Opinion

Who will form the next government? As time goes by, tastes evolve. Things go in and out of fashion. People move on to new interests. But some things don’t change. Curiosity to know which party will win the elections, is one of them. Who will head the government? Will the winner get an absolute majority? Which party will win by how much? Will there be a coalition government? If so, which parties can be expected to come together? These have always remained questions of wide interest. As a teenager, come poll season, I was excited too. I would actively read, watch, and follow what’s happening. And see elders around me engage in an animated discussion. Sometimes, the atmosphere would get heated up, if those holding adversarial positions were unwilling to accept the other view. At other times, it would just be friendly banter. From the poorest to the richest, from the news savvy to the politically ignorant, this topic has forever remained a dominant discussion point during national … [Read more...] about Opinion: What Makes Elections Evergreen in India

With the U.S. Congress now focused on the passage of voting rights legislation, it's unclear if an amended version of the Build Back Better Act will become law following the breakdown in negotiations between President Joe Biden and Senator Joe Manchin . While there is more work to be done, President Biden recently signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill into law declaring that history will look back on this event as "the moment America began to win the competition of the 21 st century." Right now America's infrastructure currently ranks thirteenth in the world according to the World Economic Forum. With the largest investment in America's roads and bridges in the past 70 years, we must come together and begin the hard work of upgrading our infrastructure using new innovative solutions and technology. As the CEO of a woman-owned small business specializing in the repair and strengthening of infrastructure, I'm proud of the work that we do at Surtreat Solutions to … [Read more...] about Environmentally-friendly solutions must be part of Biden’s agenda | Opinion

A recent report from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), " Islamophobia in the Mainstream ," is a case study in projection—the psychological process of attributing one's own defects to others. In this case, the defect is hate, and the target is an all-too familiar one: the Jewish people and their allies. It is not difficult here to discern the hater from the hated: Just days after CAIR issued its report, Malik Faisal Akram pursued CAIR's antisemitic agenda by entering a Texas synagogue with a gun. In a speech delivered to a Muslim audience in November, the executive director of CAIR's San Francisco office, Zahra Billoo, identified "Zionist synagogues" like Congregation Beth Israel and all "polite Zionists"—essentially all Jews—as "your enemies," both Islamophobic and opposed to "human rights." Billoo further advised those listening and watching to "fight back." Rather than disavow her hateful and antisemitic remarks, CAIR claimed that Billoo was " misquoted … [Read more...] about CAIR not only inspires terrorists. It’s historically linked to them | Opinion

There was a moment at the first Trump-Biden debate, on September 29, 2020, in Cleveland, when the contours of the American future were laid bare. After a brief verbal wrangle over the socialist propensities of a future Biden administration, the Democratic challenger pushed back. "The party is me," Joe Biden said, in his best l'état, c'est moi mode, "Right now, I am the Democratic Party ." President Donald Trump shot back: "they're going to dominate you, Joe. You know that." Well, one year in, chalk up another vindication for President Trump. Joe Biden was propelled to the Democratic nomination by a coalition of center-left, working class and minority primary voters who preferred him as a pragmatic alternative to his array of far-left rivals. You'd never know it from his record in governance. As president, Joe Biden has been a forceful advocate for the priorities of far-left, mostly white, mostly upper-income progressives whose vision of the country and its future are, in a … [Read more...] about Evaluating Joe Biden’s first year as president | Opinion

The Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) in the SF Bay Area where we live, announced on Tuesday that it was planning on "transitioning all students and staff" to KN95 respirators. If worn properly, such respirators filter 95 percent of particles the size of those that carry the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The BUSD has proposed this measure as a means to slow the spread of COVID-19 and keep schools open. These respirators would be required for the entire school day, including outdoors during gym and recess. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of respirators is vastly overestimated, and there is scant evidence that they stop community transmission. Moreover, NIOSH-approved respirators are tight, uncomfortable, and can impede breathing. OSHA requires both fit testing and a medical evaluation before workers can wear them. We've all seen images of health care workers with bruised faces from properly worn respirators. The truth is, the burdens of these masks outweigh their benefits for kids. … [Read more...] about We’re a physician and mathematician and a data scientist. N95s won’t work for kids | Opinion

