Yesterday I was reading Amartya Sen's "The Argumentative Indian - Writings on Indian Culture, History and Identity." The back cover of the book states, "India is a large and hugely diverse country with many distinct pursuits, vastly different convictions, widely divergent customs and a feast of viewpoints. In this landmark book Amartya Sen argues that only by exploring its long, pioneering tradition of skeptical argument and cultural achievement can we truly understand contemporary India's place in the world."
Sen expounds on "The problem of invoking the Ramayana to propagate a reductionist account of Hindu religiosity", and states that "The roots of skepticism in India go back to a long way, and it would be hard to understand the history of Indian culture if skepticism were to be jettisoned," quite contrary to some cultural theorists who "are particularly keen on showing the strength of the faith-based and unreasoning culture of India and the East, in contrast with the 'shallow rationalism' and scientific priorities of the West."
I became ever enthusiastic about setting out on a 'Pan-Indian' excursion and understand the true nature of this unfathomable society. I straightened up and ran my fingers through my hair that was almost covering my ears. "Negative", I thought scratching my cheek that had went unshaven for a month. If I lacked the energy to go to the barber's shop for over a month, which is a few yards across the road, a pan-Indian trip was out of charts.
Anyways, I dragged my feet to the barber, having nothing better to do in the sultry afternoon. He was lazing on the revolving chair alone, listening to Bhojpuri songs churned out endlessly by the Radio Jockeys. What a wastage of time, I thought. As if I were some intrusion in his private space, he reluctantly asked,"Whose hairstyle you wanna have?" Before I could come up with some suggestion, he said,"Not a chimpanzee's of course, which you already don," and tied a towel around my neck before I could protest. He actually detested me for never having my hair colored, something at which he claimed to be the best in town. After trimming my hair he jabbed at the radio and turned it off declaring,"Useless craps, these songs." Mood swing, I thought.
Then in a complacent baritone he reflected,"The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are so relevant even in these 'hi-fi' days." Hi-Fi, I thought, a term often misused as an alternative to futuristic, but which actually means High-Fidelity."The characters are so timeless," he continued,"take for example Prakash Karat and Sonia Gandhi. They are like Krishna and Radha, in deep love for each other, yet could never reconcile." Putting on a wry smile on my face I inwardly laughed at his naivete.
"Or you could take the 'classic' case of the politics behind the Partition of India. Nehru was the Arjuna for us, strong, brave and forthright, with Gandhiji as his mentor, just like Dronacharya. On the other hand, Jinnah can well be considered as Ekalavya. Both Jinnah and Nehru had the right to become the sole heir to independent India. But since Gandhiji had promised Nehru beforehand, he was obliged to hand over power to him alone. So he broke up India and asked Jinnah to be satisfied with half of it, akin to asking Ekalavya for his thumb."
I jumped up straight and tried to flee. The Congress and BJP party offices were not very far off, any eavesdropper overhearing our conversations could bring in Narendra Modi and Manmohan Singh scurrying to silence us once and for all.
I tried to save my dear life but he was adamant about pouring out all the highly philosophical thoughts that he considered to be of utmost importance to India and its future. He had finished trimming my hair and was now going to shave my beard. He remarked that Narendra Modi was actually considered evil during the Godhra riots, though he was only following his 'dharma' like Ravana. Who could ever disagree with someone wielding a sharp razor at the throat.
Eventually he gave a lengthy speech on how intertwined our society is with what the epics had suggested thousands of years ago, how there was a lesson in every nook and corner of the composition,etc. And my god , I was taken aback by his thorough knowledge and the way he drew parallels between the characters and events in the epics and present India. Shashi Tharoor would have hugged him hard before publishing his "The Great Indian Novel", had he known that there was another one like him, though quite unsophisticated.
