Physically Challenged People

December 3 - International Day of Disabled People

How is disability defined?

Definition as stated in the Accessibility Act:

1. Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
2. A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
3. A learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
4. A mental disorder,
5. An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997; (“handicap”)

The world has heard of the illustrious mathematician and physicist, Albert Einstein, whose name is indelibly etched in the ‘Theory of Relativity’. But did you know that Albert Einstein suffered a learning disability and could not speak till he turned three years old? Einstein also had a problem with Maths in school. And, if he could go on to become a world famous Mathematician, it is undoubtedly, the will to surmount odds as well as the support enabled by the environment to fight the battle, turning his disability into an advantage.

It is estimated that nearly 610 million people are existing with disabilities across the world. In India alone, nearly 60 million people suffer disabilities. 'International Day of Disabled Persons' is a yearly reminder of what each nation, community, group, and individual can offer to improve the conditions for the disabled as well as muster world-wide assistance and support, to champion the rights of people living with disabilities.

'E-Accessibility', is the theme of the International Day of Disabled, 3rd December, 2006. People with disabilities often find it difficult to access information and communication technologies simply because information that is presently available is not designed to suit the needs of disabled people. Even the World Wide Web which should be universal is often difficult to navigate for the disabled. Inspite of access to information technology that has created new vistas for many, the disabled are simply at a loss to draw the benefits from these technological advances, because of inaccessible formats and design that hamper their active participation. Many of the websites are also inaccessible to the blind and the visually impaired.

On this day, several groups and initiatives around the world will seek to raise the awareness on the rights of persons suffering disabilities. The objective of this day will revolve around exploring better ways of accessing information and communication technologies that are as much a right to the disabled, as it is to the rest of the population. Significantly, it will be a day to help the disabled integrate into society by ironing out the impediments in their lives.

'Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities'
This is our theme for this year's International Day of Disabled People on 3 December 2007. In every society very few persons with disabilities are gainfully employed.

In fact, in most countries up to 80% of persons with disabilities of working age are unemployed. Most others are under-employed or will never have access to the labour market.

Everywhere there is a sizable gap between the working conditions and employment trends of persons with disabilities and those without a disability.

All too often persons with disabilities are dependent upon begging, handouts, and welfare for their livelihood, not through any meaningful employment.

'Knowledge is love and light and vision', said Helen Keller, who herself a severely disabled woman, deaf-mute and blind, yet fought against her disability to become a world famous speaker and author. Helen Keller championed the cause of the disabled and indeed it is only through knowledge that the disabled will be able to overcome their handicap to fulfill the purpose of their lives.

AIDS

December 1 - World Aids Day

What are STDs?
STD stands for Sexually Transmitted Disease (sometimes called Sexually Transmitted Infection). This is an infection which can be caught by having sexual contact with someone who is infected.

What is HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. People can become infected with HIV and they can pass it on to other people. A person infected with HIV is infected for life. People infected with HIV can look and feel well for a long time.

What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. A person is said to have AIDS if they are infected with HIV and in addition they have developed one of a number of particularly severe illnesses. There is currently no cure for AIDS and no vaccine to prevent it.

How can people become infected with HIV?
There are a number of ways you can become infected. These include:

• Having sexual intercourse with some who is infected.
• Injecting drugs using a needle or syringe which has already been used by an infected person.
• An infected pregnant woman can pass the virus on to her unborn baby either before or during birth. HIV can also be passed on during breastfeeding.
• Blood transfusions are a possible route of transmission, although most countries now screen the blood supply from HIV, meaning the risk is extremely small.
• Oral sex is a possible risk, although infection from oral sex (blowjobs) on its own seems to be quite rare.

You can't become infected by:

• Sharing a cup or cutlery with someone who is infected.
• Eating food prepared by someone who is infected.
• Touching, hugging, kissing or general contact with an infected person.
• Using the same toilet as someone with HIV.

What's the difference between HIV and AIDS?
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. AIDS is a serious condition in which the body's defences against some illnesses are broken down. This means that people with AIDS can get many different kinds of diseases which a healthy person's body would normally fight off quite easily.

