Jerusalem Diary: Found tribe
There are some East Asian faces to be seen around Israel. Up in the fields of the far north, by the Lebanese border, or the groves of the far south, en route to Eilat, Thai farm workers rattle past on tractors.
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  We – having been lost – still adhere to our love for the land of Israel: this is a very, very strong part of the identity of the Bnei Menash  Rabbi Yehuda Gin
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In the big cities, Filipina women offer care to elderly Israelis.
But until I had been to Kiryat Arba, deep inside the occupied West Bank, I had not seen East Asians the other side of the Green Line – the internationally recognised boundary between Israel and the West Bank.
Kiryat Arba is a slightly down-at-heel place these days. It lies next to Hebron, the tense and divided city that exerts a strong historical pull for Muslims and Jews.
The story that we tend to report is the hotly-contested dispute as to whether Jews should be allowed to settle here at all – on what all governments outside Israel regard as occupied territory.
But there is another remarkable and little-told story at play here: the story of Indians from a remote part of that vast country, who have come to this place, believing that they are one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel.
On the side of a plain, pre-fabricated building in Kiryat Arba is a plaque, proclaiming that this is a community centre for “our Bnei Menashe brethren”. The brown-skinned, almond-eyed children playing inside have travelled thousands of kilometres from north-east India.
Rabbi Yehuda Gin stabs his forefinger at a map of the region, sandwiched between Burma and Bangladesh. The story of the “children of Menashe” is that they were exiled from Israel, 2700 years ago, by the Assyrians. Their wandering took them, in the end, to north-east India.
“In the external appearance,” Rabbi Gin says, “it is very hard to prove that we are part of the Israel nation, or part of the tribes.” But he insists that the kipot (skullcaps) which most of the Bnei Menashe men wear symbolise their commitment. “We – having been lost – still adhere to our love for the land of Israel: this is a very, very strong part of the identity of the Bnei Menashe.”
Tsvi Khaute reads a Hebrew prayer to an East Asian tune
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The community centre is named Beit Miriam, after the grandmother of Michael Freund. He set up an organisation, called Shavei Yisrael (Israel Returns), to gather in the communities which he believes are the lost tribes.
“I myself was sceptical,” he concedes. “But once I travelled to the north-east of India and I met with the members of the community and I learned more about their history and their tradition and their customs, I became convinced that they are in fact descendants of a lost tribe – that they do have a deep connection to the people of Israel.”
In a quiet room away from the hectic games of the Bnei Menashe children, Tsvi Khaute takes a prayer-book down from a shelf. He opens to a page from the Shabbat morning service, and the traditional Ayn Keiloheinu prayer, which is sung by Jewish communities around the world. The Hebrew words are the same, but the tune he sings has a distinctly pentatonic, East Asian flavour.
The faith, then, appears to have deep religious roots. But that still leaves the possibility that the Bnei Menashe may have wanted to come to Israel for economic reasons – to improve their standard of living.
Tsvi Khaute insists not. His family, he says, includes a state minister and the head of the secret police.
“We are a well-to-do family. So it is not an economic consideration. If you live outside Israel,” he says, his voice becoming impassioned, “it’s as if you don’t have God.”
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HEBRON BACKGROUND
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Tzvi Khaute is equally certain about his right to live here, on what governments outside Israel regard as an illegal settlement on occupied territory. “Those who claim that Hebron is not Jewish, they don’t know their identity. This is a very, very important place where the Jews belong.”
There is another, more prosaic reason that the Bnei Menashe ended up in Kiryat Arba. Fifteen years ago, it was one of the only Israeli-run councils willing to accept these unusual-looking immigrants.
The international consensus is that Jews should not be settling in Kiryat Arba at all – that it should be part of a new Palestinian state. And if that were ever to happen then the Bnei Menashe’s remarkable story of wandering may well take another turn.
Reference Link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8542911.stm
Courtesy
The BBC
Can palm oil help Indonesia's poor?
Panorama last week reported on the disturbing destruction of orangutan habitats in Indonesia for palm oil plantations. But are there benefits from these plantations for local people?
