Relaxation-response techniques, such as meditation, yoga, and prayer,
could reduce the need for health care services by 43 percent, according
to a study at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)
that looked at participants in a relaxation-response-focused training
program.
Previous studies have shown that eliciting the relaxation response — a
physiologic state of deep rest — not only relieves stress and anxiety,
but also affects physiologic factors such as blood pressure, heart rate,
and oxygen consumption.
The paper's authors noted that stress-related illnesses, such as anxiety
and depression, are the third-highest causes of health expenditures in
the United States after heart disease and cancer (which also are
affected by stress).
The study, based at MGH's Institute for Technology Assessment and the
Benson-Henry Institute (BHI) for Mind Body Medicine, found that
individuals in the relaxation-response program used fewer health care
services in the year after their participation than in the preceding
year.
The report was published Tuesday in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.
"Our study's primary finding is that programs that train patients to
elicit the relaxation response — specifically those taught at the BHI —
can also dramatically reduce health care utilization," said James E.
Stahl of the MGH Institute for Technology Assessment, who led the study.
"These programs promote wellness and, in our environment of constrained
health care resources, could potentially ease the burden on our health
delivery systems at minimal cost and at no real risk." Previously
affiliated with the Benson-Henry Institute, Stahl is now based at
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
The relaxation response was first described more than 40 years ago by
Harvard Medical School Professor Herbert Benson, founder and director
emeritus of the BHI and a co-author of the current study. The
physiologic opposite of the well-documented fight-or-flight response,
the relaxation response is elicited by practices including meditation,
deep breathing, and prayer, and has been shown to be helpful in the
treatment of stress-related disorders ranging from anxiety to
hypertension.
To analyze the potential impact of mind-body interventions like the
relaxation response on use of health care services, the researchers
examined information available through the Research Patient Data
Registry (RPDR) of Partners HealthCare. The research team gathered data
on individuals participating in the BHI Relaxation Response Resiliency
Program (3RP) from 2006 to 2014. The program combined elicitation of the
relaxation response with social support, cognitive-skills training, and
positive psychology designed to build resiliency.
Data regarding more than 4,400 3RP participants' use of Partners system
services in the years before and after their participation was compared
with information from a demographically matched control group of almost
13,150 Partners patients over a similar two-year period. To address the
possibility that 3RP participants had been more frequent users of health
services in the year before their participation, the researchers also
compared a subgroup of almost 1,200 3RP participants that excluded those
with the highest pre-participation utilization levels with a subgroup of
222 controls whose initial healthcare utilization exactly matched those
of the 3RP participants in the first of the two studied years.
Based on the number of health care encounters in the studied period,
which included interactions in any setting — imaging studies, lab tests,
and procedures — the 3RP participants had an average reduction of 43
percent in their use of health care services in the year after their
participation.
The control group had an overall, but not statistically significant,
increase in service utilization in the second year. The
utilization-matched 3RP subgroup had a reduction of around 25 percent
across all clinical services. Clinical areas in which 3RP participation
was associated with the greatest reduction in service utilization were
neurologic, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal. The
investigators estimate that the price of participating in programs like
3RP would be made up in costs savings in four to six months or less.
Stahl noted that the results of this investigation need to be validated
by a prospective study that would also explore where and when best to
use mind-body interventions like the Benson-Henry Relaxation Response
Resiliency Program.
"I think of it this way: There are many gates to wellness, but not
everyone is ready to walk through a particular gate at a given time.
From a public health perspective, it is better to be prepared to offer
these tools to people in their customary settings than to wait for them
to seek out these interventions. For that reason, we feel that mind-body
interventions — which are both low-cost and essentially risk-free —
should perhaps be incorporated into regular preventive care."
Benson added, "From the outset, our primary goal has been to enhance the
health and well-being of people by counteracting the harmful effects of
stress and alleviating the many diseases that are caused or exacerbated
by stress. The challenge now is to disseminate these findings, which we
feel will be of great interest to health care payors [such as insurance
companies] and policy makers."
Benson is the Mind Body Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School,
and Stahl is an associate professor of Medicine at the Geisel School of
Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.
Additional co-authors of the PLOS ONE paper were Michelle Dossett, John
Denninger, Darshan Mehta, Roberta Goldman, and Gregory Fricchione of the
Benson-Henry Institute; and Scott LaJoie of the University of
Louisville.
"Mind-Body Medicine: New Science and Best Practices to Meet Public
Health Challenges" will take place Nov. 5-8 at Harvard Medical School's
Joseph Martin Conference Center. The conference features Herbert Benson
and Jon Kabat-Zinn, who will explore the scope, current status, and
future of mind-body medicine as part of conventional health care
protocol.
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Or how I learned to stop worrying and
love email again
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Friday, October 23, 2015
Farmer turned Filmmaker
Bhaurao Karhade, who considers Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali his
cinematic Bible, sold five acres of farmland to make a rustic and gutsy
Marathi film, Khwada.
One of the important turn-of-the-century developments has been the
democratisation of cinema. The steady spread of cine literacy, the
strong influence of moving images combined with an easier access to
technology and emerging online exhibition platforms has meant that
potentially anyone who dreams of making a film can now turn it into a
reality and find an audience for it. Even at the grass roots. Filmmaking
can become a mode of self-expression, of telling a story or highlighting
an issue one feels strongly about. In a nutshell, an empowering tool,
the voice of the voiceless. One such voice rises from the very margins
to go mainstream this week at the movies. Khwada (Obstacle), the Marathi
debut film of Bhaurao Karhade, a farmer from Ahmednagar district,
Maharashtra, finds a commercial release this Dussehra. On the plight of
the migrant shepherd community, the making of the film is as much a tale
of hardships as the theme it deals with. It is a story that needs to be
told.
Till 2010, 30-year-old Karhade had been reaping wheat, millet, sorghum
and onion in his five acres of family farmland in Gawadewadi village in
Ahmednagar. Now, as he himself puts it, he is "harvesting cinema" in
Pune.
Khwada is a significant new addition to the Indian film roster of 2015
that is already brimming over with some remarkable first-timers —
Chaitanya Tamhane's Court, Neeraj Ghaywan's Masaan, Avinash Arun's
Killa, M.Manikandan's Kaaka Muttai, Kanu Behl's Titli, Raam Reddy's
Thithi, Ruchika Oberoi's Island City, Aditya Vikram Sengupta's Asha
Jaoar Majhe among others. What makes Karhade's debut more notable is how
he rose above his underprivileged background, even selling his five
acres of land to make the film, with an investment of Rs. 1.20 crore.
In his semi-literate family — his mother is unlettered, father studied
till third standard and elder brother till fourth standard — Karhade is
a rare graduate. The love for cinema was fuelled by the hardcore Hindi
commercial flicks he saw on Doordarshan: Sooraj Barjatya's Maine Pyaar
Kiya, Ramesh Sippy's Sholay and Indra Kumar's Dil. "By the time I was in
tenth standard, I had made up my mind on becoming a filmmaker," he
recollects. The family, however, wanted him to join the military or the
police. "They still can't understand filmmaking. For them a director is
someone who is a bank, company or society director," he smiles.
Initially Karhade turned to the Film and Television Institute of India
for training, but he didn't clear the exam. So, he went on to do a
course in communication studies at the New Arts, Commerce and Science
College in Ahmednagar. He made two short films after graduating in 2009:
Talab (Addiction) and Vanchit (Deprived). It was in college that he got
introduced to his cinematic Bible: Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali, a
film he has seen 32 times. He also got exposed to the international
classics of his other gurus: Vittorio de Sica, Akira Kurosawa and
Federico Fellini.
Khwada is a rough, rustic and gutsy film. Goa-based film critic Sachin
Chatte describes it as "Shyam Benegal's Ankur meets Sergey Dvortsevoy's
Tulpan [a much celebrated Kazakh film on steppe herdsmen]". Says
Mumbai-based filmmaker-editor Bela Negi, "The film is marked by an
organic rawness, there is a relevance to the story and a very
interesting sound design that is bereft of any background music [in a
film that has a lot of tension and drama]." Khwada won the special jury
prize at the 62nd national awards and another for best audiography
(Mahaveer Sabbanwal).
Karhade's own rural upbringing helps bring in an authenticity and
immediacy to the theme. Apart from Shashank Shende and Anil Nagarkar,
all the actors are new, which also adds to the film's realism. According
to Karhade, the inspiration for the film came to him, of all the places,
at a railway station where he had met some farmers from Aurangabad.
"Despite owning 35 acres of land, they had been forced to migrate
because of the famine," he says. Set against the dry landscape of
central Maharashtra, Khwada is about a shepherd family that is forced to
migrate in search of fodder for its flock because the government has
grabbed their land. At its core is a prolonged legal battle: a
shepherd's fight to get his land back from the forest department.
Karhade hopes that he too will get his five acres back some day.
Overcoming obstacles
The film lives up to its title. It has had to face many impediments,
most important of all financial. However, despite his own hardship and
penury, Karhade persisted in making it with passion and commitment. He
began writing the script in 2010 and locked it in 2012. When he couldn't
raise finances from anywhere, Karhade was left with no option but to
coax his mother and brother to sell the land and move to Pune where they
now run a small hotel, Ran Meva, that offers simple village fare to
immigrants and blue collar workers. When the shoot got stalled for lack
of funds, his friend Chandrakant Raut made an additional contribution:
the lead actor sold a truck he owned. Finally, the rest of the film got
shot and was completed in May 2014. The final print was out in January
2015.
Khwada premiered at the Pune International Film Festival in January
where it won the best director award. It was the first time in her life
that Karhade's mother got to watch a film in a theatre. Chandrashekhar
More, one of the leading art directors of the Hindi film industry, has
now come forward to be the presenter of the film. It finally releases
commercially with 200 sub-titled prints across Maharashtra. Karhade
intends to take it to Goa and parts of Madhya Pradesh — Indore and
Gwalior in particular — in the next phase. Eventually, he aims to reach
out to the whole country. Meanwhile, he has already started work on the
next project, which will also be rural-centric, about how our villages
are changing rapidly in the post-globalisation economy. "I hope my films
will make the country more aware about the plight of farmers in
Maharashtra," he says.
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Send your email first class
cinematic Bible, sold five acres of farmland to make a rustic and gutsy
Marathi film, Khwada.
One of the important turn-of-the-century developments has been the
democratisation of cinema. The steady spread of cine literacy, the
strong influence of moving images combined with an easier access to
technology and emerging online exhibition platforms has meant that
potentially anyone who dreams of making a film can now turn it into a
reality and find an audience for it. Even at the grass roots. Filmmaking
can become a mode of self-expression, of telling a story or highlighting
an issue one feels strongly about. In a nutshell, an empowering tool,
the voice of the voiceless. One such voice rises from the very margins
to go mainstream this week at the movies. Khwada (Obstacle), the Marathi
debut film of Bhaurao Karhade, a farmer from Ahmednagar district,
Maharashtra, finds a commercial release this Dussehra. On the plight of
the migrant shepherd community, the making of the film is as much a tale
of hardships as the theme it deals with. It is a story that needs to be
told.
