India’s First Coronavirus Vaccine

As we know the spike of rates are increasing everyday for corona virus all over the world. Thousands of people are tested positive for coronavirus everyday and hundreds of them die and we still don not have any proper vaccine ready for this virus. The total rates in India are 629000 people who are tested positive for coronavirus, among which 380000 people have recovered and 18213 people are dead. Every country is trying its best to produce vaccines as soon as possible and so is our country. As per new reports, the first vaccine of India is likely to launch on the very important occasion for India Independence Day 15 August 2020.

BBV152 COVID vaccine is likely the vaccine for which the top researchers of the country are working on. Many institutes across the country are selected for the trial of people for Covaxin. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) fast-tracking efforts to develop Covaxin in partnership with Bharat Biotech International Limited.”The vaccine is derived from a strain of SARS-CoV-2 isolated by ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune. ICMR and BBIL are jointly working for the pre-clinical as well as clinical development of this vaccine,” the ICMR said in a letter to the institutes.The final outcome will depend on the cooperation of all clinical trial sites involved in this project, the ICMR told the institutes, advising them to speed up approvals related to clinical trials and ensure that subjects are enrolled starting this week.

Bharti Biotech’s application for clinical trial, accessed by NDTV, reveals that the estimated duration of the trial is one year and three months. The sample size of the study is 1,125 people between 12 and 65 years. Out of the 12 institutes picked BY ICMR, seven are yet to establish an “Ethics Committee” to oversee the trial.The Phase 1 is planned for completion in 28 days, which would meet the August 15 deadline. It is not clear how the vaccine can be made available for public use with just the results of the first phase.No vaccine has yet been approved for commercial use against COVID-19. More than a dozen possible vaccines from over 100 being developed globally are being tested on humans. Some have shown potential in early-stage trials.

With drug manufacturers across the world scrambling to develop a vaccine for Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila said it has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct human studies for its coronavirus vaccine candidate.The potential vaccine showed a “strong immune response” in animal studies, and the antibodies produced were able to completely neutralise the wild type virus, Zydus said in a statement. Sources have said that the company submitted data of clinical trials on animals to the DCGI, in which the vaccine candidate was found to be successful with respect to “safety and immunogenicity”. After this Zydus Cadila was given the approval to begin human trials. It will be great to see who resolves the case of coronavirus vaccine at the first. Every country is still working over it but still many vaccines are showing positive results for the vaccines and some are not.

Why Traveling is Important

Traveling is the best part of one’s life and the best way to find a way from the busy schedule. Traveling is all about exploring new places, cultures, cuisines, rituals and styles of living. We also travel because distance and difference are the secret toxic of learning and creativity which one cannot observe by sitting at home. Traveling in itself has advantages, as it makes one forget his or her worries, problems, frustrations and fears. This helps by broadening your horizon to move in new directions, unplugging from the pulls and pushes of daily life. Traveling the world is a different way to entertain yourself, roam the world to explore the thing, find the new culture about different places and enjoy the life to fullest.

Traveling gives the perfect opportunity to try out new,exciting and authentic delicacies from different parts of the world. Introducing you to unique flavors which you have neither tasted nor heard off and leaving you startled .Traveling without experiencing the local food is not complete in anyway. We all love traveling, leaving our comfort zone, sightseeing, meeting new people and creating endless amount of unforgettable memories. Yet, the best part of all is the food. Traveling provides you with a wide range of authentic flavor that you would be missing out if you did not travel to different corners of the world. 

Culture often refers to the characteristics that are formed through language, history, geography,and family values. Learning about culture is enriching for the mind and soul. It can reinforce the whole experience and offer totally different perspectives. Discovering a new culture is learning something new which can be an exciting and thrilling experience that one cannot forget. Meanwhile let us not forget one is being exposed to different people , languages, cuisines, beliefs, traditions and customs. We can conclude that this can be a humbling and a learning experience that can become more social, flexible, open minded and independent .So if you have not done so yet, step out of your comfort zone and travel to experience a whole new world and its diversities. You come across new people, new cultures and new travel spot of the world.

It helps relieving the mind and reduces the stress level. Traveling undoubtedly is a best option for those who believe in leading a healthy life. Those who  travel are less likely prone to health issues as they are more active. The benefit of traveling begins well before the trip does. Traveling includes physical activity which promotes heart health by lowering the blood pressure and even preventing a stroke. Traveling broaden your horizons and boost up brain health sharp, healthy and creative. It is been scientifically proven that traveling reduces stress levels. This can help detoxify all your negatives and makes you active both physically and mentally and leaving you feeling healthy and rejuvenated. During traveling you  are endorsed to do things which you never thought you would do. Doing this just goes to improve and prove yourself how amazing you are.

Traveling enables us to build friendships and connections with people from various places across the world. Establishing connections and building a network overseas is one of the smartest thing you can do in today’s era. This can be such an enriching part of travel. We may meet with people for one day but we do appreciate these people for a lifetime whenever the memories are revived. Exploring a new place opens doors to establish new friendships and relationships that would have never been acquired without traveling .

Why Fitness is Important?

Fitness is the best blessing to the human life by god. One must always remain and fine. Fitness plays a vital role in our lives. If you are fit, only you will be able to do work and progress in life. Many people misguides themselves fitness by making muscles, six pack abs and weightlifting or running like athletes. Though, the people can do these things are certainly fit. The main meaning and in depth meaning of Fitness is physical, mental and emotional well being of one. The major reason people nowadays are unfit is due to imbalance of these main characteristics. These three qualities in a person makes a person fit and take care about one’s fitness.

