Organization (supposed to be) working for global community (WMM – 3).

In the last two articles we saw appeal of some world thinkers to initiate the revolution of consciousness and some of the painful concerns of humanity. Here we shall try to review partly the efforts initiated already by some organizations in the desired direction. We start with U.N.O. which is considered as an apex body caring for world community.

A)  U.N.O. (United Nations’ Organization) Ref WIKI. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations)

The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated aims include promoting and facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, civil rights, civil liberties, political freedoms, democracy, and the achievement of lasting world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II, to stop wars between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue. At its founding, the UN had 51 member states; there are now 193. From its offices around the world, the UN and its specialized agencies decide on substantive and administrative issues in regular meetings held throughout the year. The organization has six principal organs: the General Assembly (the main deliberative assembly); the Security Council (for deciding certain resolutions for peace and security); the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) (for assisting in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development); the Secretariat (for providing studies, information, and facilities needed by the UN); the International Court of Justice (the primary judicial organ); and the United Nations Trusteeship Council (which is currently inactive). Other prominent UN System agencies include the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Program (WFP) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Background and creation

After World War II and the development of the atomic bomb, there was widespread agreement that humankind could not afford a third world war. Therefore, the United Nations was established to replace the flawed League of Nations in 1945 in order to maintain international peace and promote cooperation in solving international economic, social, and humanitarian problems.

What were or are the aims and objectives of U.N.O. (United Nations’ Organization)?

 (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090716101244AAhaYDB)

1.to promote world peace 
2.to protect human rights 
3.to help developing countries by funding 
4.to promote better relations between countries 
5.to promote social, economic and cultural development 
6.to facilitate international law
7. to facilitate international security 

Functions of the United Nations 

1. Arms Control and Disarmament 
2. Peace Keeping 
3. Humanitarian Assistance: In conjunction with other organizations, such as the Red Cross, the UN provides humanitarian services to disaster areas. These agencies include: World Food Program and the High Commissioner for Refugees. 

4. Human Rights: The Pursuit of human rights was one of the main reasons for setting up the United Nations, following the genocide of the Second World War. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, though not legally binding, was adopted by the General Assembly in 1948 as a common standard of achievement for all. 
5. International Court of Justice includes war crimes tribunal.
6. UN Security Council: Discusses global problems and can offer resolutions to try and deal with them.

B) World Health Organization (W. H. O.)

WHO goal: To improve equity in health, reduce health risks, promote healthy lifestyles and settings, and respond to the underlying determinants of health.

WHO objectives : To develop and implement multi sectoral public policies for health, integrated gender- and age-sensitive approaches that facilitate community empowerment together with action for health promotion, self-care and health protection throughout the life course in cooperation with the relevant national and international partners

WHO definition of Health:  Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The correct bibliographic citation for the definition is: Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States and entered into force on 7 April 1948. The Definition has not been amended since 1948.

C)  Center for Investigating Healthy Minds (http://www.investigatinghealthyminds.org/cihmFindings.html)

Led by world-renowned neuroscientist Dr. Richard J. Davidson, the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center, UW-Madison, conducts rigorous scientific research on healthy qualities of mind such as kindness, compassion, altruism, forgiveness, mindfulness and well-being.

Change your Mind. Change the World.

The work of the Center is rooted in the breakthrough insights of neuroplasticity - the discovery that our brains change throughout our lives in response to experience, suggesting that positive changes can be nurtured through mental training.

Key Findings:  The site elaborately provides various research projects, articles published and the findings which indicate that proper nurture, training to mind by systematic measures the desired developments can be brought about in the brain and subsequently the personality. This research and development has tremendous potential for use in the schools and homes for enhancing the effectiveness of the parents’ and teachers’ skills to accelerate the learning process of the children and also in the stress management of adults.

Future role of MIND training vision by year 2050:

Dr. Richard Davidson is a leading scientist in the field of brain plasticity and has demonstrated that by intervention of proper nurturing strategies at home, school and other effective media in the child environment and by imparting the training of contemporary practices; the skills of emotional intelligence can be effectively imparted. He is one of the leading scientists working for this cause on the platform of Mind and Life Institute. In one of his presentations (Google lecture 2009) the future role of MIND training is elaborated in his vision as follows: - by year 2050

- Mental exercise will be accepted and practiced in the same way as physical exercise.

- We will have science of virtual qualities.

- We will incorporate mind back into medicine and better understand how brain can modulate   peripheral biology, biology in the way; that affects health.

We will develop secular approach for method and practice for contemplative traditions to:

1. Teach teachers and children ways to better regulate emotions and attention and cultivate qualities like kindness and compassion.

2. Transform corrections so that forgiveness can be cultivated in victims and emotion regulation and stress reduction in offenders.

3. Increase awareness of our interdependence upon others and upon the planet and be more responsible care takers of our precious environment.

4. Promote their wider spread adaptation into the major institutes of our culture. This will help to restore civility, humility, gratitude and other virtues in our culture.

The book “Train your Mind change your Brain” (Sharon Begley) is a detailed account of many aspects in this area. The maternal state of mind during prenatal stages plays a pivotal role whereas paternal care, too, matters. The spirit of three years, lives with us until 100 years, they say. Hence, prenatal and early childhood years can really shape our mind.

