Tag Archives: world

Education

should billionaires exist

No matter how much one dislikes it, they can’t deny the fact that the world is divided between the top 1% and the bottom 99%, and the rich, no matter how small in numbers, run the world. People are hoarding the worlds wealth, while the rest are left to find comfort in the scraps. These past few years have seen a massive rise in billionaires, currently their being 2095 of them. However a question that has been going around for years now is that, should billionaires exist?

A lot of people have different opinions on this. Some believe that billionaires have earned their keep, so they should be able to keep it. According to me, no one gets that rich just by working honestly.Imagine trying to save a billion dollars, and start by saving a $100 each day. If you, and one descendent per generation, saved $100 every day, and each of you lived for 90 years, it would take you and 304 generations of your descendants to save up one billion dollars, more than 27000 years. Take Jeff Bezos as an example. The owner of Amazon, with a net worth of $114 billion, he is undoubtedly one of the richest men on this planet. Yet, many of their own workers have unionised against the company. In a statement during the announcement of the union push, picker Rashad Long claimed workers are overworked, pressured with frivolous disciplinary actions and security lines at the exit cut into breaks and extended work shifts, unpaid. Exploitation of the innocents is a major step towards their billions.

The worst part about this is that there are problems like climate change and world hunger, which can easily be solved if proper money is invested in them.  These billionaires can definitely contribute a lot and possibly even solve such issues, without facing a major loss, but they choose not to. They sit comfortably with their riches and watch the world burn. If you make the argument that they are not at all obliged to donate their money, then capitalism has fooled you. No one needs that much money, but they do have it. And people actually need food, housing etc, yet they can’t afford it. Even if they choose to help them, they’ll still be left with a lot of money. So you can see for yourself why billionaires shouldn’t exist.

The COVID 19 pandemic has had the world under lockdown. There are people losing their jobs, people who don’t even know how they’re going to pay rent or buy food for their kids. During this, the top 1% have the audacity to sit in their million dollar mansion and say that “quarantine is like prison”. This is an extremely privileged statement, coming from those who don’t even have any responsibilities, who are not directly affected by this pandemic.

Currently, 2% of the world’s population is homeless. People are dying in the streets, whilst billionaires are buying their 10thmansion. It’s truly saddening to see how many people will rush to defend the top 1%. The common people need to be educated of their exploitative nature. Only then will they be able to say, “No. Billionaires shouldn’t exist.”

Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jan/01/amazon-fulfillment-center-warehouse-employees-union-new-york-minnesota

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Education

how to read more

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We live in the golden age of content.Nowadays, there are a lot of entertainment options. A click of a button can bring you thousands of shows, videos, podcasts and movies. But, amidst all this, it seems as if we have forgotten about our former favourite, books. People probably don’t love books as much as they used to, which is indeed saddening. A lot of the times, even if one wants to read, they find themselves constantly distracted by something or the other. Reading can be extremely relaxing, and has multiple benefits. It can enhance creativity, boost your vocabulary and so much more. So, here are 4 ways to read more

  • Pick up your reading material.

Yes, this might sound obvious , but often people have trouble just getting started on reading. Pick up any reading material, whether it is a book, an article, a newspaper, anything that interests you. Start by reading short segments or paragraphs, then gradually work your way up from there. This can help develop a habit from reading, especially if your reading habits are a bit rusty. Remember, every little step counts.

  • Reading what interests you

Often times, we hear our friends or family talk highly of a particular book or book series.So we give it a try.  But when we read it, we might not find it compelling or interesting . Still,  we force ourselves to finish the book, no matter how much we hate it. After we’re done, we lose our interest in books and don’t read for days or months on end. My advice on this is that if you don’t find your reading material interesting, then don’t read it. You are under no inclination to finish a book that you don’t find captivating.Find something that genuinely absorbing. Whether it be YA novels, classics or plays, it doesn’t matter.Literature is not just limited to Shakespeare. An interesting book will not allow you to put it down and will motivate you to finish it, maybe even start a new one.