The impact of mental health is so much that it can put a person in danger. The signs of being emotionally or mentally unfit is visible to the doctors in form of their physical appearance. The symptoms are easily visible proving the person is fit or unfit for the job. Staying unfit is like inviting the problems to the place itself. Stress is one of the factor which causes a lot of mental strain, specially in youth many people goes through stress, anxiety and infections in ulcers, heart attacks, digestion problems, etc.

Being fit is less likely for you come through heart attacks or blood pressure problems. Blood circulation is important for people to stay fit and have a healthy life and staying health conscious is wonderful. The heart is a muscle and if it is not exercised it will not be healthy. When you are fit, your heart is less likely to develop the many heart diseases found in so many people today. Walking is said to be the ultimate way to remain fit, with 2000 steps per day great for exercising the heart and keeping those joints supple. Running is not necessary to stay fit. If one cannot run regularly you can simply walk or jogging is even better. It helps to strengthen muscles or joints and makes you body active. You will notice the day you work out or exercise you will feel much active as compared to the days you don’t work out.

The energy is more amazing and you can feel the inner strength of yourself. It gives us a sense of purpose and reduces feelings of lethargy and depression. When you get out and about on your walk you will see or meet other people and this social interaction is also necessary to keep you feeling good about yourself and your life. Staying fit has many benefits and keep you more alive than the certain days.

Obesity is also a greater cause in nowadays routine, to overcome heart strokes or fat related issue one must exercise regularly and keep yourself fit and healthy. Maintain a proper lifestyle and follow a regular lifestyle to keep yourself alive and active. It also make you feel bad about your body image. When you are fit and healthy, you will always be more confident and happier as you tend to seek out people and activities that help you enjoy life. Stay healthy and active and live your life to fullest.

SUICIDE- ‘The highest rates of death’

The highest rate of death is caused by Suicide all across the world in many parts of the globe. People generally young adults find it the most easy way to end up their lives without even thinking about their loved one and the people whom they will leave behind them. The impact their death will put over the society, friends and most importantly their families. Death by suicide is an extremely complex issue that causes pain to hundreds of thousands of people every year around the world. According to the reports by World Health Organisation (WHO) every year approximately eight-hundred-thousand people die after committing suicide. Every person die every forty second.

Maximum suicide is caused by the disturbance of mind, people either suffering from anxiety or depression. The people find suicide as a easy option to end up their lives instead of living with the world. Their mind overpowers their will and pour negative thoughts in brain.This makes it one of the leading causes of death globally. Around twice as many die from suicide as from homicide. Suicide is more common than homicide across most countries in the world – often as much as ten to twenty times higher.If you suspect that a family member or friend may be considering suicide, talk to them about your concerns. You can begin the conversation by asking questions in a non-judgmental and non-confrontational way. Take them to the doctors and psychiatrist who can help them heal their problems and keep a regular check on the patients and help with proper medications.

There are many ways to show the sign of suicidal attempts. Having the thoughts of committing suicide, looking for the ways to kill oneself.Acting anxious, agitated, or reckless, Sleeping too little or too much, Withdrawing or feeling isolated, Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge and Displaying extreme mood swings. Any of the symptom can show the suicidal signs. If any of your known is going through such a state a doctor is truly required for help. Start talking to the people suffering through it. Be kind to everyone, you don’t know what one is going through. People can be fine in front of you, but what they are going through can affect them when they are alone. Inside them, a volcano is being formed which will burst if not controlled before. Love everyone, spread love and enjoy every bit of it.

While the link between suicide and mental disorders (in particular, depression and alcohol use disorders) is well established, many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis. Further risk factors include experience of loss, loneliness, discrimination, a relationship break-up, financial problems, chronic pain and illness, violence, abuse, and conflict or other humanitarian emergencies. The strongest risk factor for suicide is a previous suicide attempt.

There are many organisations in the world who help these people and people with disorders. One of that is presented by World Health Organisation. WHO’s approach to suicide prevention is known as LIVE LIFE.This approach is the basis on which comprehensive multi sectoral national suicide prevention strategies should be developed. Help the people who needs your help. Be calm with everyone and kind to everyone whether you are close to someone or not. You don’t know what the person is going through inside and outside.

KEDARNATH FLOOD- “NATURAL DISASTER OR MAN MADE DISASTER?”

On 17 June 2013, a major destruction caused when a flood came down overflowing the banks of Chorabari lake in Uttarakhand. The flood caused destruction of houses, buildings, temples and everything. The flood contained heavy rocks, slits and water and destroyed everything which came in its way. It took lives of many people living in the valley. It was a heavy loss of the lives of people and too for property and buildings. Thousands of people died, many were rescued and a lot went missing. Many kids left orphan, many parents lost their children in this tragedy. The pain of people could never be covered. This natural calamity left people in tears, government helpless and everyone devastated.

In Uttarakhand, between 13 June to 17 June, the stated received immense of rainfall which led to melting in the Chorabari glacier and the eruption of the Mandakini river. The flood even affected the boundaries of the state of Himachal Pradesh and Western Nepal in huge amount.  The heavy rainfall caused massive flash floods and landslides resulting in the death of residents and tourists as well as extensive damage to property. Reportedly the worst hit was the Kedarnath valley popular for the 8th century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The flood left behind a death toll of more than 5000. Ecologist Chandra Prakash Kala notes in a report that “the approximate cost of damaged bridges and roads was $285 million, dam projects worth $ 30 million and loss to state tourism worth $195 million.”

