chakravarthy

Against Demonetisation : The NDA Government has a very scant idea about legal procedures, jurisprudence and principles of natural justice. By imposing demonetisation on the peopleof this country, it has not only not allowed people to take out their own, taxed, hard earned money, but has shaken the trust of people in banks. We were told by the Government that people had stashed black money in cash now that will turn into pieces of paper, copunterfeit currency will come to an end, terror funding will stop. Now, after twenty-two days and about eighty deaths later, as per RBI data sixty percent of the old high-value currency notes have entered banks, a few thousand crores have been excahnged till the time the exchange scheme was in operation, while some of then were already with banks and ATMs at the time of announcement on 08th November, 2016. So with almost thirty more days to go there is about thirty-five percent of old currency in the hands of people who are waiting for the lines to ...

When an unprecedentedly devastating earthquake struck Pakistan's norther regions and parts of Kashmir in 2005, "one of the most heart-warming" messages of sympathy General Parvez Musharaf received came from an unexpected source: the President of a tiny, far away island said the agony among the millions of survivors was giving him sleepless nights. The President of Cuba offered to immediately send across twenty doctors and medical staff. Musharaf initially agreed to fifty. The first Cubans arrived within less than a week of the quake. By the time they left more than seven months later, the contingent had grown to almost 2,500. Half of them were women, and all-female teams were able to provide relief to lakhs who would have been reluctant to seek treatment from male medics. Dozens of field hospitals were set up in areas unfamiliar with such facilities, providing relief not just to earthquake victims but innumerable others whose ailments had gone untreated over the years...

Researchers reviewed more than 100 studies on problem solving and aging that were conducted from 1960 to 2016, looking at both data on people's behaviour and evidence from brain scans. The scientists found that, generally, older adults' ability to focus and avoid distraction was not as strong as that of young adults' - but that this in turn may help older adults to perform better on some creativity and problem-solving tasks. The researchers were surprised at the strength of the findings that a lowered ability to focus and avoid distraction could improve people's performance on tasks that require creativity, said Lynn Hasher, a co-author of the paper and a Professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. This is especially surprising, she said, because the ability to focus 'has previously been seen as a basic requirement for success in learning', she told Live Science . The ability to focus does help people with some specific, goal-driven tasks, such as ...

Eye contact is a powerful thing. Experts say it can help you do well in job interviews, and can even help you flirt. They say eyes are the window to the soul. But they are actually the window to much more. Forget drugs or staying awake for five days in a row, all you need to hallucinate is another pair of eyes and a spare ten minutes. If you find a partnerlook into each other's eyes for ten minutes, while sitting in a dimly lit room, you may experience "odd sensations that resemble mild dissociation", according to Christian Jarrett, author of the British Psychological Society's Research Digest Blog. This is a psychological term for when people lose their normal hold on reality. Jarrett cites a study from 2015, which found that partiicpants experienced 'odd feeling of time slowing down' and 'sounds seeming quiet or loud'. An impressive ninety percent said they did seen some sort of deformed facial feature in their starting partner, seventy-five percen...

Experts believe that great skin is the cornerstone of holistic beauty. And now, they have found a simple way to achieve it - using the right moisturiser, staying hydrated and leading a healthy lifestyle. But how do you choose a quality moisturiser that meets the needs of your particular skin type and the season? Vaseline's bouquet of moisturisers is a good place to start. As the scorching summer gives way to the sticky monsoon, it's a good idea to turn to a light, refreshing and fast-absorbing moisturiser such as Vaseline Aloe Soothe. For those who love to flaunt the latest fashion trends, ensure you pick a lotion that helps you avoid patches of darkened or damaged skin peeking from those shorts. Healthy White variant from the brand can help fix uneven skin tone worries. And if you are spending a lot of time outdoors, spare a thought for your skin's sun exposure as it can  cause premature skin ageing even on your body. Choose a lotion that has an SPF of at least 20, lik...

The prime concern of a doctor after diagnosis, is drawing out the best possible treatment that leads to the least side effects in the patient. The challenge is to attain that balance. Therefore, pathological tests for diagnosis and selecting the most appropriate choice of antibiotics for precise treatment has been used as the standard practice in treating infectious diseases. In cancer treatment however, the traditional method for identifying the mutation causing the cancer has been through biopsies, which involve invasive surgical procedures through which tissue samples are extracted from a patient's tumour. However, it is not possible to obtain such samples if the patient is inoperable or the tumour is located in a risky area, as in case of recurrences in brain and other regions. Dr. A.V.S. Suresh, an Oncologist with Continental Hospitals, Hyderabad, tells us about the advanced technique called Next Gen Sequencing (NGS). NGS has made it possible to map the genomic makeup of...

