tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88041644881117515182024-03-21T06:17:51.548-07:00my thoughts...This is a weekly blog that puts forward my thoughts, and my point of view.
You may agree with some. And probably disagree with most. And we can agree to disagree. After all, wouldn't life be boring if we all thought the same way.Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.comBlogger576125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-18685091285132897512021-01-10T16:00:00.005-08:002021-01-17T14:48:41.416-08:00Paused<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSL5HYhHrwkWWkP9eAhi8SEOXP2IRO-5I-xMasGddEzQ_V_I1u78P9N_ycxbOgJNvCcqv0lmlMK0na62-iw6F0WADeNyXA-8KidfctuHq9YvVy_NSF2WQIG9Paj19YGuEP9l16KCZjT3c/s852/paused_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="852" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSL5HYhHrwkWWkP9eAhi8SEOXP2IRO-5I-xMasGddEzQ_V_I1u78P9N_ycxbOgJNvCcqv0lmlMK0na62-iw6F0WADeNyXA-8KidfctuHq9YvVy_NSF2WQIG9Paj19YGuEP9l16KCZjT3c/w400-h225/paused_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Why am I pausing my blog. And that too after 11 long years.<br /><br />Here's some context. Last week one of the persons (only person?) who reads my blog, offered a suggestion. <br /><br />She said, "You do realize you don't need to write a blog every week. Especially since its obvious that you're doing it as a chore, and not something you enjoy".<br /><br />Initially it felt like being kicked in the gut. Especially since it was True. It quickly followed with the realization that I really need not try and do this weekly. <br /><br />How about I write only when I have something meaningful to say. Which could be <u>never</u> or <u>once a year</u> or <u>once a quarter</u> or <u>...</u><br /><br />I do hope to write. And regularly. Just don't know when or how often. At least for 2021.<br /><br /><b><i>Au Revoir Mes Amis.</i></b><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lC3goEQhsG8" width="320" youtube-src-id="lC3goEQhsG8"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-25411766146797358162021-01-03T16:00:00.043-08:002021-01-03T16:00:13.985-08:00WEAR A MASK<p><b><u>The Vaccine is here. And COVID is still here<br /></u></b><br />Adoption of COVID protocols has been poor. In most places, I think. I'm extrapolating from the 2 places I spent 2020 in. US and India. The only place a majority of people wear masks is when their only other option is to not visit those places. Such as in grocery stores, airports, airplanes, ... And even there, when they think they might get away with it, they remove their masks.</p><p>In December 2020, the Captain of my BOM-EWR flight had to make an announcement to the effect that several passengers were not wearing their masks and were refusing to comply even after the cabin crew requested them to. "Its a serious offense and if you'll don't comply immediately, we will be forced to take strict action." And this was within less than an hour of the flight taking off on a 15 hour journey.<br /><br />Ivona, my wife is a Respiratory Physician and a front-line worker. And all of us are worried for her. And the millions of essential workers who put their life at risk. And so when I see people behaving in a manner that is detrimental not only to them, but to the people around them, it causes me angst and I'm baffled. I just don't get it.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xfYGPiF2F6-wMf-Bp3WLR2oSW9GBz8WgV78qLgXaCiO9fRhqgAmSw7qXEedFyyLJmJW8R9czbG4TaIO-nXEYUcvE0phQFkxLkYIISOL9h6dC4464cbQViLx5YE4A73bZZY9g5eNVFG4/s400/wear-a-mask_7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xfYGPiF2F6-wMf-Bp3WLR2oSW9GBz8WgV78qLgXaCiO9fRhqgAmSw7qXEedFyyLJmJW8R9czbG4TaIO-nXEYUcvE0phQFkxLkYIISOL9h6dC4464cbQViLx5YE4A73bZZY9g5eNVFG4/w400-h300/wear-a-mask_7.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /></div><p><br />The arguments that people offer for not wearing a mask range from ridiculous to ingenuous to silly to ridiculous.<br /><br />Let me give a few examples that I've had the misfortune of listening to, in person, from people I consider my family and friends.<br /><br /><u><i>1. The government can't tell us what to do. It's my choice to do what I think makes the most sense.</i></u><br /><br />This is incorrect in a zillion ways. The government and as an extension society tells us every single living moment what we can and cannot do. What speed we can drive at, what side of the road, what we can and cannot carry when we fly, what we can and cannot carry when we drive, what kind of clothing we can wear to public places, or a restaurant, or a store, or a concert, or to school, or to work, or to ... And yet somehow, wearing a small piece of cloth to protect yourself and more importantly others is taking away your freedom ?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiYsRTK8mpC-m5qoAIN4TXIg8Uxa1VdPNpUJEnywCc90OhE8Z1ixZn3FCS6nCB3LlcczHJL5SQOt2NbvQHAX382tjYnbPkf4GniN9yqK4HyBggv2QN__VTudvHtpCxmzq5Ojvwvru94w/s600/wear-a-mask_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiYsRTK8mpC-m5qoAIN4TXIg8Uxa1VdPNpUJEnywCc90OhE8Z1ixZn3FCS6nCB3LlcczHJL5SQOt2NbvQHAX382tjYnbPkf4GniN9yqK4HyBggv2QN__VTudvHtpCxmzq5Ojvwvru94w/s320/wear-a-mask_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><u><i>2. Masks do not work</i></u><br /><br />And this based on Dr. Fauci saying in February that masks are not required or Dr. ... said that there is no evidence to show masks work or the efficacy of masks is minimal or ... And that the data is spurious or falsified or ...<br /><br />This argument has several holes. In fact calling it an argument is giving it more merit than it deserves.<br /><br />For starters how come you listened to what Dr. Fauci said in February but are unwilling to listen to what he's said thereafter, a zillion times? Are you suggesting that he should be held to a standard that his first analysis is correct and everything else thereafter false. Then how come you don't hold your political leaders who make a zillion bloopers and change their minds not only on a daily basis, but sometimes in the same sentence to that standard. And how come you don't not hold yourself to the same standard, but attribute changing your mind to how open-minded you are and use the latest information you have to make your choices and decisions.<br /><br />How come the data that the CDC in the US and 100's of other countries have published is unreliable and yet you quote the same sources for virtually everything else, including your healthcare, your economy, your political beliefs, ...</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBz9Ab5RHTza6eXVWCFZ-FZwqA7DzZ_oidYiFGmGKjSlMV_pgbKWN_Ffl4LSOKVvN7Q_WuFDpVZkJyEyTKZNfbm4ZfoBqno5iev_ZJSmllHlGVxQZTo39kgv6UxGhDRZ3kg61yS_fl24/s1400/wear-a-mask_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1400" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBz9Ab5RHTza6eXVWCFZ-FZwqA7DzZ_oidYiFGmGKjSlMV_pgbKWN_Ffl4LSOKVvN7Q_WuFDpVZkJyEyTKZNfbm4ZfoBqno5iev_ZJSmllHlGVxQZTo39kgv6UxGhDRZ3kg61yS_fl24/w400-h170/wear-a-mask_1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /></div><p><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-science-sars-cov2.html">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-science-sars-cov2.html</a><br /><br /><br /><u><i>3. I'm safe. And so are the people I interact with<br /></i></u><br />Really? If this were true we would not be having as of today, 85 million global cases and over 1.84 million global deaths. A large percentage of it in the US and India. And it also begs the question that even if you assume you're safe, why can't you do it for the people you interact with. </p><p>You dress appropriately for them, you speak appropriately to them, you interact appropriately with them. How will a little face covering affect you and even if you're right, don't you think that doing something selflessly, just in case you're not right is appropriate behavior. That you yourself have practiced in every single facet of your life thus far.