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- 6 Fast Paced Indian Cities
- 10 Historical International Treaties Your Grandpa Didn’t Tell You About
- 10 Critically Acclaimed Tamil Movies A Cinema Lover Should Watch
- 8 Deadly Impacts Of Rampant Consumerism
- 7 Mysterious People From The Past Who Vanished Like A Fart In The Wind
- 6 Mega Wars Fuelled And Caused By Religion
| Posted: 16 Nov 2013 01:34 AM PST The fast paced life in Indian cities is the result of economic growth and unprecedented shift of population to these concrete jungles. Here everyone considers their time to be more precious than yours, as they jostle past you, without even giving you a second look. India is home nearly 11 cities which figure in the list of 100 fastest growing cities in the world. A little known city of past, Faridabad, now stands on number 6 in the list. The fast paced city life comes with array of benefits on one hand and quite some disadvantages on other. Here is the list of 6 fast paced Indian cities which are going through a population boom. 6. Pune:The home of Bajaj Industries and an IT hub, Pune is one of the fastest growing cities in India. Popularly known as 'India's Motor City' Pune has benefitted greatly due to its close proximity to Mumbai. Apart from the traditional industries which are growing with the economy of the city, it is also home to new upcoming industries which are attracting migrants from not only all over the nation, but also from foreign land. The city has 6th highest per capita income in India.
5. Faridabad:The recent economic, real estate and industrial growth has cannoned Faridabad among the fastest growing cities not only in India but also in the world. The geographical location of the city gives it a great advantage. Starting from the end of the 1990s, the real estate prices have sky-rocketed due to developing residential areas. The city along with Gurgaon generates a wallop 50% income tax for the whole state of Haryana. Emerging as the preferred destination for investors from all over the world, Faridabad is projected as the India's city of the decade 2011-21.
4. New Delhi:Being the national capital of fast developing country like India, New Delhi has both economic and political advantage over other cities in India. The fast paced life is not new to New Delhi, a city that has been continuously inhabited since the 6th century BC; serving as a capital of many kingdoms and empires in its lifetime. The flourishing economy has catapulted Delhi as the city with highest per capita income in India as of 2013. The numerous malls and MNC projects is changing the city from being just the political capital into an economic capital as well. Unfortunately, the once famous nightlife of Delhi, especially enjoyed by the youngsters, is now dubious following many uneventful happenings which have questioned the safety of the citizens in the city.
3. Hyderabad:The 20th century has seen Hyderabad emerge as a tough competitor for highly developed cities in India, including the metro cities. With the emergence of IT industry's special economic zones, the city has attracted investors on global scale. The various pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have given the city the title of 'Genome Valley'. Today, Hyderabad is ranked fifth in contributing to national GDP with an estimated output of INR 4700 billion. Further development in the area will be seen following the launch of Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) near Hyderabad, a project which is expected to attract investment to the tune of INR2.19 lakh crore. One of the most popular Indian cities to get lost in, Hyderabad has shed its laid back traditional appearance to adorn a new cosmopolitan industrial service centre role with a life that is so fast, it is leaving people breathless.
2. Bangalore:With migrants thronging the city, life in Bangalore has gained such a pace that people have to run to be in the same spot. Along with Hyderabad, Bangalore has helped India emerge as one of the most promising IT exports country in the world. Ranked third among the most populated cities in India, Bangalore is the most rapidly growing metropolis the country. The flourishing IT industry in Bangalore has given it the name 'Silicon Valley of India'. Forbes magazine considers Bangalore as one of the "Next Decade's Fastest-Growing Cities". The city is home to two major companies, Infosys and Biocon.
1. Mumbai:Mumbai is a city which is always on move. The city that never sleeps is known for its fast paced life which has changed destinies of many people in a short period of time. Mumbai being the hub of Sensex or the Bombay Stock Exchange, many big businesses and Bollywood; money and fame plays a big role in the lives of people here. No wonder that the Alpha City is not just the wealthiest city in India; moreover it has the highest GDP in all of the Asian regions excluding East Asia.
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| 10 Historical International Treaties Your Grandpa Didn’t Tell You About Posted: 15 Nov 2013 08:38 PM PST Expression of agreement under international laws is considered as international treaty, which is governed by the same rules. Treaties are like contracts wherein both parties agree to take up obligations amid themselves. Any party failing to live up to the obligations is liable to be tried under international laws. There have been numerous international treaties comprising of peace agreements, contracts between states, tribal groups and governments etc. one thing all of them have in common today is that all of them have become historic in some way or the other. We have listed below the ten most historic international treaties by our account. 10. Peace of Callias:The Peace of Callias is the first most important international treaty that mankind witnessed. Established in the year 450 BC, the treaty is believed to have been signed between Athens led Deligan League and Persia to end the Greco-Persian wars. Persia that lost almost all significant territory to Greeks after Xerxes 1, was forced to settle for an accord initiated and negotiated by Callias (Politician from Athens). Peace of Callias was first and effective compromising treaty amongst Greek City and Achaemenid Persia.
