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118 results for “srijit”
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Sherlock Holmes Creator Arthur Conan Doyle Gets Indo-British Period Drama (EXCLUSIVE)
#Variety #Asia #Global #News #ElementaryMyDearHolmes #SherlockHolmes #SirArthurConanDoyle #SrijitMukherjihttps://variety.com/2025/film/news/sherlock-holmes-arthur-conan-doyle-uk-india-film-1236559658/
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Economic Systems and Human Welfare
A Layman's Perspective[Part 1/2]
I endeavored to present a textbook explanation of capitalism to a high school student [1], carefully refraining from interjecting my personal views. This effort elicited an intriguing and thought-provoking response [2] from @RD4Anarchy [3], which has since prompted me to periodically contemplate human welfare, power dynamics, economic and political systems. Drawing from my personal observations in India over the past several decades, supplemented by global perspectives, I wish to outline a fundamental dichotomy below where I consider the formal understanding of economic systems have become convoluted.
On one side, we have the constitution, human welfare and human rights. On the opposing side, we find military power, economic power, the authority to distribute wealth for self-interest protection, surveillance capabilities, administrative control, governance authority, and the six adversaries of the human mind as recognized in Indian philosophy: lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, and envy.
1. https://hachyderm.io/@srijit/114041629339916466
2. https://hachyderm.io/@RD4Anarchy@kolektiva.social/114042814432265608
3. https://kolektiva.social/@RD4Anarchy#HumanWelfare #HumanRights #EconomicSystems #Capitalism #Socialism #Communism
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I had flagged similar concerns earlier [1].
> I think the main reason behind this is that local events and issues are not sufficiently discussed here. It is now a chicken-and-egg story.
> The solution should not be to get inspired by X, Instagram, Facebook, etc., and follow their approaches.
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You may consider reading my post [https://hachyderm.io/@srijit/114041629339916466] regarding my attempt to explain capitalism to a high school student and the corresponding responses from @RD4Anarchy.
I must add that the replies from @RD4Anarchy are more intriguing and thought-provoking than my own.
#Capitalism #EconomicSystem #EconomicSystems #EconomicFreedom
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Buying an electric car or electric vehicle in India
TL;DR is that in Bengaluru and rest of India it is not yet a good practical idea to buy an electric car without ensuring that a personal charger can be installed at home.
Dr. Katharine Hayhoe aptly speaks my mind here.And most people don't have the resources or money to do what you do, because the system is skewed in the direction of maintaining our dependence on fossil fuels.
This is the case for electric cars or electric vehicles (EV), in India, at present. Though it may not be apple to apple comparison, from the same manufacturer, today an entry level crossover electric vehicle is costing approximately 50-60 percent more than a corresponding petrol vehicle with manual transmission.
The next interesting aspect is the operation and maintenance cost. According to a study done here, the following conclusions are interesting considering an annual running of 18000 kilometres per year.One will have to drive the EV for over 7.5 years to break even over the petrol, and almost 7 years over the diesel. What’s also worth mentioning here is that the EV’s battery has a warranty of 8 years, and could be expensive to replace.
Another study shows that the total ownership cost of a petrol vehicle, in India for first five years with a driving distance of 10,000 km per year, is approximately 30-35 percent less than an equivalent electric vehicle. The equations will change if cost of fuel continues to increase annually at a significant rate.
With respect to carbon emissions, when considering the whole life cycle, from manufacture to scrapping (and, hopefully, recycling), the following facts emerges according to an article titled "Do electric cars really produce fewer carbon emissions than petrol or diesel vehicles?"Lucien Mathieu, T&E’s cars director, said that even if you choose a worst-case scenario – vehicles made and driven with electricity largely from coal – the electric car will win out after about 70,000km (about six years of driving). “The more you drive an electric car, the better it gets,” he said.
The above is largely the scenario for India till now. As per an article, dated December 19 2023India relies on coal for about 70% of its power generation and aims to add 17 gigawatts of coal-based power generation capacity in the next 16 months.
I accept that the economic sustainability of a petrol and electric car (electric vehicle), in India and other countries, will be determined by criteria such as usage frequency, trip distance, charging infrastructure availability. Full charging of an entry level electric vehicle takes takes around 8.5 to nine hours to fully recharge the battery. Unlike fuel stations, charging infrastructure is limited, even in a city like Bengaluru, India. Many apartment associations do not permit private charging station in the pillar adjacent to the corresponding car parking space.
For electric cars, I initially felt that I can manage with publicly available battery chargers in Bengaluru. After visiting the battery charging stations and talking to several owners and potential buyers of of electric cars, I realized that the idea is not practical.
Also, with respect to usage of limited battery charging stations in Bengaluru, there is competition from large number of electric scooters which are quite popular in Bengaluru.
Car ownership may be costly, and the initial cost of ownership isn't the only thing that can break the bank. The many recurring expenses that come with owning a car can quickly mount up and have a big impact on one's spending plan. And purchasing an entry-level electric vehicle requires even more financial resources and supported infrastructure. And some of us, who can barely manage to buy an entry level petrol vehicle, in India, will not be able to afford an electric vehicle as of now.
