New review confirms GMOs not harmful to health

A new expert review has confirmed what we suspected all along. GMOs are safe. New report is from the US Academy of Science

Genetically engineered crops are safe for humans and animals to eat and have not caused increases in cancer, obesity, gastrointestinal illnesses, kidney disease, autism or allergies, an exhaustive report from the National Academies of Science released Tuesday found.

Work on the 388-page report began two years ago and was conducted by a committee of more than 50 scientists, researchers and agricultural and industry experts convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. It reviewed more than 900 studies and data covering the 20 years since genetically modified crops were first introduced.

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Election time again

Today was the day of voting to elect members of state legislatures who will form new governments in two southern Indian states of Kerala and Tamilnadu.

Women standing in queue to cast their vote during assembly elections in Coimbatore on Monday. PTI photo

Women standing in queue to cast their vote during assembly elections in Coimbatore on Monday. PTI photo

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Himalayan thoughts

Holidaying in the tallest mountain ranges on the planet earth, the Himalayas, has made me study the incredible history of its origin. It’s a story that will convince you again that there is no intelligent designer designing the universe.

Image as we flew above the mighty peaks

Image as we flew above the mighty peaks

Himalayas, though the tallest mountain range, is also the youngest. The range began to form only about 50 million years ago as a result of collision of Indian plate and Eurasian plate.

About 225 million years ago, India was a large island still situated off the Australian coast, and a vast ocean (called Tethys Sea) separated India from the Asian continent. When Pangaea broke apart about 200 million years ago, India began to forge northward. By studying the history — and ultimately the closing– of the Tethys, scientists have reconstructed India’s northward journey. About 80 million years ago, India was located roughly 6,400 km south of the Asian continent, moving northward at a rate of about 9 m a century. When India rammed into Asia about 40 to 50 million years ago, its northward advance slowed by about half. The collision and associated decrease in the rate of plate movement are interpreted to mark the beginning of the rapid uplift of the Himalayas.

 

Himalayas, it seems is still growing tall, about a centimetre a year, due to continuing push of Indian plate on to Asian mass. At the same time, erosion due to climatic forces is preventing more rapid growth.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/himalaya.html

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/himalaya.html

We stayed in Leh, Ladakh, at a height above sea level of about 3500 metres (11500 feet ). We went up to a height of 5359 m (17,582 ft) when we visited the snow-covered Khardung la pass.

 

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Many historical and mythological figures are supposed to have got enlightenment by visiting and meditating in the  Himalayas. But none, it seems, where aware how dramatic is the history of formation of this mountain range. It was only through the hard work of scientists working in the field of geology that we got enlightened about the origin of Himalayas. Meditation, it proved, can never match evidence gathering and experiments to attain knowledge.

This short visit to the Himalayas has enlightened me  about the history of our planet, where I could see different forces of nature shaping the spontaneous unfolding of mega  events without any interference of a creator.

To know more about the origin of Himalayas see this informative documentary

 

 

Off to Himalayas for enlightenment

Traditional Indian way of becoming a Jnani or a man of wisdom ( yes it was always a man) was to go to Himalayas to meditate. I am also going to do that this week. Beware of very wise articles in coming days -:) .

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Ancient Indians thought anyone who have gone to Himalayas and did meditations for months to years knew the answers to deep questions of life. Of course the difficult journey, tough climate and harsh life that make you confront directly with the reality of nature should make you wiser in some way.

But the concept of abandoning life and getting “real” wisdom by meditating in Himalayan caves became a real hindrance to development of Indian society. Instead of respecting those artisans, craftsmen, farmers and physicians who gain knowledge by studying nature and doing experiments while they work, those who do yogic meditation became more respectable and powerful. The ultimate goal of life became attaining moksha and the way to attain it was to meditate. India abandoned experimental falsifiable evidence to “evidences” gathered from thoughts based on personal mental experiences and crude logic. Texts written based on such experiences began to be known as “scientific” and real science was left behind. Thus there came a stand still in development of science and technology for more than 1000 years.

Sad part is even modern India, living under a myth created of past glory, is giving more importance to anecdotal pseudo science than evidence based falsifiable real science.

Wage gap as wide as ever

Generally the family driver is best paid while the maid is only paid around half of what the driver makes. The driver also trumps nanny salaries, suggesting people are willing to dish out more to take care of their cars than their kids.

Findings of a recent study on wage gap among domestic workers in India brings no surprise. If you are a male, you will be paid more regardless of the importance, severity or duration of work.

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Sadly there is no sign of any end to this gender discrimination.

India and Europe goes tougher on tobacco

In a welcome move, courts in India and European Union has upheld the usage of big pictorial warnings on cigarette packs.

Report from India:

The Supreme Court told tobacco companies on Wednesday they must adhere to a new central rule requiring much larger health warnings on cigarette packs, in a major setback for the $11 billion industry that opposes the new policy.
The Supreme Court turned down a plea to stay implementation of the new rules introduced from April 1, which require health warnings to cover 85 per cent of a cigarette pack’s surface, up from 20 per cent earlier.
In a packed courtroom, a two-judge bench rejected the industry’s plea to extend a stay it had obtained from a Karnataka court but agreed to a request to move the rest of the appeals to the Karnataka court.
“You have duty towards the society,” the judges told a team of industry lawyers, which included some of the most expensive advocates in the country.
The industry “should not violate any rule prevailing as of today”, they said.

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Another gruesome rape-murder raises the same wrong questions

Three men were detained on Tuesday for the brutal rape-murder of a 29-year-old Dalit law student in a small town near Kerala’s Kochi last week, a crime that drew comparisons with the Delhi 2012 gang rape.
Police said two of the detained suspects are neighbours of the woman, who was alone at home and found in a pool of blood by her mother when she returned from work around 8pm on April 28.
“We have some leads in the case,” additional DGP K Padmakumar said.
The autopsy revealed she was savagely assaulted with sharp-edged weapons after being raped. The body bore at least 30 cut wounds, her abdomen was slashed and intestines were ripped apart.
The traumatised mother is bedridden in a hospital. “We had complained to police about the danger to our lives. The tragedy could have been averted had they taken timely action,” she said.

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Hypernationalist love for pseudo science

Some ayurveda practitioners have told me that doctors prescribing allopathy medicines often advise patients not to opt for ayurveda. Such doctors are anti-nationals,

Ayurveda is one of the oldest medical systems in the world and we should be proud of it. How can anyone oppose ayurveda when the whole world is showing interest in it and trying to find remedies of diseases that modern medical science cannot?

S.Y.Naik,Indian Health Minster (Alternative Medicine- Ayush)

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