There I was, an engineer having landed a job with a top Indian MNC, erudite and well-informed, gaping with admiration at this apparently oblivious and illiterate barber. He elaborated on so many issues that is shackling India's progress and brought up the ghosts of so many great thinkers of our times, digging out there scandalous lives and clandestine dealings, that if I were to write them out here, a national debate and censoring of my blog would follow. Though I may sound hilarious, he was correct in every sense. It reminds me of Amartya Sen when he quoted a villager's remark : "It is not very hard to silence us, but that is not because we cannot speak."
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Sun Sign
I don't believe in astrology as such, but often find it interesting when a person can be described by his Sun sign perfectly, though it's just prejudice that leads us down that path of superstition. I found the following description of the Sun sign Leo aptly describing atleast certain characteristics of my personality (though grossly digressed). I would be obliged to my readers if they care to comment on the truth of such descriptions and if they are at all aligned to my image in your eyes (A very good exercise I believe).
The Sun is your ruling planet, Leo. Of course the Sun is not really a planet; it is the centre of our solar system. And, as above, so below! You shine as brightly as the Golden globe because you reflect the characteristics of the heavenly body that rules your star sign!You too are a ball of dynamic energy. You are warm, bright and self-motivated, and you want to make an impression in everything you do — your work, your love life and your social life.
Because you are extremely generous, you expect others to be just as big-hearted. So when you see others holding back, you find it hard to not jump in and try to change that. You want to see everyone giving to the best of their ability. To other people, you can look like a bit of a tyrant, asking for more than they can give.
When you are feeling upbeat, you carry people away with your energy, and they love you for it. You love sharing your joys and successes with the people you love, and when you do, you are magnanimous — you never give a thought to getting anything in return. There are few star signs who really understand the nature of giving, but Leo seems to have perfected the art.
You also have a great sense of timing. When you offer a friendly word or gesture of encouragement, you pick the exact moment when it will have greatest impact. You always seem to be in the right place at the right time. You’re lucky this way.
Try to remember that your strong sense of self can be misinterpreted by others — understatement could sometimes be a more effective way for you to show your loyalty and express your generosity.
Some people think you are a show-off, but this too is a mistake. Your dramatic flair is part and parcel of your zest for life, your love of people and your optimism. For you, life is a stage on which you can perform and express your talents.
You may not be a performer on the entertainment stage, but Mick Jagger, a Leo, is, and he is a very good example of the strutting, egotistical nature of Leo. Mick exudes charisma, creativity and a personal style all his own. Not only that, but he has embedded his brand name as No. 1 in the rock industry, decade after decade. On the stage of life, you too will want to be No. 1, and to present yourself as someone special, with unique talents.
Loyalty is your trademark. People know you are a genuine friend who is always ready to lend a hand. Even if you can’t help someone with their specific problem, you still manage to send out a warm and reassuring vibration that makes them feel better.
On the other hand, you also have a need to ‘one-up’ others. A little more humility wouldn’t hurt. You will get plenty of praise and recognition for your energy and your self-motivation — you don’t need to big-note yourself. People will instantly recognise your abilities, and many will look up to you. Try not to let this go to your head; remind yourself occasionally to ‘get off your high horse’.
Leo’s totem is the lion, lord of the jungle — full of muscularity, grace and ferocity. This means that your physical appetites and general level of energy are extraordinarily high. You need to be physically mobile and fully engaged in meaningful work and social activities to feel good.
You are a born leader: people naturally gravitate to you, and look to you for guidance and security. This is especially true if you are born in the very first part of Leo - that is you're born between 24th July and 3rd August. At times you can seem a hard taskmaster, demanding excellence from them — this is just a reflection of your own actions, your own approach, but keep an eye out for it, and keep it under control.
Generally you have a pioneering spirit; this is connected to your desire to be the best. So while you could be quite happy with a life where you follow other people’s rules and regulations, mostly you’ll much prefer to blaze your own trail.
This means you will carve out your own niche and make a name for yourself. You’ll shine in almost everything you do, and will without a doubt make your mark in the world — you can reach the top of the ladder, no matter what field you choose.