How long does it take for HIV to cause AIDS?
The length of time between being infected with HIV and being diagnosed with AIDS depends on lots of different things. These days, there are many drugs that can be used to help people with HIV, and most doctors believe that a lot of people can be treated for a long time. Many people do not know exactly when they were infected with HIV, and the length of time between this happening and them being diagnosed with AIDS can be very variable.

So how can i protect myself?
Using condoms during sex will help to protect you. However, some STDs can be transmitted in other ways, such as kissing. You shouldn't have sexual contact with anyone who has visible sores or genital rashes.

What is safe sex?
Safe sex means sexual activities which you can do even if one person is infected with an STD that won't pass it on to the other person. Loads of activities are completely safe. You can kiss, cuddle, massage and rub each other's bodies. Nothing you do on your own can cause you to get an STD - you can't for example infect yourself by masturbation.

What is safer sex?
Safer sexual activities are things that aren't always completely safe, but mean you've taken precautions to reduce the risks. An example of this is using condoms. Using a condom is not absolutely safe as condoms can break, but they are generally very effective if they are used correctly.

Eye Donation

October 12 - World Sight Day

Why should Eyes be donated?
There is no substitute for human tissue. The transplantation process depends upon the priceless gift of cornea donation from one human to the next. The use of artificial tissue for transplantation has been unsuccessful.

Why you should consider Eye Donation?
There are lakhs of Children and adults in India who are blind. They know only one colour BLACK. If you donate your eyes, you are giving vision to two blind people and making their life self dependent and joyful.

The gift of sight that will dramatically improve the quality of life for a person who has otherwise lived a life of total darkness.

Where are we in Corneal Transplantation?
There is a severe lack of donor eyes in India and only 5,000 operations are being performed every year, while more than 30,000 new victims are added each year to the total list of 7 lakhs patients to be cured. In spite of having professional surgeons, corneal transplantation cannot be carried out due to lack of donor corneas. In India there are more than 80 lakh deaths every year but sadly the corneal donations do not exceed a few thousand.

The reason for this may be

• Lack of awareness in General public
• Improper development of infrastructure in villages
• Absence of motivation even among the trained personnel
• Social & religious taboos.

Who can Donate Eyes ?
Anyone can donate eyes. It does not matter even if you

• Have undergone any eye surgery
• Poor Eyesight
• Wear glasses
• Diabetic
• Hypertensive
• Extremes of Age

What should be the Age of the Donor?
There is no limit for Age. Eyes from all the age groups can be used for transplantation.

Can a living person donate his eyes?
No, Eyes are not taken from a living person. It can only be removed after death. Anybody can pledge to However, donate his eyes and his wish can be fulfilled by his kin after his demise.

What part of the eye is transplanted ?
Although the entire eye is removed from the body, it is only the CORNEA that can be transplanted.

Will eye donation affect the appearance of the donor?
No, Artificial eyes can be fitted in place so no disfigurement of the body will be there.

Does eye donation cause delay in the funeral process?
No, because time required for removal of eyes is only 15 minutes. Moreover eye bank personnel come to a place wherever the body of the deceased is kept. The body need not be shifted to Eye Bank.

How successful is corneal transplantation?
Over 90% of all corneal transplant operations successfully restore the corneal recipient's vision.

What happens if corneas are not suitable for transplant?
Donors and eyes are carefully evaluated. If your corneas are found to be unsuitable for surgery, the sclera (or white part of the eye) may still be suitable for Donation.

Are any costs involved in eye donation?
No fees are charged from the Family. The Eye Bank of India will rush a doctor to the donor's home. This is a free service in the public interest.

What can you do for Eye Bank ?
INFORM the Eye Bank if unfortunately there is death among the relatives
JOIN HANDS with us for the movement of EYE DONATION
MOTIVATE family members of the person who has died in your area.
SPREAD information about eye donation
Your WORD OF MOUTH will help the movement
YOUR WILLINGNESS to donate eyes of your close relative after death will be greatly appreciated by the blind who will now have sight.
You can ENROLL your name for voluntary eye donation
You can offer your SERVICE to eye bank in any form

Eye Bank in INDIA

Tobacco Smoking?

