after Liberia, Sierra Leone too is getting rid of dreaded Ebola

This is leone – the currency of Sierra Leone. It is subdivided into 100 cents.  Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa with Freetown as its capital.

 

In May 2015, the neighbouring Liberia celebrated.  Liberia  is in West Africa bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast to its east. It covers an area of 111,369 square kilometres (43,000 sq mi) and is home to about 4 million people. Liberia is the only country in Africa founded by United States colonization while occupied by native Africans.  Liberia had been in news for wrong reasons – for the dreaded ‘ebola’.

Ebola virus disease (EVD), Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), or simply Ebola is a disease of humans and other primates caused by an ebola virus.  The first human outbreaks occurred in 1976, one in northern Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) in Central Africa: and the other, in southern Sudan (now South Sudan). The virus is named after the Ebola River, where the virus was first recognized in 1976.The dreaded ebola killed thousands in Liberia – schools were closed and whole Nation brought to a standstill as combined efforts were made to contain the virus.   The good news for the global community in May 2015 was  – the World Health Organization (WHO)  declaring  that the Ebola outbreak in Libera is over – ‘it is no longer ebola killing people – ebola itself is dead’- there haven’t been any new cases for the past 42 days.  

The good thing is spreading across the border ….. use of rapid response teams and strong community involvement in finding Ebola virus disease cases and contacts has yielded  results in Sierra Leone. An epidemiological week has since passed with no new Ebola cases for the first time since the beginning of the outbreak.  According to authorities, the Ebola response has moved to "phase 3"’, focusing on tracking each and every chain of Ebola virus transmission and closing down the remaining chains as quickly as possible. Sierra Leone is now down to a single chain of transmission, which started in Freetown but sparked a cluster of cases in Tonkolili, in the northern region of the country.Effectively tracking chains of transmission means finding every person who has been in contact with someone proven to be infected with Ebola, monitoring them closely for symptoms for 21 days and rapidly moving them to a treatment centre if they develop symptoms of potential Ebola.

Tonkolili had not seen a case of Ebola virus disease for more than 150 days, but the lessons learned during the outbreak in December 2014 had not been forgotten. For the first time since the Ebola outbreak was declared in Sierra Leone, the country has recorded zero new infections.There were no new Ebola cases reported last week according to the WHO.At the height of the outbreak Sierra Leone was reporting more than 500 new cases a week. Last week, for the first time since May last year, there were zero new cases.

But authorities are warning against complacency. The Director of the National Ebola Response Centre (NERC), said: "This does not mean Sierra Leone is suddenly Ebola free.  According to him, as long as the country has one Ebola case, people should still be cautious, continue to take the public health measures... around hand-washing, temperature checks, enhanced screening.

In the country, over 1,000 people have died from Ebola since the epidemic erupted in 2014 - a six-fold increase of victims since its discovery in 1976. On the economic front,  Sierra Leone said, gold exports had plunged three-fold and diamond exports nearly halved in the first half of 2015, a sign of the devastation wrought on the mining industry by the Ebola epidemic."The whopping 297 percent drop in gold export is not unexpected given that the deadly Ebola virus was raging through the countryside by then driving the workforce from the mining fields and mine owners from the country," the NMA statement said.

Meanwhile, diamond exports dropped from a high of 64.5 thousand carats in April to 35.6 thousand carats in July.Already fragile after years of civil war, dictatorship or coups, the Ebola epidemic has devastated the mining, agriculture and tourism industries in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.Although poverty is widespread, Sierra Leone has mineral riches including diamonds, gold, bauxite, titanium ore and magnetite iron-ore, which have attracted massive investment.

Stamping out an epidemic of a deadly infectious disease is a great achievement for any country. Liberia’s triumph is more remarkable still given the country’s poor access to healthcare.  If that is replicated in neighbouring countries too, it is certainly good for the humanity.