Thousands of pilgrims visit the place every year, it is a holy place for both hindus and sikhs, the temples of kedarnath, badrinath, yamunotri are of great importance. Hemkund Sahhib Ji the holy place for sikhs is a sacred place which invites many tourists and pilgrims every year. The upper Himalayan regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are difficult to access due to the difficult snow-clad terrain. But a good number of pilgrims make the trip every year due to these religious sites. Despite the natural causes for this flood, also the unplanned and haphazard construction, mismanaged tourism and related activities including intensive mining in this fragile ecosystem are some of the reasons that made to name this natural disaster partly as man-made that increased the intensity and magnitude of damages.In order to meet with the rising demands of religious tourism, the state government built an intricate network of roads, hotels, lodges and carried out other construction activities into the remote mountainous regions of the Himalayas. However, it is also true that the unexpected timing of the rainfall and the unusual amount of it also did not leave enough time for the pilgrims to evacuate, thereby increasing the magnitude of the impact.

After this tragedy, Indian Air Force (IAF) resuced almost 50,000 people from the valley. 5748 people died in the floods and 4550 villages were affected including Himachal Pradesh and Western Nepal. 3,886 people are still listed as missing and authorities assume that they were swept away and drowned.

However, the state government was forced to cancel it on account of the damage caused to roads and bridges. After 100 days of deafening silence the pilgrimage route to Kedarnath was finally opened on October 5, but only a small number of pilgrims were allowed at a time. However, religious tourism continued to remain affected for the next couple of years. It is worth noting though that despite the damage caused and the fear instilled by the floods, faith of the pilgrims was restored when they realised that though most parts of Kedarnath town had undergone a catastrophe, what remained untouched was the Shiva temple built in the 8th century AD.

‘SANITARY NAPKIN’ the cancer causing agent

Most Women Don't Know The Dirty Secrets of Feminine Hygiene ...

A sanitary napkin is an absorbent item worn in the underwear when menstruating, bleeding after giving birth, recovering from gynecologic surgery, experiencing miscarriage or abortion. A sanitary napkin is used to absorb a blood flow from vagina. A menstrual pad comes under the category of feminine hygiene product that is worn external of vagina, whereas tampons and menstrual cups are inserted in the vaginal opening. The napkin/pad has to be changed several times in 24 hours based on menstrual flow. In general, one should change her pads after around 5-6 hours of wearing it. If you wear the same pad for long time( more than 6 hours), then there of chances of developing vaginal infections (no matter how your flow is). Prolonged use of sanitary napkins in a day results in overgrowth of staphylococcus aureus bacteria in your vagina. Its commonly called toxic shock syndrome. Some symptoms of toxic shock are dizziness, fever, diarrhea.

In olden days, there are no sanitary napkin or tampons or anything to use during vaginal bleeding. The only choice they had is, to keep the used old cloth (folded) in their vagina externally. They use clothes and wash and then dry them for their next use as well. The cotton used in the production of sanitary napkin (pads) contains herbicides and pesticides. pesticides and herbicides are linked to thyroid malfunction, infertility and other health problems. Cotton is not naturally ultra-white. Because some girls prefer something that is purely white to make them feel they’re putting on something fresh and clean. Sanitary pad companies use chemicals to bleach the cotton. The material used to manufacture most of the pads are derived from petroleum and forestry.

There is no research to attest that the sanitary napkins sold in India are safe. But the use of some chemicals in the feminine hygiene product raise question over how safe they really are. It’s a sanitary napkin. it’s purpose is not only to absorb, hygiene matters a lot. Hygiene parameters of the product, of how safe they are, should be disclosed on the respective packets. Unfortunately, people chooses sanitary napkins based on the cost, design, and packing. But the main consideration should be hygiene. Unconsciously, we are paying a very high price for being neat freaks. Some women may think that it’s normal to have allergies and itchiness, which is a misconception. AT times, the rash can be due to the result of irritation from the cheap fragrances (chemical soup, laced with artificial colors) and chemicals used in the manufacturing of sanitary pads. Some of the chemicals used in sanitary pads are

  • Polyester
  • Polyethylene(PET)
  • Propylene glycol(PEG)
  • Dioxin
  • Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins(PCDDs)
  • polychlorinated dibenzofurans(PCDFs)
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs)

Napkins are made to absorb wetness. That’s why aside from cotton, they also contain rayon, a synthetic fiber, which is also dangerous because they also contain dioxin. Basically, when rayon is bleached, it releases dioxin.

Some shocking facts of sanitary napkins:

  • Almost all the conventional sanitary pads are mimicked to look like pure cotton. But that’s not true, since some pads are made of waste paper and wood pulps.
  • Since the white color is associated with purity, the waste papers are processed and bleached with chlorine to make it look sterile.
  • It may look pristine and harmless, but the bleached waste paper and wood pulp will still have the residues and by-products of bleaching. The two of deadliest toxins-dioxin and trihalomethane.
  • Dioxins are earmarked as No.1 human carcinogen– a substance that causes cancer in living tissues.
  • Dioxin is banned in early 2001 because of its ability to cause cancer in ovaries, bladder, breasts and uterus.
  • Dioxin also cause pelvic inflammatory disease and Endometriosis. The Endometriosis Association of America correlates the very high incidence of Endometriosis to dioxin in sanitary napkins.
  • Dioxin can also cause infertility, hormonal imbalances and multiple menstrual disorders.