Environmentalists have long decried the destruction of Indonesia’s rainforests, first for timber and more recently for palm oil.
The logging was a one-time deal that mostly benefitted the country’s corrupt elite and foreign corporations.
But does palm oil have the potential to generate new wealth for this nation of 250 million people?
There is one key fact that is often overlooked in the debate.
Rural middle class
Of the more than 7 million hectares (17.2 million acres) in palm oil cultivation, nearly half is in the hands of smallholders, ordinary folk trying to better themselves and look after their families.
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“We are seeing the emergence of a rural middle class,” says John McCarthy of the Australian National University.
He is an economist and expert on the Indonesian palm oil industry.
“I was doing research in a town in Sumatra and I went to a local school and nine of the 13 teachers had oil palm plantations,” he said.
Intrigued, Mr McCarthy carried out a survey in several villages in the region. What he found startled him.
Villagers with four hectares (10 acres) or more were earning on average $12,000 (£7,775) a year. A second group with 2 hectares were earning much less -$2,000 (£1,300) a year – but were still enough to provide financial security for themselves and their families.
Villagers without palm oil all fell below the poverty line.
The growth of this new middle class has profound implications for both prosperity and the prospects of furthering democracy in Indonesia.
Fairer
There are huge abuses. Plantations continue to be opened up that flout the laws. Corruption flourishes. Local communities are being marginalised, habitats terribly degraded. So what is the way forward?
In the often polarised debate about palm oil, it is rare to find converging views between activists and owners.
Sawit Watch is an Indonesian NGO that has campaigned for several years on the palm oil front.
Achmad Surambo is the executive director of Sawit Watch.
When I meet him he is happy to make one point clear to me: palm oil in itself is not a bad thing for Indonesia. But the system needs to change.
Laws have to be enforced, people and the environment need to be protected, the land rights of local communities must be respected.
“We have to make the system more fair, accommodate the interests of farmers, communities and labourers,” he says.
“The system right now is tilted toward the big companies and that has to change.”
Increase productivity
Lyman Agro is a small plantation company managing 60,000 hectares in West Kalimantan (Borneo).
Steaven Halim of Lyman Agro points to the roads, schools and health clinics that have been built as proof of the company’s commitment to its social responsibility.
Steaven Halim is sure that productivity can be increased instead of acreage
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“We have also helped (smallholders) build up cooperatives so they can handle their own business,” he says.
The government and the industry until recently talked about doubling the land area in production.
Sensitive to negative press about deforestation, they are now talking instead about doubling the output in 10 years from 20 million to 40 million tonnes to help meet world demand.
When I ask Mr Halim whether this can be achieved with existing plantations he nods vigorously.
“Yes, indeed. Indeed it can,” he says.
The key for him is increasing productivity for smallholders.
“If we can get them to 35 tonnes a hectare per year [it now is about 20 tonnes] we can do it.”
That is not far off what Sawit Watch wants. It has called for a moratorium on expansion, as well as more support and better treatment of farmers and labourers.
Steaven Halim acknowledges there are “some bad guys, no doubt” in the industry, but that the time is now to talk.
“Let’s sit down together and try to find the way out. People have to be fed.”
Reference Link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8534031.stm
Courtesy
The BBC
Norwegian Company Develops World’s Largest Wind Turbine
As fossil fuels continue to diminish and climate change poses an ever-increasing threat, scientists around the world are searching for new and more efficient methods of generating energy. Wind energy is one of the more promising alternative energy sources and Norwegian scientists are currently in the development stages of what promises to be the world’s largest wind turbine. As if creating the biggest wind turbine in the world was not enough, it also floats. Current plans for the world’s largest wind turbine have the machine standing 533 feet tall.
The proposed rotor diameter of this machine is 475 feet. Obviously, these gargantuan dimensions make it difficult to imagine many places able to accommodate such a device. Fortunately, the floating design makes the turbine suitable for open ocean use.