‘International second opinion service’ was announced by Apollo Hospitals Group in collaboration with The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic on Monday. As part of it, doctors at Apollo will be able to collaborate with leading medical experts at the Cleveland Clinic to review complex cases and devise treatment plans. Those seeking an international second opinion can consult an Apollo consultant, and express interest in the service. The patient’s medical records will be shared with The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic under appropriate consent and a conference call will be scheduled between the international medical expert and Apollo consultants, in presence of the patient. Based on the patient’s health history and case discussion with the Apollo consultant, the international doctor will share insights in the form of a written opinion with the Apollo consultant, who will further discuss and decide the course of treatment for the patient. “At Apollo, we strive to break all barriers that come in the … [Read more...] about Apollo introduces ‘International Second Opinion Service’

I've long admired Elon Musk as a technological visionary. But I worry about his sense of responsibility to the public. Last week, Musk announced on Twitter that he intended to turn Telsa, the electric-car maker he founded, into a private company. He said the funding was "secured" —a claim that sent Telsa stock skyrocketing—yet produced no evidence the money was nailed down. There are laws against corporate officials making these sorts of untethered claims, because if untrue, they could hurt lots of innocent bystanders—including unwary investors and employees. Does Musk's behavior remind you of any other powerful person who also makes unfounded claims on Twitter that send heads spinning? President Donald Trump is no Elon Musk. Musk seems to genuinely care about the future of humanity. But, like Trump, Musk loves to upend the status quo by breaking norms and maybe even some laws. He also seems to share Trump's unrelenting combativeness and penchant for hitting back. A few weeks … [Read more...] about Elon Musk, Donald Trump and the Second Gilded Age | Opinion

COVID-19 recently took a fierce aim in India, turning it into the latest gruesome epicenter of the global coronavirus pandemic. As Indian American professors at San José State University, who have given the best of ourselves to the United States, we implore you to take seriously what is happening in India. Our Indian American personas and Indian hearts reel in shock, eyes sting with tears and our feelings lie in tatters as we bear witness, helplessly from afar, to our families' rising death and sickness tolls. In material evidence of a new rock bottom, our aging parents now urge us "not to come" should the worst happen and if they succumb to the dreadful double mutant known as B.1.167. Our disorienting days and sleepless nights are marred by distress phone calls, weeping inconsolably over the untimely loss of relatives, virtual funerals and baring our hearts on social media. Our hands tremble, our hearts race and our heads throb as we receive the latest shocking updates from … [Read more...] about India ignited: COVID-19 second wave unleashes death and devastation | Opinion

The U.S. Supreme Court just agreed to take on two college affirmative action cases, and will consider whether the undergraduate admission processes at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina discriminated against Asian American students. Many Asian Americans, including myself, have high hopes that the Court will finally eliminate racial preference in the college admission process and ensure equal opportunity for all students. No issue takes a higher priority in the Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community than education. Besides the cultural tradition of valuing education, most Asian-American parents believe that educational attainment is necessary to ensure their children have a successful life in the United States. Working-class Asian immigrant families especially regard education as a lifeline to lift their children from poverty and achieve their American dreams. But on this critical issue, Democrats have chosen to embrace critical race theory … [Read more...] about Why Asian Americans are leaving the Democratic Party | Opinion

When I joined the Marines, I took an oath to protect the people and land of the United States. After 12 years of service, including deployments in Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain, I came home and was astonished to see how policymakers were failing to protect our people and land from climate change. Climate change is causing drought, extreme heat, wildfires, sea level rise and flooding that puts military personnel and installations at risk. I live in Florida, which is the canary in the climate coal mine. The swamps around my home in Orlando are flooding. The streets of Miami are also flooding. Our beaches are getting smaller because the sea level is rising. Along the Florida coast are more than 20 military installations that are threatened by flooding. There is no question that climate change strains our military readiness and compromises national security. I take this seriously since military roots run deep in my family. My father was also a Marine. My grandfather was in the Army and my … [Read more...] about I spent 12 years in the Marines. The inaction on climate change shocks me | Opinion