May 31 - Anti tobacco day

Effects
The effects of smoking will vary from person to person and depend on such things as:

• a person's susceptibility to chemicals in tobacco smoke;
• the number of cigarettes smoked per day;
• the age when the person began smoking; and
• the number of years of smoking.

Immediate effects

• Smoking one cigarette immediately raises a person's blood pressure and heart rate and decreases the blood flow to body extremities such as the fingers and toes.
• Brain and the nervous system activity is stimulated for a short time and then reduced.
• A smoker may also experience dizziness, nausea, watery eyes and acid in the stomach.
• Appetite, taste and smell are weakened.

Other effects of cigarette smoking

• Smokers typically experience shortness of breath, persistent coughs, reduced fitness, yellow stains on fingers and teeth and decreased sense of taste and smell.
• Smokers have more colds and flu than non-smokers and find it harder to recover from minor illnesses.
• Smoking can cause impotence in men, while women who smoke are less fertile than non-smokers.
• People who smoke tend to have facial wrinkles appearing much earlier and, in general, look older than non-smokers of the same age.

Smokers have an increased risk of developing:

• respiratory infections such as pneumonia and chronic bronchitis;
• emphysema (a progressive and potentially fatal lung disease);
• heart attack and coronary disease;
• cancer of the lung, throat, mouth, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, stomach;
• stomach ulcers; and
• peripheral vascular disease due to decreased blood flow to the legs.

A person who is dependent on cigarettes may find that they experience withdrawal symptoms when they cut down or stop smoking cigarettes. These can include:

• increased nervousness and tension;
• agitation;
• loss of concentration;
• changes to sleep patterns;
• headaches;
• coughs;
• cravings.

Other dangers and important facts

• Smoking during pregnancy can affect the unborn child, and babies are more likely to be born underweight, premature or stillborn.
• Passive smoking, where a person is subject to breathing in the cigarette smoke of others, can cause lung damage, including cancer and heart disease.
• Fifty Australians die every day from smoking compared with 10 who die from alcohol-related conditions or 4 who die from road accidents.

10 ways to smoke & live a better life

1. Your butt looks smaller.
A fat wallet makes your butt look bigger. You spend most of your money on ciarettes, so your wallet is lighter.

2. You're footloose and fancy free.
Life's a party when your're single. As a smoker, you will always be single. Hey, who needs to date a chimmey?

3. You enjoy life more.
When you're about to die, every moment seems precious. Life is better because you enjoy the things you took for granted before.

4. You are popular.
Loners are mysterious cult figures. With passive smoking awareness catching on, you'll only have cigarette for company.

5. You'll go places.
You sneak out of no-smoking zones to catch up on a cigarette. You see many places others haven't seen. Basements, rooftops, cellars and staircases, for instance.

6. You are liberated and hip.
Skeletons always are. Advertising tells you that. They're used to advertising everything especially no smoking propaganda. Ever wonder why?

7. You have a satisfying sex life.
Most impotent men do. Impotence kills desire more that anything else. And when you can't get it up, you won't want to get it in.

8. You'll feel fit.
You can't climb stairs without panting. So you use the lift. You walk into places feeling fit.

9. You'll be your own master.
With every cigarette, you'll put an end to five minutes of your life. So you'll be a master of your own life. Or death.

10. You are respected and obeyed.
Everytime someone strikes up a conversation, you strike up a cigarette. No one likes to inhale carcinogenic smoke. They speak less to you. You could mistake it for awe. After all, you are smart enough to smoke?

India - US N-Deal (123 Agreement) - An Analysis

The 123 agreement is a civil nuclear deal, therefore, it will have no bearing on India's strategic and military programme and India can make a bomb. It is completely out of the ambit of the deal.

