Haunted places and ghosts... Mystery of infrasound:
http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/print/a_ghost_story_low_frequency_illusions_created_by_standing_waves
Chladni Patterns -- http://thelig.ht/chladni/
Asia to Europe migration of humans earlier than thought:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141223084139.htm
Leafy remedy for BedBugs:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/science/earth/how-a-leafy-folk-remedy-stopped-bedbugs-in-their-tracks.html
On Meritocracy and Pumpkin growing:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2014/12/the-meritocracy-trap.html
e-Books and Tablets disturb sleep--
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30574260
Ruby on Rails - fast start.
https://medium.com/@mackenziechild/how-i-finally-learned-rails-95e9b832675b/
**C++ reading**
https://isocpp.org/blog/2014/12/myths-1
http://en.cppreference.com/w/
"Watch the videos from GoingNative and CppCon. Andrei's talk recommended"
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/GoingNative/GoingNative-2012
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/GoingNative/2013
https://www.youtube.com/user/CppCon
** Git related. Many tips and tricks etc **
http://thelinell.com/2014/12/23/curated-git-links-of-2014/
To learn git the easy start way:
http://thelinell.com/2014/03/19/git/
Using git crypt to secure data in git repo
http://www.twinbit.it/en/blog/storing-sensitive-data-git-repository-using-git-crypt#
Facebook Graph API
FaceBook Graph API - http://facebookgraphapi.blogspot.com/2011/01/facebook-graph-api.html
--
/A
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Which hard disk is most reliable?
*Which hard disk is most reliable?*
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/175089-who-makes-the-most-reliable-hard-drives
/A
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/175089-who-makes-the-most-reliable-hard-drives
/A
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Music in the genes
Anu Acharya
Either you have it in you, or you don't. And, the kind of music that you
take to is genetically determined as well
Several years ago, I watched a documentary musical, Latcho Drom , about
the migration of the Romany people from India to Egypt, Turkey, Romania
Hungary, Slovakia, France and Spain. The beautiful transition of music
as the central theme of their cultural migration is sketched in my mind.
Recent studies in genetics also point to genetic similarity that shows
the same migration pattern.
The other interesting correlation is between musical ability and
genetics. There are some people who seem to have an inbuilt musical
ability. Like wealth, music has been carefully preserved and
proliferates in certain families; in the gharanas of the Hindustani
music tradition, such as Patiala, Agra, Gwalior and Jaipur, for
instance. Interestingly, in the Carnatic tradition, many of the
musicians are brahmins. This shows that genes have a possible impact at
two levels: on musical ability and the kind of music that one takes to.
Your kind of music
In the 1970s, Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza, a geneticist at Stanford
University in California, argued that combining genetics with fields
such as linguistics and demography could help trace human ancestry.
Floyd Reed, a population geneticist at the University of Maryland in
College Park, worked on this further. He first crunched the existing
catalogues to convert the cantometric database into a two-dimensional
scatter plot, with each dot representing a culture. The closeness of the
dots showed their similarity in music. He found that the music of
African bushmen cultures, such as the Juhoansi, fell close to that of
pygmy tribes such as the Aka. And in this plot he found that groups such
as the Hutu were farther away and they sing in unison.
When Floyd compared the graph with a database of genotypes from more
than 3,000 people in Africa, he found a correlation between genes and
songs. In other words, cultures that had grouped together musically
tended to share genetic markers.
Making links
The link was stronger than the correlation between songs and geography:
cultures next door to each other weren't as likely to sing the same
tunes as were cultures with similar genotypes. Music reveals deeper
biological connections between people than characteristics such as
language, that change when one culture meets another.
Moving to inherent musical abilities, Miriam Mosing of the Karolinska
Institute, Sweden, suggests that practising music without the right
genes to back up that practice is indeed useless. To prove this she took
a fairly large sample size of 1,211 pairs of identical twins (who share
all their genes) and 1,358 pairs of fraternal twins (who share half)
born between 1959 and 1985 and concluded that genes have a profound
effect on their musical ability.
So which genes have been found to affect musical ability? It seems like
the best association was found at chromosome 3 close to the GATA2 gene
that regulates the development of cochlear hair cells and the inferior
colliculus (IC) in the auditory pathway. The best linkage results were
obtained on chromosome 4 that contains several genes that affect inner
ear development and are expressed in amydala or hippocampus. The highest
probability of linkage was obtained for pitch perception accuracy next
to the protocadherin 7 gene, PCDH7 known to be expressed in cochlear and
amygdaloid complexes.
Music is ingrained and while it may be true that some of us have the
talent, others can enjoy listening to it. Given my love for music, it is
possible that I could have done well had I bothered to practice.
Perhaps, it is not too late.
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Does exactly what it says on the tin
Either you have it in you, or you don't. And, the kind of music that you
take to is genetically determined as well
Several years ago, I watched a documentary musical, Latcho Drom , about
the migration of the Romany people from India to Egypt, Turkey, Romania
Hungary, Slovakia, France and Spain. The beautiful transition of music
as the central theme of their cultural migration is sketched in my mind.
Recent studies in genetics also point to genetic similarity that shows
the same migration pattern.
The other interesting correlation is between musical ability and
genetics. There are some people who seem to have an inbuilt musical
ability. Like wealth, music has been carefully preserved and
proliferates in certain families; in the gharanas of the Hindustani
music tradition, such as Patiala, Agra, Gwalior and Jaipur, for
instance. Interestingly, in the Carnatic tradition, many of the
musicians are brahmins. This shows that genes have a possible impact at
two levels: on musical ability and the kind of music that one takes to.
Your kind of music
In the 1970s, Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza, a geneticist at Stanford
University in California, argued that combining genetics with fields
such as linguistics and demography could help trace human ancestry.
Floyd Reed, a population geneticist at the University of Maryland in
College Park, worked on this further. He first crunched the existing
catalogues to convert the cantometric database into a two-dimensional
scatter plot, with each dot representing a culture. The closeness of the
dots showed their similarity in music. He found that the music of
African bushmen cultures, such as the Juhoansi, fell close to that of
pygmy tribes such as the Aka. And in this plot he found that groups such
as the Hutu were farther away and they sing in unison.
When Floyd compared the graph with a database of genotypes from more
than 3,000 people in Africa, he found a correlation between genes and
songs. In other words, cultures that had grouped together musically
tended to share genetic markers.
Making links
The link was stronger than the correlation between songs and geography:
cultures next door to each other weren't as likely to sing the same
tunes as were cultures with similar genotypes. Music reveals deeper
biological connections between people than characteristics such as
language, that change when one culture meets another.
Moving to inherent musical abilities, Miriam Mosing of the Karolinska
Institute, Sweden, suggests that practising music without the right
genes to back up that practice is indeed useless. To prove this she took
a fairly large sample size of 1,211 pairs of identical twins (who share
all their genes) and 1,358 pairs of fraternal twins (who share half)
born between 1959 and 1985 and concluded that genes have a profound
effect on their musical ability.
So which genes have been found to affect musical ability? It seems like
the best association was found at chromosome 3 close to the GATA2 gene
that regulates the development of cochlear hair cells and the inferior
colliculus (IC) in the auditory pathway. The best linkage results were
obtained on chromosome 4 that contains several genes that affect inner
ear development and are expressed in amydala or hippocampus. The highest
probability of linkage was obtained for pitch perception accuracy next
to the protocadherin 7 gene, PCDH7 known to be expressed in cochlear and
amygdaloid complexes.
Music is ingrained and while it may be true that some of us have the
talent, others can enjoy listening to it. Given my love for music, it is
possible that I could have done well had I bothered to practice.
Perhaps, it is not too late.
--
http://www.fastmail.com - Does exactly what it says on the tin
Monday, November 24, 2014
Intro to Tensors
Intro to Tensors...
<a
href="http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/Numbers/Math/documents/Tensors_TM2002211716.pdf">An
Introduction to Tensors for Students of Physics and Engineering (2002)
[pdf]</a>
An Introduction to Tensors for Students of Physics and Engineering (2002) [pdf]
---
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/Numbers/Math/documents/Tensors_TM2002211716.pdf
/A
<a
href="http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/Numbers/Math/documents/Tensors_TM2002211716.pdf">An
Introduction to Tensors for Students of Physics and Engineering (2002)
[pdf]</a>
An Introduction to Tensors for Students of Physics and Engineering (2002) [pdf]
---
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/Numbers/Math/documents/Tensors_TM2002211716.pdf
/A
Sunday, November 16, 2014
GoodReads -- The Small Big
Book: small tips for better selling/persuasion:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22835445-the-small-big
/A
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22835445-the-small-big
/A
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Article: 10 things Yoga did for me in a month...
From http://health.sify.com/10-things-yoga-did-for-me-in-a-month/
------------------------------------------------------------------
Two weeks after I enrolled for a yoga course, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an International Yoga Day – in his address to the UN General Assembly on 27 September.
