Summer Intern

Came across this interesting startup - Jamm. A members-only social network

Saw this on Twitter today, found this interesting and loved the idea. The app is named - Jamm. A members-only social network that helps you meet all kinds of people over fun activities IRL. Tagline - ‘Never Have Another Boring Week’. The idea behind this as per founder (Able Joseph) is to improve the social health/life of its members. The more like-minded the community, the nicer its interactions will be. Here’s how it works. - Apply for membership - Once accepted, pick an activity (board games, bike rides, etc.) and post a Jamm - Receive requests from other members who are interested to be a part of your Jamm - Curate the people you wish to bring together - Coordinate with the Jammers on group chat - Meet them IRL and have a good time Interesting to see how they’ll be solving security challenges associated with meeting people. Also, I guess this could also turn out to be a hookup app. What you guys think? Bengaluru peeps here - Have you used this yet?

Some thoughts on decades of settler-colonialism, imperialism, and western hypocrisy

"International humanitarian law should be the best safeguard against the normalization of the use of force that we see all over the world. To be able to rally the world around those principles, we need to show that we respect them always and everywhere. Is that what we are doing?" — Josep Borrell, EU rep for foreign affairs and security policy. ---- The US has been at war in the region for decades, for our entire lives, invading Iraq, attacking Syria, Libya, Yemen. And now they to expand their colonial footprint, its choke-hold on this region, to appropriate even more of the natural resources and produce for themselves. And for years they have fantasized over waging a broader regional war against all of the independent governments in the Middle East that so dare to oppose US control. The hegemonic empire built on, driven and sustained by war, wants more war... To wage this, and the countless previous wars, the empire has utilized it's control over the mass media to shape the narrative and "manufacture consent" of the public in agreeing to the actions taken by their governments. Actions, which seek only to perpetuate and expand the influence of the hegemon. Social media algorithms discovered over a decade ago, that to maximize engagement, people need to be angry. "Angry people click more", and hence can be displayed more ads, leading to more profits for the monopolies. This anger is weaponized at the smallest of levels, building up on people's very real socio-economic uncertainties, and sowing fear, hatred, and diverting anger towards a certain group. We're told to fear and hate the oppressed, while the oppressors play the victim at the slightest inconvenience caused to them as a result of their oppression. Even here, well meaning, well educated people, fall for this mis/disinformation, not willing to inspect the evidence pointing to the contrary. ---- While the Israeli government increasingly calls for "erasing the Gaza strip from face of the earth", occupation of West Bank and Southern Lebanon, the military is carrying out dozens of massacres, killing 50, orphaning 70, displacing 1900 children every single day. US meanwhile makes plans to attack Iran's oil and/or nuclear energy facilities. This says everything, because Iran made it very clear in its retaliatory attack under international law, that it only went after military targets in Israel, attacking military bases and Mossad. Iran intentionally did not want to hit any civilian targets. So what's the response of the US and Israel? — Let's hit civilian targets in Iran. Let's go to war we've been dreaming about since we were removed in 79. The Western narrative about Iran and its allies in the region is the polar inversion of reality. It's the US and Israel that are constantly attacking civilians, and Israel boasts of the tens of thousands of Palestinians it has killed in Gaza. But when Iran responded to Israel in self-defense, Israeli regime officials and propagandists said, look, "Iran didn't kill a single Israeli. We're amazing. Iran didn't kill any of our people." But Iran does not judge the effectiveness of its attacks based on the number of civilians it kills. Iran doesn't want to kill Israeli civilians. It wants to hit Israeli military targets. So the US and Israel are making it very clear which is the so-called civilized side. This kind of hypocritical propaganda is especially clear when you look at Western media reporting on Israel's horrific war in Gaza, in which tens of thousands of civilians have been killed by Israel in just last year alone from brutal bombing, using US bombs, US missiles, US artillery, US planes. Or if you look at the media reporting now on Israel's invasion of Lebanon and its bombing of Lebanon, you constantly read these headlines where they talk about Lebanon airstrikes, not mentioning that it's Israel launching those airstrikes on Lebanon. On Lebanon, one can clearly see that Israel is responsible for the vast majority of cross border attacks. But the Western media, echoing Western governments, claims that Israel is supposedly defending itself, and now top ministers in the Israeli regime are openly saying that they want to re-occupy and colonize southern Lebanon, which is exactly what Israel did in the 80s and 90s, which by the way, is conveniently left out of the mainstream discourse. Hezbollah defends their country by attacking the invading soldiers, their military installations, while these Israeli military uses air strikes to indiscriminately bomb schools, hospitals, orphanages, places of worship, cemeteries, kill civilians, children, medics, journalists. ---- The US government claims, "we want peace and a ceasefire", but it's big bad Netanyahu, who is just pushing for more and more war. But in reality, there are so many reports showing that the Biden administration has been encouraging and pushing Israel to expand this war. Politico revealed that Senior White House figures privately told Israel that the US would support its decision to ramp up military pressure against Hezbollah, even as the Biden administration publicly urged the Israeli government in recent weeks to curtail its strikes. Top White House officials told top Israeli officials that the US agreed with Netanyahu's broad strategy to shift Israel's military focus to the north in Lebanon. This ridiculous, cynical narrative that the Biden administration supposedly wants peace, but it's just Israel standing in the way. Israel keeps killing the top politicians and generals in the process of negotiating and even agreeing to even a temporary stop in the hostilities. If one side isn't invited, there can never be a ceasefire. ---- Scholars at Brown University, estimated that 4.5 to 4.7 million people died due to the US-led wars following the September 11 attacks. Furthermore, 38 million people were displaced in these US-led wars, and now the US and Israel are expanding those wars further. Yes, 9/11 was horrific, received so much coverage and outrage around the world, that we essentially agreed to the massacre of millions. But we forget that the attacks were a result of the atrocities committed by US and Israel in Lebanon in the 80s. CIA initially funded and trained Al-Qaeda in the 70s to destabilize Afghanistan. Because empire forbids a resource rich nation to be governed by it's own people! How many more millions of people need to die, and how many tens of millions of people need to lose their homes, so the US Empire can try to maintain its hegemon? ---- Taken from politico, theimeu, geopoliticaleconomy, the wire, and maktoob media. Comic from Latuff, 2006.

