COBOL

COBOL may be a Common Business minded Language. it’s a high-level artificial language. because the dilated word form suggests, programming language is meant for developing business, generally file-oriented applications.

COBOL is employed by the North American nation Department of Defense, in a very conference, fashioned CODASYL (Conference on knowledge Systems Language) to develop a language. programming language is employed for writing application programs, and that we cannot use it to jot down system software system. this implies you’d not develop AN software or a compiler exploitation programming language.
How programming language Works
We should perceive the approach programming language works. Computers solely recognize machine language, a binary stream of 0s and 1s. The code of programming language should be reborn into machine language employing a compiler. Run the program supply through the compiler. The compiler 1st of all checks for any syntax errors so converts it into machine language. Then the compiler creates AN computer file, that is thought as a load module. This computer file contains feasible code within the style of 1s and 0s.

History of programming language
COBOL language was one in all the earliest high-level programming languages. throughout the Nineteen Fifties, once the companies were rising within the western a part of the planet, there was a necessity to change numerous processes for simple operation, and this gave birth to a high-level artificial language destined for business processing.
In 1959, the programming language language was developed by Conference on knowledge Systems Languages (CODASYL).
The government printing workplace written the programming language specification as COBOL60 in 1960.
COBOL-61, that is that the next version of programming language, was free in 1961 with some revisions.
In 1968, programming language was approved by ANSI (American National Standards Institute) as a customary language for industrial use. A version named COBOL-68.
It was once more revised in 1974 and 1985 to develop later versions that contain an extra set of options named COBOL-74 and COBOL-85, severally.
And finally, in 2002, object-oriented programming language was free, that might use encapsulated objects as a standard a part of programming language programming.
Features of programming language
Standard Language

COBOL may be a commonplace language that may be compiled and dead on systems like IBM AS/400, personal computers, etc.
Business minded

COBOL is developed for business-oriented applications associated with defense domain, monetary domain, etc.

Structured Language

Logical management structures ar offered in programming language, that makes it easier to browse and modify. programming language provides totally different divisions, thus it’s straightforward to right.

Robust Language
COBOL may be a strong language as its varied testing, and debugging tools ar on the market for nearly all pc platforms.

Simple Language

COBOL may be a straightforward language. No user-defined functions, no user-defined sorts, no pointers, and a restricted scope of operate.

Self-documenting
One of the main style goals for programming language was to form it doable for non-programmers like managers, supervisors, and users to browse and perceive programming language code.

Advantages of programming language
COBOL is that the 1st usually used high-level artificial language.
It will handle immense processing.
It is used as a documenting language.
The resolution of bugs is simpler as a result of it’s an efficient error message.
It is compatible with its past versions.

INDIA’S FIRST POD TAXI

India’s first pod taxi to run between Noida Intil airport & film city. Pod Taxi can accommodate 4 to 6 passengers per car. Pod taxis have been a popular mode of commute in several western countries and can accommodate four to six passengers per car. With this project , India is also set to experiment with this mode of commute. It will start running on the track as soon as flights starts from Noida airport. Keeping in view the metro connectivity between film city to Noida Airport rail and Ropeway corporation limited has submitted the final DPR to Yamuna Authority on June 13th 2021 for driverless pod taxi which will run 14km from Noida to film city with stoppage at sector 21, 28, 29, 32, & 33 Dr. Arunveer Singh , CEO of Yida said that this DPR will now placed before the YEIDA board, after getting approval from there it will be sent to the government . Work in this direction will go ahead after getting approval from government. The distance is about 5.5 km to increase the utility, it has been suggested in the DPR to track in the sectors of YEIDA also. To run this pod taxi in the country , the state government will spend Rs 862crores. 50- 60 crores per km will have to be spent to land the pod taxi on the land of Noida. with the creation of a film city , where film artists will also come in abundance , a tourist center will be developed in distance of 14 km to attract tourists from all over the world.

Lochinvar – Sir Walter Scott:

🔹️Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright and poet. Many of his works remain classics of both English language ligand of Scottish literature. Scott wrote novels and biographies of famous men and contributed to Romanticism and the historical novel. He was Knighted by King George lV In 1820 and died as Sir Walter Scott in 1832. He is well known for a series of novels called Waverly novels. He also produced poetry, short stories, plays and non-fictional works.

🔹️Lochinvar is a fascinating balled which tells the story of brave,young and valiant knight called Lochinvar. He was a promising knight of the highlands. His coming from the west resembles for him of being like sun. He came unarmed riding on his horse throug the wide border. Throughout this special journey he was not carried any weapons and rode all by himself. “He rode all unarm’d, and he rode all alone”. He is faithful to his love and fearless at the same time.