Till 2010, 30-year-old Karhade had been reaping wheat, millet, sorghum
and onion in his five acres of family farmland in Gawadewadi village in
Ahmednagar. Now, as he himself puts it, he is "harvesting cinema" in
Pune.
Khwada is a significant new addition to the Indian film roster of 2015
that is already brimming over with some remarkable first-timers —
Chaitanya Tamhane's Court, Neeraj Ghaywan's Masaan, Avinash Arun's
Killa, M.Manikandan's Kaaka Muttai, Kanu Behl's Titli, Raam Reddy's
Thithi, Ruchika Oberoi's Island City, Aditya Vikram Sengupta's Asha
Jaoar Majhe among others. What makes Karhade's debut more notable is how
he rose above his underprivileged background, even selling his five
acres of land to make the film, with an investment of Rs. 1.20 crore.
In his semi-literate family — his mother is unlettered, father studied
till third standard and elder brother till fourth standard — Karhade is
a rare graduate. The love for cinema was fuelled by the hardcore Hindi
commercial flicks he saw on Doordarshan: Sooraj Barjatya's Maine Pyaar
Kiya, Ramesh Sippy's Sholay and Indra Kumar's Dil. "By the time I was in
tenth standard, I had made up my mind on becoming a filmmaker," he
recollects. The family, however, wanted him to join the military or the
police. "They still can't understand filmmaking. For them a director is
someone who is a bank, company or society director," he smiles.
Initially Karhade turned to the Film and Television Institute of India
for training, but he didn't clear the exam. So, he went on to do a
course in communication studies at the New Arts, Commerce and Science
College in Ahmednagar. He made two short films after graduating in 2009:
Talab (Addiction) and Vanchit (Deprived). It was in college that he got
introduced to his cinematic Bible: Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali, a
film he has seen 32 times. He also got exposed to the international
classics of his other gurus: Vittorio de Sica, Akira Kurosawa and
Federico Fellini.
Khwada is a rough, rustic and gutsy film. Goa-based film critic Sachin
Chatte describes it as "Shyam Benegal's Ankur meets Sergey Dvortsevoy's
Tulpan [a much celebrated Kazakh film on steppe herdsmen]". Says
Mumbai-based filmmaker-editor Bela Negi, "The film is marked by an
organic rawness, there is a relevance to the story and a very
interesting sound design that is bereft of any background music [in a
film that has a lot of tension and drama]." Khwada won the special jury
prize at the 62nd national awards and another for best audiography
(Mahaveer Sabbanwal).
Karhade's own rural upbringing helps bring in an authenticity and
immediacy to the theme. Apart from Shashank Shende and Anil Nagarkar,
all the actors are new, which also adds to the film's realism. According
to Karhade, the inspiration for the film came to him, of all the places,
at a railway station where he had met some farmers from Aurangabad.
"Despite owning 35 acres of land, they had been forced to migrate
because of the famine," he says. Set against the dry landscape of
central Maharashtra, Khwada is about a shepherd family that is forced to
migrate in search of fodder for its flock because the government has
grabbed their land. At its core is a prolonged legal battle: a
shepherd's fight to get his land back from the forest department.
Karhade hopes that he too will get his five acres back some day.
Overcoming obstacles
The film lives up to its title. It has had to face many impediments,
most important of all financial. However, despite his own hardship and
penury, Karhade persisted in making it with passion and commitment. He
began writing the script in 2010 and locked it in 2012. When he couldn't
raise finances from anywhere, Karhade was left with no option but to
coax his mother and brother to sell the land and move to Pune where they
now run a small hotel, Ran Meva, that offers simple village fare to
immigrants and blue collar workers. When the shoot got stalled for lack
of funds, his friend Chandrakant Raut made an additional contribution:
the lead actor sold a truck he owned. Finally, the rest of the film got
shot and was completed in May 2014. The final print was out in January
2015.
Khwada premiered at the Pune International Film Festival in January
where it won the best director award. It was the first time in her life
that Karhade's mother got to watch a film in a theatre. Chandrashekhar
More, one of the leading art directors of the Hindi film industry, has
now come forward to be the presenter of the film. It finally releases
commercially with 200 sub-titled prints across Maharashtra. Karhade
intends to take it to Goa and parts of Madhya Pradesh — Indore and
Gwalior in particular — in the next phase. Eventually, he aims to reach
out to the whole country. Meanwhile, he has already started work on the
next project, which will also be rural-centric, about how our villages
are changing rapidly in the post-globalisation economy. "I hope my films
will make the country more aware about the plight of farmers in
Maharashtra," he says.
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Send your email first class
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
A lot of small things
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but
a habit." – Aristotle.
Success is a lot of small things done well, day after day.
What seems like an overnight success is usually a very long time in the
making. Success is created from people who establish the right habits,
then execute them over and over.
So I wanted to share with you the top 10 habits that have been
scientifically proven to give you incredible willpower!
1. MEDITATE
Meditation is the fastest and most effective way to increase your
willpower. By meditating you are training the brain to focus and resist
the urge to wander. Research shows that after just 2-3 days of
practicing meditation for 10 minutes, your brain will be able to focus
better, you will have more energy, and you will be less stressed. [1]
There are a lot of myths surrounding meditation. Burning incense,
chanting, wearing robes, etc. So let's start by explaining what
meditation really is.
Meditation is simply the practice of bringing your thoughts to the
present moment. 47% of our lives are spent either reminiscing about the
past or thinking about what we are going to do in the future. [2]
We spend very little time with a clear, focused mind on what we are
doing right now.
Meditation attempts to do just that. This is usually done by sitting
upright in a room that is clear of distractions and focusing solely on
your breathing. However, it can be achieved with any activity that
brings your full focus and attention.
For example, if you are completely focused on the task of cleaning
dishes; without mentally going over your day, pondering another problem
in your head, or thinking about what you will be doing next, you can
achieve a state of meditation.
If your mind is clear and focused completely on the present task, you
will see the benefits of meditation.
To get started meditating, check out this article which will give you
the tools and exercises you need to begin adding the habit of daily
meditation.
2. EAT A LOW GLYCEMIC DIET
When the body takes in food, it creates a chemical known as glucose that
travels through the blood stream. This is what the brain uses as its
source of fuel to think, create, and exert willpower. So to ensure a
healthy stock of willpower, we want to make sure our brain has enough
glucose to use as energy. [3]
Any food that contains calories will give your brain glucose to work
with. But not all glucose is created equally. Sugary foods will cause a
quick spike of glucose, giving you willpower fuel for the short-term,
but will cause a subsequent crash that depletes your willpower just as
fast.
The best thing you can do is keep the glucose level in your bloodstream
steady. This will give your brain a consistent reserve of fuel to exert
willpower for the long-term. To accomplish this, researchers suggest a
low-glycemic diet. [4]
Here are some low-glycemic foods that will give you long-term willpower
fuel:
1. LEAN PROTEINS
Nothing fancy is required – just lean cuts of beef, poultry, pork and
fish.
2. NUTS
Specifically those nuts that are high in omega-3 fatty acids like
walnuts, pecans and cashews. (Note: this does not include legumes like
peanuts).
3. FRESH FRUIT
Fresh fruit is preferred over dried fruit because dried fruits have a
high concentration of sugar in them. This will result in the glucose
spike for the short term and lead to a subsequent crash. Some good
choices are bananas, blueberries, apples and cherries.
4. VEGETABLES
All vegetables will help build your long-term willpower, but specific
veggies have a lot of willpower fuel in them are root-based. These
include sweet potatoes, potatoes, and carrots which will all give you
some serious willpower fuel!
Do not try to completely overhaul your diet if you are not used to
eating these types of foods. Instead focus on eating them for just one
meal per day. The best of which would be eating them for breakfast.
3. GET ENOUGH SLEEP
When you don't get enough sleep, your willpower takes the biggest hit.
When you are tired, your brain cells are not able to absorb glucose as
efficiently as when you are well rested. This means that you begin lose
the "power" in your willpower. [5]
Then your brain will recognize the fact that it is not getting enough
glucose, and immediately start to crave sugary foods and caffeine to
replenish its supply. However, because your brain cells are not
absorbing glucose as efficiently as they should be, not only will you
give in to eating junk, you will eat much more than you need.
Your brain will continue to crave junk food until it gets as much
glucose as it can out of your bloodstream – regardless of how many
calories that may be.
Luckily, there are scientifically proven tactics that will help you get
a better night's sleep even without adding more hours:
1. A COMPLETELY DARK ROOM
Most of us underestimate the affect that lights in our room have on our
sleep. When our room is completely dark, it helps our brain shut down
and sleep more efficiently. This helps us get more rest out of the hours
we lay in bed; helping to restore our willpower. [6]
2. Nap
Other research suggests that it is the amount of consecutive hours you
spend awake that matters the most. So breaking up the day with a nap can
have significant benefits. It is better to sleep for 7 hours with a
1-hour nap than it is to sleep for 8 consecutive hours without taking
that break during the day. [7]
3. Create a reservoir
Getting more sleep on the weekend will create a reserve of energy your
brain can use for willpower during the week. So if you cannot squeeze
more hours of sleep in during the week, see if you can catch up on the
weekend. [8]
4. EXERCISE
We all know that exercise is good for our health, but can it also be
good for our willpower? In order to find out, researchers found 24
non-exercisers between 18 and 50 to partake in a 2-month study. They
were given free gym memberships and asked to exercise just 1x/week for
the first month and 3x/week for the second month.
Throughout the study they would test the participants on various
self-control activities from resisting temptations to persevering
through challenging tasks.
The results were nothing short of remarkable.
After just 2 months of exercise every participant had indeed increased
his or her ability to resist temptations and persevere on tasks.
But the benefits didn't end there. Without any instruction by the
researchers, the participants also:
· Procrastinated less
· Felt more in control of their emotions
· Reduced smoking, alcohol and caffeine intake
· Saved more money
· Ate less junk food
· Began eating a healthier diet
· Watched less TV
· Spent more time studying
· Splurged on impulse purchases less
· Were more likely to be on time to appointments
All of these activities occurred naturally from the habitual exercise!
[9]
Now, before you set a plan to go from not exercising at all to
exercising every day, let's pause. It's important to remember that for a
full month, these participants only went to the gym 1x/week. That means
they only went 4 times total in the entire first month!
Clearly, it is not necessary for you to go crazy with your exercise
plan. To start getting all of the benefits listed above, you just need
to make a plan that is consistent, not overwhelming. Whether you can
exercise 1x/week or 4x/week, it doesn't matter. To see the benefits, you
just need to set a plan that you will not fail.