D)  Research on the Maharishi Effect (http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/)

“I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of any other ongoing social or psychological research program. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.” — David Edwards Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin

In 1960, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi predicted that one percent of a population practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique would produce measurable improvements in the quality of life for the whole population. This phenomenon was first noticed in 1974 and reported in a paper published in 1976. Here, the finding was that when 1% of a community practiced the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program, the crime rate was reduced by 16% on average. At this time, the phenomenon was named the Maharishi Effect. The meaning of this term was later extended to cover the influence generated by the group practice of the TM-Sidhi program. Generally, the Maharishi Effect may be defined as the influence of coherence and positivity in the social and natural environment generated by the practice of the TM and TM-Siddhi programs. Maharishi introduced the TM-Siddhi program, including Yogic Flying, in 1976. Group practice of this program was observed to be particularly beneficial. On the basis of analogies to physical systems, scientists estimated that the coherence generated by group practice of the TM-Siddhi program should be proportional to the square of the number of participants. Taking into account the “1%” finding, it was predicted that a group with size equal to the square root of 1% of a population would have a measurable influence on the quality of life of that population. For example, a group of 200 practicing the TM-Siddhi program together in a city of four million (100 x 200 x 200) would be sufficient to produce a measurable influence on the whole city; a group of 1,600 in the U.S. would influence 256 million (100 x 1600 x 1600) people, the whole population of the U.S.; and a group of 7,000 would influence 4.9 billion (100 x 7000 x 7000) people, the population of the world at that time. The TM-Siddhi program was practiced in large groups on numerous occasions in the following decade, and the first statistical analysis of the effects was published in 1987. These showed a decrease of about 11% in violent crimes in Washington, D.C., in total crimes in Metro Manila, and in total crimes in the Union Territory of Delhi. Subsequent research has confirmed the existence and the universality of the Maharishi Effect. It has become possible to lodge a prediction in advance with the police and the mayor of a city and then create the effect. This was put to the test under the careful scrutiny of a distinguished review board in 1993 in Washington, D.C. The maximum decrease in violent crimes was 23.3%. The statistical probability that this result could reflect chance variation in crime levels was less than 2 in 1 billion. Not surprisingly, since the theory and the phenomenon are so new to modern science, the methodology of a study is subjected to rigorous analysis by the journal review boards before a paper on the Maharishi Effect is accepted for publication. As a result, the research is really a gem of social science, not only on account of its significance, but also for the quality of its methodology. E)  HAY HOUSE FOUNDATION This is another organization is spreading the welfare movements for humanity world over.  Hay House world summit audio lecture for free listening for registered participants  (lectures from about 35 experts - October 12 to18' - 2013)    The inaugural 2013 airing attracted nearly 1 million listeners around the world in over 200 countries and territories.  Based on listeners’ remarkable positive feedback the Hay House World Summit is slated to become an annual free online event. The 2014 Hay House World Summit premieres May 31 – June 9 offering free access to enriching and life-changing conversations with your favorite teachers on website. This extraordinary event brings together world-renowned experts and tomorrow’s rising stars, for exclusive conversations on a wide range of topics–providing insight and practical advice–sure to appeal to all listeners. F)  MIND AND LIFE INSTITUTE ((www.mindandlife.org). Mind and Life was co-founded in 1987 by the His Holiness the Dalai Lama, neuroscientist Francisco Varela and entrepreneur Adam Engle for the purpose of creating rigorous dialogue and research collaboration between modern sciences and the world’s living contemplative traditions. The organization believes that integrated, multi-disciplinary research collaboration is the most effective approach to investigating the human mind, developing a more complete understanding of the nature of reality, alleviating suffering and promoting well-being on the planet.  Over the past 25 years, Mind and Life has become a world leader in cultivating this integrated investigation and in developing research fields that explore the effects of contemplative-based practices on the brain, human biology and behavior. The Mission of Mind and Life is to: •  Develop the strategy and conceptual framework for a rigorous, integrated, multi-disciplinary investigation of the mind that combines first-person and second- person direct human experience with a modern scientific third-person inquiry •  Develop a global community of scientists and scholars to conduct this investigation, and global communities of financial partners to provide the material resources to support this research •  Delineate specific research projects that are strategically designed to advance these emerging fields of research •  Communicate research findings to provide a scientific basis for developing and refining practices and programs designed to improve lives and societies; practices that cultivate the human qualities of attention, emotional balance, kindness, compassion, confidence and happiness G)  John Templeton foundation (http://www.templeton.org/who-we-are/about-the-foundation/mission) Mission: The John Templeton Foundation serves as a philanthropic catalyst for discoveries relating to the Big Questions of human purpose and ultimate reality. They support research on subjects ranging from complexity, evolution, and infinity to creativity, forgiveness, love, and free will. It encourages civil, informed dialogue among scientists, philosophers, and theologians and between such experts and the public at large, for the purposes of definitional clarity and new insights. The vision is derived from the late Sir John Templeton's optimism about the possibility of acquiring “new spiritual information” and from his commitment to rigorous scientific research and related scholarship. The Foundation's motto, "How little we know, how eager to learn," exemplifies support for open-minded inquiry and they hope for advancing human progress through breakthrough discoveries. Founder: Sir John Templeton Established in: 1987 Size of endowment: $2.5 billion (2012) Location: West Conshohocken, a suburb of Philadelphia, PA First year Templeton Prize was given: 1973 Templeton Prize value: £1,100,000 sterling (approximately $1.7 million) Number of living Templeton Prize Laureates: 18 Total grant payout and charitable activities: $715 million (1987-2011) Total grant payments: $71 million (2011) Number of grant requests: 345 (2012) Number of grants approved: 178 (2012) Average grant size: $970,446 (2012), with 38% under $250,000 Geographical range of grants: International Year Templeton Press was established: 1997 Number of books published by the Templeton Press: 203 (to date) H) Many countless others:  As an illustration, some of the organizations in the mission of humanity are mentioned. But they are just very few. In each small part of the world where human stay countless missions are in progress. Many known-unknown organizations, groups, associations, clubs, temples, churches, ashrams and even solitary individuals are engaged in such a mission. The fabric of benevolence in the world is still not weathered away only due to the known-unknown contribution of such efforts. Since the objective of all such efforts is conceptually same the association under one umbrella is a good idea. This is probably contemplated as we saw in the earlier blog. But howsoever ideal it may be it is very difficult to come to reality. All these organizations are managed by some people, some systems, some agenda. Howsoever noble they may be if one goes deep below the psyche of such organizations, they often have their sense of superiority or ego about their own mission. For this purpose they would like to retain their own identity which is in a way natural and should be acceptable. We have seen that world scale organizations such as U.N.O. or its part W.H.O. which have been established by the world leaders for the purpose of world community are in existence for last several decades but still the need of ‘Revolution of Consciousness’ is felt on and often. Can such a revolution take place? Before answering the question all the concerned need to agree upon the definition of consciousness. What are the properties of it, what are its good and bad parts so as to effectively bring about the ‘revolution’ in the desired direction. How can pooling the contribution of all the existing resources in an ‘acceptable to all’ manner be possible? When it comes to human welfare agenda, the aspects of morality and ethics (at individual and also at the organizational level) often assume the forefront. As we have seen in the earlier posts, the basic concepts such as ‘knowledge’, ‘desire’, ‘free will’ etc. are not clearly defined in the academics and related fields. Let us see the status of ‘morality’ and ‘ethics’ later. Vijay R. Joshi