Essentially, what the controversy has been over is whether if India conducts a test the Americans under their own laws would have the right to take back all the fuel that they give us.

What are the terms of the deal?
The details of the agreement are still being negotiated, but experts say some clear points are emerging. They include the following:

• India agrees to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA), the United Nations' nuclear watchdog group, access to its civilian nuclear program. But India would decide which of its many nuclear facilities to classify as civilian.
• India commits to signing an Additional Protocol —which allows more intrusive IAEA inspections—or its civilian facilities.
• India agrees to continue its moratorium on nuclear weapons testing.
• India commits to strengthening the security of its nuclear arsenals.
• India works toward negotiating a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) with the United States banning the production of fissile material for weapons purposes.India agrees to prevent the spread of enrichment and reprocessing technologies to states that don't possess them and to support international nonproliferation efforts.
• U.S. companies will be allowed to build nuclear reactors in India and provide nuclear fuel for its civilian energy program.

Reference

How does US benefit with this Deal?
Economic benefits to US
If India sets up 10 large size nuclear power plants, which is its intent in next 15 years, India will import technology and hardware from US for at least half of these projects (technology for the remaining may come from elsewhere).
Political Benefits to US
At the moment as long as US stays in Iraq and Afghanistan, the world will perceive US as a big bully. A major regional power, with a different outlook than the European and the US is needed to cool the tempers off.
Military Benefits to the US
US benefits immensely with India as a major military power. Forty percent of worlds’ oil and commerce passes through the Indian Ocean sea-lanes. These today are unprotected. Pirates in the Red Sea and at the Malacca Straits prey on commerce. Indian cooperation will be helpful in keeping the sea-lanes free.

What does India get out of the Deal?
Economic benefits to India
There is an urgent need in India for capital to build its infrastructure and manufacturing base. And there is only one source to get it i.e. US & Europe. US and Europe at this moment are content with sending capital to China to supply them with consumer goods. The former very cleverly had avoided exporting manufacturing technology to supply high priced, high technology capital goods to China. This component together with auto-parts, pharmaceuticals and computer hardware could herald India into big leagues in ten years and beyond. Commercial Aircraft manufacture, ship building, factories to make giant power plants, steel making plants, mining & drilling hardware, petroleum & petrochemical plant building facilities could be ultimately shared with India. The latter within ten years will have a workforce sufficiently skilled to undertake all the foregoing. It will be beneficial to US. Labor costs in India, will always stay a third of US, and European costs. That will make India an ideal candidate for this technology transfer.
Military Benefits to India
Indian military is in need to diversify its sourcing of military hardware. Russia has been a very reliable source for the past 40 years. This source has to be diversified.
Reference

The Henry Hyde Act: Tangible Nuclear Gains
Some of the major criticisms of the act:

• Nuclear cooperation is not full and excludes enrichment and reprocessing technology, which we need to complete our three-stage nuclear fuel cycle.
• India does not get unconditional access of uranium fuel or technology. In particular, all cooperation will be stopped should India test another nuclear weapon.
• The US President must report annually on India’s nuclear program. Such reporting can, and probably will, be used to pressure India on other fronts.

To understand the real loss for India, consider the following scenario. Following this agreement, India builds 5 new, large reactors with American, Russian, and Japanese help. In 2012 the US asks India, once again, to vote against Iran at the IAEA, threatening to stop uranium supplies under the guise of annual reporting requirements. Considering that the Iran-India gas pipeline is now operational, India must now choose between the fire and the frying pan.

By buying into US nuclear cooperation, India will in the future have to choose between that cooperation and other alliances. When our mutual interests collide, as they must, India will be playing what is known in game theory as a game of chicken. Where India has really lost is in signaling that this nuclear cooperation is sacrosanct, and our other considerations are up for negotiation.

The truth is that the Act offers India substantial present benefits. The associated losses are in the future, and the extent of those losses will depend on India’s willingness to take choices that are painful in the short term.
Reference

Ozone!!!

