China's Lies: Worthy of a Olympic Gold Medal

At the recent Dragon Boat, Kite and Lantern Festival, I was given this booklet: "Green Olypic Games" - Beijing's Promise by someone trying to propagate the wonderful things Chinese government had done in a step towards saving and cleansing Beijing's environment for the 2008 Olympics. The book first printed in 2007 (400,000 copies) by the Foreign Languages Press, Beijing, China, has been widely circulated across the world makes quite an impact on the lay reader. Unless otherwise well-informed any reader of this book will immediately turn an ardent admirer and supporter of China. Printed in soothing colour combinations with beautifully composed, evocative pictures the book comprises of five parts each dealing with a different aspect of China's eco-friendly initiatives: Green Olympic Games; The Green Promise; Green Actions; Green Services and Green Personalities.

The book starts off with lofty statements of Beijing's promise to provide a Green Olympic Games to the world. How the Chinese government decided to close down huge polluting enterprises such as the Beijing Coking Plant which is the main provider of raw material for Beijing's energy supply. The company which employed 10,000 people was closed down and here is one place where the people who actually lost their jobs saying that it was a good thing to close down the factory. "Now for the sake of the city's environment, we are moving, and it hurts but it's for the good of the society," says factory master Zhang Xiwen who perhaps retained his job or maybe not. This is not stated in the book.

After going through the book and its lofty world-saving statements, I rubbed my eyes in disbelief and to make sure what I knew was true and the book was just propaganda I did some research on the internet and was shocked by what I found. Here are some facts about China's pollution statistics:

"China has probably already overtaken the US as the world's leading emitter of CO2, and the country's ecosystems are displaying climate change's consequences: Arid northern China is drying out, the wet south is seeing more and more flooding, and, according to a June 2007 Greenpeace report, 80 percent of the Himalayan glaciers that feed Asia's mightiest rivers could disappear by 2035. Such a development would jeopardize hundreds of millions of people who depend on the rivers for their livelihood." - Writes CS Monitor
"The World Bank reports that 16 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in China" - Wikipedia
According to World Health Organisation, 760,000 people die prematurely each year in China because of air and water pollution.
In 1997, the lower Yellow River did not flow 230 days out of the year, an increase of over 2000% since 1988
15 to 20 percent of higher plant varieties in China are endangered. 40,000 species.

There are lots of statistics available about China's role in polluting the air, water and soil of this earth. Searching the internet will yield loads of information. Some sources I have used to compile this blog are given below.
And the Reality
As I said earlier the reality in China is quite different. Here are some pictures of AP which reveal the bleak environmental scenario in China. They are self-explanatory.

"Guangzhou: Illegal motorbikes confiscated by police in an effort to curb air pollution await destruction at a recycling company". How much pollution this recycling effort will cause is completely out of focus of the world.

Lanzhou, Gansu province: A resident takes a water sample from the polluted Yellow river". The river color looks red, as if full of blood, but it is full of chemicals and according to scientists it would probably take a few centuries to make the water usable for any purpose.

This image from Reuters struck a terrible chord with me on China and the life of China’s next generation. This is a photo of a man cleaning up dead fishes, over 120,000 pounds of dead fish in Wuhan, Hubei province that died due to pollution and the weather. China must do all it can to control this dangerous spread in pollution, before we know it, it will devour our country.

Great Propaganda
Indeed one must admire and learn from Chinese government about good public relations and propaganda. They have printed 400,000 copies of this book and are distributing it across the world, especially in the developed world as publicity material so there will be no voices of dissent about China. The packaging and production of the material is so slick and smooth that one will definitely fall for it.

Sources of Information for this article:
CS Monitor
Water and Environment
Mother Jones.com
Econbrowser.com
Wikipedia
China's Pollution

SocialSpark the Social Marketing Network

The internet is full of social networking sites, but which of them offer a direct opportunity to earn money? Probably none. Here is the latest website SocialSpark, positioned as a Social Marketing Network, which is aimed at connecting bloggers with people who need online blog-posts about their products/ services.

