Background:

This set of Recommendations has emanated from a two-day National Workshop on
Critical Tiger Habitats and Critical Wildlife Habitats held at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) on 8th and 9th May 2008. This workshop was organized by the Centre for Ecological Sciences (IISc), Karnataka State Forest Department and the Future of Conservation Network (FoC)1. It was attended by officers from State Forest Departments, scientists, academics, social activists and a number of groups working on wildlife issues.
The workshop was an attempt to understand the legal provisions relating to Critical Tiger Habitats and Critical Wildlife Habitats as given in the Wild Life Protection (Amendment) Act 2006 (WLPA) and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights Act) 2006 (STOTFDA). Participants gathered to gain clarity on the countrywide status of their implementation, discuss key issues and concerns
regarding their application and work out actions towards effective implementation
including the use of better science/knowledge and consultative methods. Through
dialogue, we hoped to arrive at a common process to secure these habitats in the interest of wildlife while ensuring the livelihood rights of forest-dwellers. During the Workshop, participants discussed at length the various implications and interpretations of Critical Tiger and Wildlife Habitats and the practical difficulties with their implementation. A number of documents were used as inputs to the discussion.

These included, other than the Acts themselves, the MoEF Guidelines and the FoC’s
Guidelines for identifying and notifying Critical Tiger and Wildlife Habitats. At the end of the workshop, most were in agreement that in spite of the extensive differences that exist state-to-state in socioeconomic, cultural contexts and other issues, these Acts could be used as a tool to secure wildlife from serious threats such as mining, expressways and large scale infrastructure. It was also understood that, for various reasons, including for effective conservation itself, the livelihoods concerns of forest dwelling communities have to be integral to the Protected Area (PA) management process. While such livelihoods in some cases also have impacts on biodiversity, it is the massive thrust towards unsustainable economic growth that is the greatest threat. Critical Wildlife Habitats, if applied with the recommendations below could be one tool to safeguard biodiversity against this threat.

NOTE:
1 The Future of Conservation in India (FoC) is a network of ecological and social organizations and individuals committed to effective and equitable conservation of biodiversity. FoC's objective is to foster dialogue and engagement in complex conservation issues, and help tackle the increasing threats that both biodiversity and people's livelihoods face. This includes joint action on areas of agreement, and attempts at evolving common understanding on issues where there are differences. FoC is not an organization, but a forum where organizations and individuals can meet, dialogue, and take joint actions. For further details, pl. contact arshiyabose.research@googlemail.com


1.
Identification and management of Critical Tiger Habitats (CTH) and Critical
Wildlife Habitats (CWH) needs to be based on sound knowledge and democratic
processes.
2.
The process should not be hurried; it should be time-bound, but with at least one
year to take into account the complexities involved.
3.
The criteria for identifying CTH and CWH should involve a number of factors
relating to ecosystems and species, and be based on the Precautionary Principle.
Areas important for wildlife outside current protected areas (PAs) should also be
considered for CWH or other similar status.
4.
The process for identifying such areas, must involve knowledgeable people from
all sectors including those with traditional knowledge; and the feasibility of
protection, and relevant socio-economic factors should also be considered.
5.
Committees for identification of CWHs should be set up both at the level of the
state and of the PA and its landscape, and involve local experts including from
local communities (the MoEF Guidelines on CWH need to be changed to involve
more than one local expert).
6.
All further processes including impact assessment, assessment of co-existence
possibilities, and of relocation, must be in full consultation with the people to be
affected.
7.
In the process of determining continuation or modification of rights within a CTH
or CWH, appropriate methods need to be employed including thumbrules
acceptable to all those involved, that indicate impacts of human use on the
conservation values of the proposed areas.
8.
The CTH/CWH process should be used as an opportunity to move towards comanagement,
which includes all relevant rightsholders and stakeholders in
decision-making, starting with a few pilot sites where the capacity exists and
conditions are appropriate, and keeping in mind that this may not be an appropriate
strategy for all PAs.
9.
Given that in many or most PAs including within CWHs, there will continue to be
human presence including in many cases settlements, strategies for co-existence
need to be urgently developed; these would include encouraging activities that are
beneficial or neutral for the relevant conservation values of the area, and
alternatives for those that are detrimental.
10.
Where it is determined that co-existence is not possible, relocation options need to
be considered with appropriate processes of consultation and consent. Both the
process and package of relocation need considerable enhancement.

NOTE:
2 Not all participants were in agreement with each of the recommendations articulated here. However, these
recommendations represent the views of the majority of the participants.


Participants of the National Workshop on Critical Tiger Habitats and Critical Wildlife
Habitats, welcome the protection of areas of crucial importance for wildlife as envisaged by the provisions of ‘Critical Tiger Habitats’ under the WLPA and ‘Critical Wildlife Habitats’ under the STOTFDA. The scope of the above provisions to strengthen conservation, including securing the habitats of many wildlife species and simultaneously the livelihoods of forest-dwelling communities is recognized as extremely significant. Critical Wildlife Habitats once notified, cannot be diverted for any other use (as per Section 4(2) of STOTFDA), which is the strongest provision for conservation available in any law in India. The provisions for Critical Tiger and Wildlife Habitats, however, require the use of scientific and local knowledge for identification, and a democratic process of consultations during the entire process from identification to notification to dealing with people’s rights to management and monitoring.

In view of this, we recommend the following:

Time frame
Given the need for a thorough, knowledge-based, democratic process, it is critical that the Central and State Governments do not hastily undertake the identification and notification of Critical Wildlife Habitats and the implementation of already notified Critical Tiger Habitats. This process needs to be time-bound, but with at least one year for completion.

Criteria for Identifying Critical Wildlife Habitats
A key presumption operating here is that the decision on which PAs, how much and which parts of a specific PA and its landscape would be declared Critical Wildlife Habitats will be on a case-by-case basis. We recommend that these areas be identified based on a set of ecological and biological criteria and in relation to the conservation goal of the specific PA. Ecological and biological criteria would include sites that are unique or crucial for:
• Exclusive representation of a Biome
• Rare and/ or restricted range species
• Endemic species
• Key wintering or stepping stone sites for migratory species
• Species richness (relative to biogeographic context)
• Status of a particular species or habitat using established importance/threat criteria, e.g. IUCN Red List, Ramsar Sites, World Heritage Sites.
• Ecosystem service providers i.e. pollinators, seed dispersers
• Key habitats for ecosystem integrity e.g. riparian forest in arid area, catchment areas for watersheds
• Unique geomorphologic features and scientific archives of evolutionary processes or climate change e.g. fossiliferous rocks and peat bogs
• Wild relatives of important crops/domesticated animals
• Current roosting, breeding and display sites e.g. lekking sites for floricans
• Species range during periods of stress, e.g. severe drought years and including adaptation to climate change
• Regeneration sites for endangered plants or plants that are characteristic of that PA, e.g. regeneration of shola trees within shola-Acacia plantation matrix
• Areas with relatively high densities of wild animals and relatively low human densities

NOTE:
3 Not all participants were in agreement with each of the recommendations articulated here. However, these
recommendations represent the views of the majority of the participants.


Given that the above criteria could be interpreted to include or exclude nearly all parts of the country, an additional factor of feasibility of protection could be considered. Areas that are of high biodiversity value and low human use, would be high on the priority list, but those with high biodiversity value and intense human use would also need to be considered.