16th September - World Ozone Day

Stratospheric ozone (sometimes referred to as "good ozone") plays a beneficial role by absorbing most of the biologically damaging ultraviolet sunlight (called UV-B), allowing only a small amount to reach the Earth's surface. The absorption of ultraviolet radiation by ozone creates a source of heat, which actually forms the stratosphere itself (a region in which the temperature rises as one goes to higher altitudes). Ozone thus plays a key role in the temperature structure of the Earth's atmosphere. Without the filtering action of the ozone layer, more of the Sun's UV-B radiation would penetrate the atmosphere and would reach the Earth's surface. Many experimental studies of plants and animals and clinical studies of humans have shown the harmful effects of excessive exposure to UV-B radiation.



What Can I Do to Protect the Ozone Layer?

Car Air Conditioner Tips
Go only to service facilities with EPA-certified technicians

Make sure refrigerants from your vehicle will be recovered and recycled during servicing

Repair all leaks in the a/c system (not required by federal law, but helpful in protecting the ozone layer)
Although not required by federal law, this is one of the single best ways to do your part to protect the ozone layer. About 20-30 million cars on the road today use CFC refrigerants in their air-conditioning (AC) systems. If leaky systems were repaired, it would prevent the release of millions of pounds of CFCs into the atmosphere each year.

If your air conditioner needs major repairs, talk to your certified service professional about having it converted to use an alternative refrigerant.

Home Appliance Tips

Repair air conditioners
Although not required by federal law, this step prevents ozone-depleting refrigerants from escaping. Make certain the refrigerant is recovered before servicing. See a fact sheet on this topic.

If you purchase a new A/C system or heat pump, purchase one that uses non-ozone-depleting refrigerant. See a fact sheet on this topic.

Remove the refrigerant from refrigerators, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers before disposing of them
Removing the refrigerant before disposal of old refrigerators alone would prevent the release of about 4 million pounds of CFCs each year. The used refrigerant can be recycled and reused. Ask your local government or waste hauler if the refrigerant will be removed before the appliance is discarded.

Make sure your service technician is EPA certified.

Work with local officials
Help start a refrigerant recovery and recycling program in your area if none exists. Not only will a responsible appliance disposal help to protect the ozone layer, but the recovered CFC-12 from appliances can be resold, helping to recoup a portion of the costs of the program.

The SNAP program has reviewed substitutes for the following industrial sectors:

Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
end-uses typically use a refrigerant in a vapor compression cycle to cool and/or dehumidify a substances or space, like a refrigerator cabinet, room, office building, or warehouse.
Foam Blowing Agents
encompasses a wide variety of applications including refrigerators buildings, automobiles, furniture, packaging and many more. The blowing agent, which was typically an ODS, is used to propel liquid plastic resin, and in the case of foam used for insulation, functions as an insulating component of the foam.
Cleaning Solvents
are used to remove oil, grease, solder flux, and other contaminants.
Fire Suppression and Explosion Protection
have used halons in many applications because they are electrically non-conductive, dissipate rapidly without residue, are safe for limited human exposure, and are extremely efficient in extinguishing most types of fires. Because of their strong ozone depletion potential, the Montreal Protocol required the earliest production and import phaseout of halons in the U.S. in 1994.
Aerosols
are substances stored under pressure and then released as a suspension of particles in air.
Sterilants
kill microorganisms on medical equipment and devices. SNAP has identified alternatives to blends of 88% CFC-12 and 12% ethylene oxide, known as "12/88." In that blend, ethylene oxide sterilizes the equipment and CFC-12 is a dilutent solvent to form a non-flammable blend.
Tobacco Expansion
is the process of puffing leaves of tobacco to decrease the volume of tobacco used in cigarette production. SNAP has identified alternatives to CFC-11 for tobacco expansion.
Adhesives, Coatings & Inks
traditionally contain solid components that are suspended in a solvent, spread over a surface and bond to it, and then allow the solvent to evaporate. Prior to the Montreal Protocol, the ozone-depleting substance methyl chloroform was often used as the carrier solvent in adhesives, coatings, and inks.

