What does our future hold?

Today, days after disaster struck, Japan continues to face tremors and threats of possible nuclear radiation. The world watches, continues to provide help and hopes for the best. There is a knee-jerk reaction across countries, with governments checking their backyards, questioning nuclear safety standards, stress tests and technology used.

Japan has no coal, no natural gas, and no oil. It is only 16 percent energy self-sufficient. It’s the third largest oil consumer in the world and the second-largest net importer of crude oil. It is the world's largest importer of both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal. Japan is the third largest consumer of nuclear power in the world, after the United States and France. It is consciously increasing its use of alternative ‘renewable energy’ resources with 11% of its energy consumption being nuclear, 17% natural gas and 3% hydro. Having the best technology and safety standards, in the wake of the disaster it now faces, the saving grace till now is that the nuclear threat is still minuscule compared to the Chernobyl, Ukraine accident of 1986.

Germany shut down 7 of its 17 nuclear reactors as they are now re-considering extending the life of these atomic power plants. In Brussels, European Union energy officials and nuclear regulators planned an emergency meeting to assess the security of nuclear plants in the 27-nation bloc. The meeting was not about reducing the scale of the nuclear industry but limited to urgent and practical safety measures. Responding to environmental concerns over France's own big nuclear power sector, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said there should be a debate on safety but insisted that “to say to the French that we are going to give up nuclear power would be lying.” Despite protests China declared that it will not suspend the ongoing construction of the no. 4 nuclear power plant. People are protesting across the world, but who is listening?

Closer home, the focus has shifted from nuclear liability to safety of the proposed nuclear reactors in Jaitapur. It is an earthquake prone zone and will generate nuclear waste, but how will that be stored? No one is talking about these issues. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has been asked to conduct technical reviews of safety systems and design. The PM has ordered a review of safety systems at all nuclear plants in the country.

If an advanced country like Japan could be devastated by a magnitude 9 earthquake and Tsunami, where is our humility? Can we be truly prepared? Can we think big, beyond our little backyard? Are we be truly global? Is nuclear fuel “clean”? Should it be an option at all? Are we such slaves to our economies that we cannot think of progress without? Can we predict future disasters? What if the epicenter was not so kind? Do we really understand the ‘true’ price of a nuclear tragedy? Does technology really provide solutions or can it be an impediment? Are we ready to put our foot down? Can we stop this so called ‘progress’ dead in its tracks?

What your DOG must NOT EAT

There are many things we eat that taste good, so we have a natural tendency to share those goodies with the tail wagging fella. However, our ignorance could prove fatal for the one we so adore. I found a neat list of things to avoid (directly from the vet) and I share it here.

Chocolate, Coffee, Caffeine

What makes chocolate toxic, anyway?
Chocolate is made from the fruit (beans) of the cacao tree. Theobromine, a component of chocolate, is the toxic compound in chocolate. Both Theobromine and Caffeine are members of a drug class called Methylxanines. When ingested by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. Note that darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. White chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines, while baking chocolate contains the highest.

Your dogs system will try to purge itself of the theobromine if it gets enough of it. You'll notice if they've had too much.  Aside from the dog crying it will be vomiting and have diarrhea.   If you notice these symptoms, you should have your animal checked out immediately.  Your dog will probably not die from these symptoms, they are just warning signs.  The concern comes from the dog's heart, especially if it is an older dog.  The dogs heart my beat too fast and just give out, that's the real danger.   An increased heart rate will probably come after the vomiting and diarrhea, when more theobromine has had a chance to be absorbed into the blood stream.  Other signs to watch for are increased urination (another method the body will use to purge itself of something), muscle twitching, and excessive panting.  Chocolate could kill your dog, cause seizures or put it in a coma, so be careful.

The amount of chocolate that will harm your dog will vary depending on the size, age, health of your dog, and the type of chocolate.  Baker's chocolate has much more theobromine than regular milk chocolate.

Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death.

Milk
Because pets do not possess significant amounts of lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk), milk and other milk-based products cause them diarrhea or other digestive upset. 

Salt
Large amounts of salt can produce excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium ion poisoning in pets. Signs that your pet may have eaten too many salty foods include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and even death. In other words, keep those salty chips to yourself! 

Avocado
The leaves, fruit, seeds and bark of avocados contain Persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. Birds and rodents are especially sensitive to avocado poisoning, and can develop congestion, difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation around the heart. Some ingestion may even be fatal. 

Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts are commonly used in many cookies and candies. However, they can cause problems for your canine companion. These nuts have caused weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and last approximately 12 to 48 hours. 