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ccg0J6pTuW0uLyIxHA0ItBXZK9aEDLs-JGGWknlVUEOkWdxs1WsDyG1RhRuDIBSu2uhPQHHthsUwNyNZzTEDzx_Je3vyOePbQ48NbWf2yqjr484Dg5EVR38QZ2ZQBG7JHdQcG5b7y6o/s1432/wear-a-mask_6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1432" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ccg0J6pTuW0uLyIxHA0ItBXZK9aEDLs-JGGWknlVUEOkWdxs1WsDyG1RhRuDIBSu2uhPQHHthsUwNyNZzTEDzx_Je3vyOePbQ48NbWf2yqjr484Dg5EVR38QZ2ZQBG7JHdQcG5b7y6o/w400-h228/wear-a-mask_6.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><br />Unfortunately this list is long. And boring. And most of them revolve around the 3 central themes I've outlined.<br /><br />And even more unfortunately, this dangerous behavior is going to worsen, now that there's a vaccine available. What many of us fail to appreciate that it's likely to be June 2021 until a significant number of people are vaccinated and the end of the year before it reaches the level that's likely to result in herd immunity.</p><p><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/16/fauci-why-still-need-masks-social-distancing-after-covid-19-vaccine.html">https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/16/fauci-why-still-need-masks-social-distancing-after-covid-19-vaccine.html</a><br /><br /><br />Here's a MYTH V. FACT from <a href="http://pa.gov">pa.gov</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Hgx5Rvm8D-_AnITEVp67S6YaGUYrMXMIdrFFkfN0dWQ62RYf3Grrc4NyRyckCiqVlCfdjYhEE1cr11LFZEmOsM48I_HKruvHIUEb58hoTt2foppLxzCnIXAvK3nv0uifXoQB0jb83wk/s1204/wear-a-mask_5.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="1204" height="53" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Hgx5Rvm8D-_AnITEVp67S6YaGUYrMXMIdrFFkfN0dWQ62RYf3Grrc4NyRyckCiqVlCfdjYhEE1cr11LFZEmOsM48I_HKruvHIUEb58hoTt2foppLxzCnIXAvK3nv0uifXoQB0jb83wk/w400-h53/wear-a-mask_5.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p> </p><p> </p><p>Most people who will read this, probably already agree with most if not all of what I've outlined. And those who don't will probably never see this or anything that mildly advocates this.<br /><br />I can but only BEG you to:<br /><br /><i><b>WEAR A MASK.</b><br />It isn't about politics.<br />It isn't about freedom.<br />It isn't about choice.<br />IT IS A MASK.<br />It is to protect YOU.<br />It is to protect YOURS.<br /><b>IT IS A MASK.</b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9jwdoAF1kxo" width="320" youtube-src-id="9jwdoAF1kxo"></iframe></div><p><br />Here's wishing each and every one of you a SAFE and HAPPY 2021.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7u0xz2PKUYcgrFkyfZbCXpGH9Bu7yyk_LamkKz2oXmsE2tPUwRl2XDijbg6uAqhh5HBnE62cMzCS5Mm25lwASfols9W2dbmmSN0qTbkdpfJgJQ-L92e6qvxGGVFSawnNkwOCBmm-a4fQ/s586/wear-a-mask_4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="586" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7u0xz2PKUYcgrFkyfZbCXpGH9Bu7yyk_LamkKz2oXmsE2tPUwRl2XDijbg6uAqhh5HBnE62cMzCS5Mm25lwASfols9W2dbmmSN0qTbkdpfJgJQ-L92e6qvxGGVFSawnNkwOCBmm-a4fQ/w400-h304/wear-a-mask_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-50908609325632553752020-12-27T16:00:00.006-08:002020-12-27T16:00:08.940-08:00Goodbye 2020. Hello 2021.<p>2020 has been a different year. And that's the kindest version to describe the year. And misquoting the popular phrase, When you're at the bottom, there's no where else to go but up. So 2021 is looking really good right now.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0oWwvoWBTc3NYAlTk1cpuckQgzRpIn4vL-tT-R9sBogY-eqlqAYB2A6CsOk6kb3l-_H01UDXkvQrk814sAokVPvEWrKM8N7gMLGkXuV48n3kqq2yT1lRfokV6jiV68-tL6ZVaNGm06Y/s570/hello-2021_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0oWwvoWBTc3NYAlTk1cpuckQgzRpIn4vL-tT-R9sBogY-eqlqAYB2A6CsOk6kb3l-_H01UDXkvQrk814sAokVPvEWrKM8N7gMLGkXuV48n3kqq2yT1lRfokV6jiV68-tL6ZVaNGm06Y/s320/hello-2021_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p>And in keeping with 2020 being different, my resolutions this year are also different. And my communication of them is also different.</p><p>1.</p><p>2.</p><p>3.</p><p>4.</p><p>5.</p><p>6.</p><p>7.</p><p>8.</p><p>9.</p><p>10.</p><p>Yep. No one will know what they are. Until the end of 2021. :)</p><p>Have a wonderful 2021 and my hope is that it'll be significantly better than 2020.</p><p>Happy & Prosperous 2021 !</p><p><i>p.s.: Its a real list. And not a Con as most of 2020 seems to have been. :))</i><br /></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-20298223084787317062020-12-20T16:00:00.000-08:002020-12-26T09:55:29.655-08:00mRNA<p>mRNA is unbelievably fascinating. Given that many of the COVID-19 vaccines are using this technology, its a good time to know more about this amazing technology. And how it could impact health care for several decades.<br /><br /><br />This YouTube video by a doctor explains how mRNA works as well as the vaccines and their efficacy.<br /><br /><b>DOCTOR EXPLAINS mRNA COVID-19 VACCINE</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xzlwhz0MhTw" width="320" youtube-src-id="Xzlwhz0MhTw"></iframe></div> <br /><br />Ironically this talk from 2013 becomes extremely interesting and relevant.<br /><br />Biology dogma: DNA -- mRNA -- proteins. The biotech industry has made wonders for patients in the last 30 years making recombinant proteins, like EPO and insulin. What if mRNA could be a drug and the body could make its own missing proteins on demand?<br /><br />Stephane Bancel is the founding CEO of moderna Therapeutics in Cambridge, MA.<br /><br /><b>What if mRNA could be a drug?<br /><i>Stephane Bancel</i></b><i><br />TEDxBeaconStreet</i><p></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T4-DMKNT7xI" width="320" youtube-src-id="T4-DMKNT7xI"></iframe></i></div><i><br /> <br /></i><p></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-3655853946214040642020-12-13T16:00:00.074-08:002020-12-26T09:55:24.730-08:00Indian Farmers Agitation<p>A few friends and family have been sending articles and videos on social media platforms regarding the farmers agitation. Most of these are NRI's (Non Resident Indians) and most of the articles paint a one sided picture of the evil government and exploitive farm laws on one side and the poor downtrodden farmer on the other.<br /><br /><b>250 million Indian workers and farmers strike, breaking world record</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1z6-epGSVWvTBFtdiUiUiYkUUQEQOXaLxD1ytYZN0gSEa7w6ecw5zsIxiKSSoPPS_VsbAfUByI-1o7FNm_FbxQgevI_pbZgYltOwjC5ijFyB9_YbzXmCGV89u-glEDIpDvrqjIeKZos/s960/farmers-agitation_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1z6-epGSVWvTBFtdiUiUiYkUUQEQOXaLxD1ytYZN0gSEa7w6ecw5zsIxiKSSoPPS_VsbAfUByI-1o7FNm_FbxQgevI_pbZgYltOwjC5ijFyB9_YbzXmCGV89u-glEDIpDvrqjIeKZos/w400-h225/farmers-agitation_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/250-million-indian-workers-and-farmers-strike-breaking-world-record/">https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/250-million-indian-workers-and-farmers-strike-breaking-world-record/</a><br /><br /><br />Unfortunately most of those who forward these articles have not bothered to read the farm laws or even articles on the subject.