Here are some important things to keep in mind, while choosing a yoga mat: Get the right thickness : The thickness of your yoga mat decides how comfortable it is. If it's too thin, your knee and ankles may get injured. On the other hand, if it is too thick, it will make it difficult for you to do certain poses and make you wobbly. It is best to to go for a standard yoga mat, which is about one-eighth of an inch thick. Material of the yoga mat : The material comprises the texture, stickiness and sponginess (how much it yields to pressure). Almost all standard yoga mats are made of PVC (vinyl), though newer options include natural and recycled rubber and even organic cotton. The sponginess varies with different blends of materials, but PVC is the spongiest. Stickiness : PVC yoga mats are the stickiest, but only when they are clean. They keep you free from sliding while doing certain asanas. Texture : If you don't like PVC mats, the next best option for you is a rubber, ju...

Toast Your Bread Lightly : Chemical changes occur when toasting, baking and frying foods like chips, crisps and toasts, which result in the formation of acrylamide, which has been linked to caner. Season With Rosemary : The humble herb could be the secret to living to 100, according to researchers. In the research, when rosemary was commonly used in cooking by a group of pensioners, they had a remarkable record of not just living longer but being free of heart diseases. Make Short Journeys By Foot : In a study of over 3,30,000 people, it was found that lack of exercise killed twice as many people as obesity. Adding thirty minutes of walking into your daily routine, five days a week is the equivalent of 14 marathons in one year. This extra exercise can add three and a half years to your lifespan. Add Spinach To Salads and Sandwiches : Eating spinach every day can make your brain eleven years younger. Pensioners who tucked into it along with other leafy greens, stayed sharper for l...

Use Humour And Enjoy Yourself : Try to see the bright side of situations and you will often be able to cope better. Doing things you enjoy such as meeting up with friends is also good for your overall emotional well-being. Build Your Self-Esteem : If your self-esteem is low, it is important to learn how to improve it. Treat yourself as you would treat a best friend - in a positive but honest way. Talk and Share :Communication is important, whether it's with a friend, family member or counsellor. Communication enables you to release tension. Lead A Healthy Lifestyle : Eat healthy, limit your alcohol intake and try to include some exercise in your daily routine. Making healthy choices about your diet can make you feel emotionally stronger. And moderate exercise releases chemicals in your brain that lift your mood. Manage Your Stress Levels : When you are stressed, it's easier to overeact or feel negative. Find ways to reduce stress, such as taking a yoga class or talking t...

Scientists have discovered the first record of a fossil tumour in the jaw of a 69 million-year-old dwarf duck-billed dinosaur. An international group of researchers, including Kate Acheson from the University of Southampton in the U.K., have documented a type of non-cancerous facial tumour, which is found in humans, mammals and some modern reptiles, but never before encountered in fossils. " " This discovery is the first-ever described in the fossil record and the first to be thoroughly documented in a dwarf dinosaur ", said Ms. Acheson. " Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus is known to be close to the root of the duck-billed dinosaur family tree, and the presence of such a deformity early in their evolution provides us with further evidence that duck-billed dinosaurs were more prone to tumours than other dinosaurs ", she said. The Hadrosaur fossil, estimated to be approximately 69 million years old, was discovered in the 'Valley of the Dinosaurs' in ...

A new species of Tarantula has been identified near the home town of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and in and unusual posthumous honour, the spider has been named for the late Nobel Literature laureate. Kankuamos Marquezi is named for both Garcia Marquez and the indigenous Kankuamo group who live in the area of Caribbean Colombia where the writer was born. The arachnid has a defence mechanism that includes releasing stinging hairs that dig into predators' eyes and people's skin. The spider's body is three centimetres long with legs the same length. [ A news report published in The Hindu dated 07th July, 2016 (Thursday) ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While there's no such thing as right or wrong food - barring a few exceptions - there is a right and wrong way to eat them. How you eat your favourite foods could make all the difference between filling your stomach and nourishing your body. Ultimately, it's all about maximising nutritional value. The question is how do you do it? 1). Rice : I don't think any food has a more battered reputation than rice. It strikes the fear of God in so many of my clients, when I prescribe it to them. They look at me like I have gone mad. Rice is a wonderful food, a fitting accompaniment, and a staple for so many cuisines. The best way to eat rice is to, quiet simply, take the starch out of it. Boil rice in a pan but don't pressure cook it or make it in a rice cooker as those methods of preparation do not enable the draining out of the starchy, fatty part of rice. To further reduce the Glycemic Index (GI) of your boiled rice, just add vegetables and/or sprouts to it. That will make...

In today's multi-polar world stamped by an by an asymmetrical power distribution, Tokyo and New Delhi figure on every analyst's list of major power centres. The relationship between the two nations impacts the Asian power balance, in the backdrop of China's economic and military rise and a marked tendency to assert itself. Hence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Japan, 11-12 November, 2016, was imbued with considerable significance. The visit was the occasion for the third India-Japan annual summit during the Modi government's two-and-half year long tenure so far. With the two Prime Ministers having met for the eighth time, the relationship has advanced noticeably in this period. The question to ponder is as to what additionality was achieved in Tokyo in November, 2016. It has produced tangible results. The most salient gain is the conclusion of the agreement for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. This was pending for several years, causi...