#ElectricCars #ElectricVehicles #EV #Environment #Climate #India #CarbonFootprint #GlobalWarming #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency #NetZero #CarbonEmission #ElectricCar #ElectricVehicle #MastodonIndians #MastIndia
cc: @[email protected] @[email protected] -
Buying an electric car or electric vehicle in India
Dr. Katharine Hayhoe aptly speaks my mind here.And most people don't have the resources or money to do what you do, because the system is skewed in the direction of maintaining our dependence on fossil fuels.
This is the case for electric cars or electric vehicles (EV), in India, at present. Though it may not be apple to apple comparison, from the same manufacturer, today an entry level crossover electric vehicle is costing approximately 50-60 percent more than a corresponding petrol vehicle with manual transmission.
The next interesting aspect is the operation and maintenance cost. According to a study done here, the following conclusions are interesting considering an annual running of 18000 kilometres per year.One will have to drive the EV for over 7.5 years to break even over the petrol, and almost 7 years over the diesel. What’s also worth mentioning here is that the EV’s battery has a warranty of 8 years, and could be expensive to replace.
Another study shows that the total ownership cost of a petrol vehicle, in India for first five years with a driving distance of 10,000 km per year, is approximately 30-35 percent less than an equivalent electric vehicle. The equations will change if cost of fuel continues to increase annually at a significant rate.
With respect to carbon emissions, when considering the whole life cycle, from manufacture to scrapping (and, hopefully, recycling), the following facts emerges according to an article titled "Do electric cars really produce fewer carbon emissions than petrol or diesel vehicles?"Lucien Mathieu, T&E’s cars director, said that even if you choose a worst-case scenario – vehicles made and driven with electricity largely from coal – the electric car will win out after about 70,000km (about six years of driving). “The more you drive an electric car, the better it gets,” he said.
The above is largely the scenario for India till now. As per an article, dated December 19 2023India relies on coal for about 70% of its power generation and aims to add 17 gigawatts of coal-based power generation capacity in the next 16 months.
I accept that the economic sustainability of a petrol and electric car (electric vehicle), in India and other countries, will be determined by criteria such as usage frequency, trip distance, charging infrastructure availability. Full charging of an entry level electric vehicle takes takes around 8.5 to nine hours to fully recharge the battery. Unlike fuel stations, charging infrastructure is limited, even in a city like Bengaluru, India. Many apartment associations do not permit private charging station in the pillar adjacent to the corresponding car parking space.
Car ownership may be costly, and the initial cost of ownership isn't the only thing that can break the bank. The many recurring expenses that come with owning a car can quickly mount up and have a big impact on one's spending plan. And purchasing an entry-level electric vehicle requires even more financial resources and supported infrastructure. And some of us, who can barely manage to buy an entry level petrol vehicle, in India, will not be able to afford an electric vehicle as of now.
#ElectricCars #ElectricVehicles #EV #Environment #Climate #India #CarbonFootprint #GlobalWarming #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency #NetZero #CarbonEmission #ElectricCar #ElectricVehicle #MastodonIndians #MastIndia
cc: @[email protected] @[email protected] -
Buying an electric vehicle in India
Dr. Katharine Hayhoe aptly speaks my mind here.And most people don't have the resources or money to do what you do, because the system is skewed in the direction of maintaining our dependence on fossil fuels.
This is the case for electric vehicles (EV), in India, at present. Though it may not be apple to apple comparison, from the same manufacturer, today an entry level crossover electric vehicle is costing approximately 50-60 percent more than a corresponding petrol vehicle with manual transmission.
The next interesting aspect is the operation and maintenance cost. According to a study done here, the following conclusions are interesting considering an annual running of 18000 kilometres per year.One will have to drive the EV for over 7.5 years to break even over the petrol, and almost 7 years over the diesel. What’s also worth mentioning here is that the EV’s battery has a warranty of 8 years, and could be expensive to replace.
Another study shows that the total ownership cost of a petrol vehicle, in India for first five years with a driving distance of 10,000 km per year. is approximately 30-35 percent less than an equivalent electric vehicle. The equations will change if cost of fuel continues to increase annually at a significant rate.
With respect to carbon emissions, when considering the whole life cycle, from manufacture to scrapping (and, hopefully, recycling), the following facts emerges according to an article titled "Do electric cars really produce fewer carbon emissions than petrol or diesel vehicles?"Lucien Mathieu, T&E’s cars director, said that even if you choose a worst-case scenario – vehicles made and driven with electricity largely from coal – the electric car will win out after about 70,000km (about six years of driving). “The more you drive an electric car, the better it gets,” he said.
The above is largely the scenario for India till now. As per an article, dated December 19 2023India relies on coal for about 70% of its power generation and aims to add 17 gigawatts of coal-based power generation capacity in the next 16 months.
I accept that the economic sustainability of a petrol and electric vehicle, India and other countries, will be determined by criteria such as usage frequency, trip distance, charging infrastructure availability. Full charging of an entry level electric vehicle takes takes around 8.5 to nine hours to fully recharge the battery. Unlike fuel stations, charging infrastructure is limited, even in a city like Bengaluru, India. Many apartment associations do not permit private charging station in the pillar adjacent to the corresponding car parking space.
