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Why did President Nixon resign?

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Due to Watergate scandal (more...)

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Due to Watergate scandal

Origins

Early on the morning of June 17, 1972, five men broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate hotel and office complex in Washington, D.C. A security guard discovered the team and alerted the metro police, who arrested the burglars, who carried more than $3,500 in cash and high-end surveillance and electronic equipment.

While the burglars awaited their arraignment in federal district court, the FBI launched an investigation of the incident. The dogged reporting of two Washington Post journalists, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, raised questions and suggested connections between Nixon’s reelection campaign and the men awaiting trial in federal district court. The White House denied any connection to the break-in, and President Richard Nixon won reelection in a landslide in November 1972.

On January 10, 1973, the trial of the Watergate burglars and two accomplices began. After weeks of testimony, Chief Federal District Judge John Sirica expressed skepticism that all the facts in the case had been revealed. Five men pleaded guilty and two were convicted by a jury. Judge Sirica urged those awaiting sentencing to cooperate with the soon-to-be-established Senate select committee.

Process

On February 5, 1973, Senator Edward Kennedy offered Senate Resolution 60 to establish a Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities to investigate campaign activities related to the presidential election of 1972. Traditionally the sponsoring member presides over an inquiry. Majority Leader Mike Mansfield wanted to avoid the possibility that the committee would seem unduly partisan because of Kennedy's presidential aspirations and instead offered the chair to Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina.

Well-qualified to head the investigation, Senator Ervin was a former North Carolina Supreme Court justice, a self-proclaimed “country lawyer” with a degree from Harvard Law School, and widely regarded as the Senate’s constitutional expert. At 76 years old he did not aspire to the presidency. His reputation among his Senate colleagues was, according to Secretary of the Senate Frank Valeo, “unassailable.” As chairman of the Constitutional Rights Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Ervin had investigated a number of issues important to the Watergate scandal, including surveillance and wiretapping.

On February 7, 1973, the Senate voted unanimously to create the select committee. The resolution empowered four Democrats and three Republicans to subpoena witnesses and materials, provided them with a $500,000 budget, and required them to submit a final report by February 28, 1974. The resolution granted the committee the power to investigate the break-in and any subsequent cover-up of criminal activity, as well as “all other illegal, improper, or unethical conduct occurring during the Presidential campaign of 1972, including political espionage and campaign finance practices.”

Public Relations

Emphasizing the educational function of congressional investigations, the committee’s chief counsel, Samuel Dash, coordinated an aggressive media strategy. The print news media focused America's attention on the issue with hard-hitting investigative reports, while television news outlets brought the drama of the hearings to the living rooms of millions of American households, broadcasting the proceedings live for two weeks in May 1973. The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) broadcast the hearings during prime time on more than 150 national affiliates, earning higher ratings than regularly scheduled entertainment programming. Only one month after the hearings began, an overwhelming majority of Americans—97 percent—had heard of Watergate. Of those, 67 percent believed that President Nixon had participated in the Watergate cover-up.

Investigation

The Senate Watergate Committee has been credited with reviving public confidence in congressional investigations, which had declined during the McCarthy inquiries of the 1950s. Several factors contributed to the committee’s overall success including extensive media coverage, sustained public interest, the meticulous work of investigators, the cooperation of key witnesses, and the continuing support of the full Senate. Public support for the investigation remained strong even when a series of confrontations between the Watergate Committee and the White House provoked a constitutional crisis.

Throughout the inquiry President Nixon rebuffed the committee’s requests for access to information. Claiming a constitutional separation of powers, he refused to allow his aides to testify. Senator Ervin insisted that executive privilege could not be extended to cover criminal behavior and he threatened to authorize the sergeant at arms to arrest White House aides who refused to testify. Conceding to public pressure, the president allowed his aides to cooperate but continued to deny the committee access to presidential papers. Nixon repeatedly declared that he knew nothing about the Watergate burglary, but former White House counsel John Dean III testified that the president had approved plans to cover up White House connections to the break-in. Another former aide, Alexander Butterfield, revealed that the president maintained a voice-activated tape recorder system in various rooms in the White House.

Chairman Ervin requested access to the tapes, believing that they would either corroborate or repudiate testimony that the president had knowledge of, and approved efforts to cover up, the Watergate break-in. Senate Resolution 194 authorized the committee to “issue subpoenas for documents, tapes and other material to any officer of the executive branch,” and the committee voted unanimously on July 16, 1973, to subpoena the tapes and documents. Nixon refused to comply, citing executive privilege and separation of powers. Senator Ervin rebutted that “the select committee is exercising the constitutional power of the Senate to conduct the investigation, and the doctrine of the separation of powers of Government requires the President to recognize this and to refrain from obstructing the committee.” Vice Chairman Howard Baker (R-TN) proposed that the committee take the president to court. On August 9, 1973, the committee took the unprecedented step of suing the president in federal district court for access to the tapes and other documents. The court dismissed the action for lack of jurisdiction and appeals affirmed the lower court’s ruling.

In early 1974 Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski asked the committee to postpone releasing its final report so as to not unduly influence the criminal cases he was preparing against former White House staff. The House Judiciary Committee launched an impeachment inquiry. In light of these developments, members of the Senate committee voted unanimously on February 19, 1974, to conclude public hearings and complete the committee’s remaining tasks in private sessions.

Outcome

The committee submitted its final report including legislative recommendations on June 27, 1974. On July 24 the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in a separate case, United States v. Nixon, that the president must surrender the tapes to the special prosecutor. President Nixon complied and the recordings revealed that he had participated in devising a plan to cover up the White House connection to the Watergate burglary. Based on this evidence, the House Judiciary Committee adopted three articles of impeachment. Before the full House could vote, Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974.

