As usual i am giving a reference to a old article. This one is 5 years old. This was a cover story about Erik Weihenmayer, sightless since he was 13, who climbed Mount Everest in 2001.
Erik Weihenmayer is the first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, on May 25, 2001. He also completed the Seven Summits in September 2002. His story was covered in a Time article in June 2001 titled Blind Faith. Follow the link to read the article....
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1000120-1,00.html
This article is a very inspirational article and I interpreted this article as below:
Most of the people may have a goal (short term, long term, whatever may be) and different people may have different capabilities/resources. But if we stick to our goals, we would definitely achieve it irrespective of the capabilities/resources that we had when the goal actually came to our mind.
But the mistakes that we tend to do normally,
1) We think that it would be difficult/impossible for me to achieve this goal because i am not capable of achieveing it, which is proven totally wrong by Erik.
2) Every day in life we tend to criticise and compare everything and try to choose. But there will always be a difference because we think that this what we are capable of, and when we see others doing more than what we think we are capable of.... there comes jealousness and it results in suffering. Finally we cry to god........saying, oh god, why did you give me less while you have given the other person more(in terms of money,love,job,property etc....).
All we need is the courage to hold on to our goal without comparing ourselves with anyone. Everyone has the same capabilities, but its our duty to realise it and achieve it.
Sounds philosophical.....
In Erik's case, it took 13 hrs to climb 20000 ft, which normally can be climbed in 7 hrs (average).
The time taken to achieve the goal doesn't really matter, what really matters is that the fight that we went through all the way to reach the goal and the state of happiness or peace that is felt when the goal is achieved, be it small or big.
By the way What is time???????.
Why do we have 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in a hour and 24 hours in a day. Its just the way our astronomers and scientists have divided it, which we follow. Check this post to understand the history
Dont let time control you... Keep thinking.......
Learn, Understand, Experience and Teach
Monday, September 25, 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
One Life
I am back from my trip abroad and ready to post......
i came across a very interesting web page while i was searching about evolution process. This page talks about evolution of the universe including human evolution.
Its difficult to go through it completely at one stretch, but this is for people who are interested in science and philosophy......... very rare combination to see (Einstein's...)
I have seen many people who believe in science, but they do not believe in religion or philosophy and vice versa. anyways here it goes....
http://www.onelife.com/index.html
lets continue our quest
i came across a very interesting web page while i was searching about evolution process. This page talks about evolution of the universe including human evolution.
Its difficult to go through it completely at one stretch, but this is for people who are interested in science and philosophy......... very rare combination to see (Einstein's...)
I have seen many people who believe in science, but they do not believe in religion or philosophy and vice versa. anyways here it goes....
http://www.onelife.com/index.html
lets continue our quest
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Jet Lag
Recently i had to travel abroad and experienced jet lag for the first time. Here is some information about jet lag...
What is jet lag?
Jet lag is a temporary disorder that causes fatigue, insomnia, and other symptoms as a result of air travel across time zones.
What are other symptoms of jet lag?
Besides fatigue and insomnia, a jet lag sufferer may experience anxiety, constipation, diarrhea, confusion, dehydration, headache, irritability, nausea, sweating, coordination problems, and even memory loss. Some individuals may report additional symptoms, such as heartbeat irregularities and an increased susceptibility to illness.
Why does jet lag occur?
Jet lag occurs because the body of a traveler cannot immediately adjust to the time in a different zone. Thus, when a New Yorker arrives in Paris at midnight Paris time, his or her body continues to operate on New York time. It is ready to eat, not sleep. As the body struggles to cope with the new schedule, temporary insomnia, fatigue, irritability, and an impaired ability to concentrate may set in. Meanwhile, the bowels may malfunction in reaction to the changed bathroom schedule, and the brain may become confused and disoriented as it attempts to juggle schedules.
How does the body keep time?
A tiny part of the brain called the hypothalamus acts as a kind of alarm clock to activate various body functions such as hunger, thirst, and sleep. It also regulates body temperature, blood pressure, and the level of hormones and glucose in the bloodstream. To help the body tell the time of day, fibers in the optic nerve of the eye transmit perceptions of light and darkness to a time-keeping center within the hypothalamus. Thus, when the eye of an air traveler perceives dawn or dusk many hours earlier or later than usual, the hypothalamus may trigger activities that the rest of the body is not ready for, and jet lag occurs.
What is jet lag?
Jet lag is a temporary disorder that causes fatigue, insomnia, and other symptoms as a result of air travel across time zones.
What are other symptoms of jet lag?
