corruption in India

Look at the rampant corruption and mess of the currently being organized Common Wealth Games in Delhi. Crores of rupees are alleged to be swindled in organizing these games and news channel investigations have show that almost everybody involved in the games have minted money. Fortunately, this has been revealed and unfortunately this is not the first time such large scale corruption and administrative incompetence is displayed in this country.

China by organizing the Beijing Olympics proved that it is a super power in the making.

Is India by messing up with the Delhi CWG proving that it is only a paper power?

And this is just one instance.

Look at the tonnes of rotting food grains going waste in government granaries.

Look at the rampant corruption in almost all of the government organizations.

Look at the pathetic state of infrastructure in the country.

Look at the way some of our ministers and administrators speak.

Look at the way parliament, assemblies, corporations all function in the country, screaming and fighting members, politicians abusing each other and behaving like goons.

Look at the number of politicians with criminal track records.

Look at the common public who have assumed that paying bribe is a part and parcel of their life and so is finding means to evade taxes and law. A two wheeler rider riding without a license is as guilty as the traffic policeman who takes bribe from him. Bribe is a convenient way for both the parties to restrict the law only inside the books.

Look at the sons and daughters of VIPs and VVIPS driving rashly and killing innocents on the streets without getting caught.

And, the root cause of all these problems in this country is Unaccountable Democracy.

A democracy where

Representatives once getting elected can rule, ruin and loot the country for the next five years without ANY accountability, and at the most they might lose the next election, before which they would have made enough wealth for their next 10 generations.

Public servants and employees of public sector companies once entering a government job can sleep on their jobs without having any real sense of service till they retire! Nobody can dismiss them from their jobs, and at the most they get is a suspension or a transfer!

And the general public who keep blaming the elected representatives without ever casting their vote, or casting their votes based on caste, region and religion, who due to lack of time or money or whatever become a part and parcel of the corruption system. Takers are always there as long as there are givers, isn’t it? If people keep saying, my votes won’t make a difference, well then they need to go back to their school days to unlearn what they currently know and to relearn the lesson which goes “Little drops of water make a mighty ocean”.

Now this has made our democracy into a five yearly rotating dictatorship. People elect a set of dictators who then rule the country based on their own rules. This results into a system where smaller insects are swallowed by the spider, where as the larger mightier ones actually become the supporting pillars of the spider’s web.

And the only solution to this is to convert our democracy into an accountable democracy. In a corporate environment, failure to meet the deadlines results in disciplinary action being taken and the project in question might be related to even a few hundred people. Now compare this with the politicians and ministers, who are accountable for millions of people, and what is the disciplinary action taken against them for their failure to perform and show results?

So how do we convert our unaccountable democracy into an accountable one? How do we make sure that the system remains democratic (because we naturally hate communist or military rule or any other dictatorship) and yet is extremely accountable at all levels?

The first thing we need to do is to enable active participation by the general public instead of the current passive participation in the democratic process. Currently we elect and forget for we cannot do anything till the next elections arrive. We need to convert this into an active participation. How?

1. Have an annual or half-yearly review of the elected representative’s performance by the voters who again vote to indicate their level of satisfaction about the performance of their representative, and if more than a certain percentage (say 50%) of the voters reply in negative, then the elected representative’s term should be immediately ended calling for a re-election in that constituency. This might seem a costly and time-consuming process, but if one considers the gains of creating a corruption free society and rapid development due to alert administrators, this process is really worth it. This would also keep the electorate informed about the progress in their constituency.

2. At the end of a five year term, every minister should have the country vote for their performance in the past five years. In case of state governments, the entire state should vote on the performance of each minister at the end of the government’s term. Now if more than certain percentage (say 80% of the voters) say that they are not satisfied with the performance of the minister, then the minister should be imprisoned for the next five years for stalling development of the nation (or state) for five years and for not keeping up the promises made to millions of people to win an election. Section 420 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) punishes a common man if he cheats another single person. Then shouldn’t there be more stringent punishment for a person who cheats millions of people for five years and wastes five precious years of development of a country or state?

3. Measure performance in government services and drop non-performers. Remove the guarantee of a government job till retirement. Privatise all public sector companies and allow for competition by private companies. When BSNL was the only telecom service provider in India you had to wait for months to get a telephone connection. Today after privatisation, one can get not only a telephone connection, but even mobile and broad band access within a matter of hours.

The job of the government is NOT to RUN BUSINESS, but is to MODERATE business to make sure that the private sector is functioning according to the law of the land.

4. Get rid of paper work in all government departments and make everything electronic and make all information available online so that the citizens can log in into online government portals to see the status of their services. It should be the system that raises an alarm in case of a delay in providing the service, and not the affected individual. Every administrator who has files pending on his desk past the clearance due dates should be penalized accordingly. Make RTI (Right to Information Act) automatically applicable to all government services ie every citizen should get the status and details of his services in his online account WITHOUT having to apply for it.

