Religious Intolerance in India

By THE EDITORIAL BOARDDEC. 25, 2014

Hope is in danger of crumbling that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would rein in the divisive agenda of his militant Hindunationalist supporters and allow India to concentrate on the important work of economic reform, and the blame lies squarely with Mr. Modi.

During the last days of its winter session ending on Tuesday, Parliament was unable to deal with important legislative business because of repeated adjournments and uproar over attempts by Hindu groups to convert Christians and Muslims. The issue has come to a head following a “homecoming” campaign by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad — groups dedicated to transforming India’s secular democracy into a Hindu state — to “reconvert” Christians and Muslims to Hinduism.

In recent weeks, Hindu militants have engineered conversions of Muslims and Christians in Agra and in the states of Gujarat and Kerala. Police are investigating accusations that people have been induced to participate in mass conversion meetings by a combination of intimidation and bribery, including the promise of food ration cards. Attacks on Christians and their places of worship have intensified in recent weeks. One of New Delhi’s biggest churches burned down on Dec. 1 — arson is being blamed — and Christmas carolers were attacked on their way home in the city of Hyderabad on Dec. 12.

More than 80 percent of Indians are Hindus, but Muslims, Christians and Sikhs form important religious minorities with centuries of history in India. Religious pluralism and freedom are protected by India’s Constitution. The issue of religious conversion is contentious in India. Many Dalits, known formerly as untouchables, and other low-caste Hindus and Tribals admit they convert to Islam or Christianity primarily to escape crushing caste prejudice and oppression. The main architect of the Constitution, Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, born a Dalit, famously converted to Buddhism to escape caste-oppression under Hinduism.

A version of this editorial appears in print on December 26, 2014, in The International New York Times.

"If we lived on a planet where nothing ever changed, there would be little to do. There would be nothing to figure out. There would be no impetus for science. And if we lived in an unpredictable world, where things changed in random or very complex ways, we would not be able to figure things out. ___________________________. If I throw a stick up in the air, it always falls down. If the sun sets in the west, it always rises again the next morning in the east. And so it becomes possible to figure things out. We can do science, and with it we can improve our lives."

Carl Sagan, http://todayinsci.com/S/Sagan_Carl/SaganCarl-Quotations.htm Acessado em 14 de Abril de 2015. 

                                                         Text 2

                                       MATERIALS OF IMPORTANCE

                                     Carbonated Beverages Containers

      One common item that presents some interesting material property requirements is the container for carbonated beverages. The material used for this application must satisfy the following constraints: provide a barrier to the passage of carbon dioxide, which is under pressure in the container; be nontoxic, unreactive with the beverage, and, preferably be recyclable; be relatively strong, and capable of surviving a drop from a height of several feet when containing the beverage; be inexpensive and the cost to fabricate the final shape should be relatively low; if optically transparent, retain its optical clarity; and capable of being produced having different colors and/or able to be adorned with decorative labels. All three of the basic material types—metal (aluminum), ceramic (glass), and polymer (polyester plastic)—are used for carbonated beverage containers.

      All of these materials are nontoxic and unreactive with beverages. In addition, each material has its pros and cons. For example, the aluminum alloy is relatively strong (but easily dented), is a very good barrier to the diffusion of carbon dioxide, is easily recycled, beverages are cooled rapidly, and labels may be painted onto its surface. On the other hand, the cans are optically opaque, and relatively expensive to produce. Glass is impervious to the passage of carbon dioxide, is a relatively inexpensive material, may be recycled, but it cracks and fractures easily, and glass bottles are relatively heavy. Whereas the plastic is relatively strong, may be made optically transparent, is inexpensive and lightweight, and is recyclable, it is not as impervious to the passage of carbon dioxide as the aluminum and glass. For example, you may have noticed that beverages in aluminum and glass containers retain their carbonization (i.e., “fizz”) for several years, whereas those in two-liter plastic bottles “go flat” within a few months.

Disponível em https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=FA116F188700E8B6!608&ithint=file%2cpdf&app=WordPdf&authkey=!AcrrQAFlJ83JGjU Acesso em 15 Abr 2015.

"If we lived on a planet where nothing ever changed, there would be little to do. There would be nothing to figure out. There would be no impetus for science. And if we lived in an unpredictable world, where things changed in random or very complex ways, we would not be able to figure things out. ___________________________. If I throw a stick up in the air, it always falls down. If the sun sets in the west, it always rises again the next morning in the east. And so it becomes possible to figure things out. We can do science, and with it we can improve our lives."

Carl Sagan, http://todayinsci.com/S/Sagan_Carl/SaganCarl-Quotations.htm Acessado em 14 de Abril de 2015. 

                                                     Text 4

       Case Study 1: Damage Assessment in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan

      In November 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated the city of Tacloban in the Philippines. Soon after, a case the size of a backpack arrived, accompanied by a small team of experts. This pilot project to bring in a UAV, with a range of up to five kilometers and a high-resolution video camera, to assist humanitarian responders was the work of a partnership between several private sector firms and NetHope, a consortium of NGOs.

      The Philippines lacked the necessary regulations, so the use of the UAV was cleared by a special agreement with the Mayor of Tacloban. The UAV was covered with insurance that covered damage or injury due to malfunction.

      The UAV was used first to identify where to set up a base of operations, and then to check if roads were passable, a task that could take days when done on foot or by helicopter. The UAV was also flown up the coast to evaluate damage from storm surge and flooding and to see which villages had been affected. The aerial assessments “really helped to speed up …efforts, cut down on wasted time and work, and make them more accurate in their targeting of assistance.” It was also suggested that the UAV might have located survivors in the rubble using infrared cameras if it had arrived within 72 hours.