The Concerns for Humanity. ((WMM-2)

In the last article we saw the concerns expressed by thinkers  Why such situation? What are the factors that are responsible for such a problem? We shall try to have a glance at some trouble mongers (they are only a few among lot many).

With sincere apologies to several honest professionals, let us see some major malpractices in the health service at home and abroad (excerpts from published data)

A)  Medical service (India)

10 ways how doctors in India loot patients: Dr. B M Hegde http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/-ways-how-doctors-in-india-loot-patients-17628.html

New Delhi, Sept 10: A renowned physician Dr. B M Hegde has shown how a large number of doctors working in five-star hospitals shortchange (deal unfairly to cheat) patients in order to keep their management happy and enrich their own pockets. Here is what Dr. B M Hegde writes:

"Most of these observations are either completely or partially true. Corruption has many names, and one of civil society isn't innocent either. Professionals and businessmen of various sorts indulge in unscrupulous practices. I recently had a chat with some doctors, surgeons and owners of nursing homes about the tricks of their trade. Here is what they said:

1)      40-60% kickbacks for lab tests.

2)      30-40% for referring to consultants, specialists & surgeons.
When your friendly GP refers you to a specialist or surgeon, he gets 30-40%.

3)      30-40% of total hospital charges. If the GP or consultant recommends hospitalization, he will receive kickback from the private nursing home as a percentage of all charges including ICU, bed, nursing care, surgery.

4)      Sink tests. Some tests prescribed by doctors are not needed. They are there to inflate bills and commissions. The pathology lab understands what is unnecessary. These are called "sink tests"; blood, urine, stool samples collected will be thrown.

5)      Admitting the patient to "keep him under observation". People go to cardiologists feeling unwell and anxious. Most of them aren’t really having a heart attack, and cardiologists and family doctors are well aware of this. They admit such safe patients, put them on a saline drip with mild sedation, and send them home after 3-4 days after charging them a fat amount for ICU, bed charges, visiting doctors’ fees.

6)      ICU minus intensive care. Nursing homes all over the suburbs are run by doctor couples or as one-man-shows. In such places, nurses and ward boys are 10th class drop-outs in ill-fitting uniforms and bare feet. These "nurses" sit at the reception counter, give injections and saline drips, perform ECGs, apply dressings and change bandages, and assist in the operation theatre.
At night, they even sit outside the Intensive Care Units; there is no resident doctor. In case of a crisis, the doctor -- who usually lives in the same building -- will turn up after 20 minutes after nurse calls him. Such ICUs admit safe patients to fill up beds.

7)      Unnecessary cesarean surgeries and hysterectomies. Many surgical procedures are done to keep the cash register ringing. cesarean deliveries and hysterectomy (removal of uterus) are high on the list.