<br /><br />For those who are interested in understanding the issue and why it's not as simple as some of the media, especially Western media is making it out to be, I've given below several links to Wikipedia and articles that provide a balanced view on the subject. The Good. The Bad. And the Ugly.<br /><br /><br /><u>To summarize there were 3 farm laws that were passed by the Indian Parliament in September 2020.</u><br /><br /><u><b>2020 Indian farmers' protest</b></u><br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Indian_farmers%27_protest">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Indian_farmers%27_protest<br /></a><br />1.<br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmers%27_Produce_Trade_and_Commerce_(Promotion_and_Facilitation)_Act,_2020" target="_blank"><u><b>Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020</b></u></a><br /><a href="https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/15513/1/A2020_21.pdf">https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/15513/1/A2020_21.pdf</a><br /><br />2.<br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmers_(Empowerment_and_Protection)_Agreement_on_Price_Assurance_and_Farm_Services_Act,_2020" target="_blank"><b>Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020</b></a><br /><a href="https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/15511/1/A2020_20.pdf">https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/15511/1/A2020_20.pdf</a><br /><br />3.<br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_Commodities_Act" target="_blank"><b>Essential Commodities Act</b></a><br /><a href="https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1579/1/A1955_10.pdf">https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1579/1/A1955_10.pdf</a><br /><br /><p></p><p><b>Impact of India’s New Farm Act, 2020 on Farmers and Markets<br /><i>Jyoti Prakash Sahoo, Kailash Chandra Samal and Dibakar Behe</i></b><i>ra</i><br /><br /><u><b>Introduction</b></u><br />In the midst of strong protests from opposition members over their demand for a division of votes on their motion to refer the legislation to a select committee, the Rajya Sabha has passed two primary farm bills. The Upper House passed the Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, by voice vote, and the Price Guarantee and Farm Services Bill Agreement for Farmers (Empowerment and Protection), 2020. The bills have already been passed by Lok Sabha and have now been informed on 27th September, 2020 as legislation. On the other hand, contract farming legislation would enable farmers to enter into a pre-agreed price contract with agribusiness companies or large retailers for their goods. This will assist small and marginal farmers as the law will move from the farmer to the sponsor the risk of market unpredictability. The 2020 Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill seeks to delete the list of essential commodities such as cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onions and potatoes. It implies that, except in exceptional circumstances such as war and natural calamities, the law would do away with the imposition of stock-holding limits on such products.<br /></p><p>...</p><p><br /><u><b>Conclusion</b></u><br />Some politicians claim the solution is government purchase of all farm produce at a high price. Global experience shows, however, that if the government- guaranteed price is above international levels, this will cause a surplus for which domestic or foreign demand is not present. High farm support prices were used by the European Union, which produced mountains of unsold meat and butter and lakes of milk, which were eventually sold to the Soviet Union at a huge loss. The EU has now shifted mainly to direct farmers’ income support. With Telangana’s Rythu Bandhu scheme (Rs. 10,000.00 per acre) and Modi’s PM- Kisan scheme (Rs. 6,000.00 per acre), India is moving in a similar direction. The best is Odisha’s KALIYA, which not only provides landowners but also tenants and shareholders with cash transfers (Rs. 10,000.00 per acre); Rs. 12,500.00 to landless households to start poultry, goat-rearing and fisheries; Rs. 25,000.00 over five years to purchase inputs for small and marginal farmers; and insurance benefits. In short, in the meantime, farmers need freedom to sell, move out of farming, and cash support rather than high prices and the new farm act will help the Indian farmers.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344508649_Impact_of_India%27s_New_Farm_Act_2020_on_Farmers_and_Markets/link/5f7d6dfda6fdccfd7b4ca7d1/download">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344508649_Impact_of_India%27s_New_Farm_Act_2020_on_Farmers_and_Markets/link/5f7d6dfda6fdccfd7b4ca7d1/download</a><br /><br /><br /><b>Protesting farmers are arguing for the perpetuation of colonial rule<br /><i>Surjit S Bhalla</i></b><br /><br />A minuscule minority of farmers is protesting against the farm laws. They don’t want an end to the system that has benefited them.</p><p>"...<br /></p><p>A little detail on these bills: The old farm produce laws (the
creation of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) came
into existence almost 150 years ago to feed the colonial masters raw
cotton for their Manchester mills. The output of these mills was then
sold to the “natives” for a hefty profit. The farmer was obligated,
required, forced to sell to the masters in a regulated market whose
regulation was set by, you guessed it, the colonial masters. It is very
likely that the people blindly supporting the “poor” farmers (who were
recently seen distributing expensive dry fruit freely to all those
coming to their “protest”) are unaware of some simple facts. By
supporting these very (relatively) rich farmers, the protesters are in
fact arguing for the perpetuation of colonial rule.</p>
<p>Some steps further in this historical lesson. The corrosive monopoly
power held by the APMCs has been recognised by almost all political
parties and farmer unions (for example, the Bharat Kisan Union took out a
protest in 2008 arguing for the right of farmers to sell produce to
corporates). The Congress party had these very same laws in its 2019
election manifesto.</p><p>Let us further follow this chain of logic of the farm protest
supporters. In 1991, the government freed industry from its cage and the
results are there for everybody to see, and applaud (except, of course,
the wilfully blind). GDP growth in India doubled to an average of 6 per
cent over the next 30 years, from the previous average of less than 3
per cent.</p>
<p>For reasons best known to the “political” economists, agriculture was
not freed in 1991, or thereafter — until now. Farmers are forced to
sell their marketable produce only through a mandi regulated by the
government. The new reformed law allows the farmer to sell through the
APMC, and to sell outside the APMC. It is her choice. The government
procures all of its food through APMCs — only about 6 per cent of the
farmers in India sell through the APMCs to the government. These 6 per
cent are all large farmers, primarily residing in the two states of
Punjab and Haryana. These two states typically account for close to 60
per cent of wheat procurement and close to a third of rice procurement.