Car ownership may be costly, and the initial cost of ownership isn't the only thing that can break the bank. The many recurring expenses that come with owning a car can quickly mount up and have a big impact on one's spending plan. And purchasing an entry-level electric vehicle requires even more financial resources and supported infrastructure. And some of us, who can barely manage to buy an entry level petrol vehicle, in India, will not be able to afford an electric vehicle as of now.
#ElectricCars #ElectricVehicles #EV #Environment #Climate #India # CarbonFootprint #GlobalWarming #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency #NetZero #CarbonEmission #ElectricCar #ElectricVehicle #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
cc: @[email protected] @[email protected] -
The Global Liveability Index 2023, from Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU), is available now. It ranks the cities that have the best and worst living conditions and quality of life around the world. EIU’s liveability index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle and standard of living in 173 cities worldwide. The index measures cities on five broad indicators — stability, culture and environment, healthcare, education and infrastructure. The highest score a city can get is 100.
Bengaluru (Bangalore) secured 148th spot with a score of 58.7. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmadabad have slightly better scores.
I believe Bengaluru (Bangalore) has the competence and the bandwidth to rank much better. All that is required in political will. If somebody has lived in Bengaluru even for few weeks, the first obvious expectation for improvement will be better traffic management, roads, public transport and cleaner city with less pollution. Bengaluru has the highest traffic density of any major Indian city, with close to 12.5 million vehicles for a population of 11 million. This clearly shows that there is lot of scope to improve the efficiency of public transport system which will deter people from using personal vehicles.
#City #CityLife #CivicLife #StandardofLiving #Liveability #LiveabilityIndex #GlobalLiveabilityIndex #LiveabilityMetrics #LiveabilityScore #Bengaluru #Bangalore #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
cc: @[email protected] @[email protected] -
The Global Liveability Index 2023, from Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU), is available now. It ranks the cities that have the best and worst living conditions and quality of life around the world. EIU’s liveability index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle and standard of living in 173 cities worldwide. The index measures cities on five broad indicators — stability, culture and environment, healthcare, education and infrastructure. The highest score a city can get is 100.
Bengaluru (Bangalore) secured 148th spot with a score of 58.7. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmadabad have slightly better scores.
I believe Bengaluru (Bangalore) has the competence and the bandwidth to rank much better. All that is required in political will. If somebody has lived in Bengaluru even for few weeks, the first obvious expectation for improvement will be better traffic management, roads, public transport and cleaner city with less pollution. Bengaluru has the highest traffic density of any major Indian city, with close to 12.5 million vehicles for a population of 11 million. This clearly shows that there is lot of scope to improve the efficiency of public transport system which will deter people from using personal vehicles.
#City #CityLife #CivicLife #StandardofLiving #Liveability #LiveabilityIndex #GlobalLiveabilityIndex #LiveabilityMetrics #LiveabilityScore #Bengaluru #Bangalore #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
cc: @[email protected] @[email protected] -
The Global Liveability Index 2023, from Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU), is available now. It ranks the cities that have the best and worst living conditions and quality of life around the world. EIU’s liveability index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle and standard of living in 173 cities worldwide. The index measures cities on five broad indicators — stability, culture and environment, healthcare, education and infrastructure. The highest score a city can get is 100.
Bengaluru (Bangalore) secured 148th spot with a score of 58.7. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmadabad have slightly better scores.
I believe Bengaluru (Bangalore) has the competence and the bandwidth to rank much better. All that is required in political will. If somebody has lived in Bengaluru even for few weeks, the first obvious expectation for improvement will be better traffic management, roads, public transport and cleaner city with less pollution. Bengaluru has the highest traffic density of any major Indian city, with close to 12.5 million vehicles for a population of 11 million. This clearly shows that there is lot of scope to improve the efficiency of public transport system which will deter people from using personal vehicles.
#City #CityLife #CivicLife #StandardofLiving #Liveability #LiveabilityIndex #GlobalLiveabilityIndex #LiveabilityMetrics #LiveabilityScore #Bengaluru #Bangalore #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
cc: @[email protected] @[email protected] -
The Global Liveability Index 2023, from Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU), is available now. It ranks the cities that have the best and worst living conditions and quality of life around the world. EIU’s liveability index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle and standard of living in 173 cities worldwide. The index measures cities on five broad indicators — stability, culture and environment, healthcare, education and infrastructure. The highest score a city can get is 100.
Bengaluru (Bangalore) secured 148th spot with a score of 58.7. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmadabad have slightly better scores.
I believe Bengaluru (Bangalore) has the competence and the bandwidth to rank much better. All that is required in political will. If somebody has lived in Bengaluru even for few weeks, the first obvious expectation for improvement will be better traffic management, roads, public transport and cleaner city with less pollution. Bengaluru has the highest traffic density of any major Indian city, with close to 12.5 million vehicles for a population of 11 million. This clearly shows that there is lot of scope to improve the efficiency of public transport system which will deter people from using personal vehicles.
#City #CityLife #CivicLife #StandardofLiving #Liveability #LiveabilityIndex #GlobalLiveabilityIndex #LiveabilityMetrics #LiveabilityScore #Bengaluru #Bangalore #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
cc: @[email protected] @[email protected] -
The Global Liveability Index 2023, from Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU), is available now. It ranks the cities that have the best and worst living conditions and quality of life around the world. EIU’s liveability index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle and standard of living in 173 cities worldwide. The index measures cities on five broad indicators — stability, culture and environment, healthcare, education and infrastructure. The highest score a city can get is 100.