With regards –  S. Sampathkumar

24^th Aug 2015.

it is Bolt from blue again .... Jessica Ennis steals the show

In Aug  2012, an estimated two billion people saw Jamaica's Usain Bolt blazing again, burying down any talks of challenge…… it was another Olympic record though his earlier Word Record remained unscathed.At London, there was no challenge as Usain Bolt emphatically confirmed his status as the greatest sprinter in history retaining  his Olympic 100m title in peerless fashion.  He was dogged by defeat and injury but ran the second fastest time ever to beat fellow Jamaican and training partner Yohan Blake into silver and American Justin Gatlin into bronze. 

After that run the fastest 100M times  stood revised as : 9.58secs Usain Bolt in Berlin 16 Aug 2009; 9.63secs Usain Bolt in London 5 Aug 2012 ; 9.69secs Usain Bolt in Beijing 16 Aug 2008. Tyson Gay had also run 9.69secs in Shanghai in Sept 2009.  The 9.63 sec finish was one of the brilliant races whence seven men went under 10 seconds, with only the injured Asafa Powell failing to break that mark. 

Now the 15^th World Championships in Athletics is  being held at  Beijing, China. This is  the largest sporting event to take place at the Beijing National Stadium ("Bird's Nest") since the 2008 Summer Olympics.

In the 100M, predictions were on Justin Gatlin to win based on his current form and on Bolt’s travails this season, which he blamed this week on a joint problem, only partly mitigated by his 9.87sec victory at the Anniversary Games in London.  Though not closer in popularity, Gatlin’s sub 9.8 performances and metronomic consistency have provoked admiration and alarm in equal measure.Since his bronze in London in 2012 Gatlin has been getting steadily faster. This season heis  unbeaten in an astonishing 27 races. That led to speculation that he may still be benefiting from the lasting effects of banned substances. Others have wondered whether his lengthy suspension left him with younger legs than his years.

….. all that was put to back as after two years of uncertainty, Usain Bolt produced his biggest clutch performance to beat rival Justin Gatlin on Sunday in the 100m final at the World Championships with a lunge at the line.  Bolt was trailing for almost all the race, the biggest showdown in the sport in years. But with gritted teeth, the two-time Olympic champion clawed back into contention and made his giant stride count to win in 9.79 seconds, .01 seconds faster than the American veteran.Two lanes to his right, Gatlin was as good as perfect for most of the race,  but just could not finish it off !!   Trayvon Bromell of the United States and Andre De Grasse of Canada shared bronze in 9.92 seconds as two bronze medals were awarded.

There was another event and a popular winner – heptathlon, a contest made up of seven events. She is the Olympic champion who stormed to the top of world athletics at London 2012.  This year, it was different for her managing the duties of being a young mother.   Now, just 13 months after giving birth – the 29-year-old made an astonishing comeback by winning the heptathlon gold at the World Athletics Championships – after a critical slip-up saw her nearest British rival plummet out of the race.

She is the Olympic champion who stormed to the top of world athletics at London 2012.  It is Jessica Ennis-Hill - just 13 months after giving birth – the 29-year-old made an astonishing comeback by winning the heptathlon gold at the World Athletics Championships – after a critical slip-up saw her nearest British rival plummet out of the race.Hoisting the Union Flag over her shoulders after her stunning victory at the Bird’s Nest stadium, a jubilant Ennis-Hill said: ‘This time last year I just had my son and now I’m world champion. It feels incredible.’

The Sheffield athlete won the heptathlon gold after her nearest British rival, Katarina Johnson-Thompson dramatically fouled in the long jump. There was a touching moment as Ennis-Hill rushed over to give her young teammate a comforting hug.The crucial error put the 22-year-old athlete more than six seconds behind in the final 800m sprint – making Ennis-Hill’s claim to the gold all but certain.On the cusp of victory, she finished 800m heat in 2 minutes 10.13 seconds – adding another world crown to the one she won in Berlin six years ago.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

24^th Aug 2015.

bio-pic of man who moved mountains - Dashrath Manjhi

In June 2010 I had posted on this man who with his will power moved mountains :   : Man who moved mountains