On a average, a women uses 12,000-17,000 disposable sanitary pads/tampons in her life time. Today, women are forced to believe that what they use is pure and made up of pure cotton by ceaseless advertisements through television, internet and social medias. Chemicals on your skin may be worse than eating them. Sanitary napkins are often thrown into ponds, rivers, lakes, contaminating the water bodies and the organisms live there, or thrown in the open, choking drains and polluting the soil. While the plastic in sanitary pads doesn’t degrade easily, the menstrual waste consist of blood and body fluids, is another source of pollution that can lead to deadly disease. Trash collector often handle these sanitary products with their bare hands and can easily become infected, in case the blood belongs to an HIV infected person.

When we choose a sanitary napkin we need to be conscious of what it does to our body as well as the environment after disposing off.

‘PAZHAYAM KANJI’ best rated breakfast

Summer special recipe/ Fermented rice in Tamil/palaya satham ...

American Nutrition Association says that the previous day’s soaked rice is the best for the breakfast, used to be the stable diet in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

RICE: Traditionally, rice is cooked in the afternoon and the excess water is drained. After the rice cools down to room temperature, it is soaked fully in water and stored in an earthen clay pot. This covered rice pot with soaked rice is left overnight at regular room temperature. The rice would ferment by the next morning and consumed as breakfast. Traditionally, it is eaten with a side dish, raw onion or green chili. Some people prefer to drain the excess water and eat it with curd and a slight sprinkle of salt.

The lactic acid bacteria break down the anti-nutritional factors in the rice, resulting in an improved bio-availability of micro nutrients and minerals such as iron, potassium and calcium. For instance, after 12 hours of fermentation of 100 grams of rice, the presence of iron content changes from 3.4 mg to 73.91 mg.

In the agrarian communities of South East Asia, fermented rice played a vital role in the lives of people. It gives enormous energy, nutrients and cooling effect that is required for a full day of manual labor. Unfortunately, people moving up the food chain looked down on fermented rice as the pauper’s food and ignored the great nutritional value it provides.

Food scientists who researched on the food practices among various regions in the world and concluded that the South Asia’s tradition of consuming the previous day’s cooked rice soaked in plain water overnight, in the morning next day, as breakfast is the best. It has the rare B6, B12 vitamins which are not otherwise easily available in other food supplements. This rice generates and harbors millions of beneficial good bacteria that helps in digestion and has many disease fighting and immunity developing agents. The bacteria that grow in the intestine due to this rice safeguard the internal organs and keeps our body healthy. Consuming this rice helps quicker digestion and wards off ageing, bone related ailments and muscular pains. Brown rice is the best for this as its nutrients are retained intact.

AMERICAN NUTRITION ASSOCIATION has listed the following benefits, if you stick to the regular practice of consuming of fermented rice

  • Consuming fermented rice as breakfast keeps the body light and energetic.
  • Stomach aliments disappear when it’s consumed in the morning as excessive and harmful heat retained in the body is neutralized.
  • As this food is very fibrous, it heals constipation and also dullness in the body.
  • Blood pressure is normalized and hypertension subsides appreciably.
  • Body feels less tired due to this food as a result of which one feels fresh throughout the day.
  • This removes all types of ulcers in the body.
  • It removes allergy induced problems and also skin related ailments.
  • Fresh infections are kept at bay due to consuming this rice.
  • It helps in maintaining youthful and radiant look.

Consuming this takes away your body’s craving for tea or coffee. This is the richest source of vitamin B12 for vegans. So,please don’t throw away the extra rice in home. It could be the healthiest breakfast you will ever have. So, eat healthy and stay fit.

Audit Bureau of Circulation

Audit Bureau of Circulation(ABC) is a self financing, private and independent body charged with the responsibility of conducting regular audit of the \”net circulation of newspapers and issues certificates of Net Paid Circulation every six months\”. It has a very high reputation of reliability and impartiality and is therefore coated with authority. The basic purpose of the organisation is to establish ground rules for counting circulation, make sure that the rules were enforced and also aims to provide varied reports of circulation data. 
 
There are many objectives of ABC which includes the following-
  • To dessiminate circulation data for the benefits of advertisers, ad agencies and newspaper publications. 
  • To verify the figures shown in these statements by the auditor\’s examination of necessary records. 
  • To issue standardise statement of the circulation of members. 

ABC reports help the advertisers as well as the newspapers. From the verified facts, the advertisers can draw their conclusion and prepare advertisement plans. Newspapers are also benefitted by the ABC report-

Firstly they gain both respect and confidence of the advertisers, 
secondly on the basis of the report,  they can peep into their own activities and programmes and make a modest review on the progress of the newspapers and makes the report which is an evidence of the newspapers worth. 

World Population Day- 2020

World Population Day is celebrated on 11 July each year as on this day in 1987, the world’s population reached 5 billion. It was observed as the “Five Billion Day” by the United Nations. The World Population Day is an attempt to raise awareness about the trend of the growing global population and its implications. It was established in the 1989 by the governing council of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

As population explosion began to take the center-staged as a cause of serious concern, the themes World Population Day focused on the health problems faced by child bearing women and the importance of family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights.

With the current global population at 7.8 billion, and an estimate of 9 billion people by 2050, the massive surge in the population is identified to be the casual factor of developmental concerns in several countries. It becomes more conspicuous for the developing and lesser developed countries. Therefore, World Population Day assumes paramount importance because it highlights the problems of increasing population and raises awareness about the effects of over-population on the environment and planet.