9. Magna Carta:Also referred to as The Great Charter of the Liberties of England, the Magna Carta was a document brought about by group of subjects forcing the king of England to limit his powers by law. Established in 1215, Magna Carta was the very first significant charter of English Liberty that curbed royal powers. The agreement formulated the rule of constitutional law in the English speaking world. Magna Carta forced the king to proclaim many liberties and compelled him to accept that his will wasn't arbitrary and binding on all. The charter outlawed imprisonment or punishment without jury trial, a rule which still exists.
8. Peace of Etaples:Signed in Etaples between King Charles VIII Valois of France and Henry VII Tudor of England on the 3rd day of November 1942, the Peace of Etaples marked the end of war between England and France. The treaty of Etaples or Peace of Etaples served as the end of English invasion into France. The invasion was launched on Frances to stop its support for pretender Perkin Warbeck. Following the treaty, in addition to agreeing against Warbeck, France also paid England a £159,000 as indemnity.
7. Peace of Cateau Cambrésis:Signed between Philip II of Spain and Henry II of France on 3rd day of April 1559, the Peace of Cateau Cambresis marked the end of Italian wars. The agreement served as the end to a 65 year struggle between Spain and France for Italy. The agreement left Habsburg Spain as the most dominant power in the region for the next 150 odd years.
6. Treaty of Union:The idea of uniting sovereign states of kingdom of England and kingdom of Scotland had been making rounds and on July 22 of 1706, parliaments of England and Scotland agreed on a treaty. The Treaty of Union, which led to the unification of kingdom of England including Wales and kingdom of Scotland, took effect on 1st May 1707 and thus United Kingdom of Great Britain was formed.
5. Treaty of Versailles:The Treaty of Versailles signed on 28 June 1919 was one of the most significant peace treaties, which formally ended the World War I. The treaty marked an end to the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. Amid all the provisions in the treaty, Article 231 was the most important and became known as War Guilt Clause. The provision required Germany to accept responsibility for causing all the damage during the war.
4. United Nations Charter:United Nations Charter also popular as the Charter of the United Nations, is the foundational treaty that formed the intergovernmental organization known as the United Nations. The treaty which was signed by 50 out of 51 original member countries on 26 June 1945 at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco gave birth to the United Nations which promotes world peace as it most important task.
3. Bermuda Agreement:An agreement between the United Kingdom and United States on Civil aviation – air services between the two countries was initiated in Bermuda on 11 February 1946 and came to be known as the Bermuda Agreement. Another agreement known as the Bermuda II in 1977 ensured civil aviation between United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and United States.
2. Paris Peace Treaties:Result of the Paris Peace Conference, the Paris Peace Treaties signed on 10th February 1947 marked the formal end to the World War II. Under the treaty the victorious Allied powers negotiated with the lesser countries. The victorious countries were called to pay war reparations to majority of countries involved in the war.
1. Fourth Geneva Convention:The Fourth Geneva Convention also known as the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War is one of the four treaties signed in the Geneva Convention. Established in 1949, the Fourth Geneva Convention defines protection for civilians in war zones and outrightly outlaws practice of war.
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| 10 Critically Acclaimed Tamil Movies A Cinema Lover Should Watch Posted: 15 Nov 2013 08:30 PM PST Tamil Cinema is often cited as the back bone of Indian film industry because it is so full on cultural heritage. Famous as Kollywood, the Tamil film industry operates from Kodambakkam, and is well known for having produced some of the best movies which have earned critical acclaim the world over. It boasts of having great actors such as Sivaji Ganeshan, Mani Ratnam, N T Ramarao among others. It is second best to none in the country when it comes at producing quality content. Here are top 10 critically acclaimed Tamil movies. 10. Nayakan:The 1987 release, Nayakan is crime film that is written and directed by ace director Mani Ratnam. Starring Kamal Hassan, the movie is based around the life of Bombay underworld don Varada. It portrays the miserable life that South Indians lead in Bombay during those times. The movie spurred up a lot of controversy and yet managed to grab many National Awards as well. It was included in the list of 'All time 100 Best films' by the Time Magazine in the year 2005.