We recommend that essential areas outside National Parks and Sanctuaries that are also crucial for wildlife, such as corridors, be identified as part of the current process. These can be considered for declaration as Critical Wildlife Habitats after going through the required process, or where this is inappropriate, they can be given legal backing through other various options in the WLPA (including as Conservation and Community Reserves), the Biological Diversity Act (as Biodiversity Heritage Sites), the STOTFDA (as community forests), and the EPA (as eco-sensitive areas). We strongly advise that the Precautionary Principle4 is used when there is genuine absence of adequate information on the above criteria. General rules for the application of this principle are however very difficult to provide; local stakeholders and rights-holders will need to apply the principle based on site-specific situation and knowledge, giving the benefit of doubt to actions that are least likely to cause harm. Such an approach, however,

NOTE:
4 It is recognized that uncertainty is an integral characteristic of complex ecosystems. In conservation, many situations require for urgent action and in these cases, conservation decisions are made based on great uncertainties. Requiring all information to be available before making conservation decisions and knowing the exact outcomes of those decisions before undertaking them is neither practical nor feasible, particularly when capacity and resources are limited. In these circumstances, it is helpful to adopt the "precautionary principle" which advises that an absence of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason to postpone measures where there is a risk of serious or irreversible harm to both wildlife and local communities. Additionally, if there is a doubt about an animal's or plant's exact conservation status, the strongest protective measures should be chosen. In these circumstances, it is crucial to adopt an adaptive management approach, where conservation decisions are periodically reviewed and amended in the light of new information. However, given that the precautionary principle could be used as a rationale to support conservation interventions that are detrimental to local communities, this principle should be applied in a manner that involves all stakeholders. (Source: "The Precautionary Principle in Natural Resource Management and Biodiversity Conservation": Workshop Final Report. Fourth Regional Session for Asia of the Global Biodiversity Forum, South-East Asia Manila, The Philippines. June 20-23 2004 URL: http://www.pprinciple.net/publications/PP%20Workshop%20Report_Manila%20GBF.pd f)

It is crucial to note that a Critical Wildlife Habitat is being identified because the area is critical for wildlife. Such identification should not be made with the intention of modifying rights. Any modification of rights, if required, should occur only after the PA level sub-committee has conducted an objective evaluation of human impact on wildlife and wildlife habitat. We emphasize that the process to identify Critical Wildlife Habitats is undertaken on a case-by-case basis and considered as an opportunity to evaluate the ecologically representative quality of our current PA system. In addition, the following should be factored into the process:
• The process to identify Critical Wildlife Habitats should be at the level of PAs and their landscapes so that it is situated within varying local contexts.
• It should engage scientists (ecologists, biologists, geologists, hydrologists, social scientists etc.), professionals, holders of traditional knowledge and other primary stakeholders at PA level.
• If the impact evaluation (for which appropriate criteria need to be developed and applied) reveals that the rights of certain groups need to be modified, we urge that various social considerations are brought into the process. Within this, crucial steps would be to: (a) Consider traditional use of sacred sites, species and other entities within the proposed Critical Wildlife Habitat (b) Cultural sensitivities, e.g. particularly vulnerable groups, access to culturally important sites or where displacement from PAs could cause cultural disintegration of the community.
• Socioeconomic factors, e.g. process of modifying or relocating bona fide rights holders under STOTFDA or when the number of people affected is large.

Strategies for Relocation
We recommend that the relocation of traditional resident communities should be adopted only after the following processes have already occurred and been found inadequate for relevant wildlife and wildlife habitat (as indicated in the legal provisions for CTHs and CWHs):
• Objective evaluation of impacts of human activities on wildlife and wildlife habitat (And impacts of wildlife on humans within PAs). Given that a thorough evaluation 9 may in many situations be time-consuming, the use of thumb-rule indicators all members of the CWH sub-committee are agreeable to, may be necessary best available methods for doing this should be employed, including available from traditional knowledge, and care will need to be taken not abuse of such methods to take arbitrary decisions based on assumptions impact of human use. Simultaneously, comprehensive long-term studies initiated to gauge any mistakes that may be made in the use of thumb-rules, on board the need for adaptive management in all processes.
• Negotiating specific modifications in human activities, through a fully consultative process.
• Providing appropriate livelihood alternatives that are feasible.

When carrying out relocation and resettlement of forest-dwelling communities, critical to consider the following:

• Memorandums of Understanding regarding the details of relocation including extent of resettlement facilities must be signed between the community and the relevant government agency prior to initiating the resettlement process.
• The consent of both the household (must include women) and the gram relocation must be taken in writing. There should also be a provision for withdraw consent if it is found that the prerequisites for rehabilitation place, but with safeguards against withdrawing consent on flimsy grounds; of an independent agency in all this would be useful.
• The relocation process must be initiated after the State Government has the required funds and the relevant committees have been constituted and least once; this is to ensure that there are not too many delays once relocation announced and initiated.
• In order to avoid interminable delays in the payment of funds to individuals, deterrents must apply, e.g. an annual interest on the delayed could be considered. PA Managers or relevant authorities must have the option to outsource either components or the entire relocation process if they feel they are not equipped carries it out single-handedly. This should happen through local community institutions, and/or NGOs and/or independent agencies that are accountable communities being impacted.
• The same relocation package, building in appropriate special measures disprivileged sections such as landless and women, must be used to resettle households in a given community to avoid conflict and resentment between and landless families.
• In situations where the assets owned by a family exceed the relocation package, State Government should be responsible for additional funds that exceed lakh budget provided by the Central Government.
• The new site for resettlement should be acceptable to the affected communities as far as possible culturally and ecologically similar to the site from relocation occurred.
• Various mechanisms for reviewing the quality of resettlement should undertaken after the relocation process, e.g. through a PA Rehabilitation
• The cash allotted under the relocation package must be enhanced for difficult where costs may be higher.
• With respect to cash compensations, additional measures must be taken to ensure that individuals do not occupy any further forestland once they have already been given funds, e.g. in Madhya Pradesh, the final installment of the cash compensation is proposed to be released only when the affected individual purchases a permanent asset.
• Although, the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) and MoEF’s ‘Format for Preparation of Village Relocation Plan from Core/Critical Tiger Habitats’ provides an option between a ‘cash only’ and ‘relocation and rehabilitation by Forest Department’, we recommend that ‘land for land’ be considered the first option and ‘cash only’ only as a last resort, except where it can be independently verified that communities prefer the cash option and conditions are in place to ensure they are not exploited or do not lose out in the process. Independent institutions should be involved in monitoring the entire process of relocation and rehabilitation.

As participants of this workshop, we request the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Ministry of Environment and Forests to incorporate the above recommendations into existing CTH and CWH Guidelines and all future material on these critical habitats. It is crucial that the distinct but complementary roles of the central and state governments be clarified in this process.

Ajith Kumar, Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore
AJT Johnsingh, Bangalore
Amit Sharma, WWF-India, Assam
Anand Sekhar, IBA Advocacy Officer, Delhi
Anil Johri, Gujarat Forest Department, Gandhinagar
Aparajita Datta, Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore
Arshiya Urveeja Bose, Kalpavriksh, Pune
Arunava Das, Green Peace and National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore
Ashish Kothari, Kalpavriksh, Pune
B.B. Mallesh, Karnataka Forest Department, Mercara
B. Venkata Reddy, Sahajeevan, Andhra Pradesh
Bishan Singh Bonal, Assam Forest Department, Guwahati
C.M. Hegde, Maharashtra Forest Department, Dandeli
Dilip Gode, Vidharbha Nature Conservation Society, Nagpur
Guman Singh, Himalaya Forest Policy Campaign, Kulu
H.S. Pabla, Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, Bhopal
James Zacharias, Tribal Rehabilitation Commission, Kerala Forest Department, Kochi
Janardhanan Pillai, CES, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore
Kishor Rithe, Satpuda Foundation, Amaravati
M.D. Madhusudhan, Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore
Md. Firoz Ahmed, Aaranyak, Guwahati
Mohan Jha, Maharashtra Forest Department, Pench
Mohan Raj, WWF-India, Ooty
B.K. Patnaik, Orissa Forest Department, Bhubaneswar
Vanashree Vipin Singh, Karnataka Forest Department, Bannerghatta
Nitin Rai, ATREE, Bangalore
P. Mullai, WWF-India, Coimbatore
Pankaj Sekhsaria, Kalpavriksh, Pune
Pratyush Mohapatra, Vasundhara, Bhubaneswar
R. Sukumar, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Ranjitha B.N., WWF-India, Bangalore
Ravi Chellam, ATREE, Bangalore
Renee M. Borges, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
S. A. Thorath, Maharashtra Forest Department
S. Pallavi, WWF-India, Bangalore
S.H.Patil, Maharasthra Forest Department, Tadoba-Andhari
Seema Mundoli, ATREE, Bangalore
Shivaji Chavan, WWF-India, Mandla
Sisir Kanta Pradhan, FES, Angul
Sudha S., Sahajeevan, Bangalore
Sunil Chaudhury, Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur
Sushmita Mandal, ATREE, Bangalore
Thomas Mathew, Bangalore
V.D. Chafekar, Maharashtra Forest Department, Nashik
V.S. Varughese, Kerala Forest Department, Thiruvananthapuram
Vinay Tandon, Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, Shimla
Vishaish Uppal, WWF-India, New Delhi
W.S. Suiting, Kerala Forest Department, Palakkad

Baghban – “the caretaker of a garden”, probably the best script written in the Indian celluloid history, probably the best acting done by all the stars and co-stars. They pulled out the naked truth that all families face, that all parents face, sometime or the other, which all children inflict on their parents.