The government procures from these farmers in order to re-distribute the
food via ration shops to the bottom two-thirds of the population. But
there are leakages. This leakage was first openly discussed by former
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 when he stated that only 15 per cent
of the food procured by the government reached the poor.</p>
<p>There are no more than two million farmers — total — in Punjab and
Haryana and less than 5 per cent have holdings above 10 hectares. A
rough back of the envelope calculation suggests that the protesting
farmers from Punjab and Haryana total no more than 200,000 — that is two
hundred thousand so there is no confusion with numbers. The number of
all farmers in India, very small, small and large is 100 million. So
about 0.2 per cent of all farmers in India have “reason” to protest. And
what are they protesting for? Likely the licence to remain the richest
farmers in India or the world because in addition to the exclusive APMC
largesse, the income of these farmers is not taxed. The non-taxation of
agricultural incomes does not benefit the poor farmer because she does
not have enough income to be taxed.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNutUzqFsZpgRfY-fzbN79SIDq7GvXId9gGRA3CPUvXAaLx1FHxMPA_tFhW6HcqtreVMtlDP44oRqv6hHB5fn7gQLyYVM6PEWTyFElsMXnwodoAkVhPgc7x7-ab0Pg-stlap3CXH4st2Y/s768/farmers-agitation_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="768" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNutUzqFsZpgRfY-fzbN79SIDq7GvXId9gGRA3CPUvXAaLx1FHxMPA_tFhW6HcqtreVMtlDP44oRqv6hHB5fn7gQLyYVM6PEWTyFElsMXnwodoAkVhPgc7x7-ab0Pg-stlap3CXH4st2Y/w400-h235/farmers-agitation_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Be honest — how many of you know a law in any of the 195 out of 200
countries in the world that prohibit an individual from selling her
wares in the market? Count the countless street vendors in the world, in
both developing and developed markets. Are they prohibited from selling
who they want to sell to? Then why the demand that the APMC be the sole
buyer for all farmers?</p><p>..."<br /><br /><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/farmers-protest-agri-laws-apmc-mandis-msp-surjit-bhalla-7101406/">https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/farmers-protest-agri-laws-apmc-mandis-msp-surjit-bhalla-7101406/<br /></a><br /><br />And for those who would like the issue broken down in a simple manner on video, here's one from Faye D'Souza who explains the issue well.<br /><br /><b>Farmers Protest Explained<br /><i>Faye D'Souza</i><br /></b><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eVa-fzdqC6g" width="320" youtube-src-id="eVa-fzdqC6g"></iframe></div><p><br /><br />My personal opinion based on all of the reading that's available in the public domain as well as the laws themselves is that there are several issues in the laws that need to be modified. <br /><br />A major one being that the parties cannot approach the courts and that the government bureaucrats decision on issues will be final and binding. <br /><br />However the laws themselves have a good intent and is a major step forward towards reforms and progress for farmers and the country and should be retained. <br /><br />While several grievance of the farmers are genuine, many of them are driven by politics and to ensure that a minority of rich farmers and middle men do not lose their lucrative income which is mainly at the cost of the tax payer and the smaller farmers.<br /><br /><i><u>A friend of mine who is himself a farmer summarized it well:</u><b><br />"Most of us here feel that the 3 las should stay. Amendments keep taking place later on but scrapping the laws will be a step backwards."</b></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOJe_j02e4De56i-X7PSqWGo7w5hMwGcPmq9u8zcvxD55S7qE_MRea90p6ofeoNip_uh0KEShxTgSYCdXplBi2CEekQMZhRdu1b5l0oUitTwbxiEPYYqZIec_Niby8ne0AsA-QAqCBnk/s1263/farmers-agitation_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1263" data-original-width="1125" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOJe_j02e4De56i-X7PSqWGo7w5hMwGcPmq9u8zcvxD55S7qE_MRea90p6ofeoNip_uh0KEShxTgSYCdXplBi2CEekQMZhRdu1b5l0oUitTwbxiEPYYqZIec_Niby8ne0AsA-QAqCBnk/s320/farmers-agitation_2.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-43210201334268342020-12-06T16:00:00.000-08:002020-12-26T09:55:18.525-08:00Question yourself<p>As we enter the final month of 2020, I like many of us have been introspecting about the year behind us and more importantly about the year ahead. And a good way is to question yourself.<br /><br />And Stacey Abrams, one of the primary heroes of the 2020 presidential elections (IMO), has this brilliant talk on the subject.<br /></p><p><br /><b>3 questions to ask yourself about everything you do<br /><i>Stacey Abrams</i><br /></b><br />How you respond to setbacks is what defines your character, says Stacey Abrams, the first Black woman in the history of the United States to be nominated by a major party for governor. In an electrifying talk, she shares the lessons she learned from her campaign for governor of Georgia -- and some advice on how to change the world. "Be aggressive about your ambition," Abrams says.<br />
<br />
</p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/stacey_abrams_3_questions_to_ask_yourself_about_everything_you_do" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></div></div>
<br /><p></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-51950742995636216522020-11-29T16:00:00.009-08:002020-12-26T09:55:14.329-08:00Delivered Happiness : RIP Tony Hsieh<p>A few years ago, Reia recommended that I read a book, "Delivering Happiness". I did. And it was very good. It had several non-conventional approaches and philosophies, all of which were proven to work by the books author, Tony Hsieh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6IWqdh_XuRUkvXVX3PrfaoFkF0Yv6pGV2qHdi7Q4otF7CKmqJ-qg8sR-GzRc_GA1L-ZPU2LijeSim4Dd5lkxFrKEpmzpsyGzW4CPZ1Yo5abcSVz52ibYFj2M7MvGvksWuocPVNAVRPk/s648/delivered-happiness_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="429" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6IWqdh_XuRUkvXVX3PrfaoFkF0Yv6pGV2qHdi7Q4otF7CKmqJ-qg8sR-GzRc_GA1L-ZPU2LijeSim4Dd5lkxFrKEpmzpsyGzW4CPZ1Yo5abcSVz52ibYFj2M7MvGvksWuocPVNAVRPk/s320/delivered-happiness_1.jpg" /></a><br /></div><p>On Friday, November 27, Tony Hsieh passed away at the age of 46. The last few years of his life were troubled. He died following a fire accident in a friends home in Connecticut.<br /><br />His final years in no way diminishes the amazing person that he was. And the millions of people he inspired to deliver happiness, including one of his biggest fans, Reia.<br /><br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Hsieh">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Hsieh</a><br /></p><p><br /><b>From 2010: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh<br /><i>CBS Sunday Morning</i></b><br />Tony Hsieh, the retired head of Las Vegas-based Zappos.com, died Friday, November 27. In this profile that originally aired on "Sunday Morning" June 6, 2010, correspondent Erin Moriarty talked with the then-36-year-old CEO whose online shoe retailer was thriving, thanks in part to a unique company culture and its revolutionary customer service. Hsieh also discussed a business philosophy he wrote about in his book, "Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wSHG3EU1EZ4" width="320" youtube-src-id="wSHG3EU1EZ4"></iframe></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br />And this talk by Tony captures him as Reia and all of us remember. An inspirational icon.