The Watergate Committee’s final report recommended legislative action in three areas: regulation of campaign activities and contributions, the establishment of a permanent special prosecutor, and the creation of a permanent congressional legal service. Some, though not all, of these recommendations became law. In 1974 Congress amended the Federal Election Campaign Act. The revisions imposed limitations on expenses and contributions, required regular reporting by election committees, and established a means for public financing of presidential nominating conventions and primary elections. Congress passed the Ethics in Government Act in 1978. The bill required financial disclosure by executive and judicial branch officials and established the Office of Government Ethics as an oversight agency. It also created mechanisms for the appointment of a special prosecutor.

In the years following the Watergate investigation Congress passed legislation aimed at strengthening the legislative branch’s oversight powers. In 1974, Congress overrode a presidential veto and revised the Freedom of Information Act, providing the public and the media with new tools to access information held by the executive branch. The 1976 Government in Sunshine Act required federal agencies to hold their meetings in public.

The Senate Watergate investigation remains one of the most significant congressional inquiries in U.S. history. Over the course of this 16-month investigation committee members maintained bipartisan accord, garnered public support, and expanded congressional investigatory powers to produce lasting legislative reform.

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Why did British invaded Tibet in 1903

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To resolve and establish a boundary between British India and Tibet. (more...)

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To resolve and establish a boundary between British India and Tibet.

British expedition to Tibet also known as Younghusband expedition began in December 1903 and lasted until September 1904. Main purpose of this mission was establish diplomatic relations and resolve the dispute over the border between Tibet and Sikkim. By 1870's, a number of different factors had begun to orientate the Government of India's focus towards the northern frontier. In late 19th century due to the isolationist policy of Tibet many European explorer tried to cross the Tibetan frontier and reach it capital. This drive to Lhasa was a strong influence on Younghusband Mission. Hostilities broke over Sikkim which the Tibetans considered their suzerain territory. Tibetan forces occupied a strategic at Lingtu in June 1886 and refused the British demand to withdrew. In March 1888 when diplomacy failed British send armed forces through Sikkim and dislodged the Tibetans. The British attempted to communicate to the Tibetans through China not realizing that Peking no longer exercised any real authority over Tibet. The Chinese anxious about British direct talks with the Tibetans agreed to talk at Calcutta. These resulted in the 1890 Anglo-Chinese convention, which recognized Sikkim-Tibet Border and called for the establishment of British trade agency at Yatung. But when British reached Yatung in 1894 Tibetans did not allowed them to build the trade agency and British realized China has no authority over Tibet. Russian expansion into Central Asia had gathered pace in 19th century and British Indian strategist were concerned with the issues that might threaten the security of British India. That fear was intensified by Russian Generals inclined to bellicose statement over attacking British India. While notion of Russian threat was originally regarded towards the north-wester frontier, in late 1890's in was applied to the Tibetan frontier. In 1888 Lord Curzon travelled through Russian Central Asia on newly constructed railway from Caspian to Samarkand. Curzon fear of Russian influence in Tibet were Increased in October 1900 when reports appeared in St. Petersburg that an emissary of Dalai Lama had called on Tsar and there were rumors of secret treaty between the two countries. Curzon sent a letter to Dalai Lama about this but his letter was not responded. This was said to be the triggering point of British invasion of Tibet

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What are the best inflation hedge assets?

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There is no known asset class that is an effective hedge against inflation. People have put forward some suggestions, but none have been successful in either the short or long term.

• Real estate (3... (more...)

Short answer

There is no known asset class that is an effective hedge against inflation. People have put forward some suggestions, but none have been successful in either the short or long term.

• Real estate (32% of U.S. CPI)
• Commodities
• Stocks/Equities
• Infrastructure bonds
• Inflation-linked bonds

Inflation is a price increase, which translates to a reduction in buying power over time. The average price rise of a group of chosen products and services over some time might represent the pace of decline in purchasing power. As a result of the price increase, which is sometimes stated as a percentage, one unit of currency purchases less than it did in the past.

Investors use several asset classes to beat inflation when it goes high.

Real estate is the leading asset class for inflation protection

The real estate asset type has inherent value and generates continuous dividend income. Around the world, there is a persistent demand for housing. When inflation rises, so do property prices and, consequently, the rental yields.

Real estate is an illiquid asset class. Which means it cannot be instantly exchanged for cash. Hence, investors often consider real estate investment trusts (REITs), which can be easily traded and cashed.

Real estate is around a third of inflation indices

Real estate is an excellent inflation hedge because rent is generally the top component of an inflation index.

In the U.S. CPI, "Shelter" is 32% of the index.

Commodities are the first option for investors looking to hedge inflation

Commodities include oil, natural gas, precious metals(gold, silver), wheat, and maize. On the futures market, participants contract to trade commodities at a specified time and price in the future. An investor may acquire exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or commodity stocks. Investors may also acquire physical commodities like gold bullion bars, etc.

Commodities provide a natural hedge against inflation. As inflation drives the prices of all consumer goods, including commodities, investors may earn a healthy return on their investments when they invest in them.

However, investors must remain cautious as commodity trades and prices remain pretty volatile as they get influenced by unpredictable geo-political situations, weather, etc.

Stock investment provides long term hedge against inflation

For a longer-term inflation hedge, stocks are traditionally considered one of the best investments. On an average return basis, stock prices have expanded faster than inflation since 1927. It is because corporate profits tend to increase faster than inflation.

Investors looking to hedge inflation long-term tend to increase the proportion of dividend-paying stocks in their investment portfolio. Stocks with dividends will yield quarterly returns that will provide some relief to investors during high inflation periods.

