Elections in Delhi. BJP seems to have the edge.
After Vermont, New York signed a law that requires fossil fuel companies (responsible for emissions during 2000-18) to pay for climate change repair over the next 25 years. More states may come forward. More countries may come forward.
USAID pauses. Closes its offices, projects, and funds flows. 40 Billion USD a year. Many lives will be impacted. The ‘aid’ world may change significantly. Other countries may also tune, fine-tune their strategies, approaches, methods et al. Recipient countries may also have to figure out ways of coping with these changes.
Female genital mutilation, FGM. All procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons is not OK. It is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights, the health and the integrity of girls and women. FGM is persisting in more than 30 countries. Today, we hear 200M+ girls and women alive have undergone FGM. 4.4M are at risk this year. 12,000 a day. Can this change? Can the girls and women exercise their power and choice, to enjoy full rights of health, education, safety et al? Can the social and gender norms change towards this?
Government has revised tax slabs and rates to push for the new tax regime being adopted by more and more taxpayers. These slabs and rates definitely give us some relief and increase cash with us to use, invest. I think we need a new system of taxing. Maybe we abolish income tax, but come with an expenditure tax? Some items may not have tax, and some may have differential taxes. This should give us the freedom and choices for the right life, living. Natural life, living, and livelihoods. For all. For the poor, vulnerable and marginalized in particular.
Will AI help us? Will it reduce drudgery, shorten work hours to put in to achieve the same results? This may mean changing our ways, roles at work; being more AI literate, practicing AI tools and skills; being always ‘on learning mode’ – continuous learning, upskilling. How do we get into basic and mandatory learning for all at school level – languages, reading, writing, arithmetic, IT-AI, yoga-meditation-reflection, unlearning-learning, and soft-life skills of planning-pursuit- practice?
Can we avoid, stop fighting gossips and gossipers; for attention; for meeting others’ expectations; for rights with stupids, idiots et al. Can we fight for vision, purpose, dreams, ideas, destiny(ies), and non-negotiable values? Giving up small fights, for big ‘fights’ – mostly with ourselves? Fighting wisely.
What is leading a life on a day-to-day basis? 24×7. Is it having time to sleep, eat, maintain ourselves, and entertain ourselves? Is it organizing the balance time usefully, as required? Is it organizing our time and energy during work hours and outside? Is it the style of life beyond the work hours? How much can be work hours – 40, 48, 70, or 90? More than 50% of us clock in more than 48 hours weekly. With keeping laptops closed for 12 hours a day. With keeping mobiles away at least for 3 waking hours. Passion and paid work for living in sync? It may not be a daily routine but are we in-charge of our time, energy, and making choices? Do we have agency really – willingness, spaces, and abilities? Can we harmonize, play with work and ‘non-work’ feeding each other virtuously? 24×7 till we rest finally.
Yes, we can. If we coexist, flowing. Without boredom, tiredness. In N? Nirantarayoga for 7L.
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