It is a custom of an Indian family where ones’ father is seen as GOD and ones’ mother is seen as the Gateway To Heaven. These are two individuals who are known to be supreme. They are the creators of future generation. Every mother and father has a dream that their child becomes a person that the world recognizes as a true human being. All parents always want their child’s well being. They leave no stone unturned in providing happiness, joy and pleasure to their children. They go to the extent of sacrificing their quota of happiness, joy and pleasure for the sake of their children, just to see them smiling all the time. They are the ones who teach them how to speak, how to walk, how to read, how to write, what is wrong and what is correct for their well being, in a nutshell, they are the ones who bring infants to life, show them the light of the world. They take the place of the Almighty in molding us from raw clay to hardened bricks that can form a strong building.

But we tend to forget all these when we start a new family. Well established now, we don’t need them anymore; we start neglecting our parents. We forget that it is because of them we are what we are today. We owe them our life that is not possible for us to fulfill our debt and no parents will ever ask for that. What they ask for is support when they are old, when they require solace; but, shame on us that we neglect them. We have used them as stairs to climb up the ladder of social security, now that we have reached the summit, we don’t need them, we throw them as waste, pieces of torn shirt, pieces of used up furniture and dump them in the can. This is what reality is and Baghban has truly become successful in teaching worthless, shameless sons and daughters like us who think parents are burden when they grow old. When an old dad or a mom can’t expect a little solace and love from their grown-up and established children, I am sorry to say it is an absolute necessity that parents have every right to disgrace their so-called children. They have sacrificed their yesterday for our today and this is what we present them.

Baghban should come out as a book so that every single person can realize that they are the LIVING GOD, instead of neglecting and harassing them in their old age, we need to love them, we need to show them respect and we need to worship them. Such movies should go for Oscar Fevers. We need strong coordinators in the film management box office to forward such gold movies to the Oscar management, and I am sure if Baghban goes for Oscar, it will give us some sort of achievements, if not the Oscar.

By Arunava Das

It was the wicked minds of the politicians through their two pronged slanderous tongue, have slain a vision. The vision of one man was envied by everyone else. Rival small car manufacturers must have heaved a sigh of relief.

Ratan Tata had embarked on a journey, which was a first in the entire automotive history. As expected, he was alone. There were many, who said it was not possible. There were many, who tried to discourage. There were many, who laughed it off.

But that’s the stuff dreams are made of. You do not expect others to believe in your dreams. Most of the time, you are on your own. Mr. Tata was a step ahead. It was not his dream, it was his vision. Of course he had the complete support and faith from his staff. Apart from a few misguided people, the entire nation was waiting holding her breath for the next revolution to take place.

But it did not happen. Should we feel proud when someone says that ours is the largest democracy in the world? I will certainly hang my head in shame. Despite being the largest democracy in the world, we are powerless, while the elected representatives satisfy their whims and fancies. Corruption is the way of life and sadly we have resigned ourselves to it. Nobody bothers to fight anymore, because it is just a waste of time. Right from the watchman to the highest ranked officials in government offices, the so called politicians, and the law are corrupt. Those who are not, are powerless to do anything.

The parliament sessions that are beamed live on the national television channel, stand testimony to what I have just said above. If you are bored and tired of surfing through the channels, I would recommend you to watch one of these sessions. The manner in which they hurl abuses against one and another, disrupt the debate, raise slogans, and if these do not have the satisfactory effect, then they throw fists, hurl shoes and slippers, rip off the mikes, destroy the furniture, violate a female member’s modesty…….all live on TV! What more do you want. Where’s the censor board when you need it.

If this is how our elected representatives choose to represent our country, then what would you expect from others. Having a huge crime charge-sheet against one’s name is a surefire success mantra to get elected. Why? Because ours is a democratic country where even criminals are elected as people’s representatives.

And I am not even talking about the auto drivers, bus-conductors and policemen. Otherwise this would qualify as a PhD thesis and not a blog post. These are the ground realities that we face everyday, but choose not to confront it. Mr. Ratan Tata also had to face a ground reality that his vision to roll out Nano’s from the Singur plant will not be realized.

The Tata’s issued a press release on October 3, 2008 saying that in the interest of the project's success and viability and in light of the opposition's continued agitation; there was no option but to move the project out of the state of West Bengal.

India is shining. Not for me. Look harder and deeper, with conviction. You will see the helplessness of an entire nation. We have become selfish. Here nobody cares. Angelina Jolie warding off depression fights for the coveted space with churches being targeted on the front page of the newspapers. Reruns of the Splitsvilla fighting for TV ratings with the saas-bahu soaps, while the nuclear deal and its ramifications is being aired on every other news channel.

We are Indians. We are like this only. And most importantly “It happens only in India.”

Author

The Wise And Unwise Leader

A good executive simply is not a dictator. He listens to his employees. When the top people don't communicate with those under them, then of course they don't understand them or their problems. Leaders at any level should listen to those under them. Leaders are responsible to make the final decision, but being a leader does not mean that you have all the ideas and do all the thinking and all the consulting just within yourself

A good executive will listen to others

A good secretary knows more about her boss' business than he does--and she should. He shouldn't have to be involved with every little thing, but someone needs to be. A good boss understands that his secretary is more familiar with the extent of the work and the urgency of it, and he will respect that and usually take his secretary's suggestions.

When it comes to plans and goals and motivation and other overall aspects of the work, the leaders are supposed to be good or they shouldn't be the leaders. But when it comes to practical matters, leaders ought to listen to their helpers, because their helpers probably know more about it than they do. A good leader will listen to his workers' suggestions, discuss, agree with them on a course of action, and then leave them alone to carry out the work, just checking now and then to see that they are producing and don't make any serious mistakes.

That's really the job of the executive--to keep things moving. He should let his people recommend the work, initiate the work, and by all means carry out the work.

Any smart executive is going to pump people power. He is not going to try to be the pump, or the pump handle, or the water, or the bucket. He's merely going to be the guiding hand that takes hold of the handle and pumps. All he does is keep the pump in motion. A good leader will try to keep everybody happy, because everybody has a right to be happy and to do the work he likes to do and wants to do if he's qualified.

If you're going to be an effective team, every member must work together with all the other members--not just one, not just a few, not even the majority, but all. You must learn to work together, listen to each other, counsel together, agree together, decide together, and then work it out together. Everyone has his job, everyone is needed, and all must work together.

By Arunava Das

Legendary Actor Paul Newman Is No More: A Tribute To A Classy Superstar And A True Human Being

Paul Newman, the Oscar-winning superstar who personified cool as the anti-hero of such films as "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Color of Money", followed by a second act as an activist, race car driver and popcorn impresario, has died. He was 83.
Newman died Friday at his farmhouse near Westport following a long battle with lung cancer, publicist Jeff Sanderson said. He was surrounded by his family and close friends.

Remembering Paul Newman

In May, Newman dropped plans to direct a fall production of "Of Mice and Men" at Connecticut's Westport Country Playhouse, citing unspecified health issues. The following month, a friend disclosed that he was being treated for cancer and Martha Stewart, also a friend, posted photos on her Web site of Newman looking gaunt at a charity luncheon.

But true to his fiercely private nature, Newman remained cagey about his condition, reacting to reports that he had lung cancer with a statement saying only that he was "doing nicely."

As an actor, Newman got his start in theater and on television during the 1950s, and went on to become one of the world's most enduring and popular film stars, a legend held in awe by his peers. He was nominated for Academy Awards 10 times, winning one Oscar and two honorary ones, and had major roles in more than 50 motion pictures, including "Exodus," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Verdict," "The Sting" and "Absence of Malice."

Newman worked with some of the greatest directors of the past half century, from Alfred Hitchcock and John Huston to Robert Altman, Martin Scorsese and the Coen brothers. His co-stars included Elizabeth Taylor, Lauren Bacall, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks and, most famously, Robert Redford, his sidekick in "Butch Cassidy" and "The Sting."
"There is a point where feelings go beyond words," Redford said Saturday. "I have lost a real friend. My life, and this country, is better for his being in it."

Hollywood Remembers Paul Newman

Newman sometimes teamed with his wife and fellow Oscar winner, Joanne Woodward, with whom he had one of Hollywood's rare long-term marriages. "I have steak at home, why go out for hamburger?" Newman told Playboy magazine when asked if he was tempted to stray.

They wed in 1958, around the same time they both appeared in "The Long Hot Summer." Newman also directed her in several films, including "Rachel, Rachel" and "The Glass Menagerie."

