Face of Terror : Lets Face it Head-On :Attacks in Mumbai

 

Pic by ~TheSilentRevolution

Attacks in Mumbai by terrorists, separating us from over 150 of our kith and kind.The face of terror they call it.Lets face the terror should be the call. Salute to the NSG and more honor to the Police Force who have been valiant and thoughtful in facing the situation head on.Wise aggression shown by them will subdue further attacks. 

Yes we are vulnerable, so were the mighty Americans.But where can we be different??  We have to instill fear in the minds of people who even dare to take a weapon against any Indian. The 8 terrorists killed can help. Hanged to decay in 8 corners of INDIA as a warning , covered by every news channel in the world, filling the first pages of all tabloids, iconizing the War on Terror, the Indian version with its very own aggression.

For the dead souls to RIP(Rest In Peace), we have to RIP the terrorists apart. We will, Will not we??

Google Outspends the U.S. Government for Geothermal research

photo~richardnorman

Now Google.org—the charitable wing of the search engine giant—has chipped in nearly $11 million for this renewable resource: so-called geothermal power, or tapping the Earth's heat to make electricity. That makes Google.org the largest funder of enhanced geothermal research in the country, outspending the U.S. government

I am not surprised by this news.But the timing of it is a little early one can say. Google, being one of the worlds largest consumers of energy, has to do something about/for it. By Geothermal energy, we are meaning to use up the fireball thats burning at the center of the earth considering it as a rich resource. We will have a lot of time before we go on to the debates of how harmful it will be to use up the whole fire ball and what effects it might bear on the climatic calamities we are seeing now or speculations about gravity as its a long time plan and it might even take a decade before which we start to see any commercial use . Google's investment on this is a very strategic and generous move like many of its initiatives.I am not sure what Google has in mind.

Link.

E-Cigarettes : Cant live without Nicotine

Pic~knutselpeter

The pubs in UK are starting to use E-Cigs to beat the smoking ban..

The new E.cig smokes like a real cigarette and users get a shot of nicotine every time they inhale.The device even produces a cloud of water vapor with every puff, though causes no harm to smokers.

Users can choose between No nicotine, Low, medium or high nicotine, menthol, strawberry or cherry.The makers of the product at The Electronic Cigarette Company say the vapour produced is odourless and contains no tar or carbon monoxide, resulting in no risk of passive smoking.

However the company say the E.Cigs are just as addictive as the real thing.

Cigarettes, a necessity now a days for many people has become a part of life.This culture has seeped to India lately where smoking is considered as a trend.Many smoke only for the charm of the same.And it will not take long for this e-cig to make it way to the Indian market, given that the ban on smoking is now strict in the IT sector.People will be very glad to get a puff or two with this geek-like device...Oops what else can be done with this??? Lets see.. we are not far from all that..

Know more about e-cigs here.

Link(telegraph.co.uk)

Local Currency - Localized

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk Lewes launches its own currency An East Sussex town is introducing its own currency in an effort to encourage shoppers to support the local economy. The Lewes Pound works like a voucher, with one Lewes pound note worth the same as a pound sterling. Up to 10,000 notes have been printed. The currency will be accepted in local participating stores and can be bought in four outlets in the town. More than 70 local traders have agreed to accept the Lewes Pound as a complementary currency to sterling. The town had its own currency between 1789 and 1895.

A currency for the town. Brilliant idea. The logic is simple, use this local currency for local sellers and shops only and the economy shall strengthen.Thats a great vision. But the problem here is that people are attracted towards exclusivity; they, instead of spending it are sparing the same. They are collecting it for Christmas gifts and selling on e-bay. This has to change .People seem to be sure that its going to be temporary. The organizers must assure the people that its doomed to permanency and that its not more valuable than the actual pound. Creating awareness and conducting programs to promote the same will prove to be fruitful as the vision behind this is too beautiful to be wasted. I myself am hunting for a Lewes dollar or two in the price of a pound

Different? Or just Safe??

pic by ~askmeaboutnothing

Everyone wants to be different, Stand out.. But why? I am having this question for a long time now.May be I (We) can understand it better by expressing my thought process on that. Whats so special about being different? Or is it special at all? or just a freak show?? Lets keep it short...

We see many traditionally educated people, with orthodox background trying to be different also , knowing that the other way has proved to be a success. If everyone wants to be different, wont it be common?? and for a change i would try traditional ways :P...