8)      Cosmetic surgery advertised through newspapers. Liposuction and plastic surgery are not minor procedures. Some are life-threateningly major. But advertisements make them appear as easy as facials and waxing. The Indian medical council has strict rules against such misrepresentation. But nobody is interested in taking action.

9)       Indirect kickbacks from doctors to prestigious hospitals. To be on the panel of a prestigious hospital, there is give-and-take involved. The hospital expects the doctor to refer many patients for hospital admission. If he fails to send a certain number of patients, he is quietly dumped. And so he likes to admit patients even when there is no need.

10)  "Emergency surgery" on dead body. If a surgeon hurriedly wheels your patient from the Intensive Care Unit to the operation theatre, refuses to let you go inside and see him, and wants your signature on the consent form for "an emergency operation to save his life", it is likely that your patient is already dead. The "emergency operation" is for inflating the bill; if you agree for it, the surgeon will come out 15 minutes later and report that your patient died on the operation table. And then, when you take delivery of the dead body, you will pay OT charges etc.

(As per WIKI: Belle Monappa Hegde often abbreviated as B. M. Hegde is an Indian medical scientist, educationist and author. He is a retired Vice Chancellor of the Manipal University and the head of the Mangalore Chapter of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. He has authored several books on medical practice and ethics. He is also the Editor in Chief of the medical journal, Journal. He was awarded the Dr. B. C. Roy Award in 1999. In 2010 He was honored with a Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian awards.)

B)  How Corrupted Drug Companies Deceive and Manipulate Doctors (U.S.A.)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Oc2xElvL4.

Dr. Beatrice Golomb, Associate Professor of Medicine at University of California, San Diego, masterfully exposes the corruption that has metastasized like a tumor throughout the pharmaceutical and medical industries. The corruption has become so prolific that it has literally debased medical science.

In the above linked Chicago Breaking News article, Dr. Paul Offit, an infectious disease specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, is quoted as saying: “Science is not a democracy where people's votes decide what is right. Look at the data, look at science and make a decision based on science that has been published."  What he is really advocating is for you to blindly believe in “facts” that may have been produced in the midst of MASSIVE conflicts of interest. Before you assume the science in medical journals is credible, let’s take a look at what is going on behind the scenes of editing and publishing in medical science.

Bias #1: Unwanted Results are Not Published

In order for scientific studies to happen, someone has to pay for them. The top funder for any drug trial is the pharmaceutical company that makes it, since the manufacturer is most invested in “proving” how spectacular its drug is. Dr. Golomb uses the case of statins (drug used for heart disease) as an example, stating that all of the major statin studies have been funded exclusively by the drug industry.

The second-highest funder of drug studies is the National Institute of Health (NIH), which is not the group of neutral government experts you may have assumed them to be. In fact, NIH accepts a great deal of money from Big Pharma and is deeply enmeshed with the industry.

But drug companies publish only a fraction of the studies they fund -- the ones that promote their drugs.  If a study does not have findings that are favorable to its product, it is unlikely it will ever make it into a journal for publication. In contrast, studies that have favorable findings almost always make the cut. There are simply thousands of scientific studies out there that have never been seen by you or your physician because they have been screened out by editors and reviewers who are being paid to uphold an industry agenda. Published studies overwhelmingly favor the funding company’s drug. Whichever drug is manufactured by the study sponsor is the drug that comes out on top, 90 percent of the time! Given this, how can medical journals be considered unbiased?

Bias #2: Bad Results are submitted as Good

When a scientific study has findings that cast doubt on the efficacy of a drug, oftentimes the negative findings are morphed into positive ones. So, even if they can’t make the results look good, they can often find a way to twist the conclusions so that their drug appears favorable.

Bias #3: A Favorable Study is Submitted Multiple Times

When a study yields positive results, it is often submitted multiple times in a way that the reader does not realize it’s the same study, obscured by different author lists and different details. Analyzers have had to look very carefully to determine which studies are actually duplicates because they are so cleverly disguised.

Bias #4: Follow-Up Reviews Done by Biased Experts

The editorials that follow from a study, submitted by so-called unbiased experts and then published in reputable journals, are often done by non-neutral parties who have a financial tie to the drug maker.

Bias #5: Ghostwriting

Many of the articles that appear in medical journals purportedly written by well-known academics are actually written by unacknowledged ghostwriters on Big Pharma payroll.

Bias #6: Journal Bias

Medical journals are generally considered by medical practitioners to be a source of reliable information. But medical journals are also businesses. Three editors, who agreed to discuss finances only if they remained anonymous, said a few journals that previously measured annual profits in the tens of thousands of dollars now make millions annually. The truth is that Big Pharma has become quite adept at manipulating and brainwashing practitioners of conventional medicine. They influence the very heart and center of the most respected medical journals, creating dogma and beliefs that support the drug paradigm because it is blessed by the pinnacle of scientific integrity: the prestigious peer-reviewed medical journal. Peer-reviewed medical journals contain advertisements that are almost exclusively for drugs, amidst articles that are biased toward promoting those drugs.

Pharmaceutical companies spend almost twice as much on marketing as they spend on research!