Leo is the 5th sign of the Zodiac and is represented by the Lion. The Lion is a very apt symbol for Leos. Only something very proud and masculine like a lion would have correctly represented this sign. Leo is a masculine, or positive sign that is considered more aggressive, direct, assertive, and self-assured than feminine/negative signs.
Element: Fire
Leo is one of 3 fire signs in the Zodiac, all of which have the same basic characteristics. Fire signs are typically action-oriented, confident, passionate, and full of energy. It is the element of focus and prosperity. The other fire signs in the Zodiac that share these characteristics are Aries and Sagittarius.
Planet: The Sun
As the Sun puts forth light, so it brings forth life. This Planet (also known as a luminary and a star) represents the self, one's personality and ego, the spirit and what it is that makes the individual unique. It is our identity and our face to the world. The Sun also speaks to creative ability and the power of the individual to meet the challenges of everyday life.
Personality Trait: "I Will"
The Leo person is creative, generous, proud, fun-loving, dramatic, dignified, passionate, affectionate, ambitious, loves attention, noble, a leader, sunny, naive, magnetic, and powerful. They can also sometimes be bossy, jealous, patronizing, promiscuous, snobbish, egotistical, over self-conscious, and arrogant. Leos are ruled by their hearts and for them, love triumphs all. They are able to survive all of life’s stormy times with their charismatic and positive thinking.
In relationships, Leo commits for life. They are both devoted and faithful once they commit, however, once their trust is broken, Leos don’t forgive or forget. Even with long-term relationships that have lasted for years, once it is over, a Leo can leave and not look back. When a relationship is over for a Leo, it is over for good.
There are three levels of self-evolution for a Leo. Starting at a Lion Cub, being very immature and undeveloped, to a King of the Jungle, who is ruled by their ego but always protective of those they love. The last level is the Sphinx, who is wise beyond their years and great teachers to others. Regardless of the level they have attained, all Leos are leaders, adventurers, and trendsetters. Their true weakness is pride.
Leo Quick Facts
Symbol: The Lion
Element: Fire
Ruling Planet: The Sun
Birthstones: Ruby, Peridot
Colors: Gold, Red, Yellow, Orange
Gemstones: Amber, Topaz, Ruby, Diamond
Flowers: Marigold, Sunflower, Hops, Cowslip
Metals: Gold
Body: Heart
There's many a slip between the cup and the lips...................
I had sketched the lion on 16.10.2001 from an illustrative book by Leo Tolstoy.
The Sun is your ruling planet, Leo. Of course the Sun is not really a planet; it is the centre of our solar system. And, as above, so below! You shine as brightly as the Golden globe because you reflect the characteristics of the heavenly body that rules your star sign!You too are a ball of dynamic energy. You are warm, bright and self-motivated, and you want to make an impression in everything you do — your work, your love life and your social life.
Because you are extremely generous, you expect others to be just as big-hearted. So when you see others holding back, you find it hard to not jump in and try to change that. You want to see everyone giving to the best of their ability. To other people, you can look like a bit of a tyrant, asking for more than they can give.
When you are feeling upbeat, you carry people away with your energy, and they love you for it. You love sharing your joys and successes with the people you love, and when you do, you are magnanimous — you never give a thought to getting anything in return. There are few star signs who really understand the nature of giving, but Leo seems to have perfected the art.
You also have a great sense of timing. When you offer a friendly word or gesture of encouragement, you pick the exact moment when it will have greatest impact. You always seem to be in the right place at the right time. You’re lucky this way.
Try to remember that your strong sense of self can be misinterpreted by others — understatement could sometimes be a more effective way for you to show your loyalty and express your generosity.
Some people think you are a show-off, but this too is a mistake. Your dramatic flair is part and parcel of your zest for life, your love of people and your optimism. For you, life is a stage on which you can perform and express your talents.
You may not be a performer on the entertainment stage, but Mick Jagger, a Leo, is, and he is a very good example of the strutting, egotistical nature of Leo. Mick exudes charisma, creativity and a personal style all his own. Not only that, but he has embedded his brand name as No. 1 in the rock industry, decade after decade. On the stage of life, you too will want to be No. 1, and to present yourself as someone special, with unique talents.