Jokes apart, In my view, "Being Different" is creating a whole new turf for the battle.People realize there is a risk involved and they play with the risks as trump cards. For example, I know that I can do anything. But I am not sure about my level in the bigger stage as I have not competed before.A man who goes for a duel without the knowledge of the Strengths and Slips of his foe, is bound to lose and so am I with my venture.

What i can do that can keep me glorious and prevent me from losing? Create a new pool of opportunity and plunge deep into it and mark the turf with my name. This ensures relative success and satisfaction and loads and loads of work. But I will be successful.This justifies that me being different is safer too.. But can it remain permanently that safer? That depends on my personality.But it gives me a launchpad that can bypass many levels in traditional ways. May be you have a different view :P .. put it in .. we can discuss..

Upakarma

Art by surrealivy

The UPAKARMA (or upaakarma or aavani avittam) is nearing for all the brahmins. This is a very important KARMA in every brahmin's life. It is basically the change or renewal of the holy thread (Poonal) which is soaked in the divine mantra (The Gayathri). This is collectively performed by the brahmin community in the month of august /September on a full moon day which is august 16th of this month year.

Now, after long time , I was wondering about the significance of this procedure and the timing of it and you can say on every aspect of it. First, why POONAL? the holy thread? then what about the Sandhyavandanam and aavani avittam and the innumerous formalities that are tied with this thread?.

Enough of questioning done, lets shoot some answers here.. The Holy Thread is the licence for a brahmin boy to learn Veda.The father of the boy teaches him the Gayathri mantra and takes him near to the teacher, who in turn performs the upanayana(acceptance of the holy thread) for the boy and takes him near to Vedas which in turn take him near God. So this journey cannot happen without the poonal.

The change of holy thread is vital because it becomes dirty ; and actually ,in olden days the Vedas were thought from the period of August to January (aavani to thai) so its necessary to get a new licence for every class passed.Ideally its the respect you pay for your new season of enchantment by Vedas.

The addition of threads also was a puzzle for me.. On some digging, its a very beautiful setup. A boy has his first set of threads when he starts his studies on Veda. This ideally soaks him with knowledge about dharmas and righteousness which is essentially showing respect to the world he lives in.So the first set of threads indicate that.Now, when the boy grows to a man and gets married, one more set of threads is added. This is beautiful.. it seems that this thread is to remind him that he is not the only sufferer of his activities , there is another soul which depends on him .Also the other set when he gets his first child tells him that he has more responsibility.In essence, the threads show you your responsibility.Like badges show our responsibilities when we were students.

Meaningful and very elaborate procedures are adopted for all the ceremonies told above.And the Gayathri mantra.. how can i finish without telling about it? Its the king of all mantras.Its says that the visible God, the SUN shall deviate your knowledge towards everlasting illumination that will form the basement of the generations to come. This is the mantra in which the magical thread is soaked on.I feel the vibrations this mantra can produce has the key to its importance its pronounciation is difficult and the vibrations are unique.And with the kind of belief that goes into reciting this mantra can really change things.I mean : MOVE MOUNTAINS

Its good always to involve in something and to expect something coming. So in case u are a brahmin try this one time reciting mantras more clearly.. Really ,its worthwhile and it can be Challenging too...

For the convenience of our digital world dwellers, I have given links for ur Upakarma .. This is the procedure and form for change of licence. Depending on your Veda, choose one.. its in PDF format..dld and get enchanted...

Upakarma procedure for Rig Veda : link
Upakarma procedure for Yajur Veda : link
Upakarma procedure for Sama Veda : link



Disclaimer: All these observations are under my own understanding of various facts and explanations.I dont claim them to be true.But logic allowed inside my mind only this much.

THE BIG DOG - Next step in robotics

Thats amazing stuff... the balance that robot is capable of maintaining is really a great feat...

And DO NOT miss the video in the site.

clipped from www.bostondynamics.com The Most Advanced Quadruped Robot on Earth BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics family of robots. It is a quadruped robot that walks, runs, and climbs on rough terrain and carries heavy loads. BigDog is powered by a gasoline engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system. BigDog's legs are articulated like an animal’s, and have compliant elements that absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule, measuring 1 meter long, 0.7 meters tall and 75 kg weight. BigDog has an on-board computer that controls locomotion, servos the legs and handles a wide variety of sensors. BigDog’s control system manages the dynamics of its behavior to keep it balanced, steer, navigate, and regulate energetics as conditions vary.