5. FOCUS ON ONE TASK AT A TIME
Ready for a puzzle? See if you can write down a list of all 50 states.
When you have listed 10, see if you can continue writing them while also
figuring out the answer to 17 x 24.
Were you able to do it?
We have 2 distinct parts of our brain that help in our problem-solving.
One is the limbic system, which makes our easy and automatic decisions.
This includes brushing our teeth and stopping at a red light. This part
of the brain is also short-term minded, and is what motivates us to
indulge in unhealthy food and get off of the treadmill.
The other is the pre-frontal cortex, which solves more difficult
problems like how to effectively communicate or solve more complicated
math equations like the one above. This is also the part of our brain
that thinks long-term and is responsible for our willpower.
The problems above both require the pre-frontal cortex to solve. If I
were to ask you to write the 50 states and do a simple problem like 10 x
5, you would have had no problem doing it. 10 x 5 is easy. It only
requires our limbic system to solve, so we can successfully multi-task.
The more we multi-task, the more we train our limbic system. So by
trying to do 4 things at once, we are unknowingly making the part of the
brain that wants us to indulge stronger.
The pre-frontal cortex, however, cannot multi-task. The problems it
deals with are too complicated. So by focusing on one task at a time, we
are making the part of the brain that exerts willpower stronger!
So resist the temptation to multi-task and remain focused. This will
train your willpower and help you make tough decisions. [10]
6. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS
We tend to believe that every choice we make throughout the day goes
through a process of well-informed decision-making. But 45% of our
daily-decision are made completely automatically. From what we decide to
eat, what we decide to wear and what we decide to do when we first get
to work, our brains are running on autopilot. [11]
You can overcome this tendency by becoming more mindful of your daily
decisions. This is as simple as pausing and questioning why you are
making the decision to get coffee as soon as you make it into the
office. Or why you are eating cereal for breakfast rather than eggs.
Simply question these daily decisions and you will strengthen your
willpower to make better choices throughout the day. [10]
7. SELF-MONITORING
Something odd happens in our brains when we look at ourselves in the
mirror. The part of the brain that would say "hey, that's me in the
mirror" is not activated. Instead it is a part of the brain that says "I
wish I was taller, skinnier, more muscular, etc." [12]
In other words, rather than seeing see who we are, we see who we want to
be. This is not because we are shallow, it is because we all have an
ideal self that we want to live up to. With this ideal self in our mind,
we begin to think and act more like them.
The best way to keep your ideal self in mind is through a process called
Self-Monitoring. This involves keeping track of as much information on
yourself as possible. Like with the mirror, you will look at the
information on yourself and compare it to what you really want. This
will strengthen your willpower and help you make better decisions.
To get started, check out the list of ways to begin self-monitoring at
the bottom of this article.
8. PLAY OFFENSE
When researchers came across a group of people in the Netherlands who
seemingly had unstoppable willpower, they thought they must be saints.
They ate extremely healthy, exercised regularly, hardly procrastinated
and reported less stress than almost everyone around them.
But they were not saints at all. Many of them reported that if they were
to get behind a bar stool, they would never leave. Others reported that
they were unable to resist sweets whenever they were around. It seemed
that these "saints" were prone to the same temptations as the rest of
us. [13]
So what was their secret?
The secret, it turned out, was that these people simply did not put
themselves in those situations. Their lifestyles were well-organized to
prevent having to look temptation in the face.
These people played offense. They thought about what might tempt them in
the future – whether it was alcohol, sweets, or distractions from work –
and set themselves up to avoid them. They were seemingly willpower super
heroes because they almost never had to use it.
In your life, look for the things that test your willpower. How can you
play offense and remove future temptations?
9. FIND INSPIRATION
We have all experienced the feeling of inspiration at some point in our
lives. It may have been from a story in history, a speech by a great
leader, or by a friend or family member. When we become inspired, we get
a rush of energy that we feel can take us to new heights. It's almost as
if we get more willpower.
When we witness something inspiring, the part of the pre-frontal cortex
that thinks about the long-term lights up. The neurons in this part of
the brain start firing and we feel a rush of energy as we begin to
believe in our dreams and goals.
This essentially means that by becoming inspired, we give the
pre-frontal cortex more power. This strengthens our willpower and makes
it easier to work towards our long-term goals. [14]
To tap into this willpower, find something inspiring that you can turn
to on a daily basis. This will help you find the willpower you need even
when times get tough.
10. CHUNKING
The last and perhaps the most important willpower habit is chunking.
Chunking is the process of taking a large task, goal, dream, etc. and
breaking it into manageable "chunks".
If you've ever had a goal, you know how exciting it can be at first. You
can see the "after photo" of your life when the goal is achieved - and
you love what you see. You imagine all of the great things about the
"new you" and you can't wait to get started working towards that goal!
Then it's time to actually do the work. And whether that work is putting
pen to paper, or putting foot to treadmill, you get a sudden rush of
being completely overwhelmed. You see just how much work it's going to
take to get you from where you are, to where you want to be. Then you
get paralyzed by the fact that you don't know where to begin. So you
don't bother trying, or you lose the persistence to keep going.
Chunking works because it shifts your focus from that larger goal, into
smaller chunks that are easier for your brain to comprehend. If your
goal is to follow a 12-week exercise plan, it can be overwhelming when
you're tired on day 4 and thinking about the fact that you have 80 more
days of this. [15]
But if you shift your focus to simply accomplishing the workout plan
today, you are far less likely to become overwhelmed. Then, before you
know it, 20, 40, 60 days have passed and you are more confident than
ever that we can make it to the end.
CONCLUSION
Excellence is a habit. It is a lot of small things done well,
day-after-day. Starting any one of the habits listed above has been
proven to give you incredible willpower over time. But you must be
consistent.
It will be far more beneficial for you to begin just 1 of these daily
willpower habits and do it consistently, than to do all 10 for a short
period of time. So select just 1 habit to add to your life and stick to
it. After it has truly become a habit, move on to the next one. Over
time, you will see incredible benefits to your willpower!
STRENGTHEN YOUR WILLPOWER
Get Scientifically Proven Tips Delivered To Your Inbox
We respect your privacy.
Sources:
Oman, D., Shapiro, S., Thoresen, C., Plante, T., & Flinders, T.
(2008). Meditation Lowers Stress And Supports Forgiveness Among
College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of American
College Health, 569-578.
Bradt, S. (2010, November 11). Wandering mind not a happy mind.
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/11/wandering-mind-not-a-happy-mind/
Gailliot, M., Baumeister, R., DeWall, C., Maner, J., Plant, E.,
Tice, D., ... Schmeichel, B. (2007). Self-control Relies On Glucose
As A Limited Energy Source: Willpower Is More Than A Metaphor.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 325-336.
Pollan, M. (2009) Food Rules: An Eater's Manual. New York: Penguin
Spiegel, K., Tasali, E., Leproult, R., & Van Cauter, E. (2009).
Effects Of Poor And Short Sleep On Glucose Metabolism And Obesity
Risk. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 253-261.
Dijk, D., & Archer, S. (2009). Light, Sleep, and Circadian Rhythms:
Together Again. PLoS Biology, E1000145-E1000145.
Feature, J (29 Nov. 2011) WebMD Magazine. Power Naps: Napping
Benefits, Length, and Tips. WebMD.
Breus, M. (2013) Can You Ever REALLY Catch-up on Sleep? Psychology
Today: Health, Help, Happiness.
Oaten, M. & Cheng, K. (2006) Longitudinal Gains in Self-regulation
from Regular Physical Exercise. British Journal of Health Psychology
11.4: 717-33.
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. New York: Farrar,
Straus and Giroux.
Duhigg, C. (2012). The power of habit: Why we do what we do in life
and business. New York: Random House.
Baumeister, R., & Tierney, J. (2011). Willpower: Rediscovering the
greatest human strength. New York: Penguin Press.
Ridder, D., Lensvelt-Mulders, G., Finkenauer, C., Stok, F., &
Baumeister, R. (2011). Taking Stock of Self-Control: A Meta-Analysis
of How Trait Self-Control Relates to a Wide Range of Behaviors.
Personality and Social Psychology Review, 76-99.
McGonigal, K. (2012) The Willpower Instinct: How Self-control Works,
Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It. New York:
Avery.
Bandura, A., & Schunk, D. (1981). Cultivating Competence,
Self-efficacy, And Intrinsic Interest Through Proximal
Self-motivation. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology,586-598.
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Or how I learned to stop worrying and
love email again
a habit." – Aristotle.
Success is a lot of small things done well, day after day.
What seems like an overnight success is usually a very long time in the
making. Success is created from people who establish the right habits,
then execute them over and over.
So I wanted to share with you the top 10 habits that have been
scientifically proven to give you incredible willpower!
1. MEDITATE
Meditation is the fastest and most effective way to increase your
willpower. By meditating you are training the brain to focus and resist
the urge to wander. Research shows that after just 2-3 days of
practicing meditation for 10 minutes, your brain will be able to focus
better, you will have more energy, and you will be less stressed. [1]
There are a lot of myths surrounding meditation. Burning incense,
chanting, wearing robes, etc. So let's start by explaining what
meditation really is.
Meditation is simply the practice of bringing your thoughts to the
present moment. 47% of our lives are spent either reminiscing about the
past or thinking about what we are going to do in the future. [2]
We spend very little time with a clear, focused mind on what we are
doing right now.
Meditation attempts to do just that. This is usually done by sitting
upright in a room that is clear of distractions and focusing solely on
your breathing. However, it can be achieved with any activity that
brings your full focus and attention.
For example, if you are completely focused on the task of cleaning
dishes; without mentally going over your day, pondering another problem
in your head, or thinking about what you will be doing next, you can
achieve a state of meditation.
If your mind is clear and focused completely on the present task, you
will see the benefits of meditation.
To get started meditating, check out this article which will give you
the tools and exercises you need to begin adding the habit of daily
meditation.
2. EAT A LOW GLYCEMIC DIET
When the body takes in food, it creates a chemical known as glucose that
travels through the blood stream. This is what the brain uses as its
source of fuel to think, create, and exert willpower. So to ensure a
healthy stock of willpower, we want to make sure our brain has enough
glucose to use as energy. [3]
Any food that contains calories will give your brain glucose to work
with. But not all glucose is created equally. Sugary foods will cause a
quick spike of glucose, giving you willpower fuel for the short-term,
but will cause a subsequent crash that depletes your willpower just as
fast.
The best thing you can do is keep the glucose level in your bloodstream
steady. This will give your brain a consistent reserve of fuel to exert
willpower for the long-term. To accomplish this, researchers suggest a
low-glycemic diet. [4]
Here are some low-glycemic foods that will give you long-term willpower
fuel:
1. LEAN PROTEINS
Nothing fancy is required – just lean cuts of beef, poultry, pork and
fish.
2. NUTS
Specifically those nuts that are high in omega-3 fatty acids like
walnuts, pecans and cashews. (Note: this does not include legumes like
peanuts).
