Manali

Women will sell their own bodies to feed their children. Men will simply sell their own children to feed themselves.

URGENT IN AMSTERDAM: Angry Muslims, armed with sticks and planks, are brutally attacking white students at the University of Amsterdam! They’re yelling that the Netherlands is now a Muslim country and that whites/non-Muslims don’t belong here anymore. Shocking video: smoke, baton strikes, young people collapsed on the ground… Europe is being trampled before our very eyes!

MOTHER AND PARTNER ABANDON TODDLERS AGE 5 AND 3 IN WOODS AFTER BLINDFOLDING THEM AFTER TAKING THEM TO PORTUGAL Heartless parents allegedly blindfolded their terrified 5-year-old and 3-year-old sons, told them it was a twisted “game to drive away the devil”, buried a knife in the woods and then abandoned the boys deep in remote Portuguese forest. The French brothers Barthélémy (5) and Zacharie (3) were instructed they could only remove their blindfolds once they found the buried knife and used it to cut them off. Mother Marine, 41, from Colmar in eastern France, and her partner Marc had driven more than 1,000 miles from France to Portugal specifically to carry out the alleged abandonment near Alcácer do Sal. The toddlers dug desperately in the dirt for several minutes before Barthélémy finally took their blindfolds off only to realise their parents had completely vanished. They wandered alone for hours, ending up crying and screaming on the side of the quiet N235 rural road between Alcácer do Sal and Comporta around 7pm Tuesday. A local couple who found them said the boys were “terrified”, covered in dirt and bruises with one nursing a grazed knee, desperately calling out for their father. Each boy had only a small backpack containing spare clothes, pieces of fruit and water bottles, nothing else, no ID. Both children have since been given a clean bill of health in hospital (toxicology confirmed they were not drugged) and placed into foster care. Portuguese police have opened an urgent child abandonment case while French authorities are investigating neglect, with the boys’ grandmother and separated biological father having already reported them missing. Marine's mother, the boys' maternal grandmother, reported the children's disappearance to police, telling them they had been abducted by their mother. The boys' father, who is separated from Marine, also filed a child abduction report to police. Colmar prosecutor Jean Richert told Le Parisien: 'He's like everyone else, he doesn't understand. The mother and Marc are now at the centre of the international probe.

The Sassoons were one of the prominent Jewish families of Mumbai. David Sassoon came from a rich and influential family in Baghdad, and he also served as treasurer to the Pashas( Governors). However with persecution of Jews in Iraq , saw the family migrate to Iran first and in 1832 to Mumbai. He founded David Sassoon & Co, a trading company that acted as middleman between British textile firms and the Persian Gulf's commodity merchants. He invested the profits in valuable harbor properties in the city. He also learnt Hindi, had a working knowledge of it, and his main competitors were the Parsis. After the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, that opened China to British traders, he began business operations there in 1844, setting up establishments in Shanghai and Hong Kong. He would export opium and cotton to China, and in return would get silver, tea and silk, which in turn he sold to Britain, and receive finished products from them. During American Civil War, when textile factors in Britain were hit by interruption in import of American cotton, he began to export cotton to British mills and soon they replaced American cotton with his. He was not just one of the richest persons in Mumbai, but also a leader of the Jewish community there. He had a reputation of helping out fellow Jews in need, be it employment or financial. He came to dominate the opium trade to China so much that he literally pushed out the Parsi businessmen who had dominated this. He got the Magen David Synagogue in Byculla built, as well as the Ohel David Synagogue in Pune. Donated liberally for the construction of Albert and Victoria Museum, Byculla which is now called the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum. He established the David Sassoon Benevolent Institution to educate young Jewish men who had immigrated from areas that included Baghdad, Syria, Iran, and Afghanistan in various subjects such as Arabic, bookkeeping, and Hebrew. The Sasoon Docks completed in 1875, is one of the oldest in the city, and was the the first wet dock constructed. Also has the largest fish market. As well as the David Sassoon Library, both of which were founded by his son Albert Sasson. He also contributed to construction of Gateway of India, Clock Tower at Victoria Gardens, Sassoon Hospital in Pune, Bank of India head office. His legacy can be seen in the city todate in many ways.