5. Democracy requires active participation of the citizens and not participating in the democratic process should also invite penalization. If an eligible voter has not cast his vote in an election then he/she has to provide valid justification for the same. At the same time government should also use technology to make voting an easy process instead of having to wait in long queues for hours. For instance, technology can be developed to enable citizens to vote via their mobile phones! Eligible voters who skip voting for say more than three consecutive times should be penalized. For instance such voters should be refused certain government amenities like subsidy or loan eligibilities.

Just a few thoughts in a dream land, but who will bell the cat?

And going further deep, is democracy a perfect form of governance?

Isn’t Democracy a society where 51% steal the rights of 49% ?

or isn’t Democracy just the right to elect our own dictator ?

or like Mencken once said isn’t Democracy just a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance?

Are there any better alternatives available? or is democracy the best bet? Do we need more innovation in governance? 

Is Nuclear Energy Worth The Risk?

With increasing demand for alternative energy, Nuclear energy is increasingly being looked at. Recent events at the Fukushima Nuclear plant in Japan reveal the high risk associated with this form of energy, however, Nuclear energy does offer many positives that would benefit us and help to drastically reduce our dependance on our natural resources.

In the following article we will discuss the positives and negatives associated with Nuclear energy, whilst trying to remain unbiased. But ultimately only you know what you believe, so is nuclear energy worth the risk?

Is it worth the risk?

The worlds energy demands are increasing at a dramatic rate. Increasing amounts of polution are being pumped out of power plants and we are using up the natural resources of the planet. Something needs to change to help drastically reduce this growing global problem. Alternative energy forms are key to achieving this; Solar, Wind, Tidal, Thermal, etc, are all great choices that offer clean, renewable energy, however the amount needed to replace current fossil fuel plants would be gigantic. There is another option that we could turn to which would give us the required output that we need, but involving major risk…Nuclear energy!

All electricity is generated by rotating large magnets around a length of wire, which creates a magnetic field that electrifies the wire. The moving of the magnets around the wire is key to the whole process and can be achieved in many different ways. Currently we burn fossil fuels to heat water, creating steam. This steam spins a turbine, which rotates the magnets around the wire. Nuclear energy is simply just a different way of generating this movement. Instead of burning fossil fuels to heat water to generate steam, a nuclear power plant splits apart uranium to release heat energy, which we use to heat the water and produce steam.

Advantages of Nuclear Energy

• + The main advantage of Nuclear power is that it doesn’t produce any greenhouse gasses. In the modern world where the pollution of the Earth’s atmosphere is a major concern, a way to produce a carbon free energy source has a major advantage over current methods of burning fossil fuels which cause so much pollution. The waste that is produced by Nuclear power is very small in quantity and can be removed and stored so that it can’t affect anyone. It is estimated that if an average family of four used nuclear energy, then over their lifetime the waste produced would be as small as a golf ball. This is a massive reduction of the amount of pollution that is released over a lifetime of a similar family of four.
• + A major benefit of Nuclear energy is that it is much more abundant in the form of Uranium, than the decreasing amounts of fossil fuels. Since there is such a large amount, which will last for centuries to come, Nuclear power would last us for many generations to come. It is also much cheaper than buying large quantities of oil and gas, with rising fossil fuel prices, saving government billions of pounds.
• + A big fear about Nuclear power is that it is unsafe and dangerous. True, there have been some major incidents including Chernobl and the recent event in Japan at the Fukushima plant, however these are very rare compared to the rate of accidents that occur in the fossil fuel industries. Coal mines are frequently in the news when they collapse (Chilian Miners), Gas pipelines and oil rigs can explode (Gulf of Mexico) causing millions of pounds of damage and casualties.
• + Nuclear power can be seen to be a very reliable source of power because a nuclear reactor has an estimated life cycle of between 40-60 years. Although these reactors have a high initial cost to build, due to their long life, the overall cost is much lower than a current fossil fuel power plant that needs replacing more frequently.

Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy

• - Naturally, the main disadvantage of nuclear power is the potential disastrous consequences of a major nuclear disaster. This is clearly the biggest worry that the general public have about this type of energy. Since Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and now Fukushima, pubic concern has grown over the safety of nuclear energy. It was the disaster at Chernobyl that sent shockwaves around the world after a full scale meltdown occurred. A massive release of radiation from the reactor spread across hundreds of square miles and the town had to be quarantined. Chernobyl is still shut off from the general public for safety reasons because of the high levels of radiation in the area.
• - Nuclear power generates nuclear waste. This waste remains radioactive for hundreds and maybe thousands of years. This waste must be disposed of in a very secure waste disposal facility that will need to last until the waste is no longer a risk.
• - Nuclear waste can be turned into nuclear weapons. If an increased number of nuclear power plants opened, then more waste would need to be disposed of. It only takes a small amount of this waste to create a very deadly weapon that, if in the wrong hands, could result in hundreds of thousands of people dying!
• - Radiation has been linked to many forms of cancer, birth defects, other illnesses and even death. If there was a small incident at a nuclear power plant that resulted in a small leak, it could result in a big impact on the surrounding population and native wildlife.

