Our Worthy Existence..........

Me and few of my friends had been toying with an idea for quite sometime!and we finally came up with something concrete with the help of our teacher(friend,philosopher,guide)

On ryze.com,we have startd a community calld-'My worthy existence'

Its been formulated with an aim of awakening and gathering all those citizens of our country who want to act nd not just 'think' on issues that surround us 24*7..........

We were familiarised with Ryze.com only recently by our Faisal sir(IT teacher)

Its a large scale platform for various groups who have some aim in mind.....Excellent way to reach like minded and other people as well...........

Our 'aim' was not single but we had multiple aims in mind...

The first 1 being:Telling people to vote,since,elections are around the corner

We formed a community in orkut and are spreading this message through facebook 2..........

A frnd of mine replied to the thread saying:

"the problem with me is that i don't feel that any of the existing politicians are fit for anyones vote. according to me they are all stupid and they don't deserve my vote."

My reply 2 her nd others who feel like this(even i used 2 feel the same):

"i understand!many ppl say this but dats not the solution dear!since many yrs we are observing that coalition government is formed as a result of no single party getting a majority,so most of the time the party in power is engrossed in pleasing their allies on almost all issues and r concernd just in saving their 'Kursi'...Coalition govt is very unstable and has many cons.....so please just decide on a party and vote.By not VOTING u r doin more worse to the nation.......remember ds.......many politicians misuse this common thinking of ours!they lure the poor nd needy to vote for them.....but thngs vl change when educated,thinking nd responsible citizens like u and me vote!so let nothing stop u frm VOTING......"

So what are u waiting for?Last date for registration at your nearest electoral outlet is 5th feb 2008....(for Delhi,dunno about other cities)Ask ur parents about it,they must be knowing abt the procedure!So please hurry up and pass on the msg to every1 u noe!its very imp to vote!we'l keep cribbing about the system nd how bad it is but lets do sumthng about it!The least u can do is vote!! So please just not sit back and comment/blame any1 the next time u come across a problem!We all have a role 2 play......

(The orkut community link is: http: www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=22426967

do join it)

Survival.....

Everyday Nancy and Neena set out to tackle the ugly,dark,ruthless world...
One sets out as a domestic help,helping out in daily cleanliness chores which we take for granted.While,the other heads for Janpath and lays down colourful cloth mats and covers and spreads it over the ground,with a hope of selling enough to survive for a day.Survival,which,to the privileged is an alien term and yet for others a question that haunts them everyday.

There are several migrants who leave their village/home each day,catch a train and land up in a 'CITY'.A City of hope,a city of opportunities.A city that is mystical and what they dreamt of while dozing off in Chaarpai in the protected environment of their village.But a deeper,harsh reality awaits them,when they finally make it to 'The City'.

Neena was one of them.30 years back,when she was little she set out on one such journey with her parents.Life was about survival,and hardships lay at every step.Somehow,overcoming them,she grew up,got married,had kids.To feed their tiny stomachs both husband and wife started earning.

Then,one day a tragedy struck.Husband,the auto driver lost his leg in an accident.With this,the responsibility of feeding the family rested solely on Neena's shoulders!Till date she fights with her circumstances,destiny and on few occasions the police constables,who to add to her woes,harass her and her neighbour sellers on issues of 'parchi'.[Apparently,the hawkers who sell their stuff on Janpath get this 'parchi' regularly from a committee and if few are missing in their record,then they face the threat of being told to vacate their space.]

When she narrates her agony,i can't help but ask Do you feel angry on anyone,sometimes?

And with a sigh,comes the reply God.What is sad,is the fact that it takes her a lot of thinking,when asked What makes you happy?Her happiness comes only from her children and nothing else in this world.

And then,there is Nancy.A hard working woman,who earns enough to feed her children and is usually smiling.

What went wrong with her life? Well,an alcoholic husband who although earns enough.But, spends most of his earning on alcohol, and energy in beating his wife.Nancy struggles,not as much as to earn money,rather, in saving that money from her husband's eyes.

The inference one draws from Nancy and Neena's life becomes clear when we observe the roles played by their husbands.Post accident,Neena's husband stays at home,takes care of the children and even cooks.He regrets the day he ventured out,to earn but returned with a disability stamp,which has closed all doors of future opportunities on him.

Whereas,Nancy's husband gets drunk each night and makes life difficult for his wife and children.His legs and arms are functioning fine,he has a job which pays but it seems that he takes his working body parts for granted.