9. Aalayamani:The story describes the over possessiveness and mistrust of a lover. It is a tale of dark feelings, which destroy the life of people and their well wishers too. Starring Sivaji Ganesan, the 1962 starrer won many awards and is still regarded as one of the very best in its genre.
8. Bhaaga Parivinai:This 1959 release was one of the most successful movies of its time. Starring Sivaji Ganesan and M.R.Radha, the movie throws light on the joint family culture in India. The movie won a National Award in the same year of release.
7. Moondram Pirai:The 1982 Tamil film starring Kamal Hassan and Sri Devi won many National Awards in the year of its release. The critically acclaimed movie was a blockbuster and ran for 329 days at the box office. It's the story about a young girl suffering from amnesia who comes in contact with the male lead only to recover at the end of the movie. The fabulous soundtracks of the movie were composed by Illaiyaraaja.
6. Kannathil Muthamittal:The drama film of 2002 was directed and produced by Mani Ratnam. Featuring heartthrob R. Madhavan in the title role, the story presents an idea of a child of a Sri Lankan parents adopted by Indian parents, who lives with a dream of meeting her biological parents some day. The movie was widely praised and won 6 National Film Awards.
5. Apoorva Raagangal:A comparatively controversial flick, the movie directed by K. Balachander was mired in controversy as soon as it was released. The movie explores the relationships between people with wide age gaps, something not taken well by the gentry of the time. The movie won three National Awards and three Filmfare Awards.
4. Iruvar:Co-written, directed and produced by Mani Ratnam, the film is based on the universal relationship of films cinema with politics. The film features superstar Mohanlal in the lead role. The story is about a struggling actor who is seeking opportunities to work in the film industry. The film won the Best Film Award at the Belgrade International Film festival and two National Awards. In the year 2012, the film was included in the 100 greatest films of all time by the British Film Institute Sight and Sound.
3. Thevar Magan:The 1992 film starring acting legend Kamal Hasan won 5 National Awards. The film was the biggest grosser of the time with a 175 day run at the box office. It shared a unique concept which was alien to the society of the time. It showed the young protagonist visiting his father with his westernized girlfriend and how this annoyed his father and strained the father son relationship. As the story unfold interesting sequences follow.
2. Roja:This is a story about a girl Roja who lives in village in Tamil Nadu where her sister is about to get married. However, the guy decides to marry Roja instead and thereafter, gets posted in Kashmir. It's where some militants kidnap them and the actual story unwraps. This highly critically acclaimed political drama of 1992 was directed by great filmmaker Mani Ratnam. The film was later dubbed in various other languages. The movie won three national Awards along with a global acclaim.
1. Anjali:A cult classic and gem in its own right, it will be no exaggeration if we term the movie as one of the best emotional dramas the world has ever seen. The movie apart from its outstanding plot and directorial treatment is also remembered for the memorable tunes composed by master musician Illaiyaraaja, his 500th movie. It is a story about a dying mentally instable girl and the emotional trauma experienced by her family. The movie was India's official entry to the Oscars in the year 1991. It also won 3 National Awards.
The post 10 Critically Acclaimed Tamil Movies A Cinema Lover Should Watch appeared first on TopYaps. |
| 8 Deadly Impacts Of Rampant Consumerism Posted: 15 Nov 2013 08:24 PM PST Consumerism and materialism are running rampant in the world today. When the communists and fascists were trying to take over the world we looked at capitalism as our savior but now that capitalism has had a chance to rule the world it’s becoming clear that it’s no savior. Consumerism leads to multiple evils and problems. Here are 8 of the biggest problems caused by consumerism. 8. Resource Wastage:We are using up earth’s resources as if there is an infinite source on earth. There isn’t. We have finite resources and in the culture of disposable everything we are running out of them quickly. Irresponsible wastage of resources has brought the world to the brink of destruction and it’s not even clear if we can still save the world. We might have crossed the point of no return long ago.
7. Hunger:When we use resources blindly and arrogantly it leads to hunger in the world. It is just one consequence of irresponsible resource wastage. In order to sustain the level of consumption in first world countries, third world countries have to be exploited. There is no other way. Their people die of hunger while fat Americans eat beef burgers made of cows that were fed on grain that could have fed hundreds of Africans for a year.
6. Destruction of the World:We are digging mother earth for resources. We are drilling deep oil wells. We are cutting down forests on an industrial scale. We are throwing garbage everywhere we can. We are killing animals on a genocidal rate by destroying their homes. We are poisoning the land, water and air we need to live. In short we are destroying the world. Why? To satisfy the demands of out of control consumerism.