3. FRESH FRUIT
Fresh fruit is preferred over dried fruit because dried fruits have a
high concentration of sugar in them. This will result in the glucose
spike for the short term and lead to a subsequent crash. Some good
choices are bananas, blueberries, apples and cherries.
4. VEGETABLES
All vegetables will help build your long-term willpower, but specific
veggies have a lot of willpower fuel in them are root-based. These
include sweet potatoes, potatoes, and carrots which will all give you
some serious willpower fuel!
Do not try to completely overhaul your diet if you are not used to
eating these types of foods. Instead focus on eating them for just one
meal per day. The best of which would be eating them for breakfast.
3. GET ENOUGH SLEEP
When you don't get enough sleep, your willpower takes the biggest hit.
When you are tired, your brain cells are not able to absorb glucose as
efficiently as when you are well rested. This means that you begin lose
the "power" in your willpower. [5]
Then your brain will recognize the fact that it is not getting enough
glucose, and immediately start to crave sugary foods and caffeine to
replenish its supply. However, because your brain cells are not
absorbing glucose as efficiently as they should be, not only will you
give in to eating junk, you will eat much more than you need.
Your brain will continue to crave junk food until it gets as much
glucose as it can out of your bloodstream – regardless of how many
calories that may be.
Luckily, there are scientifically proven tactics that will help you get
a better night's sleep even without adding more hours:
1. A COMPLETELY DARK ROOM
Most of us underestimate the affect that lights in our room have on our
sleep. When our room is completely dark, it helps our brain shut down
and sleep more efficiently. This helps us get more rest out of the hours
we lay in bed; helping to restore our willpower. [6]
2. Nap
Other research suggests that it is the amount of consecutive hours you
spend awake that matters the most. So breaking up the day with a nap can
have significant benefits. It is better to sleep for 7 hours with a
1-hour nap than it is to sleep for 8 consecutive hours without taking
that break during the day. [7]
3. Create a reservoir
Getting more sleep on the weekend will create a reserve of energy your
brain can use for willpower during the week. So if you cannot squeeze
more hours of sleep in during the week, see if you can catch up on the
weekend. [8]
4. EXERCISE
We all know that exercise is good for our health, but can it also be
good for our willpower? In order to find out, researchers found 24
non-exercisers between 18 and 50 to partake in a 2-month study. They
were given free gym memberships and asked to exercise just 1x/week for
the first month and 3x/week for the second month.
Throughout the study they would test the participants on various
self-control activities from resisting temptations to persevering
through challenging tasks.
The results were nothing short of remarkable.
After just 2 months of exercise every participant had indeed increased
his or her ability to resist temptations and persevere on tasks.
But the benefits didn't end there. Without any instruction by the
researchers, the participants also:
· Procrastinated less
· Felt more in control of their emotions
· Reduced smoking, alcohol and caffeine intake
· Saved more money
· Ate less junk food
· Began eating a healthier diet
· Watched less TV
· Spent more time studying
· Splurged on impulse purchases less
· Were more likely to be on time to appointments
All of these activities occurred naturally from the habitual exercise!
[9]
Now, before you set a plan to go from not exercising at all to
exercising every day, let's pause. It's important to remember that for a
full month, these participants only went to the gym 1x/week. That means
they only went 4 times total in the entire first month!
Clearly, it is not necessary for you to go crazy with your exercise
plan. To start getting all of the benefits listed above, you just need
to make a plan that is consistent, not overwhelming. Whether you can
exercise 1x/week or 4x/week, it doesn't matter. To see the benefits, you
just need to set a plan that you will not fail.
5. FOCUS ON ONE TASK AT A TIME
Ready for a puzzle? See if you can write down a list of all 50 states.
When you have listed 10, see if you can continue writing them while also
figuring out the answer to 17 x 24.
Were you able to do it?
We have 2 distinct parts of our brain that help in our problem-solving.
One is the limbic system, which makes our easy and automatic decisions.
This includes brushing our teeth and stopping at a red light. This part
of the brain is also short-term minded, and is what motivates us to
indulge in unhealthy food and get off of the treadmill.
The other is the pre-frontal cortex, which solves more difficult
problems like how to effectively communicate or solve more complicated
math equations like the one above. This is also the part of our brain
that thinks long-term and is responsible for our willpower.
The problems above both require the pre-frontal cortex to solve. If I
were to ask you to write the 50 states and do a simple problem like 10 x
5, you would have had no problem doing it. 10 x 5 is easy. It only
requires our limbic system to solve, so we can successfully multi-task.
The more we multi-task, the more we train our limbic system. So by
trying to do 4 things at once, we are unknowingly making the part of the
brain that wants us to indulge stronger.
The pre-frontal cortex, however, cannot multi-task. The problems it
deals with are too complicated. So by focusing on one task at a time, we
are making the part of the brain that exerts willpower stronger!
So resist the temptation to multi-task and remain focused. This will
train your willpower and help you make tough decisions. [10]
6. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS
We tend to believe that every choice we make throughout the day goes
through a process of well-informed decision-making. But 45% of our
daily-decision are made completely automatically. From what we decide to
eat, what we decide to wear and what we decide to do when we first get
to work, our brains are running on autopilot. [11]
You can overcome this tendency by becoming more mindful of your daily
decisions. This is as simple as pausing and questioning why you are
making the decision to get coffee as soon as you make it into the
office. Or why you are eating cereal for breakfast rather than eggs.
Simply question these daily decisions and you will strengthen your
willpower to make better choices throughout the day. [10]
7. SELF-MONITORING
Something odd happens in our brains when we look at ourselves in the
mirror. The part of the brain that would say "hey, that's me in the
mirror" is not activated. Instead it is a part of the brain that says "I
wish I was taller, skinnier, more muscular, etc." [12]
In other words, rather than seeing see who we are, we see who we want to
be. This is not because we are shallow, it is because we all have an
ideal self that we want to live up to. With this ideal self in our mind,
we begin to think and act more like them.
The best way to keep your ideal self in mind is through a process called
Self-Monitoring. This involves keeping track of as much information on
yourself as possible. Like with the mirror, you will look at the
information on yourself and compare it to what you really want. This
will strengthen your willpower and help you make better decisions.
To get started, check out the list of ways to begin self-monitoring at
the bottom of this article.
8. PLAY OFFENSE
When researchers came across a group of people in the Netherlands who
seemingly had unstoppable willpower, they thought they must be saints.
They ate extremely healthy, exercised regularly, hardly procrastinated
and reported less stress than almost everyone around them.
But they were not saints at all. Many of them reported that if they were
to get behind a bar stool, they would never leave. Others reported that
they were unable to resist sweets whenever they were around. It seemed
that these "saints" were prone to the same temptations as the rest of
us. [13]
So what was their secret?
The secret, it turned out, was that these people simply did not put
themselves in those situations. Their lifestyles were well-organized to
prevent having to look temptation in the face.
These people played offense. They thought about what might tempt them in
the future – whether it was alcohol, sweets, or distractions from work –
and set themselves up to avoid them. They were seemingly willpower super
heroes because they almost never had to use it.
In your life, look for the things that test your willpower. How can you
play offense and remove future temptations?
9. FIND INSPIRATION
We have all experienced the feeling of inspiration at some point in our
lives. It may have been from a story in history, a speech by a great
leader, or by a friend or family member. When we become inspired, we get
a rush of energy that we feel can take us to new heights. It's almost as
if we get more willpower.
When we witness something inspiring, the part of the pre-frontal cortex
that thinks about the long-term lights up. The neurons in this part of
the brain start firing and we feel a rush of energy as we begin to
believe in our dreams and goals.
This essentially means that by becoming inspired, we give the
pre-frontal cortex more power. This strengthens our willpower and makes
it easier to work towards our long-term goals. [14]
To tap into this willpower, find something inspiring that you can turn
to on a daily basis. This will help you find the willpower you need even
when times get tough.
10. CHUNKING
The last and perhaps the most important willpower habit is chunking.
Chunking is the process of taking a large task, goal, dream, etc. and
breaking it into manageable "chunks".
If you've ever had a goal, you know how exciting it can be at first. You
can see the "after photo" of your life when the goal is achieved - and
you love what you see. You imagine all of the great things about the
"new you" and you can't wait to get started working towards that goal!
Then it's time to actually do the work. And whether that work is putting
pen to paper, or putting foot to treadmill, you get a sudden rush of
being completely overwhelmed. You see just how much work it's going to
take to get you from where you are, to where you want to be. Then you
get paralyzed by the fact that you don't know where to begin. So you
don't bother trying, or you lose the persistence to keep going.
Chunking works because it shifts your focus from that larger goal, into
smaller chunks that are easier for your brain to comprehend. If your
goal is to follow a 12-week exercise plan, it can be overwhelming when
you're tired on day 4 and thinking about the fact that you have 80 more
days of this. [15]
But if you shift your focus to simply accomplishing the workout plan
today, you are far less likely to become overwhelmed. Then, before you
know it, 20, 40, 60 days have passed and you are more confident than
ever that we can make it to the end.
CONCLUSION
Excellence is a habit. It is a lot of small things done well,
day-after-day. Starting any one of the habits listed above has been
proven to give you incredible willpower over time. But you must be
consistent.
It will be far more beneficial for you to begin just 1 of these daily
willpower habits and do it consistently, than to do all 10 for a short
period of time. So select just 1 habit to add to your life and stick to
it. After it has truly become a habit, move on to the next one. Over
time, you will see incredible benefits to your willpower!
STRENGTHEN YOUR WILLPOWER
Get Scientifically Proven Tips Delivered To Your Inbox
We respect your privacy.
Sources:
Oman, D., Shapiro, S., Thoresen, C., Plante, T., & Flinders, T.
(2008). Meditation Lowers Stress And Supports Forgiveness Among
College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of American
College Health, 569-578.
Bradt, S. (2010, November 11). Wandering mind not a happy mind.
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/11/wandering-mind-not-a-happy-mind/
Gailliot, M., Baumeister, R., DeWall, C., Maner, J., Plant, E.,
Tice, D., ... Schmeichel, B. (2007). Self-control Relies On Glucose
As A Limited Energy Source: Willpower Is More Than A Metaphor.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 325-336.
Pollan, M. (2009) Food Rules: An Eater's Manual. New York: Penguin
Spiegel, K., Tasali, E., Leproult, R., & Van Cauter, E. (2009).
Effects Of Poor And Short Sleep On Glucose Metabolism And Obesity
Risk. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 253-261.
Dijk, D., & Archer, S. (2009). Light, Sleep, and Circadian Rhythms:
Together Again. PLoS Biology, E1000145-E1000145.
Feature, J (29 Nov. 2011) WebMD Magazine. Power Naps: Napping
Benefits, Length, and Tips. WebMD.
Breus, M. (2013) Can You Ever REALLY Catch-up on Sleep? Psychology
Today: Health, Help, Happiness.