With his strong, classically handsome face and piercing blue eyes, Newman was a heartthrob just as likely to play against his looks, becoming a favorite with critics for his convincing portrayals of rebels, tough guys and losers. New York Times critic, Caryn James wrote after his turn as the town curmudgeon in 1995's "Nobody's Fool" that "you never stop to wonder how a guy as good-looking as Paul Newman ended up this way."
"Sometimes God makes perfect people," fellow "Absence of Malice" star Sally Field said, "and Paul Newman was one of them."

Newman had a soft spot for underdogs in real life, giving tens of millions to charities through his food company and setting up camps for severely ill children. Passionately opposed to the Vietnam War, and in favor of civil rights, he was so famously liberal that he ended up on President Nixon's "enemies list," one of the actor's proudest achievements, he liked to say.

A screen legend by his mid-40s, he waited a long time for his first competitive Oscar, winning in 1987 for "The Color of Money," a reprise of the role of pool shark "Fast Eddie" Felson, whom Newman portrayed in the 1961 film "The Hustler."
In the earlier film, Newman delivered a magnetic performance as the smooth-talking, whiskey-chugging pool shark who takes on Minnesota Fats, played by Jackie Gleason, and becomes entangled with a gambler played by George C. Scott. In the sequel, directed by Scorsese, "Fast Eddie" is no longer the high-stakes hustler he once was, but an aging liquor salesman who takes a young pool player (Cruise) under his wing before making a comeback.

Remembering A Hollywood Legend

He won an honorary Oscar in 1986 "in recognition of his many and memorable compelling screen performances and for his personal integrity and dedication to his craft." In 1994, he won a third Oscar, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, for his charitable work.

His most recent academy nod was a supporting actor nomination for the 2002 film "Road to Perdition." One of Newman's nominations was as a producer; the other nine were in acting categories. (Jack Nicholson holds the record among actors for Oscar nominations, with 12; actress Meryl Streep has had 14.)

As he passed his 80th birthday, he remained in demand, winning an Emmy and a Golden Globe for the 2005 HBO drama "Empire Falls" and providing the voice of a crusty 1951 car in the 2006 Disney-Pixar hit, "Cars."

But in May 2007, he told ABC's "Good Morning America" he had given up acting, though he intended to remain active in charity projects. "I'm not able to work anymore as an actor at the level I would want to," he said. "You start to lose your memory, your confidence, your invention. So that's pretty much a closed book for me."

Newman also turned to producing and directing. In 1968, he directed "Rachel, Rachel," a film about a lonely spinster's rebirth. The movie received four Oscar nominations, including Newman, for producer of a best motion picture; and Woodward, for best actress. The film earned Newman the best director award from the New York Film Critics Circle.

In the 1970s, Newman, admittedly bored with acting, became fascinated with auto racing, a sport he studied when he starred in the 1969 film, "Winning." After turning professional in 1977, Newman and his driving team made strong showings in several major races, including fifth place in Daytona in 1977 and second place in the Le Mans in 1979.
"Racing is the best way I know to get away from all the rubbish of Hollywood," he told People magazine in 1979.

Newman later became a car owner and formed a partnership with Carl Haas, starting Newman/Haas Racing in 1983 and joining the CART series. Hiring Mario Andretti as its first driver, the team was an instant success, and throughout the last 26 years, the team — now known as Newman/Haas/Lanigan and part of the IndyCar Series — has won 107 races and eight series championships.

"Paul and I have been partners for 26 years and I have come to know his passion, humor and, above all, his generosity," Haas said. "His support of the team's drivers, crew and the racing industry is legendary. His pure joy at winning a pole position or winning a race exemplified the spirit he brought to his life and to all those that knew him."

Despite his love of race cars, Newman continued to make movies and continued to pile up Oscar nominations, his looks remarkably intact and his acting becoming more subtle, nothing like the mannered method performances of his early years, when he was sometimes dismissed as a Brando imitator.

Newman, who shunned Hollywood life, was reluctant to give interviews and usually refused to sign autographs because he found the majesty of the act offensive. He also claimed that he never read reviews of his movies.

"If they're good you get a fat head and if they're bad you're depressed for three weeks," he said. In 1982, Newman and his Westport neighbor, writer A.E. Hotchner, started a company to market Newman's original oil-and-vinegar dressing. Newman's Own, which began as a joke, grew into a multimillion-dollar business selling popcorn, salad dressing, spaghetti sauce and other foods. All of the company's profits are donated to charities. By 2007, the company had donated more than $175 million, according to its Web site.

"We will miss our friend Paul Newman, but are lucky ourselves to have known such a remarkable person," Robert Forrester, vice chairman of Newman's Own Foundation, said in a statement.

In 1988, Newman founded a camp in northeastern Connecticut for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. He went on to establish similar camps in several other states and in Europe.
He and Woodward bought an 18th century farmhouse in Westport, where they raised their three daughters, Elinor "Nell," Melissa and Clea. Newman had two daughters, Susan and Stephanie, and a son, Scott, from a previous marriage to Jacqueline Witte. Scott died in 1978 of an accidental overdose of alcohol and Valium. After his only son's death, Newman established the Scott Newman Foundation to finance the production of anti-drug films for children.

"Our father was a rare symbol of selfless humility, the last to acknowledge what he was doing was special," his daughters said in a written statement. "Intensely private, he quietly succeeded beyond measure in impacting the lives of so many with his generosity."

Newman was born in Cleveland, the second of two boys of Arthur S. Newman, a partner in a sporting goods store, and Theresa Fetzer Newman. He was raised in the affluent suburb of Shaker Heights, where he was encouraged to pursue his interest in arts by his mother and his uncle Joseph Newman, a well-known Ohio poet and journalist.

Following World War II service in the Navy, he enrolled at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he got a degree in English and was active in student productions. He later studied at Yale University's School of Drama, then headed to work in theater and television in New York, where his classmates at the famed Actor's Studio included Brando, James Dean and Karl Malden.

Newman's breakthrough was enabled by tragedy, Dean, scheduled to star as the disfigured boxer in a television adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's "The Battler," died in a car crash in 1955. His role was taken by Newman, then a little-known performer.
Newman started in movies the year before, in "The Silver Chalice," a costume film he so despised that he took out an ad in Variety to apologize. By 1958, he had won the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for the shiftless Ben Quick in "The Long Hot Summer."

In December 1994, about a month before his 70th birthday, he told Newsweek magazine he had changed little with age. "I'm not mellower, I'm not less angry, I'm not less self-critical, I'm not less tenacious," he said. "Maybe the best part is that your liver can't handle those beers at noon anymore," he said.

Newman is survived by his wife, five children, two grandsons and his older brother Arthur.

By Arunava Das

Written while consulting similar news from Times, Reuters

Technology has progressed at such a rapid pace that people who were born in the late 70’s and early 80’s are struggling to keep pace with it. Mind boggling gadgets are being invented and mass produced. I find myself on the slower side when it comes to technology. Apart from a 7 year old computer and a 3 year old bike and a 9 year old wrist watch, I have nothing in my personal possession that can be called as “Technology.” No mobile phone, no music player, no iPod, no walkman…..and the list goes on…

So it’s understandable, that when I go around saying that I can survive without technology, people are bewildered. People these days find it impossible to live without their beloved gadgets. When these gadgets stop functioning, their whole life comes to a standstill.

I had seen my friends suffer and I was smirking deep down inside that this would never happen to me. But it happened.

My computer got infected by a worm which has a very silly name. It completely crippled my computer. AVG antivirus was disabled. My computer would reboot every time I tried to access the task manager, folder options and the run command. Unknown programs would run and I couldn’t stop them. I tried everything from scanning in the safe mode to restoring using the system restore. But to no avail.

Finally I turned to the IT department at the company where I work, for help. Got my hard disk scanned using an enterprise grade antivirus solution. It found just 3 copies of the worm on the hard disk. A free online tool known as RRT did the rest removing all the restrictions that the worm had put in place and my computer was up and running.

Worms are nasty things, both the living ones and the ones that lurk in their digital forms. I was brought down to my knees by one called W32.Silly FDC.

One can be carefully only to a point and pray that the free antivirus would do the rest. My friends advised me to try Avast, another free antivirus solution. Meanwhile the IT department advised me to purchase a solution.

I have placed a club next to my computer. I intend to clobber any worm that comes anywhere near it. A firewall…what is that?

Author

“It's choice--not chance--that determines your destiny” said Harry S Truman.

In a way, it reflected on what I was going through. I always had a choice. I could have said no. But I did not. May be I was being type cast as person who does things differently just to prove a point.

Lots of them were curious to know why I resisted doing things that everyone else would do. Why would I always refuse to go well trodden path and choose the least trodden one?Why can’t you agree? Why do you put such a resistance? Why do you look at things differently? Why? Why?

