consult your doctor if you have existing medical conditions or common problems like knee pain.If you are a healthy, normal adult in prime age, you can assume walking is safe for you.

Moderate walking means 100 to 120 steps per minute. It may vary with your age, weight and other health factors. Also, you should wear comfortable dress, shoes and well hydrated while walking.

According to experts, walking 10,000 or more steps a day makes you a person with "active lifestyle". 10,000 steps is around 8 kilometres. You may think it is too much. But that is required for your health, especially if you are working at offices, sitting all day long.

1. Morning Walking:

When you wake up in the morning, after bowel movement, drink a glass of water, put on your t-shirt, track suit and shoes and start walking in a nearby park or street or roads without traffic. This walking can be very brisk and if you feel like, you can also jog. Walk for at least 30 minutes. That will give you an initial start of 3,000+ steps for the day. You can enjoy the birds singing, sun rise, fresh morning air for free of cost. Except few rainy days, this is the best way to start your day. By this you will get 210 minutes of activity every week, which exceeds the American Heart Association guidelines of 150 minutes!

2. Use Public Transport:

Park your car/bike. Else better sell them off. Take a walk to your nearby bus-stop or railway station. Board a bus or train. Also walk those few blocks to your college/office from the bus-stop or railway station. By this you can add 1,500 to 2,000 steps to your count and you have covered 5,000 steps (yes! that is 50% of your daily target) before you reach office. Also you can be proud about you for being a socially responsible person by reducing the carbon emission and traffic.

3. After Lunch Walk:

Recent studies show that walking after meals can reduce your blood sugar levels and as well as provide three times benefits of usual walking. So after taking lunch, call your friend/colleague and walk slowly in a shaded place for 20 minutes. Chat with them about Free Software, music or just about anything you love. This will add another 1,000 to 1,500 steps to your count. Wow! That is 6,500 steps. Keep going! This walk also makes you brisk and refreshed and your afternoon work will be productive as good as in the morning.

4. Returning Home:

As we discussed early, returning home using public transport will again add 1,500 to 2,000 steps. So it will make the overall count to 8,000 steps.

5. Night Walking:

After having supper, call your wife/kids/parents and walk in your street for some 20 to 30 minutes slowly, talking about the day and other stuffs that relaxes your mind. This will add some 1,500 to 2,000 steps, making the total 10,000 steps per day within your reach. This walking will aid you to get a good sleep which will prepare you for an energy packed day ahead!

6. Hidden Extras:

Walking to shop to buy milk, walking inside home/office etc are not counted here. These will come around 1,000 to 2,000 steps. These extra steps won't harm you but benefit you! Count them as bonuses!

7. Other Tips:

If you are worried about days missed due to rain, you can invest on a treadmill. You can also install mobile apps that use GPS or accelerometer to measure the distance you cover. Else you can invest in pedometers to capture exact numbers of steps you walk a day.

Conclusion:

Walking is a good exercise for all ages. But it should not be considered as sole exercise. If you are fit enough, you can include other activities like jogging, cycling, aerobics, weight training, swimming etc. Also eat a balanced diet. Walking can't be an excuse to eat that extra samosa or chili bajji. Drink enough water. Avoid refined sugar, reduce salt intake and consume less fast-foods.

All these things, you can't do alone. You will get bored and start sliding in that slipper slope back to sedentary life-style. So encourage your family and friends to join you. By this, you are forming a team which will encourage you back, when you are down. With all these practices, you can improve your health and stay fit.

References:

• http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/StartWalking/American-Heart-Association-Guidelines_UCM_307976_Article.jsp
• http://www.thewalkingsite.com/10000steps.html
• http://www.healthline.com/health-news/aging-walking-after-meals-to-control-blood-sugar-spikes-061213
• http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/12/diabetes-walk-after-meals/2408753/
• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090317094719.htm

Killing Plants for Food?

A Case for Plants

Plants breath. Plants grow. Plants reproduce. Plants die. And hence plants are living things. Whether they feel pain or not, let me discuss in later. But for sure we can say that they are living.

Everything is life... You have to open your eyes!

Killing for eating. Is it correct? We uproot carrots, beets, radishes, onions, garlic, ground nuts and other innumerable plants just to satisfy our hunger. Is it ethical? Is it acceptable for rational human beings to do this to plants which can’t even defend themselves when attacked?

Is not killing a carrot plant for it’s food reserve which it stored day by day is like killing an old man for his wealth he accumulated in his entire life? Is not boiling a cup of rice is like boiling thousands of unborn foetus removed from dying mothers? Won’t those innocent rice and wheat grains grow in to new plants if they are provided with soil and water instead of being boiled and eaten as idlies and chapattis?

Where are your ethics when you kill a plant which can’t even express its will to live? In the name of farming, we kill thousands of insects using pesticides. We kill ants which are almost always harmless to human beings. Also innumerable plants are killed in the name of weeds. Are we really behaving with responsibility?

If we have to be humane to animal, why not to plants and insects? They are also living beings. Why there is discrimination? Why some animals are considered even more venerable than some other? Why people are ready to share their dining table with pets (which can harbour lot of diseases) yet they throw an entire meal in to trash if an ant lays dead on it (which is almost always harmless)? Is this not discrimination?

Let us assume killing plants is ok as they don't feel pain. Then comes the question. Is it ok to kill and eat animals/humans in comatose? Or is it ok eat animals killed in road accidents or died naturally or nearing their natural death? It is the same logic used by people accuse meat eaters being unethical to justify their killing of plants.

Here is my summary on this topic:

I feel, killing any animal/plant just for fun or for no use is unethical. I believe endangered species should not be killed for any reason. But growing animals in a good and acceptable condition for meat/milk/research is acceptable. On the other hand, factory farming, where animals are not allowed to move and live a natural life should not be allowed. Those factory farms pump animals with anti-biotic and hormones for extra meat and milk. But don't think agriculture is any better. Ruthless agricultural practices also damage nature comparable to factory farms. Extensive use of pesticides and fertilizers pollute land, water and air in irreversible ways. They also pose threat to human health.

Meat from animals grown in good conditions are better ethical choice than vegetables from aggressive farming with hazardous chemicals.

So there is no denial that, we as a species have to kill in order to eat. We are omnivores(both meat and veggies eaters) by our design/evolution. So whether it is meat or plant, there is no guilt if we don't over hunt, aggressively farm or over consume them by wasting the resources. With that said, no one is morally superior on the grounds of their choice of food.