Conclusion

Many people are split over the debate on nuclear energy and it is clear to see why. There are clearly huge advantages of using nuclear power that would be very beneficial to society. Global warming has to be addressed and nuclear power could help solve this. However, there would always be the fear of nuclear disasters. An interesting viewpoint is to compare nuclear power to airplanes, airplanes have a far better safety record than other forms of transport, however in the unfortunate event that something goes wrong the consequences can be disastrous.

We desperately need to do something about our energy crisis, whether that is to start building nuclear plants or invest heavily in renewable energy such as Solar plants, Wind farms etc. The likely outcome will be a mixture of the two, which will help greatly in reducing pollution levels. The key is that we begin to address the problem on a global scale.

Ultimately only you know what you believe is right. So do you think that Nuclear energy is worth the risk?

Most Famous Love Stories in History and Literature

Do you believe in true love? Do you believe in love at first sight? Do you believe in love lasting forever? I think that these love stories will renew or reinforce your faith in love... They are the most famous love stories in history and literature, they are immortal.

1. Romeo and Juliet

This is probably the most famous lovers ever. This couple has become a synonym for love itself. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Their love story is very tragic. The tale of two teenagers from two feuding families who fall in love at first sight and then marry, become true lovers and then risk it all for their love. To take your own life for your husband or wife is definitely a sign of true love. Their "untimely deaths" ultimately unite their feuding households.

2. Cleopatra and Mark Antony

The true love story of Antony and Cleopatra is one of the most memorable, intriguing and moving of all times. The story of these two historical characters had later been dramatized by William Shakespeare and is still staged all over the world. The relationship of Antony and Cleopatra is a true test of love. They fell in love at first sight. The relationship between these two powerful people put the country of Egypt in a powerful position. But their love affair outraged the Romans who were wary of the growing powers of the Egyptians. Despite all the threats, Anthony and Cleopatra got married. It is said that while fighting a battle against Romans, Antony got false news of Cleopatra's death. Shattered, he fell on his sword. When Cleopatra learned about Antony 's death, she was shocked. And she took her own life. Great love demands great sacrifices.


3. Lancelot and Guinevere

The tragic love story of Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere is probably one of the best-known stories of Arthurian Legend. Lancelot fall in love with Queen Guinevere, King Arthur's wife. Their love grew slowly, as Guinevere kept Lancelot away from her. Eventually, however, her love and passion overpowered her and the pair became lovers. One night, Sir Agravain and Sir Modred, King Arthur's nephew, led a band of 12 knights to Guinevere's chamber where they burst in upon the lovers. Discovered, Sir Lancelot made a fighting escape, but poor Guinevere was not so lucky. She was seized and condemned to burn to death for her adultery. Fear not. Sir Lancelot returned several days later to rescue his beloved Guinevere from the fire. This whole sad affair divided the Knights of the Round Table and weakened Arthur's kingdom. Poor Lancelot ended his days as a lowly hermit and Guinevere became a nun at Amesbury where she died.


4. Tristan and Isolde

The tragic love story of Tristan and Isolde has been told and retold through various stories and manuscripts. It takes place during medieval times during the reign of King Arthur. Isolde of Ireland was the daughter of the King of Ireland. She was betrothed to King Mark of Cornwall. King Mark sent his nephew, Tristan, to Ireland to escort Isolde back to Cornwall. During the voyage, Isolde and Tristan fell forever in love. Isolde did marry Mark of Cornwall, but could not help but love Tristan. The love affair continued after the marriage. When King Mark finally learned of the affair, he forgave Isolde, but Tristan was banned from Cornwall. Tristan went to Brittany. There he met Iseult of Brittany. He was attracted to her because of the similarity of her name to his true love. He married her, but did not consummate the marriage because of his love for the "true" Isolde. After falling ill, he sent for Isolde in hopes that she would be able to cure him. If she agreed to come, the returning ship's sails would be white, or the sails would be black if she did not agree. Iseult, seeing the white sails, lied to Tristan and told him that the sails were black. He died of grief before Isolde could reach him. Isolde died soon after of a broken heart.


5. Paris and Helena

Recounted in Homer's Iliad, the story of Helen of Troy and the Trojan War is a Greek heroic legend, combining fact and fiction. Helen of Troy is considered one the most beautiful women in all literature. She was married to Menelaus, king of Sparta. Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, fell in love with Helen and abducted her, taking her back to Troy. The Greeks assembled a great army, led by Menelaus's brother, Agamemnon, to retrieve Helen. Troy was destroyed. Helen returned safely to Sparta, where she lived happily with Menelaus for the rest of her life.