Bengaluru (Bangalore) secured 148th spot with a score of 58.7. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmadabad have slightly better scores.
I believe Bengaluru (Bangalore) has the competence and the bandwidth to rank much better. All that is required in political will. If somebody has lived in Bengaluru even for few weeks, the first obvious expectation for improvement will be better traffic management, roads, public transport and cleaner city with less pollution. Bengaluru has the highest traffic density of any major Indian city, with close to 12.5 million vehicles for a population of 11 million. This clearly shows that there is lot of scope to improve the efficiency of public transport system which will deter people from using personal vehicles.
#City #CityLife #CivicLife #StandardofLiving #Liveability #LiveabilityIndex #GlobalLiveabilityIndex #LiveabilityMetrics #LiveabilityScore #Bengaluru #Bangalore #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
cc: @[email protected] @[email protected] -
October
Through the Hindi movie October was released in 2018, I heard the Hindi song चल (Chal - come or let’s go) on FM Radio recently. A few lines immediately touched my inner chords. The song got over and I moved on. Then, much later, on an exhausted Friday evening those feelings reverberated in my mind again. Since I could not recall the lyrics properly, it took me quite a while to trace the song and the movie. This time I got completely immersed and listened to the song several times. Then I watched the Hindi movie October which left a lasting impression in my mind.
If I ever get a chance to meet the director Shoojit Sircar, I will thank him for crafting a nice and sensitive movie in an unconventional format with stellar performances and without any melodrama. It echoed my thoughts about unconditional human bondage in a poignant style. Similar to the character Shiuli Iyer, I too had a childhood attachment to the flower Jasmine.
I suggest that, if feasible, this movie October may be watched in Amazon Prime. The language will not matter due to good quality English subtitles.
The Hindi song चल (Chal - come or let’s go) is a beautiful expression of hope and unconditional bondage between two human beings. It is a reminder that even the tiniest moments can be wonderful, and that we should always treasure the time we spend with the seemingly insignificant things about which we care and with the people we love.
I am copying and pasting a portion of the lyrics (Hindi language) below.चल छोटी छोटी सीली
Life is short and the breaths are even shorter. It is worth to live the moments even by having a fake cup of tea together.
शामें जी ले चल
चल आधी आधी थोड़ी
झूठी चाय पी ले चल
चल थोड़ी सी हैं मेरी सांसें
दोनों जी लें चलचल भीगी भीगी हवाओं के
When life is short and breaths are even shorter, let us be the companion of the wet winds and live the moments by weighing the raindrops on our palms.
साथी हो ले चल
चल हथेली पे बारिशों की
बूँदें तोले चल
चल थोड़ी सी हैं मेरी सांसें
दोनों जी लें चलचल ठंडे ठंडे पानियों में
When life is short and breaths are even shorter, let us cherish the smallest of the moments by dipping our feet in the cold water or by singing the fisherman's song.
पांव डाले चल चल साहिलों पे माझी वाला
गाना गा ले चल
चल थोड़ी सी हैं मेरी सांसें
दोनों जी लें चल
During the course of the movie October, we get to know that one of the lead characters was given a Bengali name Shiuli because of her fondness for the shiuli flower, which she loved collecting as a child with her grandfather. And aptly, throughout the movie, the viewer may experience the subtle fragrance of the flower shiuli.
The flower Jasmine is called শিউলি (Shiuli) in Bengali language. Every autumn (typically during October in India) the flower blooms during evening and the tree sheds the flowers in the wee hours. As I child, I used to wake up early morning, with my brother, to feel and collect the flowers, with a divine fragrance, in a basket. This was my annual routine for several years till the tree was chopped off. Recently I got to know that it was due to the unavoidable menace of caterpillars.
Towards the end of this movie one of Tagore’s many brilliant compositions “আমার রাত পোহালো শারদ প্রাতে” (My night has ended with the dawn of autumn) started lingering in my mind. In this song the flower শিউলি (Shiuli) renders the delicacy of nuance which portrays some aspects of the poignant emotions of this movie.
Here is a nice translation of song (translated by Ratna De) from Bengali language to English.My night has ended with the dawn of autumn
#Hindi #Bengali #Mastindians #MastIndia #India #Movie #HindiMovie #IndianMovie #RabindranathTagore #RabindranathThakur #Bangla #IndianCulture
O flute, who should I leave you with
In your heart played the tunes
Strung with farewells and arrivals
During spring and autumn, at dawns and at nights
The words that stay secret in the heart
You had stolen them in songs
Its time is now over
Like the stars at the end of night
Let it perish with the death of the Shiuli
cc: @[email protected] @[email protected] -
A person dies twice. Once when the person biologically dies. And the final death happens when somebody on this earth remembers the person for the last time. I was not aware that the Egyptians also believed that a person dies twice and the spirit of the person lives on as long as people kept remembering the person. Others have also expressed their views on this on perspective of mortality and the enduring legacy of individuals.
Banksy, a well-known anonymous England-based street artist, is often attributed with the following quote.I mean, they say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time.