Nothing connected Modi and me except coincidence of thoughts around yoga. I sensed a return of perfectionism and anger that began to affect my work negatively. I needed yoga to heal. I don't know what made Modi suggest an international day for yoga.
Yoga is one of the greatest gifts of India to mankind. It is an intensely personal journey that seeks to uplift humans so their energies are fused with the energy of the universe. That is the supreme purpose.
In daily life, most people feel enhanced and energised by practice of postures based on mammals, reptiles, birds, trees and even geometry. There is protocol of breath when a person holds the postures, called yogasanas.
This coordination of breath and posture changes the levels of oxygen in the body. It also improves mental and physical awareness and fitness. This is what most people experience.
I registered for a month-long Foundation Course in Yoga Sciences for Wellness at India's National Institute of Yoga, named after former Prime Minister Morarji Desai [the MDNIY].
Modi probably figured the world was taking ownership of yoga without accurately sourcing it to India. There are moral, legal and ethical elements to this desire to own yoga. Some of these might have prompted Modi to remind the world where yoga comes from.
Anyway, I decided to complete the course I enrolled in and share what happens. This is what it is like after – and during – four weeks of a yoga starter course conducted by experts.
1. I have become more grateful, humble and reverent. For lengthy periods I am silent. I sense the nano scale of individual existence. I dwell inward and am able to stay serene and still a long while. This makes me respond more intelligently to life.
2. My daily schedule has improved. I rise at 4am and sleep by 10pm. This is because yoga is best begun before dawn and timed to end a little after sunrise. My body clock has begun to adjust and I don't need to be woken. Such a schedule sharpens focus. Time gains value.
3. My mind has got fitter and stronger. I seem to register everything sharper. Essentially, this mean a person is more cognizant. My mental balance has improved. Recall is easy and decisive. Face expression is peaceful and consistent. My mind processes faster.
4. I have become calmer. My breathing has slowed. This makes me respond better to people, and they to me. Yoga, I was taught, reduces the respiratory rate. This, apparently, is a sign of good health. Alongside, a sense of harmony makes me know myself better.
5. I eat lesser. I have virtually stopped eating dinner as I don't feel the need to. Substantial meals geared to pleasure have stopped. I can make do with a cup of tea and a few biscuits around 7pm. This offers more time for digestion. Also, improved food habits make people glow.
6. I don't fume about others as much as I did. This makes me less judgmental, less angry and more tolerant. People around me feel better as they don't live under the microscope all the time. I am more understanding of human failings.
7. I focus on myself because there is so much to learn and do. This I did previously as well but it has gotten better now. The to-do lists have disappeared and in their place is a short mental list of top three things I'll do for the day. Simpler. Doable. Better for self-esteem.
8. I feel purer after shat karma with which I begin the day. The MDNIY specializes in shatkarma, a routine of six cleansing [or purifying] techniques of varying complexity. These are amazing and they set up the rest of the day magnificently. I recommend that everyone experience them at least once in life, in the sequence recommended.
9. I am able to breathe better and this has energised me even more. My nasal area is much cleaner because of the vaman dhauti, sutra neti, jala neti and kapalabhati routine. They are four of the six shat karma sequence. There is far lesser mucous concentration and I feel doubly alive.
10. I am developing physical tirelessness. I am able to perform three times the manual labour for the same amount of sweat. This is because of the shukshma vyayama and sthula vyayama routines, which are again a specialty of the MDNIY. There is better biological oneness. Body temperature and degree of comfort is uniform.
These are some of the key improvements from yoga in my life. Yoga is about what happens to you. Not where it came from. That comes in only if you wish a career in yoga and need to master the theory and history of yoga.
Most people merely wish to be better – physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. Quality of life depends on these four factors. Yoga works at all these levels.
This is not to say that life will stay miraculous with just a taste of yoga. It needs practice over time. It needs devotion. It needs integrity.
Yoga, as far as I know, is the most effective and inexpensive life-enhancement science known to man. It can be practiced well into old age. And, it is not religious.
In the batch I was part of, there were Muslims, Sikhs and a person born of parents from different religions. Routinely, non-Indians, who are definitely not Hindus, embrace yoga because they see it for what it is. They have no confusion.
A word of caution now. There are many who claim to be yoga teachers. Not everyone in a classroom is a student. Not every student is a teacher. Not every teacher is a guru.
Be careful in choosing whom to learn yoga from. Life is all we have. Give it a good shot.
The MDNIY has mastery over shat karma and are excellent with shukshma vyayama and sthula vyayama, which set you up perfectly for the yogasanas.
They are good people to learn with. They practice yoga the way it was meant to be. There are eight or ten other experts as well to learn yoga from in India.
Fifty nations have already endorsed Modi's call for an International Yoga Day. It's a good time for a life-boost.
------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
Two weeks after I enrolled for a yoga course, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an International Yoga Day – in his address to the UN General Assembly on 27 September.
Nothing connected Modi and me except coincidence of thoughts around yoga. I sensed a return of perfectionism and anger that began to affect my work negatively. I needed yoga to heal. I don't know what made Modi suggest an international day for yoga.
Yoga is one of the greatest gifts of India to mankind. It is an intensely personal journey that seeks to uplift humans so their energies are fused with the energy of the universe. That is the supreme purpose.
In daily life, most people feel enhanced and energised by practice of postures based on mammals, reptiles, birds, trees and even geometry. There is protocol of breath when a person holds the postures, called yogasanas.
This coordination of breath and posture changes the levels of oxygen in the body. It also improves mental and physical awareness and fitness. This is what most people experience.
I registered for a month-long Foundation Course in Yoga Sciences for Wellness at India's National Institute of Yoga, named after former Prime Minister Morarji Desai [the MDNIY].
Modi probably figured the world was taking ownership of yoga without accurately sourcing it to India. There are moral, legal and ethical elements to this desire to own yoga. Some of these might have prompted Modi to remind the world where yoga comes from.
Anyway, I decided to complete the course I enrolled in and share what happens. This is what it is like after – and during – four weeks of a yoga starter course conducted by experts.
1. I have become more grateful, humble and reverent. For lengthy periods I am silent. I sense the nano scale of individual existence. I dwell inward and am able to stay serene and still a long while. This makes me respond more intelligently to life.
2. My daily schedule has improved. I rise at 4am and sleep by 10pm. This is because yoga is best begun before dawn and timed to end a little after sunrise. My body clock has begun to adjust and I don't need to be woken. Such a schedule sharpens focus. Time gains value.
3. My mind has got fitter and stronger. I seem to register everything sharper. Essentially, this mean a person is more cognizant. My mental balance has improved. Recall is easy and decisive. Face expression is peaceful and consistent. My mind processes faster.
4. I have become calmer. My breathing has slowed. This makes me respond better to people, and they to me. Yoga, I was taught, reduces the respiratory rate. This, apparently, is a sign of good health. Alongside, a sense of harmony makes me know myself better.
5. I eat lesser. I have virtually stopped eating dinner as I don't feel the need to. Substantial meals geared to pleasure have stopped. I can make do with a cup of tea and a few biscuits around 7pm. This offers more time for digestion. Also, improved food habits make people glow.
6. I don't fume about others as much as I did. This makes me less judgmental, less angry and more tolerant. People around me feel better as they don't live under the microscope all the time. I am more understanding of human failings.
7. I focus on myself because there is so much to learn and do. This I did previously as well but it has gotten better now. The to-do lists have disappeared and in their place is a short mental list of top three things I'll do for the day. Simpler. Doable. Better for self-esteem.
8. I feel purer after shat karma with which I begin the day. The MDNIY specializes in shatkarma, a routine of six cleansing [or purifying] techniques of varying complexity. These are amazing and they set up the rest of the day magnificently. I recommend that everyone experience them at least once in life, in the sequence recommended.
9. I am able to breathe better and this has energised me even more. My nasal area is much cleaner because of the vaman dhauti, sutra neti, jala neti and kapalabhati routine. They are four of the six shat karma sequence. There is far lesser mucous concentration and I feel doubly alive.
10. I am developing physical tirelessness. I am able to perform three times the manual labour for the same amount of sweat. This is because of the shukshma vyayama and sthula vyayama routines, which are again a specialty of the MDNIY. There is better biological oneness. Body temperature and degree of comfort is uniform.
These are some of the key improvements from yoga in my life. Yoga is about what happens to you. Not where it came from. That comes in only if you wish a career in yoga and need to master the theory and history of yoga.
Most people merely wish to be better – physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. Quality of life depends on these four factors. Yoga works at all these levels.
This is not to say that life will stay miraculous with just a taste of yoga. It needs practice over time. It needs devotion. It needs integrity.
Yoga, as far as I know, is the most effective and inexpensive life-enhancement science known to man. It can be practiced well into old age. And, it is not religious.