6. Orpheus and Eurydice

Orpheus and Eurydice story is an ancient greek tale of desperate love. Orpheus fell deeply in love with and married Eurydice, a beautiful nymph. They were very much in love and very happy together. Aristaeus, a Greek god of the land and agriculture, became quite fond of Eurydice, and actively pursued her. While fleeing from Aristaeus, Eurydice ran into a nest of snakes which bit her fatally on her legs. Distraught, Orpheus played such sad songs and sang so mournfully that all the nymphs and gods wept. On their advice, Orpheus traveled to the underworld and by his music softened the hearts of Hades and Persephone (he was the only person ever to do so), who agreed to allow Eurydice to return with him to earth on one condition: he should walk in front of her and not look back until they both had reached the upper world. In his anxiety he forgot that both needed to be in the upper world, and he turned to look at her, and she vanished for the second time, but now forever.


7. Napoleon and Josephine

A marriage of convenience, at age 26 Napoleon took a fancy to Josephine. An older, prominent, and most importantly wealthy woman. As time drew on,Napoleon fell deeply in love with Josephine, and she with him, but that didn't deter the adultery on both sides-their mutual respect for one another kept them together, and their burning passion between them didn't falter, and was genuine. They eventually split, as Napoleon deeply required something Josephine could not give him, an heir. Sadly they parted ways, both bearing the love and passion in their hearts, for all eternity.


8. Odysseus and Penelope

Few couples understand sacrifice quite like this Greek pair. After being torn apart, they wait twenty long years to be reunited. War takes Odysseus away shortly after his marriage to Penelope. Although she has little hope of his return, she resists the 108 suitors who are anxious to replace her husband. Odysseus is equally devoted, refusing a beautiful sorceress's offer of everlasting love and eternal youth, so that he might return home to his wife and son. This Valentine's Day, take a cue from Homer, and remember that true love is worth waiting for.


9. Paolo and Francesca

Paolo and Francesca are made famous by the Dante's masterpiece "Divine Comedy". It is a true story: Francesca is married with Gianciotto Malatesta an awful person, but she has Gianciotto's brother, Paolo, as lover. The love between them grows when they read together a book (according to Dante) about Lancelot and Guinevere. When the two lovers are discovered they are killed by Gianciotto.


10. Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler

"Gone with the wind" can be identified as one of the immortal pieces of literary works in this world. Margaret Mitchell's famous work has chronicled the love and hate relationship between Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler. Proving that timing is everything, Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler never seem to be quite in synch. Throughout the epic story, this tempestuous twosome experience passion but not permanence, and their stormy marriage reflects the surrounding Civil War battles. The flirtatious, promiscuous, and perpetually pursued Scarlett can't make up her mind between her many suitors. When she finally decides to settle on being happy with Rhett, her fickle nature has already driven him away. Hope springs eternal in our devious heroine, however, and the novel ends with Scarlett proclaiming, "Tomorrow is another day."

11. Jane Eyre and Rochester

In Charlotte Bronte's famous tale, friendless characters find a cure for loneliness in each other's company. Jane is an abused orphan employed as a governess to the charge of an abrasive, but very rich Edward Rochester. The improbable pair grow close as Rochester reveals a tender heart beneath his gruff exterior. He does not, however, reveal his penchant for polygamy - on their wedding day, a horrified Jane discovers he is already married. Heartbroken, Jane runs away, but later returns after a dreadful fire has destroyed Rochester's mansion, killed his wife, and left him blind. Love triumphs, and the two reunite and live out their days in shared bliss.


12. Layla and Majnun

A leading medieval poet of Iran, Nizami of Ganje is known especially for his romantic poem Layla and Majnun Inspired by an Arab legend, Layla and Majnun is a tragic tale about unattainable love. It had been told and retold for centuries, and depicted in manuscripts and other media such as ceramics for nearly as long as the poem has been penned. Layla and Qays fall in love while at school. Their love is observed and they are soon prevented from seeing one another. In misery, Qays banishes himself to the desert to live among and be consoled by animals. He neglects to eat and becomes emaciated. Due to his eccentric behavior, he becomes known as Majnun (madman). There he befriends an elderly Bedouin who promises to win him Layla’s hand through warfare. Layla’s tribe is defeated, but her father continues to refuse her marriage to Majnun because of his mad behavior, and she is married to another. After the death of Layla’s husband, the old Bedouin facilitates a meeting between Layla and Majnun, but they are never fully reconciled in life. Upon death, they are buried side by side. The story is often interpreted as an allegory of the soul’s yearning to be united with the divine.


13. Eloise and Abelard

This is a story of a monk and a nun whose love letters became world famous. Around 1100, Peter Abelard went to Paris to study at the school of Notre Dame. He gained a reputation as an outstanding philosopher. Fulbert, the canon of Notre Dame, hired Abelard to tutor his niece, Heloise. Abelard and the scholarly Heloise fell deeply in love, conceived a child, and were secretly married. But Fulbert was furious, so Abelard sent Heloise to safety in a convent. Thinking that he intended to abandon Heloise, Fulbert had his servants castrate Abelard while he slept. Abelard became a monk and devoted his life to learning. The heartbroken Heloise became a nun. Despite their separations and tribulations, Abelard and Heloise remained in love. Their poignant love letters were later published.