In our day-to-day life.There are so many things which we take for granted.

The food,shelter,clothing.Our sound body and mind.We,crib so much about anything and everything that comes our way.We have this long list of complaints for god,So many times we hear ourselves say,"Ye mere saath hee kyun hua".We behave as if our problem is the toughest and biggest in this world.Now,Come to think of those who begin their day with prayers like:

"I wish am able to earn a little more than yesterday,am ready to do hard work for it";

"Please,god let today be that day when my kids can go to sleep with a full stomach";

"Let them not wake up and say in the middle of the night-Maa bhook lagi hain!"

Lets realise that god has given us just this 1 life,and we must not let him down.

As neena puts in,"Jab tak haath-pair chalenge,main kaam karungi,kamaungi!"

VIP?

Who are VIPs and Why do they behave the way they

do?

Well,VIPs include Govt officials-Bureaucrats,politicians etc.

I am angry due to an incident that happened today:

Today evening,at about 4:30pm,me,my sis(she was driving) and my mum were coming back from Bhogal,Jangpura Extension towards Ashram.Suddenly,we heard a siren and saw a VIP car (escorted by a Pilot car and escort car) passing by.They had the time,resources and audacity to put the national emblem and a beacon on their car but not a simple number plate and when my sis pointed this out to a security person seated inside the escort car,(through her window,while driving) his reply was "Aapne abhi No. plate dekhi nahin hain,madam" Watever that meant!

I immediately clikd a few pics from my mobile and sent them to Metro Now with a small description of that incident.

What i am proud of,is the fact that this was not solely my decision,infact it was my mum and my sis who first pointed out the car to me.I had heard a siren,but i was busy reading a novel in the backseat.When we all noticed the missing no. plate,it was my mum and sis who encouraged me to click the pics.Infact i was so engrossed in trying to peek into the tinted windows of the VIP car,that it din't strike me!I am so proud of them!Both of them were least bothered or scared to voice their opinion towards the whole issue....Infact 3 of the cars(the VIP car,the escort car behind it and the pilot car in front of it) were moving side by side with our car, for atleast 5mins...and while i was clicking pics,the security personnel noticed and were pointing towards us......

VIPs misuse their power to get whatever they want!In this case,getting through the traffic,ahead of others.The road is equally ours,as much as theirs.Can't they respect the fact that on the road,outside their Govt offices(including the Parliament) they are like any other normal civilians and should behave like one too.

The use of the siren and the beacon light appalls me.Since, the Republic Day is approaching, yesterday's incident was,in a way, a breach of security.Any terrorist can hire a car with tinted windows and 2 additional cars and move out on the roads as a VIP.No one will question anyone,thinking that the person is a genuine VIP(because of the siren and the beacon).....Isn't this scary?As we saw,the basic identification of a car-the no. plate,could be missing and yet no one would question it/issue a chalan,if the person in question was a VIP!

I also realised from this incident that there is a journalist/activist inside each one of us which comes out in such times.................

I am still wondering who that VIP was?Because the person had heavy security,even when the car used to stop,there was this 1 guard with a gun who used to stand besides the door to the passenger seat....................

The Messiahs

The two Messiahs(saviors) we witnessed in 2007 were R.K Pachauri and Al Gore who did what many had tried earlier,but with a tremendous result!They awakened the world on the alarming issue of Global warming.

They were honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize,for the same,on December 10,2007.

Mr.R.K Pachauri heads, a body-The Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),established in 1988 jointly by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to address the problem of potential global climate change.The panel has been given the award for its efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change, the Nobel committee said.

Pachauri has been heading the IPCC since 2002 and active in several international forums dealing with the subject of climate change and its policy dimensions.

Mr. Al Gore,the former US vice president featured in the documentary:

'An inconvenient Truth',addressing the issue of Global warming.Gore warned that humanity is facing a "planetary emergency".

The reach of the message given out by both the prominent figures was widespread and conferred with the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize,they were taken seriously and so was their warning........

Also,The 13th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Third Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol were held in Bali, Indonesia, from December 3 to 15, 2007.Delegates from about 190 nations had gathered.

The big polluters - Saudi Arabia, US and Canada. All three earned the first "Fossil of the Day Awards" at the climate change talks in Bali on the first day, with each receiving a little sack of coal adorned with their national flags at a mock award ceremony.

