Environment-friendly House of Shit

Last updated on: April 29, 2009 at 9:36 pm By Desh Kapoor

EcoFaeBrick is a company which makes bricks out of ... well.. cow dung. These bricks are 20% lighter and 20% stronger than clay brick. of course, they are good for the environment as they save the soil from being dug up, reduce the carbon emissions (using cow dung instead of firewood can save 1,692 tons of CO2 emissions) The company has just won the Global Social Venture competition run by the Haas School of Business in Berkeley. It has been made keeping in mind the developing regions in Indonesia, where cow dung is plentiful but traditional brick-making materials like firewood and clay are not. I am sure it can work in India as well.. and be very successful.. specially in the rural areas. Read more

Guide to Reservation Classes on Indian Trains

Last updated on: April 29, 2009 at 9:24 pm By Desh Kapoor

A nice little guide for travelling by train in India: AC First Class - Air conditioned cabin with locking door, lower bunk and upper bunk on each side, table attached to the wall, food and chai available, toilets (western and Indian) in carriages, linens (sheet, blanket, pillow) provided. Second Class - Similar to AC First Class except that there are curtains instead of locking doors. Third Class - Similar to AC First and Second Class except that there are no curtains or locking doors. Sleeper - Very basic accommodation with bunks for sleeping. Keep in mind though... When traveling in India, keep in mind that the class of carriage you book will not necessarily be what you're used to in the west. Read more

Pakistan shares its nuclear secrets

Last updated on: April 29, 2009 at 9:14 pm By Desh Kapoor

In a recent news item - it now appears that Pakistan’s senior civil and military officials are sharing some secret information about the country’s nuclear weapons programme with the Western countries. Not sure whether they are sharing the location of the Nukes or their installation. This is to take the pressure off their back from the West about the threat to their Nukes from Taliban. Wonder how much of it is really true and how this information can lead the West to neutralize or keep in check Pak's nukes. These are extraordinary times, however. Read more

A 12 year old leads fight against Child Marriage in Bengal

Last updated on: April 29, 2009 at 8:21 pm By Desh Kapoor

Child Marriage is a curse in India specially for the little girls. They are often packed off with older men for a rough life and many times a sad ending. It is important that everyone speaks up against such stupid customs. In Bararola - village east of Kolkatta, West Bengal; a young girl Rekha Kalinda decided that she would not be subjected to this. So, at the age of 12, when her parents approached her with the decision to marry her off, she resisted. And she told her parents that this was her age to study and not to marry. They obviously weren't happy. She brought her friends, teachers, and administrators into the loop and the parents did listen. Not only was she successful is warding them off but also save two other girls from such crime in her village. In that area, child marriages have not happened since. Rekha had a promise to keep after all. She had seen her elder sister get married off at age 11 and lose four children within one year of their birth. She had decided not to follow suit. Read more

All About Swine Flu: What is it, Its History, How to protect, and Treatment

Last updated on: April 29, 2009 at 4:35 pm By Desh Kapoor

I wanted to share stuff on Swine Flu with all as it is growing by leaps and bounds and is really affecting many countries... specifically Mexico and US. Of course, the most important question that everyone is asking is: Why are deaths from Swine Flu occuring ONLY in Mexico? Is it lack of a good health system? Read more

www.jai.biz : #india Citi seeks permission to pay bonuses http://tinyurl.com/c26t82