14. Pyramus and Thisbe

A very touching love story that is sure to move anyone who reads it is that of Pyramus and This be. Theirs was a selfless love and they made sure that even in death, they were together. Pyramus was the most handsome man and was childhood friend of This be, the fairest maiden in Babylonia. They both lived in neighboring homes and fell in love with each other as they grew up together. However, their parents were dead against them marrying each other. So one night just before the crack of dawn, while everyone was asleep, they decided to slip out of their homes and meet in the nearby fields near a mulberry tree. This be reached there first. As she waited under the tree, she saw a lion coming near the spring close by to quench its thirst. Its jaws were bloody. When This be saw this horrifying sight, she panicked and ran to hide in some hollow rocks nearby. As she was running, she dropped her veil. The lion came near and picked up the veil in his bloody jaws. At that moment, Pyramus reaches near the mulberry tree and sees This be's veil in the jaws of the lion. He is completely devastated. Shattered, he pierces his chest with his own sword. Unknown to what just happened, This be is still hiding in the rocks due to the fear of the lion. When she comes out after sometime, she sees what her lover did to himself. She is totally shattered when she sees the sword piercing right through her lover's chest. She also takes the sword and kills herself.

15. Elizabeth Bennett and Darcy

Actually Jane Austen has personified two attributes of human nature, pride and prejudice in Darcy and Elizabeth. Darcy comes from a very high social hierarchy and Pemberley. He typifies the educated aristocracy while on the other hand, Elizabeth is the second daughter of a gentleman of modest means. Mr. Bennett has five daughters who have been allowed to grow up the way they wanted, there has been no school education for them, nor has there been any governess at home. Elizabeth’s very indulgent mother and irresponsible father never gave any thought to the future of the daughters, it is always taken for granted, that they will do well for themselves. To a woman of Mrs. Bennett's understanding, doing well exclusively means finding a rich, well to do husband. For a man of Darcy's social stature, these were very serious failings of the family and totally unacceptable to his polished, educated and refined mind. Darcy adores Pemberley, and the future mistress of that estate can only be just as polished and refined and from an equally prestigious family. He falls in love with Elizabeth only to be refused by her initially, and then much later she realized that she can love no one but Darcy. How they become united and understand the love for each other makes very interesting study.


16. Salim and Anarkali

The love story of Salim and Anarkali is a story that every lover knows. The son of the great Mughal emperor Akbar, Salim, fell in love with an ordinary but beautiful courtesan Anarkali. He was mesmerized by her beauty and fell in love as soon as he saw her. But the emperor could not digest the fact that his son was in love with an ordinary courtesan. He started pressurizing Anarkali and devised all sorts of tactics o make her fall in the eyes of the young, love smitten prince. When Salim came to know of this, he declared a war against his own father. But the mighty emperor's gigantic army is too much for the young prince to handle. He gets defeated and is sentenced to death. This is when Anarkali intervenes and renounces her love to save her beloved from the jaws of death. She is entombed alive in a brick wall right in front of her lover's eyes.


17. Pocahontas and John Smith

This love story is a famous legend in the history of America. Pocahontas, an Indian Princess was the daughter of Powhatan. Powhatan was the powerful chief of the Algonquian Indians in the Tidewater region of Virginia. Pocahontas for the first time in her life saw Englishmen in May 1607. She found John Smith most attractive and developed a liking for him. Smith was taken to the official residence of Powhattan and he was tortured. It was Pocahontas who saved his life from the attack of the Indians. Pocahontas then helped Smith to stand on his feet and Powhattan adopted Smith as his son. This incident helped Pocahontas and Smith to become friends with each other. Pocahontas after this incident made frequent visits to the Jamestown and passed on to the Indians messages of her father. John Smith after getting badly injured due to gunpowder explosion, returned to England. When Pocahontas made a visit to the fort, she was informed that Smith was dead. Sometime after, Pocahontas was taken prisoner by Sir Samuel Argall. Argall hoped to use Pocahontas as abargaining chip with her father Powhatan in effort to get English prisoners returned. During her captivity, she decided to become a Christian, taking the name “Rebecca” when she was baptized. A year later, she married John Rolfe. She made a visit to London, where he met his friend John Smith after eight long years and it was their last meeting.

18. Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

In 1612, a teenage girl, Arjumand Banu, married 15-year-old Shah Jahan, ruler of the Mughal Empire. Renamed Mumtaz Mahal, she bore Shah Jahan 14 children and became his favorite wife. After Mumtaz died in 1629, the grieving emperor resolved to create a fitting monument. It took 20,000 workers and 1,000 elephants nearly 20 years to complete this monument - the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan was never able to complete a black marble mausoleum he planned for himself. Deposed by his son, Shah Jahan was imprisoned in the Red Fort of Agra, and spent lonely hours staring across the Jamuna River at the monument to his beloved queen. He was eventually buried beside her in the Taj Mahal.