Kyoto Protocol is a treaty established in 1997, by United Nations, which requires its signatories to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons methane, nitrogen oxides, and sulphur hexafluoride(greenhouse gases).The actual commitment period, however, starts from January 2008,until December 2012. Although the American delegation signed the protocol, the United States Senate has refused to ratify the treaty citing that the climate agreement represents 'Unacceptable economic costs' for them.

An Adaptation Fund Board on climate change was also created during the meet, which will clear and pass on funds to the countries to carry out adaptation activities.

In the meanwhile,Scientists say that sea levels have already risen 17 centimeters during the 20th century, most of it due to the simple fact that warm water has a larger volume than cold water as mentioned in IPCC's report[http://knowledge.allianz.com]

Pachauri,has already declared that the world has a window of seven years to reverse the effects of global warming.

Only time will tell whether Kyoto signatories are able to cut down emissions by prescribed norms.Depending on which the 2nd phase starting from 2012,will be thought upon.

When will U.S ratify the protocol?

How supportive each nation will be towards each other?

What futher changes we'l witness in our environment?

Will those changes occur earlier than the stipulated time?

Will the danger zones(to be affected first) get the attention they desperately need?

The answers to these questions,will shape our future.......

GLOBAL WARNING!

Global Warming is the increase in average temperature of earth's surface and oceans.....

The major cause being increase in emission of Carbon dioxide,methane etc...and although a natural increase in these gases has been observed.But, since industrialisation, many anthropogenic causes(human related) have been discussed,debated and supported with evidence,which has been accepted somewhere and rejected otherwise...

The two opposite stands are:

1)Global warming is a natural phenomenon,it has been happenning since beginning of mankind and will continue to do so,it cannot be reverted.Human contribution is negligible.

2)In light of industrialisation,which led to large scale carbon emissions,which continues to be observed even now,and,Deforestation(inc in Carbon dioxide),burning of fossil fuels and various other human activities,the temp has risen considerably over few decades,than it could have naturally.

The former stand is usually taken by developed nations like U.S(which is also the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases) and latter by developing nations(who will be the most affected if temp continues to rise)

IF the warming of atmosphere continues with inc pace,then:

The melting of ice caps,glaciers of antarctica will increase the sea level;

With the inc in sea level,flooding of coastal areas and other low lying areas will take place(most of which are in africa and asia);

Occurence of extreme weather situations and change in amount and pattern of precipitation will take place;

Weather changes will lead to extinction of plant and animal species(which we have begun to experience);

The carbon dioxide emissions will also turn oceans more acidic, killing coral

reefs and the microscopic plankton that blue whales and other marine mammals depend on for food;

A UN network of scientists had recently reported that "Most of the species in the wet tropics would be reduced to ... 15% of their current habitat." Globally, 30% of the Earth's species could disappear if temperatures rise 4.5ºF — and up to 70%, if they rise 6.3ºF.............

The hardest hit will include plants and animals in colder climates or at higher elevations and those with limited ranges or little tolerance for temperature change

The countdown has begun-

~Butterflies that lived at high altitudes in North America and southern France have vanished, and polar bears and penguins are watching their habitat melt away........

What future holds,is terrifying.......

A Beginning....

So 2007 has gone by and New year has begun!!!What are your plans?

Partying more,eating out more,studying more,making more money etc etc

But what are your plans about ENVIRONMENT?

If your answer is:

"Who cares about that?"

Or

"Yeah,i care but dunno what to do",then

STOP and THINK

Its not that tough,you don't need to be an angel or nerd/geek to take steps towards saving our environment.

You dont need to be embarrassed and shy by the thought of stopping someone from littering places,

telling ppl to switch off lights/fans when not in use,save resources,plant trees................

Yes,small small steps helps!You dont need to be a big-wig or in authority to take measures!after all its everyone's environment and we can do our bit.............

Like our daily routine-sleeping,eating,bathing etc. Why can't we incorporate,'Keeping our environment clean' as well?

Whats wrong in that?I have seen the most posh flats/bungalows sparkling from inside but equally dirty,surroundings wise.....The age old tradition of keeping our homes clean by throwing out garbage,dirt,waste etc out of one's door/window disgusts me...

spitting on the roads,peeing on roadsides adds to the woes............

C'mon,there is another world outside your home,which is your SECOND HOME,indeed.So,the least you can do,is keep it clean coz after all,it is too, your 'home'!!!

So start wise,start today!!And to begin,January 15 seems to be perfect!!

VISIONARIES 2020,an organisation,has called for all Delhites to switch off all lights of their houses for 15 min,from 9:00pm......its a small beginning from someone's side,so lets join in and bring more people together in this..............