Russia blames radiation for space probe failure

"An unmanned Russian probe was planned to visit the Mars moon of Phobos, take soil samples and bring them back. But it became stuck in Earth orbit."

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Russia blames radiation for space probe failure: "Russia's space agency said that cosmic radiation was the most likely cause of the failure of a Mars moon probe that crashed to Earth this month, and suggested that a low-quality imported component may have been vulnerable to the radiation."

Prosecution, power, principle

"Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act prevents courts from taking cognizance of offences allegedly committed by a public servant without prior sanction of the government. Such provisions were conceived to ensure that public servants are not harassed and their work not stymied by vexatious and frivolous complaints."

In practice, these protective measures have functioned as a shield against prosecution, encouraging dishonest to flout the law with impunity. The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Prosecution, power, principle: Should prior sanction be required to prosecute public servants at all? Surely, the decision about whether a particular prosecution is vexatious or not is better left to the judiciary.

The idea that the law must differ for public servants and private citizens is an anachronism, one that has no basis in principle and has no defence in practice.

On a wing and a prayer

"The Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) faces many serious problems in a situation complicated by violence, tribalism and hatreds, old and new. "

There are complaints about the Council's lack of openness. The lack of central control means former rebels have inflicted revenge killings, torture, for aiding the old Qadhafi regime's forces. Racism may also be a factor. Those problems by themselves could seem intractable enough, but the Council also has to contend with obstacles to the revival of the oil industry. The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : On a wing and a prayer

In effect, Libya could easily slide back into the chaotic violence which preceded Qadhafi's overthrow. Nato that embarked upon regime change in Libya with no apparent consideration of the consequences or of the fact that ordinary Libyans would end up paying the price for its heedlessness. If things implode, the Western powers will have a lot to answer for.

Pet-iquette

Maneka Gandhi, MP from BJP and Animal's rights activist in her interview to DNA confesses that hormones and antibiotics are injected to cows that can have an adverse affect on us, the end consumers...

Read more of the same by clicking on the link below:

http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/comment_pet-iquette-most-cows-milk-have-pesticides_1643677

Punjab polls

The state of Punjab is known for it's prosperity and the green lush...

The Indian granary and the foothold of the former green revolution (which has now turned into a sense of disaster) still produces the largest amount of rice in the country with good wheat production also...

But, the main question is, is it really prosperous?

"No, it isn't" says Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr.

Punjab Polls and the problems of prosperity

Gujarat Lokayukta

When the Gujarat Lokayukta was appointed by the governor of the state as an obligation to the parliamentary democracy, Narendra Modi, under the facade of the Gujarat Government challenged the same as illegal in the high court lost the case and turned out to be a huge humiliation for the Gujarat government that had bragged about setting high parliamentary standards...

"This is how federal structure works", believes eminent lawyer and human rights activist, Girish Patel...

Lokayukta: Political agenda with legal overtones

Bums with cushioned seats

Anna Zeidi, goes on to explore the mentality of women keeping the situations that occur in the Mumbai local train...

She explores the "class" divide that is still so prevalent in our pseudo-modern Indian society...

Bums with cushioned seats

Newt Gingrich proposes establishing permanent moon colony in a decade

Times View - Grandiose flight of fancy
Counter View - Space is the future


-The Times of India, January 31, 2012

Eye will survive

Now we don't have to ask: Who put out the lights?

Eye will survive

-The Times of India, January 31, 2012

Journal of a person who, thanks to technology, undergoes the various steps that one typically faces while medically treating an eye towards better vision.

"there's a thorny path to tread first and even though it's not as rough as some other procedures, it might help to know what's in store for you"  

Make Performance The Pitch

India must be driven by excellence and focussed on results

Make Performance The Pitch

-The Times of India, January 31, 2012

Has the newer version of cricket - T20 - impacted the technique and commitment of players?
OR.. have the players been fatigued by the profit-seeking BCCI?
OR.. were the Australians too good to beat?

More Than Popcorn

Awards show big changes in how films fare

More Than Popcorn

-The Times of India, January 31, 2012

The 57th Idea Filmfare Awards painted a picture of a new, evolved Bollywood - one that is more closer to reality than it has been in the past.

The Filmfare had much to celebrate, says the editor, with three new remarkable stars - those three vital characteristics of Bollywood that have taken center-stage off late, and aided in its transition. 

Few Fresh Breezes

There's strong anti-incumbency in states, but is opposition taking advantage?

Few Fresh Breezes

-The Times of India, January 31, 2012

Whereas most parties in power in the the five states where elections are in motion have invited an anti-incumbent atmosphere on to the state, the opposition parties have resorted to age-old traditions of caste-and-religion politics to move the voters. The talk on infrastructure, health, education and corruption is sidelined to make way for quota-based politics.

An action plan for Sri Lanka

"The outline of a sustainable development system to empower villagers."

This article has been excerpted from an address A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, delivered at the launch of the National Action Plan, and the declaration of 2012 as the year for a trilingual Sri Lanka, on January 21. The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : An action plan for Sri Lanka

We are all destined to realise happiness, dignity of life, freedom and creativity - but only if nations become noble. One need of a noble nation is the creation of an environment of inclusive development where everyone gets an opportunity to build capacity and generate income based on competencies. For this, the evolution of sustainable systems which act as "enablers" and bring inclusive growth and integrated development is needed.

The article then goes on to discuss the mission of Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) through the creation of three connectivities - physical, electronic, and knowledge leading to economic connectivity, for 15,000 villages of Sri Lanka.

It's a hazy view from the government's trenches

"The ‘age row' reflects historical developments in civil-military relations."

The current impasse reflects certain related but distinct trends. The military sees itself as superior to society in terms of values that it inculcates and espouses. In reality, it is no longer detached from politics, including manipulating processes. On the civilian side, there are equally disconcerting trends, including a lack of appreciation of the needs of the military. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : It's a hazy view from the government's trenches

The solution suggested by military opinion, particularly retirees who can speak more openly than those in uniform, is to reduce civilian control by the introduction of a Joint Chiefs of Staff, who would be the de-facto commander-in-chief of the military with an impact on the role of the Ministry of Defence in civil-military relations. 

A good starting point for improving civil-military relationship will be to carefully review the material that deals with civil-military relations in the staff colleges, and use case studies, including the present ‘age row' and from abroad, to shape principles and processes of civil-military relations appropriate for us.

Delhi, we have a problem

"Did the Antrix-Devas agreement on S-band spectrum go as far as it did because many individuals in the know chose not to intervene?"

The fashion in which valuable S-band spectrum was allocated to a single private company for an extended period of time, and the way in which it was sought to be implemented were highly questionable. Whether, and to what extent, higher authorities such as the Space Commission and even the Union Cabinet were informed of the deal and its implications is murky and unclear.  The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Delhi, we have a problem

A preliminary estimate prepared by the CAG last year had suggested that the spectrum allotted to Devas could have been worth as much as Rs.2 lakh crore. According to ISRO, the amount payable by Devas over a 12-year period was just $300 million (~ Rs.1,500 crore).

It is difficult to see how the Space Commission could have been entirely in the dark about the deal with Devas. While individual accountability can and should be fixed, it is obvious that there was a system-wide malfunction.

The question is how many individuals up and down the government and Space hierarchy knew what was happening but chose not to intervene.