Oaten, M. & Cheng, K. (2006) Longitudinal Gains in Self-regulation
from Regular Physical Exercise. British Journal of Health Psychology
11.4: 717-33.
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. New York: Farrar,
Straus and Giroux.
Duhigg, C. (2012). The power of habit: Why we do what we do in life
and business. New York: Random House.
Baumeister, R., & Tierney, J. (2011). Willpower: Rediscovering the
greatest human strength. New York: Penguin Press.
Ridder, D., Lensvelt-Mulders, G., Finkenauer, C., Stok, F., &
Baumeister, R. (2011). Taking Stock of Self-Control: A Meta-Analysis
of How Trait Self-Control Relates to a Wide Range of Behaviors.
Personality and Social Psychology Review, 76-99.
McGonigal, K. (2012) The Willpower Instinct: How Self-control Works,
Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It. New York:
Avery.
Bandura, A., & Schunk, D. (1981). Cultivating Competence,
Self-efficacy, And Intrinsic Interest Through Proximal
Self-motivation. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology,586-598.
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Or how I learned to stop worrying and
love email again
quora
Quora: Why do Hindu seculars in India fight for other religions while
they abuse their own religion?
Maria's Wirth's Answer: This is a long story that started in 1835 when a
politician called Thomas Macauley pleaded in the British Parliament to
replace the Sanskrit gurukuls in India with English education. He argued
that if Britain wants to successfully subdue Indians, they need to be
cut off from their culture. Macauley got his way.
From then on, the Indian elite had to send their children to English
medium schools, if they wanted them to make it in life. Naturally, the
kids didn't hear much about their own great culture and whatever little
they heard, was negative. And since they didn't learn Sanskrit, they
could not check it out for themselves.
Ironically, this happened at a time, when the European elite had
discovered Sanskrit and India's wisdom and were stunned by its depth.
This discovery contributed to the so called era of enlightenment in
Europe which resulted in a separation between state and Church.
Yet Indian children were taught from mid-19th century onwards, how great
and accomplished Britain was. It suited the colonial masters to have
"educated natives" who held them and their lifestyle, including their
religion, in high esteem. In return, they, especially those who had
converted to the western religions, were allowed to feel superior to the
'superstitious Indian masses'.
Brainwashing works. And Indians proved that it lasts even over several
generations. Those who abuse their own religion are generally
"Macauley's children" who feel proud that they are fluent in English and
don't realize that they have been uprooted in the interest of their
former masters.
These people never delved into the rich Indian heritage. Yet in spite of
their ignorance, they claim that India has nothing to offer. They don't
really claim it: they shout it, so that any opposition to their view
cannot be heard. Of course this is not a healthy state of affairs, but
it plays out often on Indian news channels: Macauley's children (or
should I call them 'anti-Hindu brigade'?) accuse and insinuate about
Hinduism what the British convent schools had taught them. And of course
they have a very favorable view of the "western religions" and are ever
ready to support them.
These people, so far at least, dominated the institutions, including
those who are responsible for school syllabi and sadly the bias against
their own tradition got perpetuated even in independent India.
"Islam and Christianity are the only religions which treated man with
honour and equality" 5th graders learnt in West Bengal, as Arun Shourie
pointed out in his Eminent Historians Page 68
This is taken from my article. here is full article: Dalai Lama: "India
has great potential to help the world"
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Access your email from home and the web
they abuse their own religion?
Maria's Wirth's Answer: This is a long story that started in 1835 when a
politician called Thomas Macauley pleaded in the British Parliament to
replace the Sanskrit gurukuls in India with English education. He argued
that if Britain wants to successfully subdue Indians, they need to be
cut off from their culture. Macauley got his way.
From then on, the Indian elite had to send their children to English
medium schools, if they wanted them to make it in life. Naturally, the
kids didn't hear much about their own great culture and whatever little
they heard, was negative. And since they didn't learn Sanskrit, they
could not check it out for themselves.
Ironically, this happened at a time, when the European elite had
discovered Sanskrit and India's wisdom and were stunned by its depth.
This discovery contributed to the so called era of enlightenment in
Europe which resulted in a separation between state and Church.
Yet Indian children were taught from mid-19th century onwards, how great
and accomplished Britain was. It suited the colonial masters to have
"educated natives" who held them and their lifestyle, including their
religion, in high esteem. In return, they, especially those who had
converted to the western religions, were allowed to feel superior to the
'superstitious Indian masses'.
Brainwashing works. And Indians proved that it lasts even over several
generations. Those who abuse their own religion are generally
"Macauley's children" who feel proud that they are fluent in English and
don't realize that they have been uprooted in the interest of their
former masters.
These people never delved into the rich Indian heritage. Yet in spite of
their ignorance, they claim that India has nothing to offer. They don't
really claim it: they shout it, so that any opposition to their view
cannot be heard. Of course this is not a healthy state of affairs, but
it plays out often on Indian news channels: Macauley's children (or
should I call them 'anti-Hindu brigade'?) accuse and insinuate about
Hinduism what the British convent schools had taught them. And of course
they have a very favorable view of the "western religions" and are ever
ready to support them.
These people, so far at least, dominated the institutions, including
those who are responsible for school syllabi and sadly the bias against
their own tradition got perpetuated even in independent India.
"Islam and Christianity are the only religions which treated man with
honour and equality" 5th graders learnt in West Bengal, as Arun Shourie
pointed out in his Eminent Historians Page 68
This is taken from my article. here is full article: Dalai Lama: "India
has great potential to help the world"
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Access your email from home and the web
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
https://medium.com/keep-learning-keep-growing/the-37-best-websites-to-learn-something-new-895e2cb0cad4
The 37 Best Websites To Learn Something New
Forget overpriced schools, long days in a crowded classroom, and
pitifully poor results. These websites and apps cover myriads of
science, art, and technology topics. They will teach you practically
anything, from making hummus to building apps in node.js, most of them
for free. There is absolutely no excuse for you not to master a new
skill, expand your knowledge, or eventually boost your career. You can
learn interactively at your own pace and in the comfort of your own
home. It's hard to imagine how much easier it can possibly be. Honestly,
what are you waiting for?
→TAKE AN ONLINE COURSE
edX — Take online courses from the world's best universities.
Coursera — Take the world's best courses, online, for free.
Coursmos — Take a micro-course anytime you want, on any device.
Highbrow — Get bite-sized daily courses to your inbox.
Skillshare — Online classes and projects that unlock your creativity.
Curious — Grow your skills with online video lessons.
lynda.com — Learn technology, creative and business skills.
CreativeLive — Take free creative classes from the world's top experts.
Udemy — Learn real world skills online.
→LEARN HOW TO CODE
Codecademy — Learn to code interactively, for free.
Stuk.io — Learn how to code from scratch.
Udacity — Earn a Nanodegree recognized by industry leaders.
Platzi — Live streaming classes on design, marketing and code.
Learnable — The best way to learn web development.
Code School — Learn to code by doing.
Thinkful — Advance your career with 1-on-1 mentorship.
Code.org — Start learning today with easy tutorials.
BaseRails — Master Ruby on Rails and other web technologies.
Treehouse — Learn HTML, CSS, iPhone apps & more.
One Month — Learn to code and build web applications in one month.
Dash — Learn to make awesome websites.
→LEARN TO WORK WITH DATA
DataCamp — Online R tutorials and data science courses.
DataQuest — Learn data science in your browser.
DataMonkey — Develop your analytical skills in a simple, yet fun way.
→LEARN NEW LANGUAGES
Duolingo — Learn a language for free.
Lingvist — Learn a language in 200 hours.
Busuu — The free language learning community.
Memrise — Use flashcards to learn vocabulary.
→EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE
TED-Ed — Find carefully curated educational videos
Khan Academy — Access an extensive library of interactive content.
Guides.co — Search the largest collection of online guides.
Squareknot — Browse beautiful, step-by-step guides.
Learnist — Learn from expertly curated web, print and video content.
Prismatic — Learn interesting things based on social recommendation.
→BONUS
Chesscademy — Learn how to play chess for free.
Pianu — A new way to learn piano online, interactively.
Yousician— Your personal guitar tutor for the digital age.
UPDATE: Full list including the best of your suggestions can be also
found here.
If you liked the post, please hit ♥ so others can enjoy it too.
Written by @kristynazdot, founder and CEO of maqtoob.com — app discovery
platform for inspiring entrepreneurs. At the moment, it features 1,400+
handpicked tools for startups, small businesses, and freelancers.
Personal Growth
Go to the profile of Kristyna Z.
Kristyna Z.
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Same, same, but different...
The 37 Best Websites To Learn Something New
Forget overpriced schools, long days in a crowded classroom, and
pitifully poor results. These websites and apps cover myriads of
science, art, and technology topics. They will teach you practically
anything, from making hummus to building apps in node.js, most of them
for free. There is absolutely no excuse for you not to master a new
skill, expand your knowledge, or eventually boost your career. You can
learn interactively at your own pace and in the comfort of your own
home. It's hard to imagine how much easier it can possibly be. Honestly,
what are you waiting for?
→TAKE AN ONLINE COURSE
edX — Take online courses from the world's best universities.
Coursera — Take the world's best courses, online, for free.
Coursmos — Take a micro-course anytime you want, on any device.
Highbrow — Get bite-sized daily courses to your inbox.
Skillshare — Online classes and projects that unlock your creativity.
Curious — Grow your skills with online video lessons.
lynda.com — Learn technology, creative and business skills.
CreativeLive — Take free creative classes from the world's top experts.
Udemy — Learn real world skills online.
→LEARN HOW TO CODE
Codecademy — Learn to code interactively, for free.
Stuk.io — Learn how to code from scratch.
Udacity — Earn a Nanodegree recognized by industry leaders.
Platzi — Live streaming classes on design, marketing and code.
Learnable — The best way to learn web development.
Code School — Learn to code by doing.
Thinkful — Advance your career with 1-on-1 mentorship.
Code.org — Start learning today with easy tutorials.
BaseRails — Master Ruby on Rails and other web technologies.
Treehouse — Learn HTML, CSS, iPhone apps & more.
One Month — Learn to code and build web applications in one month.
Dash — Learn to make awesome websites.
→LEARN TO WORK WITH DATA
DataCamp — Online R tutorials and data science courses.
DataQuest — Learn data science in your browser.
DataMonkey — Develop your analytical skills in a simple, yet fun way.
→LEARN NEW LANGUAGES
Duolingo — Learn a language for free.
Lingvist — Learn a language in 200 hours.
Busuu — The free language learning community.
Memrise — Use flashcards to learn vocabulary.
→EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE
TED-Ed — Find carefully curated educational videos
Khan Academy — Access an extensive library of interactive content.
Guides.co — Search the largest collection of online guides.
Squareknot — Browse beautiful, step-by-step guides.