Ernest Hemingway also expressed a similar sentiment, stating thatEvery man has two deaths, when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name. In some ways men can be immortal
Irvin D. Yalom echoes my thoughts when he says the following.Some day soon, perhaps in forty years, there will be no one alive who has ever known me. That’s when I will be truly dead – when I exist in no one’s memory. I thought a lot about how someone very old is the last living individual to have known some person or cluster of people. When that person dies, the whole cluster dies, too, vanishes from the living memory. I wonder who that person will be for me. Whose death will make me truly dead?
#Death #Memory #Mortality #Legacy #Human #LivingMemory
cc: @[email protected] -
I stated here the following.
There is no sign that the [2023 Israel–Hamas war](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Israel–Hamas_war) will stop soon and peace will prevail on either side.
I made a mistake here by only stating the economic aspects. The Israel-Hamas war has complex dynamics. It is important to consider the broader political, historical, and ideological factors that drive the Israel-Hamas war in addition to potential financial gains. These factors are interconnected and influence each other.
This Israel-Hamas conflict is fueling profit machines. Therefore, the war will continue to rage as thousands of civilians are getting killed as collateral damages.
Now we see that Netanyahu says Gaza war on Hamas will go on for ‘many more months,’ thanks US for $147.5 million emergency new weapons sale to Israel.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening, with hunger and mass displacement is deepening as fighting rages on across the strip. The ongoing conflict may have resulted in the displacement of 85% of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, leaving Palestinians feeling unsafe and lacking basic necessities such as water and food. The economic costs of the conflict are also significant, with Israel estimated to lose around $400 billion due to the war. For Palestinians, the costs may be so large that they undermine the possibility of an independent Palestinian state.
How can such a situation persist without profits which will be related to ideological, political and financial aspects? The ideological, territorial and political aspects are well documented. Despite the ongoing conflict, there are business and financial benefits for certain industries as mentioned in this article. Additionally, the coastal strip of Gaza and Israeli occupied Palestinian territories sit above sizable reservoirs of oil and natural gas, which offer an opportunity to distribute and share $524 billion among different parties in the region.
The war has caused significant human suffering and loss of life, and, as stated before, it is not appropriate to view it only through an economic lens. It is important to focus on finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict and supporting the humanitarian needs of those affected by the violence. Is war a prelude to peace in this case? In some cases, war can lead to further instability, violence, and suffering, making it difficult to establish a lasting peace. The relationship between war and peace is complex and depends on various factors, including the involvement of international actors, regional dynamics, and the will of the people to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
I conclude this article by quoting Anthony H. Cordesman from his article titled Gaza: Why the War Won’t End (dated 02nd November 2023).What does seem clear, however, is that both sides now have no good options that will bring lasting peace or stability. Israel will almost certainly be able to contain Gaza and seriously weaken Hamas. At best, Israel can use force to occupy and control Gaza but never be accepted by Gaza’s population and able to offer successful development or a decent life. Israel’s actions have also, however, sharply increased Gazan, Palestinian, and Arab hostility to Israel and undermined the sympathy and support it gained after the initial invasion by Hamas. The best outcome from Israel’s current offensive seems all too likely to leave Israel either as at least a partial occupier of a hostile Gaza or create and maintain a far larger set of security barriers that may have to extend well beyond the present border and require a much larger forward-deployed security force.
As for Hamas, some three weeks after its attack, it was still unclear what its strategic objective was in launching an attack whose very success was certain to provoke a massive Israeli military response without achieving any clear strategic gains for Hamas. Given its long history of defeats in previous fighting, Hamas had to realize that Israel’s almost inevitable violent response might limit or end the progress made in improving Arab-Israeli relations and the Abraham Accords; and it had to realize the result would sharply weaken or destroy Hamas and lead to massive damage to the civil population in Gaza. To quote Henry Kissinger in a very different context, “The threat of committing suicide is not an adequate deterrent to being murdered.”
#IsraeliLivesMatter #PalestineLivesMatter #Gaza #Palestine #Israel #HumanRights #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
cc: @[email protected] @[email protected] -
I stated here the following.
There is no sign that the 2023 Israel–Hamas war will stop soon and peace will prevail on either side.
This Israel-Hamas conflict is fueling profit machines. Therefore, the war will continue to rage as thousands of civilians are getting killed as collateral damages.I made a mistake here by only stating the economic aspects. The Israel-Hamas war has complex dynamics. It is important to consider the broader political, historical, and ideological factors that drive the Israel-Hamas war in addition to potential financial gains. These factors are interconnected and influence each other.
Now we see that Netanyahu says Gaza war on Hamas will go on for ‘many more months,’ thanks US for $147.5 million emergency new weapons sale to Israel.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening, with hunger and mass displacement is deepening as fighting rages on across the strip. The ongoing conflict may have resulted in the displacement of 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, leaving Palestinians feeling unsafe and lacking basic necessities such as water and food. The economic costs of the conflict are also significant, with Israel estimated to lose around $400 billion due to the war. For Palestinians, the costs may be so large that they undermine the possibility of an independent Palestinian state.
How can such a situation persist without profits which will be related to ideological, political and financial aspects? The ideological, territorial and political aspects are well documented. Despite the ongoing conflict, there are business and financial benefits for certain industries as mentioned in this article. Additionally, the coastal strip of Gaza and Israeli occupied Palestinian territories sit above sizable reservoirs of oil and natural gas, which offer an opportunity to distribute and share $524 billion among different parties in the region.
