Ripples In A Teacup

 Kwanzaa starts tomorrow, December 26 th and goes on until January 1 st , culminating in a communal feast called Karamu. Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture that was invented and promoted by Maulana Karenga, a Black American leader. Karenga was active in the Black Power movement of the 1960s. He was a part of the Congress of Racial Equality and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. In 1965, Karenga and Hakim Jamal co-founded the black nationalist group US Organization, which became involved in violent clashes with the Black Panther Party by 1969. In 1971, he was convicted of felony assault, torture, and false imprisonment of women. Karenga denied involvement and claimed the prosecution was political in nature. Karenga was imprisoned in California Men's Colony until he received parole in 1975. Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966 to be a non-Christian, specifically African-American, holiday, that would be an alternative for black people to Christmas. Ka

  Last Friday, November 3, 2023, yet another shooting incident took place in the US, this time at Cincinnati. A sick person driving a dark sedan fired 22 rounds in quick succession at a bunch of people, mainly children, standing at an intersection. One 11-year old boy died and four other children and an adult were injured. Two of the children attended Cincinnati Preparatory Academy, including the boy who was killed. The other three attended Cincinnati public schools. One of the injured victims remains hospitalized in stable condition, while the others have been discharged. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, who called the shooting "sickening and unimaginable," said the kids were playing outside when the shots rang out on the city’s West End. The scene is just a short walk from a day care, a girls' dance studio, and a playground.    "Twenty-two rounds were fired," Pureval said. "Twenty-two rounds in a moment – into a crowd of kids. No time to respond. No time

Australians have voted against proposals to change their constitution to recognise a formal body for Indigenous people which would give advice on laws. The referendum (called Australia's Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum and also as The Voice referendum) which took place last Saturday asked voters whether they wanted to recognise their Indigenous people in their constitution, and whether they wanted to introduce an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament. The proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament was meant to be a formal body for Indigenous Australians that would give advice to the Australian government on issues affecting Indigenous Australian communities. Those who campaigned in favour of the proposals argued the vote was important for many Indigenous Australians who aren't currently recognised in Australia's 122-year-old constitution. The campaign against these proposals claimed that if implemented, the Aborigi

Global warming has many side-effects, one of which is the exacerbation of coral bleaching. Another side-effect is  the proliferation of crown-of-thorns starfish, which are resistant to marine heatwaves and devour coral reefs . The crown-of-thorns starfish (frequently abbreviated to COTS), Acanthaster planci, is a large starfish that preys upon hard, or stony, coral polyps (Scleractinia). The crown-of-thorns starfish receives its name from venomous thorn-like spines that cover its upper surface, resembling the biblical crown of thorns. It is one of the largest starfish in the world. New information about the crown-of-thorns starfish has come from research led by Professor Maria Byrne from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney and published in the journal Global Change Biology.  Byrne and colleagues found that juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish had a higher heat tolerance than not only coral, but also adults of the same species. It has been found that j

My thoughts are in a whirl as I absorb the news that is still pouring in from Israel and the Gaza strip. I should state upfront that I am no expert on the Israel-Palestine dispute. It is very clear that Israel has been taken totally unawares by the Hamas offensive – definitely a colossal intelligence failure for a country which has a very good reputation in this department. The much vaunted Iron Dome was overwhelmed by over 2,200 rockets fired over a space of just twenty minutes. There is no doubt that Sunni Hamas has been funded and supported by external parties. Shia Iran is most likely the main backer and it is possible that the small-but-ambitious Qatar has also opened its wallet for Hamas’s benefit. Israel and Saudi Arabia were on the verge of entering into a historic peace deal and now KSA has come out in support of Hamas . Saudi Arabia possibly had no option but to voice support for Hamas, given public opinion in the Kingdom. There has been so much suffering endured by the pe

For the first time in the 234-year history of the US Congress, the speaker of the House of Representatives was removed by a motion to vacate, when, last Tuesday, a small coterie of Republicans ejected Kevin McCarthy . Mr McCarthy had been appointed to the speaker’s post only in January 2023! It had taken McCarthy 15 rounds of voting to secure the position in January . In the House of Representatives, the only way Mr McCarthy could ascend to the speakership, after a humiliating 15 rounds of voting, was to make a series of apparently contradictory promises to members of his own side—and then agree to a rule whereby any one of 222 Republicans could bring forward a motion to replace him. Why did the Republicans turn against one of their own? Faced with the threat of a federal government shutdown , Speaker Kevin McCarthy dropped demands for steep spending cuts and relied on Democratic votes for passage of a funding package that left behind aid to Ukraine , but increased federal disaster a

