The Good the Bad and the Ugly

Cancer has been a scourge for a long time, but the instances have been increasing at an alarming pace. I now know at least five people in my circle who have had it at some stage, and are under treatment of various types.

A couple of days ago, I got bad news regarding a former colleague at IMT Ghaziabad who succumbed after a fight. She was young and a very happy person.. I remember her as a very caring and courageous human being. Unfortunately, cancer struck, and snuffed her life at an unfairly young age. Another ex-colleague at Bangalore/Harihar also went through a similar fate a few years ago. Others have got treatment, and have recovered, as of now.

I have read a few books about the disease, and there does not seem to be an easily identifiable cause. Some of the people who got it were non-smokers, and some, vegetarian in their diet. Tough to say what caused it in each of the cases, but it seems like you cannot predict why it will strike, and when. One can only hope that it is detected early if one gets it, and try and take care to treat it with available forms of treatment.

Here is hoping we find ways to prevent it. One has to die one day, but the suffering need not be so severe.

Rain Fury

This year, it has spread to unusual places- almost the whole state of Kerala, Kodagu in Karnataka, and a few places in Gujarat.

Makes me wonder if there are any long term measures that one can take to prevent such devastation in case of heavy rains, and maybe also preserve the rainwater for use in lean times. Of course, emergency rescue in the short run needs a lot of improvement too. I do remember seeing some reports of cyclones on the east coast- Orissa, or Andhra Pradesh being handled relatively well sometime ago.

Governments would do well, both at the Centre and the states prone to such disasters (now we know many states are), to think about such measures in advance. For example, can release of water from dams that are likely to overflow be timed better so that it does not cause floods?

That is what progress is for. Otherwise, all talk of mundane applications of AI, IoT, Analytics,  and all that is just talk.

Medicine for Stress

Actually, it is not a curative, but a preventive medicine. I hate to sound like a salesman on a TV promotional show for medicine, but don't worry. You don't have to go buy anything. Just hear me out. If you don't like what I am saying, you can leave nasty comments.

My new theory (2013, copyrighted but free for use)-

Stress comes from non-acceptance. Some comments, judgements, relationship break-ups, what have you, that we don't want to accept. That is the major cause of (undesirable levels of) stress.

Solution? Accept. Simple? Not really, but could be effective. Accept and move on. If you know yourself (that's a tough one, there), the acceptance of the adverse will result in the effect of the adverse stuff waning pretty quickly.

Try it. No, I am not into starting a cult, and I am NOT accepting disciples. Contrary to my advice, maybe.