Learnist — Learn from expertly curated web, print and video content.
Prismatic — Learn interesting things based on social recommendation.
→BONUS
Chesscademy — Learn how to play chess for free.
Pianu — A new way to learn piano online, interactively.
Yousician— Your personal guitar tutor for the digital age.
UPDATE: Full list including the best of your suggestions can be also
found here.
If you liked the post, please hit ♥ so others can enjoy it too.
Written by @kristynazdot, founder and CEO of maqtoob.com — app discovery
platform for inspiring entrepreneurs. At the moment, it features 1,400+
handpicked tools for startups, small businesses, and freelancers.
Personal Growth
Go to the profile of Kristyna Z.
Kristyna Z.
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Same, same, but different...
Monday, May 4, 2015
THE SandHI SERIES, Indian Knowledge series
House of commons
http://www.mydigitalfc.com/indian-knowledge-series/house-commons-195
(some awesome pictures are missing from this text below)
By Koumudi Patil & Joy Sen Apr 27 2015
Tags: THE SandHI SERIES, Indian Knowledge series
Sthapatis and their indigenous designs seamlessly adapted topographic
and climatic
House of commons
Scholarship in architecture and building techniques has time and again
urged us to study the scientific and sustainable rational embodied in
evolved indigenous systems. Such practices have often adapted seamlessly
to the topographic and climatic exigencies of our subcontinent.
Moreover, they are also perceived as collaborative rather than
confrontational; thus offering suitable solutions to the alarming
man-nature conflict.
However, much of what was known is either lost or inadaptable to the
contemporary living requirements. This study is not intended to eulogise
or museumise our past. Instead, through a few collated instances, we
attempt to bring on the table an urgent need to scientifically explore
methods of rejuvenating some of these valuable practices, by gaining
knowledge from onsite field experience as well as theoretical modelling
and historical reconstruction. With careful analysis, many of these
practices can address our contemporary needs of sustainability, safety
as well as frugal resources. After all, it will neither be intelligent
nor efficient to reinvent the wheel at every age.
As the summer settles in, it may be most appropriate to begin our
dialogue with climate responsive architecture. How did ancient India
survive the scorching summer, brutal winter, torrential monsoon and
humid spring?
Classical texts of architecture such as Mansara and Mayamatam explain
the established system of qualified sthapatis (architects), engineers,
carpenters, plumbers and local masons working under the patrons of kings
or kingdoms. A city described in these texts always comes across as
planned and systematically executed construction. Puranas, Agamas and
Shilpashastras list definite stages of city planning: bhu-sangrah (study
of the site), bhu-pariksha (examination of the site), dikpariched
(determination of the cardinal points), padavinyas (survey of the
ground), bhu-vidhan (transferring on the ground the layout conceived in
planning) and grihanirman (design/construction of the buildings). In
fact, the idea of the vastu mandala is as old as the Rig Veda, where a
whole sukta is dedicated to building traditions.
The 16 mahajanapadas, as recorded in the early buddhist and jain texts,
were just not socio-political confederations, but a system of regional
variations of architectural styles subject to varying impacts of
climate, available resources, riparian impacts and the intensity of
flora and fauna. For example, the Magadhan tradition in today's Bihar
(buddhist vihara) exhibited built-forms based on its relatively arid
climate compared with the Anga-Pragjyotisha (Bengal-Assam) belt in
response to the available fertile green land. Hence, even the colour,
size and nature of bricks (called istaka) varied in the two
mahajanapadas, besides the design of the courtyards and allied open
spaces. The distant Assam-Bengal and Kerala built-form traditions
displayed similar approaches based on a common pack of maritime and
saline impacts of backwaters and sea-based commerce.
Likewise, wind catchers, intricate jaalis or hollow walls, amongst many
others, are evolved techniques for temperature as well as humidity
control. Wind catchers are airshafts, which capture the prevailing wind
and circulate cool air to the underground halls of the royal durbars
during summer months. The twin towers of Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, called
the Sawan Bhadon pillars were perforated on the top to 'catch the wind'.
The base was connected to a reservoir of water ingeniously feeding the
fountain — chandan katora. The hot wind caught by the towers was cooled
down not only by its long downward passage, but also by the waters. Even
simple perforated walls like the jaalis (deeply carved patterns) in
Rajasthan minimise heat gain by providing shade. Such devices also
result in increased convective transfer of heat because of increased
surface area. Similarly, the thick wide walls sometimes made hollow, as
in the Bhool Bhualliya of Lucknow or Akbar's Fathepur Sikri complex near
Agra, were good insulators of heat as well as sound.
The common man's house, however, was a different tale. It is not known
whether the sthapati was involved with the typology of the common
houses. But irrespective of the sthapati, if there was any, it is well
known that the vernacular structures were a result of community-shared
knowledge. The vernacular knowledge of the courtyard effect, stack
effect, use of local materials and efficient adaptation to local
topography were well known in the practices of the past. In many famous
instances like Nath-malji's haveli in Jaisalmer built in the 19th
century by Diwan Mohata Nathmal, the prime minister of the local ruler,
as well as in most common houses, the courtyard is a common site. It
acts as an air funnel discharging indoor air into the sky, resulting in
improved thermal comfort of its adjacent areas. Similarly, recessed
windows, jaalis and the light wells of Lucknow's Imambara are not only a
source of light, but also of ventilation and thermal transfer.
The value of water to Indians can be understood from the plethora of
water harvesting and conservation systems found in different
topographies across the country. Zings, vavs, tanks, kund, surangam and
scores of other such structures are well established in the
architectural typology of India. The most ambitious amongst these might
be the water tank at Shringverpur, Allahabad, dating back to the 1st
century AD. If the current hypothesis of renowned archaeologist and
former director general of Archaeological Survey of India (1968 -72)
Braj Bansi Lal is held correct, this flood harvesting technique
channelled the flood waters of the Ganga for about a kilometre to feed
the tank with a capacity of 6.5 million litres (storage tank alone).
This huge construction (see pictures below) is divided into three tanks:
inlet tank may have been used purely for desilting through
sedimentation, from which water flowed into the storage tank for use by
citizens; another storage tank that even had wells in its dug in its
floor to further recharge the ground water during monsoon; and the last
tank, which might have been a small votive tank followed by the spilling
outlets through which the overflow was released back.
GO LOCAL: (clockwise) Votive tank at the excavated site of Shringverpur;
feeding tank and inlet channel at the back; storage tank
One of the ongoing studies at SandHI, IIT Kanpur suggests that the use
of the beautiful steps at Chand Baoli in a little town of Abhaneri in
Rajasthan made internationally famous by the latest Batman movie The
Dark Knight might not have served an aesthetic purpose alone (see
picture on cover page). The tank was built by King Chanda of the
Nikumbha Dynasty between 800 AD and 900 AD. Simulation of daylight on
this structure has revealed that an inverted pyramid with a stepped
motif is an optimal form for shadowing the wall which prevents its
heating (see computer simulations above). Of course, lower heating
results in lower evaporation. The folklore in Rajasthan, poetically
describes the rational behind such a form — paani ko suraj ki chori se
bachana hai. (Don't let the sun steal the water.) With this mantra in
hand, the non-engineering communities of Rajasthan have built ingenious
water harvesting structures that are a perennial source of water supply
in a region that receives less than 10 cm of annual rainfall. In
particular, by encouraging a shift from 'produce' to 'fixed' and then to
cash rents, the British administration upset the procedures and
protocols between tenants and landlords over the question of the
maintenance of such evolved water systems, leading to their gradual
demise.
Computer simulations of Chand Baoli in Abhineri, Rajasthan (picture at
the top) that replicate the ingenious optimal wall shadowing which
prevents water evaporation; A) east face at 12.30 in April; (B) south
face at 12.30 in April; (C) west face at 15.30 in April; (D) south face
at 15.30 in April
Wherever such colonial laws have been defied, indigenous systems are
again proving resourceful. Rajendra Singh, the waterman of Rajasthan
flouted these colonial laws umpteen times to build johads. This has not
only replenished several dried wells, but also miraculously rejuvenated
rivers that were lying dry for more than 60 years.
Not only the canals, but also much of the sanitation and storm water
lines in Indus cities had perfect rendition of slopes, privy
connections, inspection pits placed at grids, and a framework based on
geometric patterns of brick kerbing and corbelling.
Over 75 per cent of the built environment of Mohenjodaro and Harappa was
carved out of the famous 'English bond' known to Indians almost 5,000
years before the British claimed to introduce it in India. Knowledge of
orthogonal geometry and town planning layout based on the 'grid-iron'
pattern were known 1,500 years prior to the ancient City of Miletus
(1,500 BCE) in Anatolia.
Earthquake safety has also been a matter of concern in many regions in
India. Interestingly, it has been tackled effectively through simple
frugal solutions, that can only be described as beautiful. Construction
and design practices like dhajji diwari, kathkuni, koti-banal, taaq and
others have shown better seismic response than contemporary construction
in the same regions. It was astounding to see the dhajji diwari of the
Kashmiri houses withstanding the 2005 earthquake measuring a magnitude
of 7.6. The term dhajji diwari may have its origin in Persian, referring
to a "patchwork quilt wall". The wall is made of a timber frame with a
stone-mortar infill. Observing its seismic resistance, close to 10,000
houses in Kashmir were reconstructed in the aftermath of the earthquake
using this age-old technique.
Prof Durgesh Rai from IIT Kanpur has conducted multiple shaking-table
tests to draw a detailed analysis of the earthquake resistant mechanisms
of the dhajji diwari. Similarly, the kathkuni style cleverly uses
interlocking wooden sleepers (usually cedar) and stones, forming a
horizontal mesh with inherent elasticity to resist seismic force.
Of particular mention is the ingenious technique of using wedge shaped
bricks to prevent well walls from falling inwards during an earthquake.
Wedge shaped bricks lock together unlike rectangular or square bricks.
Even the well-known Roman engineers used rectangular linings in the well
walls, often resulting in their inward collapse due to the enormous
pressure of the soil. Interestingly, there is evidence of the use of
wedge shaped bricks in wells close to Allahabad, even until 1950s. This
is of significance considering the continuity of this knowledge from
Harappan times till now.
Besides building techniques, it is surprising to read the meticulously
drafted rules and regulations guiding the use of personal buildings as
well as other civic architecture. Amongst others, Arthashastra makes
elaborate mention of fire safety regulations. The regulations imposed
heavy penalty against any resident who did not separate the cooking
stove from the wall with a line of water pots. Kitchen window or walls
were prohibited from facing the kitchen wall of another house. In case
of a fire mishap at a site in which fire safety regulations had been
violated, the owner was forced to bear the reconstruction expenses of
not only his own house, but also that of the property of other citizens,
which was damaged due to his negligence.
