Israel missile ad BOMBS in India

By Vir Khanna

Dancing around trees is out. Cavorting around missiles is in. Using the matkas-jhatkas of a Bollywood item number, Israeli armament company Rafael has let loose an unusual advertising missile this time.

Unveiled for the first time during the Aero-India show in Bangalore in February, Rafael’s advertising music video to woo the Indian defence establishment and the public at large is evoking incredulity and derision in equal measure, both in the web world as well as South Block. “We are buying a whole host of missiles, ranging from SpyDer air defence systems to Python air-to-air ones, and other equipment from Rafael. Their products are good. But this advertisement is quite tacky... like a C-grade Hindi movie song,” said a senior defence officer. The over three-minute music video shows a man, presumably Rafael, wooing a woman, representing India, by singing a song which goes something like this: “We have been together for long... trusting friends and partners... What more can I pledge to make our future strong?”

The woman, in turn, hums back: “I need to feel safe and sheltered... security and protection, commitment and perfection, defence and dedication.” Then, there is a chorus by the accompany i n g group of g yrating d a n c e r s, who look to be of Israeli-origin but are dressed in Indian costumes, which proclaims, “Together, forever... I will hold you in my heart... we will never be apart... Dingadinga, dinga-dinga, dinga-dee.”

That’s not all. The man “promises” to “defend and shield” the woman and “fulfil” all her expectations and meet all his “obligations”, even as the entire group dances around missiles to the music beat. For good measure, there are pictures of Goddess Durga and Hanuman strategically positioned in the background. Despite attempts, no one from Rafael could be contacted to shed light on what seems to be a marketing pitch gone completely awry.

Israeli officials are always reluctant to talk about the burgeoning military ties with India. New Delhi, too, tries to keep the relationship under wraps due to domestic political sensitivities.

Israel, on its part, has emerged as the second-largest defence supplier to India after the 1999 Kargil conflict, notching up sales worth around $1 billion a year.
The relationship is now further heading north. Just last month, for instance, the UPA government quietly inked a Rs 10,000 crore project with Israel to develop advanced medium-range surface-to-air missile systems, capable of detecting and destroying hostile aircraft and spy drones at a range of 120 km.

The joint DRDO-IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries) project, despite being in the pipeline for over two years, was on hold till now since CBI had named IAI and Rafael in the kickbacks case in the original Rs 1,160 crore Barak-I deal, sealed by the previous NDA regime in 2000.

On a wing and a vote prayer

By M H Ahssan

Is it a whirly-bird or a plane? It’s the cash-rich Indian political league flying high this poll season

Forget recession, it’s boom time for helicopter and aircraft charter companies. The ongoing poll season will see top leaders of all parties criss-cross the country over the next three months and the charter industry is looking at raking in upwards of Rs 200 crore.

Chopper and small plane rentals have shot up. The costliest private planes that cost about Rs 3 lakh an hour have been hired from ‘friendly’ industrial houses for top leaders.

Helicopters, that offer unparalleled connectivity with the ease of landing anywhere including playgrounds or roads, are predictably in maximum demand. The rates for choppers, say industry sources, is upwards of Rs 60,000 per hour. They can go up to Rs 2.5 lakh for twin-engine ones, if some leader desperately wants this flying machine on a tight day.

There are two other categories of flying machines in demand: Small turboprop planes that can do up to 600km in less than two hours; but the most expensive ones are the jet aircraft hired only for top leaders like Sonia Gandhi and L K Advani. “Helicopters represent 60% of the total demand and will do several thousand hours of flying in poll season. Small turboprop and jet planes will be 30% and 10% of the total demand,” said Manav Singh of Club One Air, one of the pioneers of this field.

As a result, big, small and sarkari players are all having a field day. John Kuruvilla of Deccan Charter — a JV of Captain Gopinath and Vijay Mallya — said the company has 10 choppers. “As of now, four are on election charter and from April 1, six will be flying politicians. Four of the 10 choppers are with long-term clients and can’t be pulled out,” Kuruvilla said.

The Bell 206 can seat four passengers, fly them to a range of 500km and is going for Rs 75-80,000 an hour. Deccan’s faster Bell 407 is going for Rs 90,000 to Rs 1 lakh an hour. The five-seater twin engine ‘Squirrel’ has gone for a cool Rs 1.1 lakh per hour, he added.