  • Set up reasonable goals and deadlines

Procrastination is a huge waste of time, and it is more common than you would think. To stop wasting time, set up goals for yourself which you would like to accomplish in a day. For example, try setting up a goal of reading 50 pages, or one chapter in a day. It gets the momentum going, and allows you to not put off reading. Slowly, but surely you will see progress. Remember to set up reasonable goals, and not aim to finish the whole 850 page  book in one day (unless of course, you can do that. In that case I say go for it.)

  • Always carry a book with you

You might not realise it, but the 10 minute breaks you take throughout the day, or the time you spend between classes, is time which can be put to efficient use. In  such cases you should try carrying a book with you, and read it in any free time you find. Even reading 2-3 pages in between breaks can really add up throughout the day. Now of course I’m not saying to spend every minute away from work reading. You definitely should know when you want to read, or when you just want to watch Netflix.

Happy Reading!

Education

the influencer epidemic

If you told someone back in 2010 that Youtube, a website where one can do nothing but watch cat videos, and Instagram, a newly launched social media app nobody had heard about,  could be someone’s source of income, they definitely wouldn’t have believed it. Fast forward to 2020, there is no shortage of so called “influencers” who make more money within a month, than most  people will ever make at their day jobs (sad, but true). Anyone who has a platform and an audience who’ll listen to them can be deemed as an influencer, and it is a much sought after career nowadays.It is no surprise that the present day youth is gravitating towards creative and flexible digital occupations. They get to do what they love and not have their lives dictated by anyone, and the rising relevance of social media has made it possible. It is even common for people to drop out of school or quit their jobs to pursue social media.

However there is nothing inherently wrong with having a platform to express your views and talk about your life, no matter how peculiar it sounds. If used correctly, a large platform can make a huge difference. It can be used to educate the people about what’s right and what’s wrong, as well as to throw light to important issues at hand.  The problem arises when these platforms are used in the wrong way. With a massive outlet and huge audience comes the  great responsibility of recognising your influence and using it the proper way to educate the masses about the right thing, no matter how difficult it may be. Sadly, many choose to go the easy way than the right way. Recently, I have seen a massive surge in clothing hauls on Youtube. Not only do these videos provide free advertising to fast fashion brands, but also  promote reckless spending habits on stuff one doesn’t even need. Similarly, content creators whose audiences are predominantly young kids, end up ingraining harmful ideas like disrespectfulness, and sometimes even racism and misogyny in them, which is extremely damaging.

 The recent Black Lives Matter movement has shown us that many of these influencers don’t actually care about issues at hand, they just see them as an opportunity to display themselves as woke to the audiences.  I can think of  hundreds of people who posted one black square on their profiles in solidarity with black lives matter, and then went back to their regular posting schedules, instead of maybe talking more about it and raising awareness about why the movement is necessary. Many of them even showed up at protests just to get their photos taken, showing that this grave and important issue at hand was nothing more than a trend for them.

Every rose has its thorn. If someone wants to be an influencer for the fame and the money, they have to deal with the hard parts of the job. Having a huge platform is a privilege, one very few have. They should recognise their privilege, and use it in a way which is best for this world, best for humanity.

Source: https://medium.com/@mnfst/why-do-people-want-to-be-influencers-bf1c6b42b36f

Education

The despicable face of fast fashion

In the present times, everything is fast paced, and what might be trendy one day, is kicked  to the curb the other. The most common example of this is fashion, specifically fast-fashion. Fast-fashion is used to describe cheap, trendy clothing, which makes the journey from the runway, to your closet and then to the garbage dump, in the blink of an eye. These include brands like, H&M, Forever 21, ASOS, ZARA etc. They  pump out new designs regularly to stay relevant amongst the younger generations, and you cannot escape it. Chances are, the clothes you’re wearing right now are from fast-fashion brands.

