Posts by Rajesh

Enraged vegan spitroasts Reg hack

Hmm

There are probably differences in the way people who are descended from vegetarians for generations obtain their nutrition from what they eat. Although a first generation vegetarian and one descended from several generations of vegetarians may eat the same food, the latter may be more successful in extracting the nutrients necessary for his body than the former. An Indian vegetarian, I come from a blood line of vegetarians. (This is not to say that there are no converts either way). I wonder if this explains why I have not had the protein deficiencies that American/British vegetarians seem to have. For one thing, vegetarians usually consume milk and dairy products like cheese, which are not found in vegan diets. A vegan diet, as indicated in other comments, does not provide any vitamin B-12. However, Ovo-lacto vegetarians have a more balanced diet since they get their vitamin B-12 from eggs. Proteins are not hard to come by for meat eaters, but Indian vegetarian diets include lentils, beans and other food that provide proteins.

Personally, I am a vegetarian not because I have not been inclined to try meat, but because having tried it, I did not like either the taste or the smell of meat. To imagine that others could relish it is a bit disturbing to me, although perhaps acceptable. I cannot claim to be too fond of some vegetarian foods (especially stuff created with an excess of cheese, brinjals and okra) and I guess I can empathize with non vegetarians who cannot do without a regular serving of meat.

There do seem to be benefits in vegetarianism, especially in ovo-lacto vegetarianism. There seem to be benefits in limited flesh eating too (especially fish). If a vegan's belief that he/she does not eat animal products makes them feel good, I am sure that will contribute to their well being too.

I don't know what the hullabaloo is about in this article, given that these choices people make are based not only on nutritional aspects of their diet but also on other things important to them, such as religious beliefs, their partners and what they like and dislike, their ethical principles, and so on. There is no uniquely superior diet, and the diet is only as effective as the human body's ability to process the diet into nutrients, which varies with geography and genetics.

Spielberg quits as Beijing Olympics advisor

Who cares about the Olympics?

That seems to be the attitude. It is not the Olympics that are important here, it is an opportunity for US gainsay. That's the whole idea of getting a *recognized* person like Spielberg to speak out. I am sure that working as Spielberg is on the Olympics to be held in China gives the US diplomats an opportunity to create a mountain out of a molehill. A mountain which could suitably obscure their oil swindling trick which they learnt so well.

An easy analogies:

Sudan : Darfur :: Iraq : Weapons of Mass _Distraction_

OLPC czar shames Intel into board seat

Two views

One view I hold now is that the article in question is not sufficiently serious, given the pretending, posturing, etc.

The other view I hold is that the OLPC is not a realistic enough project for one to be serious about.

I gather the first results in more apathy than the second. In the latter case, at least someone's pushing technology to become cheap and useful to someone. It may make a difference to some of the children who can afford INR 4000 or $100 (which is way above their wages or means in many developing/underdeveloped nations).

To exercise some discretion, I feel this article is simply not serious enough about something which could potentially become important. Flippant comments are all very well, but not into every line of the article, because that is not conscientious reporting, however funny it may be. If one wants to publish hogwash, one may as well do it on one's personal blog or site or whatever.

Anyway this article bops Intel one for staying out of a somewhat positive initiative. Thats the good bit!