Such detailed understanding of not only the design and construction of a
building, but also of the civic responsibilities of a citizen, give a
glimpse of the refined civic sensibilities of our civilisation. Alas!
such knowledge as well as its practice has slowly disappeared from our
contemporary living surroundings. Today, modernism has a tendency to
achieve a universal lifeless homogenisation by suppressing free and
creative attempts in local contexts and in local practice. Therefore, we
assert a contemporary need to establish a dialogue with tradition,
holistically framed through the lens of science and build a
science-heritage interface.
(Dr Koumudi Patil is assistant professor in the department of humanities
and social sciences and design programme at IIT Kanpur. Email:
kppatil@iitk.ac.in
Dr Joy Sen is professor in the department of architecture and regional
planning at IIT Kharagpur.
Email: joysen@arp.iitkgp.ernet.in)
know@mydigitalfc.com
--
http://www.fastmail.com - A no graphics, no pop-ups email service
http://www.mydigitalfc.com/indian-knowledge-series/house-commons-195
(some awesome pictures are missing from this text below)
By Koumudi Patil & Joy Sen Apr 27 2015
Tags: THE SandHI SERIES, Indian Knowledge series
Sthapatis and their indigenous designs seamlessly adapted topographic
and climatic
House of commons
Scholarship in architecture and building techniques has time and again
urged us to study the scientific and sustainable rational embodied in
evolved indigenous systems. Such practices have often adapted seamlessly
to the topographic and climatic exigencies of our subcontinent.
Moreover, they are also perceived as collaborative rather than
confrontational; thus offering suitable solutions to the alarming
man-nature conflict.
However, much of what was known is either lost or inadaptable to the
contemporary living requirements. This study is not intended to eulogise
or museumise our past. Instead, through a few collated instances, we
attempt to bring on the table an urgent need to scientifically explore
methods of rejuvenating some of these valuable practices, by gaining
knowledge from onsite field experience as well as theoretical modelling
and historical reconstruction. With careful analysis, many of these
practices can address our contemporary needs of sustainability, safety
as well as frugal resources. After all, it will neither be intelligent
nor efficient to reinvent the wheel at every age.
As the summer settles in, it may be most appropriate to begin our
dialogue with climate responsive architecture. How did ancient India
survive the scorching summer, brutal winter, torrential monsoon and
humid spring?
Classical texts of architecture such as Mansara and Mayamatam explain
the established system of qualified sthapatis (architects), engineers,
carpenters, plumbers and local masons working under the patrons of kings
or kingdoms. A city described in these texts always comes across as
planned and systematically executed construction. Puranas, Agamas and
Shilpashastras list definite stages of city planning: bhu-sangrah (study
of the site), bhu-pariksha (examination of the site), dikpariched
(determination of the cardinal points), padavinyas (survey of the
ground), bhu-vidhan (transferring on the ground the layout conceived in
planning) and grihanirman (design/construction of the buildings). In
fact, the idea of the vastu mandala is as old as the Rig Veda, where a
whole sukta is dedicated to building traditions.
The 16 mahajanapadas, as recorded in the early buddhist and jain texts,
were just not socio-political confederations, but a system of regional
variations of architectural styles subject to varying impacts of
climate, available resources, riparian impacts and the intensity of
flora and fauna. For example, the Magadhan tradition in today's Bihar
(buddhist vihara) exhibited built-forms based on its relatively arid
climate compared with the Anga-Pragjyotisha (Bengal-Assam) belt in
response to the available fertile green land. Hence, even the colour,
size and nature of bricks (called istaka) varied in the two
mahajanapadas, besides the design of the courtyards and allied open
spaces. The distant Assam-Bengal and Kerala built-form traditions
displayed similar approaches based on a common pack of maritime and
saline impacts of backwaters and sea-based commerce.
Likewise, wind catchers, intricate jaalis or hollow walls, amongst many
others, are evolved techniques for temperature as well as humidity
control. Wind catchers are airshafts, which capture the prevailing wind
and circulate cool air to the underground halls of the royal durbars
during summer months. The twin towers of Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, called
the Sawan Bhadon pillars were perforated on the top to 'catch the wind'.
The base was connected to a reservoir of water ingeniously feeding the
fountain — chandan katora. The hot wind caught by the towers was cooled
down not only by its long downward passage, but also by the waters. Even
simple perforated walls like the jaalis (deeply carved patterns) in
Rajasthan minimise heat gain by providing shade. Such devices also
result in increased convective transfer of heat because of increased
surface area. Similarly, the thick wide walls sometimes made hollow, as
in the Bhool Bhualliya of Lucknow or Akbar's Fathepur Sikri complex near
Agra, were good insulators of heat as well as sound.
The common man's house, however, was a different tale. It is not known
whether the sthapati was involved with the typology of the common
houses. But irrespective of the sthapati, if there was any, it is well
known that the vernacular structures were a result of community-shared
knowledge. The vernacular knowledge of the courtyard effect, stack
effect, use of local materials and efficient adaptation to local
topography were well known in the practices of the past. In many famous
instances like Nath-malji's haveli in Jaisalmer built in the 19th
century by Diwan Mohata Nathmal, the prime minister of the local ruler,
as well as in most common houses, the courtyard is a common site. It
acts as an air funnel discharging indoor air into the sky, resulting in
improved thermal comfort of its adjacent areas. Similarly, recessed
windows, jaalis and the light wells of Lucknow's Imambara are not only a
source of light, but also of ventilation and thermal transfer.
The value of water to Indians can be understood from the plethora of
water harvesting and conservation systems found in different
topographies across the country. Zings, vavs, tanks, kund, surangam and
scores of other such structures are well established in the
architectural typology of India. The most ambitious amongst these might
be the water tank at Shringverpur, Allahabad, dating back to the 1st
century AD. If the current hypothesis of renowned archaeologist and
former director general of Archaeological Survey of India (1968 -72)
Braj Bansi Lal is held correct, this flood harvesting technique
channelled the flood waters of the Ganga for about a kilometre to feed
the tank with a capacity of 6.5 million litres (storage tank alone).
This huge construction (see pictures below) is divided into three tanks:
inlet tank may have been used purely for desilting through
sedimentation, from which water flowed into the storage tank for use by
citizens; another storage tank that even had wells in its dug in its
floor to further recharge the ground water during monsoon; and the last
tank, which might have been a small votive tank followed by the spilling
outlets through which the overflow was released back.
GO LOCAL: (clockwise) Votive tank at the excavated site of Shringverpur;
feeding tank and inlet channel at the back; storage tank
One of the ongoing studies at SandHI, IIT Kanpur suggests that the use
of the beautiful steps at Chand Baoli in a little town of Abhaneri in
Rajasthan made internationally famous by the latest Batman movie The
Dark Knight might not have served an aesthetic purpose alone (see
picture on cover page). The tank was built by King Chanda of the
Nikumbha Dynasty between 800 AD and 900 AD. Simulation of daylight on
this structure has revealed that an inverted pyramid with a stepped
motif is an optimal form for shadowing the wall which prevents its
heating (see computer simulations above). Of course, lower heating
results in lower evaporation. The folklore in Rajasthan, poetically
describes the rational behind such a form — paani ko suraj ki chori se
bachana hai. (Don't let the sun steal the water.) With this mantra in
hand, the non-engineering communities of Rajasthan have built ingenious
water harvesting structures that are a perennial source of water supply
in a region that receives less than 10 cm of annual rainfall. In
particular, by encouraging a shift from 'produce' to 'fixed' and then to
cash rents, the British administration upset the procedures and
protocols between tenants and landlords over the question of the
maintenance of such evolved water systems, leading to their gradual
demise.
Computer simulations of Chand Baoli in Abhineri, Rajasthan (picture at
the top) that replicate the ingenious optimal wall shadowing which
prevents water evaporation; A) east face at 12.30 in April; (B) south
face at 12.30 in April; (C) west face at 15.30 in April; (D) south face
at 15.30 in April
Wherever such colonial laws have been defied, indigenous systems are
again proving resourceful. Rajendra Singh, the waterman of Rajasthan
flouted these colonial laws umpteen times to build johads. This has not
only replenished several dried wells, but also miraculously rejuvenated
rivers that were lying dry for more than 60 years.
Not only the canals, but also much of the sanitation and storm water
lines in Indus cities had perfect rendition of slopes, privy
connections, inspection pits placed at grids, and a framework based on
geometric patterns of brick kerbing and corbelling.
Over 75 per cent of the built environment of Mohenjodaro and Harappa was
carved out of the famous 'English bond' known to Indians almost 5,000
years before the British claimed to introduce it in India. Knowledge of
orthogonal geometry and town planning layout based on the 'grid-iron'
pattern were known 1,500 years prior to the ancient City of Miletus
(1,500 BCE) in Anatolia.
Earthquake safety has also been a matter of concern in many regions in
India. Interestingly, it has been tackled effectively through simple
frugal solutions, that can only be described as beautiful. Construction
and design practices like dhajji diwari, kathkuni, koti-banal, taaq and
others have shown better seismic response than contemporary construction
in the same regions. It was astounding to see the dhajji diwari of the
Kashmiri houses withstanding the 2005 earthquake measuring a magnitude
of 7.6. The term dhajji diwari may have its origin in Persian, referring
to a "patchwork quilt wall". The wall is made of a timber frame with a
stone-mortar infill. Observing its seismic resistance, close to 10,000
houses in Kashmir were reconstructed in the aftermath of the earthquake
using this age-old technique.
Prof Durgesh Rai from IIT Kanpur has conducted multiple shaking-table
tests to draw a detailed analysis of the earthquake resistant mechanisms
of the dhajji diwari. Similarly, the kathkuni style cleverly uses
interlocking wooden sleepers (usually cedar) and stones, forming a
horizontal mesh with inherent elasticity to resist seismic force.
Of particular mention is the ingenious technique of using wedge shaped
bricks to prevent well walls from falling inwards during an earthquake.
Wedge shaped bricks lock together unlike rectangular or square bricks.
Even the well-known Roman engineers used rectangular linings in the well
walls, often resulting in their inward collapse due to the enormous
pressure of the soil. Interestingly, there is evidence of the use of
wedge shaped bricks in wells close to Allahabad, even until 1950s. This
is of significance considering the continuity of this knowledge from
Harappan times till now.
Besides building techniques, it is surprising to read the meticulously
drafted rules and regulations guiding the use of personal buildings as
well as other civic architecture. Amongst others, Arthashastra makes
elaborate mention of fire safety regulations. The regulations imposed
heavy penalty against any resident who did not separate the cooking
stove from the wall with a line of water pots. Kitchen window or walls
were prohibited from facing the kitchen wall of another house. In case
of a fire mishap at a site in which fire safety regulations had been
violated, the owner was forced to bear the reconstruction expenses of
not only his own house, but also that of the property of other citizens,
which was damaged due to his negligence.