Now why is this problematic? By putting out new clothes every month or so, and using extremely clever marketing tactics, they’ve convinced the average consumer that their clothes are “outdated” and they need to keep purchasing from them to stay in trend, thereby maximising their profits every single time. But that isn’t even the worst part. To quench their never ending thirst for money, these brands utilise sweatshops for production of their clothing. A sweatshop is a factory where workers are severely underpaid, and the working conditions are inhumane, ranging from excruciatingly long working hours, to unsafe and unhygienic work environments. Sweatshops are usually placed in third world countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia etc. where worker’s rights are minimal, where rich brands can get quick, inexpensive labour at the cost of actual human lives.  

Since these clothes are mass produced and cheaply made, it is not surprising to know that they go bad after a couple of washes, and are no longer wearable. Each year, the average consumer throws away about 32 kilograms of clothing, adding to the already over filled landfills . It is estimated that the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions, which is more than international flights and maritime ships combined. It also takes thousands of gallons of water to produce one cotton shirt and a pair of jeans, as they are made from a water intensive material-cotton. Further, textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of water, leading to the fashion industry being responsible for 20% of the worlds water pollution.

As more and more people get aware of their malpractices, fast fashion brands resort to greenwashing, which is basically presenting a company as more eco friendly than it really is. They make false promises about making their products with organic cotton and recycled polyester. However, they fail to provide sufficient and definitive information, and refuse to specify how much of a garment is made with recycled material. Brands like LuLuLemon and H&M have been recently accused of greenwashing, yet their sales remain high.

It is saddening to see how many people are unaware of these evils, and those who are aware simply turn a blind eye to such issues. How can we prevent this? Our strongest weapon in this war against fast fashion is education. Educate yourself and those around you. Watch documentaries, read books and articles, and convince others around you to quit buying from such brands. Try reducing the number of shopping trips you take in a year. Another thing which can help is mending your old clothes, and wearing them at least 30-40 times to make the most out of them. Remember, every little step counts. Gone are the days when we were blind consumers. Now, the time has come for serious reforms.

Sources: https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/the-fashion-industry-emits-more-carbon-than-international-flights-and-maritime-shipping-combined-here-are-the-biggest-ways-it-impacts-the-planet-/articleshow/71640863.cms

https://www.greenamerica.org/blog/factory-exploitation-and-fast-fashion-machine

Research Paper

CORONAVIRUS VACCINE DEVELOPMENTS

What is coronavirus?

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus.Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment.  Older people and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.

The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is be well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads. The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s important that you also practice respiratory etiquette.

At this time, there are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19. However, there are many ongoing clinical trials evaluating potential treatments. So sooner or later, we are going to come up with a permanent solution for this virus too.

Vaccine developments

With confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide surpassing 9 million and continuing to grow, scientists are pushing forward with efforts to develop vaccines and treatments to slow the pandemic and lessen the disease’s damage. Some of the earliest treatments will likely be drugs that are already approved for other conditions, or have been tested on other viruses.

As of May 8, two medications had received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): the antiviral remdesivir and a drug used to sedate people on a ventilator.

The FDA issued a EUA in March for the antimalaria drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, but later revoked it after studies showed that they’re unlikely to be effective in treating COVID-19.

EUA allows doctors to use these drugs to treat people with COVID-19 even before the medications have gone through the formal FDA approval process. These drugs are still being tested in clinical trials to see whether they’re effective against COVID-19. This step is needed to make sure the medications are safe for this particular use and what the proper dosage should be.

It could be months before treatments are available that are known to work against COVID-19. It could be even longer for a vaccine. But there are still other tools we can use to reduce the damage done by the new coronavirus, also known as SARS-CoV-2.

Antivirals

Remdesivir: Developed a decade ago, this drug failed in clinical trials against Ebola in 2014. But it was found to be generally safe in people. Research with MERS, a disease caused by a different coronavirus, showed that the drug blocked the virus from replicating. The drug is being tested in many COVID-19 clinical trials around the world. This includes studies in which remdesivir is being administered alongside other drugs, such as the anti-inflammatory drug baricitinib. The drug is also being tested in children with moderate to severe COVID-19. In late April, the drug’s manufacturer, Gilead Sciences, announced one of its trials had been “terminated” due to low enrollment. Gilead officials said the results of that trial had been “inconclusive” when it was ended.

