03 May 2011  · cycling

Manali to Leh cycling — What does it take?

It’s that time of the year again. When people start thinking about ‘the’ great Indian cycle ride – the Manali to Leh cycling trip. A couple of people have written to me in the recent days asking me questions, many of which can be classified under: ‘what does it take to cycle from Manali to Leh?’ While I have replied to many people individually, I thought it might be a good idea to post a consolidated response here.

02 May 2011  · comment

Water. For saving lives and changing lives...

A little bit of clean water can save lives. And change lives. This short animation video show how important water is. For those who don’t have it. More info about the charity that created this video..

27 Apr 2011  · comment

An argument against nuclear power in India

It is interesting that almost exactly to the day of the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl, India has decided to approve a new nuclear power plant in Jaitapur in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. While experts have written tomes about it (and mass media has not given a jot of attention to them), here is my quick attempt to dislodge some friends who I know are sitting on-the-fence. The safety features argument:

24 Apr 2011  · comment

Every Day Should Be an Earth Day!

12 Apr 2011  · comment

Hunger strike against corruption is over. Time for some introspection?

To be honest I seriously considered going to Jantar Mantar, perhaps even participate in the fast. But I couldn’t. I kept following the event closely but I could not participate. Not because I want more corruption, of course not. For some strange reason the ‘topi’ sitting on the head of Anna Hazare reminded me of the real Gandhi and the story about the kid who eats too much sugar. For the benefit of those who may not be familiar, the story goes like this: A woman brings her son to Gandhi and asks him to talk to her child to stop eating too much sugar because it is not good for his health. Gandhi asks the lady to return in two weeks. When she comes back he just asks the child to stop eating sugar. Apparently he did not give this advice to the kid earlier because he himself was eating too much sugar.

11 Apr 2011  · comment

The curious case of hunger strikes…

What inference can you draw form the following two facts: When Irom Sharmila sits on a hunger strike in Manipur she gets arrested for ‘attempt to commit suicide’ and is force fed (nasogastric intubation) through a tube in her nose, it gets little media attention. She has been on hunger strike for years now but most people don’t know who she is or what she is protesting about. A token ‘economic hunger strike’ conducted mainly through Facebook, where people pledge to not ‘eat/drink outside’ (can’t go to KFC, but it may be ok to deep-fry your chicken at home), makes it to the cover page of at least one major national newspaper.

06 Apr 2011  · comment

Cricket: The Collateral damage?

While ‘India’ was busy cheering its cricketers to win the world cup for the nation, some couple of hundred people, who had probably laboured through the day, hauling stuff in a under-construction swank high-rise, were sleeping in their shanties in sector 61 in Gurgaon. It was close to mid-night, when India won the epic battle. Urban Gurgaon broke into a rapturous celebration with full-fledged fireworks and these people slept through it

17 Mar 2011  · media

Is this the future of digital magazines?

Is this the future of digital magazines? If the real experience turns out to be even close to how it shows up on the video, I’d want one. That is, I’d want to use this technology to produce one. More info at Digital Magazines: Bonnier Mag+ Prototype | Bonnier AB.

16 Mar 2011  · comment

Are the Olympics a waste of money?

The Economist deserves credit for a very interesting poster campaign ‘Hosting the Olympics is a waste of money’. A careful reader of news might tell you that the governments can spend their time and money on better things. That these sports extravaganzas are not at all about sports, and do not really benefit the sports persons. Even more so in the Third World. Not so long ago there was some debate about the usefulness of the Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi, but it died a natural death. Much ink was spilled about corruption, but once again nothing came of it. Well, not yet, at least. Things are back to normal, and I am convinced that India will soon start bidding for another one of those mega events. While public memory is short, personal interests stand tall.

05 Jan 2011  · comment

'God will not allow man to destroy the earth?' Really?

If you thought Lalu Prasad Yadav was funny, you should meet John Shimkus (new chair of the Subcommittee on Environment and Economy) of the US. Lalu pales… Shimkus is on record for dismissing the existence of global warming by citing biblical scripture that says God would not allow the earth to be destroyed. Specifically: “And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” The earth will end only when God declares its time to be over. Man will not destroy this earth. This earth will not be destroyed by a flood.