Besides fatigue and insomnia, a jet lag sufferer may experience anxiety, constipation, diarrhea, confusion, dehydration, headache, irritability, nausea, sweating, coordination problems, and even memory loss. Some individuals may report additional symptoms, such as heartbeat irregularities and an increased susceptibility to illness.
Why does jet lag occur?
Jet lag occurs because the body of a traveler cannot immediately adjust to the time in a different zone. Thus, when a New Yorker arrives in Paris at midnight Paris time, his or her body continues to operate on New York time. It is ready to eat, not sleep. As the body struggles to cope with the new schedule, temporary insomnia, fatigue, irritability, and an impaired ability to concentrate may set in. Meanwhile, the bowels may malfunction in reaction to the changed bathroom schedule, and the brain may become confused and disoriented as it attempts to juggle schedules.
How does the body keep time?
A tiny part of the brain called the hypothalamus acts as a kind of alarm clock to activate various body functions such as hunger, thirst, and sleep. It also regulates body temperature, blood pressure, and the level of hormones and glucose in the bloodstream. To help the body tell the time of day, fibers in the optic nerve of the eye transmit perceptions of light and darkness to a time-keeping center within the hypothalamus. Thus, when the eye of an air traveler perceives dawn or dusk many hours earlier or later than usual, the hypothalamus may trigger activities that the rest of the body is not ready for, and jet lag occurs.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Snail world
Rains just started here and i came across a snail at home. I was curious to know about this little creature. Interesting thing is that a snail may have 3 eye stalks also. It has a heart too!.
Explore more about snails at http://www.freewebs.com/worldofsnails/
Here is a picture of a snail and its parts.
Explore more about snails at http://www.freewebs.com/worldofsnails/
Here is a picture of a snail and its parts.
This adds one more question which does not have a answer. Is there a living creature in this world/universe/galaxy (whatever it is) without heart?.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Life that Matters
An inspirational story from inspirationpeak.com
Michael Josephson says...
What matters in life?.Where you are born, where you lived, how much money you made, how beautiful you are, how brilliant you are??????. NO, so what matters...
What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.
Michael Josephson says...
What matters in life?.Where you are born, where you lived, how much money you made, how beautiful you are, how brilliant you are??????. NO, so what matters...
What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Dreams
While we talk about sleep we cannot avoid dreams.
I am reading one of the most popular book on dreams by Sigmund Freud. Try it out to read it online if you are a dreamer too.....
Here is the link to the book: Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud
I am reading one of the most popular book on dreams by Sigmund Freud. Try it out to read it online if you are a dreamer too.....
Here is the link to the book: Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud
Sleep
Ever wondered why do we sleep?
Can we live without sleeping?
Does animals sleep?. How long?
Nowadays i am sleeping for a quite longer time. No work......... :-).
Anyway here is what i found about sleep (Source: Wikipedia-Sleep )....
Sleep more learn more!!
Theories regarding the function of sleep
1) Restorative theories of sleep describe sleep as a dynamic time of healing and growth for organisms. During sleep growth hormone levels increase, and changes in immune function occur.
2) One process known to be highly dependent on sleep is memory. REM sleep appears to help with the consolidation of spatial and procedural memory, while slow-wave sleep helps with the consolidation of declarative memories. When experimental subjects are given academic material to learn, especially if it involves organized, systematic thought, their retention is markedly increased after a night's sleep. Mere rote memorization is retained similarly well with or without an intervening period of sleep.
3)Another view is that the function of sleep is for memory processing. This theory argues that saving memory directly into the long-term memory is a slow and error prone process, and, thus, proposes that the memory formed during waking time is not saved directly into the long-term memory; instead it is saved into a temporary memory store first. The function of sleep is to process, encode and transfer the data from the temporary memory store to the long-term memory store.
(This is more easily understandable .... RAM/ROM process........Hahaa)
Animal Sleep
Animals vary widely in their amounts of sleep, from two hours a day for giraffes to 20 hours for bats. Generally, required sleeping time decreases as body size increases. Cats are one of the few animals that do not have most of their sleep consolidated into one session, preferring instead to spread their sleep fairly evenly throughout the day.
Water mammals "sleep" with alternate hemispheres of their brains asleep and the other awake. They need to do this so they can breathe above water while sleeping. Migratory birds also seem to sleep this way.
Even fish and fruit flies appear to have a "sleeplike" state. This alternation of the sleeplike state and its absence is referred to as a "Basic Rest and Activity Cycle", or BRAC. Since the modern definition of sleep is defined using EEG criteria, and such tiny brains preclude the recording of EEG's, this may not technically be described as sleep. However, if fruit flies are repeatedly disturbed so that they can not rest, they have what is referred to as a "rest rebound". This behavior is strikingly similar to that exhibited by mammals and birds in similar conditions.