🔹️He is known for being gallant and dauntless in every war he fought for the country. He is so valiant that no obstacle could save him from reaching the desired goal. He swam across the Eske River even through the river had no shallow part where it was being crossed by some stream. It was a deep river that he crossed bravely and without any fear.

🔹️As he reaches he Netherby gate and alighted himself on the horse, the bride Ellen had framed her personal opinion for him as a gallant who had arrived late and was struggle and fought cowardly and disgracefully in the war of love for the bride. He was to take the fair Ellen’s hand in marriage. He entered the Netherby hall so boldly even at the presence the bride’s men and kinsmen, her brother and all her relatives.

🔹️The poor craven bridegroom never said a word. The bride’s father stoop up, with his hand grlpping his sword, spoke up and asked Lochinvar whether he came here in peace or with an intention of war or to dance at their bridal.

“O come ye in peace here, or come ye in war

Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar?”

🔹️Lochinvar gave a bold reply that he had been looking for the lord’s daughter since long but was denied the opportunity to marry her. He responded that his love and taken the back seat and he had only come to drink a cup of wine at the marriage feast. He claimed many beautiful maidens who are far more fair and beautiful Ellen would open heartedly come to be a bride for him. He took one dance with a bride after she blessed his wine. Modestly she accepted blushing. Though there were tears in her eyes, her lips carried the smile that came from her heart.

🔹️The two danced in pair with grace and filled the room with their presence. Like the sun she was illuminated by his light. The groom stood there ashamed and unable to do anything. Though bride’s mother was fretted and her father infuriated, they could do nothing to step them. They were immobilized by his’ stately his form’. The wedding party also agreed to match between young Lochinwar and Ellen.

___________ “twere better by far

To have matched our far cousin with young Lochinvar

🔹️It only took ‘one touch of his hand and one word in her ears for her to bend to his incredible will. He was able to win back Ellen’s love. On his horse he galloped away with Ellen. The clans tried to chase bride was lost without being in sight. Thus the bridegroom proved that he was a ‘laggard in love’ unable to stand up for himself.

‘ROAD ACCIDENT’

Road accidents are the order of the day in India. There is nothing unusual about innocent people losing their lives due to a combination of several factors. First and foremost is their own indifference and ignorance of traffic rules; combined with other factors like callous drivers or the absolute insensitivity shown by the transport authorities. There is no need to go for the statistical details about the exact number of deaths or serious injuries caused due to road accidents in a particular year. Such statistics do not reflect the truth under normal circumstances. The picture given below shows a man whose car has been turned over because of a collision with a truck and the man is presumably bleeding to death.

The policeman seems to have been able to nab the driver who looks more dazed than guilty, perhaps because of the impact of alcohol which is usually the driving force for drivers across India. An ambulance is in place and two men seem to be moving towards the victim with a stretcher. This is very assuring but the nature of the tragedy leaves us with considerable anxiety about the chances of the victim’s survival. Above all, the picture does not forget to show the common men who usually do not forget to play the role of either mute spectators or aggressive agitators under these circumstances. The spot is not as crowded as city areas are expected to be. Perhaps that also explains the presence of trees, clouds, and birds in the area rather than multistoried buildings and advertisement boards.

Car crash on major highway during rainfall at night. Ambulance in foreground and police car in background.

There are some serious questions that come to my mind when I look at this picture. If we contemplate the picture at a deeper level, we are bound to be confronted by certain very disturbing questions. Why are accidents so common in India? Can nothing be done to combat the menace of rash driving? Why can’t we have a more proactive approach from the police department so that a strict vigil on the roads discourages maniacs from indulging in the killing game of rash driving? The picture shows the policeman nabbing the driver and the medical team on the spot to help the wounded.

Both these incidents are utopian in the Indian context because most drivers in such cases flee the spot and reappear in the scene after a gap of about four or five months, when people have completely forgotten about this incident. Such people also take care to bribe certain dishonest policemen to stay out of legal hassles. The police are often unable to take these people to task. Moreover such is the state of medical care in our country that more often, accident victims die before they can reach the hospital and get proper medical care. Police investigation into these accident cases is such that the common man shies away from helping accident victims for fear of police harassment.

Auto accident involving two cars on a city street

There is no gainsaying the fact that this scenario needs to change. If we do not rush to the aid of an accident victim, it raises serious questions about our identity as civilised human beings. The concerned authorities and the common man should co-operate to improve the scenario with stricter traffic laws and efficient mobile health care units. But we need political will for such a thing to happen. Suppose this person is being taken to the hospital but his ambulance gets stuck in a traffic jam caused by a VIP’s transport facilities and the man dies, whom do you hold responsible? Can we depend on such individuals to make our roads and healthcare facilities better?