Infrastructure investment remains relatively stable through inflation

Infrastructure like airports, roads, sea ports, energy, etc., correlate lower to stock indices. Also, infrastructure investments are non-cyclical because infrastructure development is always ongoing.

Usually, governments infuse the budget with infrastructure to spur spending. Hence, they remain an excellent option for diversifying investment.

Retail investors may choose to invest in ETFs related to several infrastructure plans.

Government issued bonds like Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS) are investment instruments to hedge against inflation

TIPS is a form of U.S. Treasury bond directly linked to inflation to protect investors during high inflation. TIPS payouts occur twice yearly at a predetermined rate. The principal value of TIPS fluctuates dependent on the inflation rate. Hence the return rate includes the primary value adjustment. TIPS are available in three maturities: five, ten, and thirty years.

There are similar treasury bonds by governments of various countries, for example, Inflation-Indexed Bonds (IIBs) in India.

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Are toll booths in northeast us also checkpoints for valid drivers license

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No. Although police are often to be found at or near toll plazas, they are looking for speeding, dangerous driving, and other infractions. (more...)

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No. Although police are often to be found at or near toll plazas, they are looking for speeding, dangerous driving, and other infractions.

An air to air heat pump will accumulate frost on the outdoor coil during what mode of operation?

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How can we prevent pandemics in the future?

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• To prevent future pandemics, climate change needs to be addressed, as pandemics are directly or indirectly tied to climate change.
• Governments should take away subsidies that enable deforestation,... (more...)

Short answer

• To prevent future pandemics, climate change needs to be addressed, as pandemics are directly or indirectly tied to climate change.
• Governments should take away subsidies that enable deforestation, restrict private land clearance, and preserve the privileges of indigenous inhabitants.
• Spreading education and knowledge on animal handling, cleanliness, disease transmission, and sustainable wildlife.

Pandemics

The two outcomes most likely to trigger the next pandemic are the emergence of a new strain of influenzas, such as the H7N9 "bird flu" virus, or the discovery of a previously unknown virus, such as another novel coronavirus. In the last century, the world has faced four pandemics caused by influenza. Each occurred every 15 and 30 years and is more likely to happen yearly. For a new pandemic, a new virus will need to emerge that the general population will have very little or no immunity. It will need to replicate in humans, and it will need to transmit easily from one person to the next, which will cause the disease to spread across the entire world.

The increased movement of animals and animal products has also contributed to the threat posed by emerging diseases. Large intensive livestock farms can potentially cause "spillover infections," in which infectious diseases spread from animals to people. Every year, different avian influenza strains make their way around the world in the wild bird population. The practices of intensive poultry farming raise the likelihood that wild birds will infect domestic birds, which passes on to the people who work in the poultry industry. In addition to putting people at risk of contracting pandemic viruses like Ebola, expanding into virgin forests for mining and lumber harvesting may also threaten endangered species.

Here are the ways to avoid future pandemics:

Climate Change is the primary concern that should be addressed immediately to prevent any pandemics from happening in the future

Climate change icon

Increasing temperatures make it possible for disease-carrying insects like ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects to flourish, adapt to changing seasons, and invade new areas, climate change is directly connected to an increased likelihood of a pandemic. The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions must reach zero as quickly as feasible and is the central focus of all proposed solutions to the problem of climate change. Because forests and seas both play essential roles in regulating our climate, improving the natural capacity of forests and oceans to absorb carbon dioxide may also help halt global warming.

The most effective strategies for reversing climate change include applying pressure on governments and businesses to:

1. Refrain from extracting fossil fuels from the ground Coal, oil, and gas are examples of fossil fuels, and the more these fuels are mined and consumed, the more severe the effects of climate change will be. As soon as feasible, all nations must stop their economies from relying on fossil fuels.
2. Make investments in alternative forms of energy. The most effective strategy for abandoning fossil fuels is to transition primary energy systems to ones that are environmentally friendly and self-sufficient. Technologies such as solar, wind, wave, tidal, and geothermal power are included in this category.
3. Make farming more efficient and encourage people to adopt vegan diets. One of the most useful things people can do to aid in the struggle to combat the effects of climate change is to either reduce the amount of meat and dairy consumption or transition to a vegan diet entirely. People might find it easier to transition to a plant-based diet if businesses and food merchants improve agricultural techniques and sell more goods derived from plants.
4. Restore nature to absorb more carbon. The natural world is incredibly effective at cleaning up the pollution humans produce. It is recommended to rewild land or plant trees in strategic locations. Some programs allow land to be returned to its natural state. This is because photosynthesizing plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they develop.
5. Take steps to preserve the seas. In addition, oceans take in vast quantities of carbon dioxide from the air, which helps maintain a consistent climate on Earth. But many have been fished to extinction, utilized for oil and gas extraction, or are in danger from deep sea mining. Protecting the seas and the species that live inside them is, in the long run, a means for humans to protect themselves from the effects of climate change.

Stop Deforestation, as it increases human exposure to new infectious diseases and makes us more vulnerable to pandemics

Deforestation - Flickr - crustmania

Deforestation causes the displacement of animals closer to people and one another. Scientists have sounded the alarm for years, warning that this raises the human population's risk of contracting new infectious illnesses and makes us more susceptible to pandemics like those caused by the fatal COVID-19 coronavirus.