Many animals hibernate in a deep sleeplike state during winter to conserve body heat and energy. Estivation is a similar state in which other animals hibernate to escape the heat of summer.
Cattle, horses, and sheep are unique in that they can sleep while standing, though for cattle and sheep, REM sleep will not occur in such a position. For REM sleep to take place, the animals must lie down. Sleeping while standing is thus only partial sleep. However, birds may have periods of REM sleep while perched. Some breeds of dogs usually sleep throughout the day like cats, while other breeds have only one daily sleep session. While dreaming, dogs sometimes make a quiet barking sound.
Can we live without sleeping?
Does animals sleep?. How long?
Nowadays i am sleeping for a quite longer time. No work......... :-).
Anyway here is what i found about sleep (Source: Wikipedia-Sleep )....
Sleep more learn more!!
Theories regarding the function of sleep
1) Restorative theories of sleep describe sleep as a dynamic time of healing and growth for organisms. During sleep growth hormone levels increase, and changes in immune function occur.
2) One process known to be highly dependent on sleep is memory. REM sleep appears to help with the consolidation of spatial and procedural memory, while slow-wave sleep helps with the consolidation of declarative memories. When experimental subjects are given academic material to learn, especially if it involves organized, systematic thought, their retention is markedly increased after a night's sleep. Mere rote memorization is retained similarly well with or without an intervening period of sleep.
3)Another view is that the function of sleep is for memory processing. This theory argues that saving memory directly into the long-term memory is a slow and error prone process, and, thus, proposes that the memory formed during waking time is not saved directly into the long-term memory; instead it is saved into a temporary memory store first. The function of sleep is to process, encode and transfer the data from the temporary memory store to the long-term memory store.
(This is more easily understandable .... RAM/ROM process........Hahaa)
Animal Sleep
Animals vary widely in their amounts of sleep, from two hours a day for giraffes to 20 hours for bats. Generally, required sleeping time decreases as body size increases. Cats are one of the few animals that do not have most of their sleep consolidated into one session, preferring instead to spread their sleep fairly evenly throughout the day.
Water mammals "sleep" with alternate hemispheres of their brains asleep and the other awake. They need to do this so they can breathe above water while sleeping. Migratory birds also seem to sleep this way.
Even fish and fruit flies appear to have a "sleeplike" state. This alternation of the sleeplike state and its absence is referred to as a "Basic Rest and Activity Cycle", or BRAC. Since the modern definition of sleep is defined using EEG criteria, and such tiny brains preclude the recording of EEG's, this may not technically be described as sleep. However, if fruit flies are repeatedly disturbed so that they can not rest, they have what is referred to as a "rest rebound". This behavior is strikingly similar to that exhibited by mammals and birds in similar conditions.
Many animals hibernate in a deep sleeplike state during winter to conserve body heat and energy. Estivation is a similar state in which other animals hibernate to escape the heat of summer.
Cattle, horses, and sheep are unique in that they can sleep while standing, though for cattle and sheep, REM sleep will not occur in such a position. For REM sleep to take place, the animals must lie down. Sleeping while standing is thus only partial sleep. However, birds may have periods of REM sleep while perched. Some breeds of dogs usually sleep throughout the day like cats, while other breeds have only one daily sleep session. While dreaming, dogs sometimes make a quiet barking sound.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
The Carpenter's House
Here is a short story....
The Carpenter's House
Author Unknown
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.
He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.
When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you.
"What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.
The Carpenter's House
Author Unknown
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.
He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.
When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you.
"What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.
Warrior of the Light
Find more Inspirations at : www.inspirationpeak.com and get inspired.....
"Every Warrior of the Light
has felt afraid of going into battle.
Every Warrior of the Light
has, at some time in the past, lied or betrayed someone.
Every Warrior of the Light
has trodden a path that was not his.
Every Warrior of the Light
has suffered for the most trivial of reasons.
Every Warrior of the Light
has, at least once, believed he was not a Warrior of the Light.
Every Warrior of the Light
has failed in his spiritual duties.
Every Warrior of the Light
has said 'yes' when he wanted to say 'no.'
Every Warrior of the Light
has hurt someone he loved.
That is why he is a Warrior of the Light, Because he has been through all this and yet has never lost hope of being better than he is."
- Paulo Coelho, Brazilian Author From his book: 'Warrior Of The Light'
"Every Warrior of the Light
has felt afraid of going into battle.
Every Warrior of the Light
has, at some time in the past, lied or betrayed someone.
Every Warrior of the Light
has trodden a path that was not his.