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>Zappos' Hsieh: Building a Formidable Brand</b><br />Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh offers a compelling account of his transformation from callow Harvard student entrepreneur through his years as a dot-com wunderkind to the creator of a formidable brand.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yxKlK58gDrA" width="320" youtube-src-id="yxKlK58gDrA"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-6815603970279933752020-11-22T16:00:00.001-08:002020-12-26T09:55:08.516-08:00Impostor Syndrome<p>I'm always afraid that I'm not good enough in most settings. And am secretly envious when others seem so confident and sure of themselves even when its obvious that they know very little and a lot of what they're saying is for want of a better word, "BS".<br /><br />So it was with relief that I found that this is true for many people. And I could heave a sign of relief.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCR8e7cwwPQeGEeHymNpgUkHV8h1LhMiU4fInokfpat6yBzeJ2NzOBLJjKRoiUTcjUADZUMsLBjDYtMP5m81gXvQb_ypgTBGjZ9rDf8YpqvDTwS3m6aOL0HgAO2d9G3l0dhINjDwoh3Y/s1085/impostor-syndrome_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1085" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCR8e7cwwPQeGEeHymNpgUkHV8h1LhMiU4fInokfpat6yBzeJ2NzOBLJjKRoiUTcjUADZUMsLBjDYtMP5m81gXvQb_ypgTBGjZ9rDf8YpqvDTwS3m6aOL0HgAO2d9G3l0dhINjDwoh3Y/s320/impostor-syndrome_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br />"Have you ever doubted your abilities, feared you were going to be discovered as a "fraud"? That's called "impostor syndrome," and you're definitely not alone in feeling it, says entrepreneur and CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes. In this funny, relatable talk, he shares how his own experiences of impostor syndrome helped pave the way to his success -- and shows how you can use it to your advantage, too."<br /><br /><b>How you can use impostor syndrome to your benefit<br /><i>Mike Cannon-Brookes</i></b><br />
</p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/mike_cannon_brookes_how_you_can_use_impostor_syndrome_to_your_benefit" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></div></div><p>
</p><p> "Even after writing eleven books and winning several awards, Maya Angelou couldn't escape the doubt that she hadn't earned her accomplishments. This feeling of fraudulence is extremely common. Why can't so many of us shake feelings that our ideas and skills aren't worthy of others' attention? Elizabeth Cox describes the psychology behind the imposter syndrome, and what you can do to combat it." <br /><br /><b>What is impostor syndrome and how can you combat it?<br /><i>Elizabeth Cox</i></b><br />
</p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_cox_what_is_imposter_syndrome_and_how_can_you_combat_it" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></div></div>
<br /><br />And here's an interesting article that may help sort out some of the issues or at the very least provide some guidelines.<br /><a href="https://www.visualcapitalist.com/are-you-suffering-from-impostor-syndrome/">https://www.visualcapitalist.com/are-you-suffering-from-impostor-syndrome/</a><p></p><p></p><br />Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-83560591375966003572020-11-15T05:30:00.018-08:002020-11-15T07:23:24.559-08:00The 3 minutes Secrets of Success<p>Success is what we all strive for. And one is always looking for ways to increase the probability of succeeding. Over 8 years ago, I wrote a blog on "Secrets of Success". I just checked it out and it was pretty good. I think. <br /><br /><u><b>Secrets of Success</b></u><br /><a href="https://lobodecoded.blogspot.com/2012/03/secrets-of-success.html">https://lobodecoded.blogspot.com/2012/03/secrets-of-success.html</a><br /><br />I'm a huge fan of the "Crash Course" and "Short cuts". And so when I saw this 3 minute recipe for success, I couldn't resist. I'm glad I didn't. Check it out.<br /><br />"<br />Why do people succeed? Is it because they're smart? Or are they just lucky? Neither. Analyst Richard St. John condenses years of interviews into an unmissable 3-minute slideshow on the real secrets of success.<br />"<br /><br /><b>8 secrets of success<br /><i>Richard St. John<br />Marketer, Success Analyst</i></b><i></i></p><p><i>
</i></p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><i><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/richard_st_john_8_secrets_of_success" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></i></div></div><i>
<br /></i><br /><br /><p></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-9368746551890281502020-11-08T05:30:00.001-08:002020-11-15T07:23:02.217-08:00Philosophy of success<p>A large part of our life is chasing success. And most times we have no idea of what success is. And when will we be pleased with the success we may have achieved.<br /><br />And I'm a sucker for anyone who has a kinder, gentler interpretation of success.<br /><br />"<br />Alain de Botton examines our ideas of success and failure -- and questions the assumptions underlying these two judgments. Is success always earned? Is failure? He makes an eloquent, witty case to move beyond snobbery to find true pleasure in our work.<br />"<br /><br /><b>A kinder, gentler philosophy of success<br /><i>Alain de Botton<br />Philosopher</i></b></p><p><b><i>
</i></b></p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><b><i><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_a_kinder_gentler_philosophy_of_success" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></i></b></div></div><b><i>
</i></b><br /><br /><br /><p></p><p></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-41185314905537004702020-11-01T05:30:00.001-08:002020-11-15T07:22:40.771-08:00Getting what you want...<p>Getting what you want is Simple. And who doesn't want to get what they want.<br /><br />It was quite interesting. Check it out. At the very least it'll get you to think a little.<br /><br /><br />"<br />How do you get on the road to being happier? Start by setting your alarm for 30 minutes earlier than usual and not hitting the snooze button. The effort required to leave that warm bed and enter the world is the same amount of effort needed to shake up your life and make that elusive change. In this humorous and provocative talk, Mel Robbins explains how turning off our brain's autopilot and demolishing our comfort zones is key to a rewarding life. <br />"<br /><br /><b>How to stop screwing yourself over<br /><i>Mel Robbins<br />Author</i></b></p><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="322" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lp7E973zozc" width="387" youtube-src-id="Lp7E973zozc"></iframe></i></b></div><b><i><br /> </i></b><br /><p></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-53041930661769811242020-10-25T06:30:00.024-07:002020-11-15T07:22:12.961-08:00Define your fears<p>We all have ups and downs. Its the downs that many os us have no good way to handle. This talk provides a few thoughts that may be helpful.<br /><br />"<br />The hard choices -- what we most fear doing, asking, saying -- are very often exactly what we need to do. How can we overcome self-paralysis and take action? Tim Ferriss encourages us to fully envision and write down our fears in detail, in a simple but powerful exercise he calls "fear-setting." Learn more about how this practice can help you thrive in high-stress environments and separate what you can control from what you cannot.<br />"<br /><br /><b>Why you should define your fears instead of your goals<br /><i>Tim Ferriss<br />Investor, Author</i></b><br /></p><p>