Solutions to Deforestation:

1. One of the essential things to stop Deforestation is to educate and empower industries and government officials to make more responsible purchasing decisions. People may make a difference in the fight against Deforestation by eliminating single-use material, consuming sustainable food, and selecting wood items that are either recycled or manufactured responsibly. In addition, they may avoid using palm oil and grow trees, eliminate paper use in their homes and workplaces, recycle things, and go paperless. When individuals are educated about the need to act decisively in their own lives, it allows them to make the fight against Deforestation a regular part of their lives. Products designed for single use, regardless of whether they are fabricated from wood or plastic, significantly contribute to the generation of trash and the use of energy.
2. Consuming meat contributes to Deforestation in several different ways. There is a substantial impact on the environment brought about by cutting down trees to create room for agriculture and development, the cultivation of grains for livestock, and the energy necessary to fuel and process cattle. According to WWF, the meat sector is responsible for around 14% of all worldwide emissions.
3. When it comes to mitigating the impacts of Deforestation, governments all over the globe can do more to invest in legislation that preserves trees or, at the very least, to carry out well-planned tree-planting activities. There are also international treaties that governments might sign to safeguard animals and forests from exploitation.

Stop the international trade of high-risk species such as civets, pangolins, monkeys, bats, and rodents

Pandemics transmitted by Eating Animals ENG & CHINESE (blue).-1

COVID-19 has presented humankind with a chance to highlight the vital and sometimes underappreciated interdependence between humans and the environment. The emphasis now is on preventing future pandemics since millions of lives have been lost and the globe's economy has been harmed. Because it brings about direct contact between people and wild animals and domesticated animals, which may both be potential carriers for zoonotic infections, the international wildlife trade has garnered significant public attention. The illegal wildlife trade is responsible for more than one billion indirect and direct interactions between wild animals, people, and domesticated animals yearly. The potential for the transmission of zoonotic illnesses from one animal to another has substantially grown as a direct consequence of increasing demand for items derived from wildlife and the availability of more contemporary modes of transportation that are both quicker and less expensive.

The emphasis is on zoonotic viruses of animals since the vast majority of newly developing infectious illnesses are more likely to be caused by viruses that have their roots in mammalian species.

Why Shouldn't A complete prohibition on trading in animals be one of the necessary steps to prevent another pandemic from occurring? The global demand for certain wildlife products, including wild meat, needs to be reduced to safeguard habitats and wildlife and keep animals in their natural environments and away from humans to minimize the risk of zoonotic viral spillover. The adoption of such innovative, individualized, and meaningful pandemic preventive measures is necessary for the policy's efficacy. Importantly, they must be rooted in the primary global efforts to preserve natural ecosystems and biodiversity.

Investments in healthcare are strictly required to prevent future pandemics

Life expectancy vs healthcare spending

Investing wisely today to improve public health infrastructure to lessen the likelihood of future pandemics. In its findings, published in May 2021, the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response referred to the COVID-19 pandemic as the "Chernobyl moment" of the 21st century. It also made it abundantly apparent that if the investment does not occur at this time, "we will condemn the world to successive pandemics."

Pandemics don't care about national boundaries; thus, investing in pandemic prevention is the best way to serve the global public interest. We should have taken measures during previous outbreaks, which resulted in us leaving the project undone. If we do not take the time to learn from our mistakes in the wake of prior pandemics, we will pay the price when the next pandemic strikes. To construct a robust one-health system on a global scale, it is essential to take immediate action and adopt a proactive, preventive strategy in response to newly developing illnesses.

Here are few more measures that can help to prevent pandemics in the future:

• Increase financing for initiatives that keep an eye on wildlife trade, monitor endangered species and work to strengthen international treaties.
• It should be illegal to sell high-risk species such as civets, pangolins, monkeys, bats, and rodents nationally and internationally.

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How do you get a stand in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure?

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Who are the most famous people in India?

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• Mahatma Gandhi is a famous social reformer known as the Father of Nation in India.
• The former president and renowned Missile man of India, Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam
• The first woman of India to go to sp... (more...)

Short answer

• Mahatma Gandhi is a famous social reformer known as the Father of Nation in India.
• The former president and renowned Missile man of India, Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam
• The first woman of India to go to space is most popular Kalpana Chawla
• The famous queen of the princely state of Jhansi Rani Lakshmi Bai
• Ratan Tata, the most renowned and powerful businessman India has ever produced
• The famous Prime Minister of India Mr. Narender Modi
• Shah Rukh Khan also called the King of Bollywood and Romance, is India's most popular movie star.
• Virat Kohli is the most popular cricket celebrity in India.

India has several world-renowned personalities known for their unmatched contributions in their fields.

Several notable Indians have made their mark in politics, dance and music, literature, science, religion, business, Movies, and other fields.

From ascetic theorists to great mathematicians to wealthy industrialists, India has had a lot of famous people who have made the country proud.

Mahatma Gandhi was a famous social reformer, also known as the Father of Nation in India

Indians widely consider Mahatma Gandhi as the Father of the Nation. Gandhi was a social reformer and Indian Independence Movement leader who led the fight for Indian democracy through non-violent "satyagraha."

Studio photograph of Mahatma Gandhi, London, 1931. Elliott & Fry, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Gandhi studied law at London's Inner Temple. He returned to India in 1915 after organizing civil disobedience for Indians in South Africa.

Gandhi traveled by rail in India to several regions to study farmers', peasants', and urban laborers' difficulties and organize rallies for them.

He rose the ranks and became the face National Congress in 1921. He rallied people in the Dandi Salt march in 1930 and the 1942 Quit India Movement.

He fought to elevate untouchables and gave them the name Harijan, meaning God's offspring. Gandhi frequently wrote for newspapers, and his spinning loom wheel became a symbol of the Indian Independence Movement.

A.P. J. Abdul Kalam was the former president and renowned Missile man of India

Dr. Kalam was India's president for five years, from 2002 to 2007. He is also one of India's most famous scientists, politicians, and writers.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam's inaugural speech. Vipul5491 at English Wikipedia, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dr. Kalam, an aeronautical engineer by training, contributed to substantial advancements in rocketry at India's space agency ISRO and defense agency DRDO. He is known as a significant force behind India's space program.