This year’s theme of the World Population Day 2020 is to raise awareness about safeguarding sexual and reproductive health needs and vulnerabilities of women and girls during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reports of shown that domestic violence has increased globally amid the lockdown. The National Commission for Women in India reported a huge rise in the number of complaints.

Women also accounts for the largest share of front-line health workers, according to the United Nations report. In India, amid the lockdown, there have been many instances of pregnant women unable to reach health care centers for delivery.

It is important to create and celebrate awareness. Get to know women and girls in our neighborhood and learn about their troubles. Talk about family planning, gender equality, sex education and human rights with women around us who have not had the opportunity of receiving proper education in their childhood.

Auto-Rickshaw fully loaded with modern features

A three-wheeled tire from Mumbai is fitted to produce a sense of purity for its passengers while footage movement often brings out the dystopian world ultimately requiring vehicles built like tanks, the Coronavirus epidemic has put the real world in the same place, which has required us to make some very useful vehicle repairs. While these are tanks, they make improvements in the use of COVID-19 disaster management. Sharing the same event recently was Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group, who posted a video on a three-wheeled wheel in Mumbai having received such changes to introduce a ‘swachh’ or explicit experience to its passengers. Called the ‘Mumbai’s First Home System Auto’Created by Satyawan Gite, this three-wheeled Wheeler is lined with lush greenery, rugged carpet, and split dust – wet and dry – placed on all three clocks. What’s really impressive is the addition of a bathtub full of small water tank and mirror. We can remove a hand sanitizer and hand sanitizer, all of which are tied in place. An in-depth look inside also unveils many options with the Wi-Fi service, desktop, smartphone charging, mobile connected TV, Bluetooth audio system, food purified water, and cool fan. Created by Satyavan Gite, the driving drive offers free rides for newlyweds {{couples}, and older residents get free technology like 1 km. The addition of this three-wheeler ensures free technology as one kilometer for senior residents, and newlyweds couples will likely be found without the right amount. The driver likes the current suggestions about well-being. For these non-three-wheelers, the soft-tops act as a permanent hoarding that does not carry important Coronavirus-related details. This includes the total amount of BMC COVID-19 with details (1916) and orders of all English and Marathi, as well as a statement of thanks to the former army who worked in excess of 24 x 7 to make the virus happen. While movies tend to show the dystopian world set in the future that requires cars built like tanks, the Coronavirus epidemic has put the real world in a similar position, requiring people to make their own car repairs. While these are not tanks, they come with improved uses to combat the COVID-19 problem. Sharing a new example of this was Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group, who posted a video on a three-wheeled wheel in Mumbai that underwent such changes to give the ‘strikers’ or cleaner their experience. It is called the ‘Mumbai First Home Auto System’. Created by Satyawan Gite, the three-wheeled Wheeler is packed with plants in pots, the green carpet, and the separate dust – wet and dry – are mounted on three-wheelers. Most interesting is the addition of a complete wash basin with a small water tank and mirror. It also features a hand sanitizer and hand sanitizer, both handcuffed. An in-depth look reveals many features including Wi-Fi service, desktop, smartphone charging, TV connected to a cell phone, Bluetooth speakers, purified drinking water, and cool fan.

Who delivers the Amazon cardboard boxes???

Cardboard boxes that have been used for generations and thrived in the age of e-commerce continue to flourish or could the cardboard box be facing a new challenger? Cardboard boxes are a very big deal within the U.S. The United States is the Saudi Arabia of trees. Someone’s going to make the first box and that’s almost inevitably a mill generally in the Southeast United States. China certainly doesn’t have trees and India the extent they do have trees they’re not necessarily the right types of trees and shouldn’t be dedicated towards making boxes for us. The box business grew rapidly up through 1999 when the U.S. coordinated box market had its peak shipment. Starting in the early 2000s the U.S. corrugated box market faced multiple economic obstacles.

The great recession dragged on box demand and even after the recession demand continued to slow for commodity like soda and for the boxes that transport them. The move to digital devices also coincided with a drop in demand for copy paper and newsprint. But box makers found a grace in e-commerce sales and Amazon sale specifically which were growing at mostly integer rates within the recession and post-recession years. Those e-commerce sales have become a significant market for the containerboard industry. In 2018 told a U.S. e-commerce sales were estimated to be $512 billion almost 50 percent higher than in 2015. Amazon captured 48 percent of those sales. Most estimates are that e-commerce accounts for about 10 percent of the U.S. box market. Amazon accounts for close to 5 percent of U.S. box demand. By our estimates they are clearly the single largest box user in the US. International Paper with a third of the market I think does closer to 50 percent of all the amazon boxes evidently they got a bit more share than perhaps some of the smaller players.

Amazon's incredible, vanishing cardboard box - CNN

Amazon said they deal with most of the big box makers across the U.S. according to analysts. Those manufacturers include International Paper, WestRock, Packaging Corporation of America and Georgia-Pacific. Some investors were turning to these companies as a way to invest in the e-commerce giant without having to purchase Amazon’s pricey stock. People didn’t really start talking about buying International Paper or WestRock as a secondary investment in Amazon till about the last five years. Despite the boost from e-commerce sales the box business still isn’t growing all that much. And since 2018 their stocks have mostly underperformed the S&P 500. In 2018, 69 percent of International Papers total revenue came from the box business and that sales volume has been mostly flat for the past five years. Although the big producers sold less boxes in 2018 than in 2000, industry consolidation has dramatically narrowed the fields.

