Ashok's blog

        Global warming and climate change Is climate change a hoax? Some thoughts... Lobbyists against climate action use a variety of arguments to sow doubt and influence policy to protect the interests of their clients - the fossil fuel industry. Lobbyist argument Counter point Climate change is  natural and cyclical  - long term trends show cooling and warming of the planet While the Earth's climate has changed naturally over millennia, the current warming trend is happening at a  rate   unprecedented  in human history. Climate models are unreliable  - The computer models cannot be trusted because they have failed to accurately predict past climate features and have sometimes exaggerated the rate of warming. Uncertainty is a normal part of all science,  but the fundamental findings related to climate change are not in doubt. Uncertainty does not justify inaction; instead, it indicates a risk that must be managed. Scientific ...

  Capitalism or Socialism?   Liberals and left leaning folks are often accused of being a communist, socialist or Marxist. Before responding to the accusation, let us look at the definitions first: Marxism :  Political, economic, and social principles advocated by Karl Marx, for a class struggle, with the ultimate goal of achieving a classless, communist society. Communism  - economic and political theory that advocated the elimination of private property, and the common sharing of all resources among a group of people. Socialism  - is an economic system advocating for collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods. These are not perfect definitions but more or less convey the idea. They have overlapping themes, but one common thread is “ No private property ”. Looking at this definition, I am sure nobody   in the world wants such an economic arrangement now. What most libera...