“Beauty is all very well at first sight; but who ever looks at it when it has been in the house three days?”
George Bernard Shaw
“सौन्दर्य पहली नज़र में तो अच्छा है; लेकिन घर में आने के तीन दिन के बाद इसे कौन पूछता है?”
जॉर्ज बरनार्ड शॉ
Monday, January 16, 2023
Quote of the Day January 16, 2023
What is ‘Saharsh’ Initiative of Tripura?
Tripura government has launched a special education programme called ‘Saharsh’ in an effort to encourage social and emotional learning. The initiative was launched on a pilot basis in August last year in 40 schools in the state, and from January 2023, it will be extended to all government and aided schools of the state. The programme is aimed at empowering children to learn with happiness and contribute to empathetic development.
What is Social and Emotional Learning?
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults learn the skills they need to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. SEL is critical for students to succeed in school and in life. The ‘Saharsh’ initiative is designed to help students develop these skills and become well-rounded, resilient individuals.
Effectiveness of the Program
The ‘Saharsh’ initiative is based on a similar programme that was found to be effective in social and economic development in research studies of Harvard and Columbia Universities. The programme is being contextualised with local realities of India before implementing it in Tripura. The state government has already trained 204 schools for the ‘Saharsh’ curriculum while 200 more will be trained soon. Thirty assistant headmasters from different districts of Tripura were also selected to work as Saharsh implementation ambassadors.
What is the “Pineapple Express” Phenomenon?
Over the past two weeks, California and other parts of the West Coast have been hit with a series of what meteorologists call atmospheric rivers. Forecasters have said that the rain arriving in California on January 12 is being caused by a “true Pineapple Express” – a specific example of a common atmospheric phenomenon that resembles a conveyor belt for moisture. This article will examine the “Pineapple Express” phenomenon and its impact on California’s recent storms.
What is the “Pineapple Express” Phenomenon?
“Pineapple Express” is a specific example of a common atmospheric phenomenon known as atmospheric rivers. These rivers in the sky, also known as “rivers in the sky” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, are long, narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport most of the water vapor outside the tropics. They carry a lot of moisture – enough water vapor to equal or sometimes exceed the average flow of the Mississippi River at the point where it flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
For an atmospheric river to be classified as a “true Pineapple Express,” its location is key. The tail end, where the moisture is pulled into the atmosphere, must start near Hawaii. Then the river must stretch continuously through the atmosphere to the U.S. West Coast. This type of atmospheric river is known to bring heavy precipitation to the West Coast, as it is a continuous flow of moisture.
Is the “Pineapple Express” a common phenomenon?
Atmospheric rivers occur often on the West Coast but can happen in other locations, including the eastern United States, where they often channel moisture from the Caribbean. They are an essential part of the livelihood of coastal states, which rely heavily on precipitation for their water supply. Between 30% and 50% of the annual precipitation on the West Coast occurs from just a few atmospheric river events, according to the NOAA.
What are the effects of “Pineapple Express” storms?
When the atmospheric rivers are particularly strong – or come back-to-back in what are called “atmospheric river families” – the effects can be serious. This is the case in California, where the recent storms have led to extensive flooding. The “Pineapple Express” can be a double-edged sword, as it brings much-needed water to the state but also leads to destructive flooding if the storms are too strong.
The “Pineapple Express” is a common atmospheric phenomenon that brings much-needed precipitation to the West Coast. However, when the storms are particularly strong, as is the case in California, the effects can be severe. Understanding the “Pineapple Express” and its impact on the state’s weather patterns is essential in being able to predict and prepare for future storms.
India’s road deaths are not accidents — they are a public health crisis
It’s time to stop labelling the thousands of deadly incidents that happen on India’s roads as “accidents.” Across India, the National Crime Records Bureau reported over four lakh road “accident” cases in 2021, with 1.6 lakh fatalities — up by four per cent from 2017. Despite the fact that each of these casualties leaves a human tragedy in its wake, society remains numb and unresponsive. The fact that road deaths are routinely labelled “accidents” contributes to public inaction against this preventable killer. It carries with it the connotation that they are unavoidable and an accepted cost of travel, wherein “accidents just happen”. But they do not “just happen”.
Fortunately, in December and September of 2022, the Maharashtra Highway Police and the Delhi Traffic Police both proved that change is possible and broke away from this practice. In its report, the Delhi Traffic Police noted that an “accident” is “an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause,” and as such, they will retire the word going forward when discussing road crashes. This change reflects a commitment to treat crashes not as inevitable but as preventable — thanks to evidence-based public health interventions, such as road redesign with all users in mind. Evidence from places with sterling road safety records shows that road deaths can be prevented by strong government action. This includes a comprehensive approach to road safety, including prioritising accessibility over mobility, and walking, cycling, and smart urban planning (such as public transport, crosswalks, and bike lanes) over high-speed driving and car dependency. In other words, low-cost, low-tech interventions can be adopted in every city and state, as long as there’s political will. By framing road crashes as “accidents,” people perceive crashes with less urgency and support for crucial interventions that can prevent crashes. Rightly using the term “crash”, is a commendable step by the Delhi Traffic Police, and it is hoped that others — spanning government agencies, media outlets, and the general public — will similarly follow suit.
In fact, this shift has happened before. We hear of “car accidents,” but when was the last time one heard of a “plane accident”? The term “plane accident” in the aviation industry is a misnomer but it wasn’t always so. The term was discarded in the first half of the 20th century as governments pressured the industry to improve safety. Investigators now work to determine the root causes of any aircraft crash, or even a near miss, and put in place more stringent safeguards to ensure that future events are prevented. Preventative actions such as safe infrastructure, professional management by highly trained and skilled staff, maintenance of all equipment, and strictly followed standard operating procedures all contribute toward making air travel the world’s safest form of transport per kilometre.