India revered Dr. Kalam, who was named one of the two most trusted men in India. Indian government conferred the Bharat Ratna on him, India's highest civilian honor.

Kalpana Chawla is the first woman from India to go to space

Kalpana Chawla was the first person of Indian origin to go to space.

Kalpana Chawla, NASA photo portrait. NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

She was also the first woman at Punjab Engineering College to study aeronautical engineering.

She is a national hero in India because of her accomplishments, and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor was given to her.

Kalpana Chawla was a licensed pilot who could fly seaplanes, multi-engine planes, and gliders for business. She was also certified to teach people how to fly gliders and airplanes.

There are buildings, streets, and other places named after her now.

In 1997, Chawla was on the Space Shuttle Columbia, which exploded and killed her and the other six people on board. During its return to Earth's atmosphere, the spacecraft broke apart.

Rani Laxmi Bai is the famous queen of Jhansi who martyred herself fighting against British colonial rule

Laxmi Bai was a Brahmin girl who grew up with boys. She learned martial arts, sword fighting, and horse riding because she was raised in the court of the leader of the people, Baji Rao II, and got married to the king at a young age.

A painting depicting the Rani of Jhansi dressed as a man fighting the British cavalry. AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Popularly called Rani Laxmi bai, she was the queen of Jhansi. She was one of the leaders of the 1857 mutiny against British colonial rule.

Laxmi bai remains popular after a century because she rebelled against the British in a male-dominated rebellion while leading a traditionally patriarchal kingdom.

During the rebellion, Laxmi bai quickly gathered her army and took control of the rebels in the Bundelkhand area. She also got help from insurgents in the nearby areas.

She never gave up in battle and fought all fights carrying her infant in her arms. She is also known for establishing herself in a male-dominated society in an era when a woman ruling the state was unfathomable.

Ratan Tata is the most renowned and powerful businessman India has ever produced

Ratan Tata is a popular industrialist and the heir to the famous Tata group. Being a successful businessman, Ratan Tata is one of the most famous faces in India.

Ratan Tata. U.S. Embassy New Delhi, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

From 1990 to 2012, Ratan Tata led Tata Group and Tata Sons as their chairman. His companies achieved new milestones under his direction.

Ratan Tata is known for his excellent leadership and humility. Per his wishes, the Tata group of companies donated 75% of their profits to charity.

Dividends from his various companies are added to the charity, not his wealth. That's why the value of Ratan Tata's personal assets has remained around one billion dollars.

Narender Modi is one of the most popular Indian politicians and the current prime minister of India

Narendra Damodardas Modi is an Indian politician born on 17 September 1950. From 2001 to 2014, Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat. He is now a member of parliament from Varanasi. He is the 14th prime minister of India, serving the office since 2014.

Modi is a member of the right-wing Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the leader of affiliated political party called Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He is the only Indian prime minister in office for the longest who is not a member of the Indian National Congress.

Modi's rule and policies have been criticized by several and marred with controversies. Despite the polarizing opinions, he remains one of the most popular personalities in India.

Shah Rukh Khan is the biggest superstar in India and is well-known globally

Often referred to as the king of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan is a world-famous superstar from India.

Almost thirteen films by Shah Rukh Khan have won Filmfare Awards, considered the Oscar of Bollywood. It is regarded as an exceptional achievement.

He entered the Film Industry and launched himself as an icon of romance with his unique acting skills and attractive looks. The emotions and feelings of Shah Rukh Khan movies are famous in India and worldwide. Due to his unrivaled popularity, he remains the second richest actor worldwide.

Virat Kohli is the most popular cricket celebrity in India.

Virat Kohli is one of the most famous celebrity cricketer in India.

On 18 August 2008, Virat Kohli made his cricketing debut with the India Cricket Team. He has since remained a powerhouse of achievements. He has achieved the fastest 10000 runs milestone along with 43 international centuries in ODI cricket.

In the ICC ranking, Virat Kohli is the number one batsman in ODI cricket. And for all these reasons, his popularity has grown worldwide.

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How does Youtube know what to suggest you?

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By considering a variety of signals, such as watch and search history, subscribed channels, sharing, likes/dislikes, clicks, watchtime, surveys, country, and time of day, YouTube's algorithm for deep ... (more...)

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By considering a variety of signals, such as watch and search history, subscribed channels, sharing, likes/dislikes, clicks, watchtime, surveys, country, and time of day, YouTube's algorithm for deep learning understands user preferences. The system then provides suggestions by searching the video database for content that is catered to the user's specific interests.

Youtube Search

There is a fanbase for practically every video, and everyone has different watching preferences. Finding that audience is what YouTube's suggestion engine is supposed to do. Its suggestion engine is based on the straightforward idea of assisting users in finding relevant videos to watch. Its technology evaluates users’ watching patterns and recommends further stuff they may find interesting. YouTube recommends new videos to users while they are viewing videos depending on what they are presently watching and other videos they may find interesting.

It considers a variety of factors, such as the user's channel subscriptions as well as their viewing and search history. It also takes context into account, like time of day and country (this helps to show the locally relevant videos). Its technology scans billions of videos to provide media that is specifically suited to user interests. For instance, the algorithm can recommend further sports highlights from that genre to the viewer if it detects that they watched Messi's goals during El Clasico. Instead of using a predetermined formula, the system adapts as users' viewing preferences vary.

How YouTube personalize Suggestions:

The recommendation engine on YouTube is continually developing because of the billions of signals it receives every day. It entails comprehending every piece of data that enters their system. Search history, watchtime, survey replies, clicks, sharing, watch and search history, likes/dislikes, subscription channels, country, and time of day are some of the signals that assist the system to learn about what a user finds satisfactory.

