Does consumerism make us crazy? It is the fist week of September in Leipzig , Germany. Outside it is scorching hot (35 degrees) and yet I am standing in my local supermarket facing a full shelve of the best and most delicious Christmas treats; gingerbread, spekulazius, marzipan and more. But I don’t feel the slightest urge to buy anything! Why would anyone eat gingerbread four months before Christmas and three months before the start of advent? So why do all the big enterpris...

Talented. Gifted. Prodigious. While each of these words has its own novel denotation, a common undertone is perpetuated by their nearly identical contexts. They connote the skill of an artist as automatic and innate. These terms, once honeyed compliments, have become hackneyed and stale. They have become trite sayings overused in our performing arts industries, especially the music enterprise. They are used to describe and honor the most adroit of artists, yet they undermin...

Dear Malala didi, I am so happy to read your opinion on the Kashmir conflict and peace between India and Pakistan. You said that India and Pak must work together to set in peace in Kashmir. I too urge that. You asked both the nations to respect and love each other. And we too ask for the same. Yes, this is a common request from the children of Pak and India who wish for nothing except a peaceful life. "We will never forget we will never forgive", said our Prime Minist...

If you’d walked past me in the street, you wouldn’t bat an eyelid. I’m your average 25 year old: median height, medium features and sporting a mid-range outfit. Maybe you’ll catch me on a good day as I flash you a smile. If you were to stop and watch me go along my way, you may think I’m walking back from work, or popping to the shops or meandering through town to avoid facing the gym for a wee while longer. You might watch me lift my head and see my eyes glisten as I m...

Two British epidemiologists – Richard Wilkinson and Kate Picket – published in March 2009: “The Spirit Level: Why more equal societies almost always do better”. Why equality is better for everyone, the idea of this book came with a revolutionary logic. Wilkinson and Picket linked directly the major health and social problems to levels of income inequality through a scientific analysis of the richest countries in the world. People living in unequal societies were a several t...

The Mauritius Wildlife foundation is committed to education and raising awareness as core components of conservation of the biodiversity. Although we participate in a wide range of educational initiatives, our main focus is to promote the environmental awareness among young people. Awareness for the protection of the environment should start at home. A child learns his first lesson of cleanliness , water and power consumption, gardening and other issues from home. Educate an...

Eurasian Ideologies and Balance As someone who has always had a somewhat pro-western stand, I have never defended the Eurasian ideologies. But for some countries, for example Russia, Eurasian mindset is the only mindset that can be effectively adopted. Such countries must maintain a state of balance between the traditional European and Asian mindsets to achieve the goal of creating the best Eurasian state available in the world. A Eurasian leader must protect his/her country fr...

Climate change has undoubtedly become a global priority issue that threatens us all. However, for women and girls, especially those whose livelihood is largely dependent on natural resources—securing food and water, growing crops, and the like—the impact of a changing climate can only be more devastating. According to the United Nations, women are more likely to die than men when a disaster strikes. As in the case of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, 70% of the death toll w...

Several months ago, I had to deal with anxiety and was absorbed by many thoughts of it. Constantly, I reflected about the regrets of things that should have been done and should not have. I kept thinking about the past and distressing about the future. I blamed myself for being me, the me who has achieved nothing in her first two years of uni. At that time, I was messed up real bad and things got worse due to the lack support from my surroundings. I had no one to talk to, no one to...