Chopper operators say the demand has risen in past one month. Parties who held talks with chopper firms last month but didn’t finalise terms are now coming back with at least 20% higher offers to get these machines. Jyoti Gupta of Monarch Aviation that currently has three Enstrom-480 B choppers said: “The demand is very good and no number of choppers would be enough with any one at this moment.”

Apart from political parties, government agencies are also hiring choppers. “In areas like Lakshadweep and Andamans, ballot boxes have to be flown to islands,” said R K Tyagi, chief of state-owned Pawan Hans.

While the mid-segment of small turboprop planes is being used for flying up to 600km, the most expensive remains the jets being hired by top leaders. “Sonia and Advani will be using the latest Falcon 2000 that is being hired from a big south Indian company,” said sources. These flying castles in air cost about Rs 3 lakh an hour. All in all, the aviation industry — reeling under slowdown and high oil prices — is heaving a sigh of relief.

Hic! Villagers up their ‘brand value’

By Sri Balaji

Gone are the days when netas would woo voters, especially those in remote villages, with a Rs 100 note along with a biryani packet and a cheap liquor bottle. Today’s voter will not settle for anything less than branded liquor along with a Rs 500 note to cast his/her vote in favour of the candidate.

With hardly a fortnight left for the elections, leaders of all the parties have begun to face the “hiccups” what with villagers refusing to accept cheap liquor. “On a quarter bottle of branded liquor we have to spend nothing less than Rs 100 whereas cheap liquor costs a mere Rs 20. But without batting an eyelid the villagers say they won’t attend rallies or meetings if we don’t provide branded liquor,” a candidate of a regional party told HNN.

Sources said some of the candidates are cagey about spending on liquor as they are not sure of victory. “The voters have realised our weakness and have upped their demand to exercise their franchise,” another aspirant of a national party observed.

Penchalaiah, a worker hailing from Erpedu mandal, hit the nail on the head when he said: “The netas cheat us with false promises. After all, they come to us once in five years only to beg for votes. So, why can’t we cash in on that.”

That the voters are not going to be floored by liquor/cash freebies doled out by candidates was visible in several constituencies of the district.Sixtyfive-year-old Venkatamma of Kattamanchi in Chittoor said: “I accept money from all the parties since this is the only time to make a few bucks. But I will vote to a party of my choice only.”

Meanwhile, with the voters demanding branded stuff, liquor shops have hiked the rates. Some shops have even started displaying ‘no stock’ boards.

“With the demand for branded liquor ever increasing, leaders are busy dumping the stock from outside the state as they don’t have much time to woo the voters,” an analyst said.

India's virtual vigilantes

By M H Ahssan

A new form of vigilantism - cyber-activism - has gained currency in India as a powerful tool to mobilize public opinion, strengthen civic engagement, invite democratic participation or even encourage "electronic" civil disobedience.

This novel mode of communication - which has manifested itself through a slew of well-received public campaigns - offers a "virtual" platform to citizens and voluntary groups to advance their political, humanitarian and social causes. And such is the buzz this kind of crusading is creating that it is fast turning into a hotbed of real activism. From sending e-mail alerts to using the web to publicize opinions, issue press releases and highlight human rights violations, these multi-pronged campaigns have come to represent the new face of grassroots activism in India.

"For a democratic country like India, virtual vigilantism offers new mechanisms of expression, representation and mobilizing of interests and political opinion," said sociologist Dr Anil Nanda. "The virtual world is more than just a cyber-meeting place. It has morphed into a powerful vehicle for social change."

In addition to human rights organizations, Nanda claims that in a country like India - with 1.1 billion people - development projects also need to use information communication technologies to empower communities and support the flow of information to remote regions.

For instance, last month, when an Indian print journalist leveraged her Facebook network to form the "Consortium of Pub-Going, Loose and Forward Women" to counter the right-wing Sri Ram Sene (which had attacked pub-going women in Mangalore last month) it created a huge pan-India buzz within a few days of being launched. Encouraged by the overwhelming response, consequently an offline activity via a blog, the Gandhigiri-inspired Pink Chaddi campaign was also launched which attracted a similarly effusive response from over 40,000 people. In a concerted move, this group then dispatched carton loads of pink underwear to the Sri Ram Sene hooligans.