Clicking on a video provides a strong indication that the user finds the video satisfying

People would not really click on anything they didn't want to see.  YouTube's recommendation engines consider whether users who clicked on a particular video watched it through to the end or merely clicked on it and quickly clicked away. It’s a hint that the video is of better quality or more entertaining. To avoid clickbaits, YouTube added watchtime.

Watchtime provides personalized signals to YouTube’s system about what is the user most likely wants to watch

The user's watchtime is the videos they viewed and how long they watched them. It sends customized signals to YouTube's algorithm about the content they are most likely to find interesting. Therefore, it is fair to say that a football fan considered viewing the National Football League highlights more beneficial if they spent 20 minutes watching highlights and just a few seconds watching match commentary.

Surveys: A machine learning program forecasts possible survey replies and determines the most valuable watchtime to provide suggestions

Online Survey

Survey responses are used to determine if audiences are pleased with the material they are seeing and to provide adjustment recommendations. By asking viewers to rank the videos they've viewed on a scale of one to five stars in user surveys, it may gauge how enjoyable they found the material to be. Only highly rated videos with four or five stars are included in the calculation of valuable watchtime. A machine learning algorithm predicts probable survey replies for everyone based on the responses.

Suggests based on Sharing, Likes, and Dislikes as people are more likely to be satisfied by videos that they share or like

Like

Videos that users share or like are often more likely to make them feel fulfilled. This data is used by the algorithm to attempt to forecast whether a user will like or share further videos in the future. If people don't like a video, they presumably didn't like viewing it.

YouTube also personalizes a user’s video recommendations based on their watch history, Channels Subscribed, and location and time

If users have enabled watching and search history, YouTube makes use of it to create suggestions based on the user's preferences and interests by examining the kinds of material they recently saw. Based on the user's country, it also provides "trending videos." The YouTube search and watch history may always be stopped, edited, or deleted if a user changes their mind about how much information they wish to share.

As time has gone on, more and more people have turned to YouTube for information and news. The accuracy of the facts and context are crucial when discussing current events or difficult scientific findings. YouTube links viewers to reliable sources of information while reducing the likelihood that they would encounter objectionable material. They developed classifiers to recognize violent or racy videos and block them from being suggested, using recommendations to minimize low-quality material.

YouTube is extending the ways in which they utilize their suggestion system to include harmful disinformation and borderline material that doesn't break their Community Guidelines as a result of the growth in misinformation. To determine if a video is "authoritative" or "borderline," classifiers are used. These categories are based on the evaluations of each channel or video's content quality by human reviewers. These raters come from all across the globe and are educated using a set of thorough, readily accessible rating rules. When the material deals with medical issues, they also depend on licensed professionals like physicians.

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Can you use electrical breakers in other boxes

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How did the universe begin?

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• As suggested by the Big Bang theory, the universe came into existence during a period of inflation that started around 13.8 billion years ago. Within a microsecond, it ballooned from a size too smal... (more...)

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• As suggested by the Big Bang theory, the universe came into existence during a period of inflation that started around 13.8 billion years ago. Within a microsecond, it ballooned from a size too small than an electron to roughly its current size.
• The Big Bang hypothesis incorporates the mainstream theories of elementary particles and the general theory of relativity that Albert Einstein developed.

File:Bigbang.png

Bigbang

The Big Bang Theory is now the most popular theory for how the universe came into existence. It states that the universe began as an infinitely extremely dense single point (the Singularity or the Planck Era) that expanded and stretched, at first at unimaginable speeds, and then proceeded at a much more quantifiable rate over the subsequent 13.8 billion years to become the still-expanding universe that is known today.

According to NASA, all of this occurred within the first second after the universe came into being when the temperature of everything was still very high. At the time, the temperature of everything was around 10 billion degrees Fahrenheit (5.5 billion degrees Celsius). The entire universe now contained a massive array of elementary particles such as electrons, protons, and neutrons, the building resources that would become the foundations for everything which exists today. This process is known as "reheating," It started when an overflow of matter and energy began compiling in our universe.

Is it feasible to gaze back in time and see the universe's beginning? - Not precisely

Since the available technology does not let astronomers physically see back in time to the moment the universe was formed, most of what we know about the Big Bang comes from mathematical calculations and models. However, astronomers can observe the "echo" of the universe's expansion due to the cosmic microwave background (CMB) phenomenon. This phenomenon is sometimes called the "afterglow" of the Big Bang. Ralph Alpher and some other scientists made the first prediction of it in 1948, but it wasn't discovered until an accident happened 20 years later.

Galaxies greater than 13 billion years old and originated shortly after the Big Bang may be seen by the Hubble Space Telescope due to its advanced imaging capabilities. The cosmic microwave background has been seen, which is the faint light left over after the Big Bang. These observations assist in creating an image of what the early universe resembled, particularly before those first stars appeared. The Andromeda galaxy, the primary galaxy closest to our own, is seen not as it is now but as it was more than two million years ago. This is because of the time it took for the light from the galaxy to travel across space and arrive on Earth.

Because it is not possible for humans to see the Big Bang directly, scientists have been focusing their efforts on devising methods that would allow them to "observe" it indirectly. In one scenario, cosmologists are "pushing rewind" to reach the first moment after the Big Bang. To do this, they are using a gigantic supercomputer to simulate 4,000 different versions of the universe we live in today.

While most astronomers believe in the big bang hypothesis, some propose eternal inflation or an oscillating universe

The Oscillating Universe Theory is a cosmological model that integrates both the Big Bang and the Big Crunch. This event is referred to as the oscillation of the universe. To put it another way, if this hypothesis is correct, then the portion of the universe in which we exist lies between the Big Bang and the Big Crunch. In other words, our world may be the first in a sequence of conceivable universes or the N^th in the series.