The war has caused significant human suffering and loss of life, and, as stated before, it is not appropriate to view it only through an economic lens. It is important to focus on finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict and supporting the humanitarian needs of those affected by the violence. Is war a prelude to peace in this case? In some cases, war can lead to further instability, violence, and suffering, making it difficult to establish a lasting peace. The relationship between war and peace is complex and depends on various factors, including the involvement of international actors, regional dynamics, and the will of the people to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
I conclude this article by quoting Anthony H. Cordesman from his article titled Gaza: Why the War Won’t End (dated 02nd November 2023).
What does seem clear, however, is that both sides now have no good options that will bring lasting peace or stability. Israel will almost certainly be able to contain Gaza and seriously weaken Hamas. At best, Israel can use force to occupy and control Gaza but never be accepted by Gaza’s population and able to offer successful development or a decent life. Israel’s actions have also, however, sharply increased Gazan, Palestinian, and Arab hostility to Israel and undermined the sympathy and support it gained after the initial invasion by Hamas. The best outcome from Israel’s current offensive seems all too likely to leave Israel either as at least a partial occupier of a hostile Gaza or create and maintain a far larger set of security barriers that may have to extend well beyond the present border and require a much larger forward-deployed security force.
As for Hamas, some three weeks after its attack, it was still unclear what its strategic objective was in launching an attack whose very success was certain to provoke a massive Israeli military response without achieving any clear strategic gains for Hamas. Given its long history of defeats in previous fighting, Hamas had to realize that Israel’s almost inevitable violent response might limit or end the progress made in improving Arab-Israeli relations and the Abraham Accords; and it had to realize the result would sharply weaken or destroy Hamas and lead to massive damage to the civil population in Gaza. To quote Henry Kissinger in a very different context, “The threat of committing suicide is not an adequate deterrent to being murdered.”
#IsraeliLivesMatter #PalestineLivesMatter #Gaza #Palestine #Israel #HumanRights #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
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Lackadaisical approach towards Fake Advertisement
On 15th February 2022, Nandan Nilekani declared here the following.
You may have encountered a post on various social media platforms claiming that I have launched a crypto project. This is #fakenews! Please avoid clicking on it and report it as misleading/false information on the platform where you see it.
Even today (29th December 2023), that Nandan Nilekani has launched a crypto project appears as a Google advertisement (sponsored web link) in the Google News page of mobile phone. On clicking the advertisement, the landing page falsely claims that Nandan Nilekani has invested ₹892m in a new trading platform to make ordinary people richer.
As per analysis by Virustotal
1 security vendor flagged this URL as malicious
After refreshing the Google News page on mobile, I continue to see new avatars of this advertisement with different names of sponsors. I believe that Google can become more responsible.
#Mastindians #MastIndia #India #Transparency #Disinformation #Misinformation #Ethics #FakeNews
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It happened yesterday and today, on Christmas day, I am reading it here.
At least 68 people were killed by an Israeli strike in central Gaza, health officials said Sunday, while the number of Israeli soldiers killed in combat over the weekend rose to 17.
There is no sign that the 2023 Israel–Hamas war will stop soon and peace will prevail on either side.
On December 13, 2023 India voted in favour of a resolution in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) that demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and the unconditional release of all hostages.
This was the first time India had backed such a resolution since the war began more than two months ago. India’s vote in favor of the UN resolution demonstrates our concern for the humanitarian situation and, also, our commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region.
The resolution was unanimously accepted by the 193-member UN General Assembly during an emergency special session, with 153 states voting in favor, 10 voting against, and 23 abstentions. Unfortunately, this is simply an indication of worldwide sentiment. Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding.
This Israel-Hamas conflict is fueling profit machines. Therefore, the war will continue to rage as thousands of civilians are getting killed as collateral damages.
#IsraeliLivesMatter #PalestineLivesMatter #Gaza #Palestine #Israel #HumanRights #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
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The Global Liveability Index 2023, from Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU), is available now. It ranks the cities that have the best and worst living conditions and quality of life around the world. EIU’s liveability index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle and standard of living in 173 cities worldwide. The index measures cities on five broad indicators — stability, culture and environment, healthcare, education and infrastructure. The highest score a city can get is 100.
Bengaluru (Bangalore) secured 148th spot with a score of 58.7. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmadabad have slightly better scores.
I believe Bengaluru (Bangalore) has the competence and the bandwidth to rank much better. All that is required in political will. If somebody has lived in Bengaluru even for few weeks, the first obvious expectation for improvement will be better traffic management, roads, public transport and cleaner city.
#City #CityLife #CivicLife #StandardofLiving #Liveability #LiveabilityIndex #GlobalLiveabilityIndex #LiveabilityMetrics #LiveabilityScore #Bengaluru #Bangalore #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
Graphic by Prajna Ghosh, ThePri… -
The Global Liveability Index 2023, from Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU), is available now. It ranks the cities that have the best and worst living conditions and quality of life around the world. EIU’s liveability index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle and standard of living in 173 cities worldwide. The index measures cities on five broad indicators — stability, culture and environment, healthcare, education and infrastructure. The highest score a city can get is 100.