  France has banned French athletes from donning the hijab, the Islamic headscarf, at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This announcement was made by French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera, during a segment on French TV. Paris will be hosting the Olympics from July 26, 2024, to August 11, 2024. This announcement has resulted in a wave of criticism. "No one should impose on a woman what she needs to wear or not wear," United Nations rights office spokeswoman Marta Hurtado told reporters in Geneva. To be fair to French Sports Minister Ameili Oudea-Castera, she was merely reiterating French law. French laws prohibit the wearing of "ostentatious" religious symbols in some contexts, such as in state schools and by civil servants. France was the first European country to ban wearing a full-face veil in 2010. The education ministry also made a similar statement and has banned school students from wearing abayas . In June, France's Council of State upheld a ban on wom

Today a new session started in the Indian Parliament and a bill that provides for reservations for women in various legislatures was introduced. In the in Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament) and all state legislative assemblies, one-third of the total number of seats to be filled by direct elections shall be reserved for women. Further, one-third of the seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes shall also be reserved for women. Interestingly, today’s session was the first sesion in the new Parliament building which has cost the Indian tax payer a pretty penny. The Women's Reservation Bill seeks to amend the Indian constitution by introducing the following new provisions in the Constitution. These are: New clause in 239AA: This provides for reservations for women in the Delhi Legislative Assembly. New Article – 330A: This provides for reservations for women in the Lok Sabha Assembly. New Article – 332A: This provides for reservations for women in every state l

  I’m back after a two-week break for my first term exams and what do I see? Donald Trump has said that Joe Biden is “not too old” but “grossly incompetent”. I disagree. I   don’t think Biden is incompetent at all. However, his age might sway some voters against him. Across the board, polls about the 2024 presidential election show President Joe Biden and ex-president Donald Trump are neck-and-neck . Democracts are definitely worried. Trump is still very popular among large sections of the voting population. Vivek Ramaswamy has anounced that if he becomes the US president in 2024 he will ‘gut’ the H-1B visa programme which he said is an “indentured servitude". He further asserted that the lottery-based system will be replaced with more-effective meritocratic admission. As an Indian resident who hopes to migrate to the US, I have mixed feelings about the H1B and wouldn’t mind if it is replaced with something better. Vivek Ramaswamy also plans to fire over 75% of the fede

Nikki Haley , born as Nimarata Randhawa, is one of the Republican contenders to be US president. Like all other Republicans, Nikki is tough on illegal immigrants. She actually voted in favor of a law that requires employers to be able to prove that newly hired employees are legal residents of the United States, and also requires all immigrants to carry documentation at all times proving that they are legally in the United States. Haley is pro-life and has supported legislation to restrict abortion. Haley, the only female competitor in the GOP race, has not made her gender central to her campaign pitch. Instead, she has zeroed in on the need for a new generation of leadership. What else does Haley stand for? Yes, Haley thinks Vivek Ramaswamy does not have any foreign policy experience . Why does Haley think so? Because, apparently, Ramaswamy doesn’t support Israel . Or rather, Haley thinks Ramaswamy will abandon Israel! Ramaswamy has been quick to deny such an allegation. He went on to

As of now, it is yet to be confirmed whether President Biden will run for President once again. He most probably will, but lets wait to hear it from him. Irrespective of that, there are a few democrats who are gunning for a Democratic nomination for the 2024 elections. Robert F. Kennedy Jr is one of them. Kennedy Jr., is the son of former US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy. That’s an amazing pedigree, but I don’t support Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Why don’t I? RF Kennedy Jr is known for advocating anti-vaccine misinformation and public health-related conspiracy theories. Since 2005, Kennedy Jr has promoted a link between vaccines and autism, something scientifically discredited. He is also the founder and chairman of Children's Health Defense , an anti-vaccine advocacy group. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kennedy emerged as a leading proponent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation in the United States and he attached Anthony Fauci .

Indian-American Vivek Ramaswamy, one of the contenders for a Republican nomination for the US presidential race, has surged ahead as one of the frontrunners in the Republican field . Ramaswamy is now tied with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for the second place according to a new poll. Is Ramaswamy a significant player? You bet. DeSantis has reportedly been advised to “defend Donald Trump” and “hammer Vivek Ramaswamy”. Ramaswamy is a wealthy man. His immense personal wealth comes from a career as an investment banker and the biotech firm he founded. So, Ramaswamy can finance his campaign and is mostly likely to do so, without relying on donations. Ramaswamy’s roots can be traced back to Palakkad in Kerala. My parents too have their roots in Kerala! Elon Musk has endorsed Ramaswamy! Do I support Ramaswamy? Not really. What’s Ramaswamy’s plan to end the Ukraine war? Ramaswamy proposes a deal by which Russia will end its alliance with China. In exchange, NATO will not admit Ukraine. Ramas