19. Marie and Pierre Curie

This is a story about partners in love and science. Unable to continue her studies in Poland because universities did not admit women, Maria Sklodowska Curie traveled to Paris in 1891 to attend the Sorbonne. Known by the French "Marie," she spent every spare hour reading in the library or in the laboratory. The industrious student caught the eye of Pierre Curie, director one of the laboratories where Marie worked. Curie ardently wooed Marie and made several marriage proposals. They were finally married in 1895 and began their famous partnership. In 1898 they discovered polonium and radium. The Curies and scientist Henri Becquerel won a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903 for discovering radioactivity. When Curie died in 1904, Marie pledged to carry on their work. She took his place at the Sorbonne, becoming the school's first female teacher. In 1911 she became the first person to win a second Nobel Prize, this time for chemistry. She continued to experiment and lecture until her death of leukemia in 1934, driven by the memory of the man she loved.


20. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

This love story is about English royalty who mourned her husband's death for 40 years. Victoria was a lively, cheerful girl, fond of drawing and painting. She ascended the throne of England in 1837 after the death of her uncle, King William IV. In 1840, she married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. While at first Prince Albert was unpopular in some circles because he was German, he came to be admired for his honesty, diligence, and his devotion to his family. The couple had nine children. Victoria loved her husband deeply. She relied on his advice in matters of state, especially in diplomacy. When Albert died in 1861, Victoria was devastated. She did not appear in public for three years. Her extended seclusion generated considerable public criticism. Several attempts were made on Victoria's life. However, under the influence of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, Victoria resumed public life, opening Parliament in 1866. But Victoria never stopped mourning her beloved prince, wearing black until her death in 1901. During her reign, the longest in English history, Britain became a world power on which "the sun never set."

Every-country-is-the-best-at-something

http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/because-every-country-is-the-best-at-something/#

Best statistics question ever

Try not to think too hard. 

Philosophy and Theory of Yin and Yang

Introduction to Yin and Yang

Yin and Yang is one of the most fundamental concepts in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as it is the foundation of diagnosis and treatment. The earliest reference to Yin and Yang is in the I Ching (Book of Changes) in approximately in 700 BC. In this work, all phenomena are said to be reduced to Yin-Yang.

Yin Translations: 1. female, passive, negative principle in nature 2. the moon 3. shaded orientation 4. north or shady side of a hill 5. south of a river.

Yang Translations: 1. positive, active, male principle in nature 2. south or sunny side of a hill 3. north of a river.

Four Main Aspects of Yin and Yang Relationship

1. Yin-Yang are opposites
   They are either on the opposite ends of a cycle, like the seasons of the year, or, opposites on a continuum of energy or matter. This opposition is relative, and can only be spoken of in relationships. For example: Water is Yin relative to steam but Yang relative to ice. Yin and Yang are never static but in a constantly changing balance.
2. Interdependent: Can not exist without each other
   The Tai Ji (Supreme Ultimate) diagram shows the relationship of Yin & Yang and illustrates interdependence on Yin & Yang. Nothing is totally Yin or totally Yang. Just as a state of total Yin is reached, Yang begins to grow. Yin contains seed of Yang and vise versa. They constantly transform into each other. For Example: no energy without matter, no day without night.
   The classics state: "Yin creates Yang and Yang activates Yin".
3. Mutual consumption of Yin and Yang
   Relative levels of Yin Yang are continuously changing. Normally this is a harmonious change, but when Yin or Yang are out of balance they affect each other, and too much of one can eventually weaken (consume) the other.
   
   Four (4) possible states of imbalance:
1. Preponderance (Excess) of Yin
2. Preponderance (Excess) of Yang
3. Weakness (Deficiency) of Yin
4. Weakness (Deficiency) of Yang
4. Inter-transformation of Yin and Yang.
   One can change into the other, but it is not a random event, happening only when the time is right. For example: Spring only comes when winter is finished.

Yin and Yang Theory and History

Yin Yang is the fundamental principle, and the most important theory in TCM, underlying all physiology, pathology & treatment.

Combining the two, we have the four stages of Yin and Yang

With addition of an extra line, the Eight Trigrams (Ba Gua) were formed, illustrating all the directions.

The Eight Trigrams were combined to form 64 hexagrams, symbolizing all possible phenomena of the Universe.
Yin Yang had been understood for many centuries, but was systematically elaborated and written down by Tsou Yen of the Yin Yang (Naturalist) School in the Warring States Period (476-221 BC).
5 Element Theory was developed at same time.
The Naturalist school promoted idea of living in harmony with natural laws. Scholars of this school interpreted natural phenomena and observed how these are reflected in the human body in health and disease. Yin and Yang and the Five Elements became an integral part of Chinese philosophy.