What happened to all those inspirational mythical tales wherein one gets to shape his own destiny? I guess they are only good enough to be told as bedtime stories for kids. In reality, one has to do what everyone else does. Otherwise, be prepared to be labeled as a rebel. Someone pointed out to me the other day that everyone does the right thing and there is only one way of doing it. I immediately retorted saying that there are a hundred ways of doing the right thing, limited only by one’s imagination and ability.

I have observed that people feel secure, confident, and positive when they set limits to what they do. It’s like building a wall and say that whatever I do within these walls, nothing can go wrong, I can handle it, I am confident.

I have nothing against such people. It’s their choice. But what gets my goat is when they try to build a wall around me. I know my limits. My limits are bound by my imagination and my ability. So if one gives me a job which is beyond ability, I have a choice. I either have to rise above my ability and do the job or simply say no.

I believe there are no walls that can confine one’s imagination and ability. But whether I believe in destiny, I’ll keep it aside to be written about; some other day.

Author

By Deeksh

Hi Friends,

Today when I was checking my inbox, I found very interesting mail (rather I call it STRANGE mail). It was about a tree called Nareepol, which is believed to be located at Petchaboon province 500 kms away from Bangkok. The mail had few pics of this tree.

Out of curious I Google’d to see if I get more of info on this, specially pics. Alternatively I wanted to check if this info is updated in Wikipedia.

To my surprise I could see lots of blogs on this with same info, nothing less nor more. Even Wiki dint have info.

As I was reading all those blogs, the bloggers believed the existence of the tree, but I found many comments (who were thinking jus the way I did) which were not in favor.

Almost all image-pages in Google showed same pics. They are of same angle and repeated pics from the same tree.

I am seriously thinking, if it is real, why have I not come across this these many years?

One of the blog said that 100 years old books mention about this tree.. but the blogger failed to mention any of those books name.

When I saw the pics in my mail box, I was not sure of what I was viewing. But now very much.

It is total internet hoax.

I think there is no proper evidence to prove what bloggers are saying. Every blog you visit, have posted same set of pics.

I try to watch Ripley’s Believe It Or Not regularly. Never I have come across abut this tree.

There is no channel or other media which covered this news. Not even in Discovery Channel.

Seeing all this, I remember a post by one of our Crazy Bloggers – on Mass Media.

Usage of Internet. Amazing stuffs were covered in the post. Both pros and cons were discussed.

One such negative usage is such cases.

The tree is well performed hoax by some talented person, I would say extremely talented. The person has made a story, morphed pics and at last publishing it in Mass Media – the Internet.

Why should someone spread rumors?

Most interesting thing that I came across while browsing on this topic was – COMMENTS.

I read lotssssss of stories on this tree.

I appreciate these story owners for being so creative and imaginative. Common let us use this creativity for betterment of man kind.

Before ending this post, all I want to say is – Don’t believe what you listen…many a times even what you see might not be true…

This quote is very true, in life – it is very important to value relations, and we should not be carried away by what we listen or see…..

Always there is a reason for what has happened (not valid too).

I don’t understand the reason behind such rumors. What are they getting in return??

Critics?? Name?? Fame?? Thufffff??

He hee..

Hey, you have viewed the above set of pics which shows human shaped fruits.

Now I have tried to mark the morph spots.

Catastrophic Fall In Numbers Of Migratory Bird Populations Indicates Bird Crisis Throughout The World ----- (Exact Pickup with permission for blog display)

Special contributions by Michael McCarthy (BirdLife World Conservation Conference), Dr. Madhu Srinivasan (University of Kentucky) and Arunava Das (Migrant Watch; UAS, GKVK and EmPower Research)

The birds of the world are in serious trouble, and common species are in now decline all over the globe, a comprehensive new review suggests today.

From the turtle doves of Europe to the vultures of India, from the bobwhite quails of the US to the yellow cardinals of Argentina, from the eagles of Africa to the albatrosses of the Southern Ocean, the numbers of once-familiar birds are tumbling everywhere, according to the study from the conservation partnership BirdLife International.

Their falling populations are compelling evidence of a rapid deterioration in the global environment that is affecting all life on earth – including human life, BirdLife says in its report, State of The World's Birds.

The report, released today with an accompanying website at the BirdLife World Conservation Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, identifies many key global threats, including the intensification of industrial-scale agriculture and fishing, the spread of invasive species, logging, and the replacement of natural forest with monocultural plantations.

It goes on to suggest that in the long term, human-induced climate change may be the most serious stress.

Based in Cambridge, BirdLife International is a global alliance of conservation organisations working in more than 100 countries and territories which is now the leading authority on the status of birds, their habitats and the issues and problems affecting them.

When brought together, as in its new report, the regional pictures of bird declines combine to present a startling picture of a whole class of living things on a steep downward slope.

A remarkable 45 per cent of common European birds are declining, with the familiar European turtle dove, for example, having lost 62 per cent of its population in the last 25 years, while on the other side of the globe, resident Australian wading birds have seen population losses of 81 per cent in the same period.

Twenty common North American birds have more than halved in number in the last four decades, while in Asia, the millions of white-rumped vultures which once filled the skies have crashed by 99.9 per cent and the species is now critically endangered.

"Many of these birds have been a familiar part of our everyday lives, and people who would not necessarily have noticed other environmental indicators have seen their numbers slipping away, and are wondering why," said Dr Mike Rands, BirdLife's chief executive.

All the world's governments have committed themselves to slowing or halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010, but reluctance to commit what are often trivial sums in terms of national budgets means that this target is almost certain to be missed, according to the report.

"Birds provide an accurate and easy-to-read environmental barometer, allowing us to see clearly the pressures our current way of life are putting on the world's biodiversity," Dr Rands said.

"Because these creatures are found almost everywhere on earth, they can act as our eyes and ears, and what they are telling us is that the deterioration in biodiversity and the environment is accelerating, not slowing.

"Effective biodiversity conservation is easily affordable, requiring relatively trivial sums at the scale of the global economy. For example, to maintain the protected area network which would safeguard 90 percent of Africa's biodiversity would cost less than $1bn a year. Yet in a typical year, the global community provides about $300m.

"The world is failing in its 2010 pledge. The challenge is to harness international biodiversity commitments and ensure that concrete actions are taken now."

The State of the World's Birds report can be found at www.birdlife.org/sowb

Birds in peril

*Europe
The report highlights the decline of common European birds. An analysis of 124 of Europe's common birds over a 26-year period reveals that 56 species (45 per cent) have declined across 20 European countries, with farmland birds badly hit. The familiar common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) has declined by 17 per cent. The European turtle dove(Streptopelia turtur), grey partridge (Perdix perdix) and corn bunting (Miliaria calandra) have dropped 62, 79 and 61 per cent respectively.

*African migrants to Europe
Birds migrating between Europe, the Middle East and Africa have suffered 40 per cent population declines over three decades. "Birds impacted by agricultural intensification in Europe may suffer excessive hunting in the Middle East and desertification of African wintering grounds," warned Dr Rands. "The Eurasian wryneck (Jynx torquilla), northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe), and common nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) are vanishing."

*Africa
Birds of prey are in widespread decline. In just three decades, 11 eagle species declined by 86-98 per cent in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. In addition, six large vulture species – including the once widespread Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) – have suffered very dramatic losses.

*Middle East and Central Asia
Many common species such as the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) are under pressure. "The global population of Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulate) may have fallen 35 per cent in the past 20 years," noted Dr Rands.

*Asia
"Thirty years ago, tens of millions of white-rumped vultures (Gyps bengalensis) were flying the skies of Asia. The species was probably the most abundant large bird of prey in the world: it is now on the brink of extinction," Dr Rands said. Numbers have fallen by 99.9 per cent since 1992. "Migratory shorebirds and the wetland habitats they rely on for their annual journeys, are also under threat," added Dr Rands. Sixty-two percent of migratory waterbird species in Asia are declining or extinct.

*North America
Twenty common species have suffered population declines of over 50 per cent in the last 40 years. "Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), has declined the most dramatically, with population reductions of 82 per cent," noted Dr Rands. Other widespread species suffering include the evening grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) (78 per cent), northern pintail (Anas acuta) (77 per cent) and boreal chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) (73 per cent).

*North America to Latin America migrants
"57 per cent of neotropical [Central and South American] migrants monitored at their breeding grounds in the US have suffered declines over the last four decades," warned Dr Rands. "Migratory species such as the Wilson's phalarope (Steganopus tricolor) and semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) are disappearing."