The handful of big players remaining are based in Memphis, Tennessee, Atlanta, Georgia and Lake Forest, Illinois. Analysts have told CNBC that substantial industry mergers have made it easier to collectively hike prices and those price increases have helped drive revenue. There are portions of the business that are in indisputable secular decline but if you’re in the brown part of the business, making these boxes, that’s been some very welcome growth. But those extra boxes piling up on people’s doorsteps have led to a backlash from disgruntled customers who are sick of receiving golf ball sized products in supersized boxes. It used to be that you’d order a toothbrush and it would come in three giant boxes and you’d say to yourself, what is this? Well, Amazon is trying to rectify that by using fewer boxes and using other types of packaging where appropriate. With e-commerce packaging underfire Amazon decided to change the way they do shipping. In 2008, Amazon introduced the Frustration Free Packaging program. It aims to reduce the extra packaging created when retail packaged products are placed inside Amazon boxes to be shipped. Instead, products certified in the program that are roughly the size of a blender or larger need to be packaged in their own ready to ship boxes. And those boxes also need to be made of 100 percent recyclable materials. For customers that means that the packaging is easy to recycle and the box is easy to open without all the excess packaging materials.

Use That Pile of Empty Amazon Boxes to Do Something Wonderful ...

Amazon offered vendors an incentive of a dollar per shipment to modify their packaging. And starting August 1st 2019 Amazon is charging a $1.99 penalty for each product shipped that needs to be reboxed. And basically the point of this deadline is for Amazon to get out of the business of packaging. They want their vendors to send them boxes that Amazon doesn’t have to touch or rebox. Over the last two years we have invented two different kinds of flexible mailers. One is the blue and white all plastic mailer. We’ve recently launched in the last six, eight months a paper padded mailer that’s actually fully recyclable with the paper stream. Amazon said they made about 10 million shipments using the paper padded mailer and depending on the month the plastic mailer is used about 20 to 30 percent of the time. So really when we come down to deciding if the product is of the size it can go on a mailer, it’s not likely to be damaged by going in the mailer, the mailer is always the better fitting option and frankly is easier for the customer to choose to recycle than breaking down a corrugate box. We’re driving in that direction for many different reasons. But those plastic mailers generally are not accepted in municipal recycling programs and you’ll need to bring them to a store that accepts plastic bags. The latest stats from the EPA show that corrugated boxes were recycled at a rate of 92 percent in 2015 while plastic bags, sacks and wraps were recycled at a rate of 13 percent in 2015.

AMAZON E-COMMERCE SELLERS, IT'S TIME TO REVIEW YOUR ADVERTISING ...

When you think about what is the greatest pain point for the consumer after having it get there safely arrive on time people are concerned about receiving something that is plastic or made a poly because of the environmental concerns. Some waste management companies say plastic packaging also causes problems for the recycling systems. Plastic mailers get caught in the recycling machinery slowing down the process and raising the costs for recyclers and sometimes contaminating entire bundles. Until Scotty on the Enterprise can beam the products from the warehouse to your living room I think Amazon’s going to be good for the corrugated business. I think there’s going to be noise I think you’re going to have challenges from time to time where people say, “Should we try and the plastic pouch?”, in the long run plastic is going to be on the wrong side of history. Because Amazon is a market leader in the U.S. e-commerce sector any move away from cardboard to plastic mailers could signal a shift for the entire industry. The corrugated box could be about to undergo a major facelift. We’re seeing some major trends among consumers and what they’re expecting from e-commerce and the first one is actually this desire for increased engagement with the package. In 2015, Amazon partnered with Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment to ship orders in bright yellow delivery boxes featuring cartoon characters from the movie Minions. The boxes promoting the movie and a special Amazon U.R.L. dedicated to shopping for merchandise from the film.

Beware of credit card fraud

  A HARASH REALITY OF DIGITAL AGE
Credit card fraud is a wide -ranging term for theft and fraud committed by using a credit card or any similar payment mechanism as a fraudulent source of funds in a transaction. The purpose may be to obtain goods without paying or to obtain unauthorised funds from an Account.
The credit card fraud  occurs when a thief uses your credit card to make purchases. More serious is when someone uses your information to open accounts or take loans in your name. That’s why  you need to fight to get your credit restored and  your name cleared an arduous process that can take months or years to complete.

HOW DOES CREDIT CARD FRAUD HAPPENS?
 well,the fraud begins with either the theft of the physical card or the compromise of data associated with the account like  number of card or other information which is necessary for a merchant during legitimate transaction. The compromise can occur by many routes, even tripping off the card holder,the merchant or the issuer. The fraudulent might go through the trash to find the discarded billing statements and then use your account information to buy. A retail or bank website may be hacked and your card number stolen. A waiter takes a photo of your credit card and uses your account to buy create another account or may be you get a call offering a free tip or discounted travel package. But to be eligible you have to join a club and give your account number , to gurantee your place. The next thing you know, charges you didn’t make are on your bill and the trip promoters who called you are nowhere to found. So you are trapped.
 