In the batch I was part of, there were Muslims, Sikhs and a person born of parents from different religions. Routinely, non-Indians, who are definitely not Hindus, embrace yoga because they see it for what it is. They have no confusion.
A word of caution now. There are many who claim to be yoga teachers. Not everyone in a classroom is a student. Not every student is a teacher. Not every teacher is a guru.
Be careful in choosing whom to learn yoga from. Life is all we have. Give it a good shot.
The MDNIY has mastery over shat karma and are excellent with shukshma vyayama and sthula vyayama, which set you up perfectly for the yogasanas.
They are good people to learn with. They practice yoga the way it was meant to be. There are eight or ten other experts as well to learn yoga from in India.
Fifty nations have already endorsed Modi's call for an International Yoga Day. It's a good time for a life-boost.
------------------
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Mind vs Matter OR Mindy mind vs Mattery mind :--)
How can you make your physical mind cooperate with the subconscious
mind?
A: You need to know the nature of the physical mind. Just as your
subconscious mind is your spiritual, positive mind, the physical mind,
by nature, is earthbound and negative. If not checked it will let you
down. It will trick you. It creates illusions. For example when you
commit a sin, your subconscious mind warns you that you have done
something wrong. Just as you are about to rectify that mistake and learn
the lesson, your physical mind brings into action its greatest weapon:
ego. Ego makes you justify your wrong actions, tricking you into
believing that what you did was not wrong, but necessary. It will tell
you that you are right through logic. To give you a different example
the physical mind will make you justify temptation. It will give you
valid reasons to make you believe that temptation is a need instead of a
want. It will convince you that temptation is not spiritually wrong,
instead of exposing temptation for what it truly is – a desire that
leads you down the wrong path.
The author (1925-2007) was a spiritual channel and a mystic
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - The professional email service
mind?
A: You need to know the nature of the physical mind. Just as your
subconscious mind is your spiritual, positive mind, the physical mind,
by nature, is earthbound and negative. If not checked it will let you
down. It will trick you. It creates illusions. For example when you
commit a sin, your subconscious mind warns you that you have done
something wrong. Just as you are about to rectify that mistake and learn
the lesson, your physical mind brings into action its greatest weapon:
ego. Ego makes you justify your wrong actions, tricking you into
believing that what you did was not wrong, but necessary. It will tell
you that you are right through logic. To give you a different example
the physical mind will make you justify temptation. It will give you
valid reasons to make you believe that temptation is a need instead of a
want. It will convince you that temptation is not spiritually wrong,
instead of exposing temptation for what it truly is – a desire that
leads you down the wrong path.
The author (1925-2007) was a spiritual channel and a mystic
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - The professional email service
Monday, October 27, 2014
Cancer cells can infect normal cells?
http://www.nature.com/news/cancer-cells-can-infect-normal-neighbours-1.16212
Tiny RNAs shed by tumours can transform healthy cells into cancerous
ones.
/A
Tiny RNAs shed by tumours can transform healthy cells into cancerous
ones.
/A
Learn French, Mandarin... Jazz
* French
French1: http://learner.org/resources/series83.html
BBC French lessons: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/mafrance/
* Mandarin
Real Chinese: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/chinese/real_chinese/
* Intro to Jazz
http://www.openculture.com/2012/05/a_childs_introduction_to_jazz_by_cannonball_adderley_with_louis_armstrong_thelonious_monk.html
* World Music Archive
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/
French1: http://learner.org/resources/series83.html
BBC French lessons: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/mafrance/
* Mandarin
Real Chinese: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/chinese/real_chinese/
* Intro to Jazz
http://www.openculture.com/2012/05/a_childs_introduction_to_jazz_by_cannonball_adderley_with_louis_armstrong_thelonious_monk.html
* World Music Archive
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Film songs based on classical ragas
http://www.songsofyore.com/best-film-songs-based-on-classical-ragas/
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Or how I learned to stop worrying and
love email again
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Or how I learned to stop worrying and
love email again
Sunday, October 19, 2014
SIMPLE YOGA poses to relieve stress
============== (Amar Mama forwarded this)==================
Subject: SIMPLE YOGA poses to relieve stress !!!
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:30:16 +0530
In yoga it is believed that chronic stress or tension can reduce vitality, invite diseases and create blockages to happiness.
Tension may be experienced as stiffness all along the spine, at the joints from the minor to major ones, swelling or bloating of body parts as the cleansing systems like the lymphatic drainage get into go-slow mode. Major systems in the body, including the glandular, circulatory, nervous and digestive, slow down to accommodate the sense of emergency that tension creates in the rest of the body. The poses discussed here release such energy locks and will help your body experience an immediate state of lightness and release.
Tension also 'freezes' certain parts of the body that scientists refer to as primary fear centers, like the neck. These poses gently but firmly ease this tightness from the body and mind. You may do modified versions of these any time during the day or any where for immediate relief.
Shameem Akthar, yoga acharya trained with the Sivananda Vedanta Yoga Center, instructs you on how you can practice these five tension-relieving poses. Catch more of Shameem's yoga writings or upcoming workshops from http://jaisivananda.blogspot.com
(This column only seeks to share the author's enthusiasm towards yoga. Yoga is best learnt under expert guidance.)
Image: Baddha Konasana (Bound angle pose)
Sit up straight. Bring the soles of your feet together. Holding your feet with your hands, bring them as close to the groin as possible. Keep your knees as close to the floor as you can. Ensure your back remains straight, and you are looking straight ahead. Hold the pose as long as you can comfortably, breathing normally.
You may shut your eyes while holding the pose to ensure complete relaxation. You may sit on a cushion initially, if you find that your back does not remain erect.
Benefits: Apart from the immediate release of stress, the pose also helps release fat from the liver, conrolling weight problems. It impacts the uro-genital system, helping with related ailments. It elevates mood. It is used, along with forward-bending poses, to control anger, anxiety and stress.
Image: Skandha chakra (Neck roll)
Sit up straight, with your legs out in front of you. Fold them at the knee and inhale. Exhaling, hug your legs to your body with your arms, as shown. Keep your heels close to your hips. Then raise your head as you inhale. Exhaling, drop your head down, locking your chin between your collar bone. Do this five to ten times.
Benefits: Releases tension all along the upper back. Hugging your body in this fashion is soothing and relaxing, and stress-relieving.
Image: Ardha matysendrasana (Half spinal twist)
Sit with both legs out in front of you. Fold your right leg at the knee, passing it over your left leg. Place your right foot beside your left knee. Place your right hand behind you, close to your hips. Use your left hand to apply counter pressure, to enhance the twist you will be
executing. Inhale.
Exhaling, twist over your right shoulder, extending your spine, keeping your body as straight as possible. Hold for a few seconds, breathing deeply. Release and repeat for the other side. You must slowly increase duration in the final pose with regular practice.
Benefits: Releases tension all along the spine. The squeeze-release pressure on the torso massages and soothes all the organ systems and glands that are negatively affected by tension. Is detoxifiying.
Image: Parvatasana (Mountain pose)
This pose is also referred to as the inverted-V pose.
Kneel down and lean forward to place your palms flat on the ground in front. Exhale. Hoist your hips off the floor, pushing down your shoulders as you continue breathing, making the following adjustments: push down your heels; focus attention on your stomach. Apply pressure at your shoulder blades.
Move your head as close to the ground as possible. Hold the pose for as long as you can. Do several times initially. Later, build up the stamina to hold pose for a minute or so.
Benefits: Eases tension powerfully by removing the blockages caused by emotional pressure. Is a powerful stamina-builder. Boosts calmness due to blood flow to the brain. Balances blood pressure, both low and high. Alleviates all spinal problems. Tones arms and legs. The entire body is
worked out. Removes wrinkles.
Image: Balasana (Child pose)
Sit on your heels so your hips are rested on the heels which are flared. Inhale and raise your arms overhead. Exhaling lower them, simultaneously lowering your head so your forehead is rested on the ground in front. Place your hands alongside your body (see photo).
Rest in this pose, breathing normally. Initially, stay in the pose only for a few seconds. Slowly you may learn to increase the time, to half a minute or so, over several weeks. Doing this before going to bed can be restful and calming.
Benefits: Soothes anxiety. Enhances breath capacity by the pressure applied on the abdomen and the diaphragm. The brain is completely relaxed due to the rush of blood to head. The blood flow to the chest region, including the lungs, is also greater allowing that region to rejuvenate.
----- End forwarded message -----
Subject: SIMPLE YOGA poses to relieve stress !!!
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:30:16 +0530
In yoga it is believed that chronic stress or tension can reduce vitality, invite diseases and create blockages to happiness.