*Latin America
Bird monitoring in El Salvador reports that 25 per cent of common resident species – including the flame-coloured tanager (Piranga bidentata), chestnut-capped brush-finch (Arremon brunneinucha), and collared trogon (Trogon collaris) – have experienced significant declines over the last decade. No monitored species saw their numbers rise. "Formerly widespread species like the yellow cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata), once common in Argentina, are endangered," noted Dr Rands.

*Pacific
"Studies of resident Australian waders reveal that 81 per cent of their populations disappeared in 25 years," said Dr Rands. Seabirds are threatened at a faster rate globally than all other groups. Nineteen of the 22 species of albatross are threatened with extinction, including the critically endangered Chatham albatross (Thalassarche eremite).

Added to these, data and graphs from the Migrant Watch survey clearly suggests an irregularity in bird migration as well as arrival of migratory birds earlier than expected clearly indicates our climate patterns changing.

The effect of Global Warming and Climate change are showing off colors of their own that can produce catastrophic results as far as our ecosystem balance is considered. A study by Dr. Madhu Srinivasan from University of Kentucky and Arunava Das from Dept. of Ecology and Soil Biology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore and EmPower Research Knowledge Services Private Limited, Bangalore at the Avalanche Biosphere Reserve in the south Kundah Forest Reserve (36 km from the city of Udhagamandalam, Queen of Hill Stations) under the realms of Tamil Nadu Forest Department on the invasion of Exotic Species of plants like Black Worttle, Shola and Eucalyptus in the montane grasslands of the Nilgiris also points out to the effect of Climate Change that is harming the faunal population of the Nilgiris that is host to two of the most endemic species of that region, Nilgiri Langurs and Nilgiri Tahrs.

Thus not only the bird population, but also the floral and faunal population are in danger of getting wiped out if climate changes are not curbed.

I remember almost breaking my nose falling from our giant mango tree. Well, I deserved to fall...coz I was stupid enough to climb tree trunks in the dark. My explanation – chasing fireflies!!! To be frank I wouldn't mind falling all over again if it meant catching hold of one of those beauties. As a kid the fascination I had for fireflies was beyond my fascination for anything I want to acquire today.

The giant mango tree we have in our house used to be a treat for the eyes at night with hundreds of fireflies decorating it. I would chase them till I hurt myself or till my mother hurt me (the latter was more common). On one of the lucky days I would even see them in my room. When I would eventually catch one of them I would close my palms on it and just admire the beauty of God's tiny little creation. As a kid, I always thought that fireflies popped out of heaven...how else would you explain the light??

The other day I was reading an article about fireflies being on the road to extinction, thanks to unfavorable habitat.

The article explained why the mango tree remained dark the last time I looked at it. There I was, standing beneath the massive trunk. My eyes craving for fluorescence, my heart aching for re living memories...re living the Good ole' days...three words that never cease to bring a smile on my face. Alas...All that met my eyes were darkness of the darkest kind...

Thoughts and memories can be reflected in writing...depth of these feelings cannot...intensity of these emotions cannot...

Maybe this is the way of life for our generation...witnessing the loss of everything around us...everything... but us...This isn’t about fireflies...This is about every little thing that is the very essence of life...we lose these... We lose the essence...

I hope to open my eyes one day to the sight of fireflies greeting me...telling me they were not done yet.

Something tells me my hope is in vain...

For now, I can see the day when I’ll tell my kids stories about little flies that glowed with light illuminating everything around them...They would surely ask where the fireflies went..

"Well, they went back to heaven...right where they came from", would be my answer.

Niyad

By Deeksh

Hi Friends,

This post is to bring to your notice about the car being launching in India only for Rs 1, 30,000.

Isn’t it Kool!!

It is called Renault Yeni.

It is being launching in India in collaboration with Mahindra.

Call it a budget car or competitor for TATA and FIAT500..

I am sure that we will soon see these cars in action.

Imagine these little beetles stuck in traffic jam.. hE hEE

I was pleasantly surprised when Lance Armstrong announced his return to professional cycling in order to raise awareness of the global cancer burden. The intensity and passion with which Lance approaches cycling used to give me goose bumps. I am looking forward to experience the same next year when he competes in the Holy Grail of cycling, The Tour De France – 2009.

Vive le tour. Vive le Armstrong.


Author

An illusive Dream,
Transcendental state;
The pleasure of Pain,
Dopamined brain.

The calm breeze,
Tranquility;
Immortality,
And Death.

Pink Floyd,
Adam's steroid;
Devil's win,
Sin?

Feasible Emission Scenarios Identified That Could Keep CO₂ Below Climate Threatening Levels

(In response to news published by ANI on September 11, 2008)

NASA researchers have identified feasible emission scenarios that could enable keeping carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels below that considered dangerous for climate by scientists.

When and how global oil production will peak or will decrease has been debated, making it difficult to anticipate emissions from the burning of fuel and to precisely estimate its impact on climate.

To justify how emissions might change in the future, Pushker Kharecha and James Hansen of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York considered a wide range of fossil fuel consumption scenarios.

For a better understanding of the possible trajectory of future carbon dioxide emissions, Kharecha and Hansen devised five carbon dioxide emission scenarios that span the years 1850-2100. Each scenario reflects a different estimate for the global production peak of fossil fuels, the timing of which depends on reserve size, recoverability and technology.

The first scenario estimates carbon dioxide levels, if emissions from fossil fuels are unconstrained and follow along “business as usual” growing by two percent annually until half of each reservoir has been recovered, after which emissions begin to decline by two percent annually.

The second scenario considers a situation in which emissions from coal are reduced first by developed countries starting in 2013 and then by developing countries a decade later, leading to a global phase out by 2050 of the emissions from burning coal that reach the atmosphere.

The reduction of emissions to the atmosphere in this case can come from reducing coal consumption or from capturing and sequestering the carbon dioxide before it reaches the atmosphere.

The remaining three scenarios include the above-mentioned phase out of coal, but consider different scenarios for oil use and supply.

Next, the team proposes to use a simplified mathematical model, called the Bern Carbon Cycle model, to convert carbon dioxide emissions from each scenario into estimates of future carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere.

The unconstrained “business as usual” scenario resulted in a level of atmospheric carbon dioxide that more than doubled the pre-industrial level and from about 2035 onward levels exceed the 450 ppm threshold of this study.

Even when low-end estimates of reserves were assumed, the threshold exceeded from about 2050 onwards.

The other four scenarios, however, resulted in carbon dioxide levels that peaked in various years but all fell below the prescribed cap of 450 ppm by about 2080 at the latest, with levels in two of the scenarios always staying below the threshold.

The researchers suggested that the results illustrated by each scenario have clear implications for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from coal, as well as “unconventional” fuels such as methane hydrates and tar sands, all of which contain much more fossil carbon than conventional oil and gas.

By Arunava Das

As usual I stumbled across another interesting piece of news. The headline proclaiming “The World's Most Fuel-Efficient Car” had caught my eye. Temptation and curiosity led me into digging deeper.

“Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH”, founded in 1937, was renamed "Volkswagenwerk GmbH" in 1938. A car designed by Ferdinand Porsche was the first one to go onto production at Volkswagenwerk plant and from then on there was no looking back. Volkswagen went on to break the world car production record with the “Beetle” and rest is history as they say.

I guess the year was 2002 when Volkswagen had come with a concept car that would run a 100 km per liter of fuel consumption. The engine had only one cylinder and weighing at 26 kilograms, displacement of 299cc, a 6 speed gearbox, the concept car can travel at 120km/hr max.

The car is a two seater with the passenger sitting directly behind the driver and looks like a rocket ship from behind. Overall it looks like a futuristic car.

But one thought kept gnawing away in my mind. Though a conventional engine that runs on fossil fuel makes sense in the immediate of things, for a concept car saving on fuel, I was expecting it to be powered by fuel cells or at least a hybrid.

But as they say, necessity is the mother of all inventions. Over to you, Volkswagen.

Image Source: Cars World and Treehugger



Author

By Shilz

I’m seriously losing any respect I had for the MTV India crew. Granted roadies was a series of bleeped out sound bytes and mind numbing cat fights with added masala of changing rules and re-entries. However, the challenges were nevertheless good enough for it to be rated a ‘reality adventure show’. But MTV’s Splitsvilla, was the worst show I have ever seen. It was just a shameless skin show being proclaimed as a rocking reality show!