Grapes & Raisins
Although the toxic substance within grapes and raisins is unknown, these fruits can cause kidney failure. In pets who already have certain health problems, signs may be more dramatic. 

Yeast Dough
Yeast dough can rise and cause gas to accumulate in your pet’s digestive system. This can be painful and can cause the stomach or intestines to rupture. Because the risk diminishes after the dough is cooked and the yeast has fully risen, pets can have small bits of bread as treats. However, these treats should not constitute more than 5 percent to 10 percent of your pet’s daily caloric intake. 

Raw/Undercooked Meat, Eggs and Bones
Raw meat and raw eggs can contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that can be harmful to pets. In addition, raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin that decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin), which can lead to skin and coat problems. Feeding your pet raw bones may seem like a natural and healthy option that might occur if your pet lived in the wild. However, this can be very dangerous for a domestic pet, who might choke on bones, or sustain a grave injury should the bone splinter and become lodged in or puncture your pet’s digestive tract. 

Xylitol
Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, including gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste. It can cause insulin release in most species, which can lead to liver failure. The increase in insulin leads to hypoglycemia (lowered sugar levels). Initial signs of toxicosis include vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination. Signs can progress to recumbancy and seizures. Elevated liver enzymes and liver failure can be seen within a few days. 

Onions, Garlic, Chives
These vegetables and herbs can cause gastrointestinal irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage. Although cats are more susceptible, dogs are also at risk if a large enough amount is consumed. Toxicity is normally diagnosed through history, clinical signs and microscopic confirmation of Heinz bodies. An occasional low dose, such as what might be found in pet foods or treats, likely will not cause a problem, but we recommend that you do NOT give your pets large quantities of these foods.

The Nano, BRT and India's Transportation Future | Anjali Jaiswal's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC

The Nano, BRT and India's Transportation Future | Anjali Jaiswal's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC

BRT

In the recent past i have often traveled the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit route and found myself cursing the system. Damn those IIT'ians, (I believed they designed the system), what a super disaster. As i traveled in my comfortable car, stuck in a jam, looking at the empty road next to me, allocated to buses i was amazed at the stupidity of the designer and the government. I would further get angry at the lack of the governments desire to undo the terrible mistake. I don't know how many of you reading this blog, echo the same thoughts, but i have this uncanny felling that most will agree.

A few days ago i got a little educated. Rather late in life, but better late than never, and here's what I learnt..

Of the total land of Delhi, 26% comprises of roads. 13% of Delhi's population travels by car. 90% of all traffic on the roads are cars. So essentially 13% of the population occupies 90% of Delhi's roads and we are already facing jams. Now add a 1000 cars to Delhi everyday, do the math and you realize that soon there wont be any roads left for the cars!

Those of us who have traveled even a bit should chew on facts like Central London, where parking is dearer than the price of a movie ticket, or congestion tax, or Singapore where you cannot purchase a car till such time someone sells one, or Japan where you need a certificate from the police that you have a parking area before you can purchase a car, and you'll realize where we are headed.

Look at it this way - 13% of Delhi's population travels by car, 40% by bus, 10% uses cycles, 20% walks, remaining is on two wheelers. I fall in the little, insignificant category that travels by car and cant think beyond the lifestyle of that category. Essentially our transport policy is working for the benefit and convenience of 13% of the population, which is the largest single source of vehicular pollution in the city? what about the 60% that travels by bus or is too poor and must walk?

Well someone did have the brains to work around this. Someone thought of the future and tried to prevent this chaos. Hence the BRT... an ongoing attempt. Create the Metro, the BRT, make linkages, so that you can get off the Metro and take a bus and vice-versa. The attempt is ongoing to increase the fleet of buses, to make smart buses, air conditioned buses, so that when we do condescend to use public transport, we find it easy, we find it convenient. It's a long process, difficult process, money and time-consuming process but a futuristic effort. Try thinking about it before you curse it again. Take a bus on the BRT and then see how you feel, you might just find yourself laughing at the car owners below you. Well, the people who take the bus are 40% of the city's population and sooner or later we're bound to fall into that category because frankly speaking we have no choice.

The BRT came a bit late to Delhi, when the roads had to be snatched from car owners and given to the buses but in Ahmedabad, a wiser city that did not wait for congested The BRT came a bit late to Delhi, when the roads had to be snatched from car owners and given to the buses but in Ahmedabad, a wiser city that did not wait for congested traffic to swamp it, the BRT is a success story.