In 2003, drug companies spent $448 million dollars on advertising in medical journals. It has been calculated that the return on investment on medical journal ads is between $2.22 and $6.86 for every dollar spent, with larger and older brands at the higher end. Long-term returns may be even higher when you consider that one ad viewed by a physician could result in hundreds or even thousands of drug purchases, based on the prescriptions he or she writes.

The term “peer-review” has come to imply scientific credibility. But the fact is that many of the peer-reviewers are on the drug company’s payroll, and those who are not are unlikely to detect flawed research or outright fraud. Medical journals are the number one source of medical information for physicians. In fact, nearly 80 percent of physicians use medical journals for their education, which exceeds information from any other source.

Bias #7: Drug Companies Masquerading (pretending) as Educators

The education of medical students and residents also comes through the filter of the drug industry, which seeks to groom them before they even finish medical school. And drug companies are allowed to develop their own education curriculum for medical students and residents, lavishing them with gifts, indirectly paying them to attend meetings and events where they promote the company’s products.

Any discussion of physician “seduction” would be incomplete without the mentioning of the 100,000 drug reps, who are groomed and trained to wine and dine and otherwise shower physicians in sweetness until they are handing out prescriptions like candy.  Reps are even taught tactics for manipulating doctors for industry benefit, as a standard part of their training.

What happens if a physician or other person speaks up about these conflicts of interest? What happens to the proverbial whistle-blower?

Intimidating phone calls and direct threats for starters.

In one case, Dr. Buse, an endocrinologist who is the incoming president of the American Diabetes Association, presented data in 1999 about his concerns about the risks of Avandia. Dr. Buse was intimidated with multiple phone calls by drug company officials. They suggested he could be financially liable to the company for $4 billion in lost revenues due to his “unscrupulous remarks.” Other truth-tellers have had their reputations trashed or job offers rescinded for speaking the truths that Big Pharma works so hard to keep under wraps.

“Too Big to Nail” An individual truth-teller might be vulnerable to the wrath of an angry drug company, but drug companies are unlikely to suffer much of a consequence for their crimes.

The bottom line is the drug companies aren’t going to protect you. The government won’t protect you. And it is unlikely that your physician can protect you either -- even a well-meaning one -- when he or she is operating within a system that has become RIGGED for Big Pharma profit. Only you can protect yourself.

My comments: We saw the situation in health field. Everybody rich or poor needs health service and in such most essential area we see the malpractice from so called elite community for which everybody has to suffer.

C  Stress scenario: Overall status of mental situation world over compiled from different sources is as follows.

World Health Organization: Depression is the No 1 occupational disease of the 21st century says WHO. Around 49% of people under stress say they suffer from upset stomach or nausea. 71% people under stress feel they are not productive and cry regularly. Over 50% of the World's children are brought up in stressful conditions, says UNESCO. Under High stress your biological age can be 3 times higher than your calendar age. 69% of people suffering from stress related disorders such as depression were apprehensive that society would consider them to be crazy.  55 % of people suffering from stress related disorders say they have no or very few close friends. 71% people under stress refrain from social activities. 50% of people under stress say they are not able to pursue leisure activities or hobbies. The typical age of onset of social anxiety disorder is 12 to 19. About 77% people under stress say anxiety or disorders such as insomnia or depression hamper their romantic relationships. 58% are embarrassed to acknowledge that they are depressed. 35% people suffering from social anxiety disorder say they avoid intimacy with partners. Over 50% of lost workdays across the world are due to stress, says an ILO study

 

Stress levels are rising in work places around the world. In a recent global survey of 1,000 corporations across 15 countries, commissioned by The Regus Group it was found that the levels of workplace stress have raised over the last two years. The survey found 6 in 10 workers in significant global economies experienced increased workplace stress. The survey found that China (86%) had the highest rise in workplace stress. While those workers in larger companies worldwide (over 1000 workers and more) were nearly twice as likely to suffer from stress, these heightened stress levels were costing world economies billions Of dollars in lost productivity and health related problems.

  

Stress related facts and statistics: June’ 2013. The Stress in America survey results show that adults continue to report high levels of stress and many report that their stress has increased over the past year – American Psychological Association. 75% of adults reported experiencing moderate to high levels of stress in the past month and nearly half reported that their stress has increased in the past year.

American Psychological Association. Approximately 1 out of 75 people may experience panic disorder

National Institutes of Mental Health. Stress is a top health concern for U.S. teens between 9th and 12th grade, psychologists say that if they don’t learn healthy ways to manage that stress now, it could have serious long-term health implications – American Psychological Association.

The Regus Group Alarmingly 91% of adult Australians feels stress in at least one important area of their lives.  Almost 50% feel very stressed about one part of their life – Lifeline Australia. Australian employees are absent for an average of 3.2 working days each year through stress.  This workplace stress costs the Australian economy approximately $14.2 billion – Medibank

An estimated 442,000 individuals in Britain, who worked in 2007-08 believed that they were experiencing work-related stress at a level that was making them ill – Labor Force Survey. Approximately 13.7 million working days are lost each year in the UK as a result of work-related illness at a cost of £28.3 billion per year – National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Depression is among the leading causes of disability worldwide – World Health Organization.