After the Big Bang, there was a short period referred to as inflation, during which the universe expanded at a very high rate. According to the notion of eternal inflation, inflation has never ceased and has continued for an infinitely long time. Within the enormous structure known as the multiverse, brand-new universes are being formed somewhere out there in space. The physical principles governing these worlds could be different in these realms. The oscillating model of the universe postulated a never-ending cycle of Big Bangs, followed by Big Crunches that began the process all over again.

The presence of dark energy, which is still one of the biggest mysteries in all science is responsible for the universe's accelerated expansion

Expanding Universe

Edwin Hubble, an astronomer, discovered that the universe was not stationary in the 1920s. Instead, it expanded, leading researchers to conclude that the universe must have begun with a Big Bang.

As it expands, continuous measurements of the universe are carried out by NASA spacecraft such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope. Whether the universe will continue to expand indefinitely or if it will one day come to a halt, turn around, and collapse in a "Big Crunch" has been one of the aims.

For a long time, scientists believed that the gravitational pull of the cosmos' many forms of matter would slow down the universe's expansion. Then, in 1998, measurements made by the Hubble Space Telescope of supernovae located very far away indicated that an extremely long time ago, the rate at which the universe was expanding was slower than it is now. In other terms, the expansion of the cosmos was not occurring at a slower rate as a result of gravity; instead, it was happening at a mysteriously faster rate. Dark energy is the term given to the mysterious factor that is thought to be responsible for this accelerated expansion, and it continues to be one of the biggest mysteries in scientific research.

Was "fast food" available in Ancient Rome?

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Which people, individually, were most responsible for climate change?

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• People who use fossil fuels, cut down forests, and raise animals, increase the greenhouse gases in the environment that trap heat and lead to climate change.
• Almost all of the rise in greenhouse ... (more...)

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• People who use fossil fuels, cut down forests, and raise animals, increase the greenhouse gases in the environment that trap heat and lead to climate change.
• Almost all of the rise in greenhouse gases over the last 150 years can be attributed to human activities.
• Burning fossil fuels for power, heating, and mobility is the leading cause of human-related greenhouse gas emissions.

The effects of climate change pose a significant risk to the established order of the planet. Rising sea levels due to climate change might force two billion people to relocate from their homes if greenhouse gas emissions continue at their current pace. Over two third of the world's total historical greenhouse gas emissions can be traced back to only one hundred fossil fuel businesses controlled by investors and states.

Fossil Fuel Firms are the highest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and responsible for climate change

Only one hundred companies have been responsible for 70 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions during the last two decades, and those companies manufacture fossil fuels. Companies dealing in fossil fuels play a significant part in the issue of climate change.

While experts insist that we must immediately transition to other forms of energy and improve our energy efficiency, fossil fuel businesses continue to be significant pollutants by manufacturing and marketing items derived from fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are burnt, a substantial quantity of carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming, is released into the atmosphere. The buildup of heat in our atmosphere due to greenhouse gases is the primary contributor to climate change.

Companies dealing with fossil fuels are responsible for extracting, refining, and marketing carbon fuels. Since fossil fuel producers bear a significant amount of responsibility for the adverse effects that their products cause, this investigation is essential.

Carbon-producing goods like gasoline, natural gas, diesel, coal, and jet fuel are responsible for seven-eighths of the emissions attributed to those producers. In contrast, the production of completed fuels accounts for the remaining one-eighth. Oil, natural gas, and coal companies have also benefited from regulatory preferences such as lax pollution controls, favorable leasing for resource exploitation on public lands, and other costs taxpayers have funded, such as military support for shipping lanes.

Wealthy countries/individuals have higher contributions toward global warming or pollution comparing poorer ones

20211026 Cumulative carbon dioxide CO2 emissions by country - bar chart

The world's wealthiest nations are responsible for the great bulk of emissions, and many of them continue to emit several times more than less developed nations. Looking at which nations produce the most greenhouse gases is another standard method of assigning responsibility for climate change. This method expands the scope of the discussion beyond individual consumption. For a long time, one of the most contentious issues in international climate discussions has been the question of whether or not wealthier, traditionally more polluting nations should shoulder a more significant proportion of the responsibility for combating climate change than other nations.

The wealthiest 10% of individuals use around Twenty times more resources than the least prosperous 10%. The transportation sector largely drives this increased consumption of goods and services by wealthier individuals.

When it comes to choosing how to spend their money, wealthy individuals have many more options. If you are wealthy enough to buy a large automobile, you are also rich enough to buy a little one. If the lavish and wasteful lives that wealthy people want to lead contribute to the problem, then it is clear that they have some of the blame for it. To effectively combat climate change, immediate action is required from everyone on the planet, regardless of income, with the most developed nations taking the initiative.

Is it correct to attribute climate change to natural phenomena? – NO

Natural occurrences may be blamed for some climate change. Volcanic eruptions, variations in solar radiation, tectonic upheavals, and even slight modifications in our orbit have all been shown to affect planetary warming and cooling trends during Earth's life. These natural factors are still at work, but they have little of an impact or progress too slowly to account for the current increase in global warming. Additionally, the data disprove the myth that natural factors are mostly to blame for climate change.

Climate records show that present-day global warming, particularly since the beginning of the industrial revolution, is occurring much faster than in the past. Cycles, or repeating occurrences in the same sequence, are the literal basis of our existence. In the cosmos and our world, cycles come in wide varieties. Some of them are organic, such the seasonal shifts, yearly animal migrations, or circadian rhythms that control human sleep cycles. Additionally, cycles are essential for the long-term climate and short-term weather on Earth.

Do we blame individuals for climate change or appreciate them for preventing it?