Cyber-warriors like the "Consortium Women" are being seen as India's new political watchdogs, eschewing conventional political routes to build up a groundswell of support amongst like-minded people.

Another recent Indian campaign that has mobilized tremendous public support is Jaago Re ("Wake up!"), supported by the Janaagraha Center for Citizenship and Democracy and Tata Tea. The campaign is targeted at youth, aiming to inform them of their political rights. It involves a website that hosts a first-of-its kind online voter registration engine and ensures that people register on the voters' list through a continuous stream of communications via e-mails and text messages. It also guides the voters on which forms to fill out, where to drop them off and where to cast their votes.

"We've got an unbelievable response to our movement," said one Jaago Re campaign volunteer. "People are really happy that we're guiding them with basic things about India's electoral procedure, how they can exercise their franchise etc, which they never knew despite India being the world’s largest democracy! This is a vital campaign also because two-thirds of the Indian population is comprised of youth."

The upshot of this novel form of vigilantism is that diverse social and political groups are finding their voices outside the realm of conventional politics. In other words, political parties are no longer monopolizing the public opinion domain. Civil society and voluntary groups are injecting fresh ideas into politics and mobilizing social interests and changing public perceptions. Having bypassed conventional politics, these groups are engaging directly with the public.

Even during the Mumbai terror strikes in November last year, many people who felt outraged by the massacre - which killed over 200 people and destroyed property worth millions - became cyber-warriors and played the catalytic role of generating effective public campaigns. As a part of the protest, a candlelight vigil was organized by these groups to garner mass support through the Internet.

Even Indian political parties seem to have taken to virtual crusades with aplomb. To buttress their street corner meetings and door-to-door campaigns, these parties are also wooing tech-savvy voters who aren't too inclined towards street rallies.

However, there's a downside to this virtual warfare. With parliamentary elections around the corner, some political parties and their candidates are engaging in an intense cyber-war with opponents to score political brownie points. The political "activism" of Shiv Sainiks - better known as India's self-appointed moral police - in Orkut, for instance, tops the list of social networking sites in India with over 14 million visitors. Capitalizing on this mass base, the Sainiks invariably unleash their retrogressive agenda and continue with moral policing by vandalizing Internet cafes and blocking entire web communities for hosting what it deems "objectionable" content.

As experts point out, one has to learn to look beyond the ostensible and immediate issue of freedom of speech in cyber-activism. This is especially important in a country like India with its multifarious castes, cultures, political beliefs and religions as hundreds of intemperate ethnic and racial comments - masquerading as "Hindu nationalist sentiments" - fly back and forth in web discussion forums to influence young minds.

Nanda opines that the changing dynamics of modern communication - such as the one manifested by cyber-activism - are rapidly altering the contours of established politics. The Internet has put in place fresh templates for mobilizing social, political, religious and national sentiments in a manner that is radically different from conventional and partisan politics.

Cyber-based activism is breaking fresh ground in arenas traditionally reserved for party politicians. By giving a voice to marginalized groups, this new mode of communication is impacting the course of mainstream politics. New technology has helped forge new political forums for marginalized groups. Some of these groups are creating their own niches by thinking out of the box, advocating ideas dissimilar from those of the establishment and challenging the status quo.

Unfortunately, often a departure from the political stereotype doesn't quite go down well with the powers that be. Such is the case with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, for instance, who even considered blocking Facebook in his country because of its growing popularity among Egyptian youth. Similarly, the Syrian government banned Facebook due to an anti-regime, e-mail spam campaign that coursed through the site in 2007.

But regardless of such impediments, the Syrians sallied forth, succeeding in conveying their political message to like-minded people.

While India's virtual vigilantes may not yet have encountered such impediments from the state in their missions, there's no denying that with the tribe of such crusaders growing by the day, the Indian government just might introduce a system of checks and balances. And that might not be such a bad thing.

World Environment Day 2009

By Reema Subia

World Environment Day (WED) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.

Commemorated yearly on 5 June, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The day's agenda is to:

Give a human face to environmental issues;
Empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development;
Promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues;
Advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.
The theme for WED 2009 is 'Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change'. It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests.