Her name is Preeti Rajak. She became the first female Subedar in the history of Indian Army. Preeti Rajak was born on 6 November 2002 in Itarsi, Madhya Pradesh. Her father, a dry-cleaner by profession, recognized her sporting talent and got her admitted in 2015 to the Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy. She soon impressed with shooting, winning medals in state and sub-junior national competitions under the tutelage of her local coaches. An award-winning trap shooter, Rajak's pick is a testament to her dedication and reflects the unyielding spirit of Nari Shakti.  Preeti’s career rose as she went on to represent India at multiple prestigious international shooting events, including the World Shotgun Championships, the Asian Games, and several World Cups. Preeti Rajak became a part of the Indian Army's Corps of Military Police in December 2022, one of the services that welcomed enlisted women just a short while ago. She became a Havildar as a result of her success with trap shooting, the first meritorious sportswoman in her sport to achieve it. The Army acquainted her with state-of-the-art training facilities within the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) and austere environment honed her as a soldier and an athlete too. It was on January 27, 2024, that Preeti Rajak was given the promotion of the rank of Subedar and she became the first woman to be bestowed with this rank. She was awarded an out-of-turn promotion, a privilege that not many receive for exemplary work, for both her service in Indian sports and also in service. Huge Respect and Salutes 🫡🇮🇳 to Preeti Rajak and her father.