The ancients observed 2 phases of constant cyclical change. Yin constantly changes into Yang & back into Yin again. This can be seen in the changes of four seasons, and the changes throughout a single day (24 Hour Cycle), as seen below.

24 Hour Yin Yang Cycle

(12 PM corresponds to Utmost Yang, while 12AM corresponds to Utmost Yin)

General Qualities of Yin and Yang

Yin	Yang
Darkness	Light
Moon	Sun
Feminine	Masculine
Shade	Brightness
Rest	Activity
West (Sunset = Yin)	East (Sunrise = beginning of Yang)
North	South
Earth	Heaven
Right	Left
Flat (like Earth)	Round (like Heaven)
Matter	Energy
More material/dense	Non-material, rarefied

These transform into one another.

They are 2 states of a continuum. For Example: Liquid water (Yin) heat - vapor (Yang) - cools - liquid (Yin).

Yin	Yang
Produces form	Produces energy
Grows	Generates
Substantial	Non-substantial
Matter	Energy
Contraction	Expansion
Descending	Rising
Below	Above
Water	Fire

Yin and Yang in Medicine

All physiological processes, signs and symptoms can be reduced to Yin-Yang.
In general, every treatment modality aims to:

• Tonify Yang
• Tonify Yin
• Disperse excess Yang
• Disperse excess Yin

(In practice, depending on the condition, strategies may be combined, for example: disperse excess Yin & tonify Yang)
Yin and Yang and the Six Pathogenic Factors

Yin	Yang
	Wind
Cold	Heat
Dampness	Dryness
	Summerheat

Yin and Yang and the Human Body

Yin	Yang
Front (chest-abdomen)	Back
Body	Head
Interior (organs)	Exterior (skin, muscles)
Below waist	Above waist
Anterior-medial	Posterior-lateral
ventral surface of the trunk and limbs	back and dorsal surface of the limbs
Structure	Function
Blood/Body Fluids	Qi
Conservation/storage	Transformation/change
Yin Organs: Heart, Lung,	Small Intestine, Lg. Intestine
Liver, Spleen, Kidney,	Gall Bladder, Stomach, Bladder
Pericardium	San Jiao
"Solid Organs"	"Hollow Organs"

Front and Back

Front is more soft and vulnerable (Yin). Back contains spine that holds ribs: protection. When human depicted as crouching, back receives sun (Yang) and front faces the earth (Yin), is in shade and is protected.
All Yang channels (except the Stomach channel) flow on the dorsal or dorsolateral surface of the trunk and limbs. They carry Yang energy and protect the body from pathogenic factors. Yin channels flow on the anterior or anteromedial surface of the trunk and limbs.
Body and Head 

Yang channels either end or begin on the head. Acupuncture points on the head can be used to raise Yang energy . When Yang energy is not cooled by Yin, it may rise to the head, causing signs such as red face and eyes. The head is easily affected by Yang pathogens such as heat and wind. The chest and abdomen (Yin) areas are more easily affected by Yin pathogens such as Cold and Dampness.
Interior and Exterior

The exterior of the body such as the skin and muscles is more Yang. The exterior protects body from attack by external pathogenic influences such as Cold, Wind, etc. The classics state: "Yang is on the outside and protects Yin".
Below the waist and Above the Waist

Below waist - closer to earth (Yin). Above, closer to Heaven (Yang).
Upper part more affected by Yang pathogens, i.e. wind.
Lower part more affected by Yin pathogens, i.e. cold damp.
Anterior/Medial and Posterior/Lateral Surface of the Limbs

Yin channels flow on anterior-medial aspect of trunk/limbs
Yang channels flow on posterior-lateral aspect of trunk/limbs
Structure and Function

Structure = something substantial, i.e. Matter (Yin)
Function = something insubstantial, action, energy (Yang)
All parts of the body have a structure (a physical form), and a function (their activity)
However, all is relative. Even within the Yang category of function, there are Yin functions (i.e. storage, conservation) and Yang functions, i.e. transformation, transportation, digestion, excretion.
Within the Yin category of form there are Yin forms ("solid") and Yang forms ("hollow")
Blood, Body Fluids, and Qi

Qi is Energy, more Yang.
Blood = denser and more material (therefore Yin).
But note that "Xue" (blood) not exactly like our concept of Blood. More like "thicker" form of Qi.
Note: there are several types of Qi. Each is relatively more Yin or Yang.
Ancestral QI (more Yin, more slow moving. Moves in long slow cycles).
Ying Qi (more Yang than Ancestral Qi, moves with Blood with which it is closely related). Ying is more Yin than Wei Qi.
Wei Qi the most Yang form of Qi. Circulates in the exterior in the daytime to protect us from pathogenic influences, and regulates opening/closing of pores.
Conservation/Store (Yin) and Transformation/Change (Yang)

Yin Organs store Blood, Body Fluids, Essence, etc.
Yang Organs constantly transform, transport and excrete the products of digestion.
Solid and Hollow Organs (Zang Fu)

Yin Organs are "Solid": constantly active, involved in production and storage of the body's vital Substances (Qi Blood, Body Fluids, Essence)
Yang Organs are "Hollow": receive and circulate but do not store, involved in digestion, transformation, excretion.