Loyalty is your trademark. People know you are a genuine friend who is always ready to lend a hand. Even if you can’t help someone with their specific problem, you still manage to send out a warm and reassuring vibration that makes them feel better.
On the other hand, you also have a need to ‘one-up’ others. A little more humility wouldn’t hurt. You will get plenty of praise and recognition for your energy and your self-motivation — you don’t need to big-note yourself. People will instantly recognise your abilities, and many will look up to you. Try not to let this go to your head; remind yourself occasionally to ‘get off your high horse’.
Leo’s totem is the lion, lord of the jungle — full of muscularity, grace and ferocity. This means that your physical appetites and general level of energy are extraordinarily high. You need to be physically mobile and fully engaged in meaningful work and social activities to feel good.
You are a born leader: people naturally gravitate to you, and look to you for guidance and security. This is especially true if you are born in the very first part of Leo - that is you're born between 24th July and 3rd August. At times you can seem a hard taskmaster, demanding excellence from them — this is just a reflection of your own actions, your own approach, but keep an eye out for it, and keep it under control.
Generally you have a pioneering spirit; this is connected to your desire to be the best. So while you could be quite happy with a life where you follow other people’s rules and regulations, mostly you’ll much prefer to blaze your own trail.
This means you will carve out your own niche and make a name for yourself. You’ll shine in almost everything you do, and will without a doubt make your mark in the world — you can reach the top of the ladder, no matter what field you choose.
Leo is the 5th sign of the Zodiac and is represented by the Lion. The Lion is a very apt symbol for Leos. Only something very proud and masculine like a lion would have correctly represented this sign. Leo is a masculine, or positive sign that is considered more aggressive, direct, assertive, and self-assured than feminine/negative signs.
Element: Fire
Leo is one of 3 fire signs in the Zodiac, all of which have the same basic characteristics. Fire signs are typically action-oriented, confident, passionate, and full of energy. It is the element of focus and prosperity. The other fire signs in the Zodiac that share these characteristics are Aries and Sagittarius.
Planet: The Sun
As the Sun puts forth light, so it brings forth life. This Planet (also known as a luminary and a star) represents the self, one's personality and ego, the spirit and what it is that makes the individual unique. It is our identity and our face to the world. The Sun also speaks to creative ability and the power of the individual to meet the challenges of everyday life.
Personality Trait: "I Will"
The Leo person is creative, generous, proud, fun-loving, dramatic, dignified, passionate, affectionate, ambitious, loves attention, noble, a leader, sunny, naive, magnetic, and powerful. They can also sometimes be bossy, jealous, patronizing, promiscuous, snobbish, egotistical, over self-conscious, and arrogant. Leos are ruled by their hearts and for them, love triumphs all. They are able to survive all of life’s stormy times with their charismatic and positive thinking.
In relationships, Leo commits for life. They are both devoted and faithful once they commit, however, once their trust is broken, Leos don’t forgive or forget. Even with long-term relationships that have lasted for years, once it is over, a Leo can leave and not look back. When a relationship is over for a Leo, it is over for good.
There are three levels of self-evolution for a Leo. Starting at a Lion Cub, being very immature and undeveloped, to a King of the Jungle, who is ruled by their ego but always protective of those they love. The last level is the Sphinx, who is wise beyond their years and great teachers to others. Regardless of the level they have attained, all Leos are leaders, adventurers, and trendsetters. Their true weakness is pride.
Leo Quick Facts
Symbol: The Lion
Element: Fire
Ruling Planet: The Sun
Birthstones: Ruby, Peridot
Colors: Gold, Red, Yellow, Orange
Gemstones: Amber, Topaz, Ruby, Diamond
Flowers: Marigold, Sunflower, Hops, Cowslip
Metals: Gold
Body: Heart
There's many a slip between the cup and the lips...................