This year’s host is Mexico which reflects the growing role of the Latin American country in the fight against climate change, including its growing participation in the carbon markets.

Mexico is also a leading partner in UNEP's Billion Tree Campaign. The country, with the support of its President and people, has spearheaded the pledging and planting of some 25 per cent of the trees under the campaign. Accounting for around 1.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country is demonstrating its commitment to climate change on several fronts.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon states that the WED celebration will “further underline Mexico's determination to manage natural resources and deal with the most demanding challenge of the 21st century – climate change.”

World 'No Tobacco' Day 2009

By Suman Ranganathan

The World Health Organization selects "Tobacco Health Warnings" as the theme for the 20th World No Tobacco Day, which will take place on 31 May 2009. Tobacco health warnings appear on packs of cigarettes and are among the strongest defences against the global epidemic of tobacco. WHO particularly approves of warnings that contain both pictures and words because they are the most effective at convincing people to quit.

Tobacco health warnings appear on packs of cigarettes and are among the strongest defences against the global epidemic of tobacco.

WHO particularly approves of tobacco health warnings that contain both pictures and words because they are the most effective at convincing people to quit. Such pictorial warnings appear in more than a dozen countries.

On World No Tobacco Day 2009, and throughout the following year, WHO will encourage governments to adopt tobacco health warnings that meet all the criteria for maximal effectiveness, including that they cover more than half of the pack, appear on both the front and back of the pack and contain pictures.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control obligates its more than 160 countries parties to require "health warnings describing the harmful effects of tobacco use" on packs of tobacco and their outside packaging and recommends that the warnings contain pictures. WHO works through its Tobacco Free Initiative department to help the parties to meet their obligation, providing technical and other assistance.

As WHO Director General Margaret Chan says, "We hold in our hands the solution to the global tobacco epidemic that threatens the lives of one billion men, women and children during this century."

Tobacco health warnings are a big part of the solution about which Dr Chan speaks.

Please return soon to this website for a richer explanation of why the World Health Organization chose "Tobacco Health Warnings" as the theme for World No Tobacco Day 2009 and about what the warnings -- pictorial ones in particular -- can do to fight tobacco.

Happy Mother's Day 2009

By M H Ahssan

"Mother carries the child in her womb for nine months and in her heart for the rest of her life".

These few words sum up the meaning and significance of the word Mother. Mother is undoubtedly the most beautiful and lovable word in any language. This goes to show the importance of mother in our lives. Mother stands for millions of things she gives to her children; it also stands for sacrifices pain, grief and sorrows which she has to undergo to keep her children happy and secure. No joy can match the joy of a mother looking at her child, those craving eyes-deeper than a whole ocean. The most important woman in an individual's life is her/his mother. Her presence affects us our entire life and she can't be replaced by anyone.

Celebrated every year, Mother's Day is an occasion when individuals express their love and respect that they have for their mother. It's time to pamper her for all she has done for us over the years. On Mother's Day you can tell your Mom that she will always be important to you all and that you will continue to love her for ever. While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.

Yes, mother’s day comes and goes. But the memories linger and remain...

“The woman who creates and sustains a home and under whose hands children grow up to be strong and pure men and women, is a creator second only to God.” — Helen Hunt Jackson

Mother’s Day has been difficult for me since my mother died of cancer in 1990. There are many things I miss about her, but what I miss the most is sharing my children with her.

Sometimes I get a twinge of sadness because I was never able financially to give her even a tiny fraction of what she gave me. My Mother’s Day gifts to her were usually inexpensive, a pair of new pajamas, a new purse. Then I realize that my love was the only gift she ever really wanted.

I was reminded of that yesterday when my seven year old thanked me for his birthday presents. “Mom,” he said, ”do you know which gift I liked best?”

I imagined it would be the super-soaker water gun, guaranteed to shoot up to fifty feet, the one he used to squirt his sister, the dog, and me. But that wasn’t what he said.

“It’s the love you gave me Mom,” he stated, then ran off to play.

I stood frozen with my mouth open and the tears sliding down my face, suddenly feeling very overwhelmed with how wonderful motherhood can be. How I longed to pick up the phone and call the person who was not only my mother, but also my best friend, to tell her that the love she gave me now lives on in her grandchildren. But I couldn’t.