In addition to being the world’s largest wind turbine, the proposed machine (which is to be built by the Norwegian company Sway), will also be the most powerful. A single floating turbine will be able to generate 10-megawatts to power more than 2,000 homes. These figures make this proposed new design at least three times more powerful than the existing wind turbines in use today.
The floating design gives this generator a huge advantage over other wind-power generators because the device can be placed in deeper water. The machine’s tower is a floating pole filled with ballast beneath the ocean’s surface. This gives the world’s largest wind turbine a low center of gravity, which prevents tipping. The generator is anchored to the sea floor with a single pipe and a suction anchor. This design allows the turbine to tilt 5-8 degrees as well as rotate freely to generate power from any wind direction.
Sway plans on installing the device in 2011. The prototype of this machine will cost an estimated $67.5 million dollars. Sway plans on testing the design on land first in Oeygarden, Southwestern Norway. If the design is successful, Sway will continue testing seafaring prototypes.
Currently, Norway is one of the world’s top oil and gas producers. Despite this fact, Norway generates most of its own power from hydroelectric plants. Norway’s dedication to designing and building the world’s largest wind turbine showcases the countries commitment to alternative energy, and serves to further illustrate how important this cause actually is. If the world’s largest wind turbine is a success, it will mark a major stride in humanity’s quest to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.
Reference Link
http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/worlds-largest-wind-turbine/
Canada's economy grows at fastest pace since 2000
Canada’s economy grew at an annual rate of 5% during the last quarter of 2009, its fastest pace of expansion in nine years, according to official figures.
The figures underpin claims the economy is recovering quickly from the fallout of the global downturn.
It comes after data for the previous three months showed growth of 0.9%, on an annualised basis.
The country’s economy was boosted by rising consumption, government spending and property investments.
Canada’s economy has rebounded strongly like its neighbour, the US.
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A number of small and medium-sized companies need to diversify beyond that market Len Crispino, chief executive, Ontario Chamber of Commerce
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The American economy grew at an annualised rate of 5.9% in the last three months of 2009, the Commerce Department said last week, revised higher from the first estimate of 5.7%.
A majority of Canadian exports head to customers south of the border, but businesses are being encouraged to focus on markets other than the US.
Len Crispino, the president and chief executive of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, told the BBC World Service: “There are still concerns about how fast [the US] economy will pick up. A number of small and medium-sized companies need to diversify away from that market,” he said.
Fast economic growth
Canada’s growth, its fastest since the third quarter of 2000, was more than economists had predicted, as well as outstripping the forecasts of the country’s central bank.
Canadian dollar strength could hamper recovery, analysts say
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The news pushed the value of the Canadian dollar higher against the US dollar, a nagging concern for companies that export to America.
The independent Virginia-based economist, Dennis Gartman, is telling his clients to go long on the Canadian dollar, or the Loonie, as it is colloquially known.
He told the BBC World Service: “The data simply underscores the fact that the Canadian economy is in demonstrably better shape than that of the US. Am I surprised by the news from Canada? No I am not. I am only more certain that erring long of Canadian dollars and short of euro and sterling makes more and more sense,” he said.
Higher interest rates?
The fact that the economy is growing faster than forecasts will be welcome at the Bank of Canada, but it also brings a new challenge, analysts said.
On Tuesday, the central bank is due to announce its latest decision on interest rates, and the strong economic growth puts it under pressure to consider increasing rates.
However, economists are predicting that the Bank of Canada will keep rates on hold for now, but increase the cost of borrowing in the coming months.
Reference Link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8543650.stm
Courtesy
BBC News
New Solar-Powered Sensor Could Literally Change the World
Science continues to amaze and one of the latest discoveries may literally change the world as we know it. This tiny solar-powered sensor can fit on the face of a penny and barely cover up the date. How this little wonder, developed at the University of Michigan, is able to create the power of something 1,000x its size is amazing, and because of this, the applications are quite numerous. When devices like this come to light, one of the first things that anyone thinks of is the effect that they will have on the medical community. Many implants require some type of power source and if a solar-powered sensor can be used to power then, it changes everything that we currently rely on or know in regards to this implants.