I never thought that people can go to such extent for grabbing TRPs! Yes, this reality show looks like just a package created to grab as many TRPs as possible, and nothing else. Viewers craving for humiliation (of others) and skin show can be happy with such shows and they may criticize my views, but I seriously want to address this sick trend, which is growing! 20 something girls going all the way – from dressing low, wooing the boys, boys figuring who has the “best” and worst” body, belly dancing of gals to bathroom tub caressing – they are letting nothing hold them back.

While watching this show, I recalled my friend, Rocksta’s thoughts about responsibilities of mass media. Please find below an excerpt from his article titled: “Mass Media and its responsibilities”:

“The extent of reach which Mass Media in this digital age commands, is truly amazing and eye opening; both in terms of viewership and the ability to influence a person’s thinking. But why do I get the feeling that Mass Media is misusing this power, misleading people, creating unnecessary hype to increase circulation numbers. With absolute power comes great responsibility. Mass Media has acquired absolute power, but lacking in the responsibility department.”

I really don’t get the fascination (some) youths have developed for this “Splitsvilla” show. In a nutshell Splitsvilla consists of 20 women vying for attention of two young men. The folks behind this reality show would like us to believe that the concept of the show is the search for ‘True Love’. (along with a fetching sum of 5lakhs!) Each week one girl’s fate rests in the hands of the two men, who have the power to vote her out of the show.

In splitsvilla, all the contests (the supposed search for qualities) seem to be aimed at one thing alone. Getting the girls to wear the least possible amount of clothes! Think of it, the best body contest, the dare (sadly didn’t work out as planned I suppose), the sensous dance/ lap dance, the bubble bath, the mud wrestling, the beachwear photo shoot??? and many of their dates are somehow near some water body or other ( the pool, spa jacuzzi, beach, man made lake) just inviting them to don their swimsuits yet again!

I fail to see the point behind a show such as this and that too being heavily promoted by a channel responsible in so many ways for shaping the minds of our youth.

What makes matters worse is the reason behind such crass behavior - two men, worth nothing. And I mean nothing. Thin, squirmy, ugly, all backed by high headiness – that seems to be their only qualification. Frankly I wouldn’t be surprised if tomorrow it is revealed that the boys belonged to the sponsor’s clan or the production/channel’s household. So here we have two absolute losers tossing girls around as per their whims and fancy.

The show preys on the desire of young girls to make it big in showbiz. There is absolutely no competition, just puppetry and I think it is sending out the wrong signals to a lot of young minds over there.

Every time I watch the girls on Splitsvilla, I really feel bad for those gals, why they are letting themselves to be used like that! Guess this is one instance when a parent would not proudly proclaim “meri beti TV par aa rahi hai!”

These are young beautiful girls, reasonably intelligent and well spoken and obviously from well to do families. They have everything going for them. Why they would opt to do a show of this sort is beyond my reasoning. And if u think the reason is money, judging from their outfits and demeanor, I seriously doubt any of them is in danger of running bankrupt in the near future. Besides weren’t they told about the money only on their first day in the villa!

Which gets me to the most important point - while the channel, viewers and the boys are having a gala time at the expense of the participating girls – is 15 seconds of fame a good enough reason for these contestants to completely demean themselves?

Not looking at it from a feminist view point, as a life lesson I believe nothing is worth more than one’s own self-respect let alone mortifying yourself on national television not once but umpteen number of times. While MTV may call their creation as ‘testing of one’s character’, I simply see it as TRP game play, being done at all costs.

Reference:

Desidabba.org

Well if you were amazed at the currently available images on Google Earth, think again. The imagery in Google Earth spans a range of resolution, the coarsest being 15 square meters per pixel. This is only good enough to see large geographic features.

Google spokeswoman Kate Hurowitz told Reuters that the company would begin receiving images from the new satellite within three months, once the systems on board had been checked.

This move will give a boost to Google in the business of mapping software. With the use of Google’s sketchup tool one can use it for many purposes too.

By
Guruvardhan

Imagine that the sun never played a role in determining our climate. Imagine that the clouds, the oceans and the wind are innocent bystanders of the climate change. Then the rational mind begins to question. What determines the climate? I guess with all the media coverage, the political darling, the “Global Warming” would be the logical choice to put its hand up and say, “I am the one who determines and controls the climate change”.

The media has whipped up such frenzy around this magical term “Global Warming” that people without a scientific bent of a mind tend to ignore the vital role that sun with its sun spots and its solar winds, the cosmic dust and the normal climate mechanism have been playing in determining the climate and consider global warming as the sole factor responsible for the climate change.

When a certain section of scientists tried to point out this huge bias towards global warming, they were either ignored or faced ostracism from their own community of scientists who viewed them as killers of the golden goose. Some even received death threats and were branded as cohorts to the multinational companies that were in the dock for violating / exploiting the environment. Some were simply ignored.

Climate change with respect to global warming is a huge money spinner, attracting billions of dollars in funding. And where the money is, you can bet your life on it that media hype would be there like a shadow. With so many jobs and livelihoods being dependent on this mass hysteria known as “Global Warming”, who would dare to kill the golden goose.

Increase in man made CO2 levels has been termed the main catalyst resulting in global warming. What media and certain scientific community blatantly ignores or fails to highlight is that the composition of CO2 with respect to other gases in the atmosphere is very small to cause / affect a climate change on its own. And moreover, the ratio of CO2 emitted due to human activities against the CO2 emitted naturally is miniscule. But the proponents of global warming have been screaming their voices to hoarse that it’s the man made emissions of CO2 is the one responsible for the drastic climate change.

Scientists have analyzed the ice-cores obtained by drilling into the ice at the poles and have been able to accurately pinpoint the atmospheric composition of the micro-environment that existed a long time ago. They have very clearly said that the levels of CO2 were pretty normal and in no way were responsible or affected the temperature as pointed out by some popular documentaries showing a temperature versus the level of CO2 graph. Instead they have conclusive proof to show the role played by the sun spots and the cosmic dust affecting the temperature, thus being responsible for the climate change.

Proponents of global warming have pointed that change in ocean currents as a direct effect of global warming. What they fail to see or blatantly ignore is that these oceanic systems usually take hundreds of years to change and the changes that we are seeing now is probably due something that happened hundreds of years ago. Hundreds of years ago there was no such thing as global warming!

I can go on ranting against global warming, but people reading this piece of diatribe would lose their interest. Let us believe and reinforce our trust in “Nature” and leave it to her to figure out this climate change. Climate change is not in our hands. That’s the ultimate truth no matter how hollow, bitter or unbelievable it might sound.

Instead, let’s focus on what is in our control. Stop the destruction of rainforests. Prevent the extinction of both animal and plant species. Let’s put technology to good use, prevent further degradation of our environment. Let’s reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and look for feasible alternatives. I would leave it you to fill in the rest.

But most importantly, let us stop pressurizing the under-developed, poor countries to adopt solar and wind as alternative sources of energy. It’s cruel and unfair to expect these countries to build a steel factory that would run on solar or wind energy. It is impossible. Let us offer them the chance to use conventional sources of energy and improve their economy and their standard of living.

Did I forget to mention the numerous carbon offset programmes that have sprouted over the internet? As far as I am concerned this is one among the popular ways to play on human guilt and swindle money. I seriously do not believe in offsetting one’s carbon footprint by donating money to these unscrupulous sites that promise to plant trees on our behalf. Instead, if one is really racked by guilt then I would suggest that person to plant a tree somewhere nearby, nurture it. It would really warm the cockles of that person’s heart to see the sapling grow in front of his eyes and erase any guilt that he has harbored in this heart.

The theory of man made global warming is now so firmly entrenched, the voices of opposition is effectively silenced; it seems invincible, untroubled by any contrary evidence no matter how strong. The global warming alarm is now beyond reason.

A short documentary written and directed by Martin Durkin for Channel 4, A wag TV production gave wings to my beliefs and opened my eyes to the greatest hoax that was ever told: Global Warming.

Author

Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group had a vision. He had seen the struggle of the Indian middle-class, a family of four traveling on a two-wheeler. He wanted to provide succor to the millions of such families. He wanted to give them a car that would be affordable, safe, meet pollution norms and of course be fuel efficient. Tata’s brainchild, came to life, christened as “Nano.” Tata accredited this to the teamwork. I agree and look on in awe.

But it did not end there. Nano was confronted with many hurdles. From skeptics in the industry who questioned the feasibility of such a project to environmentalists who cried hoarse about the potential pollution boogey that would rear its ugly head. Tata and his team of young engineers and designers silenced all critics convincingly.

But, they were not prepared for the Singur hurdle. I guess they had shot themselves in their foot by completely depending upon the current West Bengal government.