  If China becomes the leading superpower, what would that mean for the people who live there? What would it mean for everyone else? I pick up my magic crystal and gaze into it. China has become the leading superpower. Every Han Chinese person is rich, the streets in China are paved with jade and everyone eats pork noodles from out of cups of gold using silver chopsticks. China is no longer polluted and its cities are sparking clean with excellent infrastructure and world class public transport. All over the world, outside China, people are desperately poor, eating Chow Mein with bits of factory-made-tofu, and speaking Mandarin. No one speaks English anymore. Yes, I am just kidding.   Probably. After the second world war, the United States became the world’s leading superpower. The end of the Great Depression coincided with the beginning of the Second world war and so, from 1929 till 1945, the people of the United States lived through difficult times. However, after the end of WWII

Over the past week, catastrophic wildfires destroyed many Hawaiian towns killing more than 100 people and displacing thousands of people. The fires, which are believed to be the deadliest in the US in the last century, erupted on three of Hawaii’s islands forcing visitors to flee and residents to seek emergency shelter. It is possible that power lines likely caused Maui's first reported fire. Since the beginning of August, most of Maui has been under an “abnormally dry” level of drought, according to the US Drought Monitor . But beginning on Tuesday, 8 August, a portion of Maui escalated to a “severe drought” level making the area more susceptible to wildfires. Though the islands are no stranger to some wildfires, the number of fires has increased exponentially over the past century due to human activity and an increase in invasive, flammable grasses, according to the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO). “Nonnative grasslands and shrublands now cover nearly one-quarter

Several years ago, while I was immersed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, my mother suggested that I watch the Dark Knight trilogy. At the time, I didn’t expect much from it. I was caught surprised there though, in fact I was virtually blown away by the way the story was told. I watched those movies multiple times and each time I was struck by another angle, another insight, another twist and I became an official Christopher Nolan fan. Oppenheimer was pure cinematic brilliance, an intellectually and visually stunning piece of work from which I could not disengage even for a second. As a student of science, it was just fascinating to watch the academics bring to fruition what they set out to achieve For the first time, I felt rather appreciative of my textbook knowledge of scientists names and accomplishments, Einstein, Neils Bohr, Fermi and Heisenberg are all scattered in the tumultuous political landscape of their times . It was amazing to see on screen all their personal and moral di

  I am fascinated by Shiva Ayyadurai , a Mumbai-born American, who is running for President as an independent candidate. Ayyadurai is an extremely interesting person. Though running as an independent and claiming to serve America beyond the “left” and “right” , he seems to be very much right-wing. Currently, Ayyadurai is the Founder and CEO of CytoSolve, Inc, which is discovering cures for major diseases from pancreatic cancer to Alzheimer's. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ayyadurai ran a social media COVID-19 disinformation campaign which spread conspiracy theories about the cause of COVID-19 and promoted unfounded COVID-19 treatments. Ayyadurai even campaigned to fire Anthony Fauci for allegedly being a deep state actor. In 2015, Ayyadurai questioned the safety of genetically modified food. Apparently, his studies had found that genetically modified soya bean plants had less capacity to get rid of toxins such as formaldehyde compared to non-GM counterparts. He bet a building wort

Five days ago, on July 26th, Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden appeared in court to plead guilty to federal tax crimes and it appeared that the controversial investigation against Hunter Biden would draw to a close. However, the hearing didn’t go as scheduled. As per the plea bargain announced in June , Hunter was to be charged with two misdemeanour counts for failing to pay his taxes on time in 2017 and 2018. Hunter was also to admit that he had illegally possessed a gun while being a drug user. In exchange, Hunter would be spared serious felony charges which could lead to imprisonment. Hunter also had to agree to take treatment for drug abuse and be subject to monitoring. How did the deal fall through? I’m no lawyer and I’m not sure I’ve understood this fully,  but let me take a crack at explaining. In a plea bargain, the defendant broadly admits to his criminal conduct and prosecutors agree to only file charges for some of these crimes, as well as promise that they won’t bring charges fo

Former President Donald Trump is acontender to be the next American president . Trump has been recently indicatedon three additional charges . The most recent charges involve the illegal possession of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. What am I missing? How can such a person be in the running to be the next President of the United States. Donald Trump is the front-runner among Republican hopefuls seeking to defeat Joe Biden. Why aren’t there better Republican candidates who can appeal to ordinary Americans who support the Republican party? At a very recent Iowa campaign event for the Republican party's annual Lincoln Dinner fundraiser , Trump told attendees that he was the only candidate who can win next year's election and suggested this was the only reason he faces a raft of criminal and civil charges. Polls have shown that Mr Trump leads over his rivals even as his legal woes mount. Donald Trump’s chief rival Ron DeSantis is so far behind Trump that it

 Folks, "College Days" a short story I wrote at the height of Covid (those dark times) has now been published on Spillwords . Here's the link .  I hope such a dystopian vision never becomes a reality!