"मुलींची योग्य प्रकारे जोपासना केली पाहिजे कारण तीच पुढील पिढीची जननी असते आणि जर भावी पिढी तेजस्वी, सामर्थ्यवान तसेच राष्ट्राला पारतंत्र्यातून मुक्त करण्यास समर्थ व्हावी असे वाटत असेल तर मुलींकडेही तितक्याच जिव्हाळ्याने व दक्षतेने लक्ष दिले पाहिजे." स्वातंत्र्यवीर सावरकर यांनी स्त्री सक्षमीकरणाकडे केवळ "स्त्री-पुरुष समानता" या पाश्चात्त्य चौकटीतून पाहिले नाही तर राष्ट्रनिर्मिती, सामाजिक पुनरुत्थान आणि सांस्कृतिक स्वाभिमान या व्यापक संदर्भांतून पाहिले. सावरकरांचे स्त्रीविषयक विचार हे पारंपरिक भारतीय मूल्ये, आधुनिक विवेकवाद, राष्ट्रवाद आणि सामाजिक सुधारणा यांचा संगम दर्शवतात. सावरकरांनी स्त्रीचे स्थान नेहमीच राष्ट्ररचनेच्या केंद्रस्थानी मानले. सावरकरांच्या मते पुढील पिढीची घडण ही स्त्रीच्या हातात असल्यामुळे राष्ट्राचे सामर्थ्य स्त्रीच्या सामर्थ्यावर अवलंबून आहे. भारतीय समाजात त्या वेळी मुलगा-मुलगी भेद अत्यंत खोलवर रुजलेला होता. मुलगा हा वंशाचा दिवा तर मुलगी ही ओझे अशी मानसिकता समाजात होती. सावरकरांनी या विचारसरणीवर कठोर प्रहार केला. सावरकरांच्या मते मुलींकडे दुर्लक्ष करणे ही केवळ कौटुंबिक चूक नसून राष्ट्रद्रोही मानसिकता आहे. कारण जी मुलगी उद्या माता होणार आहे तीच पुढच्या पिढीचे संस्कार घडवणार आहे. स्त्रीशिक्षणाबाबत सावरकरांचे विचार त्या काळासाठी अत्यंत प्रगतिशील होते. स्त्रीशिक्षण असे असावे की ज्यामुळे स्त्री अधिक विवेकी, स्वाभिमानी, कर्तृत्ववान आणि राष्ट्राभिमानी बनेल. पुढील पिढी अधिक बलवान, सुंदर, सुसंस्कृत आणि देशभक्त व्हावी यासाठी स्त्रियांना योग्य शिक्षण दिले पाहिजे असे त्यांचे ठाम मत होते. बालविवाह, विधवांवरील अन्याय आणि स्त्रीवरील दुहेरी नैतिक निकष यांनाही सावरकरांनी विरोध केला. त्यांच्या काळात बालविवाहामुळे असंख्य मुलींचे शिक्षण, आरोग्य आणि आयुष्य उद्ध्वस्त होत होते. म्हणूनच त्यांनी मुलींचे विवाह योग्य वयातच व्हावेत असा आग्रह धरला. त्यांनी बालविधवांच्या दुःखावर कविता लिहून समाजाला प्रश्न विचारले. सावरकरांच्या स्त्री सक्षमीकरणाच्या दृष्टिकोनात शारीरिक सामर्थ्यालाही महत्त्व होते. त्यांनी स्त्रियांना मानसिक आणि शारीरिक दृष्ट्या सक्षम होण्याचा सल्ला दिला. सावरकर स्त्रियांच्या आत्मविश्वासपूर्ण आणि स्वसंरक्षणक्षम व्यक्तिमत्त्वाचे समर्थक होते. इतिहासातील वीरांगनांचे उदाहरण देऊन त्यांनी स्त्रियांना प्रेरणा दिली. राणी लक्ष्मीबाई, महाराणी ताराबाई, राणी दुर्गावती यांसारख्या स्त्रियांचे पराक्रम त्यांनी गौरवले. सावरकरांना भारतीय स्त्रीमध्ये धैर्य आणि राष्ट्रनिष्ठा पाहायची होती. त्यांच्या मते राष्ट्रासाठी बलिदान देणाऱ्या पुरुषांच्या मागे त्यांना धैर्य देणारी स्त्री असली पाहिजे. सावरकरांच्या नाटकांतील आणि कादंबऱ्यांतील स्त्रिया संघर्षशील, विचारशील आणि राष्ट्रनिष्ठ होत्या. सावरकरांच्या स्त्रीविषयक विचारांवर टीकाही झाली. "स्त्रीचे मुख्य कार्य संततीपोषण आहे" या त्यांच्या विधानाचा अर्थ अनेकांनी स्त्रीला घरापुरते मर्यादित ठेवण्याचा प्रयत्न असा घेतला. परंतु सावरकरांचा हेतू स्त्रीला कनिष्ठ ठरवणे हा नव्हता. त्यांच्या मते, मातृत्व ती स्त्रीची कमजोरी नसून तिची सर्वोच्च सर्जनशील शक्ती आहे. राष्ट्रनिर्मितीमध्ये या शक्तीचे मोठे महत्त्व आहे. योग्य क्षमता असल्यास स्त्रिया राजकारण, समाजकारण, युद्धकला किंवा कोणत्याही क्षेत्रात पुढे जाऊ शकतात असे ते मानत. सावरकरांची पत्नी यमुनाबाई याही समाजकार्यात सहभागी होत्या. रत्नागिरीतील अस्पृष्यता निवारण, सार्वजनिक हळदीकुंकू, सहभोजन अशा उपक्रमात त्यांनी सहभाग घेतला होता. सावरकरांचा स्त्रीविषयक दृष्टिकोन हा आधुनिक भारतीय राष्ट्रवादाच्या संदर्भात पाहिला पाहिजे. मुलींचे शिक्षण, स्त्रीचे सामर्थ्य, आत्मसंरक्षण, विधवा-विवाह, बालविवाहविरोध, स्त्रीचा सामाजिक सन्मान आणि राष्ट्रनिर्मितीतील स्त्रीची भूमिका या बाबतीत त्यांनी मांडलेले विचार अत्यंत प्रभावी आणि दूरदर्शी होते. त्यांच्या दृष्टीने आदर्श स्त्री म्हणजे केवळ गृहिणी नव्हे तर आवश्यक तेव्हा रणांगणात उतरू शकणारी, अन्यायाला प्रतिकार करणारी, संस्कारक्षम, विवेकी आणि राष्ट्राभिमानी तेजस्वी व्यक्तिमत्त्व आहे. #स्त्री_सक्षमीकरण #स्वातंत्र्यवीर_सावरकर

Threads of tradition, woven with wonder - she carries centuries in every elegant fold.