</p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/tim_ferriss_why_you_should_define_your_fears_instead_of_your_goals" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></div></div>
<br /><br /><p></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-22898071614779585152020-10-18T06:30:00.015-07:002020-11-15T07:21:40.070-08:00Need a new idea?<p>I'm stuck. And need an idea. A new idea. This happens regularly. And I struggle. As possibly many of us do.<br /><br />And when a leading physicist offers to help answer the question, are you supposed that I jumped into it. And encourage you to check it out too.<br /><br />"<br />"Where do great ideas come from?" Starting with this question in mind, Vittorio Loreto takes us on a journey to explore a possible mathematical scheme that explains the birth of the new. Learn more about the "adjacent possible" -- the crossroads of what's actual and what's possible -- and how studying the math that drives it could explain how we create new ideas.<br />"<br /><br /><b>Need a new idea? Start at the edge of what is known<br /><i>Vittorio Loreto<br />Physicist</i></b></p><p><b><i>
</i></b></p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><b><i><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/vittorio_loreto_need_a_new_idea_start_at_the_edge_of_what_is_known" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></i></b></div></div><b><i>
</i></b><br /><p></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-11836963293339563122020-10-11T06:30:00.011-07:002020-11-15T07:21:05.808-08:00Explain explanation<p>I often struggle with explanations. Especially Explaining. The one method I kind of likes was what Reia used as a child. And thinking of it, still does. She makes statements. And when you ask Why?, she'd promptly reply, "Why because!", and treat the matter as proven and closed.<br /><br />And recently when I cam across "A new way to explain explanation" I was intrigued. And since I watched it, it is but fair that you do too. And for those who want to know Why; Isn't it obvious? Why, because !<br /></p><p><br />"<br />For tens of thousands of years our ancestors understood the world through myths, and the pace of change was glacial. The rise of scientific understanding transformed the world within a few centuries. Why? Physicist David Deutsch proposes a subtle answer. <br />"<br /><br /><b>A new way to explain explanation<br /><i>David Deutsch<br />Physicist, Author</i></b><br />
</p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/david_deutsch_a_new_way_to_explain_explanation" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe> <br /></div></div><p>And for the record, I think I'm going to try Reia's method again. Easier and simpler. And possibly more effective.</p><p></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-58141691749916460642020-10-04T06:30:00.002-07:002020-10-05T08:25:53.395-07:00How racial bias works ...<p>In the last couple of years, I've realized how serious the issue of racial bias is and how little I knew on the subject. This has led me to be more aware and conscious.</p><p>A talk on this subject by Jennifer L. Eberhardt led me to reflect on my unconscious biases. Some of the ideas given can be used by us.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>How racial bias works - and how to disrupt it<br /><i>Jennifer L. Eberhardt</i><br /></b></p><p>Our brains create categories to make sense of the world, recognize
patterns and make quick decisions. But this ability to categorize also
exacts a heavy toll in the form of unconscious bias. In this powerful
talk, psychologist Jennifer L. Eberhardt explores how our biases
unfairly target Black people at all levels of society -- from schools
and social media to policing and criminal justice -- and discusses how
creating points of friction can help us actively interrupt and address
this troubling problem.</p><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/jennifer_l_eberhardt_how_racial_bias_works_and_how_to_disrupt_it" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></div></div>
<p></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-64958501100671939952020-09-27T06:30:00.005-07:002020-10-02T23:37:49.943-07:00anti-CEO<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDGjDLk6kzWe_h74-xzVmVPDZjGaCKBQSjoooXf8Eb0t2JBk6EhMdbamZ48FiHp-kxdLYsDMovRh4H-kCQ_6n0ulOGmkc0w59x7GxD8xMLYzUZS2wLZ-eHFEdRXT9ROwV0JLWAMyAwtI/s895/anti-ceo_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="895" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDGjDLk6kzWe_h74-xzVmVPDZjGaCKBQSjoooXf8Eb0t2JBk6EhMdbamZ48FiHp-kxdLYsDMovRh4H-kCQ_6n0ulOGmkc0w59x7GxD8xMLYzUZS2wLZ-eHFEdRXT9ROwV0JLWAMyAwtI/s320/anti-ceo_1.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p>I'm convinced. If I get an opportunity, I'd love to use Hamdi Ulukaya's playbook.</p><p><b>The anti-CEO playbook<br /><i>Hamdi Ulukaya</i></b></p><p>Profit, money, shareholders: these are the priorities of most companies
today. But at what cost? In an appeal to corporate leaders worldwide,
Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya calls for an end to the business playbook
of the past -- and shares his vision for a new, "anti-CEO playbook" that
prioritizes people over profits. "This is the difference between profit
and true wealth," he says. <br /></p>
<div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/hamdi_ulukaya_the_anti_ceo_playbook" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></div></div>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-4966172802176421152020-09-20T06:30:00.000-07:002020-10-02T23:37:45.900-07:00How will humans evolve. In 100 years.<p>While the world changes quickly around us, we wonder whether the human will also evolve. And how.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWK31qk1NDs5L7H-4aZYomJktmzU4vFgI6VGleynASoFhKfWewxT30X1YNcRdNsj7leM85-0NxWWvNxjs6Y_1lTmKRdNNMDWagnlOnSpvm645_e9MKuLV00Nk_zD-nhiEiXSytmK_1F8/s2048/humans-in-100-years_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWK31qk1NDs5L7H-4aZYomJktmzU4vFgI6VGleynASoFhKfWewxT30X1YNcRdNsj7leM85-0NxWWvNxjs6Y_1lTmKRdNNMDWagnlOnSpvm645_e9MKuLV00Nk_zD-nhiEiXSytmK_1F8/s320/humans-in-100-years_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>In small ways, we have been evolving. We have pacemakers and prosthetics and hearing aids, and ... What's likely to be different is "need" v/s "Wants". Most of the current evolution is to become closer to normal. We already have non-medical necessity enhancements, like botox, beauty plastic surgery, ...<br /><br />And we're close to this becoming a lifestyle choice for those who can afford it.<br /><br />Futurist Juan Enriques discusses this ethical quandary.<br /><br /><b>What will humans look like in 100 years?<br /><i>Juan Enriquez</i></b><br /><br />We can evolve bacteria, plants and animals -- futurist Juan Enriquez asks: Is it ethical to evolve the human body? In a visionary talk that ranges from medieval prosthetics to present day neuroengineering and genetics, Enriquez sorts out the ethics associated with evolving humans and imagines the ways we'll have to transform our own bodies if we hope to explore and live in places other than Earth.<br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/juan_enriquez_what_will_humans_look_like_in_100_years" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></div></div>