We need to adopt a similar approach to road travel. For example, thoughtful urban planning and safe road designs that encourage low speeds can reduce crashes. Communities that are walkable and bikeable, and less car-dependent have fewer deaths on the road. These are low-cost and straightforward interventions, and they can save lives today. Every road crash is preventable. Evidence-based interventions can radically decrease crash fatalities, and the language used to describe crashes is critical in building public demand and political will for these changes.
Written by Sudeep Lakhtakia , Grant Ennis
Lakhtakia is a retired Indian Police Service officer and currently Senior Road Safety Advisor-India, Vital Strategies.
Source: Indian Express, 16/01/23
This Quote Means: ‘Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached’ by Swami Vivekananda
The message and teachings of Swami Vivekananda, who was one of the most well-known spiritual leaders of India, outlive him. Through his speeches and lectures, Vivekananda worked to disseminate his religious ideas. He preached ‘neo-Vedanta’, an interpretation of Hinduism through a Western lens, and believed in combining spirituality with material progress.
Quotes such as “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached” have become a source of inspiration for many. That the National Youth Day is celebrated every year on January 12 to commemorate his birth anniversary seems appropriate, as throughout his work he underlined the importance of youth in India. He saw in them the power to lead society towards the path of spiritual growth. The words of famous personalities have become essential topics in the Essay paper of UPSC CSE. Also, quotes have become relevant in the Ethics paper (GS 4), as the syllabus mentions ‘Contribution of Thinkers and Philosophers’. Quotes by Swami Vivekananda have been asked previously in the UPSC exam. This one, aimed at the youth, is of value not only for the Essay section but also for the Ethics questions and case studies on themes of youth and philosophy. We look at the meaning and context of one of his most famous quotes, “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached,” which Swami Vivekananda took from the Katha Upanishad. It soon became a clarion call for galvanizing youth to be cognizant of the supreme power within, thus ‘Arise,’ and once conscious of the God within, to hold on to the belief and see the world through this divine self-consciousness, to become ‘Awake.’
Full quote:
Swami Vivekananda used the quote in numerous speeches within and outside the subcontinent. The following is an excerpt from his speech in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu:
“Without respect of caste or birth, weakness or strength, hear and learn that behind the strong and the weak, behind the high and the low, behind everyone, there is that Infinite Soul, assuring the infinite possibility and the infinite capacity of all to become great and good. Let us proclaim to every soul: उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत — Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached. Arise, awake! Awake from this hypnotism of weakness. None is really weak; the soul is infinite, omnipotent, and omniscient. Stand up, assert yourself, proclaim the God within you, do not deny Him! Too much of inactivity, too much of weakness, too much of hypnotism has been and is upon our race.”
Meaning of the quote
The quote reflects the basis of Swami Vivekanada’s philosophy, which says human beings have infinite power and strength within themselves. Vivekananda, in his speeches and work, reiterated and exhorted the youth to “take one idea” and make that one idea their life. “Think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success,” he proclaimed. Strength and fearlessness were the two keywords he used to urge the youth to imbibe in their lives to achieve their true potential.
The phrase can be expressed through the following markers of his philosophy:
Fearlessness
Swami Vivekananda appealed to the youth to follow the religion of fearlessness, for that is the only way to achieve any goal. He decried inactivity and ‘hypnotism’ of weakness, which he believed are the biggest deterrent to achieving anything. “Arise, awake ! Awake from this hypnotism of weakness,” he urged.
Balance of mind
To remain focused on any goal, Swami Vivekananda claimed that patience, perseverance, and purity are required. He categorically articulated that it is the calm, forgiving, equable and well-balanced mind that does the greatest amount of work.
Swami Vivekananda also stressed the importance of concentration to achieve one’s goals. “The world is ready to give up its secrets if we only know how to knock, how to give it the necessary blow and that can be done through concentration of the powers of the mind. The strength and the force of the blow come through concentration,” he said. The more focused a human mind is, the more power is brought to bear on one point; that is the secret to achieving what one has set out for.
Divinity
To highlight the importance of work, he even said that through work even God can be attained. He called on the youth to wake up from their slumber and be awake to the divinity within themselves, which can lead to their success in every sphere of their lives.
He said that when the sleeping soul is roused to self-conscious activity, power, glory as well as goodness and purity will naturally follow. “So work, says the Vedanta, putting God in everything, and knowing Him to be in everything. Work incessantly, holding life as something deified, as God Himself. Thus knowing, we must work—this is the only way, there is no other.”
Other prominent quotes by Swami Vivekananda
- “Freedom can never be reached by the weak. Throw away all weakness. Tell your body that it is strong, tell your mind that it is strong, and have unbounded faith and hope in yourself.”
- “I stand for truth. Truth will never ally itself with falsehood. Even if all the world should be against me, Truth must prevail in the end.”
- “Ours not to reason why, ours but to do and die. Be of good cheer and believe that we are selected by the Lord to do great things, and we will do them.”
Source: Indian Express, 15/01/23
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Quote of the Day January 11, 2023
“When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character.”
W. Somerset Maugham
“जब आप अपने मित्रों का चयन करते हैं तो चरित्र के स्थान पर व्यक्तित्व को न चुनें।”
डब्ल्यू सोमरसेट मोघम
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)