Tension may be experienced as stiffness all along the spine, at the joints from the minor to major ones, swelling or bloating of body parts as the cleansing systems like the lymphatic drainage get into go-slow mode. Major systems in the body, including the glandular, circulatory, nervous and digestive, slow down to accommodate the sense of emergency that tension creates in the rest of the body. The poses discussed here release such energy locks and will help your body experience an immediate state of lightness and release.
Tension also 'freezes' certain parts of the body that scientists refer to as primary fear centers, like the neck. These poses gently but firmly ease this tightness from the body and mind. You may do modified versions of these any time during the day or any where for immediate relief.
Shameem Akthar, yoga acharya trained with the Sivananda Vedanta Yoga Center, instructs you on how you can practice these five tension-relieving poses. Catch more of Shameem's yoga writings or upcoming workshops from http://jaisivananda.blogspot.com
(This column only seeks to share the author's enthusiasm towards yoga. Yoga is best learnt under expert guidance.)
Image: Baddha Konasana (Bound angle pose)
Sit up straight. Bring the soles of your feet together. Holding your feet with your hands, bring them as close to the groin as possible. Keep your knees as close to the floor as you can. Ensure your back remains straight, and you are looking straight ahead. Hold the pose as long as you can comfortably, breathing normally.
You may shut your eyes while holding the pose to ensure complete relaxation. You may sit on a cushion initially, if you find that your back does not remain erect.
Benefits: Apart from the immediate release of stress, the pose also helps release fat from the liver, conrolling weight problems. It impacts the uro-genital system, helping with related ailments. It elevates mood. It is used, along with forward-bending poses, to control anger, anxiety and stress.
Image: Skandha chakra (Neck roll)
Sit up straight, with your legs out in front of you. Fold them at the knee and inhale. Exhaling, hug your legs to your body with your arms, as shown. Keep your heels close to your hips. Then raise your head as you inhale. Exhaling, drop your head down, locking your chin between your collar bone. Do this five to ten times.
Benefits: Releases tension all along the upper back. Hugging your body in this fashion is soothing and relaxing, and stress-relieving.
Image: Ardha matysendrasana (Half spinal twist)
Sit with both legs out in front of you. Fold your right leg at the knee, passing it over your left leg. Place your right foot beside your left knee. Place your right hand behind you, close to your hips. Use your left hand to apply counter pressure, to enhance the twist you will be
executing. Inhale.
Exhaling, twist over your right shoulder, extending your spine, keeping your body as straight as possible. Hold for a few seconds, breathing deeply. Release and repeat for the other side. You must slowly increase duration in the final pose with regular practice.
Benefits: Releases tension all along the spine. The squeeze-release pressure on the torso massages and soothes all the organ systems and glands that are negatively affected by tension. Is detoxifiying.
Image: Parvatasana (Mountain pose)
This pose is also referred to as the inverted-V pose.
Kneel down and lean forward to place your palms flat on the ground in front. Exhale. Hoist your hips off the floor, pushing down your shoulders as you continue breathing, making the following adjustments: push down your heels; focus attention on your stomach. Apply pressure at your shoulder blades.
Move your head as close to the ground as possible. Hold the pose for as long as you can. Do several times initially. Later, build up the stamina to hold pose for a minute or so.
Benefits: Eases tension powerfully by removing the blockages caused by emotional pressure. Is a powerful stamina-builder. Boosts calmness due to blood flow to the brain. Balances blood pressure, both low and high. Alleviates all spinal problems. Tones arms and legs. The entire body is
worked out. Removes wrinkles.
Image: Balasana (Child pose)
Sit on your heels so your hips are rested on the heels which are flared. Inhale and raise your arms overhead. Exhaling lower them, simultaneously lowering your head so your forehead is rested on the ground in front. Place your hands alongside your body (see photo).
Rest in this pose, breathing normally. Initially, stay in the pose only for a few seconds. Slowly you may learn to increase the time, to half a minute or so, over several weeks. Doing this before going to bed can be restful and calming.
Benefits: Soothes anxiety. Enhances breath capacity by the pressure applied on the abdomen and the diaphragm. The brain is completely relaxed due to the rush of blood to head. The blood flow to the chest region, including the lungs, is also greater allowing that region to rejuvenate.
----- End forwarded message -----
Friday, October 17, 2014
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Sugar, neuro-inflammation and the hippocampus
NEW YORK: Consuming a diet high in added sugar could not only lead to
weight gain among kids, but could also negatively affect their memory,
suggested a study.
"The brain is especially vulnerable to dietary influences during
critical periods of development, like adolescence," said Scott Kanoski,
corresponding author of the study and an assistant professor at the
University of Southern California in the US.
Studying rats as model subjects, scientists found that adolescents were
at an increased risk of suffering negative health effects from sweetened
beverage consumption.
Adolescent rats that freely consumed large quantities of liquid
solutions containing sugar or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in
concentrations comparable to popular sweetened beverages experienced
memory problems and brain inflammation, and also became pre-diabetic.
Neither adult or adolescent rats, who did not consume sugar, faced the
same issues.
The rats were then tested in mazes that probed their spatial memory
ability.
"Adolescent rats that had consumed the sugary beverages, particularly
HFCS, performed worse on the test than any other group - which may be
the result of the neuro-inflammation detected in the hippocampus,"
Kanoski pointed out.
The hippocampus is a part of the temporal lobe located deep within the
brain that controls memory formation.
The study appeared in the journal Hippocampus.
--
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weight gain among kids, but could also negatively affect their memory,
suggested a study.
"The brain is especially vulnerable to dietary influences during
critical periods of development, like adolescence," said Scott Kanoski,
corresponding author of the study and an assistant professor at the
University of Southern California in the US.
Studying rats as model subjects, scientists found that adolescents were
at an increased risk of suffering negative health effects from sweetened
beverage consumption.
Adolescent rats that freely consumed large quantities of liquid
solutions containing sugar or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in
concentrations comparable to popular sweetened beverages experienced
memory problems and brain inflammation, and also became pre-diabetic.
Neither adult or adolescent rats, who did not consume sugar, faced the
same issues.
The rats were then tested in mazes that probed their spatial memory
ability.
"Adolescent rats that had consumed the sugary beverages, particularly
HFCS, performed worse on the test than any other group - which may be
the result of the neuro-inflammation detected in the hippocampus,"
Kanoski pointed out.
The hippocampus is a part of the temporal lobe located deep within the
brain that controls memory formation.
The study appeared in the journal Hippocampus.
--
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Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Sitting is the new smoking warn fitness experts
Sitting is the new smoking warn fitness experts
(http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/sitting-is-the-new-smoking-warn-fitness-experts/article6408048.ece?homepage=true&css=print)
Do you sit all day at a desk? If yes, then you're encouraging muscle
stiffness, poor balance and mobility, and lower-back, neck and hip pain.
But to understand why, you'll need to know what happens to some specific
muscles when you are seated.
Think about where your hips and thighs are in relation to your torso
while you are sitting
They're bent, which causes the muscles on the front of your thighs,
known as hip flexors, to contract slightly, or shorten. The more you
sit, the more your hip flexors get shortened. Some people walk with a
forward lean; it's often because of shortened hip flexors. The muscles
don't stretch as they naturally should. As a result, they are not
walking tall and straight because their hip flexors are more adapted to
sitting positions.
This same effect can be seen in other areas of your body. For instance,
if you spend a lot of time with your shoulders and upper back slumped
over a keyboard, this eventually becomes your normal posture. This
frequently leads to chronic neck and shoulder pain. Also, people who
frequently cross their legs a certain way can experience hip imbalances.
This makes your entire lower body less stable, which decreases your
agility, mobility and increases your risk for injuries. So, a person who
sits a lot is less efficient not only at exercising, but also at simply
moving from, say, the bed to couch, to the refrigerator.
Turning off the burners
If you spend too much time in a chair, your glute muscles 0r butt
muscles will forget how to fire. This is called gluteal amnesia. Your
butt muscles are your body's largest muscle group. So if they aren't
functioning properly, you won't be able to squat or dead-lift a suitcase
or a baby from the floor comfortably. And, you won't burn as much fat
either. After all, muscles burn calories and that makes your glutes a
powerful furnace to burn fat. Unfortunately, this furnace is switched
off by those who spend most of their day seated.
Just moving constantly may keep you out of that doctor's office and
medications
Think of your body as a computer: As long as you're moving the mouse and
tapping the keys, all systems are ready to respond, But let it idle for
a few minutes, and the machine goes into power-conservation mode. Your
body is meant to be active, so when you sit and do nothing for too long,
it shuts down, and when your muscles are not active, they become stiff
and weak.
Posture and spine health
When you sit all day, your hip flexors and hamstrings shorten and
tighten, while the muscles that support your spine become weak and
stiff. It's no wonder that the incidence of chronic lower-back pain has
increased threefold since the early 1990s.