Such detailed understanding of not only the design and construction of a
building, but also of the civic responsibilities of a citizen, give a
glimpse of the refined civic sensibilities of our civilisation. Alas!
such knowledge as well as its practice has slowly disappeared from our
contemporary living surroundings. Today, modernism has a tendency to
achieve a universal lifeless homogenisation by suppressing free and
creative attempts in local contexts and in local practice. Therefore, we
assert a contemporary need to establish a dialogue with tradition,
holistically framed through the lens of science and build a
science-heritage interface.
(Dr Koumudi Patil is assistant professor in the department of humanities
and social sciences and design programme at IIT Kanpur. Email:
kppatil@iitk.ac.in
Dr Joy Sen is professor in the department of architecture and regional
planning at IIT Kharagpur.
Email: joysen@arp.iitkgp.ernet.in)
know@mydigitalfc.com
--
http://www.fastmail.com - A no graphics, no pop-ups email service
Monday, April 13, 2015
paragauss
open source python toolbox for molecules and clusters
- a high level parallel library for matrix algebra etc...
http://www.theochem.tu-muenchen.de/welcome/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Accessible with your email software
or over the web
- a high level parallel library for matrix algebra etc...
http://www.theochem.tu-muenchen.de/welcome/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Accessible with your email software
or over the web
Thursday, February 5, 2015
foods
Pumpkins are high in fiber and low in calories, proving that they're
essentially diet friendly. This "superfood" packs a mean health punch
with nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium and magnesium.
Pumpkins are also rich in carotenoids, which is known to decrease the
risk of not just cancer, but cataracts, macular degeneration (loss of
vision because of damage to the retina) and heart disease. Pumpkins are
versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked.
Other power foods : garlic broccoli berries peanuts lemon/lemon-rind
turmeric !
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Same, same, but different...
essentially diet friendly. This "superfood" packs a mean health punch
with nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium and magnesium.
Pumpkins are also rich in carotenoids, which is known to decrease the
risk of not just cancer, but cataracts, macular degeneration (loss of
vision because of damage to the retina) and heart disease. Pumpkins are
versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked.
Other power foods : garlic broccoli berries peanuts lemon/lemon-rind
turmeric !
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Same, same, but different...
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Radio nights : Shreekant Sambrani
Many other changes Narendra Modi may bring about as prime minister, but
for the moment, we oldies past the biblical allocation of
three-score-and-ten owe a debt of gratitude to him for reviving
everyone's interest in that taken-for-granted chambermaid of the
communication age, the radio. Back in the Jurassic Age of the 1950s and
1960s, when we were growing up, it was our sole window to the world.
There was no social media then (gasp!), no internet, no television, no
cellphones (even their sturdy ancestors, the rotary dial phones were
exceptions). Most of us made do with day-old dak editions of newspapers
that had little news of the outside world anyway.
The radios, too, were temperamental contraptions. They had to be plugged
in, and needed antennae (called aerials then). We had to wait until the
diode valves were warm and their coils were glowing. The set was to be
placed correctly to receive transmissions and we prayed that the
whirring fan overhead or the neighbour's electric stove would not cause
static.
It was wondrous when the dial lit up. Unknown places with
unpronounceable names, such as Schenectady, Poughkeepsie and Valparaiso
(not in Chile but Indiana), appeared in the drawing room, and we
scurried to our school atlases only to find that they were too small to
be found in it. Father's date with the 9 p m news was sacrosanct, a
practice he continued all his life. Mother knew better than to announce
dinner and we sat dozing until it was over. It wasn't news unless
Melville de Mellow or Roshan Seth pronounced it so.
An uncle introduced me to the national programme of music on Saturday
nights at 9.30 p m and the Akashvani Sangit Sammelan at Diwali. The
music of Bhimsen Joshi, Gangubai Hangal, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Bismillah
Khan, Nikhil Bannerjee, Sharan Rani Mathur, Lalgudi Jayaram Aiyer and M
L Vasanthakumari cast an enchanting spell from which I have not emerged
yet, even though I had no technical understanding.
The radio also opened up the other two Indian passions besides politics
(covered in the news) - cricket and films. Dicky Rutnagur, Pearson
Surita and even the stodgy old Maharajkumar of Vizianagaram brought home
the exploits of Vinoo Mankad and Vijay Manjarekar, Chandu Borde and
Subhash Gupte, and put us to sleep with Bapu Nadkarni's skein of
maidens. Even the great Indian victory in the 1983 World Cup final came
to us from the radio. And no spider cam, stump-vision or any of the
myriad gizmos now in use can cause the palpitation of the heart that
Sushil Jhaveri's marvellous voice modulations did during the Oval test
of 1979, with Sunil Gavaskar taking India needing 438 in the final
innings to the verge of victory, but not quite.
Film music was anathema to B V Keskar, the information and broadcasting
minister in the 1950s, and so was banished from All India Radio. That
was a godsend for Radio Ceylon, which promptly filled the gap. On
Wednesday nights, India came to a standstill, when Ameen Sayani brought
us the weekly hit parade, Binaca Geetmala. We passionately kept track of
what song was up, which music director had how many "sartaj geets" - hit
songs that no longer participated in the competition. And wrote to him
and other radio personalities from boondocks towns with improbable
names, such as Jhoomri Talaiya and Warasiwani.
Small transistor radios from Japan enhanced the pleasure of listening to
the radio in the early 1960s. One Saturday night, while I was
discovering Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire as a book, I
accidentally tuned in to the Jazz Hour on the Voice of America and heard
Dave Brubeck's Take Five. That serendipity turned into a lifelong affair
with jazz and its inseparable association with New Orleans. Louis
Armstrong, John Coltrane, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Duke Ellington, Ella
Fitzgerald, Mahalia Jackson and Paul Robeson, first heard here, continue
to cast their spell a half-century later.
Even in the United States, the radio opened up the cultural cornucopia
for a graduate student too poor to pay the admission for concerts and
plays. The Public Broadcasting System and WQXR, then owned by The New
York Times, brought live concert performances to my cramped living
spaces. I heard the great symphonies and operas of Mozart and Beethoven,
ballets of Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky, and knew their scores by memory
before ever seeing their live performances. The Beatles and The Rolling
Stones changed forever the easy listening top 40 format and along with
it, the thinking of an entire generation. Woody Guthrie, Peter, Paul,
and Mary and Bob Dylan provided the tonal background to angry protests.
And Woodstock would not have happened if the entire informal network of
local FM stations had not raised everyone's awareness.
Saluto, Guglielmo Marconi, for being a great civilisational influence,
second only to Johannes Gutenberg!
The writer taught at Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad and helped
set up the Institute of Rural Management, Anand
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Choose from over 50 domains or use your own
for the moment, we oldies past the biblical allocation of
three-score-and-ten owe a debt of gratitude to him for reviving
everyone's interest in that taken-for-granted chambermaid of the
communication age, the radio. Back in the Jurassic Age of the 1950s and
1960s, when we were growing up, it was our sole window to the world.
There was no social media then (gasp!), no internet, no television, no
cellphones (even their sturdy ancestors, the rotary dial phones were
exceptions). Most of us made do with day-old dak editions of newspapers
that had little news of the outside world anyway.
The radios, too, were temperamental contraptions. They had to be plugged
in, and needed antennae (called aerials then). We had to wait until the
diode valves were warm and their coils were glowing. The set was to be
placed correctly to receive transmissions and we prayed that the
whirring fan overhead or the neighbour's electric stove would not cause
static.
It was wondrous when the dial lit up. Unknown places with
unpronounceable names, such as Schenectady, Poughkeepsie and Valparaiso
(not in Chile but Indiana), appeared in the drawing room, and we
scurried to our school atlases only to find that they were too small to
be found in it. Father's date with the 9 p m news was sacrosanct, a
practice he continued all his life. Mother knew better than to announce
dinner and we sat dozing until it was over. It wasn't news unless
Melville de Mellow or Roshan Seth pronounced it so.
An uncle introduced me to the national programme of music on Saturday
nights at 9.30 p m and the Akashvani Sangit Sammelan at Diwali. The
music of Bhimsen Joshi, Gangubai Hangal, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Bismillah
Khan, Nikhil Bannerjee, Sharan Rani Mathur, Lalgudi Jayaram Aiyer and M
L Vasanthakumari cast an enchanting spell from which I have not emerged
yet, even though I had no technical understanding.
The radio also opened up the other two Indian passions besides politics
(covered in the news) - cricket and films. Dicky Rutnagur, Pearson
Surita and even the stodgy old Maharajkumar of Vizianagaram brought home
the exploits of Vinoo Mankad and Vijay Manjarekar, Chandu Borde and
Subhash Gupte, and put us to sleep with Bapu Nadkarni's skein of
maidens. Even the great Indian victory in the 1983 World Cup final came
to us from the radio. And no spider cam, stump-vision or any of the
myriad gizmos now in use can cause the palpitation of the heart that
Sushil Jhaveri's marvellous voice modulations did during the Oval test
of 1979, with Sunil Gavaskar taking India needing 438 in the final
innings to the verge of victory, but not quite.
Film music was anathema to B V Keskar, the information and broadcasting
minister in the 1950s, and so was banished from All India Radio. That
was a godsend for Radio Ceylon, which promptly filled the gap. On
Wednesday nights, India came to a standstill, when Ameen Sayani brought
us the weekly hit parade, Binaca Geetmala. We passionately kept track of
what song was up, which music director had how many "sartaj geets" - hit
songs that no longer participated in the competition. And wrote to him
and other radio personalities from boondocks towns with improbable
names, such as Jhoomri Talaiya and Warasiwani.
Small transistor radios from Japan enhanced the pleasure of listening to
the radio in the early 1960s. One Saturday night, while I was
discovering Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire as a book, I
accidentally tuned in to the Jazz Hour on the Voice of America and heard
Dave Brubeck's Take Five. That serendipity turned into a lifelong affair
with jazz and its inseparable association with New Orleans. Louis
Armstrong, John Coltrane, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Duke Ellington, Ella
Fitzgerald, Mahalia Jackson and Paul Robeson, first heard here, continue
to cast their spell a half-century later.
Even in the United States, the radio opened up the cultural cornucopia
for a graduate student too poor to pay the admission for concerts and
plays. The Public Broadcasting System and WQXR, then owned by The New
York Times, brought live concert performances to my cramped living
spaces. I heard the great symphonies and operas of Mozart and Beethoven,
ballets of Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky, and knew their scores by memory
before ever seeing their live performances. The Beatles and The Rolling
Stones changed forever the easy listening top 40 format and along with
it, the thinking of an entire generation. Woody Guthrie, Peter, Paul,
and Mary and Bob Dylan provided the tonal background to angry protests.
And Woodstock would not have happened if the entire informal network of
local FM stations had not raised everyone's awareness.
Saluto, Guglielmo Marconi, for being a great civilisational influence,
second only to Johannes Gutenberg!
The writer taught at Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad and helped
set up the Institute of Rural Management, Anand
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Choose from over 50 domains or use your own
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)