Scenario of Road accident in India:

India had most deaths in road accidents in 2019: Report
A total of 151,113 people were killed in 480,652 road accidents across India in 2019, an average of 414 a day or 17 an hour, according to a report by the transport A total of 151,113 people were killed in 480,652 road accidents across India in 2019, an average of 414 a day or 17 an hour, according to a report by the transport research wing of the ministry of road transport and highways.

India continued to have the most road fatalities in the world, followed by China, a distant second at 63,093 deaths in 2,12,846 road accidents in 2019, the report revealed. The United States of America (USA) reported the most road accidents at 2,211,439, and witnessed 37,461 deaths in 2019.

According to the report, speeding was the leading cause of deaths, while, in terms of vehicles, two-wheelers were involved in most road fatalities.

Across states, most road accidents were reported in Tamil Nadu (57,228), followed by Madhya Pradesh (50,669), Uttar Pradesh (42,572), Kerala (41,111) and Karnataka (40,658) accidents.

Maharashtra ranked sixth with 32,295 accidents, but saw the second-highest number of fatalities (12,788), after 22,655 in Uttar Pradesh.

Among cities, Delhi retained its first rank with 1,463 deaths, followed by Jaipur (1,283), Chennai (1,252) and Bengaluru (768).

Mumbai ranked ninth with 447 people being killed in road accidents in 2019.

ARE ONLINE CLASSES HERE TO STAY ?

ONLINE CLASSES ARE HERE TO STAY ?

Online classes are here to stay . Online learning has gain popularity , thanks to this pandemic . Not only colleges & universities but all schools have also introduced this system . In this pandemic , where the whole world is in lockdown it was very difficult to continue studies as all schools , universities , organizations were shut , & here these online class came into force .Online classes have whole different environment as compare to our traditional form of classroom , & students are enjoying this environment.

Some advantages of online classes which you also will relate to are :

  1. Taking classes usually means showing up on class at a particular time, sitting through a somewhat lengthy lecture and then going directly to your next class. Or, if you’ve spaced your classes out, you may be able to take a break in between, but you still have to stay on campus. It can make for really long, really intense, really exhausting days. Then you have to come home, do homework, sleep and do it all again the next day. It can easily become a grind. But with online classes you can sit comfortable & take the lecture by sitting in the position you want to .
  2. Online classes teaches you self discipline , because their is no teacher that will ask you to sit in discipline . You learn the most important thing of your line that is self discipline .
  3. Comfort of you very own home is what students like the most . You can take class from any where & every where .

4 Online classes will force you outside of your comfort zone (in a good way). You will have to learn to navigate the course lectures, download materials, interact with others online and communicate well digitally. Yes, this may be scary for some people! However, in the information age, these are essential skills and will allow you to keep pace with others.

At the same time online classes have disadvantages also which all of us know , they are :

  1. Online learning creates a sense of isolation , students starts feeling that they are in a cage & somebody is forcing you to sit in front of a device .
  2. It require self discipline , students don’t have this skill , as this skill require experience.
  3. Online classes are prone to technical issues, it require proper network connection & needs a proper device for taking classes on .
  4. Online classes need more time to be spend on screen & people don’t have this much time & patience to sit at one place .

Conclusion drawn from this is , we all know that this pandemic will stay for long & online classes are the only remedy for this , to avoid contact with one & other , & for students safety & security , online classes are here to stay

MACBETH: BOOK REVIEW

The very first thought when I read Macbeth for my university paper was, “Goodness, this is ideal for Halloween.” Macbeth begins with a lightning storm and three very creepy witches.

The name “Shakespeare” can be perceived by children and grown-ups the same all throughout the planet. Macbeth is the one play that stood apart from me from the rest, for both great and awful reasons.  Macbeth is the story of how a little push for greed can send an aspiring, ambitious man on a disastrous and deadly fate.

Macbeth is a Thane (a provincial chief) in Scotland, and when he performs strikingly on the battlefield, King Duncan raises Macbeth’s degree of power. In the meantime, Macbeth and Banquo meet three witches on their way back to the kingdom, and they foresee that Macbeth will become ruler. This gives him ideas and when he tells it to his better half, and Lady Macbeth is resolved to get that power. Murder, foul play, madness, and more conflict and war hence follow. Giving the personal verdict I’d say that Macbeth was incredibly lucid and readable. I didn’t end up stammering over sentences (particularly when I read it out loud with a terrible Scottish accent).