There are also other applications in just about every field imaginable. Devices would become more cost efficient and they would be able to run forever, or at least as long as the rest of the parts held up. Many monitoring devices would be able to use something like this and environmental sensors would also benefit from it.
Everything about his solar-powered sensor system screams conservation. When compared to the technology that is doing the same tasks today that this device will be able to operate, it takes up both less space and uses much less power than anything comparable. When in sleep mode, it will use an incredible 2,000 times less power. The numbers are simply staggering.
One of the reasons that the sensor is so efficient in its operation is because it spends most of its time taking a nap. That’s right, it is in sleep mode and needs only a few seconds every few minutes to take its measurements. The average power consumption is less than 1 nanowatt. For those of you not familiar with this massive amount of energy, that is one-billionth of a watt. We use more energy than this sensor uses all day just by blinking our eyes.
As stated earlier, the medical world licks their chops when something like this comes about because of the various different ways that they can use it. Even though it is solar based, it can probably be modified to get its power from body movement or heat. This opens up the door for an enormous amount of applications and could make many procedures less invasive and implants last longer than ever before. We can only hope that this little powerhouse is as good as they say.
Reference Link
http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/solar-powered-sensor/
Be a Super rider
| Of the California Superbike School that teaches safe riding and coaches racers |
A boon for racers The CSS School
Chennai, India: There is a flush of triumph on T.T. Varadarajan’s face as he talks about the launch of the California Superbike School (CSS) in Chennai. The Managing Director of Preethi had signed up for a course at the premier school in the U.S., primarily for techniques to ride powerful superbikes safely.
Ever since, he desired to bring the school, operating in over 100 tracks covering 27 countries and four continents, to the city.
His aim was to expose promising young Indian racers in the super sport category to coaching of the highest standards. As it costs over $5000 in the United States, a CSS course is beyond the means of most racers in India.
While Varadarajan’s goal was noble, it could not be accommodated in a recession-hit world. Another source of frustration was the super coaches’ non-availability. Top men such as Keith Code (founder of CSS) and Andy Ibbott (responsible for popularising CSS outside the U.S., especially in the U.K.) work on a tight schedule drawn up for a year.“These guys have punishing back-to-back training assignments; they literally live on the tracks.”
After a long incubation period, we finally have what is, probably, the first superbike school in the country. In association with Red Rooster Racing, Preethi organised the first CSS course two weeks ago at the MMSC track in Irrungattukottai. A small team of coaches, led by Ibbott, trained 24 bikers over four days. Sixteen of these riders were sponsored by Preethi.
The trainees included Krishnan Rajini, Rohit Giri and Alisha Abduallah. The level of enthusiasm for the course was mirrored by Sumit Lucas Toppo, a Jharkhand lad who used an interpreter to communicate with Ibbott and the other coaches from the U.K.
“Given the restrictions on funding, Andy has done a tremendous job. Four coaches have done the work of 10,” says Varadarajan. The training involved riding and off-track sessions. Each day was packed with five or six sessions.
Varadarajan would have been happier had the sun been less piercing. Off-track sessions, conducted inthe air-conditioned comfort of the glassed towers at the MMSC track, were a great respite. “To the best of my knowledge, even in the U.S., off-track sessions don’t come with the luxury of air-conditioning,” says Varadarajan.
To beat the heat, the course would be conducted in January next year.
Self-sustaining
That is not the only change planned for the next edition. To make the school self-sustaining, a paid session is likely to be introduced for every sponsored session. Considering CSS teaches safe-riding skills, it is realistic to expect bikers without racing ambitions to gravitate to its courses.
Non-racers at the recent course included Dinesh Reddy, managing director, Red Rooster Racing; T.T. Siddarth, director-operations, Maya Appliances; and T.T. Varadarajan. They sought to master techniques that would make riding superbikes safer and more enjoyable.
To highlight CSS’ expertise in imparting safe riding techniques, a safety ride was organised by CSS, in partnership with the Chennai City Traffic Police, on the eve of the school’s launch.
Reference Link
http://www.thehindu.com/mp/2010/03/01/stories/2010030151040600.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
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