Weak glutes as well as tight hip flexors cause your pelvis to tilt
forward. This puts stress on your lumbar spine, resulting in lower-back
pain. It also pushes your belly out, which gives you a protruding gut
even if you don't have an ounce of fat. The changes to your muscles and
posture from sitting are so small that you won't notice them at first.
But as you reach your 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond, they will gradually
become worse and a lot harder to fix.
So what's a desk jockey to do?
There are two spectrums of activity. One represents the activities you
do that are considered regular exercise at the gym, such as stretching,
strengthening and your cardio activities such as walking, biking,
swimming, etc.
The other denotes the amount of time you spend sitting Vs the time you
spend on your feet.
Even mini frequent moves through the day plays a big role in keeping you
pain free
Make the small choices that will help you move in the right direction on
that sitting-versus-standing spectrum.
Create some work to stand up or just take a few steps to fetch a glass
of water, move around while you're talking on the phone, walk to your
colleague's table at work, etc. There are a hundred useful reasons to be
on your feet.
Just because one works out for an hour or day, one can't declare that it
is okay to be seated for the rest of the day. Make it a challenge.
Just as you make goals for running a marathon or doing 100 push ups, you
also have to do the same for everyday movements, if you want a pain free
and carefree life.
So get off that chair and start moving.
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - A fast, anti-spam email service.
(http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/sitting-is-the-new-smoking-warn-fitness-experts/article6408048.ece?homepage=true&css=print)
Do you sit all day at a desk? If yes, then you're encouraging muscle
stiffness, poor balance and mobility, and lower-back, neck and hip pain.
But to understand why, you'll need to know what happens to some specific
muscles when you are seated.
Think about where your hips and thighs are in relation to your torso
while you are sitting
They're bent, which causes the muscles on the front of your thighs,
known as hip flexors, to contract slightly, or shorten. The more you
sit, the more your hip flexors get shortened. Some people walk with a
forward lean; it's often because of shortened hip flexors. The muscles
don't stretch as they naturally should. As a result, they are not
walking tall and straight because their hip flexors are more adapted to
sitting positions.
This same effect can be seen in other areas of your body. For instance,
if you spend a lot of time with your shoulders and upper back slumped
over a keyboard, this eventually becomes your normal posture. This
frequently leads to chronic neck and shoulder pain. Also, people who
frequently cross their legs a certain way can experience hip imbalances.
This makes your entire lower body less stable, which decreases your
agility, mobility and increases your risk for injuries. So, a person who
sits a lot is less efficient not only at exercising, but also at simply
moving from, say, the bed to couch, to the refrigerator.
Turning off the burners
If you spend too much time in a chair, your glute muscles 0r butt
muscles will forget how to fire. This is called gluteal amnesia. Your
butt muscles are your body's largest muscle group. So if they aren't
functioning properly, you won't be able to squat or dead-lift a suitcase
or a baby from the floor comfortably. And, you won't burn as much fat
either. After all, muscles burn calories and that makes your glutes a
powerful furnace to burn fat. Unfortunately, this furnace is switched
off by those who spend most of their day seated.
Just moving constantly may keep you out of that doctor's office and
medications
Think of your body as a computer: As long as you're moving the mouse and
tapping the keys, all systems are ready to respond, But let it idle for
a few minutes, and the machine goes into power-conservation mode. Your
body is meant to be active, so when you sit and do nothing for too long,
it shuts down, and when your muscles are not active, they become stiff
and weak.
Posture and spine health
When you sit all day, your hip flexors and hamstrings shorten and
tighten, while the muscles that support your spine become weak and
stiff. It's no wonder that the incidence of chronic lower-back pain has
increased threefold since the early 1990s.
Weak glutes as well as tight hip flexors cause your pelvis to tilt
forward. This puts stress on your lumbar spine, resulting in lower-back
pain. It also pushes your belly out, which gives you a protruding gut
even if you don't have an ounce of fat. The changes to your muscles and
posture from sitting are so small that you won't notice them at first.
But as you reach your 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond, they will gradually
become worse and a lot harder to fix.
So what's a desk jockey to do?
There are two spectrums of activity. One represents the activities you
do that are considered regular exercise at the gym, such as stretching,
strengthening and your cardio activities such as walking, biking,
swimming, etc.
The other denotes the amount of time you spend sitting Vs the time you
spend on your feet.
Even mini frequent moves through the day plays a big role in keeping you
pain free
Make the small choices that will help you move in the right direction on
that sitting-versus-standing spectrum.
Create some work to stand up or just take a few steps to fetch a glass
of water, move around while you're talking on the phone, walk to your
colleague's table at work, etc. There are a hundred useful reasons to be
on your feet.
Just because one works out for an hour or day, one can't declare that it
is okay to be seated for the rest of the day. Make it a challenge.
Just as you make goals for running a marathon or doing 100 push ups, you
also have to do the same for everyday movements, if you want a pain free
and carefree life.
So get off that chair and start moving.
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - A fast, anti-spam email service.
Dhrupad and Kriti
Return to frontpage
Features » Friday Review
Published: September 11, 2014 19:16 IST | Updated: September 11, 2014
19:16 IST
Where dhrupad meets kriti
Ranee Kumar
A 'dhrupad' and a 'kriti' are parallel streams of renditions structured
by the Hindustani and Carnatic norms respectively.
Though the music of India got bifurcated into north and south
(Hindustani-Carnatic), there still exist certain similarities in the two
streams especially when one takes a re-look at the archetypes sans
evolutionary makeovers. By now it's evident that the Islamic rule
changed the contours of Indian music in the northern parts ushering in a
new era of creative (khyal/kalpita) music. The Carnatic music flourished
with its performance-based orientation with the advent of the Trinity
who composed 'structured' 'kriti' in a certain format which comprised a
raga (melodic configuration of syllables), a tala (beat), a rhythm and
poesy (sahitya) all arranged in a metrical fashion. The kriti was also
vested with ample scope to improvise under the rules of the raga to
which it was tuned.
Similarly, in Hindustani music, a genre that survived the winds of
change that swept across the northern belt is the 'Dhrupadh' which was
an orthodoxc musical system that evolved in 1400 AD. The term is a sort
of contraction of 'dhruva' which means firm and 'padha' (a composition
fashioned through words). The origin is traced to the 'prabhandha' of
ancient times. On keen observance, this traditional form bears close
resemblance to the south Indian kriti in more than one way. If a
Carnatic music connoisseur were to attend a dhrupad recital, he/she
would be able to discern a lot of similarities between the two.
For one, like the kriti, the dhrupadh is also a highly formatted piece
of music which follows a set pattern of rendition that comprises majorly
of two halves — a preface (alaap/alaapana) of the raag (raga) done
through syllabic sounds like that of the alapana in Carnatic music with
a splash of the tanam too and not the aakaar taan of a khyal. The alaap
of a dhrupad is supposed to contain 'beeja mantras'. It explores the
nuances of the raag, scales through the three octaves and then launches
into the bandish (song/composition) led by a mridang or pakhawaz (not
the tabla). The raga grammar is rooted in tradition and text; hence it
is not easy for a Hindustani audience to appreciate since most raag are
of the ancient school.
By the same token, a Carnatic musician/listener can fully comprehend and
appreciate the dhrupadh which sounds close to his/her own school of
music. Like in a Carnatic kriti, the 'padh' (hymn/verse/bandish) of the
dhrupadh is of supreme significance. This is the core of the dhrupadh
and like a kriti rendition, a bandish exploration takes up a larger part
of the recital. The devotional poetic element apart, the rhythm and
melody are inherent in the bandish of a dhrupadh composition. The
underlying spiritual wisdom in the bandish is to be evoked by the
musician, so it calls for in-depth involvement and dedication.
The improvisations and variations within the bandish are akin to the
sangathis and also neraval of the kriti, more so the latter and are in
keeping with the spirit of the bandish. The bandish is generally in the
ancient Vraj baasha , a very popular regional lingo of the northern
states in early times. The composition is divided into two or four parts
(like the pallavi, anu pallavi and charanam). The slow glides between
the swar (notes) with a mild oscillation (gamaka) of the dhrupadh are
also similar to the kriti.
If Carnatic music is all math and singing, so is it with the dhrupadh.
Also strict adherence to the taal makes it sound so similar to the
kriti. The taal often set for dhrupadh is the 'chau taal', a 12-beat
cycle, a remnant of the southern 'chaturasra jaathi ata talam'. The
theme of the composition is spiritual/bhakti like all Indian classical
music. The 'laiy vyavahaar' (dwigunh, chaugunh) sounds close to the
trikala renditions of the pallavi of a kriti. Many a scholar on the
Hindustani and Carnatic medium have acquiesced to similarities between
the kriti and dhrupadh, especially with regard to Muthuswami Dikshitar's
compositions. Both must have been delved out of the same source
(Caturdandi). The vilambit (slow tempo) is also akin to most of
Dikshitar's vilamba kala, roopaka tala kritis, we are told. The dhrupad,
like a Dikshitar kriti, has a dignified flow of melody sans jerks which
is as imposing as an elephant's saunter.