That was appreciations to   Dashrath Manjhi.  In what could be a  straight lift from  popular movie – Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked this septuagenarian from Gaya to occupy his chair for a little over five minutes. Nitish said that was one way of acknowledging the greatness of the great deed. He however lived in chill penury, died in 2007, at AIIMS New Delhi after fighting cancer of gall bladder. He was accorded state funeral. The reason ……………

Dashrath Manjhi was born in 1934 into a poor labourer's family in Gahlour village near Gaya in Bihar. He fought a lengthy battle against the mountain – not out of any grudge but for a social cause. Not many social reformers have changed the way of life of a particular region or locality. This man dared. He was ridiculed in 1959 when he started hewing a way through the Gahlaur Ghati hills of Bihar’s Gaya district, some 150 km from Patna. People ridiculed his efforts and thoughts stating after ages also they may never come true. He relentlessly pursued his dream single handed. He worked alone with tools of chisel, hammer and shovel trying to make a road in the mountain. Age, health, bereavement nothing deterred him – as he carried on with grit for 22 years and made a reality 360ft-long, 30ft-wide road across the mountain. What was once a precarious passage just a foot wide became wide enough to accommodate cyclists and motorcyclists – helping locals hailing from nearby villages with ease. This road also reduced the distance between Gaya’s Atri and Vazirganj subdivisions from 50km to just 10km. Children from Manjhi’s own Gahlaur and other nearby villages could attend school without the turmoil of walking eight km one way for attending school. From 1960 to 1982 it certainly was a long journey but the accomplishment of herculean task made him happy.

“Manjhi - The Mountain Man”  is an Indian biographical film, based on the life of Dashrath Manjhi.  The film is directed by Ketan Mehta, jointly produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and NFDC India.  Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays the lead role of Dashrath Manjhi, while Radhika Apte plays Manjhi's wife. The film also features Indira Gandhi in its storyline.

Though the man was not really honoured during his life time, the bio-pic appears to be becoming a poll plank in Bihar.  Nitish Kumar government has given it tax exemption and  also launched an ambitious research and training institute named after Dashrath.  His political rivals are not impressed, though. Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi accused Nitish and Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad of doing precious little in the real life, either for the Mountain Man or his native place Gehlaur.

It is reported that Bihar CM Nitish saw the preview of the film with Mehta and the lead actors — Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte — in Patna.  Impressed by the portrayal of the indomitable spirit of Dashrath,  he announced that the film will be exempt from entertainment tax in Bihar.  “Dashrath Manjhi was a remarkable and charismatic man,” Nitish said. “This film has captured his extraordinary life and struggles rather well and will inspire people.”

The chief minister said that his government had already decided to exempt the movie from entertainment tax in the state so that more and more people could see it.  Besides tax exemption, the Govt  launched a research and training institute of the labour resources department named after the Mountain Man in Patna.

Shortly after his death in 2007, Nitish had launched a scheme called Dashrath Manjhi Kaushal Vikas Yojna to promote skill development of the people in the state. But Hindustan Awam Morcha founder Jitan Ram Manjhi accused Nitish of not doing anything for Dashrath or his village.  Inaugurating a programme organised on Dashrath’s death anniversary in Patna on Monday, Jitan said that Dashrath’s birth place should be developed as an ideal village as well as tourist place.

Earlier, Mehta along with the lead actors in the film visited Dashrath’s village and met his family. They also handed over a cheque of Rs 7.32 lakh to his son and a local trust being run in the name of the Mountain Man.  The man reportedly worked  day-in and day-out for 22 years from 1960 to 1982 with his hammer and chisel to achieve the feat.  Manjhi’s spirit is part of folklore in Bihar now.

The man apart, the film has received this review in the Firstpost :  - If you go to watch Manjhi — The Mountain Man, you get two films for the price of one. Post-intermission, when the film trains its gaze upon Dasharath and his mountain, the film turns into 127 Hours, Bihar-style. Before that, it's an earnest film with a social message. Through all this, Manjhi — The Mountain Man is a salute to the acting skills of Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Net result: a film that is so comprehensively artificial that you'll forget Dashrath Manjhi was a real man and that his is a true story.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

22^nd Aug 2015.

some data damaged by lightning at Google data centre at Belgium

For millions life starts everyday with Social media – Facebook, Emails and more  – they log in, read, post messages, share all that they see with captions ‘must read’- ‘most important’- ‘you just should not miss this’; ‘share this if you are caring’.  Multitudes of people do not understand that they are adding to e-storage - every day, millions of such messages, photos, links, audios,  videos and more – technically ‘huge chunk of data’ is littered on world wide web. 