CREDIT CARD FRAUDS’s categories
.Application fraud- unauthorised opening of credit card account in another person’s name for this enough personal information to be known for filling up the application
.Account takeover-criminal hijacking of an existing credit card account, personal inform about a victim to change the account’s billing address.
.skimming- Let me inform it is a small electronic device.Theft of credit card information used in an otherwise legitimate transaction. It can occur at restaurants , bars, call centres, gas stations.
 Technological advances have also created avenues for credit card fraud with online purchasing now common , perpetrators need no physical card to make an unauthoried purchase.
  • In INDIA occured
An unidentified person allegely stolen personal information of 13 credit card holders of a multinational Bank and withdrew cash of Rs 3,73 lakh through on line  transaction. The cyber cell of pune registered this.
 Again central crime branch sleuths arrested five persons for cheating  several persons of their credit cards and then buying articles worth Rs 1.80 lakhwith the card. The arrested people were later remanded in judicial custody.
         Several such incidents .
 PREVENTATIVE MEASURES AS EVERY PROBLEM     HAS SOLUTION 
1. As we all are engaged in online shopping.  we need to clear our logins and passwords and change monthly.
2. Be alert in which banks or businesses to obtain personal information which they use to access your accounts… check their websites.
3. Record the credit card account,expiration date,security code and toll free phone numberon safety in a free proof lock box 
4. Kindly dont give your account number to anyone on the phone unless you have made the call to a company you know to be reputable.
5. Carry your cards seperately from wallet.
6.check accounts regularly so that you know when something is away. Call credit card issuer immediately if any erroneous charge seen.
7. Don’t forget to take your paper receipt with you after eating or shopping.
 8.LIFELOCK and TRUSTED LD that market themselves as identity theft protection experts.you purchase the services of a dedicated identity theft protection firm or one of the products offered by your bank or insurer sign up for any free alerts that let you know of any credit card  activity that is out of the ordinary.
9. Report lost cards immediately.
 
By card issuer ,strong authentication measures can be used . multi-factor authentication to verify that the account is being accessed by the cardholders through requirements of additional information like account number ,pin etc. Out of band aunthentiaction to verify the transaction is being done by the cardholder through a known or trusted communicationchannel such as text message, phone call etc.
By merchants , pan transaction ,tokenization ,pin ,zip code etc to be used to avoid this.
LAW– 
under Information Technology Act  2008, section 43 (a) , 43(b),43(g) along with 66 applicable to it. Section 420,467,468,471 of IPC ,1860 also applicable. The victim can register a complaint in police station  and complainant can also fine for compensation upto 10 lakh rupees with bank ombudsmanor 5 crore rupeesbwith adjudicating officer of state / civil court. It act provides 3 years imprisonment or fine 5 lakh rupees or both

Un-Fair and Un-Lovely.

How empowering was it to watch Indians hold the “BLACK LIVES MATTER” placard in one hand supporting the protests in the United States and with the other hand applying a cream of poisonous chemicals to their naturally gifted skin. In this black and white world why do we hate brown? From the soil that gives birth to plants to the earthen pots which store our precious waters to the wood that burns into the flames of tomorrow’s ashes -brown is everywhere.

Beta dhoop me mat khelo, tan ho jaaoge!”, yells the Indian parent while some family in the Europe takes their sons and daughters to play on the beach and get some tan. A land that prays Lord Krishna who is described to be as dark as the thunderous rain clouds and yet portrays him blue because anything is better than black anything is better than brown anything is better than dark.

Etymologically speaking, the Sanskrit word ‘Krishna’ means black or dark. At times, it is also translated as “all attractive”. According to Vedas, Lord Krishna is a dark-skinned God. Even in traditional patta chitras (cloth art) in Odisha, Lord Krishna and Vishnu are always shown having black skin. 

50,000 years ago when our ancestors migrated from the North to the African and Asian continents, they were exposed to the UV rays of the Sun which is saturated at the equator and the tropic of Capricorn. Those days’ sunscreens were not invented hence due to evolution and the wonderful science of human body’s biology it produced melanin under the skin which acted as a natural sun screen. Skin creating its own protective layers, how cool is that?

But we as Indians would rather prefer skin burns and skin cancers than having a healthy skin. When my mother read the matrimony classified newspapers for my elder sibling’s marriage, her face falls down as she looks at those advertisements. No no-hold your horses, it’s not what you are thinking, everybody is progressive nowadays, nobody is asking for dowry. All they ask is – “seeking a fair bride for my son”, “fair and handsome boy with a fit body”, “girl should be white toned and open minded”, “boy should not be dark and not restrict our daughter from wearing her choice of clothing.” (no dowry).

To parents who are afraid because log kya kahenge? Maa lets not look for brides or grooms who are fair, let’s look for individuals who treat people fairly. Let’s not buy besan (gram flour) for face masks rather let’s lather some potatoes in them and fry it in oil as we watch the fair besan turn into a beautiful crispy brown tasty pakodas (fritters). Fairness creams or home remedies for instant glow neither teach us to be a human with a clean heart, a heart free from the ignorance. Instead of handing a tube of glow and lovely to your loved one’s let’s make them stand in front of the mirror holding their head high because any shade is beautiful any shape is beautiful any scar is beautiful. Before teaching to love others let’s start by loving ourselves. It’s time we realise love comes in all shapes and shades, it’s time we loved all shapes and shades.

Forget snow white, I’m chocolate brown, I will write my own fairy-tale. A tale of every brown Indian girl and boy who is torn apart by the expectations of society and yet stands proud with a personality and smile beautiful than any white skinned magazine covers. To every Bollywood song that calls the actress “Gori” I would like to say – “Gore Rang Pe Na itna Gumaan kar. Gora Rang Do Din mein Dhal Jaayega” – don’t show such pride of your fair skin, the fairness will fade in time. What will remain is the virtues, beliefs, kindness and opinions .

Changing the name from fair to glow will not enlighten the young minds but it will give light to the years of colourism and discrimination to continue its course in every generation to come. Brown is beautiful and so is every colour ever discovered.