India: (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences India): Depression among the youth has increased from 2% to 12% in the last five years. Globally 3 out of every 5 visits to the doctor are for stress related problems. 76% people under stress say they have sleeping disorders and 58% suffer headaches. 85% of people under stress tend to have strained relations with family and friends. 70% of people under stress say they have become short- tempered. A NIMHANS study says 36 % techies in Bangalore show signs of psychiatric disorder. Globally 1 out of every 10 students suffers significant distress... According to recent reports 50% employees in India Inc. are under stress, 30% have problems such as addictions and marital discord while 20% suffer from depression. 66% CEO's in India are stressed out and 11% find it too much to handle says ASSOCHAM.

My comments: Due to advance in science and technology our standard of living has improved. The amenities available to us have increased but with all this advance not happiness but the stress has increased to a level which offsets all the gains.

D-1 the fact about corruption (Indian express 6 Nov. 2013), excerpts

Shailesh Gandhi : Fri May 24 2013,

I would like to take a look at some of the root causes of corruption in India. The basic cause is that the government is not designed for accountability and delivering services to its citizens. This is a larger problem, which can be resolved if adequate effort is made to streamline administrative processes. There is some truth in the idea that we lack the wherewithal to catch the corrupt. The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) in Maharashtra registered 654 cases during 2011. The instances of corruption each day must be in the thousands, and if only 654 cases are registered in a year by the ACB, it is only tokenism. There is a need to find a way of raising this figure by at least 20 times, if the ACB is to have any meaningful impact. Similarly, a look at the performance of the Lokayukta in Maharashtra shows that, with a staff of over 80 people, it received 11,153 allegations during the 25-year period between 1981 and 2006, and could find only 57 instances where it recommended any action by the government. If this is the performance of two of our institutions in one state, can they have any impact on corruption?

However, I would submit that there is another, more fundamental cause of corruption: Our inability to punish the few corrupt persons our investigative agencies identify. To illustrate, I am presenting data published in the Indian Police Journal in April-June 2010. A study was done of the performance of an anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for the period 1980-84 (mean year 1982) in the year 2008, that is, after 26 years. I would first like to present the raw data.

During the four-year period, 698 accused had been investigated and out of these, 273 persons were charge sheeted. Of these, the CBI was able to get conviction in 144 cases. The average time for investigation was 13.4 months, whereas the average time to get the convictions was seven years and four months. Of these, only four persons have been to prison for over 20 days, since most of those convicted appealed, while some of the convicted persons had died. In 2008, 71 appeals were still being contested in the higher courts. The nation is spending money in 71 cases to try and prosecute 71 persons after 26 years. Is it not obvious that the process is irrelevant?

It is a reasonable assumption that this study is representative of the actual ground realities in India. It appears to indicate that getting the investigative agencies to become more efficient or bigger may not be the solution to our corruption, since it will get stalled at the judicial stage.

We need to find a way to decide on cases of corruption within a reasonable time, by getting our judiciary to accept that decisions need to be given in a reasonable amount time if the justice system is to be meaningful. Some citizens saying that there are 164 MPs in Parliament with charges of corruption. Does this mean they are corrupt, unless the courts pronounce them guilty? The only answer a civilized society can give is a resounding "no", unless the judicial system finally pronounces them guilty. If we have a judicial system that cannot pronounce corrupt persons as guilty, no Lokpal will reduce corruption.A functional judicial system that delivers in a reasonable time is an essential prerequisite for any reduction in corruption, and for a rule of law to prevail. Talking of fast-track courts is no solution. We must realize — as Justice Kirpal did — that the justice system is not functioning effectively, and we need to find a way to change this. This can be changed, if we consider an effective judicial delivery system that delivers in any court in less than 18 months. This is possible, and must be considered non-negotiable. (The writer is a former information commissioner with the CIC, New Delhi)

D-2) Corruption-scandals-that-shamed-India-89069.html  at the above link NITI CENTRAL dated 13 June 2013 gives the list of 25 corruption scandals that shamed India. http://www.niticentral.com/2013/06/13/25

1)      1948 jeep scandal: It was first major corruption case in independent India. VK Krishna Menon, the then Indian high commissioner to Britain, ignored protocols and signed Rs 80 lakh contract for the purchase of army jeeps with a foreign firm. While most of the money was paid up front, just 155 jeeps landed, the then Prime Minister Nehru forced the government to accept them. Govind Ballabh Pant the then Home Minister and the then Government of Indian National Congress announced on September 30, 1955 that the Jeep scandal case was closed for judicial inquiry ignoring suggestion by the Inquiry Committee led by Ananthsayanam Ayyangar.

2)       1981 Antulay Trust: AR Antulay, the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra, allegedly garnered Rs. 30 crore from businesses dependent on State resources.

3)      1987 HDW commissions: The German submarine maker was blacklisted after allegations that commissions worth Rs. 420 crore had been paid in the 1987 deal in India.

4)      1989 St. Kitts forgery: Documents were forged to allege that former Prime Minister VP Singh was a beneficiary of his son’s account in the First Trust Corp at St Kitts, with a deposit of $21 million.

5)      1980-90s Bofors scandal: It was a major corruption scandal in India in the 1980s and 1990s, initiated by Congress politicians and implicating the Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi and several others who were accused of receiving kickbacks from Bofors AB for winning a bid to supply India's 155 mm field howitzer.