Yin and Yang in Pathology

Clinical signs and symptoms can be interpreted via Yin-Yang theory. When Yin Yang are in dynamic balance and relating harmoniously, there are no symptoms to observe. When Yin and Yang are out of balance, they become separated.

For example: a.) Yin does not cool and nourish Yang so Yang rises (headaches, red face, sore eyes, sore throats, nosebleeds, irritability, manic behavior. b.) Yang does not warm and activate Yin (cold limbs, hypo-activity, poor circulation of blood, pale face, low energy. Actual symptoms depend on specific pathologies, which Organ involved, etc.

Yin	Yang
Deficiency	Excess
Hypo-activity	Hyperactivity
Chronic disease/gradual onset	Acute disease/rapid onset
Slowly changing symptoms	Rapid pathological changes
Quiet, lethargy, sleepiness	Restlessness, insomnia
Wants to be covered	Throws off bedclothes
Lies curled up	Lies stretched out
Cold limbs and body	Hot limbs and body
Pale face	Red face
Weak voice, no desire to talk	Loud voice, talkative
Shallow, weak breathing	Coarse breathing
No thirst/wants warm drinks	Thirst esp. for cold drinks
Copious, clear urine	Scanty, dark urine
Loose stools (fluids not transformed)	Constipation (damage to fluids by heat)
Clear, copious secretions	Thick, sticky white/yellow secretions
Excessive moisture	Excessive dryness (throat, skin, eyes etc.)
Degenerative disease	Inflammatory disease
Pale tongue, white coat	Red tongue, yellow coat
Empty pulse	Full pulse

In Practice:
Although Yin-Yang essential foundation for understanding symptoms and signs, the above list of signs is too general. We need to distinguish further to get exact diagnosis. i.e., which Organ is involved, which pathogen involved, which channel involved.
Structure and Function
Without structure, function could not occur. Without function, structure would be meaningless.
Mutual Consumption of Yin and Yang
Balance of Yin & Yang is constantly changing. Yin & Yang mutually consume each other. 

Four different situations:

1) Excess of Yin	2) Excess of Yang
3) Deficiency of Yin	4) Deficiency of Yang

Excess of Yin: i.e., when excess Cold in the body consumes the Yang (heat). This is an Excess Cold (Full Cold) condition.
Excess of Yang: i.e., when excess Heat (from Exterior or Interior of body) consumes Body Fluids, leading to Dryness or even Heat. This is an Excess Heat (Full Heat) condition.
Deficiency of Yin (Consumption of Yin): i.e., when the body's Yin energy is depleted, an apparent excess of Yang results, leading to feelings of "empty heat" (mild but very specific heat symptoms, i.e., flushed cheeks, afternoon fever, sweating at night, heat in extremities. This is Deficiency Heat (Empty Heat) condition (i.e., a condition of deficiency and heat), also called "False Fire".
Deficiency of Yang (Consumption of Yang). When body's Yang energy is spontaneously deficient - an apparent excess of Yin results, leading to various symptoms involving cold and hypo-activity Deficiency of Yang can also occur after an Excess Cold condition has damaged Yang. This is an Deficiency Cold (Empty Cold) condition (i.e., a condition of deficiency and cold).

Excess of Yin (Full Cold)	Excess of Yang (Full Heat)
Excess of Yin is primary aspect	Excess of Yang is primary aspect
Yin is in true excess	Can eventually cause deficiency of Yin
Can eventually cause deficiency of Yang
Deficiency of Yang (Consumption of Yang)	Deficiency of Yin (Consumption of Yin)
(Empty Cold)	(Empty Heat of "False Fire")
Decrease of Yang energy is primary aspect	Deficiency of Yin is primary aspect
Yin only apparently in excess	Yang only apparently in excess

Inter-transformation of Yin and Yang in Medicine
In medicine also, Yin and Yang transform into one another, but only when conditions are right. The right moment determined by internal qualities of the given situation or phenomenon.
In clinical practice, the above principle is important.
Disease is prevented by achievement of BALANCE in lifestyle i.e., excessive work (Yang) without rest leads to deficiency (Yin) of energy i.e., excessive consumption of cold food (Yin) leads to deficiency of body's Yang energy i.e., smoking (= putting heat (Yang) into Lungs) leads to deficiency of Yin of Lungs (and eventually Kidneys)
The principle is observable in pathological changes seen in disease i.e., Exterior cold (cold weather) can invade body and can change to heat (sore throat). i.e., Deficiency of Yang of i.e., Spleen. Because Spleen Yang is used to transform fluids, these can build up to cause Excess Interior Dampness (Yin).

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