Due to their hazards, including floods, storms, habitat loss, and various other natural disasters, climate change and pollution have grown in importance over the last several decades. Due to this growing concern, there has been a strong push for people to reduce their footprint. It's incorrect, but the enormous energy and fossil fuel corporations intentionally mean it when they try to shift the responsibility for climate change onto people.

Even if businesses are responsible for causing climate change, the typical citizen may still take action to stop it. First, individuals may make an effort to live as carbon-neutral as possible by reducing their use of motorized cars, beef consumption, or energy use. However, speaking up strongly in favor of the answers that will result in an even more significant shift is a better approach to contribute. This may be done by public outreach, direct communication with elected leaders, or demonstrating.

Even while people are not responsible for a large percentage of global emissions and pollution, there is still plenty that those same individuals can do to prevent a world disaster. To stop the companies responsible for allowing the world to get this close to a whole climatic calamity, people must be diligent in altering the institutions and processes that have allowed this to happen.

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Who were the "Gang of Four" in British politics?

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Will SWIFT ever be replaced by something else?

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An alternative solution will not replace SWIFT in the foreseeable future due to the following:

• They have the largest network of banks and financial institutions globally.
• They have regulated tech... (more...)

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An alternative solution will not replace SWIFT in the foreseeable future due to the following:

• They have the largest network of banks and financial institutions globally.
• They have regulated technology, which they are improving continuously to offer faster transactions and reduced costs.
• Competition has failed to offer an irresistible value proposition; hence, mainstream adoption is lacking.

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SWIFT is a global communication network that allows banks, central banks, multinational corporations, and major securities firms to share payment instructions 24x7 securely.

SWIFT logo. Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

• Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) is a cooperative owned by its members that helps them send and receive money safely.
• This payment network lets people and businesses take electronic or card payments from customers or vendors, even if they use a different bank than the person or company receiving the payment.
• SWIFT is now the most extensive and streamlined way to make and settle international payments.
• SWIFT gives each member institution a unique ID code called a BIC number. This number shows not only the name of the bank but also its country, city, and branch.

• SWIFT has been used to put economic sanctions on countries like Iran and Russia that have done bad things.

According to the reports, SWIFT needs to be faster, more expensive and updated. The SWIFT network does not handle transactions in real time. An international transaction takes days to settle, and the fees are more than 10% of the total cost of the trade.

Despite some shortcomings, SWIFT is almost impossible to replace because of the following:

SWIFT is universally accepted and has a monopoly

SWIFT has the largest network of banks and financial institutions. It has worked for decades to fall under regulations, comply, and network agreements to include more countries and banks.

If a country has a banking system, SWIFT serves it. They created a more efficient international transfer system and rapidly captured the market. The big consumers adopted and deployed SWIFT because it benefitted them.

However, adopting technology is a slow process for these big institutions with enormous cost implications. Unless the competition offers a groundbreaking technology, which is: lower in cost, proven over the years, and complies with regulatory norms, they will not make a dent in the market share of SWIFT.

SWIFT is working to deliver better value to the end consumer

By integrating GPI through banks into domestic real-time payment systems, existing cross-border and domestic payment infrastructure can be used. This saves money on implementation costs and keeps people from learning to use new infrastructure.

The service will be available to all end customers of banks, from large multinationals to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and from retail to e-commerce platforms. It will ensure that they all get the benefits of fast service and are clear about fees upfront. Most importantly, it makes it easy to predict when an end beneficiary's account will be credited.

These significant changes will make GPI faster and more open in more domestic markets. It will let banks use their existing investments to give their customers better service.

SWIFT uses already-proven technology, and they make continuous improvements

There are ongoing trials to show SWIFT can deliver international payments from start to finish in seconds. They are using GPI and domestic real-time systems:

• During tests in Australia, the New Payments Platform (NPP) made it possible to send money from Australia to China in 18 seconds.
• Singapore's Fast and Secure Transfers (FAST) trial involved 17 banks in seven countries. The fastest payment took only 13 seconds, and it could settle transfers between all continents within 25 seconds.
• The European Central Bank (ECB), SWIFT, and 19 banks just finished a European trial using the TARGET Instant Payments Settlement (TIPS) platform.
• In the test, 12 banks from nine countries (Australia, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Thailand, and the United States) sent cross-border payments to Europe through five banks.
• A payment from Singapore cleared in Germany and was credited to the end beneficiary's account in 41 seconds. They are rolling out the global instant service and expect to make more progress.

SWIFT has finished a blockchain proof of concept (POC) to solve problems reconciling Nostro accounts

Nostro and Vostro are special ledgers used to keep track of SWIFT financial transactions.

SWIFT released a report that said the PoC showed that their blockchain solution could provide business functions and rich data. This data is needed to support automated real-time monitoring and reconciliation of liquidity in the Nostro and Vostro accounts. It helped:

• Handling events in real time
• Transaction status updates
• Full audit trails
• Ability to see the expected and actual balances
• Real-time confirmation of simple account entries
• Getting a list of pending entries and possible problems
• Getting the information needed for regulatory reporting

Current alternatives to SWIFT do not have an extensive network or groundbreaking technology

Wise, Nium, Airwallex, Euronet, Russia's System for Transfer of Financial Messages (SPFS), Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) of China, and Cryptocurrencies offer an alternative to SWIFT. However, SWIFT has the most extensive network and complies with all government laws and regulations. The competition also needs a regulated technology that is so cost-efficient that big institutions may not resist adopting it. As such, the competition is finding it hard to find a foothold in getting a more significant share of global financial transfers. State-sponsored SFPS and CIPS are slowly gaining traction due to geo-political issues that caused SWIFT to cease certain operations as a part of sanctions.

Why was the Metropolitan Police (in the United Kingdom) percived as having corruption issues in the 1970's?

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