The decision to demonetise Rs. 500/- and Rs. 1,000/- notes was taken on 08th November, 2016. Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared in a public address, that these would cease to be 'legal tender'. They can be used for buying railway and airline tickets, milk from government outlets, paying for petrol and medicines, and tendering tax. The government had obviously anticipated adjustment pains, but nothing on the scale that is being reported. It is evident people cannot yet exchange their old notes for new ones. The RBI hasn't supplied new paper money in adequate quantities. In fact, enough haven't yet been printed. The Finance Minister has admitted that the misery will continue for three more weeks. On current evidence, it is likely that Arun Jaitley will be proved wrong. Trade in everyday goods for ordinary people has, meanwhile, shrunk to a fraction because people don't have cash. Farmers can't buy seeds as they can't pay for them. The country has slowed...

The gunning down of two suspected Maoists in Telangana has set alarm bells ringing about the resurgence of the Naxalite threat in India's new State, but analysis are sceptical and say the issue can be dealt by implementing proactive policies for the poor and not violence. Intelligence agencies and policemen privately say the two slain suspected Maoists - Gopanna and Shruthi - were both activists who participated in many rallies in support of the statehood movement. Several others also say there is little evidence to prove whether the duo had actively joined the Maoist ranks in the recent past. While the Warangal Rural Superintendent of Police, Ambar Kishore Jha, did a meticulous press briefing of how 15 Naxalites belonging to the Khammam-Karimnagar-Warangal (KKW) committee were on a mission to regroup surrendered Maoists when they were accosted in the dense Rangapur forest area, there are lingering doubts about the significance of the strike. Jha said the Maoists opened fire fi...

When a Managing Director of a popular ice cream manufacturing company in the city opened his computer to access his company's database, he saw a message that startled him. "Pay $1,000 to get your data back and do the payment in Bitcoins. The perplexed MD tried to refresh and restart the machine, but the message kept repeating. Most of the company data had been encrypted, cutting off his access to it. In short, the database had been hacked and the hackers were demanding money to decrypt the data. The new trend of ' cyber extortion ' has the cyber crime wing of the Hyderabad police on tenterhooks. "An incident of data being kept hostage was first reported a year ago. At that time, we did not take it seriously. But when another victim came with a similar complaint in July, 2015, we realised that it's a new modus operandi ", Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crimes) B. Anuradha told to the Press. "The victims could not access their data as it w...

Researchers suggest that women have an instinctive "early warning system", which dates back to our female ancestors who had a sense of danger for threats. But this finding contradicts previous studies, which shows that men are predominantly affected by road rage. The study, by car manufacturer, Hyundai, involved 1,000 UK drivers, 450 of who were also tracked using a webcam. Participants were 'sense tested' to see how sound, sight, smell, touch and taste provoke emotional responses while driving. The results from the sense testing were fed into a specially created software which gave each participant a unique "Driving Emotion Test" score. The results showed that on an average, women are 12 percent angrier than men when behind the wheel. The researchers suggest that driving sparks an ancient defence instinct, dating back to our hunter-gatherer days. These evolutionary traits kicked in during the test when women were undertaken, shouted or beeped at, had to...

In one way, India is a unique nation. It is the only major country whose elite speaks a language that is not their own, and that is different from that of its masses. This is true of Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and any other major city. By elite I mean the urbam middle class which dominates the economic agenda and the national news agenda, despite being a minority. Government data says only five crore Indians have passports, meaning five percent of the population. My guess is 'this is amuch larger number than those Indians for whom English is their first language. These people may be able to speak their 'mother-tongue', whether Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Oriya or Kannada, but they do not speak it well. They may be able to read its alphabet, but they do not read literature or news in 'Mother-tongue'. Except for music, their cultural preference, such as TV serials or cinema, is for content in English. It could be said that English ha...

Calling on schools to focus on the emotional and cognitive development of children rather than sticking to routine class work, experts asked principals of schools in Hyderabad, India to adopt practical teaching methods. Speaking at the Times NIE Principals' Seminar 2016 in the city, Padmanabhaiah, former Union Home Secretary, said there was a need for more relevant education in tune with modern times to improve cognitive abilities of students. 'Every child is born with an individual temperament. Many times, emotions take over their cognitive abilities. Schools need to inculcate the habit among students to be emotionally stable to take right decisions", said Padmanabhaiah. He said there was a need to give students a practical edge instead of making them learn hypothetical jargon. "Instead of writing sample letters in their exams, students should be encouraged to write letters to the mayor of the city, Chief Ministers and Businessmen. This only will build their conf...

While defending himself at his trial for sedition Socrates said, "An un-examined life is not worth living". This piece is written in that spirit, seeing what the faith community in which I was bornand raised has been up to of late. A recent discussion on economist Abusaleh Shariff's book "Institutionalising Constitutional Rights" suggested that issues of development do not resonate among middle-class Muslims. Admittedly, once in a while a microscopic proportion of Muslims in Delhi, Mumbai and other metros do discuss these issues. But exceptions do not make a rule. This is despite a conceptual shift in political and policy thinking about Muslims in India over the last fifteen years or so. This shift is from the issues of identity and security to rights-based entitlement to the country's resources and equal protection of law. But the old discourse within the community does not seem to have changed much, caught as it is in a time warp. There is a scant reflec...