5. An Unending Pursuit of Happiness:Consumerism is not only destroying the world but also causing problems in our personal life. We are told through advertising in various forms that consuming more and wanting more will bring us happiness. We are led to believe that not only is permanent happiness achievable but that it is our fundamental right to have it. When we can’t be happy they tell us to buy their products and be happy. And in this unending pursuit of happiness we go deeper and deeper into consumerism.
4. Financial Problems:When we buy more than we can afford it is obvious we’ll run into financial troubles. But the manufacturers didn’t want us to stop buying so they told the banks to give us loans and issue us credit cards. Now we spend the money we’ll earn in all our lifetime in the first few years as adults. We then struggle for the rest of our life to make ends meet. All because of the culture of consumerism.
3. Inequality:The unequal wealth distribution that we see today is a direct result of the consumer culture. Think about it for a minute; who are the real producers of goods? Who works in the farms and factories? People like you and me. And who are the customers? People like you and me. So we are manufacturing products and selling them to ourselves. But who’s making the profit? The already rich manufacturers. Think about it deeply for a while.
2. Wars:Hunger, income inequality, resource shortage; these are three reasons that are enough to cause wars on their own. We have them all together and we can see this in what is happening in the Middle East. Oil is the reason behind all the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria etc. Iran is next on the list. We are told many lies about the reasons behind the wars but the real reason is oil and nobody with any intelligence can deny this.
1. The Negative Feedback Loop:The absolutely worst impact of consumerism is the negative feedback look that it has created. This is the reason why a little consumerism in the early 1900′s has grown into rampant consumerism today. What happens is that first we are scared by the news channels into thinking that the world is a horrible place. Then advertisements tell us that by buying stuff we can find a degree of happiness. We don’t have any money to buy stuff so our banks tell us it’s okay to buy now and pay later. We buy stuff and spend money we don’t have so we have to work harder. We work longer and produce more stuff for our masters who sell it back to us. We have to buy it because we are unhappier now that we are working long hours. We take more loans and have to work harder and get unhappier and then buy more stuff. You see the cycle that feeds on itself? It’s negative for us and the world. It’s only positive for the manufacturers who keep getting richer and richer.
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| 7 Mysterious People From The Past Who Vanished Like A Fart In The Wind Posted: 15 Nov 2013 08:16 PM PST The kind of things we all love knowing are things that others are not too familiar with. It means almost all of us have an uncanny fancy for all things obscure and unknown. This passion for knowing ambiguous things is fodder for lists like this one. To satiate our passion for famous people and for knowing the obscure has brought us to this list. Herein we have detailed for your information 7 mysterious people that the world should have known off, but their identities still remain unknown. 7. Dramatic kisser at the Times Square:The American victory over Japan in 1945 brought the World War II to a halt. The day (V-J Day) was being celebrated with lot of enthusiasm, many pictures are proof of it. There are many exciting pictures of the day, but the picture of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square is the most vivid. The identity of the kisser remains a mystery till date, making it the most iconic photograph ever clicked. The women in the picture is identified as nurse named Edith Shain, but the sailor still remains a secret. Shain claims that when she ran out to the street on hearing the news of the victory, a sailor embraced her, and feeling gratitude for the U.S. armed forces she let him do it, without even knowing his identity.
6. The Tank Man:How many of us can stand in front of a column of Government tanks? I know the answer! Nicknamed as the unknown rebel, a man in China with two shopping bags in the hand stood firmly in front of a column of Chinese Type 59 tanks. This a day after the Chinese government tanks had crushed vehicles and people in the area. The Tank Man received international recognition thanks to videos and photographs of the incident. Despite all the photos and videos, it is very difficult to identify who it was that stooped the column of tanks when it was most blood thirsty.
5. Zodiac killer:In the 1968 and 69 there was a serial killer who killed couples on the outside of San Francisco. The Zodiac killer (a pseudo name) claimed that he had killed over a dozen couples. Zodiac had a rare aspect of leaving cryptic notes and letters at the scene of murder, but never got identified or noticed. His way of leaving encrypted clues has been an inspiration for many TV series and movies. Till data no one has been charged for the crimes. On grounds of some investigations in 1991 one Arthur Leigh Allen was arrested, but he wasn't charged.
4. Babushka lady:It was in November of 1963 when US president John F. Kennedy was assassinated. He was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald, a local communist from a building across the street where Kennedy's motorcade was passing. There are various conspiracies of the assassination and it is believed that a shooter was positioned on an embankment called Grassy knoll. A person who is believed to have the best sight of the shooter on the Grassy Knoll was a lady wearing a babushka. Standing across the street where the motorcade was, she was seen taking pictures of the grassy knoll. However, since the unfortunate event, there has been no identification of the women despite numerous color photographs of her.