I had sketched the lion on 16.10.2001 from an illustrative book by Leo Tolstoy.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
The Other Side of the Coin
Every streak of light with it
And every moment gay,
Brings a piece of darkness concealed
To which earth and heaven sway.
Strange it is to say--on the Creator's lap
Both truth and fraud wailed,
Stranger it is to say that
Darkness never prevailed.
As often as you will kneel before God
And both your hands join,
Erebus will creep on you from behind--
That's the other side of the coin.
The term gay here refers to the original feelings of being "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy".
Friday, April 30, 2010
To The Free World
to the freedom of life......
To the free life let us gift our souls....
To the jungle let us flee, from where we all began....
To the jungle where all blend-- Heaven, Earth and
Hell, to give what we call Nature....
Before the Death Knell rings and we get our call,
Before we give away our place to others waiting to overtake,
Let us be free--without any questions being asked,
and answers to be given, without any reason whatsoever.
The Sun doesn't give any reason for blasting the moonlit night,
The cloud doesn't seek permission before blanketing the sun.
The source of Life is the freedom of the ultimate Will.
The seven colors does not limit the Canvas of Nature,
The seven suras doesn't limit the melody of life.
I had written this poem ( if I'm permitted to call it so) in blank verse in a frenzy, one night during the Durga Pujas of 2005. It was around 3'o clock in the morning and I was stuck in my room. While I watched people (pandal hoppers) throng the streets, who were enjoying the festive season head-on, I thought about FREEDOM.
The above picture depicts a man enlightened, running ahead like a burning torch, trying to dispel fear and unfounded ignominy. I had painted it probably in the year 2004.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Twilight Saga : Another Societal Addiction ?
Without showing any disregard to Stephenie Meyer's novels or her caliber as a writer, I would like to believe that the Twilight series owed its success, atleast partially, to trend followers, if I'm allowed to call them so.
I've great respect for any author, popular or not, but I'm appalled at the fact that anybody should read a series of novels having the same theme written by the same author, and nothing else at all. I know some friends of mine whose reading list include nothing other than Harry Potter novels, with only the new avatar, The Twilight Saga, at their rescue ! I can bet most of them never actually ventured out hunting for good pieces of literature, relying only upon 'Top Charts' and friend review. After all who would want to be left behind when their snobbish friends have all read them? I like the following quote --
"Nothing contributes so much to tranquilize the mind as a steady purpose - a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye."
I think it has been unfortunately misconstrued. Can you imagine how much it hurts when somebody says that the only novel they've ever read, cover to cover, since childhood is Harry Potter and the half blood 'son-of-a-.....' ? Sorry for the expression of anger, rather despair......I may sound like an unsuccessful, disgruntled author who knows nothing but pouring vile into others' brain, but I'm sorry, can't help. I'm no author though.
But I am a reader, and a connoisseur of good books too. And I respect the 'Art of Reading'. I'm ready to read anything and everything under the sun if it is a good read and the writer believes in his or her work. I don't care loading my bookshelf only with popular works, simply for showing off the heavy arsenal of books I've read. I'm actually troubled by the reading habits of children these days. Comparing my grandpa with my cousins I find the younger generation living their lives out of cocoons. Their day start and end with Orkut or Facebook, with Second Life to live out their dreams, and Twilight or Harry Potter thrown in for some flights of imagination. Reading should not be like wearing the latest fashion in clothing; there should be one's individualistic choice of reading that reflect one's orientation towards literature. Richness in literature lies in its abundance and variety.
But I would like to add that I like the choice of the book cover for Twilight. Stephenie Meyer has stated that the apple on the cover represents the forbidden fruit from the Book of Genesis. It symbolizes Bella and Edward's love, which is forbidden, similar to the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, as is implied by the quote from Genesis 2:17 that is quoted at the beginning of the book. It also represents Bella's knowledge of what good and evil are, and the choice that she has in partaking of the "forbidden fruit", Edward, or choosing not to see him.
I hope the readers understand what I'm trying to imply.
