“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.”
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), Writer
“प्रातःकाल का भ्रमण पूरे दिन के लिए वरदान होता है।”
हेनरी डेविड थोरो (१८१७-१८६२), लेखक
Tuesday, February 07, 2023
Quote of the Day February 7, 2023
National Digital Library
According to the National Statistical Commission, the literacy rate in India is 73%. However, the financial literacy rate is very less, around 24%. Compared to the other emerging economies of the world, the financial literacy rate of India is very low. To inculcate reading habits and to increase the financial literacy of the country the GoI is to launch National Digital Library. The announcement about the library was made by the finance minister Smt Nirmala Sitaraman during her budget presentation.
About the National Digital Library
- The library will mainly focus on adolescents and children
- Financial organizations will contribute age-appropriate financial materials to the library
- The main objective of the National Digital Library is to encourage the habit of reading among children
- Under this initiative, the state governments will be encouraged to create physical libraries at ward levels and panchayats. Also, they shall provide infrastructure facilities to access the resources of the National Digital Library
- Materials will also be contributed in the regional language
Why is National Digital Library launched?
During the COVID pandemic, India faced extreme learning losses. The habit of learning and the significance of knowledge vanished.
Significance
Experts from the education sector believe that the union budget 2023-24 mainly focuses on making India a knowledge-driven economy. This is to be done by strengthening the underprivileged sectors in the country.
What is Hybrid Warfare?
What is Hybrid Warfare?
It uses the following three warfare techniques
- Conventional Warfare: Here conventional weapons and normal war field tactics are used. The forces primarily target the opponent and the fight is direct, face-to-face.
- Irregular Warfare: Here the war is fought for legitimacy. It has a goal. It can be fought even within a state. Mostly, this warfare includes non-military actors
- Cyber Warfare: Here the country makes cyber-attacks on enemy states. It can be on its military system or it can be on the civilian cyber hubs of the enemy country.
Why is the term coming up now?
BALTIC SEA PIPELINE EXPLOSIONS. In October 2022, the Nord Stream Pipeline exploded and leaked gases into the sea. The western world is blaming Russia and Russia suspects UK’s hands in the explosion. Suspicions began when the investigating officers found burnt explosives near the pipeline. Countries believe that the explosion might have been caused by their enemies to disrupt the normal functioning of their state. This is one of the techniques of hybrid warfare.
Here are 5 simple ways to improve your writing skills
Writing is often a daily task in many professions spanning several industries, with the simplest reasons being sending emails and creating presentations. While grammar and spelling are only a small part, your writing's ability to effectively convey the intended message depends greatly on several factors, including accuracy, clarity, persuasiveness, and more.
Many people find writing scary, especially those who don't write often or for a living. The good news is that writing doesn't have to be painful, with discipline and an eagerness to learn, virtually anyone can develop their writing abilities. Do you want to improve as a writer? Here are some methods one can use to start writing more professionally, right away.
How to get better at writing?
With time and practice, writing is a skill that you can improve, just like any other. The following are some tips for improving your written communication:
1. Review fundamentals of grammar and spelling
Spelling and grammar are the cornerstones of effective writing. Correct grammar and spelling convey to your reader your professionalism and gives out the right attention to detail. Additionally, it facilitates comprehension of your text.
You must also understand when and how to employ less frequent punctuation such as colons and semicolons, which can offer creative solutions to sentence structure and improve your writing.
2. Read the type of content you intend to write
Knowing how a finished product might appear can give you a better feel for what you are trying to achieve. Read funny short stories if you want to write them yourself. How can I write a book review? Look for a few and note their structure. Pay attention to their strengths and the qualities that appeal to you. In fact, when working on a school assignment, you can ask your teacher for samples of well-written submissions from previous students as well.
3. Check for errors
Although it may be tempting to submit your work as soon as you're done, give yourself time to go through it again and look for any flaws, no matter how minor. Here are some suggestions for proofreading to keep in mind:
- Before you edit, put your work away. Try taking a day or two off from writing so you can return to it with a fresh mind. Allotting 20 minutes separately to this task can help you in tackling you manage your deadline as well.
- Start with minor adjustments, then go on to more significant ones. Starting with simple modifications might help you establish a proofreading routine, allow you to reread your work, and avoid any possible distractions.
- Check your writing for typos, consistency issues, and grammar mistakes. After that, address any structural or transition issues that are more important.
4. Request feedback
Asking for comments is a great way to determine how someone other than yourself would understand your writing, whether you're writing emails or essays. Have a clear concept of the topics you want the proofreader to pay specific attention to, such as the argument's persuasiveness, structure, or conclusion.