3. The Poe Toaster:A man dressed in complete black was seen at the Westminster Hall and Burying Grounds in Baltimore, Maryland where Edgar Allen Poe's grave lay on Poe's birthday each year. The man would walk up to Poe's grave, raise a toast with half bottle of cognac and leave three red roses. In spite of his concealed identity, the man was recognized to be Poe's fan. According to eye witnesses, the Poe Toaster visited the grave without fail from 1930 to 1998 (when he died).
2. Killer of the Swedish Prime Minister:Did you know, this assassin is the only killer of a Western president or prime minister ever, who has not been identified? In1986, the Prime Minister of Sweden, Olof Palme was shot dead by an unidentified person when he was getting home with wife from a movie. Being the prime minister, Palme did not like having body guards. Since then the person who shot Palme dead remains unknown.
1. Jack the Ripper:If there was an official list of the best serial killers of all time, Jack the Ripper would top the list. The serial killer who enjoyed killing prostitutes in London was never identified by the prowess of the CSI in the 19th century. The master of disguise, Jack, like Zodiac Killer (no 5 above) left a number of clues at the crime scene, but there is still no idea who Jack was. The post 7 Mysterious People From The Past Who Vanished Like A Fart In The Wind appeared first on TopYaps. |
| 6 Mega Wars Fuelled And Caused By Religion Posted: 15 Nov 2013 07:51 PM PST Wars have been fought many times on religious grounds. Religion is blamed with being one of the biggest causes of conflict among humans and it’s hard to deny it. Although no religion itself condones war, but the interpreters and gatekeepers of religion have always misused and misinterpreted it to justify killing fellow human beings. There have been many wars that were fought on religious grounds. Let’s look at 6 such wars that were started on religious lines. 6. Nigerian Civil War:Nigeria is a state brought together by Great Briton despite it consisting of many different cultures and ethnicities. The three main ethnicities were the Hausa-Fulani conservative feudal Muslims in the north, the less Feudal and slightly Christian Yoruba in the southwest and the democratic converted Christian Igbo in the southeast. When Britain left and gave independence to Nigeria in 1960, tensions grew because of the differing religious and political structures in the three regions. This led to a civil war from 1967 to 1970 that saw a great loss of life.
5. Lebanese Civil War:120,000 people are supposed to have died during the Lebanese civil war from 1975 to 1990. Over 1 million people left Lebanon and 76,000 were displaced from their lands within the country. The country’s political power rested mostly in the hands of the Maronite Christian minority while most of the population was Muslim or Arab supportive. 100,000 Palestinian refuges tilted the scale even more and in 1975 fighting broke out between the Maronite and Palestinian forces. Religion and politics (sorry for the tautology) as always caused great loss of life for 15 years.
4. Sudanese Civil War:Sudanese civil wars lasted in two phases. The first Sudanese civil war lasted from 1955 to 1972 while the second one from 1983 to 2005. The main cause of these wars is the Muslim government and its attempt to try and force Sharia law on the South Sudanese Christian communities. Apart from this, other reasons such as politics, economics and international interference are also responsible for these wars but the role of religion and the intolerance it breeds can’t be disputed.
3. French Wars of Religion:This war is interesting because it was between two parts of the same religion. The Catholics and Protestants fought each other during these periods from 1562 to 1598. There was civil fighting between the two groups as well as military action. The House of Bourbon and the House of Guise were the two major houses responsible for the conflict along with international support. Basically it was time when the Protestants and the Catholics got to take out their frustrations about each other. Another example are the Irish communities of Protestants and Catholics Christians.
2. Thirty Years’ War:The Thirty Years’ War lasted for, no surprise, 30 years from 1618 to 1648. On a side note, great naming by the historians. But anyways, the Thirty Year’s War was also fought principally between the Protestants and the Catholics but this time all of Europe was involved. This conflict is considered one of the most destructive wars in European history. It led to massive famine and bankruptcy of the involved states. On top of that, the armies were mostly made up of mercenaries who changed sides from one battle to another and were paid by allowing them to loot the locals who lost. All in all the common man suffered the most in the name of religion. Not a surprise at all.
1. Crusades:The first prize for religious stupidity has to go to the Crusades. There were many crusades fought from 1095 all the way to 1272. So for almost 200 years, both Christian and Muslims kept fighting each other, destroying each other, bankrupting each other, going back to recuperate and then launch another crusade. This greatest holy war is the lowest point in the history of religion. The deeper cause of the crusades are complex but the main reason was the control of Jerusalem, a place holy not just to Christians and Muslims but also the Jews. Even today Jerusalem continues to cause deaths of people. Don’t get me wrong but that’s not really a definition of a holy place is it?
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