A Confession

As hunger erases, disease devours,
And hopelessness subdues millions more,
Violated, maimed and discarded,
As though these children had no reason to be,
Their deafening cries, I mute
Every day, stoically,
With inexpensive prayer,
As no harsh penalty looms
For the cold neglect of another's child.

Wearing the pretense of helplessness,
I rush, I hoard, and I palpitate,
Moving not for another besides mine,
I give to none, except for something in return,
And those whom I lavishly feed,
Have plenty of their own.

I judge, I argue of right and wrong,
I mistrust and I question,
And I teach my child to eat, and to live,
But not to feel, to rise, or to fly,
Withholding the secret of the utter silence,
And the blackest void,
At the destination of this journey
Of selfish discontent.

On Non-Violence

Non-violence is the conscious practice of not harming anyone or anything; neither harm nor harmful intentions must result from thoughts, speech and actions. Such a state of mind is engendered by an inner transformation that embraces the practice of unconditional compassion and caring towards one and all. This transformation could result from firm conviction in a spiritual principle. The spiritual principle that everything in the universe is the extension of one's self, governed Mahatma Gandhi's practice of non-violence; he thus named the practice of non-violence as Satyagraha which translates as a "the firm belief in the Universal Truth".

The practice of non-violence leads to startling and perplexing responses to situations. For example, after the massacre at Jallianwalla Bagh in 1919, Mahatma Gandhi did not want to punish General Dyer, the perpetrator, as this would simply be an act of revenge or retaliation against an individual. Instead Mahatma Gandhi wanted the system that created the unjust laws that the General took advantage of, to be changed. In the practice of non-violence the means are not different from the end.

Mahatma Gandhi asserts that the practice of non-violence is a continuous inner struggle to recognize and respect the Universal Truth. Until one resonates with this Truth, the practice of non-violence could remain incomprehensible. When the practice of non-violence produces the desired response, this is also accompanied by a shameful realization of the spiritual principle of interconnectedness, by the oppressor or aggressor. In this way, the practice of non-violence is spread. The non-violent approach of Martin Luther King Jr. in the Civil Rights Movement, shamed oppressors to give up racial segregation. A violent rebellion would have suffered even greater loss of life and increased the reluctance to give up the inequalities.

Although mankind has sacrificed tens of millions of its sons and daughters in violent military conflicts, the prospect of everlasting global peace is not in our reach. Violence and conflict achieve control by instilling the fear of retaliation, and the resulting truce lasts only as long as the control exists. Consequently, ensuring long-term peace by the violent method requires the continued presence of the threat of excessive force and acceptance of living perpetually in fear. This causes the most powerful countries to suffer enormous expenditures in defense and deterrence. In this process, we weave an awfully tangled web around ourselves.

Our nine-year war on terrorism has consumed our men and resources and we still live in the fear of terror attacks. Violent military conflicts abroad have increased the suffering of the poor and enraged our aggressors. In a non-violent approach we will focus on seeking answers to: Why do these attackers hate and fear us? What is the threat that feeds their fears? Can we dispel our mutual fears? What would it take to transform our perceptions of each other? How can we tap into the ample goodness of our respective religious faiths to seek understanding? If we can answer these questions, there is surely a non-violent solution.

The Course of Water

The Course of Water

Confirmed by touch
Yet intrigued by its clarity,
Splashing around its coolness,
The infant meets water in total bewilderment.
This physical wonder soon grows
Into an object of endless play,
And with every downpour,
Voyaging on rivulets
By the front doors,
Are empty paper boats
On their self-navigated course.
While mother warns in vain
Of fevers that in the dampness lurk,
Water balloons, water guns, splash and spray
Who cares even if the books would float away.
Placid play then turns
Into furious adventure,
As the rushing white waters beckon.
Crying out madly at every surge,
Whirling and swerving, as though
To be liberated from some unseen fetters,
Until the fog restores quiet to the evening,
And romance invites a walk
Along the whispering shores,
Thoughts of sun-filled lands and waterfalls
Draws one to cruise the oceans of blue
To be met by palm trees and a watery shade,
And sounds of glaciers reaching a tumultuous end.
Now the stillness of frigid air hurts the bones,
The ceaseless murmur of the waves
Echo the loneliness
As faint memories and the distant sunset
Now beckon to merge with the sea.