Bengaluru (Bangalore) secured 148th spot with a score of 58.7. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmadabad have slightly better scores.
I believe Bengaluru (Bangalore) has the competence and the bandwidth to rank much better. All that is required in political will. If somebody has lived in Bengaluru even for few weeks, the first obvious expectation for improvement will be better traffic management, roads, public transport and cleaner city.
#City #CityLife #CivicLife #StandardofLiving #Liveability #LiveabilityIndex #GlobalLiveabilityIndex #LiveabilityMetrics #LiveabilityScore #Bengaluru #Bangalore #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
Graphic by Prajna Ghosh, ThePri… -
The Global Liveability Index 2023, from Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU), is available now. It ranks the cities that have the best and worst living conditions and quality of life around the world. EIU’s liveability index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle and standard of living in 173 cities worldwide. The index measures cities on five broad indicators — stability, culture and environment, healthcare, education and infrastructure. The highest score a city can get is 100.
Bengaluru (Bangalore) secured 148th spot with a score of 58.7. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmadabad have slightly better scores.
I believe Bengaluru (Bangalore) has the competence and the bandwidth to rank much better. All that is required in political will. If somebody has lived in Bengaluru even for few weeks, the first obvious expectation for improvement will be better traffic management, roads, public transport and cleaner city.
#City #CityLife #CivicLife #StandardofLiving #Liveability #LiveabilityIndex #GlobalLiveabilityIndex #LiveabilityMetrics #LiveabilityScore #Bengaluru #Bangalore #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
Graphic by Prajna Ghosh, ThePri… -
The Global Liveability Index 2023, from Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU), is available now. It ranks the cities that have the best and worst living conditions and quality of life around the world. EIU’s liveability index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle and standard of living in 173 cities worldwide. The index measures cities on five broad indicators — stability, culture and environment, healthcare, education and infrastructure. The highest score a city can get is 100.
Bengaluru (Bangalore) secured 148th spot with a score of 58.7. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmadabad have slightly better scores.
I believe Bengaluru (Bangalore) has the competence and the bandwidth to rank much better. All that is required in political will. If somebody has lived in Bengaluru even for few weeks, the first obvious expectation for improvement will be better traffic management, roads, public transport and cleaner city.
#City #CityLife #CivicLife #StandardofLiving #Liveability #LiveabilityIndex #GlobalLiveabilityIndex #LiveabilityMetrics #LiveabilityScore #Bengaluru #Bangalore #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
Graphic by Prajna Ghosh, ThePri… -
The Global Liveability Index 2023, from Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU), is available now. It ranks the cities that have the best and worst living conditions and quality of life around the world. EIU’s liveability index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle and standard of living in 173 cities worldwide. The index measures cities on five broad indicators — stability, culture and environment, healthcare, education and infrastructure. The highest score a city can get is 100.
Bengaluru (Bangalore) secured 148th spot with a score of 58.7. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmadabad have slightly better scores.
I believe Bengaluru (Bangalore) has the competence and the bandwidth to rank much better. All that is required in political will. If somebody has lived in Bengaluru even for few weeks, the first obvious expectation for improvement will be better traffic management, roads, public transport and cleaner city.
#City #CityLife #CivicLife #StandardofLiving #Liveability #LiveabilityIndex #GlobalLiveabilityIndex #LiveabilityMetrics #LiveabilityScore #Bengaluru #Bangalore #MastodonIndians #MastIndia #India
Graphic by Prajna Ghosh, ThePri… -
Protect Civilians
I cannot say it better than what Sari Bashi, Program Director at Human Rights Watch says here.You have to protect civilians, you have to protect the people who have nothing to do with fighting. That’s the principle that children can understand. When I tell my daughter, I know your brother hit you but doesn’t mean you can hit him back. I think we can have a very simple message to the Israeli government. I know Hamas committed unspeakable war crimes against Israeli civilians. That doesn’t mean you can commit war crimes against Palestinian civilians.
#IsraeliLivesMatter #PalestineLivesMatter #Gaza #Palestine #Israel #HumanRights
cc: @[email protected] -
Ostrich Parasitic Syndrome (OPS) is an interesting term coined by Professor Gad Saad. It refers to a type of human mind virus that causes a person to reject realities that are otherwise as clear as gravity. The term is derived from the behavior of an ostrich, which is believed to bury its head in the sand to avoid reality. OPS takes this concept a step further, leading to the complete rejection of reality.
People suffering from OPS do not believe their lying eyes and construct an alternate reality known as unicornia. In this world, science, reason, rules of causality, evidentiary thresholds, a near-infinite amount of data, data analytic procedures, inferential statistics, the epistemological rules inherent to the scientific method, rules of logic, historical patterns, daily patterns, and common sense are all rejected.
References:
- https://www.younglingresearch.com/essays/ops
- https://thoughteconomics.com/gad-saad-parasitic-mind/
- https://www.thepaulleslie.com/the-parasitic-mind-how-infectious-ideas-are-killing-common-sense-by-gad-saad-the-book-review/
#OstrichParasiticSyndrome #Unicornia #ParasiticMind #ParasiticMentality #CommonSense #HumanMind #HumanPsychology #Psychology
cc: @srijit
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One good example is Notesnook which is a nice product and worth using. I broadly understand that if a user opts for pro version and then gets downgraded to basic (free) tier due to non-payment, existing data that is specific for pro version (e.g. attachments, images, full page and selection based clips, tags etc.), in Notesnook, will be retained and made accessible to the user. I still do not gave clarity whether existing data in private vault is retained and made accessible. Also, what will happen to recurring reminders of Notesnook pro, after getting downgraded to basic (free), is also not clear to me.