A German neuroscientist published a book in 2012 arguing that smartphones are quietly producing the first generation in human history whose brains will shrink before they turn 30, and the media spent the next decade trying to destroy him for saying it. His name is Manfred Spitzer. He runs the Psychiatric University Hospital in Ulm and directs Germany's largest transfer center for neuroscience and education. The book is called Digitale Demenz, which translates as Digital Dementia, and it became one of the best-selling popular science books in German history almost the moment it was published. The press hated him for it. He was called Germany's most controversial brain scientist, accused of being a Luddite, a moral panic merchant, and a fearmonger who hated children. None of that stopped the book from being translated into more than a dozen languages, and almost none of it engaged with the actual neuroscience he was citing. The phrase digital dementia did not even start with him. It started with South Korean doctors in the late 2000s, who noticed something strange in their clinics. Patients in their twenties were arriving with memory complaints that had previously only shown up in much older adults. Forgetting numbers they used to know by heart. Losing the ability to recall directions in cities they had lived in for years. Struggling to remember conversations from earlier the same day. The doctors connected it to the rise of smartphone use, which had hit South Korea harder and earlier than almost any other country on Earth. Spitzer picked up the phrase and built an entire book around the neuroscience that explained it. The core thesis is brutally simple. The brain behaves like a muscle. It grows when you use it, and it atrophies when you do not. Every cognitive task you outsource to a device is a task your brain is no longer practicing, and the neural circuits responsible for that task are no longer being reinforced. Over time, they weaken in exactly the same way an unused muscle weakens. Spitzer was not arguing that smartphones would give you Alzheimer's. He was arguing that decades of cognitive outsourcing would produce a measurable decline in the underlying machinery, long before any clinical diagnosis would catch it, and that the decline was already showing up in young adults. The mechanism is what made him impossible to dismiss. By the early 2010s, there was already deep evidence that the brain physically remodels itself in response to use. London taxi drivers who had memorized the entire street map of the city had measurably larger hippocampi than the average person, which is the brain region responsible for spatial memory. Musicians who practiced for thousands of hours had thicker auditory cortices. Spitzer's argument was just the dark side of the same finding. If the brain grows in response to use, then it must shrink in response to neglect. And if every cognitive task adults used to perform with their own memory, navigation, arithmetic, attention, and reading was now being handled by a glowing rectangle in their pocket, then the regions responsible for all of those tasks were quietly being underused for the first time in human evolutionary history. Then the supporting data started landing. A 2020 study at McGill University tracked 50 regular drivers and measured GPS use. The heavy users had weaker spatial memory than the rest, and when researchers retested a subset three years later, those users had declined the fastest. The same hippocampus London cabbies had built up by ignoring shortcuts was being slowly hollowed out in everyone else by accepting them. A 2024 MIT study scanned the brains of people writing essays with and without ChatGPT. The AI group showed 55 percent weaker brain connectivity than the group writing on their own. 83 percent of the ChatGPT users could not recall a single line from essays they had written minutes earlier. The damage stayed even when the tool was taken away. A 2024 paper out of Norway recorded EEG scans of students writing words by hand versus typing them. The handwriting condition lit up the entire learning network. The typing condition produced almost nothing. Every one of these findings is exactly what Spitzer predicted in 2012. The most uncomfortable line in his book is the one almost nobody in the German press wanted to print. He pointed out that the people building these devices were not letting their own children use them. Steve Jobs did not let his kids near an iPad. Bill Gates capped his children's screen time at 30 minutes a day. The senior engineers at Google were sending their kids to Waldorf schools that banned screens entirely. The people who knew the most about what these products were doing to the developing brain were the ones protecting their own families from them, and almost nobody on the outside was asking why. The generation he was warning about is now in their twenties. The first cognitive scans of what we did to them are starting to come back, and the pattern is exactly what he said it would be. The brain you were born with is not the brain you will die with. You are training it every day. The only question is which direction.

I can’t stop crying. Another temple burned. Another temple burned. Another temple burned. When this happens this many times, can we really still call it a natural fire? Who did this? Who burned it?

A palace hidden inside a waterfall… but it never fully floods How did ancient builders make this possible without modern technology? The secret of Naldurg Fort will blow your mind