Keywords: dhrupad, kriti, Carnatic, Hindustani,
Search
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Features » Friday Review
Published: September 11, 2014 19:16 IST | Updated: September 11, 2014
19:16 IST
Where dhrupad meets kriti
Ranee Kumar
A 'dhrupad' and a 'kriti' are parallel streams of renditions structured
by the Hindustani and Carnatic norms respectively.
Though the music of India got bifurcated into north and south
(Hindustani-Carnatic), there still exist certain similarities in the two
streams especially when one takes a re-look at the archetypes sans
evolutionary makeovers. By now it's evident that the Islamic rule
changed the contours of Indian music in the northern parts ushering in a
new era of creative (khyal/kalpita) music. The Carnatic music flourished
with its performance-based orientation with the advent of the Trinity
who composed 'structured' 'kriti' in a certain format which comprised a
raga (melodic configuration of syllables), a tala (beat), a rhythm and
poesy (sahitya) all arranged in a metrical fashion. The kriti was also
vested with ample scope to improvise under the rules of the raga to
which it was tuned.
Similarly, in Hindustani music, a genre that survived the winds of
change that swept across the northern belt is the 'Dhrupadh' which was
an orthodoxc musical system that evolved in 1400 AD. The term is a sort
of contraction of 'dhruva' which means firm and 'padha' (a composition
fashioned through words). The origin is traced to the 'prabhandha' of
ancient times. On keen observance, this traditional form bears close
resemblance to the south Indian kriti in more than one way. If a
Carnatic music connoisseur were to attend a dhrupad recital, he/she
would be able to discern a lot of similarities between the two.
For one, like the kriti, the dhrupadh is also a highly formatted piece
of music which follows a set pattern of rendition that comprises majorly
of two halves — a preface (alaap/alaapana) of the raag (raga) done
through syllabic sounds like that of the alapana in Carnatic music with
a splash of the tanam too and not the aakaar taan of a khyal. The alaap
of a dhrupad is supposed to contain 'beeja mantras'. It explores the
nuances of the raag, scales through the three octaves and then launches
into the bandish (song/composition) led by a mridang or pakhawaz (not
the tabla). The raga grammar is rooted in tradition and text; hence it
is not easy for a Hindustani audience to appreciate since most raag are
of the ancient school.
By the same token, a Carnatic musician/listener can fully comprehend and
appreciate the dhrupadh which sounds close to his/her own school of
music. Like in a Carnatic kriti, the 'padh' (hymn/verse/bandish) of the
dhrupadh is of supreme significance. This is the core of the dhrupadh
and like a kriti rendition, a bandish exploration takes up a larger part
of the recital. The devotional poetic element apart, the rhythm and
melody are inherent in the bandish of a dhrupadh composition. The
underlying spiritual wisdom in the bandish is to be evoked by the
musician, so it calls for in-depth involvement and dedication.
The improvisations and variations within the bandish are akin to the
sangathis and also neraval of the kriti, more so the latter and are in
keeping with the spirit of the bandish. The bandish is generally in the
ancient Vraj baasha , a very popular regional lingo of the northern
states in early times. The composition is divided into two or four parts
(like the pallavi, anu pallavi and charanam). The slow glides between
the swar (notes) with a mild oscillation (gamaka) of the dhrupadh are
also similar to the kriti.
If Carnatic music is all math and singing, so is it with the dhrupadh.
Also strict adherence to the taal makes it sound so similar to the
kriti. The taal often set for dhrupadh is the 'chau taal', a 12-beat
cycle, a remnant of the southern 'chaturasra jaathi ata talam'. The
theme of the composition is spiritual/bhakti like all Indian classical
music. The 'laiy vyavahaar' (dwigunh, chaugunh) sounds close to the
trikala renditions of the pallavi of a kriti. Many a scholar on the
Hindustani and Carnatic medium have acquiesced to similarities between
the kriti and dhrupadh, especially with regard to Muthuswami Dikshitar's
compositions. Both must have been delved out of the same source
(Caturdandi). The vilambit (slow tempo) is also akin to most of
Dikshitar's vilamba kala, roopaka tala kritis, we are told. The dhrupad,
like a Dikshitar kriti, has a dignified flow of melody sans jerks which
is as imposing as an elephant's saunter.
Keywords: dhrupad, kriti, Carnatic, Hindustani,
Search
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Monday, September 15, 2014
Quote from Thought for the day: Life is not a spectator sport...
"Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you're wasting your life"
-- Jackie Robinson
/A
-- Jackie Robinson
/A
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Star that exploded at the Dawn of Time
Source: http://news.sciencemag.org/space/2014/08/star-exploded-dawn-time
To probe the dawn of time, astronomers usually peer far away; but now they've made a notable discovery close to home. An ancient star a mere thousand light-years from Earth bears chemical elements that may have been forged by the death of a star that was both extremely massive and one of the first to arise after the big bang. If confirmed, the finding means that some of the universe's first stars were so massive they died in exceptionally violent explosions that altered the growth of early galaxies.
Theorists have long suspected that the universe's very first stars were massive, because early gas clouds favored the formation of heavy stars. The big bang produced only hydrogen, helium, and a little lithium, and gas clouds containing only these elements can't cool. Cooling requires heavier elements that didn't exist then. When clouds cool, they split into smaller parts and collapse, forming smaller stars. Because the primordial gas clouds stayed warm, more gravity was needed to overwhelm the gas pressure and make them collapse, so they spawned massive stars. And some of these brilliant stars, those born 140 to 300 times as massive as the sun, exploded in a way unseen in the Milky Way today.
Wako Aoki, an astronomer at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan in Tokyo, and his colleagues have discovered a star bearing signs of just such an explosion, they report online today in Science. "This is a unique example," Aoki says. They saw that the star has a high abundance of elements with even atomic numbers compared with odd ones. "We were very surprised by the chemical composition," he says.
His team searched for 18 chemical elements in SDSS J0018-0939, a dim orange star in the constellation Cetus that emits less light than the sun. The star belongs to the Milky Way's stellar halo, the ancient population that surrounds the galaxy's bright disk. Like other halo stars, it has little iron, because it arose before most of the stellar explosions that spewed the element into space.
Aoki says the star likely formed from a gas cloud enriched by a pair-instability explosion, which is 10 to 100 times more violent than an ordinary supernova. Such a blast marks the death of a star so luminous that photons hold up its weight; but the star is so hot that the photons can convert themselves into pairs of electrons and antielectrons, which exert little outward pressure. So the star starts to collapse, which heats the gas, promoting more nuclear reactions, which heat the gas further, inducing yet more nuclear reactions, until the whole thing blows up. During the explosion, helium nuclei bombard one another, creating elements as heavy as nickel. Because helium is atomic number 2, elements with even atomic numbers vastly outnumber odd-numbered ones, which is exactly the pattern that Aoki's team finds in the star in Cetus.
Volker Bromm, an astronomer at the University of Texas, Austin, calls the discovery very important. "It really is a new window into star and element formation in the early universe," he says. He adds that pair-instability explosions were so powerful they altered the growth of galaxies shortly after the big bang.
"It's always interesting to see a star with abundances like no other," says Stan Woosley, an astronomer at the University of California, Santa Cruz. But he's not fully convinced those abundances signify a pair-instability supernova rather than an ordinary one. To distinguish between the two, he'd like observations of additional elements.
Pair Instability Explosion:
http://news.sciencemag.org/2012/10/farthest-supernova-yet-marked-death-very-massive-star
/A
To probe the dawn of time, astronomers usually peer far away; but now they've made a notable discovery close to home. An ancient star a mere thousand light-years from Earth bears chemical elements that may have been forged by the death of a star that was both extremely massive and one of the first to arise after the big bang. If confirmed, the finding means that some of the universe's first stars were so massive they died in exceptionally violent explosions that altered the growth of early galaxies.
Theorists have long suspected that the universe's very first stars were massive, because early gas clouds favored the formation of heavy stars. The big bang produced only hydrogen, helium, and a little lithium, and gas clouds containing only these elements can't cool. Cooling requires heavier elements that didn't exist then. When clouds cool, they split into smaller parts and collapse, forming smaller stars. Because the primordial gas clouds stayed warm, more gravity was needed to overwhelm the gas pressure and make them collapse, so they spawned massive stars. And some of these brilliant stars, those born 140 to 300 times as massive as the sun, exploded in a way unseen in the Milky Way today.
Wako Aoki, an astronomer at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan in Tokyo, and his colleagues have discovered a star bearing signs of just such an explosion, they report online today in Science. "This is a unique example," Aoki says. They saw that the star has a high abundance of elements with even atomic numbers compared with odd ones. "We were very surprised by the chemical composition," he says.