The massive 80% discount to Indian customers is also scary to me. I guess that the 80% discount is only for the first year. What can happen to the pricing during subsequent years?
cc: @[email protected], @[email protected]
#Software #Apps #NoteTakingApp -
Convincing a person through facts, logical argument and reasoning and the role of Whatsapp University
[I am sharing below an updated version of my previous post.]
These days it is increasingly challenging to logically argue with a person and drive home a message based on facts and data in my neighborhood and society in Bengaluru, India though all of them are well educated. Many have extended international exposure. All of us now have our own preferred channels of information, and unless one belongs to those channels, they will most likely be unconvincing to the listener. In my opinion some of the main reasons behind this mindset are the following.
- It is difficult to change someone’s opinion or belief by using facts and logical arguments if that person did not arrive at their opinion through a process of reasoning and critical thinking. In other words, if someone has formed their opinion based on emotions or other non-rational factors, it can be difficult to change their mind using logical arguments alone.
- People don’t turn away from reasoning because they are just disinterested, they turn away because their survival literally depends on not looking.
- It is difficult to get a person to understand something when their financial income depends on not understanding it.
I shared my local experience. The same may be true for similar societies in rest of India and few other countries.
In this context the article “Do Facts Matter” is relevant. As stated in the article, facts matter when they support our beliefs and lead to conclusions we like. Information processing by our minds is influenced by goals, emotions, preexisting beliefs and culture. Our inferences will not change just based on raw facts.
One good example of such information channels are WhatsApp Groups in India. A recent study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford suggests that the majority of Indian citizens trust the information they receive on WhatsApp.
What can change our informed decision making process? From my personal experience I see that facts or apparent facts driven by extreme external circumstances (e.g. business, finance etc.) and deep rooted emotional triggers can challenge our preexisting beliefs and modify our information channels. It seems that changing our bias and worldview doesn’t necessarily mean changing our belief about something.
We will always continue to believe what we think is right for us. We will keep tweaking and tuning our information channels and sources to suit our needs and beliefs.
As aptly mentioned here, the goal is not to change our belief but to create space for other people to have different perspectives. It is essential that we listen actively, ask questions respectfully, acknowledge differences without judgment or blame, and seek common ground wherever possible.
#LogicalReason #Logic #Society #Information #WhatsApp #WhatsAppUniversity #Facts #Mind #Harmony #Perspectives #Respect
cc: @srijit
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Convincing a person through logical argument and reasoning and the role of Whatsapp University
These days it is increasingly challenging to logically argue with a person and drive home a message based on facts and data in my neighborhood and society in Bengaluru, India though all of them are well educated. Many have extended international exposure. All of us now have our own preferred channels of information, and unless one belongs to those channels, they will most likely be unconvincing to the listener. In my opinion some of the main reasons behind this mindset are the following.
- It is difficult to change someone’s opinion or belief by using logical arguments or facts if that person did not arrive at their opinion through a process of reasoning and critical thinking. In other words, if someone has formed their opinion based on emotions or other non-rational factors, it can be difficult to change their mind using logical arguments alone.
- People don’t turn away from reasoning because they are just disinterested, they turn away because their survival literally depends on not looking.
- It is difficult to get a person to understand something when their financial income depends on not understanding it.
One good example of such information channels are WhatsApp Groups in India. A recent study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford suggests that the majority of Indian citizens trust the information they receive on WhatsApp.
I shared my local experience. The same may be true for similar societies in rest of India and few other countries.
#LogicalReason #Logic #Society #Information #WhatsApp #WhatsAppUniversity #MastIndia #MastodonIndians
cc: @srijit
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Every time I see this area, I wonder that this may be a haven for builders in Bengaluru. During last one decade more buildings have got added.
The Harohalli Lake is still beautiful. A lot of migratory birds flock during the winter.
The hillocks at the horizon are near Nandi Hills.
#Bangalore #Bengaluru #Yelahanka #HarohalliLake #NandiHills #MastIndia
cc: @srijit @srijit @mastodonindians
Harohalli lake in the backyard … -
Similar to Iceland, there are several other countries where women recently have gone on strike to fight for gender equality.
(1) In Argentina, women went on strike in 2019 to protest violence against women.
(2) In Poland, women went on strike in 2016 to protest an abortion ban.
(3) In Spain, women went on strike in 2018 to demand recognition of their labor and an end to gender-based violence.
(4) In Belgium, women went on strike in 2019 to demand equal pay and an end to gender-based discrimination.
(5) In France, women went on strike in 2019 to demand equal pay and an end to gender-based violence.
(6) In Italy, women went on strike in 2019 to protest the government’s failure to address gender-based violence.
(7) In Mexico, women went on strike in 2019 to protest gender-based violence and inequality.
(8) In Chile, women went on strike in 2019 to protest gender-based violence and inequality.
Also history shows that sex strikes are a surprisingly effective strategy for political change.