What is the play about? It’s about desire and greed. It’s about the ambition. We do see mankind, to say the least, humanity at its worst. Macbeth and his. Significant other. Lady Macbeth fail…and flop pitiably as individual human beings. Three witches encounter Macbeth, a victorious military leader, that he will become the king of Duncan. With this goody of premonition, the seed of aspiration in Macbeth sprouts. He starts to consider how he should deal with make the witches’ prescience work out. The sprout is watered and supported by Lady Macbeth, his better half, who urges her significant other to adopt an active strategy. Macbeth appeared to be blinded by the ideas of power, but he had some integrity in that he felt remorseful. He delayed, he hesitated, he dreaded and feared, he needed guts. But Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, was really wicked. Macduff, who demanded of his fellow fighters that he be permitted to kill Macbeth in retaliation for the deaths of his wife and children, search out Macbeth and battles him proclaiming, “Macduff was from his mom’s womb untimely ripped.” last of the witches’ prophecies about him. That being said, I truly appreciate and enjoy Shakespeare now and then. He has special insight with words that can’t be denied. Also, Macbeth is one of his best works. There are such countless lines and expressions from Macbeth that are a valid part of our culture…” sound and fury”….”something wicked this way comes…” not to mention those famous “double, double, toil and trouble…”. I’d highly suggest this play. Indeed, it’s presumably one of the better entry points into Shakespeare since it’s short, not a complex plot – however, a rich one, and is one of the more recognizable works. It’s a book brimming with magnetic words, which beg to be savored. Proceeding to turn the pages is an effortless act when with each passing moment something significant in the plot is occurring.

“Bill Gates: A Biography”

William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business entrepreneur, software developer, investor, author, and philanthropist who is often regarded as one of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful figures. Through technological innovation, astute business strategy, and aggressive commercial techniques, Bill Gates and his business partner Paul Allen developed and built Microsoft, the world’s largest software company. Bill Gates was a competitive, inquisitive, and deep thinker when he was a boy. Lakeside School, a private prep school, was chosen by his parents. Gates soon advanced up the Lakeside ranks, excelling in a variety of topics such as math, science, English literature, and even drama. At such a young age, Bill Gates was influenced by historical events. In 1969, Apollo 11 launched men to the moon, a feat that necessitated the use of massive computers that cost billions of dollars in research. Having a computer at the time was incredibly authentic. Lakeside, on the other hand, had struck a deal with the city of Seattle and received a computer, which was Bill Gates first interaction with one.

Bill Gates foundation of Microsoft:

Bill Gates launched Microsoft in 1976 after signing a contract with MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) to provide a rudimentary operating system for their new microcomputers. Bill Gates used to go over each line of code before releasing it. He was also involved in other elements of Microsoft’s operations, including order packing and shipping. In 1980, IBM approached Microsoft about creating a new BASIC operating system for its new machines, which was Microsoft’s big break. IBM was by far the most popular computer maker in the early 1980s. However, IBM PC clones (computers made by other businesses that are compatible with IBM’s) are becoming increasingly popular.

Bill Gates – Windows:

Bill Gates is the founder of the Microsoft Windows operating system. The first version of Windows was introduced by Microsoft in 1990. Because it replaced text interfaces with graphical interfaces, this was a breakthrough in operating software. It quickly became a best seller, capturing the vast majority of the operating system market. In 1995, Microsoft released Windows 95, which set new standards and functionalities for operating systems. From Windows 2000 to Windows XP and Vista, this version of Windows has served as the foundation for all subsequent releases. Bill Gates has worked hard to diversify Microsoft’s business throughout his tenure as CEO.

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, for example, became the most popular web browser, owing to the fact that it comes pre-installed on the majority of new PCs. Internet Explorer’s market share has decreased in recent years. The field of search engines is one area where Microsoft has never been successful. MSN live search has struggled to achieve a market share of more than 5%. Microsoft has been outshined by Google in this regard. Despite this, Microsoft’s success in monopolizing certain parts of the software business has resulted in a number of antitrust lawsuits. Microsoft was on the verge of being split into three smaller companies in the 1998 US v Microsoft case.

Microsoft, on the other hand, was able to remain a single company after winning an appeal. Although Microsoft was the dominating computer corporation in the 1980s and 1990s, it is currently perceived as an ageing and fading company in comparison to Google and Apple, which are both more vibrant.

CANCEL CULTURE

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

“It Isn’t Hate to Speak the Truth.” Cancel culture or call-out culture is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles whether it be online, on social media, or in person. The expression “cancel culture” has mostly negative connotations and is commonly used in debates on free speech and censorship. The notion of cancel culture is a variant on the term call-out culture and constitutes a form of boycotting or shunning involving an individual (often a celebrity) who is deemed to have acted or spoken in a questionable or controversial manner. The concept of cancel culture has been criticized on the grounds that people claiming to have been “cancelled” often remain in power and continue their careers as before. The practice has also been defended as an exercise of free speech.