Majority of the land acquired by the West Bengal government for the factory did not belong to the people who tilled the land. The land owners had rented out the land to laborers and sharecroppers.  Hence, when the government acquired the land, the hardest hit were these laborers and sharecroppers. They had no-where else to go as the landowners got the moolah from the government, while these sharecroppers were left staring at the wrong end of the barrel. Their only means of livelihood taken away, they became prime targets for the opposing politicians in the state. These politicians played on their emotions and caused a civil rift in the small village of Singur and its surroundings.

I can understand the plight and anger of these people whose livelihood was stolen from them. I can understand their fight for their livelihood. But I also understand that these people would end up losing any way. It is the politicians who are playing this dirty game who are to gain from this.

And the biggest losers are the Tata’s. They are currently mulling to pull out of Singur and construct the plant elsewhere. Their initial move to set up the plant in West Bengal was a leap of faith and a sign of their confidence in the leadership in the state. I think they are paying dearly now. The delay would cost them dear. Spiraling steel prices and inflation would make it difficult to sell the Nano at Rs 1 lakh.

But if you would ask me, the real losers are we: Indians. Here was a vision by one man envied by the rest of the world. Yet we, Indians are the ones who are derailing this vision. As someone had rightly pointed out, it happens only in India.

Author

Australia's captain Ricky Ponting believes it is only a matter of time before Twenty20 is part of the Olympics. Just days after the completion of the Beijing Games, Ponting said it was "inevitable" the new form would become an Olympic event, given its popularity in the subcontinent.

Ponting, who also called for a portion of the international calendar to be kept free for Twenty20 tournaments, was speaking at a dinner in Sydney to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Don Bradman.

"I actually think it's inevitable Twenty20 cricket will be an Olympic sport," Ponting said. "You think about the audiences in the subcontinent, 22 or 23% of the world's population is based in that area. The IOC could do a lot worse than put cricket in the Olympics."

Although he wanted Twenty20 to be part of the world's biggest sporting event, Ponting warned that the format had to be handled carefully by international cricket bosses. He has concerns about players chasing quick dollars rather than playing for their country.

"The critical issue with the game of Twenty20 cricket is how do we make it work," Ponting said. "We definitely need a carve-out period. The reason I say that is not because I want to go off and play, it's not about that.

"I want to play for Australia as much as I can, I want to play as many Tests for Australia as I can. I want the next generation of Australian players to have that dream to put on the baggy green cap and play 100 Test matches and 300 one-day games.

"I'm worried if there's not that period of time, be it in the IPL or the EPL, or whatever competition it might be, that this next generation's opinions might change. They might see the dollars and think, 'maybe it's more appealing to me that I go and play IPL instead of playing for my country'. That would be the saddest thing ever to happen to this great game."

By Arunava Das

India don't like being favourites, and being written off by many even before their young ODI side assembled in Colombo ultimately worked just fine. Defeat in the final Test at the P Sara Stadium was so comprehensive that it was difficult to see where the one-day recruits would turn for solace as they landed for five matches against Ajantha Mendis and Co. Now, after beating the hosts by 46 runs, India have sealed their first series win in Sri Lanka. And central to their success has been their captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

From the day he landed in Colombo, Dhoni stressed the past should be left alone and the focus should be on the task facing his side. He admitted Ajantha Mendis would be a threat but said it was up to the individual to handle him. He stressed on the importance of the batsmen to back themselves to score briskly, despite the setbacks. India's recent record in the subcontinent included losses in the finals of the Kitply and Asia Cup, which Dhoni termed as "crucial games", and he hoped to rectify that trend. This match was a final in itself, and India held their nerve to win it.

He is a very important cog in this wheel, and for the second game running he was at the centre for India, overcoming health issues - he had a a fever yesterday and evidently hadn't recovered fully. Dhoni and Suresh Raina showed how it should be done, scoring runs at a good clip after Sri Lanka left India 81 for 3 in the 18th over. He led the way in proving Mendis could be thwarted, even as he struggled to remain on his feet towards the end of his innings. Overall, Dhoni has top scored in the series with 192 runs at a strike-rate of 79.33, won four tosses in a row, made the right selection choices, and been proactive in the field.

Under lights, with Sanath Jayasuriya in a punishing mood, Dhoni tossed the ball to Harbhajan Singh in the 18th over. With pace taken off the ball, Jayasuriya edged the third ball to a smartly-placed wide slip. After that Dhoni added an extra cover, who was sharp to deny runs. Attempting to work Yuvraj Singh off his pads, Chamara Kapugedera was trapped lbw. These are minor moves Dhoni makes, but they often have a resounding resonance. Dhoni opted for four specialist bowlers in the last two games and he was rewarded with wickets from Yuvraj. Dhoni also won four successive tosses: some call that luck; with Dhoni, it's all part of the package.

In his book, What Sport Tells Us About Life, Ed Smith writes of the 19th-century historian Thomas Carlyle, who believed the bravery of heroes and leaders derived from their inspired and resourceful force. "The history of the world," Carlyle argued, "is but the biography of great men." Dhoni is no great, yet, but he has this amazing knack to inspire. And, since becoming captain and changing his approach to batting, he has played key roles with the bat. He averages 57.17 when in charge, with ten fifties and one century.

Many had criticised Dhoni's decision to skip the Test series, forgetting that he had to endure such a gruelling schedule this last 18 months (14 Tests, 56 ODIs, eight Twenty20 internationals, and the IPL). In the Test side Dhoni has yet to cement his place, as one century in 31 matches suggests; in fact, he was dispensable at the time he announced he was opting out. Dhoni is the most important member of a young one-day side and he realised that for the better.

Numerous television chat shows slammed Dhoni for the loss in the series opener and for reportedly influencing the selectors to pick young talent instead of ageing, vastly experienced heroes. Now Dhoni has led this group, with their struggles and pressures, to win a series few expected them to even contest.

The line-up India fielded resembled virtually that of the dismal Asia Cup final but, led by Dhoni and his sheer bullishness in believing Mendis could be overridden, they overcame the odds. Ignore the awful times, and concentrate on the good ones, seems to be Dhoni's mantra

Unlike in the second and third matches, where Zaheer and Dhoni were virtually one-man shows, this was a collective victory. "Contributive efforts are better because you are not relying on one individual," Dhoni said after the last game. "You will get individual performances brilliantly, but it's always better to win through a team effort. Everyone can enjoy it that way."

Consecutive fifties from Raina and Dhoni, Virat Kohli's maiden half-century to papered over the failures of Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj, Munaf's two-wicket burst, Zaheer Khan's accuracy, wickets for the spinners. This match had it all, and that will give Dhoni immense satisfaction.

Critics can argue that India were helped by a complete batting failure by the hosts, and off-key series for Chaminda Vaas and Muralitharan. Dhoni will tell you that his bowlers got the measure of the batsmen, and there is no denying how Dhoni and S Badrinath's approach towards the spinners in game two sparked a revival. Sri Lanka were poor in this series, very poor, but India were good.

This isn't in the same league as the ICC World Twenty20 or the CB Series, but it should be toasted. It came after Mendis - he who mauled India in the Asia Cup final - and Muttiah Muralitharan made a mockery of the best middle order in Test cricket. The line-up India fielded resembled virtually that of the dismal Asia Cup final but, led by Dhoni and his sheer bullishness in believing Mendis could be overridden, they overcame the odds. Ignore the awful times, and concentrate on the good ones, seems to be Dhoni's mantra.

Baseball, poets say, cannot be scripted. Neither can cricket. After the barrage of questions they faced before this series, Dhoni and his bunch of upstarts can sit back and smile. They've defied the odds and deserved to win, and Carlyle would certainly have toasted their success.

By Arunava Das

Yesterday while watching TV I was shocked by hearing a news, 49 babies died during clinical trials at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

The drugs used where zinc tablets for treating zinc deficiency, olmesartan and valsartan for treating blood pressure-related problems, rituximab for treating chronic focal encephalitis and gene-activated human glucocerebrosidase for treating Gaucher's disease, which affects the liver. And the most important point is that these drugs were meant only for the adults. Why do our doctors do it then? Are they life savers or killers?

India has become the top destination in Asia for clinical trials of foreign drugs. Trials here cost around 20%-60% less than that in industrialized countries. Is this mean that our babies doesn’t have right to live? Were these children made guinea pigs because they were from poor families?

Why do Indians face these problems from the best medical college and public hospital in the country? Do our government doesn’t feel that our babies are the pillars for the developing nation? Do we accept this crime if that has happened to our babies? I urge our younger population to stand with that poor parents and shout against this so that even a single baby in India is lost due to clinical trials. Our babies are precious!!!

Dhanya.