There have to be Servers and Storage medium enabling retention and access by all users.  So, there are ‘Date Centres’ - technically, Data Centre is a facility that houses Computer systems, associated components and storage systems.  It generally includes backup power supplies, redundant data connections, and security devices also.   For any Company, IT operations are a crucial aspect of its organizational requirements, the crucial aspect being business continuity.  Without the system and the data contained, the operations would be impaired and to minimize the chances of disruption, there have to be sufficient back-up preferably at different places.  The Data Centre has to be of high integrity and functionality. 

Lightning is one of the most beautiful displays in nature. It is also one of the most deadly natural phenomena known to man. With bolt temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun and shockwaves beaming out in all directions, lightning is a lesson in physical science and humility.Beyond its powerful beauty, it can cause havoc killing people and destroying property.

Lightning is a sudden electrostatic discharge during an electrical storm between electrically charged regions of a cloud (called intra-cloud lightning or IC), between that cloud and another cloud (CC lightning), or between a cloud and the ground (CG lightning). The charged regions in the atmosphere temporarily equalize themselves through this discharge referred to as a strike if it hits an object on the ground. Although lightning is always accompanied by the sound of thunder, distant lightning may be seen but be too far away for the thunder to be heard.

Lightning destroys property – it is a peril included in Standard Fire and Special Perils Policy.  Any loss or damage to the subject matter insured attributable to lightning is within the purview of SFSP Policy.

The rapid adoption of Internet enabled devices, coupled with the shift from consumer side computing to cloud based system has accelerated the growth of large scale date centres.  Driven by significant improvements in hardware affordability and the exponential growth of Big Data, the modern Internet company encompasses a wide range of characteristics including personalized user experiences and minimal downtime.  Google explains that rather than storing each user's data on a single machine or set of machines, they distribute all data—including their own—across many computers in different locations. Google then chunks and replicates the data over multiple systems to avoid a single point of failure. The  data chunks are randomly named as an extra measure of security, making them unreadable to the human eye.  Even as we work, Google servers, automatically back up critical data. So when accidents happen—if  one’s computer crashes or gets stolen— one can get back up and running sooner !

Despite best of precautions, things can still go wrong.  [Insurers understand that too well].  Google says data has been wiped from discs at one of its data centres in Belgium - after it was struck by lightning four times. Reports suggest that some  people have permanently lost access to their files as a result.A number of disks damaged following the lightning strikes did, however, later became accessible.

Generally, data centres require more lightning protection than most other buildings.While four successive strikes might sound highly unlikely, lightning does not need to repeatedly strike a building in exactly the same spot to cause additional damage.

BBC quotes Justin Gale, project manager for the lightning protection service Orion, as saying -  lightning could strike power or telecommunications cables connected to a building at a distance and still cause disruptions."The cabling alone can be struck anything up to a kilometre away, bring [the shock] back to the data centre and fuse everything that's in it," he said.

The Google Compute Engine (GCE) service allows Google's clients to store data and run virtual computers in the cloud. It's not known which clients were affected, or what type of data was lost.In an online statement, Google said that data on just 0.000001% of disk space was permanently affected."Although automatic auxiliary systems restored power quickly, and the storage systems are designed with battery backup, some recently written data was located on storage systems which were more susceptible to power failure from extended or repeated battery drain," it said.

The company added it would continue to upgrade hardware and improve its response procedures to make future losses less likely.A spokesman for data centre consultants Future-Tech, commented that while data centres were designed to withstand lightning strikes via a network of conductive lightning rods, it was not impossible for strikes to get through.

Although the chances of data being wiped by lightning strikes are incredibly low, users do have the option of being able to back things up locally as a safety measure.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

20^th Aug 2015.