His team searched for 18 chemical elements in SDSS J0018-0939, a dim orange star in the constellation Cetus that emits less light than the sun. The star belongs to the Milky Way's stellar halo, the ancient population that surrounds the galaxy's bright disk. Like other halo stars, it has little iron, because it arose before most of the stellar explosions that spewed the element into space.
Aoki says the star likely formed from a gas cloud enriched by a pair-instability explosion, which is 10 to 100 times more violent than an ordinary supernova. Such a blast marks the death of a star so luminous that photons hold up its weight; but the star is so hot that the photons can convert themselves into pairs of electrons and antielectrons, which exert little outward pressure. So the star starts to collapse, which heats the gas, promoting more nuclear reactions, which heat the gas further, inducing yet more nuclear reactions, until the whole thing blows up. During the explosion, helium nuclei bombard one another, creating elements as heavy as nickel. Because helium is atomic number 2, elements with even atomic numbers vastly outnumber odd-numbered ones, which is exactly the pattern that Aoki's team finds in the star in Cetus.
Volker Bromm, an astronomer at the University of Texas, Austin, calls the discovery very important. "It really is a new window into star and element formation in the early universe," he says. He adds that pair-instability explosions were so powerful they altered the growth of galaxies shortly after the big bang.
"It's always interesting to see a star with abundances like no other," says Stan Woosley, an astronomer at the University of California, Santa Cruz. But he's not fully convinced those abundances signify a pair-instability supernova rather than an ordinary one. To distinguish between the two, he'd like observations of additional elements.
Pair Instability Explosion:
http://news.sciencemag.org/2012/10/farthest-supernova-yet-marked-death-very-massive-star
/A
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Why people eat with their hands in Kerala
Why people eat with their hands in Kerala
Why people eat with their hands in Kerala You may have often wondered
why people eat with their hands in Kerala. Eating food with your hands
feeds not only the body but also the mind and the spirit. That is the
Vedic wisdom behind Kerala's famous Banana Leaf Experience whose
pleasure can only be appreciated fully, it is said, if one eats with
hands and not fork and spoon.
Traditionally, Indians -- not just in Kerala -- have always eaten with
their hands but the experience and its virtues have been elevated to a
gastronomic art by the chefs at Vivanta by Taj Bekal, a picturesque
26-acre resort in the northern Kasaragod district of Kerala, flanked by
the famous backwaters and the Lakshadweep Sea.
And to lend logic to the eating-by-hand experience for fussy foreigners,
especially Westerners who would think twice before scooping up curry
with their fingers, the maitre d'hotel lays before each guest at
Latitude - the multi-cuisine restaurant with an accent on regional
Kerala cuisine and a scenic view of serene waters and swaying palm
fronds - captured pithily in printed paper the "Vedic wisdom behind
eating with your hands".
"Our hands and feet are said to be the conduits of the five elements.
The Ayurvedic texts teach that each finger is an extension of one of the
five elements. The thumb is agni (fire) -- you might have seen children
sucking their thumb, this is nature's way of aiding the digestion at an
age when they are unable to chew; the forefinger is vayu (air), the
middle finger is akash (ether -- the tiny intercellular spaces in the
human body), the ring finger is prithvi (earth) and the little finger is
jal (water)," the paper explains.
The 'banana leaf experience' has been redefined by the hotel from the
traditional 'sadya', or banquet, in Malayalam, says Ashok Pillai, the
executive sous chief. Sadya is traditionally a vegetarian meal served on
a banana leaf on special occasions, during weddings and other
celebrations. All the dishes are served on the leaf and eaten with hands
sans cutlery, the palm and fingers being cupped to form a ladle.
A sadya can have about 24-28 dishes served as a single course and is
usually served for lunch as it is quite heavy on the stomach.
Preparations begin at dawn and the dishes are made before 10 in the
morning on the day of the celebration. "At Vivanta by Taj at Bekal we
have given a twist to the experience by adding delectable preparation of
fish or meats as per request," Samir Khanna, the affable general
manager, told IANS during a recent trip.
The centerpiece of sadya is navara, a medicinal rice type, that is one
of the native genetic resources of Kerala and famed for its use in
Ayurveda. Navara is used as a nutritional rice and health food and is
said to be therapeutic for conditions such as arthritis, paralysis,
ulcers, urinary tract infections, neuralgic and neurological disorders.
For a novitiate to Kerala cuisine, the food does not stop coming, and
the helpings are as much as you can ingest. Most people stop at the
second helping and react in surprise when waiters with buckets of curry
offer to ladle more on the leaf-plate.
Foreigners, after their initial cultural reservations about eating with
their hands, awkwardly slurp and lap up the food, any messiness be
damned. As a concession to non-vegetarians, karimeen or pearl spot, the
local fish, is served fried or in curry form.
Since the "experience" requires some preparation, those guests who want
to partake of it need to intimate the chef in advance and tables are
laid out separately in the restaurant for those who are eating on the
banana leaf.
A typical sadya menu -
Banana Chips
Jagerry Chips
Achar
Kerala Pappadom
Parippu Curry (Simmered lentils enhanced with ghee)
Pachadi (Preserved cucumber in Yoghurt)
Inchi Puli (An emulsion of tamarind, jaggery and ginger)
Kichadi (Coconut enriched gravy with pineapple)
Erissery (Mashed Pumpkins and red beans in coconut)
Kaalan (Raw banana cooked in mildly spiced coarse coconut)
Olan (White pumpkin simmered with beans in coconut milk)
Avial (Ethnic vegetable cooked dry with coarsely ground coconut and
yoghurt)
Thoran (Any local vegetable cooked dry with coarsely ground coconut)
Kootu Curry (Assortment of vegetables and spices)
Sambhar (Stew of lentil and vegetables)
Pulissery (Tempered yoghurt with turmeric with curry leaf infusion)
Pachamoru (Spiced butter milk)
Banana Payasam (Dessert with jaggery, coconut milk flavored with
cardamom)
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Same, same, but different...
Why people eat with their hands in Kerala You may have often wondered
why people eat with their hands in Kerala. Eating food with your hands
feeds not only the body but also the mind and the spirit. That is the
Vedic wisdom behind Kerala's famous Banana Leaf Experience whose
pleasure can only be appreciated fully, it is said, if one eats with
hands and not fork and spoon.
Traditionally, Indians -- not just in Kerala -- have always eaten with
their hands but the experience and its virtues have been elevated to a
gastronomic art by the chefs at Vivanta by Taj Bekal, a picturesque
26-acre resort in the northern Kasaragod district of Kerala, flanked by
the famous backwaters and the Lakshadweep Sea.
And to lend logic to the eating-by-hand experience for fussy foreigners,
especially Westerners who would think twice before scooping up curry
with their fingers, the maitre d'hotel lays before each guest at
Latitude - the multi-cuisine restaurant with an accent on regional
Kerala cuisine and a scenic view of serene waters and swaying palm
fronds - captured pithily in printed paper the "Vedic wisdom behind
eating with your hands".
"Our hands and feet are said to be the conduits of the five elements.
The Ayurvedic texts teach that each finger is an extension of one of the
five elements. The thumb is agni (fire) -- you might have seen children
sucking their thumb, this is nature's way of aiding the digestion at an
age when they are unable to chew; the forefinger is vayu (air), the
middle finger is akash (ether -- the tiny intercellular spaces in the
human body), the ring finger is prithvi (earth) and the little finger is
jal (water)," the paper explains.
The 'banana leaf experience' has been redefined by the hotel from the
traditional 'sadya', or banquet, in Malayalam, says Ashok Pillai, the
executive sous chief. Sadya is traditionally a vegetarian meal served on
a banana leaf on special occasions, during weddings and other
celebrations. All the dishes are served on the leaf and eaten with hands
sans cutlery, the palm and fingers being cupped to form a ladle.
A sadya can have about 24-28 dishes served as a single course and is
usually served for lunch as it is quite heavy on the stomach.
Preparations begin at dawn and the dishes are made before 10 in the
morning on the day of the celebration. "At Vivanta by Taj at Bekal we
have given a twist to the experience by adding delectable preparation of
fish or meats as per request," Samir Khanna, the affable general
manager, told IANS during a recent trip.
The centerpiece of sadya is navara, a medicinal rice type, that is one
of the native genetic resources of Kerala and famed for its use in
Ayurveda. Navara is used as a nutritional rice and health food and is
said to be therapeutic for conditions such as arthritis, paralysis,
ulcers, urinary tract infections, neuralgic and neurological disorders.
For a novitiate to Kerala cuisine, the food does not stop coming, and
the helpings are as much as you can ingest. Most people stop at the
second helping and react in surprise when waiters with buckets of curry
offer to ladle more on the leaf-plate.