To many people, this process of publicly calling for accountability, and boycotting if nothing else seems to work, has become an important tool of social justice — a way of combatting, through collective action, some of the huge power imbalances that often exist between public figures with far-reaching platforms and audiences, and the people and communities their words and actions may harm. But conservative politicians and pundits have increasingly embraced the argument that cancel culture, rather than being a way of speaking truth to power, has spun out of control and become a senseless form of social media mob rule. At the 2020 Republican National Convention, for example, numerous speakers, including President Trump, addressed cancel culture directly, and one delegate resolution even explicitly targeted the phenomenon, describing it as having “grown into erasing of history, encouraging lawlessness, muting citizens, and violating free exchange of ideas, thoughts, and speech.” Actually ending someone’s career through the power of public backlash is difficult. Few entertainers or other public figures have truly been canceled — that is, while they may have faced considerable negative criticism and calls to be held accountable for their statements and actions, very few of them have truly experienced career-ending repercussions. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, for example, has faced intense criticism from her own fans since she began to voice transphobic beliefs, making her one of the most prominently “canceled” individuals at the center of the cancel culture debate. But following Rowling’s publication, in June 2020, of a transphobic manifesto, sales of the author’s books actually increased tremendously in her home country of Great Britain. As ideological divides seem more and more insurmountable, the line between the personal and the political is vanishing for many people. Even though cancel culture seems to generate few lasting consequences for celebrities and their careers, some people view it as part of a broader trend they find deeply disturbing: an inability to forgive and move on.

Nonetheless, that divide seems to be widening and growing more visible. And it isn’t purely a divide between ideologies, but also between tactical approaches in navigating ideological differences and dealing with wrongdoing. The view that a traditional approach — apology, atonement, and forgiveness — is no longer enough might be startling. But to those who think of cancel culture as an extension of civil rights activists’ push for meaningful change, it’s an important tool. And it’s clear that, controversial as cancel culture is, it is here to stay.

International Nelson Mandela Day 2021!

Why do we celebrate this day and its significance, his life and theme for 2021.

‘This day is also known as 67 Minutes Mandela Day, as for 67 years he fought for social justice.

The theme for 2021 Nelson Mandela International Day is “One Hand Can Feed Another.”

To further this recognition of his legacy, the month of July is also unofficially recognized as “Mandela Month” in South Africa.

About Nelson Mandela:

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was also a statesman and philanthropist. Influenced by Marxism, he secretly joined the banned South African Communist Party (SACP). Although initially committed to non-violent protest, in association with the SACP he co-founded the militant Umkhonto we Sizwe in 1961 and led a sabotage campaign against the government. He was arrested and imprisoned in 1962, and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiring to overthrow the state following the Rivonia Trial. Mandela served 27 years in prison

He was the country’s first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election.

Over the course of his life, Mandela was given over 250 awards, accolades, prizes, honorary degrees, and citizenship in recognition of his political achievements. Among his awards were the Nobel Peace Prize, Bharat Ratna, the Soviet Union’s Lenin Peace Prize, and many more. Within South Africa, he was widely considered “The Father of the Nation” and “The Founding Father of Democracy.” Worldwide, he was regarded as a “Global Icon” and was described as “One of the most revered figures of our time” by Rita Barnard.

In the 1950s, he was elected as the leader of the youth wing of the African National Congress (ANC) liberation movement. He first resorted to peaceful protests. But he was met with violence by the government, he went on to support an armed movement. Mandela was an important symbol for the oppressed in South Africa who were fighting for their rights. He was extremely instrumental in tearing down the oppressive government and laid the foundation of democracy.

He started the Nelson Mandela Foundation to combat HIV or AIDS, support educational and rural development. In 2009, the United Nations proclaimed July 18th to be International Nelson Mandela Day. On this day, people are asked to spend 67 minutes doing something good for others, which represents all the 67 years he spent working towards change.

The 1st UN Mandela Day was held on 18th July 2010.

WHY ?

We celebrate this day to remember his struggle and contribution to the world which helped to pave a path for growth from the 20th – 21st century. It is a movement for all of us to renew and imbibe the values that inspired Nelson Mandela.

 "It is easy
 to breakdown and destroy.
  The heroes are those
 who make peace and build."
                                                              - Nelson Mandela

Things to do:

  • Learn about human rights!
  • Get acquainted with what you can do to fight alongside communities you most connect with.
  • Read about what inspired Nelson Mandela and the steps to took to fight injustice.
  • Talk with NGOs nearby you and find out how can you help the cause they are working on.
  • Talk to the friend you miss!
  • Find shelters, volunteer, or contribute food, amenities to help our beloved furbabies!!
  • Take a minute and appreciate everything that made you who you are.
  • Look into your strengths and use them to give back to the world.
  • Never underestimate the words, actions that you put out in the world! You matter!

Refences:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela

https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-nelson-mandela

RACISM

Racism, also known as racialism, is the belief that humans can be divided into distinct biological entities known as “races,” that there is a causal link between inherited physical traits and personality, intellect, morality, and other cultural and behavioral characteristics, and that some races are innately superior to others.