6)      1990 Airbus scandal: Indian Airline's signing of the Rs.2, 000-crore deal with Airbus instead of Boeing caused a furor following the crash of an A-320 airliner.

7)      1992 Securities scam: Harshad Mehta manipulated banks and the stock market, pushing shares like ACC from Rs.500 to Rs 10,000. The stacked-up claims of the brokers were a staggering Rs 10,000 crore.

8)      1996 Urea scam: a clutch of businessmen in connivance with top officials of the National Fertilizer Limited, fleeced the Government of Rs.133 crore for the import of urea, which was never delivered.

9)      1996 Telecom fraud: Former Minister of State for Communication was accused of causing a loss of Rs.1.6 crore by favoring a Hyderabad-based firm in the purchase of telecom equipment.

10)  1996 Fodder scam: This scam broke out in 1996 in the town of Chaibasa, Bihar when the animal husbandry department embezzled funds of around Rs 950 crore meant to purchase cattle fodder, medicines and animal husbandry equipment in Bihar. Chief Minister was forced to resign along with former Chief Minister.

11)  2002-2003 Taj Heritage Corridor case: It is an alleged scam wherein 2002-2003, the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and a Minister in her Government, were charged with corruption.

12)  2009 Satyam Computer Services scandal: It was a corporate scandal that occurred in 2009 where Chairman confessed that the company's accounts had been falsified. The Global corporate community was shocked and scandalized when the Chairman of Satyam, resigned on January 7, 2009 and confessed that he had manipulated the accounts by $1.47 Billion.

13)  2002-2010 UP Food grain scam: Uttar Pradesh food grain scam also dubbed as Mother of all scams took place between years 2002 and 2010. The grain worth Rs 35000 crore, meant to be distributed via PDS to the poor under several schemes like Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Jawahar Rozgar Yojana and Midday Meal Scheme for Below Poverty Line (BPL) card holders, was diverted to the open market. The scam first was exposed in 2003, in Gonda district during the distribution of food grain meant for the Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana. After initially ordering an inquiry into the scam Mulayam Singh withdrew it. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Mulayam Singh Government in 2006, lodged over 5,000 FIRs. The latest of the scam series in India, initially referred as the 'UP rice scam' could be the biggest of them all, even outdistancing the 2G Spectrum scam. The scam involves goofing up of rice worth Rs 20, 0000 crore. It was a scam that stretched to almost 7 years and 300 FIRs.

14)  2001 Stock market scam: Stock market king, Ketan Parekh used UTI, Calcutta Stock Exchange and his own index K-10 to swindle investors. When the scam was unearthed, it was reported that he had wiped off over Rs.1 lakh crore of investor's market capital.

15)  2008 cash-for-votes scandal: It is a scandal, in which the UPA, the majority-holding Parliamentary-party alliance, allegedly bribed MPs in order to survive a confidence vote on July 22, 2008...

16)  2010 CWG scam: The Commonwealth Games is perhaps one of India's most well-known scam. Suresh Kalmadi who was the chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Commonwealth Games was the main accused. It consisted of a number of corrupt deals involving overstated contracts. Kalmadi also handed out Rs 141 crore contracts to Swiss Timing for its timing equipment; the deal was inflated by Rs 95 crores.

17)  2010 2G spectrum scam: The illegal undercharging by Government officials to various telecom companies during the allocation of 2G licenses for cellphone subscriptions gave rise to the 2G spectrum scam. According to the CAG, the scam amounts to about Rs 176,000 crore, whereas the CBI estimates it at Rs 30,984 crore.

18)  2011 Antrix Devas deal: In 2011, former ISRO chairman and three other scientists were involved in a controversial deal between the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) commercial arm Antrix Corporation and Devas Multimedia. The deal involved ISRO leasing the S-band transponders on two satellites (GSAT6 and GSAT6A) to Devas for broadcasting purposes. A CAG report found that the department of space hid facts from the Cabinet.

19)  2012 Uttar Pradesh NRHM scam: Under Mayawati's regime, this scam caused a loss of Rs 10,000 crore to the State. Politicians and senior bureaucrats are alleged to have siphoned off a massive booty from the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM), a Central Government program meant to improve health care services in rural areas. At least five people have been murdered in an attempt to cover up large-scale irregularities...

20)  2012 Tatra scam: Bharat Earth Movers Ltd in collaboration with Tatra Vectra Motors had produced over 7000 trucks to the Army. When General VK Singh took over as the Army Chief, he refused to authorize the purchase of trucks after he was offered a bribe. The scam was estimated at Rs 750 crore.

21)  2012 Coal mining controversy: Also called Coalgate is one of the well-known scams. The scam, where the UPA Government reported a loss of Rs 185,591 crore.

22)   2013 Railway promotion scam: Infamously known as Railgate, it involves former Railway Minister and his nephew, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 90 lakh from a Railway Board member.

23)   2013 Saradha Group chit fund scam: Earthed recently, the Saradha Group chit fund scam caused a loss of Rs 20,000 crore to the exchequer.

24)   2013 Vodafone tax scandal: The scandal involves Rs 11, 000 crore tax dispute. The dispute also names Union Minister Kapil Sibal because of the Law Ministry's U-turn to agree to conciliation in Vodafone tax case.