Her love for me lives on in other ways too. It visits me in the spring when the flowers she planted a few months before she died bloom. It comes to me from her former students when they write me letters, or take the time to tell me what a wonderful teacher she was.

And so each Mother’s Day I have a host of bittersweet memories. I rejoice that in a world of abused and abandoned children, I had a mother who loved me, nurtured me, and taught me right from wrong. And I cry, because I miss her friendship, her strength, her humor, and her love for my children.

There is a creed in Robert Fulghum’s wonderful book, All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten. It is called the “Storytellers Creed” and I asked the minister to read at Mama’s funeral. It says in part...

I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge.
That dreams are more powerful than facts.
That hope always triumphs over experience
That laughter is the only cure for grief.
And I believe that love is stronger than death.

Love really is stronger than death because it comes from God, and it is because of God and His sacrifice, that we have hope of life eternal. And then there will be no more goodbyes, because like the old hymn says there will be “no tears in heaven.”

World Asthma Day 2009

By Sheena Shafia

Children and young people with asthma are the focus of World Asthma Day 2009, which is on 7 May. We’ll be highlighting the need for better support for children with asthma and reinforcing our call for vital funds in a range of ways on and around World Asthma Day. Asthma has met with children and young people across the world and will be issuing a report on World Asthma Day which features what children say about their experiences of missing out because of their asthma.

Asthma
Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing, which vary in severity and frequency from person to person. Symptoms may occur several times in a day or week in affected individuals, and for some people become worse during physical activity or at night.

According to WHO estimates, 300 million people suffer from asthma and 255 000 people died of asthma in 2005.

Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children.

Asthma is not just a public health problem for high income countries: it occurs in all countries regardless of level of development. Over 80% of asthma deaths occurs in low and lower-middle income countries.

Asthma is under-diagnosed and under-treated, creating a substantial burden to individuals and families and possibly restricting individuals’ activities for a lifetime.

What is an asthma attack?
During an asthma attack, the lining of the bronchial tubes swell, causing the airways to narrow and reducing the flow of air into and out of the lungs. Recurrent asthma symptoms frequently cause sleeplessness, daytime fatigue, reduced activity levels and school and work absenteeism. Asthma has a relatively low fatality rate compared to other chronic diseases, nonetheless 255mn people died of asthma till date.

Asthma: Causes
The fundamental causes of asthma are not completely understood. The strongest risk factors for developing asthma are a combination of genetic predisposition with environmental exposure to inhaled substances and particles that may provoke allergic reactions or irritate the airways, such as:

- indoor allergens (for example house dust mites in bedding, carpets and stuffed furniture, pollution and pet dander)
- outdoor allergens (such as pollens and moulds)
- tobacco smoke
- chemical irritants in the workplace
- air pollution

Other triggers can include cold air, extreme emotional arousal such as anger or fear, and physical exercise. Even certain medications can trigger asthma: aspirin and other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, and beta-blockers (which are used to treat high blood pressure, heart conditions and migraine).

Urbanization has been associated with an increase in asthma. But the exact nature of this relationship is unclear.

How to reduce Asthama burden?
Although asthma cannot be cured, appropriate management can control the disease and enable people to enjoy good quality of life.

Short-term medications are used to relieve symptoms. People with persistant symptoms must take long-term medication daily to control the underlying inflammation and prevent symptoms and exacerbations.

Medication is not the only way to control asthma. It is also important to avoid asthma triggers - stimuli that irritate and inflame the airways. With medical support, each asthma patient must learn what triggers he or she should avoid.

Although asthma does not kill on the scale of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or other chronic diseases, failure to use appropriate medications or to adhere to treatment can lead to death.

Global Alliance: The Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) contributes to WHO’s global work to prevent and control chronic respiratory diseases. GARD is a voluntary alliance of national and international organizations, institutions and agencies from a range of countries working towards the common goal of reducing the global burden of chronic respiratory diseases. Its vision is a world where all people breathe freely. GARD promotes an integrated approach that capitalizes upon synergies of chronic respiratory diseases with other chronic diseases. GARD focuses specifically on the needs of low- and middle-income countries and vulnerable populations, and fosters country-specific initiatives that are tailored to local needs and primary health care.