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Energy Saved is equivalent to Energy Generated!

14th December - World Energy Day

Individuals and organizations that are direct consumers of energy may want to conserve energy in order to reduce energy costs and promote economic, political and environmental sustainability. This practice may result in increase of financial capital, environmental value, national security, personal security, and human comfort.

Making homes, vehicles, and businesses more energy efficient is seen as a largely untapped solution to addressing global warming and energy security.

Energy efficiency isn’t just a feel good story about “helping the planet”. It’s also all about saving money and reducing expenses. Who doesn’t like that?

21 Practical Ways to Help the Environment

1. Prevent energy leaks at home.
2. Lower your home thermostats!
3. Switch as many bulbs as possible in your home to compact fluorescent bulbs.
4. Use a low-flow shower head.
5. Compost!
6. Use drip irrigation systems in your garden.
7. Plant trees in your yard and community.
8. Go “mostly organic” in your lawn and garden.
9. Use a reel or electric lawn mower.
10. Replace your single-paned windows with double-pane windows.
11. Turn off lights and electronic devices when you’re not using them.
12. Fix water leaks in the bathroom, kitchen, landscaping, etc.
13. Consider switching to a low-flow toilet.
14. Use ceiling fans to cool off in the summer.
15. Use solar energy to dry your clothes!
16. Invest in solar energy.
17. Rethink transportation.
18. Use small, efficient devices to cook food.
19. Use some Xeriscaping principles in the garden.
20. Use some native plants in the garden.
21. Get involved locally!

Source

Global Warming

Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation.

15 Very Important Things to Do about Global Warming...from the individual to the national

1. Learn about it.

2. Sell the SUV and choose cleaner, more efficient vehicles. Reduce your driving: one gallon of gas burned creates 20 pounds of CO2. Fuel up on ethanol and biodiesel.

3. Use efficient appliances, replace light bulbs with low-voltage compact fluorescents, check your home insulation. Buy renewable energy, like wind and solar, from your power company.

5. Companies -- the one you work for and the ones you buy from -- can save lots of money and reduce global warming by taking similar steps toward energy efficiency.

6. Shop smart: Look for products made from recycled materials, created with renewable energy, and which help you save money and reduce pollution.

7. Use your vote and influence as a citizen to elect responsive leaders; help them organize the neighborhood and town for energy efficiency.

8. Suburban sprawl makes for lots of global warming pollution; plan for walkable communities, lots of trees, open spaces, and public transportation in and between cities.

10. Build new homes and buildings for efficiency and solar power.

11. Support sustainable farming and forestry, including new crops to make into ethanol and other biofuels.

12. Let the corporations who make our cars, fuels, goods and power know you want their products to be as ecological as possible.

13. At all government levels, develop an efficient energy policy, moving away from fossil fuels.

14. Export new energy technology that uses renewable energy sources to the rest of the world.

15. ....and start doing these things today.

Reference

Anti corruption

Recently, I read about 5th Pillar, a chennai based, non profit, non governmental organization aimed at fighting the evils of Corruption in India.

As a Indian, I welcome the initiative of 5th Pillar, who have recently launched a zero rupee dummy note which are distributed free of cost in a nation wide campaign.

Every Indian should join in this movement to fight against the Corruption in India.

Turn water scarcity into water abundance!

22nd March - World Day for Water

Rain water harvesting is essential because :-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on ground water.

Due to rapid urbanization, infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished.

Some Tips for water conservation:

• Use only as much water as you require.
• Close the tap well after use.
  
• While brushing your teeth do not leave the tap running, open it only when you require it.
  
• See that there are no leaking taps. Get a plumber to come in and seal all leaks.
  
• Use a washing machine that does not consume too much water.
• Do not leave the taps running while washing dishes and clothes.
  
• Install small showerheads to reduce the flow of water.
• Water in which the vegetables and fruits have been washed can be used to water the flowers and ornamental potted plants.
• At the end of the day if you have water left in your water bottle do not throw it away, pour it over some plants.

More Tips