One For India: Making everyONE count

Twenty years ago, Association for India’s Development set out on a journey on roads less traveled, reaching out to the marginalized sections of the society who have eventually became our co-travelers.

Our mission: to facilitate a life of dignity and self-reliance for all in India. We have stayed the course, thanks to your contributions.

When you give to AID, you do more than making a charitable contribution – you become a partner in the process of development that empowers the poor to gain control over decisions that affect their lives. You become a part of the wave to ensure just, equitable and sustainable development in India in turn empowering the society as a whole.

Our goal is to raise $250,000 through this annual online fundraising campaign.

We invite you to join us in this journey and be an agent for change.

Create a ripple. Be a Change. Join the Wave. 
Together, we can make everyONE count.

Spread the WORD!

Lighthouse @ Martha’s Vineyard

Showing the light to the world

Cold

Cool!

Serene

Serene

Boston @ nite

Boston @ Nite

Carbon Trading

So what is Carbon Trading? (Searching Wikipedia…)

Emissions trading (or cap and trade) is an administrative approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants.^[1]

OK! This sounds good. Reading on…

In such a plan, a central authority (usually a government agency) sets a limit or cap on the amount of a pollutant that can be emitted. Companies or other groups that emit the pollutant are given credits or allowances which represent the right to emit a specific amount. The total amount of credits cannot exceed the cap, limiting total emissions to that level. Companies that pollute beyond their allowances must buy credits from those who pollute less than their allowances or face heavy penalties. This transfer is referred to as a trade. In effect, the buyer is being fined for polluting, while the seller is being rewarded for having reduced emissions. Thus companies that can easily reduce emissions will do so and those for which it is harder will buy credits which reduces greenhouse gases at the lowest possible cost to society.

Hmmm. Let me see an easier analogy. We can call it Calorie Trading. In this world, there are people who are overweight (who cant stop consuming), and they are people who are underweight and those who exercise to maintain weight. But, in this homogeneous flat world, we need all of them at the same weight (either by consuming less or exercising – this method will ensure that overweight people will become normal – oh the controlling agency, the govt, cares about the health of all its citizens and all citizens should be a certain weight for great health benefits). But those who cant consume less, can “trade” with folks who can exercise more than they already are. So, in effect the overweight people will pay over-exercising people, so that they can over consume.

Now it makes sense. This calorie trading will take care that the population will remain healthy!

Whoever thought that carbon trading will save the world should be given a Nobel Prize! So many corollaries are possible! You bet, Calorie Trading is going to be a top one!!! Anyone willing to give me money, I will exercise ….let us begin the calorie trading revolution.

Think about it. You eat all you want. I exercise and together we can maintain a constant weight! You need to cough up some serious dough though. Thus both of us reap benefits in the long term. Genius.

Should I or shouldnt I?

Should I run the marathon again or not?

Can I run? Well, that is a different question. I can start practicing and I will know pretty soon if I can run or not.

But should I run? I have told all people I can about AID.  Or maybe I should really specific things and look for raising funds….maybe.

Long time…

Yeah, I finished my marathon. Running is fun. Running a marathon – lot of fun, except you dont want to do it;-)

Long time, since I blogged. Guess bored with this new tool. Trying to figure out how so to manage so many communication channels – emails/phones/blogs/scraps. Letters anyone?

Long time I got a cold too. Now that explains why I am sitting before a comp and putting stuff on my blog for a change.

New things in life, an Onkyo 6.1 home theater system – all setup, needs a good DVD to test. TV is pathetic transmission to split into 6.1 channels.

Lastly, long time I have been to India.  I need a life!

I will run again, I will Run For India!

 

अयं निज: परो वेति गणना लघुचेतसाम्

उदारमनसानां तु वसुधैव कुटुंबकम्

English Translation of the Sanskrit quote:

This is mine or (somebody) else’s (is the way) narrow minded people count. But for broad minded people, (whole) earth is (like their) family.

I am not a runner, nor did I ever dream that I will run a marathon – not even in my wildest dreams. But, things change – no, I am not a runner yet! Last year, Oct 8th an earthquake stuck Kashmir. It is a hot topic – not the earthquake but Kashmir. Everyone talked but not many worked on it nor did they contribute to it. So I decided to walk the talk, no actually run – I ran a marathon to raise awareness about the plight of people in Kashmir and that contributions are sorely required. I raised some funds and I know they were put to good use. http://sahyadri.aidindia.org/content/category/24/124/144/

That was last year. With the newfound confidence that I can run a marathon, I thought I should do it again this year. Not so easy. I ran 18 miles day before yesterday, and I am still sore. And the reasoning is the same….I am not a big fan of running then WHY? Why on earth go through this torture?

Well the answer is always simple. I love to volunteer my time with AID. That is no secret. I think, we are making a positive difference. And I see one particular program as making a lot of change. No – I don’t run that program neither do I control that program. That – is the first thing you learn, that you need to unlearn a LOT. An idea that you could be wrong!

So what is the program I am talking about? I am talking about the AID Jeevansaathi program. 6 AID volunteers in the US, quit their jobs and careers and headed back to India to do full time social work at different points of time in the last few years. In the truest spirit of the quote above, these young friends have been working tirelessly with the people who need to be developed the most in India! You can read all about them here: http://saathi.aidindia.org/new/

We, in AID give them a small honorarium so that they can concentrate on the change they are bringing about on the ground! This is the smallest thing we could do. And here I give you a chance to participate in the biggest change for India! Donate to our jeevansaathi fund and enable our friends to bring about the change! Change for the better, change that is visible.

Donate securely and generously and show your encouragement for my effort! Either of our efforts go a long way in ensuring our vision of a developed India: thanks to the Jeevansaathis! And I will run, for India!

Donate Securely – Click Here

After you donate, send this mail or this link to your friends and family!

http://www.runforindia.org/runners/rajasekhar

Water…!

Water, I assume is a fundamental right, right? Afterall a good percentage of our body is made of water. Without water, I guess we cant survive. Water is fundamental to human life and hence I will say that water is a fundamental right. Agreed?

In other news, got a P4 extreme edition 965, 3.73 GHz, hyper threading, dual core …etc etc. Would love to see system monitor and see how that behaves. But, but – had to build up the system myself. And then the fun part starts. Yeah, it is a room heater – 4 fans etc and all. But then, I bought a motherboard which doesnt have a video card on! OOPS! System is ready but dont know if it boots up either.

Coming soon, Ubuntu server on it.
Back to sweet water. If water is a fundamental human right….why is not guaranteed in any constitution?