SR

What is Global Warming?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has reviewed a large volume of historical and globally collected scientific data of changes in surface and air temperatures, rise in sea level, change in the thickness of ice sheets, glacier melting and the decrease snow cover in the northern hemisphere, and the changes in the constituents of the earth’s atmosphere. The IPCC in its Fourth Assessment Report published in 2007 has concluded that a global warming trend is unequivocal. Global mean surface temperatures have risen by 0.74°C ± 0.18°C when estimated by a linear trend over the last 100 years (1906–2005). The rate of warming over the last 50 years is almost double that over the last 100 years (0.13°C ± 0.03°C vs. 0.07°C ± 0.02°C per decade).

Since temperature is causally connected with the wind and water cycles, the slow yet continuous global warming trend has already produced observable climate change. Among some of the noticeable surface and atmospheric changes are the shrinking of Arctic Sea ice cover by about 2.7 ± 0.6% per decade since 1978, increased precipitation in latitudes north of 30^oN, greater incidence of droughts in the tropics, and increased tropical cyclone activity.

The earth’s mean temperature is determined by the energy received from the sun and the properties of the earth’s atmosphere. The atmosphere influences the amount of heat that is reflected off the earth into space. Thus, changes to the constituents of the atmosphere affect the global energy budget. Atmospheric constituents such as carbon dioxide, methane, water and nitrous oxide absorb the energy reflected off the earth’s surface and generate heat, and for this reason are called greenhouse gases (GHG). The concentration of these GHGs has increased significantly in the last 250 years. The concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by 64% compared to pre-industrial times and continues to rise at the rate of approximately 0.5% per year; similarly, the concentration of methane has doubled and that of nitrous oxide has increased by about 18%. Among the factors that less significantly affect the global energy budget but are not well-understood are the effect of aerosol particles in the atmosphere, the contrails from global aviation and human-induced changes to land cover. Based on the scientific data, IPCC has concluded that the changes in the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere as the primary cause of global warming.

Two-thirds of the emissions of carbon dioxide from human activities arise from the use of fossil fuel (coal, oil and natural gas) in the industrial era. The other third of the emissions result from changes in land use such as deforestation. Natural processes of absorption of carbon dioxide by the oceans and the biosphere have removed about only 50% of these emissions, resulting in the observed net increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Effects of methane and nitrous oxide are second only to carbon dioxide.

The actual scenarios for future trends in GHG emissions are governed by variations in demographic, economic and technological factors. Even if concentrations of all GHGs and aerosols are kept constant, a warming trend of 0.1^oC per decade is expected to occur. If the carbon dioxide levels doubled pre-industrial levels, the global average temperature is predicted to rise by 1.5 to 4.5^oC. Global warming if unchecked will increase the intensities of extreme weather conditions and cause sea levels to rise, negatively impacting water resources, human health, agricultural output, industry and social organization. Therefore, limiting carbon emissions is the fundamental to arresting global warming.