      Interest is building in developing local capacity for using UAVs in disaster response. SkyEye Inc., a local start-up, is working with the Ateneo de Manila University to train five teams across the Philippines to locally deploy UAVs in preparation for next typhoon season.

      UAV= unmanned aerial vehicle

      NGOs= Non-Governmental Organizations

Disponível em http://www.unocha.org/about-us/publications/flagship-publications/*/72 Acesso em 15 Abr 2015.

                                                        Text 3

                                   Xerox and the Icarus Paradox

                                                                                                             Schilling, Melissa A.

Strategic Management of Technological Innovation, Mc Graw-Hill International Edition, Fourth Edition

      According to Greek mythology, when King Minos imprisoned the crafstman Daedalus and his son Icarus, Daedalus built wings of wax and feathers so that he and his son could fly to their escape. Icarus was so enthralled by his wings and drawn to the light of the sun that despite his father's warning, he flew too high. The sun melted his wings, crashing Icarus to death in the sea. This was the inspiration for the now well-known Icarus Paradox – that which you excel at can ultimately be your undoing. Success can engender overconfidence, carelessness, and an unquestioning adherence to one's way of doing things.

      For example, in the 1960s and 1970s, Xerox had such a stranglehold on the photocopier market that it did not pay much attention when new Japanese competition began to infiltrate the market for smaller, inexpensive copiers. Xerox management did not believe competitors would ever be able to produce machines comparable to Xerox's quality and cost. However, Xerox was dangerously wrong. By the mid-1970s, Xerox was losing market share to the Japanese at an alarming rate. When Canon introduced a copier that sold for less than Xerox's manufacturing costs, Xerox knew it was in trouble and had to engage in a major benchmarking and restructuring effort to turn the company around.

                                                   Text 2

                                MATERIALS OF IMPORTANCE 

                              Carbonated Beverages Containers

      One common item that presents some interesting material property requirements is the container for carbonated beverages. The material used for this application must satisfy the following constraints: provide a barrier to the passage of carbon dioxide, which is under pressure in the container; be nontoxic, unreactive with the beverage, and, preferably be recyclable; be relatively strong, and capable of surviving a drop from a height of several feet when containing the beverage; be inexpensive and the cost to fabricate the final shape should be relatively low; if optically transparent, retain its optical clarity; and capable of being produced having different colors and/or able to be adorned with decorative labels.

      All three of the basic material types—metal (aluminum), ceramic (glass), and polymer (polyester plastic)—are used for carbonated beverage containers. All of these materials are nontoxic and unreactive with beverages. In addition, each material has its pros and cons. For example, the aluminum alloy is relatively strong (but easily dented), is a very good barrier to the diffusion of carbon dioxide, is easily recycled, beverages are cooled rapidly, and labels may be painted onto its surface. On the other hand, the cans are optically opaque, and relatively expensive to produce. Glass is impervious to the passage of carbon dioxide, is a relatively inexpensive material, may be recycled, but it cracks and fractures easily, and glass bottles are relatively heavy. Whereas the plastic is relatively strong, may be made optically transparent, is inexpensive and lightweight, and is recyclable, it is not as impervious to the passage of carbon dioxide as the aluminum and glass. For example, you may have noticed that beverages in aluminum and glass containers retain their carbonization (i.e., “fizz”) for several years, whereas those in two-liter plastic bottles “go flat” within a few months.

Disponível em https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=FA116F188700E8B6!608&ithint=file%2cpdf&app =WordPdf&authkey=!AcrrQAFlJ83JGjU Acesso em 15 Abr 2015.

                                                     Text 1

U.K. Cyclists to Deliver Bikes, Supplies to Calais Refugees

Sarah Morpurgo has no idea how many people will join her on a 65‐mile bike trip this weekend to deliver critical supplies to refugees and migrants living in a camp known as “the New Jungle” in Calais, France, but she’s feeling optimistic.

On Tuesday, the Facebook page for Critical Mass to Calais, an informal bike ride being led by Morpurgo and her friends, said 993 people planned to attend, although she acknowledged that many of those might be “solidarity clicks” in support of the journey.

“It’s going to be a bit of a surprise as to how many people will turn up,” Morpurgo, 25, told Newsweek. “Seven more people really need to hit ‘click.’”

Seven people had done just that a day after Newsweek spoke with Morpurgo, bringing the total number “attending” to 1,000. An Indiegogo campaign for the bike ride, which will take place August 29 to 31, had reached its 1,000‐pound ($1,547) fundraising goal.

Once they get to Calais, the cyclists plan to give refugees and migrants their bikes, a much‐needed form of transportation that will make it easier for the camp’s residents to get to shops and health care clinics. Supplies such as hygiene products, tents, sleeping bags and clothing will be taken to Calais in support vehicles and donated through the Secours Catholique – Caritas France charity.   

The port city of Calais has come under intense focus in recent months, becoming a symbol of a staggering global crisis of displacement: 1 out of every 122 people on Earth is either a refugee, an asylum seeker or displaced, the highest such number since World War II, according to the office of the United Nations high commissioner for refugees... (...)

(Available: http://www.newsweek.com/critical‐mass‐uk‐cyclists‐deliver‐bikes‐and‐supplies‐calais‐refugees‐366284. Adapted.)