<p></p><p></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-54505850742656259782020-09-13T06:30:00.000-07:002020-10-02T23:37:42.196-07:00Winning an argument<p>I've always thought that I was good at logic and am able to make powerful arguments based on logic. However in the last few years, I've found that on many if not most occasions, inspire of the argument being solid and valid, it doesn't seem to move the needle on the other side.<br /><br />And while I don't think this talk on winning arguments is likely to change my recent poor record, it does give an interesting insight and hope.<br /><br />"... And I've realized the question is not how to win every argument. It's how to get back up when you do lose. Because in the long run, good arguments will win out."<br /><br /><b>How to win an argument (at the US Supreme Court, or anywhere)<br /><i>Neal Katyal</i></b><br /><br />The secret to winning an argument isn't grand rhetoric or elegant style, says US Supreme Court litigator Neal Katyal -- it takes more than that. With stories of some of the most impactful cases he's argued before the Court, Katyal shows why the key to crafting a persuasive and successful argument lies in human connection, empathy and faith in the power of your ideas. "The question is not how to win every argument," he says. "It's how to get back up when you do lose."<br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<div style="max-width:854px"><div style="position:relative;height:0;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/neal_katyal_how_to_win_an_argument_at_the_us_supreme_court_or_anywhere" width="854" height="480" style="position:absolute;left:0;top:0;width:100%;height:100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>
<br /></p><p><br /><br /></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-17334088875410020062020-09-06T06:30:00.000-07:002020-10-02T23:37:37.813-07:00Classical music<p>My wife thinks I'm tone deaf. And its one of the things that I don't disagree with her.<br /><br />Until today. When I heard this line<br /><br />"So I'm going to go on until every single person in this room, downstairs and in Aspen, and everybody else looking, will come to love and understand classical music. So that's what we're going to do."<br /><br />And I had hope.<br /><br /><b>The transformative power of classical music<br /><i>Benjamin Zander</i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>
</i></b></p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><b><i><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_the_transformative_power_of_classical_music" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></i></b></div></div><b><i>
</i></b><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><i> </i></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><i></i></b><br /></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-73905891615041911642020-08-30T06:30:00.000-07:002020-10-02T23:37:32.946-07:00Perceptions about Science<p>It seems strange to talk about science and perceptions in the same sentence. I've always believed that science is based on the latest knowledge and there cannot be difference of opinions on the subject. The experts discuss and come u with what is widely accepted as scientific fact.</p><p>And yet, today there's multiple views on what seems to me to be indisputable science. And yet even something like Climate Change which is undisputed in the scientific world has almost half of non scientists disagree. And this is where perceptions about science.</p><p>This talk by Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd shows why this happens. And listening will give an appreciation not only of why this happens but also give an insight that may lead to changing some of the perception we hold, albeit unknowingly.</p><p><b>3 kinds of bias that shape your worldview<br /><i>Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd</i></b><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">What shapes our perceptions (and misperceptions) about science? In an
eye-opening talk, meteorologist J. Marshall Shepherd explains how
confirmation bias, the Dunning-Kruger effect and cognitive dissonance
impact what we think we know -- and shares ideas for how we can replace
them with something much more powerful: knowledge.
</p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/j_marshall_shepherd_3_kinds_of_bias_that_shape_your_worldview" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></div></div>
<br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-12031472017222865962020-08-23T06:30:00.000-07:002020-10-02T23:37:28.859-07:00Finding free time<p>Lately, coming to think of it, always, I never seem to find time to do what I consider important things. And yet seem to find time to do thing I like. Such as watching TV.<br /><br />I've been trying to find ways to find time. And then I came across this talk. Where "Laura Vanderkam shatters the myth that there just isn’t enough time in the week for working professionals to live happy, balanced and productive lives."<br /><br />And this line from the talk stood out as so true, "We don't build the lives we want by saving time. We build the lives we want, and then time saves itself." <br /><br /><b>How to gain control of your free time<br /><i>Laura Vanderkam</i></b><br /><br />There are 168 hours in each week. How do we find time for what matters most? Time management expert Laura Vanderkam studies how busy people spend their lives, and she's discovered that many of us drastically overestimate our commitments each week, while underestimating the time we have to ourselves. She offers a few practical strategies to help find more time for what matters to us, so we can "build the lives we want in the time we've got."<br /></p><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/laura_vanderkam_how_to_gain_control_of_your_free_time" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></div></div>
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-72056755325774102222020-08-16T06:30:00.000-07:002020-10-02T23:37:23.144-07:00Raymond Loewy - The Father of Industrial Design<p>I first heard of Raymond Loewy last week in the "MAYA" talk by Derek Thomson who credited Loewy with MAYA.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWPzuCnRpx2pvRP4WodP0WqssaXdzGutGE3ydOR83NS_HmmrXur6GUCHEXJ54Z2TTFa5O8qyJr-o74YUmEPr2_HqDfVourc4eAumgSRenaxnnXc24OnLhpm4K9mVfcC5GlwuyWpBQsZg/s640/raymond-loewy_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="495" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWPzuCnRpx2pvRP4WodP0WqssaXdzGutGE3ydOR83NS_HmmrXur6GUCHEXJ54Z2TTFa5O8qyJr-o74YUmEPr2_HqDfVourc4eAumgSRenaxnnXc24OnLhpm4K9mVfcC5GlwuyWpBQsZg/w310-h400/raymond-loewy_1.jpg" width="310" /></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Naturally, I was intrigued and wanted to find out more. I'm sure you too will love knowing more about the man and his work.<br /><br /><br /><b>Raymond Loewy, Father of Industrial Design<br /><i>a CBS News Presentation, 1979</i></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zci4r1MWz7c" width="560"></iframe>
<br /><br /> </p><p style="text-align: left;"><u><b>Designed Different- Raymond Loewy<br /></b></u></p><p style="text-align: left;">One of the greatest minds of the 20th Century, Raymond Loewy the father of Streamline design, from the Cold Spot refrigerator to Sky Lab, his design was everywhere. He's most remembered for the amazing car designs he fostered. Dub version of 20th Century Fox propels us through this cavalcade of genius.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8Z-qGJfaA7k" width="560"></iframe>