Reach out to a trusted friend, relative, coworker, or teacher. If you're a student, you can also check with the writing resource centre at your school. Look up independent writing workshops, community colleges, or online writing courses.
5. Consider the structure
Grammar and spelling help you write consistently and articulately, but a good structure makes sure the reader understands your main points.
Preparing an outline will frequently help in building a structure for your article. An outline can help you picture the flow of your essay, explain the points that need more research or consideration, and highlight the main points of each section.
There are many different writing styles, though most of them focus on simple words, short sentences, and direct language so as to engage readers while also conveying the message effectively. While you should preserve your unique conversational tone, you can also improve your writing style with deliberate choices about structure and usage.
Source: The Telegraph, 28/01/23
Good idea: Editorial on living wage for workers
The concept of the living wage is distinct from, but closely related to, the notion of the much talked about universal basic income
The idea of a living wage for workers is not something new. In India, it has been discussed ever since Independence, along with the concepts of a minimum wage and a fair wage. The minimum wage is usually calculated on the basis of survival needs and minimum calorific requirements. The living wage, on the other hand, is conceived of as being much higher than the minimum wage, with the inclusion of estimates made for spending on education, healthcare, transport and shelter over and above the requirements of food and clothing. The fair wage is usually computed as lying somewhere between a living wage and the minimum wage. The International Labour Organization had pointed out in the India Wage Report of 2018 certain flaws in how minimum wages are calculated in India. Living wages would, obviously, be expected to be significantly higher than the minimum wages prescribed in India for many types of employment. The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, a workers’ union, for instance, wants the living wage to be at least 10% of the highest salary received in the economy. The tricky issue is this: who would pay the living wage? Would it be the government or the direct employer? For the government, the fiscal implications of such a scheme could weigh heavily on the size of public debt. Private-sector employers, on the other hand, would be reluctant to pay higher than necessary wages in fear of lower profits.
The concept of the living wage is distinct from, but closely related to, the notion of the much talked about universal basic income. But both these concepts ensure that everybody in an economy is receiving at least an adequate income for a decent living. In the former, people have to obtain employment for earning a living wage; in the latter, to receive a universal basic income, one need not have to work. The living wage is a morally superior notion as there are no free lunches being passed around. Overall demand in the economy for consumer goods would increase with a less skewed distribution of income. Ideally, direct employers ought to pay a living wage through some fiscal incentives like lower taxes for employers. However, if a worker loses employment, the living wage would be lost too. In such a case, would personal savings suffice? Or would the importance of a social safety net become critical? In an economy where employment or the minimum wage guaranteed is uncertain, the idea of living wages must be contemplated with seriousness.
Source: The Telegraph, 7/02/23
Turkey earthquake: What causes an earthquake and why it cannot be predicted
Turkey earthquake: Prediction of an earthquake needs a precursory signal from within the earth that indicates a big quake is on the way. Currently, there is no equipment to find such a signal, even if they exist.
More than 1,500 people died and several hundred were injured after a major earthquake of magnitude 7.8 hit south-central Turkey and Northwest Syria on Monday early morning.
Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdoğan said that authorities are yet to determine how high the death toll might rise as search and rescue operations are still going on. AP news reported hundreds are still believed to be trapped under debris.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said while the quake was centred about 33 km from Gaziantep, around 18 km deep, its effect was felt across West Asia, Northern Africa and South Eastern Europe with residents of Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece, Israel and Egypt also reporting tremors. India is among the 45 countries, which have so far offered assistance to Turkey. It’s sending search and rescue teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and medical teams along with relief material to the West Asian nation.
What is an earthquake?
An earthquake is an intense shaking of the ground caused by movement under the earth’s surface. It happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another, according to USGS. This releases stored-up ‘elastic strain’ energy in the form of seismic waves, which spreads through the earth and cause the shaking of the ground.
What exactly causes earthquakes?
As we know, the earth’s outermost surface, crust, is fragmented into tectonic plates. The edges of the plates are called plate boundaries, which are made up of faults. The tectonic plates constantly move at a slow pace, sliding past one another and bumping into each other. As the edges of the plates are quite rough, they get stuck with one another while the rest of the plate keeps moving. Earthquake occurs when the plate has moved far enough and the edges unstick on one of the faults.
USGS says that “the location below the earth’s surface where the earthquake starts is called the hypocenter, and the location directly above it on the surface of the earth is called the epicentre.”
Can earthquakes be predicted?
No. An accurate prediction of an earthquake requires some sort of a precursory signal from within the earth that indicates a big quake is on the way. Moreover, the signal must occur only before large earthquakes so that it doesn’t indicate every small movement within the earth’s surface. Currently, there is no equipment to find such precursors, even if they exist.
Source: Indian Express, 7/02/23
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