A few days later, the company announced that preliminary data from another trial of remdesivir overseen by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) had “met its primary endpoint.” Gary Schwitzer, founder of HealthNewsReview.org, though, said the researchers changed the primary endpoint 2 weeks before Fauci’s announcement. Schwitzer compared that to moving football goalposts closer to make it easier to get a touchdown. At the same time, another study published in The Lancet reported that participants in a clinical trial who took remdesivir showed no benefits compared to people who took a placebo.

Despite the conflicting results, the FDA issued an order on May 1 for the emergency use of remdesivir. In early June, federal officials announced their supply of remdesivir will run out by the end of June. Gilead is ramping up production, but it’s unclear how much of the drug will be available this summer.

Arbidol: This antiviral was tested along with the drug lopinavir/ritonavir as a treatment for COVID-19. Researchers reported in mid-April that the two drugs didn’t improve the clinical outcomes for people hospitalized with mild to moderate cases of COVID-19.

EIDD-2801: This drug was created by scientists at a nonprofit biotech company owned by Emory University. Research in mice has shown that it can reduce replication of multiple coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2.

Pharmaceutical company Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP signed an agreement in May to develop this drug. It’s already being tested in a clinical trial in the United Kingdom. Unlike remdesivir, EIDD-2801 can be taken orally, which would make it available to a larger number of people.

Favipiravir: This drug is approved in some countries outside the United States to treat influenza. Some reports from China suggest it may work as a treatment for COVID-19. These results, though, haven’t been published yet. Japan, where the medication is made, is sending the drug to 43 countries for clinical trial testing in people with mild or moderate COVID-19. Canadian researchers are testing to see whether the drug can help fight outbreaks in long-term care homes.

Kaletra: This is a combination of two drugs — lopinavir and ritonavir — that work against HIV. Clinical trials are being done to see whether it also works against SARS-CoV-2. One small study published May 4 in the journal Med by Cell Press found that lopinavir/ritonavir didn’t improve outcomes in people with mild or moderate COVID-19 compared to those receiving standard care.

Another study, published May 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that the drug combination wasn’t effective for people with severe COVID-19. But another study found that people who were given lopinavir/ritonavir along with two other drugs — ribavirin and interferon beta-1b — took less time to clear the virus from their body. This study was published May 8 in The Lancet.

Merimepodib (VX-497): This drug developed by ViralClear Pharmaceuticals Inc. has been shown previously to have antiviral and immune-suppressing effects. It was tested against hepatitis C but had only modest effects.

The company is running a phase II trial of this drug. People with advanced COVID-19 will be randomized to receive either merimepodib with remdesivir, or remdesivir plus a placebo. The company hopes to have results by late summer of this year.

Culture and History, Education, Law and Order, Public Administration, Science and Technology, Social Studies

World Blood Donor Day 2020

Today, WHO ( World Health Organization) and All countries celebrate World Blood Donor Day. This year’s theme is “Safe Blood Save lives” with the Slogan “Give blood and make the world healthier”. This event celebrates with a view to thank all selfless blood donors and encourage more people to Give blood freely. WHA (World Health Assembly) in 2005 designated this special day to create awareness among the people and it’s an initiative to increase blood banks in the world.

The history behind the date of celebration of WBD is the Nobel prize winner Scientist Karl Landsteiner. He has got the credit for finding the ABO blood group system. World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on the birthday of Karl Landsteiner which was on 14th June, who discovered various blood groups.

If your blood type is:O Positive, You can give to:O+, A+, B+, AB+ You can receive from :O+, O-

If your blood type is:A Positive , you can give to :A+, AB+ you can receive from : A+, A-, O+, O-

If your blood type is: B positive , you can give to : B+,AB+ you can receive from : B+,B-,O+,O–

If your blood type is: AB+ you can r give to AB+ only you can receive from all

the criteria to donate blood:

The donor must be fit and healthy, and should not be suffering from transmittable diseases.