While contemporary social science considers race and ethnicity to be distinct categories, the two terms have a long history of equivalency in public usage and earlier social science literature.

“Ethnicity” is frequently used in a sense similar to that of “race”: the classification of human groups based on attributes thought to be inherent or necessary to the group.

The term “racial discrimination” refers to any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference based on race, color, descent, national or ethnic origin that has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal footing in the political, economic, social, cultural, or other fields of public life.

The phrase also refers to political, economic, or legal institutions and systems that participate in or perpetuate racial discrimination or otherwise exacerbate racial disparities in wealth and income, education, health care, civil rights, and other sectors.

With the rise of critical race theory, an extension of the critical legal studies movement, such institutional, structural, or systemic racism became a special focus of scholarly research in the 1980s.

Since the late twentieth century, biological race has been recognized as a cultural construct with no scientific foundation.

Racism dictated that different races (primarily blacks and whites) be separated from one another, that they should have their own distinct communities and develop their own institutions such as churches, schools, and hospitals, and that it was unnatural for members of different races to marry in North America and apartheid-era South Africa.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

On June 6, half a million people showed out in approximately 550 locations around the United States for the recent Black Lives Matter rallies, which peaked on June 6. That was just one day in a month of protests that are still going on today.

Photo by Life Matters on Pexels.com

Four recent polls, including one released this week by Civics Analytics, a data science firm that works with businesses and Democratic campaigns, estimate that between 15 million and 26 million people in the United States have participated in protests in recent weeks in response to the death of George Floyd and others.

These figures would make the recent protests the largest movement in the country’s history, according to interviews with scholars and crowd-counting experts.

While it’s likely that more people stated they protested than actually did, even if only half of them were telling the truth, the surveys indicate that over seven million people took part in recent protests.

There have been protests in more than 40% of counties in the United States (at least 1,360).

Unlike previous Black Lives Matter events, approximately 95 percent of counties with recent protests are majority white, with nearly three-quarters of counties having a white population of more than 75 percent.

Half of those who claimed they demonstrated indicated it was their first time participating in some type of activism or protest.

Within the recent year, the majority of people claimed they had seen a video of police violence against protestors or the Black community. And half of those polled thought it strengthened their support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

According to the Crowd Counting Consortium, the number of protests has decreased significantly over the last two weeks, notwithstanding a rise on Juneteenth.

“Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization.”

– Mahatma Gandhi, 1925

Professor McAdam stated, “It appears, for all the world, that these protests are accomplishing what very few do: putting in motion a period of profound, persistent, and broad social, political change.” “We look to be on the verge of a social transformation tipping point, which is both rare and possibly significant in society.”

Investing lesson of Peter Lynch



Peter Lynch is one of the most successful and top value investor of all time. He was a legendary fund manager who gave 29% returns to their investors for 13 years in a row. He wrote books on value investing , where he shared his investment lessons which he learned and used during his journey as an investor. He is one of the greatest value investor of all time. He is a firm believer that an average investor can also pick winning stocks as Wall Street professional with right research, patience , steady discipline and common sense.


Some of his investment principles are –

1. Invest in what you already know – “The worst thing you can do is invest in companies you know nothing about. Unfortunately buying stocks on ignorance is still a popular American pastime.” -Peter Lynch
People can perform well by investing in what they already know. For instance if a doctor wants to invest in banking sector (about which he know nothing) , he will not have that great return as compared to if he will invest in pharmaceutical companies ( as he already knew about drugs, healthcare sector and their companies)
“Invest in what you know. It leaves out the role of serious fundamental stock research. People buy a stock and they know nothing about it. That’s gambling and it’s not good.” -Peter Lynch
So, it’s better to choose the company whose products/services are either used by you or you are familier of the products/services of that company in some way or other. These knowledge will lead you to invest in better stocks .
2. Invest in companies not in stocks – “Look for small companies that are already profitable and have proven that their concept can be replicated. • Be suspicious of companies with growth rates of 50 to 100 percent a year”-Peter Lynch

Behind every stock there is a company. If companies will perform well, the stocks automatically will perform well. So, it’s important to know about the company, it’s business model. Choose a company whose fundamentals are strong. A company whose business model is so easy to understand that anyone can understand and run that company.

“Go for a business that any idiot can run – because sooner or later any idiot probably is going to be running it” -Peter Lynch

Know a companies management, it’s fundamentals and then ask yourself , “are you able to understand the mission and vision of the company? “ or “If you’ll be given the responsibility to run this company, will you be able to run the company? “
If the answers to the above questions are a YES then it’ll be great to invest in that company.
So always remember that you have to invest in a company and not in a single stock.