Every Warrior of the Light
has suffered for the most trivial of reasons.
Every Warrior of the Light
has, at least once, believed he was not a Warrior of the Light.
Every Warrior of the Light
has failed in his spiritual duties.
Every Warrior of the Light
has said 'yes' when he wanted to say 'no.'
Every Warrior of the Light
has hurt someone he loved.
That is why he is a Warrior of the Light, Because he has been through all this and yet has never lost hope of being better than he is."
- Paulo Coelho, Brazilian Author From his book: 'Warrior Of The Light'
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Touching story - We all need help
A forwarded touching story. Here it goes....
I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car.
I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work.Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times."
"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't. He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.
After a few minutes he spoke. "That's a very pretty car," he said. He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard keep more than his face warm.
I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car.
He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came.As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.
"Do you need any help?" I asked. He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.
We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me. "Don't we all?" he said.
I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.
Don't we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help.
Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves.
Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, "go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help."
Don't we all?
I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car.
I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work.Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times."
"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't. He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.
After a few minutes he spoke. "That's a very pretty car," he said. He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard keep more than his face warm.
I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car.
He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came.As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.
"Do you need any help?" I asked. He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.
We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me. "Don't we all?" he said.
I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.
Don't we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help.
Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves.
Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, "go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help."
Don't we all?
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Ozone Hole and its Recovery
Check out this Nasa's Earth Observatory website about Ozone Hole and its recovery.
An excerpt:
Ozone is a highly reactive colorless gas that contains three oxygen atoms. Near the surface of the Earth, ozone is hazardous to human health, causing problems like lung irritation, but high in the atmosphere, ozone acts as a crucial shield that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17116
An excerpt:
Ozone is a highly reactive colorless gas that contains three oxygen atoms. Near the surface of the Earth, ozone is hazardous to human health, causing problems like lung irritation, but high in the atmosphere, ozone acts as a crucial shield that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17116
Friday, December 30, 2005
New Year 2006
Wishing everyone a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2006. Let this year bring enlightment and peace to everyone in the world.
An excerpt from Bhavagad Gita:
As a person acts, so he becomes in life.
Those who do good become good; those who do harm become bad.
Good deeds make one pure; bad deeds make one impure.
So we are said to be what our desire is.
As our desire is, so is our will.
As our will is, so are our acts.
As we act, so we become.
-Bhagavad Gita 2:42-44
An excerpt from Bhavagad Gita:
As a person acts, so he becomes in life.
Those who do good become good; those who do harm become bad.
Good deeds make one pure; bad deeds make one impure.
So we are said to be what our desire is.
As our desire is, so is our will.
As our will is, so are our acts.
As we act, so we become.
-Bhagavad Gita 2:42-44
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Chimpanzees at Pre-School
Check this article in New York Times - Chimpanzees Vs Childrens
"Humans are hard-wired to learn by imitation, even when that is clearly not the best way to learn"
Chimpanzees Vs Childrens
"Humans are hard-wired to learn by imitation, even when that is clearly not the best way to learn"
Chimpanzees Vs Childrens
Friday, November 25, 2005
Honda Accord - Costliest Advertisement
See this amazingly amazing ad...................
The world's costliest Ad, Honda Accord. Perfection doesn't get better than this....
This is the world's costliest Advertisement and the winner of this year's best Ad of the world.
Everything is real with no graphics used costing some 6.2 million US Dollars and 606 takes and retakes.
Team members of this Ad were facilitated with lots of rewards. Just click....
http://www.steelcitysfinest.com/HondaAccordAd.htm
The world's costliest Ad, Honda Accord. Perfection doesn't get better than this....
This is the world's costliest Advertisement and the winner of this year's best Ad of the world.
Everything is real with no graphics used costing some 6.2 million US Dollars and 606 takes and retakes.
Team members of this Ad were facilitated with lots of rewards. Just click....
http://www.steelcitysfinest.com/HondaAccordAd.htm
Bacteria Can Take Pictures of Themselves
Check out this latest advancement in Synthentic Biology.....
SAN FRANCISCO - The notorious E. coli bug made its film debut Wednesday. That's when researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Texas announced in the journal Nature that they had created photographs of themselves by programming the bacteria — best known for outbreaks of food poisoning — to make pictures in much the same way Kodak film produces images.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051123/ap_on_sc/bacterial_film-
SAN FRANCISCO - The notorious E. coli bug made its film debut Wednesday. That's when researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Texas announced in the journal Nature that they had created photographs of themselves by programming the bacteria — best known for outbreaks of food poisoning — to make pictures in much the same way Kodak film produces images.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051123/ap_on_sc/bacterial_film-
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Biotic Machines
An Article from Today's Times of India.....