Stroke Survivors Speak: Life-Changing Results of Neurological Rehabilitation Care

Key Takeaways: First-hand accounts from stroke survivors show the effectiveness of neurological rehabilitation. Therapy improves not only physical functions but also emotional resilience and quality of life. Family support and professional guidance are essential to sustained recovery. A brain stroke can take away mobility, memory and the ability to perform simple daily tasks. But it does not have to take away a person’s hope. Neurological rehabilitation brings science, structure and empathy together to help patients regain control over their lives. At Apokos Rehab, patients receive specialized care from a team dedicated to improving functional outcomes. But beyond the treatment plans and therapy sessions are the human stories that define the success of stroke recovery. Story 1: "I Thought I'd Never Speak Again" – Kavitha, 61 Kavitha experienced a stroke that left her unable to speak and with difficulty swallowing. The fear of permanent silence affected her deeply. Within days of admission to Apokos Rehab, she began speech and swallowing therapy. Progress Timeline: Week 1: Started mouth and tongue strengthening exercises Week 3: Practiced single words with visual aids Week 5: Holding conversations with family members Today, Kavitha reads newspapers aloud and actively participates in social gatherings. Story 2: "Walking Felt Like Climbing a Mountain" – Joseph, 55 After a stroke affected the left side of his body, Joseph lost the ability to walk and perform routine activities. He joined Apokos Rehab's neuro-physiotherapy program. Therapy Included: Assisted walking with gait trainers Balance and strength training Mirror therapy to retrain brain signals Result: Within 8 weeks, Joseph walked 20 meters unaided and could climb stairs with minimal support. He now volunteers at his community center. Story 3: "I Got My Independence Back" – Nandita, 72 Nandita faced memory issues, disorientation and poor motor control post-stroke. The biggest challenge was performing daily activities like cooking or managing finances. Rehabilitation Focus: Occupational therapy for household skills Cognitive exercises to improve memory Group therapy to build social interaction After three months, Nandita resumed living independently. She now manages her household and visits her grandchildren regularly. Common Success Factors Across Stories Despite the uniqueness of each stroke and survivor, some consistent factors stand out: Timely intervention: Early rehab leads to better outcomes Multidisciplinary approach: Involvement of therapists, psychologists and physicians Patient motivation: Progress is tied to active participation Family involvement: Loved ones amplify the effectiveness of therapy How Neurological Rehabilitation Supports Holistic Recovery Neurological rehabilitation at Apokos focuses not just on muscles or speech but the whole person: Physical recovery: Regaining movement and coordination Cognitive restoration: Improving memory, focus and decision-making Emotional healing: Reducing anxiety, depression and stress Daily living skills: Building confidence in independent tasks What Stroke Survivors Want You to Know Patients often say the same thing when they reflect on their recovery: "Don't wait. Start rehab as early as you can." "Trust the process ,progress takes time, but it comes." "You are not alone; the right support system makes all the difference." Why Apokos Rehab Makes a Difference Apokos Rehab brings together an environment of trust, medical excellence and personalized care. Our stroke recovery programs are built on: Neurological expertise Compassionate caregivers Advanced therapy equipment Supportive peer interaction These elements help patients turn setbacks into stepping stones. Final Words The journey after a brain stroke can be daunting. But every success story at Apokos Rehab proves that life after stroke is not just possible ,it can be meaningful, active and full of purpose. When survivors speak, they remind us all: healing is not only physical, it’s deeply human. If you or someone you care about is recovering from a stroke, visit ApokosRehab.com to start a new chapter in life through trusted neurological rehabilitation.