I've great respect for any author, popular or not, but I'm appalled at the fact that anybody should read a series of novels having the same theme written by the same author, and nothing else at all. I know some friends of mine whose reading list include nothing other than Harry Potter novels, with only the new avatar, The Twilight Saga, at their rescue ! I can bet most of them never actually ventured out hunting for good pieces of literature, relying only upon 'Top Charts' and friend review. After all who would want to be left behind when their snobbish friends have all read them? I like the following quote --"Nothing contributes so much to tranquilize the mind as a steady purpose - a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye."
I think it has been unfortunately misconstrued. Can you imagine how much it hurts when somebody says that the only novel they've ever read, cover to cover, since childhood is Harry Potter and the half blood 'son-of-a-.....' ? Sorry for the expression of anger, rather despair......I may sound like an unsuccessful, disgruntled author who knows nothing but pouring vile into others' brain, but I'm sorry, can't help. I'm no author though.
But I am a reader, and a connoisseur of good books too. And I respect the 'Art of Reading'. I'm ready to read anything and everything under the sun if it is a good read and the writer believes in his or her work. I don't care loading my bookshelf only with popular works, simply for showing off the heavy arsenal of books I've read. I'm actually troubled by the reading habits of children these days. Comparing my grandpa with my cousins I find the younger generation living their lives out of cocoons. Their day start and end with Orkut or Facebook, with Second Life to live out their dreams, and Twilight or Harry Potter thrown in for some flights of imagination. Reading should not be like wearing the latest fashion in clothing; there should be one's individualistic choice of reading that reflect one's orientation towards literature. Richness in literature lies in its abundance and variety.
I hope the readers understand what I'm trying to imply.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Ratan: The Jewel (A brief introduction to Ratan Naval Tata)
I am posting this article not because I've been currently hired by TCS, but because this man, named Ratan Naval Tata, at the age of 72, was voted as India Inc’s Most Powerful CEO for 2009, second year running and also India Inc’s CEO of the Decade by the 500 respondents interviewed by IMRB for The Economic Times Corporate Dossier magazine, beating the likes of Mukesh Ambani, NR Narayana Murthy, Anil Ambani, Sunil Mittal and Rahul Bajaj.
Ratan N. Tata was born on December 28, 1937 in Mumbai, India in one of the richest families in the country. His great grandfather, Jamsedji Tata, was the founder of the Tata group and passed the power and inheritance down to his family. Ratan grew up in a broken household, however, after his parents split in the mid-1940s and he and his brother were raised by their grandmother, Lady Navajbai.
Ratan Tata's dream was to manufacture a car costing Rs 100,000 (1998: approx. US$2,200; today US$2,528). He realized his dream by launching the car in New Delhi Auto Expo on January 10, 2008, saying that "a promise is a promise," referring to his earlier promise to deliver this car at the said cost "Despite Mamata".
A shy man, Ratan rarely features in the society glossies, has lived for years in a book-crammed, dog-filled bachelor flat in Mumbai's Colaba district and is considered to be a gentleman extraordinaire.In an interview , Tata, a bachelor, admitted to being lonely and "too diffident to do anything about it". He keeps away from Mumbai's party circuit, dresses conservatively, and gets to work early in either his black Mercedes or Tata Indigo, sitting beside his driver. Who would have thought this understated man of impeccable manners, who readily sacrificed an airline venture at the altar of government policy, would upset the global corporate order to such an extent? And so often?
The total revenue of Tata companies, taken together, was $70.8 billion (around Rs325,334 crore) in 2008-09, with 64.7 per cent of this coming from business outside India, and they employ around 357,000 people worldwide.