It is an online marketplace where bloggers and advertisers can meet and do business together. Advertisers can select blogs which are suited for their products and services and make cash sponsorship offers to them. Interested bloggers will take up the offers and publish blogs. Sponsored posting enables advertisers to create a online advertising campaign at fraction of the cost of any other forms of advertising.

Of course blogs with higher Google Page Rank tend to get more offers and earn more money. So keep your blog quality high so the traffic is high and you make more money. Apart from making money through blog posts, bloggers can also make money by displaying advertisements.

Coming to the site itself, it has certain visual appeal and very easy to navigate through and visit various parts. The message center helps bloggers build friendships and interact seamlessly. One of the bloggers I have met on this space is CherrylSmith23, an avid blogger with an array of interests and hobbies. I was impressed by the large number of friends she has made on SocialSpark. Her profile says 168 friends and 32 props, it is sheer excellence. Thirty two bloggers have endorsed and vouched for her. Indeed it is great to have friends like this supporting our small blogging enterprises.

So if you are looking for opportunities to make money online through blogging, just sign up for SocialSpark and you will be well on your way to online prosperity.

Penalised for academic excellence!

I read this news report on Dallas Morning News and was really shocked. Though US universities have established themselves as the ultimate destination for higher studies, the primary and secondary education is suffering from archaic legislations and stupid interpretations.

This is one classic example of a student who is being penalised and refused the honor she truly deserves. The reason, she completed the four-year high school diploma in just three years and the school board laws state that only students with four-year high school records are eligible for the highest honor. And more than that two attorneys both of the school district and the state board of schools have upheld this archaic law and said that the excelling student should not be awarded the honour. Can it get any more absurd?

I had heard great accolades about the wonderful government and legal systems of America but after reading these types of news reports I wonder where things have gone wrong.

"Grapevine High School senior Anjali Datta holds the highest grade-point average of the 471 students graduating from Grapevine High School this year. In fact, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD officials believe her GPA of 5.898 may be the highest in the high school's history. It's still not enough to make her the valedictorian, which brings a one-year college scholarship from the state," writes Dallas Morning News correspondent Laurie Fox.

Isn't it ironical and down right humiliating for Anjali Datta who has worked hard and completed high school credits in just three years. Normal students take four years to complete this course work and now she is being slapped right across the face for excelling academics. After seeing the treatment meted out to Anjali, will any other student attempt a similar feat? Aren't the school authorities stifling talent and creativity by insisting on archaic rules?

Well, I am no expert on American law or education system to talk about these issues. It is just that I felt that this is a great injustice done to a bright student so I decided to blog about the story. Read more on Dallas Morning News and leave your comments to the editor as well as the school district. Maybe public pressure will make the ISD change their minds.

There is a poll on Dallas Morning News Website with option for voters to leave their comments. It is interesting to read the comments both in support and against Anjali Datta. I would like to quote some reactions here:
Reactions in favour of Anjali
"This is not only unfair, it is outrageous! Regardless of my personal disdain toward such potentially inflammatory outcries, I find myself questioning if racial, religious, political or gender bias has not been in some way employed to justify such an illogical conclusion. Miss Datta was encouraged and assured, by the only school district officials with whom she has access, that her valedictorian honor status would not be affected by early graduation. (there is more online)"
If anything, students who graduate early (with top grades) should be even more recognized for their accomplishments!!! Shame on Grapevine ISD for not giving the true Valedictorian the credit she deserves!
What a joke. This is why our puplic school systems are is the mess that they are ! So not future students will be planning their futures to now work the system vs doing their very best.
She worked much harder in three years than the boy did in four!! The board members of Grapevine-Colleyville ISD should consider revamping their policy, which is very unfair!!
If she were "white" this not not be an issue.
To have a policy that does not reward excellence at an accelerated pace is ludicrous and inflexible. Boneheaded decision.