“Behind every stock is a company. Find out what it’s doing.” -Peter Lynch

“Never invest in a company without understanding its finances. The biggest losses in stocks come from companies with poor balance sheets.”

3. Don’t take unnecessary risks. Take calculated risks – You don’t have to take risks which you can’t bear. Only take calculated risks.
Let’s say, you have $10 dollar, maybe if you will lost this, you won’t regret. But what if you lost $100 or $1000! Always buy stocks of the amount if you lose won’t regret. You are not required to put all your money in market and risk all that money. Instead put only that amount which if you lose won’t make you regret of investing.
Also, invest only the amount you will not need ever back in your life
4. Peter Lynch said that the most important thing that keep in mind while investing is : know why you own it.

“ You have to know what you own ,and why are you own it .” -Petrr Lynch

It sounds simple but it is not . He said when I asked most people they just don’t know why they own a stock . 80% of investors have no answer to this question .

They maybe hear some tip from anywhere and put their money at risk and when they lose it they blame institutions .
First you have to know the reason . Why you should invest in this company ,research about that company . Check their balance sheets . Without proper research you are not investing you are just gambling . Read and know as much as you can about the company. And remember to buy the company and not just a stock.

“If you’re prepared to invest in a company, then you ought to be able to explain why in simple language that a fifth grader could understand, and quickly enough so the fifth grader won’t get bored.” – Peter Lynch

5. Invest for long time- Lynch used to hold stocks for long period of time. He used to sell the stocks when the fundamentals of any company gets changed. This is his advice for all investors out there to not go behind short term profits but invest for a long period of time.
He even conducted many studies to understand the power of compounding.

“People who succeed in the stock market also accept periodic losses, setbacks, and unexpected occurrences. Calamitous drops do not scare them out of the game.”


Some more investment lessons by Peter Lynch :

• “Never invest in any idea you can’t illustrate with a crayon .”

• “The trick is not to learn to trust your gut feelings, but rather to discipline yourself to ignore them. Stand by your stocks as long as the fundamental story of the company hasn’t changed”

• “Whenever you invest in any company, you’re looking for its market cap to rise. This can’t happen unless buyers are paying higher prices for the shares, making your investment more valuable.”


• “There’s no shame in losing money on a stock. Everybody does it. What is shameful is to hold on to a stock, or worse, to buy more of it when the fundamentals are deteriorating.”

• “Never invest in any company before you’ve done the homework on the company’s earnings prospects, financial condition, competitive position, etc”

• “Big companies have small moves, small companies have big moves.”

• “Good management, a strong balance sheet, and a sensible plan of action will overcome many obstacles, but when you’ve got weak management, a weak balance sheet, and a misguided plan of action, the greatest industry in the world won’t bail you out.”

• “In the long run, a portfolio of well chosen stocks and/or equity mutual funds will always outperform a portfolio of bonds or a money-market account. In the long run, a portfolio of poorly chosen stocks won’t outperform the money left under the mattress.”


This is how he succeed in the world of investment. You can learn from him and help yourself to reach the level you want in investment.


Thank you.

SHOULD SMOKING BE BANNED..?

Smoking involves an act of burning a substance for the purpose of taking in its smoke into lungs. These substances are commonly tobacco or cannabis . Combustion releases the active substances in them like nicotine , which are absorbed through the lungs. A widespread technique through which this is done is via smoking manufactured cigarettes or hand – rolling the tobacco ready for smoking . Completions directly associated with smoking claim the lives of all the persons who have been involved in smoking tobacco or marijuana for a long time. PREMIUM TIMES ; Groups write NBC , demand prohibition of smoking in BB Naija. The groups say since its inception , Big Brother Naija has been notorious for promoting smoking among housemates. According to projections by the authors , nationwide ban on public smoking could prevent as many as 154000 heart attacks a year . These findings are particularly important in light of mounting evidence that second- hand smoke exposure is nearly as harmful to heart as chronic active smoking. Finally, at last one reason why smoking should be banned is that it has got several health effects. It harms almost every organ of the body.

Hate pollution, love humanity

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials are called pollutants.

Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash. They can also be created by human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories. Pollutants damage the quality of air, water and land.

Pollution is when harmful substances are added to the environment and then change it in a bad way.

There are five kinds of pollution of the environment: water pollution, air pollution , noise pollution, soil pollution and thermal pollution. As pollution grows, ways to combat it have grown.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION:

• A healthy ecosystem for the protection of all living things is utterly necessary.

• Government and public action to reduce environmental pollution should be taken promptly and on time.

• National strategies will be drawn up to mitigate the environmental consequences of industrialization, manufacturing and other operations.

• Digital media are a reliable source of knowledge about environmental risks.

• We should use and encourage others to use products of recyclable materials.

• For any living being, we must consider the use of flora.