<br /></p><br />Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-73336651737756043882020-08-09T06:30:00.002-07:002020-10-02T23:37:12.706-07:00MAYA - Most Advanced Yet Acceptable<p style="text-align: left;">In anything new we do we often ask ourselves, whether our audience will like it. Will it be popular and most importantly Is there a formula for popularity, that can be used during the creation process.<br /><br />And while intuitively it seemed like that there probably are some patterns I was surprised that there's an answer to "Why do we like what we like?"<br /><br /><b>The four-letter code to selling anything<br /><i>Derek Thompson</i></b><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Why do we like what we like? Raymond Loewy, the father of industrial design, had a theory. He was the all-star 20th-century designer of the Coca-Cola fountain and Lucky Strike pack; the modern sports car, locomotive, Greyhound bus and tractor; the interior of the first NASA spaceship; and the egg-shaped pencil sharpener. How did one man understand what consumers wanted from so many different areas of life? His grand theory of popularity was called MAYA: Most advanced yet acceptable. He said humans are torn between two opposing forces: neophilia, a love of new things; and neophobia; a fear of anything that’s too new. Hits, he said, live at the perfect intersection of novelty and familiarity. They are familiar surprises. In this talk, I’ll explain how Loewy’s theory has been validated by hundreds of years of research — and how we can all use it to make hits.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6pY7EjqD3QA" width="560"></iframe>
<br /></p>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-26900654965291774462020-08-02T16:00:00.003-07:002020-08-02T17:17:35.725-07:00Fact or Fake ?<div>In the last few weeks in the midst of a pandemic, I've been amazed by people disbelieving what I thought was obvious. And backed by almost all countries, scientists, doctors, ... Not only that, they had arguments as to how all of those people were wrong and they were right. That's because some of them had originally had another opinion and ow changed it. So no one knew anything. And Yet, somehow they did. Many of these were in my mind intelligent, rational people in almost every aspect of their lives. Except when it came to objectively make decisions which had a political or religious tinge to it. And while they all maintained that they were objective, they were mostly unable to cite any data and mostly based their thinking on either partisan television or radio or social media. I was baffled. How can this happen.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3sTEr-0-ElTuw-AWPBKEOAyreQbyXBXxvJP2g-FA0-EtFFjOTDqkBIHSTUkb6X56GYi1Ac4BKchDeV46IAMshLE9aXtmNkxamuTzQdB0gH4e0NiWjRhNPnGftT9Ij32TTWJwTmdNJwA/s296/fact-or-fake_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="296" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3sTEr-0-ElTuw-AWPBKEOAyreQbyXBXxvJP2g-FA0-EtFFjOTDqkBIHSTUkb6X56GYi1Ac4BKchDeV46IAMshLE9aXtmNkxamuTzQdB0gH4e0NiWjRhNPnGftT9Ij32TTWJwTmdNJwA/w463-h266/fact-or-fake_1.jpg" width="463" /></a></div><br />It seemed like the fountain of all knowledge is also the fountain of ignorance. You can find almost every belief you want. And even when you have no beliefs, based on your leanings, the ubiquitous search engines will find you things that map to your way of thinking.<br /><br /><div>The question is how interested are you in learning the facts or the truth. If you are, you can find it relatively easily by ensuring that the source of you data is non-partisan and has no agenda. Another way of ensuring that the data you are using is by checking out the data provided by both sides and coming to your own conclusion. Typically partisan media will use selective data to try to make their point. Expanding the selection and ignoring the conclusions while making your own almost always leads you to the objective truth. And only if you objectively without any firm opinions and with a willingness to change them based on the data.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfldRS79q0YY5_5ukVjwYEU4Dhvbkd-EyxbL6gOhkFi8f987WBcllTrmJYFsPYuJx9JdM09xfZWx3B_XHcikx3jelOEJ0RrALo4ii2fLkhxvkEZeaw8Ychdz6b12QvTCDkNbB-UL9k3YA/s932/fact-or-fake_2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="738" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfldRS79q0YY5_5ukVjwYEU4Dhvbkd-EyxbL6gOhkFi8f987WBcllTrmJYFsPYuJx9JdM09xfZWx3B_XHcikx3jelOEJ0RrALo4ii2fLkhxvkEZeaw8Ychdz6b12QvTCDkNbB-UL9k3YA/w507-h640/fact-or-fake_2.JPG" width="507" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><u>Two very interesting talks gives an insight into our behavior, our thinking and our illusions.</u></div><br /><b>Why do we believe things that aren't true?<br /><i>Philip Fernbach</i></b><br /><br /><div>It seems like we're living in an epidemic of false belief. Clearly the other side just doesn’t have all the facts, right? Or are they really that stupid? In this fascinating and hilarious talk, cognitive scientist Philip Fernbach peels back the layers of what we really know and reveals some surprising truths about the human mind.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jobYTQTgeUE" width="320" youtube-src-id="jobYTQTgeUE"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><br /><br /><b>The Knowledge Illusion</b><br />Kyle interviews Steven Sloman, Professor in the school of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences at Brown University. Steven is co-author of The Knowledge Illusion: Why We Never Think Alone and Causal Models: How People Think about the World and Its Alternatives. Steven shares his perspective and research into how people process information and what this teaches us about the existence of and belief in fake news.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NFQQpDCtKoA" width="320" youtube-src-id="NFQQpDCtKoA"></iframe></div>Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804164488111751518.post-26137088247397570892020-07-26T16:00:00.000-07:002020-08-02T16:21:01.854-07:00Living while Black !As I'm paying attention to the Black Lives Matter, I'm coming across more and more injustices and issues that I was completely missing. The talk by Baratunde Thurston is yet another deeply moving and disturbing narrative of what many of us fail to see and appreciate.<br /><br /><u><b>How to deconstruct racism, one headline at a time</b></u><br /><div>Baratunde Thurston explores the phenomenon of white Americans calling the police on black Americans who have committed the crimes of ... eating, walking or generally "living while black." In this profound, thought-provoking and often hilarious talk, he reveals the power of language to change stories of trauma into stories of healing -- while challenging us all to level up.</div><div><br />
<div style="max-width:854px"><div style="position:relative;height:0;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/baratunde_thurston_how_to_deconstruct_racism_one_headline_at_a_time" width="854" height="480" style="position:absolute;left:0;top:0;width:100%;height:100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>
</div><div><br /></div><div>Also check out:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Check out Baratunde Thurston's website:</i></div><a href="https://www.baratunde.com/#baratunde">https://www.baratunde.com/#baratunde</a><br /><br /><div><i>Baratunde Thurston's "Living while Black" page:</i></div><a href="https://www.baratunde.com/livingwhileblack">https://www.baratunde.com/livingwhileblack</a><br /><br />A<i>nd a collection of "Living While Black Headlines" </i><br /><a href="https://airtable.com/shrq7t6zz5zwImq54/tblftqCxO7gcK1Ol3/viwAMSwE7vNXtV1nR?blocks=hide">https://airtable.com/shrq7t6zz5zwImq54/tblftqCxO7gcK1Ol3/viwAMSwE7vNXtV1nR?blocks=hide</a><br />Stephen Lobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17628132005414833516noreply@blogger.com0