You covered our faces for almost a year.

You called us racists.

You called us Nazis and KKK-sympathizers.

You called homophobic, transphobic, and xenophobic.

You censored us on virtually every social media networking system, silenced us, hid us from sight.

1/
One of the most common tricks used by woke Social Justice activists to defend their view is to de-legitimize criticism by attacking the motives of the person who is opposing them. The goal is to undercut the moral authority and social standing of anyone who disagrees with them

2/
If you criticize the views of woke Social justice Activists they'll attack your motivations and imply that you're not being honest about your true motives. The goal is to make the audience suspicious of your intentions so they won't trust you or believe anything you say.

3/
By attacking your motives the woke activists can both discredit you while getting the audience to raise their level of skepticism toward you. This tactic is sometime referred to as "poisoning the well."

It is a dirty tactic, but it is effective.

4/
Here @BrandonLBradfor attempts to smear Conservative Black thinkers by claiming the reason the Right listens to conservative blacks is to assuage their own insecurity. The implication is people don't really care about the ideas of conservative blacks, they just use them...

5/
This implies that the ideas of conservative blacks are not worth listening too, and that even if conservative blacks had good ideas, nobody would care any way. This is the sort of pure cynicism that typifies Wokeness.

Part 2

Those who missed Part 1 here it is https://t.co/myV2RhzsxJ 1/n

The Toilet issue also brings to my mind memories of my childhood

We always had clean toilets.

But my grandparents lived in an Agraharam (Village) where there was only one toilet, which was in abysmal condition.

You wouldn't dare enter the toilet, because it was pathetic 2/n

I was asked by my father to go and stay with my grandparents for at least 2-3 days a month, and I would dread at the prospect of using that toilet.

Most of the time, I wouldn't and return home with severe constipation, or stomach cramps. 3/n

My grandfather never used the toilet and used to defecate in the open. This caused us considerable embarrassment whenever he visited us, and complaints would flood in from people in the neighbourhood. 4/n

I was a frequent traveler by train in my youth, and the number of people defecating in the open along Railway Tracks always made me angry.

I could see ladies getting up hurriedly whenever the train passes them, protecting their modesty. 5/n

Remote isn’t just about the future of work

It’s a bridge to a higher quality of life

Rather than a job – and an office – being the anchor of our social lives, it’s about democratising access to opportunity

[ a thread ] 🌍🏠💻

Remote work should lead to individuals having more choice

Not just spending time with people selected by HR teams, where your deepest common bond is a shared reliance on the economic success of that employer – where if that changes relationships end

Offices have been great for certain demographics – but disqualified/discriminated against almost most others

- single parents
- caring for family members
- health conditions and impairments

The offices makes staying in office work incredibly difficult if not impossible

‘What about young people in shares apartments’

Absolutely.

But is this an issue with remote or the implication of expensive cities and needing to live close enough to commute daily?

‘There are mental health implications’

Absolutely.

But is this a natural issue with remote work, or an implication of COVID-enforced lockdown WFH where we can’t see family, friends, go to coffee shops or travel?

Our inability to introduce remote learning during a global pandemic is a social problem.

A decade of austerity has left families without the means to own adequate devices, and some can’t even afford broadband.

Scoff all you like, but it is reality I’m afraid. 1/10

It wasn’t long ago @GavinWilliamson was promising help for poorer families, so their children could access the necessary equipment to learn from home and no child is left behind.

How did that go? Do I even need to ask?

Another huge failure from the fireplace flogger. 2/10

“Whatever it takes”, they said.

I’ll stick my neck out here and call that bullshit. Utter hogwash.

“Whatever it takes to ensure our friends get HUUUUGE PPE contracts” - that would be accurate. 3/10

Remote learning is far from ideal.

I understand the difficulties, but as I say, this is a failure of government.

Life preservation has to come first.

My child isn’t a guinea pig. 4/10

They will not have an adequate test and trace system in schools, and let’s not pretend otherwise. Schools are not prepared for it. It’s a ludicrous and desperate proposition.