On Humility

At the local Bala Vihar, I have been discussing with 13-year old kids the values enumerated in Chapter 13 of the Bhagvad Gita. "Humility" is the very first in this list of values. Humility is not weakness, but courage; courage to openly accept one's errors and making amends for it, for "nobody stands taller than those willing to stand corrected[1]". Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself, but " It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all[2]". Humility is focusing on doing the right thing and not just pointing to who is right or wrong. Humility is the principle of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you ", for, when we do not follow this golden rule we term it hypocrisy. Humility is unprovoked and calm even in the face of insult and injury. Humility is the ability to " accept being forgotten and disregarded [3]". Humility governs what we say to others, what we think of others and how we react to others. Humility is a unique state of mind. In this state, the ego deflates and evaporates by the awareness of the interconnectedness of everything; every thought, word and action, in harmony, are guided by the constant awareness of "Tat Tvam Asi ( You are That)[4]". Humility is thus a spiritual activity. The song Vaishnava Janato, by Saint Narsi Mehta ( 1414?- 1481? ) stands as an eternal and moving tribute to Humility.
References : 1. William Safire, 2. William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury , 3. Mother Teresa, 4. Chandogya Upanishad

Berea Rocks

Today, after my visit to NASA’s Glenn Research Center, I happened to have dinner at the Cornerstone Brewery in Berea, Ohio, a small suburb of Cleveland. As I strolled around the lake that dominates the town, I stumbled on Berea’s claim to international fame. For over 80 years some of the finest grindstones of the world were exported from Berea. These fine grindstones were cut from the sandstone quarries of Berea. The quarries are now gone and I was standing at the edge of the lake formed by filling one of these quarries. The Rocky River that runs by Berea with flat rocks carelessly strewn across the river bed stands evidence to the monstrous glacial action on the underlying sandstone crust (see picture). As I gazed across the lake, my mind’s eye conjured up images of factory earth performing the immense operations of compaction of the deposits from Lake Erie 300 million years ago to create the gritty sandstone bed on which Berea’s fame was founded.

Saving Humanity from the Scourge of Turmeric Stains

After combing the worldwide web, I was convinced that my commitment to the title cause could alleviate the suffering of numerous “stain-trodden” individuals like myself. The turmeric-stained shirts have been an advertisement of my sloppiness at the dinner table. A section of my wardrobe with stained shirts is now sadly designated for “night time” or “home-use-only”. As for the neckties brilliantly marked with turmeric colored Nike logos, they remain in a state of suspended readiness waiting for an alternate role. After a brand new white shirt took the hit at a recent wedding reception, I was determined to find a solution.

I am happy to report that a simple solution has been found: Hang the stained clothing or article in bright sunlight for a couple of hours and lo and behold the stain disappears with no trace. The UV radiation in sunlight does the work for you; no chemicals are needed ( see photo). Much to my wife’s elation the brand new white shirt was rescued, and a collection of tupperware hidden in the closet with embarrassing stains was emancipated. The world has been saved from the scourge of turmeric stains.

The yellow coloring matter of turmeric is an organic compound named curcumin. The photochemical decomposition (also termed photo-bleaching) of curcumin into colorless compounds is the basis of this magical stain removal process. I am guessing that the light-instability of curcumin could be exploited as an “all –natural” UV blocker. I am wondering if this is indeed the basis of the turmeric-based cosmetic skin creams sold in India. Also, living in Madras several years ago, it was common to see South Indian women “yellow” themselves by smearing turmeric paste on their skin after a bath. Apart from imparting a “glowing” look the yellow coloring probably offers protection from the abundantly present UV light. As the innumerable pharmaceutical benefits of curcumin emerge every day it is clear that the annoying stain, curcumin, is likely to be a much sought after compound for future medicinal preparations.

For those thirsting for the chemistry of photodecomposition of curcumin, here is what I found on curcumin. Curcumin, bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-diene-3,5-dione, absorbs in the UV region of the solar spectrum because of the conjugated double bonds. The compound also exists in its tautomeric enol form (see structural formula in "enol" form). The products ensuing decomposition include benzaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde that are colorless. Interestingly, in another experiment I found that turmeric powder (ground-up dried root) did not decolorize even after exposure to sunlight for many days; however, the yellow extract from curries did decolorize within a few hours. This suggests that curcumin is probably bound as a complex in the turmeric rhizome, and “free” curcumin is extracted into the curries upon cooking.