• The use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy should be sponsored.

• Instead of personal vehicles, we should depend as much as possible on public transport.

• Organic pesticides and fertilizers, other than synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, are helpful to environment protection.

Pollution may muddy landscape, poison soils and waterways, or kill plants and animals. Humans are also regularly harmed by pollution. Long- term exposure to air pollution, for example, can lead to chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer and other diseases.

Franciso Toledo

Francisco Benjamn López Toledo was born on this day in 1940 in Juchitán, Oaxaca, the centre of the Indigenous Zapotec culture. His exceptional ability for sketching was discovered when he was just 9 years old, and by the age of 19, he had staged his first solo show. Francisco Toledo was a painter, sculptor, and graphic artist from Mexico. Toledo’s paintings mirror Mexican mythology and frequently show the influence of Surrealism and Paul Klee’s whimsical style. This is seen in his work Hidden Scorpion (1996), in which the artist uses curling fractals to suggest a scorpion’s body. 

“What I do is a mash-up of things,” he added, “but the pre-Hispanic world has been a source of inspiration.” “There are certain decorative solutions that originate from pre-Hispanic art, and there is a lot of primitive art that is polished or basic but yet quite modern.” Toledo, self-described as a grillo (cricket) who thought his work reflected the restless Oaxacan spirit, travelled to Paris in the 1960s to study sculpture, painting, and printing. But he soon ached for the simpler life he had left behind. In 1965, he went to Oaxaca, where his skill and activism played an important part in the development of the southern Mexican state into a centre of the worldwide art community.

During this period, Toledo first gained worldwide popularity with a watercolour series of animal-human hybrids that formed his distinctive style steeped in Indigenous art traditions, Zapotec mythology, and influence from artists such as Francisco Goya. For over seven decades, Toledo experimented with every visual media imaginable, creating around 9,000 pieces ranging from a scorpion sculpture made of turtle shells to cloth puppets. His legacy lives on through the libraries, cultural institutes, and museums he created in Oaxaca, many of which are open to the public.

Sedition

Introduction

The definition of sedition is the conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch. Sedition is a crime under Section 124A in the Indian Penal Code (IPC). On 15th July 2021, the Supreme Court questioned the Central government asking whether the provision of Sedition in the Indian Penal Code is still required after 75 years of independence. This question was addressed by Chief Justice Ramana, heading a three-judge bench to the Attorney General K.K. Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who were appearing for the Centre. Chief Justice Ramana said that Sedition is a colonial law that suppresses freedom and was used against Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak. And it is a law prone to misuse by the government, so is it even necessary?

History

The Indian Penal Code came into force during the colonial Indian period, in 1860. But it did not have a section for sedition when it was introduced. Sedition was made part of the IPC in 1870 claiming that it got excluded from the original draft by mistake. The provision of sedition at that time was used by the British to hush the nationalists. This law was used against Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh and Jawaharlal Nehru.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak was the first person to be accused and convicted under the law of sedition. He was charged with it because of his articles in Kesari, a Marathi newspaper. He was convicted in 1897 by the Bombay High Court for 18 months. But the interpretation of Section 124A was changed by the Federal Court in 1937.

The word “sedition” was removed from the draft Constitution because of an amendment moved by KM Munshi specifically for this reason. It was meant to be in the Constitution as a ground to impose restrictions on the constitutional freedom of speech and expression. So, when the Constitution was adopted, the word “sedition” was not in it but it stayed in the Indian Penal Code.

In the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 which came into force in 1974, during the Indira Gandhi government, sedition was made a cognizable offence, which means that the police can make arrests without warrants.

The Law

Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code says Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in India, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.

Case Laws

In 1951, Tara Singh Gopi Chand vs The State, the Punjab High Court held that Section 124A was a restriction on the freedom of speech and expression and it invalidated the provision as it was in violation of a fundamental right. But because of this judgement, the Nehru government introduced Article 19(2) which gives the grounds on which the freedom of speech and expression can be restricted.

In 1954, Debi Soren & Ors vs The State, the Patna High Court upheld the validity of Section 124A. In 1958, the Allahabad High Court declared that Section 124A is void, in Ram Nandan vs The State. In the Kedar Nath case in 1962, a Constitution bench upheld the validity of Section 124A saying that the purpose of the crime was to save the government from being subverted.

In August 2018, the Law Commission of India said that sedition is essential to protect national integrity but it should not become a tool to restrict free speech.

Conclusion

It is clear that sedition came into existence because of the British. It was also removed from the Constitution as it was assumed to curb free speech yet it has still remained in the IPC and that is why the question is asked by Chief Justice Ramana. The law of sedition has been debated for a long time and has also been greatly criticized for its misuse. Hopefully this time the question will be answered properly and the debate will turn out differently.

References