@michaelgove is confident schools will stay open.

He might not like experts, but SAGE disagree. 5/10

1) Seeing a lot of attempts recently by NRIs in Canada & the usual Khan Market gang to drive an artificial wedge between Hindus & Sikhs in order to overtake the ongoing dialogue between farmers & government for their own malicious agenda.

A thread-

2) First of all, Sikhism IS a different religion legally and we respect that. But neither party can deny the common structure, shared culture & heroes - two branches of the same tree. Recent attempts at Abrahamization and subnationalization are both dangerous & fake.

3) Guru Gobind Singh-

"Sakal jagat main Khalsa Panth gaje
Jage dharam Hindu sakal bhand bhaje"

"The Khalsa sect will roar around the world. Hinduism will awaken, its enemies will flee."

4) Idolatory and worship of deities was common practice in Gurudwaras as late as 1920s when the Khalsa Akali movement took over. The Sikh empire had ritualistic pujari Santani Sikhs until the mid 19th century.

There was no us vs them. This "othering" is very recent and top-down

5)"Hindus, do not fear, Guru Tegh Bahadur is Guru Nanak's successor. If Muslims bother you, I'll take care of them. For I am the protector of Hinduism."

"... To ham hain sab sadar Arya Dharma rakshak pragatiyo hain"

After going through over 500 CVs over the last few days, I thought I might share some observations for those seeking an entry-level position at an international NGO like @hrw.

Of course, what I’m about to say doesn’t apply for all job openings everywhere. But for entry-level posts at a fairly big NGO, I think these thoughts will hold.

The main takeaway is that some people sell themselves on their CVs much better than others, even when they have the same or similar qualifications as others.

As usual, I was overwhelmed with the quality of the people applying. Most had one, more often two, masters degrees, two or three solid internships, if not actual jobs, and minimum 2 languages. Usually 3. Some 5.

As normal with an entry-level post, many applicants had similar qualifications: degrees in international relations or journalism/communications. Internships were generally at similar places: EU institutions & NGOs. Languages also generally English & French & one other EU language

Thread on F Tender by CM's Highways Dept: 2 events happened over d last month. A Contractor calls me & says not to proceed on Corruption in Rs 494 Cr Tender. A day b4 opening of Rs 494 Cr tender, 2 ppl come to our office in d guise of inviting me to a rotary event.

After few mins, they said they hv been sent by highway engineers abt thanjavur tender.This is d same tender that was prefixed to JSV infra that we cancelled last month. It was refloated & d nexus wanted to ensure b4 opening of tender that @Arappor does not raise this issue again.

I advised them abt Indian Constitution, law of d land & they went back! Next day, hours b4 d tender was due to be opened, sent an email to Highways Secretary on how d tender has again been prefixed to JSV Infra at 11.33 Am. Tender was opened on 12th Jan at 3.15 Pm (1st tweet)

After technical bids, financial bids were opened on 19th & results hv been announced recently. Its d same JSV Infra that we mentioned in the email that has won d tender. They quoted 512 Crores working out to more than 2 Crores/ Km, double d amt than PBMC tenders of last few years

As can be seen, other 2 bidders who participated in d fixing tender r RR Infra & KCP Engineers who won the other 2 big Thanjavur AB CRISM and PBMC tenders. How r tenders prefixed?. CM Edappadi claims EMD can be done thro email payment. Check the tender clause below

THE CHURCH vs WITCHES

A thread

There was a time in the past where the Church was fully in control of the then known modern world, that era is best known as the Dark Age because that was the time where anything that resemble progress and enlightenment was met with persecution and death.

At the top of the list of people who really suffered at the hands of the Church were "Witches"

Now, everything you know about witches, or what you think you know, was heavily shaped by the events that took part in the Dark ages, events that I'm about to break down as clearly as I can.

To better gain prominence, Christianity began by demonising other religions that already existed. They demonised Mediterranean gods, the gods of Celts, Teutons and any other religion that could pose a threat to their expansion.

