Steam Center Blog

W hile many modern economists and analysts focus on GDP growth and unemployment as a measure of health of the economy, it is an erroneous concept. An endless growth is neither sustainable nor logical and if it is stressed upon it would only be followed by recession. Further, a nation in which all are compelled to be enslaved into nine to five jobs (i.e. low unemployment rate) cannot be a happy and peaceful society but simply a modern version of an an enslaved feudal one that works for the wealth of a few. Following seven parameters are a far better measure of the health of the economy: 1. GDP divided by population does not change by more than +1/-1 percent 2. Bank Interest rates remain within 1-2 percent 3. Overall inflation/deflation rate is +1/-1 percent 4. Currency is convertible and fluctuates within +1/-1 percent 5. Wealth of top 10% is no more than 10 times the wealth of bottom ten percent 6. Basic healthcare and education is available to all free ...

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Path_between_sugar_canes_%285216462193%29.jpg Similar Document also available for view or download at: https://www.scribd.com/doc/290825034/On-Revival-of-Soma-plant-of-Rig-Veda Abstract An ancient plant was described as a god amongst plants in the Rig Veda, an ancient sacred text of Indo-Aryans. The proper identification of this plant has been lost to mankind since ancient times. Scholars have made several diverse attempts to identify what this plant might be but none of the proposals come near the original Soma plant. In the present note a possible identification of this plant is made with a likely extinct variety of a sugar cane plant. It is suggested how an existing varieties may be genetically modified to yield a variety close to original Soma 1. Introduction There was a plant of earth that grew around the Himalayas known as Soma. It was regarded by ancient Indo-Aryans as godly plant. Ancient Indo-Aryans...

Cannabis is an ILLEGAL substance in India. However it was not so very long ago. From time to time humans have indulged in behavior and beliefs that defy all logic and commonsense. While in the past it was on insisting that the earth is flat, in modern times it is on insisting that Marijuana be illegal and it be classified as a substance that is more dangerous than not just alcohol but also opium and its derivatives. Needless to say besides the crime that this has created it has led to denying its possible medical benefits to many including war veterans suffering form PTSD and children suffering from epilepsy. The classification is so severe that it even hampers modern research into cannabis. Needless to say this goes against a vast body of modern scientific studies and literature on the subject. For example see: http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/its-official-marijuana-is-medicine/Content?oid=4381482 However recently the move to change has begun to quote from a r...

Scroll to end of note for lentil flour recipes I ndia has been a predominantly vegetarian country ever since the days of Buddha. Instead of meat there have been three major sources of proteins Milk and milk products Lentil beans Roasted nuts and beans such as Peanuts and chickpeas (Chana + Mungfali) While the growth of wheat has been promoted in modern times and there is little shortage of carbohydrates as a result of it, there has been a shortage of the other products that provide protein or they have become too expensive for a large proportion of the population. As a result, while people may not suffer from hunger they suffer from malnutrition. The question arises as to how to promote the growth of lentil beans in a manner that is easy to implement and does not allow leakage of the scheme into corruption and misuse. The thought has occurred to this blogger that if as a subsidy packets of dry fertilizer/pesticide mixed with good quality le...

W hile reports have come from time to time of Indian children falling sick due to poor midday meals in schools an even worse thing is happening – children falling sick from iron supplements forced on them in schools. Reports of this appear in newspapers from time to time including one today in Rajasthan. For example see http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/delhi-school-kids-fall-sick-after-consuming-iron-supplements/1/291877.html One wonders what is the idea or scam behind this horrible idea. There are much easier, cheaper and healthier ways to provide iron supplements . There is a need to put an end to this scam immediately even if some public officials are extracting bribes from the manufacturer. Two of the simple natural methods of providing iron are 1. Include spinach and other leafy vegetables in school meals. Spinach finely chopped can be mixed in school dal however spinach needs to be washed thoroughly to remove dirt and pesticide residues and this may n...

Geothermal Energy is not Renewable Energy W hile the world is concerned with carbon emissions from fossil fuels it looks for sustainable alternatives. It must be noted that while wind, solar, hydro and energy from biofuels is sustainable because it is renewable, geothermal energy is not sustainable. It can never be replaced. Its use and exploitation beyond what happens naturally (say in volcanoes and hot springs or through heat transfer) has unknown consequences that could lead to destruction of Mother Earth as we know it from changing earths magnetic fields, movement of continental shelves to Earth quakes. When the core of Earth is hollowed by mining the material so extracted is brought to the surface but Earth can be replenished. However heat extracted from its core can never ever be replenished. It was a gift from the Universe to the planet at the time of its creation, and it would take a new creation for it to return. Even use of too much fossil fuels would no...

NOTE: The present note emerged as a result of educational initiatives to reduce hunger and malnutrition in India by https://facebook.com/ohmm11 Scroll towards end for curry and cocktail recipes V egetable prices tend to fluctuate widely in India depending upon season and climate and when prices of essential vegetables like onions, tomatoes and potatoes suddenly shoot up they result in great stress on most households. On the other hand, in some seasons there is a glut and farmers are forced to destroy vegetables. A similar situation prevails in several other countries around the world leading to expensive vegetables in some seasons and wastage in others. This note is therefore relevant for almost all countries. Food processing has been suggested as a means to avoid wastage and reduce price fluctuations. However, while some food processing does not produce very healthy food, particularly when it involves much process and addition of chemicals, the simplest form of foo...