Right To Information : Here is you need to know about RTI


RTI stands for Right to Information. Right To Information Act 2005 mandates timely response to citizen requests for government information. Right to Information empowers every citizen to seek any information from the Government, inspect any Government documents and seek certified photocopies thereof. Right to information also empowers citizens to official inspect any Government work or to take the sample of material used in any work.


Right to Information is a part of fundamental rights under Article 19(1) of the Constitution. Article 19 (1) says that every citizen has freedom of speech and expression.


Right to Information Act 2005, which became effective on 13th October 2005, provides that machinery. Therefore, Right to Information Act does not give us any new right. It simply lays down the process on how to apply for information, where to apply, how much fees etc.


Objective of RTI Act?


The basic object of the Right to Information Act is to empower the citizens, promote transparency and accountability in the working of the Government, contain corruption, and make our democracy work for the people in real sense. An informed citizenry will be better equipped to keep necessary vigil on the instruments of government and make the government more accountable to the governed.


The Schema of RTI Act


The Parliament recognized that proper and efficient functioning of a democracy requires an informed citizenry and transparency of information and that such transparency is vital for checking corruption and to hold governance and their instrumentalities accountable to the citizen of the country. The Parliament was also conscious that random and uncontrolled revelation of information is likely to conflict with other public interests including efficient operations of the governance, optimum use of limited fiscal resources and preservation of confidentiality of sensitive information.
In its endeavour to balance out and harmonize these conflicting interests while preserving the paramountcy of the democratic idea, the Parliament enacted the RTI Act. The object of the RTI Act is to set out a practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of public authorities.


Sec. 4 of the Act imposes an obligation on public authorities to maintain its records duly catalogued and indexed in a manner and form which facilitates the right to information under the Act.


Sec. 6 of the Act entitles a person desirous of obtaining any information under the Act, to make a request in writing to the Central or State Public Information Officer specifying the particulars of the information sought by him. The applicant is not required to give any reason as to why he is requesting for the information.


Sec. 7 of the Act requires the Public Information Officer to either provide the information or reject the request for any of the reasons specified in Secs. 8 and 9 within 30 days of receipt of the request. If the Officer fails to give a decision on the request within 30 days, he shall be deemed to have refused the request.
Under Sec. 19, if a person does not receive a decision within 30 days or is aggrieved by a decision of the Public Information Officer, he may prefer an appeal to an Officer who is senior in rank to the Public Information Officer in that Public Authority.


A second appeal is provided for against the order passed in the first appeal before the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission as the case may be. The powers of the Information Commission are enacted in Sub-Sec. 9 of Sec. 19 which includes the power to require the Public Authority to compensate the complainant for any loss or other detriment suffered and/or to impose any of the penalties provided under the RTI Act.


Sec. 20 of the Act empowers the Information Commission to impose penalty on the Public Information Officer if the Commission is of the opinion that the Officer without any reasonable cause refused to receive an application for information or has not furnished the information sought for within the specified time under Sec. 7(1) or mala fidely denied the request for information or knowingly has given incorrect, incomplete or misleading information or destroyed information which was the subject of the request or obstructed in any manner in furnishing the information.


Sec. 22 of the Act is a non- obstante clause giving overriding effect to the provisions of the Act.
Under Sec. 25, the Information Commission is required after the end of each year to prepare a report on the implementation of the provisions of the Act during that year and forward a copy thereof to the appropriate Government.
Under the provisions of the Act, any citizen may request information from a “public authority” (a body of Government or “instrumentality of State”) which is required to reply expeditiously or within thirty days. The Act also requires every public authority to computerise their records for wide dissemination and to proactively disclose certain categories of information so that the citizens need minimum recourse to request for information formally. This law was passed by Parliament on 15 June 2005 and came fully into force on 12 October 2005.


Right to Information includes the right to:

Inspect works, documents, records. Take notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records. Take certified samples of material. Obtain information in form of printouts, diskettes, floppies, tapes, video, cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts. “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advice, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force.

Impact of technology on privacy -Aman sharma

Impact of Technology on Privacy

Technology has offered various options to help people maintain privacy depending on their situation. At the same time, technology has made it almost impossible for anyone to have privacy. There are devices and programs that can help you get privacy but they can also be used to invade it. Modern society has too many incidences and events that include invasion of privacy, including on national and international levels. Is it possible to ever maintain a level of privacy when you are on the computer, your cellphone, or even in your own home due to technology advancements?

Having privacy when you need it is a significant asset to most people. You want to be able to access important information such as documents, account statements, and other personal information without worries of it being stolen, hacked, or tapped into. Technology has helped keep your information safe and secure, but only to an extent. There are major corporations, along with small and large businesses and individuals who feel there is not enough being done to ensure user privacy when it comes to devices, programs, and websites to name a few. There are options you can take to help safeguard personal information such as changing passwords frequently and paying attention to websites you visit for peculiar behavior or links to avoid clicking. But, technology has a catch 22 concept that includes being at risk for your privacy to be invaded. Just when you think you have something to help protect you and your personal information, the same content can be hacked or tapped into by a knowledgeable person or group of individuals with negative intentions. There are people who feel they do not want to engage with online websites or digital programs to avoid the risk, but is it really possible to do so? Many say it is not.

Technology is constantly changing and so is the way personal information is obtained and stored. When you think you have a solution to a privacy related problem, there are people on the other end trying to figure out how to invade your personal space. In many cases it seems as if you need to be a step ahead of the perpetrator. You have to think like one in order to determine the best course of action in trying to increase personal privacy. This is another task on its own that can take further time to understand depending on the element of privacy you want to secure.