The nuance of this issue is that while the left positions all of this as an organized, massive movement of white supremacists in the traditional way of understanding them, their attempt at 'multiracial whiteness' demonstrates how they are struggling to manage the complexity.

Let's talk about the space-tampon story. OK, so this is a story confirmed by Sally Ride and Kathy Sullivan, where a male engineer asks if 100 tampons is good for one week, and she politely tells him he can go a lot lower. Very often repeated, and true so far as it goes. BUT

In an interview by Weitekamp with Rhea Seddon, the only MD among the women in that class, she said she was actually consulted on the decision! She said they ended up with a big number out of concern about microgravity effects and due to the NASA approach to redundancy.

Microgravity concerns were not unreasonable. In Sally Ride's biography by Sherr, she discusses how the first woman who actually had to use the tampons in space had issues with "capillary action." Space is horrible.

Anyway, so, the story Ride and Sullivan tell is true (and funny!) but there's some missing context. I am not a historian, and certainly not a historian on this topic, but I have read a lot of books. A plausible sequence goes like this:

1) Seddon is consulted as the lady MD.
2) Due to unknowns, gives a high number
3) NASA management doubles that number, out of abundance of caution
4) A kit with infinity tampons goes to the other women, delivered by some (happily never identified) male tech

I furnished a list of items to a newly wed couple (South Indian) who are setting up their home in B'lore. This list is indicative & should serve as a ready reckoner just so that they wont have to scratch their head thinking what is needed. Additions/deletions will be there 1/n

Sofa Set - 2+1+1 - Go for Wooden one with Cushion. They last longer and the cushion can be changed later. The rexine stuffed sofas look great but dont last more than 3 years. Most of the time they use very cheap wood inside, as they are covered. 2/n

A glass topped wooden teapoy that matches with the sofa set.

Cot - Instead of a Double Cot, suggest go for 2 Single Cots and join them together. This way one gets more space, and it is easy to clean under the Cots. 3/n

Go for matching orthopaedic mattresses. They support the back. Go for slightly harder ones

4 Pillows

At this stage guest cot is not required

2 Seater Dining Table with 2 Chairs should suffice and saves space

4 Plastic/ Deck Chairs that can be stacked 4/n

Refrigerator - Invest in at least a 270 litre - 300 litre as Fridge lasts long. Go for 2 door but ensure to buy one that has a smaller freezer. Frost Free with a higher Star Rating - 5 or above. Look for 7 years warranty for compressor. Buy a good brand 5/n

"this is not a third world country.."

"this is not a third world country.."

"this is not a third world country..."

"this is not a third world country.."

"this is not a third world country.."

I’m going to do a slightly substantial thread in Sadanand Dhume’s piece for @WSJ because I am quite disturbed at the flex the debate is taking. The problems in the piece go far beyond a debate on how “gentle” the govt has been on the farmers. Thread. 👇🏽

This causation is misrepresented. There’s a history to this. During the Green Revolution Punjab and Haryana moved to the wheat-paddy cultivation cycle from their traditional crops. This was encouraged and as we all know from CBSE textbooks, was done in the national interest.

At that time sustainability wasn’t a watchword but by 1980 a massive decline in the water table was noted. Why? Because paddy required five times more irrigation than wheat. So if you irrigate a wheat crop six times in one season, paddy will require 30 irrigations.

When free electricity was thrown in the mix farmers’ preferences changed. They also started growing longer term maturing paddy, like Pusa 44. Paddy was also planted in May-June with a maturation in October.

Dhume’s piece seems to suggest that paddy cultivation is preferred.

This is incorrect. After the paddy crop is harvested, the areas are brought under wheat cultivation if the farmer has the means to.

Why is this even important? Because of TIMING. This also brings me to the second issue I have with the piece. Stubble burning.

A short reflection on the connection between personal psychology and "conspiracy theory."

(Image by Manfred Antranias Zimmer from Pixabay
https://t.co/JdaHUam549)