"Question the unquestionable" --Ratan Tata
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Karate and its Indian Roots
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The evolution of karate began over a 1000 years ago, possibly as early as the 5th century BC. Though the origin of martial arts appears to be somewhat obscure and little is chronicled elaborately, a very significant contribution was made by India towards its early development. A Buddhist monk named Bodhidharma (3rd son of king Sugandha, a Dravidian) set out from the western shores of India to China. Bodhidharma, the first patriarch of Zen Buddhism, also known as Da Mo in Chinese and Daruma Taishi in Japanese, was well versed in Kalarippayathu (a martial art from South India) and rich in Yogasanas. It was he who introduced this sect of the religion to the Middle Kingdom in the fifth century C.E., traveling first from southern India to Canton. It was at Shao-lin-ssu temple that he entered a cave to practice meditation. During the nine years that followed, we are told, he sat motionless before the stone wall in his cave. His concentration was so great that his legs withered, and he cut off is own eyelids to help him stay awake. When he eventually emerged from his isolation and began to teach others, he was disheartened by their lack of physical strength. They were simply unable to endure the long hours of meditation he required of them. Bodhidharma was determined to help his students overcome their physical limitations in order to assist them in their religions pursuits. He and a small group of disciples constructed the Shaolin (Shorin-ji) Monastery, where he established a fighting method for the monks based on the movements of animals, designed to strengthen the mind and body, exercises which allegedly marked the beginning of the Shaolin Style of Art Chan Fa, more popularly known as Kung Fu. The method that he set for the monks is laid down in the “EKKIN SUTRA” of the Dhamapada or the holy scriptures of Buddhism. While the historicity of these accounts is questionable, the story does convey an important lesson; from the beginning, there has been an intimate connection between the martial arts of Asia and Zen Buddhism.Returning to wilderness,
Karate is not a purely Japanese Art
Amongst the regions where Buddhism spread were the Ryukyu Islands. The main island in the chain of Ryukyu Islands is Okinawa which is located in the East China Sea between Kyushu, Japan and Taiwan. Through a constant influence of Chinese sailors and merchants, the indigenous Okinawan fighting forms were heavily influenced by Kung Fu. In the 1400s Sho Shin, the ruler of Okinawa, established a Government by culture and put a ban on use of weapons by civilians. Those who studied martial arts had to do so without any form of weaponry. In 1609 Japan invaded Okinawa, and further to the ban on weaponry, placed a ban upon anyone doing martial arts, and so martial arts training became shrouded in secrecy over the next 300 years. The art, then known as Okinawa-te or Tote (Chinese Hand, To= Chinese, te= Hand), remained clandestine until the early 1900s when Supreme Master Gichin Funakoshi, often considered as the “Father of Modern karate”, was asked to give a demonstration at the First National Athletic Exhibition in Tokyo, which was organised by the Ministry of Education of Japan in 1922. To make the art accepted widely by the Japanese, he changed the calligraphy symbolizing “to” or “China” (which could also be pronounced as Kara) to “Kara” or “Empty”, thus naming the art Kara-te-do. The style name Shotokan was given to Funakoshi’s karate by his students. Shoto was Funakoshi’s pen name as a writer, meaning ‘pine waves’ and Kan means ‘school’. So those who trained at Funakoshi’s ‘school’ became known as the Shotokan.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Truth About Antarctic Ice Melting
The recent revelations concerning renowned environmentalist R.K. Pachauri's misuse of funds and the erroneous as well as unsubstantiated claims by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) about melting of Himalayan glaciers by 2035 stirred me to delve deeper into the issue of Global Warming.
After going through some research papers about Antarctica published by scientists of reputed organizations I came to the conclusion that they're still unaware of most aspects of the continent that holds 90 % of all the ice on planet. Data show that only the Antarctic Peninsula, which is a relatively small area, is melting and causing iceberg calving and this is only highlighted every year. As a whole Antarctica is cooling down and the ice there is thickening. I've referred to a few publications below that ought to be considered.