25)   2013 Agusta Westland chopper deal scam: This is one of the most recent of the cases in India, which has shamed the country. The deal amounts to Rs 74.5 crore...

E  International status: (http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2012/dec/05/corruption-index-2012-transparency-international)

The latest corruption index from Transparency International shows the old problems are as rife as they ever were. The CPI scores countries on a scale of zero to 100, with zero indicating high levels of corruption and 100, low levels. Two thirds of the 176 countries ranked in the 2012 index score below 50 - meaning they are considered significantly corrupt.

The lowest scored country in Europe, however, is troubled Greece - ranked down 14 places to number 36. Syria too, presently in the middle of civil war, is down 15 places to number 144, making it one of the most corrupt countries on earth. Egypt, presently in the middle of demonstrations, is down six places to 118 out of 174 countries ranked by the index.

And the most corrupt places in the world are not the most surprising. Unstable governments, often with a legacy of conflict, continue to dominate the bottom rungs of the CPI. Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia share last place with a score of only eight out of 100 for transparency.

Unsurprisingly, at the top are some of the world's most stable countries - New Zealand, Denmark and Finland are number one. The Index, which is closely watched by investors, economists, and civil society campaigners, is based on expert assessments and data from 13 surveys from independent institutions, covering issues such as access to information, bribery of public officials, kickbacks in public procurement, and the enforcement of anti-corruption laws. While critics note that measuring perceptions of corruption is not the same as measuring corruption itself, the latter is almost impossible to do - as the corrupt are usually keen to cover up their tracks, hard data on graft and bribery is notoriously difficult to come by.

( some scores: India-36, China-39, Pakistan-27).

My comments: We see that two third countries are highly corrupt. Since both India and china come in this class we can imagine how majority of the world population is suffering from corruption. This makes the world population unhappy as can be seen in the next point. Here again we see the problem is not with illiterate poor people but with so called educated, elite class of politicians, political systems, judicial systems, business ethics etc.                          

F  Ref .World Happiness Report 2013 on line (edited by John Helliwell, Richard layard and Jeffrey Sachs)

Mental illness is one of the main causes of unhappiness (Ref. chapter 3) People can be unhappy for many reasons— from poverty to unemployment to family breakdown to physical illness. But in any particular society, chronic mental illness is a highly influential cause of misery. By far the most common forms of mental illness are depression and anxiety disorders, so we particularly concentrate on these in this chapter. We develop the following key points:

1. Mental illness is a highly influential — and in the countries we have assessed, the single biggest — determinant of misery.

2. Prevalence varies between countries, but these conditions affect about 10% of the world’s population at any one time.

3. Worldwide, depression and anxiety disorders account for up to a fifth of all disability. This involves massive costs in lost output as well as increased physical illness.

4. Even in rich countries, less than a third of people who suffer from mental illness are in receipt of treatment and care; in lower-resource settings, the situation is considerably worse. This is serious discrimination; it is also unsound economics.

5. Cost-effective treatments exist. For depression and anxiety disorders, evidence-based treatments can have low or zero net cost. They can and should be made far more universally available.

6. Schools and workplaces need to be much more mental health-conscious, and directed to the improvement of happiness, if we are to prevent mental illness and promote mental health.

Mental Illness a Key Determinant of Unhappiness: Mental health or psychological well-being makes up an integral part of an individual’s capacity to lead a fulfilling life, including the ability to study, work or pursue leisure interests, and to make day-to-day personal or household decisions about educational, employment, housing or other choices. The importance of good mental health to individual functioning and well-being can be amply demonstrated by reference to values that sit at the very heart of the human condition.

The Prevalence of Mental Illness Worldwide. Mental disorders are a common occurrence in all regions and cultures of the world. For many years, a persistently held belief was that these disorders were the preserve of rich countries; epidemiological studies over the last generation have manifestly shown this not to be the case. In fact, by dint of population size, the large majority of persons with a mental disorder reside in low- and middle-income countries of the world. The prevalence of these conditions is dominated by the so-called “common mental disorders” of depression and anxiety, and they are indeed highly prevalent – between them they occur at any one time in nearly one in 10 persons on the planet. In childhood and adolescence, behavioral disorders constitute the most common problems. Prevalence rates differ between countries but not greatly between groups of countries (when grouped by income level).

Conclusion: Mental Illness is a huge problem in every society and a major cause of misery in the world. The economic cost is also huge. But cost-effective treatments exist. Unfortunately however, most people who need treatment never get it. This can be reversed, and to do it will require countries to spend a higher proportion of their health budgets on mental health and to use these resources more efficiently. It ties in closely with the global happiness agenda in two ways. Better treatment for mental health would improve happiness directly; and improving happiness in other ways would reduce the frequency of mental illness. If we want a happier world, we need a completely new deal on mental health.

My comments:   The majority of the countries and very high percentage of world population is sad. This is in spite of lot of science and technology advance in the last century. To make the world happy we are anxious on getting new deal on mental health! Who is going to discover it? We need healthy minds but scientists, philosophers, thinkers they do not yet have decided ‘What Mind means’! 

Vijay R. Joshi