Biotic Machines
By MUKUL SHARMA
SPECULATIVE fiction often talks about a time when our bodies will routinely be reinforced by non-organic materials technology so that physiological processes can be aided or controlled by electromechanical or electronic devices. Neural implants and electrodes are mentioned for heightening sensory reflexes, as are prosthetic and performance enhancing add-ons for amplified motor activity. As a result we tend to imagine the future belongs to a class of beings of which our biological bodies will only be part of, with the other part(s) being machine-like, computer controlled and silicon dominated. In fact, the reverse may come to pass sooner, when things like microprocessor circuitry will possess components that are organic in nature. One reason for this is, as electronic devices keep getting ever smaller, there may be a limit to what demands can be made on silicon. Therefore, researchers are now thinking of trying to move computing beyond silicon, using biology. Some are utilising DNA or proteins built by viruses to form the basis of electronic parts. Others are trying to compute with DNA itself and applying molecular biology techniques for making materials like semiconductors. Actually, organic living systems have at least three advantages that inanimate matter doesn’t. Firstly, they’re incredibly complex — both in structure and function — which allows them to be hybridised into existing technologies with a fair degree of ease. For example, German scientists in 2001 were able to grow a network of brain cells from a snail onto a semiconductor chip and electricity was then successfully made to travel through the neuron net and back out again. Secondly, they’re already configured to perform tasks that could augment predefined parameters. Researchers have been able to isolate photosynthetic reaction centres from living plants that change their state when exposed to light, and such states can be measured. Thirdly, they’re capable of growth; meaning biology can be directed towards self-assembly of circuits, metals and other materials. A fourth added advantage is, of course, truly futuristic: living things evolve — and that too, spontaneously. It’s not discussed too openly right now but some people think that system upgradations could in future be automatic if living components are allowed to evolve as they perform.
Biotic Machines
By MUKUL SHARMA
SPECULATIVE fiction often talks about a time when our bodies will routinely be reinforced by non-organic materials technology so that physiological processes can be aided or controlled by electromechanical or electronic devices. Neural implants and electrodes are mentioned for heightening sensory reflexes, as are prosthetic and performance enhancing add-ons for amplified motor activity. As a result we tend to imagine the future belongs to a class of beings of which our biological bodies will only be part of, with the other part(s) being machine-like, computer controlled and silicon dominated. In fact, the reverse may come to pass sooner, when things like microprocessor circuitry will possess components that are organic in nature. One reason for this is, as electronic devices keep getting ever smaller, there may be a limit to what demands can be made on silicon. Therefore, researchers are now thinking of trying to move computing beyond silicon, using biology. Some are utilising DNA or proteins built by viruses to form the basis of electronic parts. Others are trying to compute with DNA itself and applying molecular biology techniques for making materials like semiconductors. Actually, organic living systems have at least three advantages that inanimate matter doesn’t. Firstly, they’re incredibly complex — both in structure and function — which allows them to be hybridised into existing technologies with a fair degree of ease. For example, German scientists in 2001 were able to grow a network of brain cells from a snail onto a semiconductor chip and electricity was then successfully made to travel through the neuron net and back out again. Secondly, they’re already configured to perform tasks that could augment predefined parameters. Researchers have been able to isolate photosynthetic reaction centres from living plants that change their state when exposed to light, and such states can be measured. Thirdly, they’re capable of growth; meaning biology can be directed towards self-assembly of circuits, metals and other materials. A fourth added advantage is, of course, truly futuristic: living things evolve — and that too, spontaneously. It’s not discussed too openly right now but some people think that system upgradations could in future be automatic if living components are allowed to evolve as they perform.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Inject Sea Water to Raise Venice
Check out this news!
People in Italy are trying their best to save Venice.
How good it would be if the Indian governments takes some action to save major cities in India(Mumbai,Chennai etc) from floods?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051121/ap_on_re_eu/italy_sinking_venice
People in Italy are trying their best to save Venice.
How good it would be if the Indian governments takes some action to save major cities in India(Mumbai,Chennai etc) from floods?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051121/ap_on_re_eu/italy_sinking_venice
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Liquid Sculptures
Liquid Sculpture is the process of creating shapes by dropping and splashing water, or other liquids. These sculptures are then photographed, since they last only a few thousandths of a second. Creating and capturing these engaging forms requires careful manipulation of the materials and precise control of the lighting and timing.
Few samples here:
Few samples here:
Check out more about this excellent photography in www.liquidsculpture.com under galleries section (or) click on http://www.liquidsculpture.com/galleries.htm
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