Reactions against Anjali
She's not an american any way
Of course it is fair. I completely support the decision of the school district. Ya, you might be a smart cookie and can get all your stuff done quicker than everyone else, but you know what, High School is usually Four Years. Congrats on your 3 year plan. No, just step aside and quit your bitching.
These students who graduate early usually have a superior IQ anyway, and why is that fair to your average student who busts their tail every night trying to just keep up with someone so gifted. Therefore, I think the student who has tried the hardest (taken a full 4 years to accomplish this) should be the one honored!

Read more comments: Survey

Lesser known places in the US

Honestly speaking when I was in India I thought I knew quite a big about the US, especially from a travellers perspective. But having come here and travelled 6 of the 50 states of this continent-sized country, I believe that this country too has several interesting landmarks worthy of visiting. There is not much in terms of ancient historical monuments or well preserved cultural heritage but the natural wealth of the country is simply immense. Given its size there are vast areas of sparse population which has enabled the government to creat national forests, sanctuaries, national parks etc.
But one thing is certain though US has five times India's land area and about a fifth of India's population, it is certainly a crowded country. Whichever road you may be travelling on, there will be several big fuel-guzzling cars passing you. Finding accommodation or even a camping spot in the wilderness during weekends is difficult. There is an over supply of housing which has lead to a massive real estate slump across the country triggering a near-recession kind of scenario, but still people don't seem to stay at home. They are always out on the road or visiting some place or the other.

Last weekend was a long one owing to it being the Memorial Day, a day on which America remembers its men and women who laid down their lives serving the nation. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it was enacted to honor Union soldiers who fought the American Civil War, then later after World War I the scope was expanded to cover all Americans killed in any war or military action. And we decided to head out of Flat Texas and visit some hill country in neighboring states of Oklahoma and Arkansas.

We chose to explore the Kiamichi Country in Oklahoma state, which was a thriving Native American settlement before the white people came, massacred them and took over their lands and forests. Anyway today there are no natives in this part of the country. Our plan was to visit the Ouchita National Forest which spans across both Oklahoma and Arkansas. The entire forest is criss-crossed by several well-marked hiking, bicycling and walking trails, the longest of which is about 192 miles.

Our plan was to drive across the 54-mile Talimena Scenic Drive and then camp at Cedar Lake. So we started our drive early in the morning and sped off on America's big roads towards Oklahoma, first on Tx-121 and then on US-75 and then I lost track of highways. After making enquiries we finally turned off the scenic drive and reached the banks of Cedar lake only to find that most of the lakeside campsites were taken. Luckily we found one in the farthest campsite and took it immediately ($10).

The undulating water body sprawls across 86 acres and is surrounded by pine and Oak covered hills. According to the national parks website the lake maintains its water level even during fierce droughts. The forest around the lake is infested with a diverse array of wildlife including, black bears, deer, rabbits, armadillo, raccoons, possum, etc. The lake itself is a great place to get a refreshing swim, fish, boat, kayak and just hang out.

Images of Cedar Lake and surroundings
Modern Campsites
Campsites in America are highly evolved and offer all the comforts of the city. Many people travel in airconditioned Recreational Vehicles which are hooked up to the power points at campsites and then set up a portable dish antenna and TV to watch their favourite shows. Others who don't own an RV bring in huge tents and camp furniture and set up their temporary home at the campsite. Every campsite has a barbecue pit, a fire place and two benches and a dining table. There are clean toilets and bathrooms within easy reach of the campgrounds, so output is not a problem here. The super rich even bring horses and ride through the forests on them.

Activities
We were not too well equipped for our camping. We carried enough food for two days a tent, some sleeping gear and reached there. We forgot to carry a torch and that was not much of a problem because we used the car's headlights to light up the dinner table.