Age and weight- The donor must be 18–65 years old and should weigh a minimum of 50 kg.

Pulse rate- Between 50 and 100 without irregularities.

Hemoglobin level- A minimum of 12.5 g/dL.

Blood pressure- Diastolic: 50–100 mm Hg, Systolic: 100–180 mm Hg.

Body temperature- Should be normal, with an oral temperature not exceeding 37.5 °C.

The time period between successive blood donations should be more than 3 months.

The need for safe blood is universal. Safe blood is critical both for treatments and urgent interventions. It can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with a higher quality of life and supports complex medical and surgical procedures.Blood donations are needed all over the worldto ensure individuals and communities have access to safe and quality-assured blood and blood products in both normal and emergency situations. Through the campaign, we call on more people all over the world to become life-savers by volunteering to donate blood regularly.

International organizations, including the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations and the International Society of Blood Transfusion, among others, continue to work in close collaboration to provide guidance and support to their membership in this endeavour.

“Safe Blood Save lives”. “Give blood and make the world healthier”.

Research Paper

5 INFLUENTIAL female motorcycle Racers you should know about

Motorsport always been a men dominate sports you hardly ever heard about the female racers.Over the time there have been numerous amazing female bikers,but they all remain unmarked .

Here are 5 astonishing female bikers all around the globe who shares the passion for riding motorbikes.

Ana Carrasco

  • M

Ana Carrasco is a Spanish motorcycle racer, she is only female competitor in MotoGP.

She made her debut on Team Kalvo KTM at the age of 16 and later that year in Malaysia she became the first female bike racer to achieve points in Moto3.

She who won the 2018 World Supersport 300 Championship riding a Kawasaki Ninja 400 with the David Salom Junior Team.

She becoming the first woman in history to win a World Championship in solo motorcycle road racing.

Jenny Tinmouth

Jenny Tinmouth is an English motorcycle racer.

She is the current female Isle of Man TT lap record holder, breaking the record during her first ever TT in 2009 and gaining a Guinness World Record for this achievement.

She then re-broke her own lap record during her second TT in 2010, with an average lap speed of 119.945 mph, gaining another Guinness World Record.

Jenny ran her own racing team known as Two Wheel Racing with Manx Glass & Glazing Ltd in support for the 2013 British Superbike Championship and today she runs her own team named Jenny Tinmouth Racing.

Maria Costello MBE

Marie Costello was only female motorcycle racer with the prestigious title Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) after her name ,which means she was really special.

She held a Guinness World Record for being the fastest female rider to lap the Isle of Man TT course at an average speed of 114.73 mph and was the first female to get on the podium on the famous mountain course.

Alongside this she’s also managed to accomplish being a Sports personality of the year, a published author, a character in a video game and even a stunt double in a Hollywood movie.

Costello has won a total of eight Manx Grand Prix Silver Replicas and one TT Bronze Replica and she is also a part of the Federation Internationale de Motorcyclist (FIM) Women in Motorcycling Commission .

Laia Sanz

Laia Sanz, is a Spanish sportswoman. She is a thirteen-time Women’s Trial World Champion and ten-time Women’s Trial European Champion in outdoor motorcycle trials.

Sanz has also dominated the Dakar Rally by becoming the woman who has completed more times the hardest race all over the world in motorbikes.

In 2011, she participated for the first time in the Dakar Rally winning the Female motorcycle category.

She gets an 9th absolute position at her fifth dakar.

Jane Daniels

Jane Daniels from the UK is one of the rising stars in the enduro racing.

She has earned her tag of UK’s number one female enduro rider , Jane has emerged as one of the most serious female enduro riders in the world.

She fought her way up to earn the overall second position in Women’s Enduro World Cup in 2013 and winning the final race in France beating Laia Sanz.

Please let me know if you know any other in the comment below.