Interpretation of recent Antarctic sea ice variability: Antarctic sea ice has increased since 1979 (Geophysical Research Letters 31 by Liu, Curry and Martinson 2004)
Antarctic climate cooling and terrestrial ecosystem response
Peter T. Doran, John C. Priscu, W. Berry Lyons, John E. Walsh, Andrew G. Fountain, Diane M. McKnight, Daryl L. Moorhead, Ross A. Virginia, Diana H. Wall, Gary D. Clow, Christian H. Fritsen, Christopher P. McKay & Andrew N. Parsons
Nature 415, 517-520 (31 January 2002)
1. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago
12. Space Science Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, California 94035, USA
Our spatial analysis of Antarctic meteorological data demonstrates a net cooling on the Antarctic continent between 1966 and 2000, particularly during summer and autumn. The McMurdo Dry Valleys have cooled by 0.7 °C per decade between 1986 and 2000, with similar pronounced seasonal trends.
Positive Mass Balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica
Ian Joughin1 ,Slawek Tulaczyk2 (Science 18 January 2002:Vol. 295. no. 5554, pp. 476)
1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
2 Department of Earth Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz
On the secular trends in sea ice extent over the antarctic region based on OCEANSAT-1 MSMR observations
Authors: N. K. Vyas a; M. K. Dash a; S. M. Bhandari a; N. Khare b; A. Mitra b; P. C. Pandey b
| Affiliations: | a Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad 380 015, India. |
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| b National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR), Goa 403 804, India. |
Published in: International Journal of Remote Sensing, Volume 24, Issue 11 June 2003, pgs 2277 – 2287
The trend in the sea ice extent over the Antarctic region as a whole was observed to be slightly positive (0.043 million km 2 per year). Trend toward more sea-ice may be accelerating.
Variability and Trends in Antarctic Surface Temperatures from In Situ and Satellite Infrared Measurements
Josefino C. Comiso: Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland ( Journal of Climate Article: pp. 1674–1696)
It is useful to note that the Antarctic temperature record is based mainly on only a few stations, most of which are located around the periphery of the continent. The surface temperature distributions are also different from station to station and the trends can have opposite signs even in adjacent stations. The uncertainties related to inadequate spatial sampling have been studied and can be considerable.
Some of the datasets from unmanned stations were indeed found to be less consistent and have larger gaps in the data record than those of manned stations due to occasional malfunction of the sensors or the latter being buried by snow. Considering the large extent of the ice sheet and its largely varying elevation, the limited number of ice stations (some of which are clustered together in the same general areas) do not provide a good spatial coverage of the entire continent.
Typical long-term fluctuations in Antarctic surface air temperatures are provided by the Faraday and Vostok stations. The plots show contrasting seasonal cycles between the two stations. The trends in temperature from 1958 to 1998 are both positive but differ by more than an order of magnitude (e.g., 0.066° and 0.004°C yr−1, respectively). Such discrepancies are indications that Antarctic trends can be very variable. The average of the 45-yr trends from the 21 stations is 0.012°C yr−1 with 17 having positive trends and only 4 having negative trends. On the other hand, the average of the 20-yr trends is −0.008°C yr−1 with 9 stations having positive trends and 12 stations having negative trends. It is thus quite surprising that despite apparent increase in global temperatures during the last 20 years , the Antarctic region in general shows slight cooling during the period. Such cooling could partly explain the slight positive trend in sea ice extent observed during the 1979–96 period.
It should be noted that the observations from the Antarctic stations are not without errors and the sampling areas for satellite and station measurements are different. The slight cooling of the entire ice sheet observed in both in situ and satellite records during the last 20 yr is intriguing since during the same time period a general warming is being observed globally. The slight cooling detected in the entire Antarctic region is compatible with a slightly positive trend in the sea ice extent that has been observed from passive microwave data. Considering that contradictory results in the Antarctic ice extent trend have been reported a longer time series would be most desirable to gain more insights into these trend results.
The satellite data provide the only means to evaluate large-scale patterns of warming and cooling because of the paucity of Antarctic stations.
The computer models describing climate change sometimes vary by almost 400% ; so there's no concrete evidence of man-made Global Warming. Also we're in a natural warming trend that began about 1850, after we emerged from a 400 year old cold spell called the "Little Ice Age." It can be said that we shouldn't jump into conclusions regarding the climate change debate and refrain from politicizing science.
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