I enjoyed a refreshing swim in the icy waters of Cedar lake. When I first entered the lake at the shallow end I felt it was rather dirty for American standards, instead of being azure the water was brown and murky. I reluctantly went over to the pier where people were diving, here the water was much clearer and inviting. I just jumped in and boy... was it cold??? refreshing in the hot afternoon sun. After enjoying in the water for about an hour we went for a long walk in the wilderness and retired into the tent for the night.

Coming SoonRoad Kill and Queen Wilhelmina State Forest, Arkansas.

"Insight" from the heart

I received this anthology from its author Mr.PKN Panicker a while ago and finished reading it too. But today as I was flipping through the pages of this wonderfully Insightful volume I felt that I must share some of my thoughts about this book.

First thing writing poetry and publishing it is not a joke, be it in India or anywhere in the world. There are just not enough takers and it would be difficult to sell even modest print run of 1,000 copies unless the poems are written by a well known celebrity poet. But there are several wonderful communities and support groups both online and offline which help and encourage these poets to get published. One group known as Glorious Times is where I interacted with Mr. Panicker. When he came to know I like reading poetry and am a budding poet he just took my address and sent me a copy of his book Insight.

Insight is a compilation of 30 poems written by chemical engineer and prolific writer PKN Panicker. Apart from the volume I am talking about he has written several other books such as Our Earth, Swami Vivekananda, and another anthology of English poems titled Random Reflections. Well if you are already amazed, be prepared for more, Panicker is not just a writer in English, he has written several essays in his mother tongue of Malayalam.

I would like to quote a small portion of one of the poems in Insight. Being a traveller I am quoting from a poem titled Picnic.

Picnic, a picnic,
We shall plan ahead,
to avoid left-outs,
irritations, disappointments,
to make the picinc
lively and enjoyable.

Picnic, yes, a picnic,
I have gone on picnics
earlier too on picnics
with Mom and Dad
with sister and brother,
picnic, lovely and enjoyable.

If you like this I am sure you will enjoy the book. Contact Window Publishers, 35, Sir, P.S. Sivaswamy Salai, Chennai 600 004, India and get your own copy.
Price: Rs.100 (US$2.5)

Uniforms, Gear and other paraphernalia for law enforcers

During my numerous jaunts on the information highway stopping at numerous websites and homepages, I have come across some valuable information too. Such as the diverse kinds of businesses that thrive on the web. Technology has made it possible for entrepreneurs to find and do business in a specific niche.

One of the things I found on the web is the secret of the smart uniforms of police and military services personnel. Well there are specialist designers and manufacturers who are working to create fashionable, comfortable and yet authoritative looking clothes for the law enforcement personnel. One of the products 5.11 Tactical Shirts, I found online is something unique.

Available in both long and short sleeved versions, the 5.11 Tactical Shirt is loaded with 5.11 innovative features. The shirt's design is patented and has hidden document pockets large enough to stash flight tickets, maps, etc, but subtle enough to stow-away a small backup. The shirts are triple stitched and bartacked for durability. The shirts feature pen pockets, a back vent with a Dri-X-treme mesh backing, hidden button-down reinforced collar and front pockets with a hook-and-loop closure. Isn't it amazing how much thought has gone into detailing what is probably one of the most common products?

If you are into law enforcement or security and want to get attire for your staff, La Police Gear is one of the best places to shop.

Views of Cedar Lake, Oklahoma

It was long weekend and we decided to head out into the open and take in some part of neighboring states of Oklahoma and Arkansas. During the two day drive, hike, camp and swimming outing we were able to take in a tiny part of both the states. Here are few basic pictures... more to come soon. Tomorrow I have an exam so I am not able to blog completely about what I saw. Will be updating the blog with detailed stories and lots of pictures in the next couple of days. For now enjoy the sneak preview.

Starting point of Talimena scenic drive and national park

These roads are too scenic and seem to stretch endlessly in to the world

Strategically placed signage help visitors find places easily

Vast and beautiful Cedar Lake

Thick forests and hiking trails around Cedar Lake

Sun bathing groups on the banks of Cedar Lake