Foreigners, after their initial cultural reservations about eating with
their hands, awkwardly slurp and lap up the food, any messiness be
damned. As a concession to non-vegetarians, karimeen or pearl spot, the
local fish, is served fried or in curry form.
Since the "experience" requires some preparation, those guests who want
to partake of it need to intimate the chef in advance and tables are
laid out separately in the restaurant for those who are eating on the
banana leaf.
A typical sadya menu -
Banana Chips
Jagerry Chips
Achar
Kerala Pappadom
Parippu Curry (Simmered lentils enhanced with ghee)
Pachadi (Preserved cucumber in Yoghurt)
Inchi Puli (An emulsion of tamarind, jaggery and ginger)
Kichadi (Coconut enriched gravy with pineapple)
Erissery (Mashed Pumpkins and red beans in coconut)
Kaalan (Raw banana cooked in mildly spiced coarse coconut)
Olan (White pumpkin simmered with beans in coconut milk)
Avial (Ethnic vegetable cooked dry with coarsely ground coconut and
yoghurt)
Thoran (Any local vegetable cooked dry with coarsely ground coconut)
Kootu Curry (Assortment of vegetables and spices)
Sambhar (Stew of lentil and vegetables)
Pulissery (Tempered yoghurt with turmeric with curry leaf infusion)
Pachamoru (Spiced butter milk)
Banana Payasam (Dessert with jaggery, coconut milk flavored with
cardamom)
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Same, same, but different...
Friday, June 13, 2014
'Bedtime procrastination': the 'modern phenomenon' causing sleep deprivation
ind
'Bedtime procrastination': the 'modern phenomenon' causing sleep
deprivation
Up all night watching Netflix even after promising yourself an early
night?
Heather Saul
Friday, 6 June 2014
People who plan on getting an early night but instead spend their
evenings binging on their Netflix favourites may be succumbing to the
'modern phenomenon' of bedtime procrastination.
Researchers at the University of Utrecht found people who regularly
failed to get to sleep at the time they intended to were often still
awake because they were struggling to quit other activities, such as
watching Netflix, despite feeling tired.
The authors defined procrastination as the: "voluntary delay of an
intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off for the
delay".
Procrastination usually involves wasting time to avoid un-enjoyable
tasks, but sleep is not an activity that falls into this category, the
authors noted.
Floor Kroese, who led the study, looked at how procrastinating affected
not only people's ability to sleep, but also how it affected their
general health and well-being.
A team asked questions about the lifestyle and demographic factors of
177 individuals, as well as their sleep patterns and tendency to
procrastinate via an online survey.
Participants were asked to state their level of agreement with
statements such as "I go to bed later than I had intended" and "I easily
get distracted by things when I actually would like to go to bed" in
order to measure bedtime procrastination.
The study found people who did not go straight to bed found it harder to
self-regulate and stick to a workable routine.
"Bedtime procrastination may be a relatively modern phenomenon," Kroese
explained. "We speculate that it is not so much a matter of not wanting
to sleep, but rather of not wanting to quit other activities.
"With the development of electrical devices and the 24/7 entertainment
industry, people may be facing many more distractions now compared to
several decades ago."
The study Bedtime procrastination: introducing a new era of
procrastination" was published in the journal Frontiers.
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Faster than the air-speed velocity of an
unladen european swallow
'Bedtime procrastination': the 'modern phenomenon' causing sleep
deprivation
Up all night watching Netflix even after promising yourself an early
night?
Heather Saul
Friday, 6 June 2014
People who plan on getting an early night but instead spend their
evenings binging on their Netflix favourites may be succumbing to the
'modern phenomenon' of bedtime procrastination.
Researchers at the University of Utrecht found people who regularly
failed to get to sleep at the time they intended to were often still
awake because they were struggling to quit other activities, such as
watching Netflix, despite feeling tired.
The authors defined procrastination as the: "voluntary delay of an
intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off for the
delay".
Procrastination usually involves wasting time to avoid un-enjoyable
tasks, but sleep is not an activity that falls into this category, the
authors noted.
Floor Kroese, who led the study, looked at how procrastinating affected
not only people's ability to sleep, but also how it affected their
general health and well-being.
A team asked questions about the lifestyle and demographic factors of
177 individuals, as well as their sleep patterns and tendency to
procrastinate via an online survey.
Participants were asked to state their level of agreement with
statements such as "I go to bed later than I had intended" and "I easily
get distracted by things when I actually would like to go to bed" in
order to measure bedtime procrastination.
The study found people who did not go straight to bed found it harder to
self-regulate and stick to a workable routine.
"Bedtime procrastination may be a relatively modern phenomenon," Kroese
explained. "We speculate that it is not so much a matter of not wanting
to sleep, but rather of not wanting to quit other activities.
"With the development of electrical devices and the 24/7 entertainment
industry, people may be facing many more distractions now compared to
several decades ago."
The study Bedtime procrastination: introducing a new era of
procrastination" was published in the journal Frontiers.
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Faster than the air-speed velocity of an
unladen european swallow
Monday, June 9, 2014
Fasting for two days could regenerate the immune system, according to research
Fasting for two days could regenerate the immune system, according to
research
A study by the University of Southern California found that abstaining
from food could trigger white blood cell regeneration
Antonia Molloy
Saturday, 7 June 2014
It's often used as a quick weight loss method – but fasting could also
help the body to fight off disease.
Refraining from food for as little as two days can regenerate the immune
system, helping the body to fight infection, according to a new study.
Scientists at the University of Southern California said the findings
could have major implications for the elderly and people suffering from
damaged immune systems, such as cancer patients.
Researchers tested the effects of fasting for two to four day periods
over the course of six months on both mice and humans.
In both cases, long periods of not eating significantly lowered white
blood cell counts.
And in mice, each cycle of fasting then "flipped a regenerative switch"
that triggered stem cell-based regeneration of new white blood cells,
thereby renewing the body's defence system.
Valter Longo, Professor of Gerontology and the Biological Sciences at
the University of Southern California, said:"It gives the OK for stem
cells to go ahead and begin proliferating and rebuild the entire system.
"And the good news is that the body got rid of the parts of the system
that might be damaged or old, the inefficient parts, during the
fasting."
He added: "Now, if you start with a system heavily damaged by
chemotherapy or aging, fasting cycles can generate, literally, a new
immune system."
The study also found that fasting reduces levels of the enzyme PKA, an
effect which is known to increase longevity in simple organisms, as well
as levels of the hormone IGF-1, which has been linked to ageing, tumour
progression and cancer risk.
In addition, a small pilot clinical trial found that fasting for a
72-hour period prior to chemotherapy protected patients against
toxicity.
"While chemotherapy saves lives, it causes significant collateral damage
to the immune system. The results of this study suggest that fasting may
mitigate some of the harmful effects of chemotherapy," said Tanya Dorff,
assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern
California.
"More clinical studies are needed, and any such dietary intervention
should be undertaken only under the guidance of a physician."
Researchers are now carrying out further studies to investigate the link
between diet and stem cell regeneration.
Professor Longo said: "We could not predict that prolonged fasting would
have such a remarkable effect in promoting stem cell-based regeneration
of the hematopoietic system.
"We are investigating the possibility that these effects are applicable
to many different systems and organs, not just the immune system."
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Send your email first class
research
A study by the University of Southern California found that abstaining
from food could trigger white blood cell regeneration
Antonia Molloy
Saturday, 7 June 2014
It's often used as a quick weight loss method – but fasting could also
help the body to fight off disease.
Refraining from food for as little as two days can regenerate the immune
system, helping the body to fight infection, according to a new study.
Scientists at the University of Southern California said the findings
could have major implications for the elderly and people suffering from
damaged immune systems, such as cancer patients.
Researchers tested the effects of fasting for two to four day periods
over the course of six months on both mice and humans.
In both cases, long periods of not eating significantly lowered white
blood cell counts.
And in mice, each cycle of fasting then "flipped a regenerative switch"
that triggered stem cell-based regeneration of new white blood cells,
thereby renewing the body's defence system.
Valter Longo, Professor of Gerontology and the Biological Sciences at
the University of Southern California, said:"It gives the OK for stem
cells to go ahead and begin proliferating and rebuild the entire system.
"And the good news is that the body got rid of the parts of the system
that might be damaged or old, the inefficient parts, during the
fasting."
He added: "Now, if you start with a system heavily damaged by
chemotherapy or aging, fasting cycles can generate, literally, a new
immune system."
The study also found that fasting reduces levels of the enzyme PKA, an
effect which is known to increase longevity in simple organisms, as well
as levels of the hormone IGF-1, which has been linked to ageing, tumour
progression and cancer risk.
In addition, a small pilot clinical trial found that fasting for a
72-hour period prior to chemotherapy protected patients against
toxicity.
"While chemotherapy saves lives, it causes significant collateral damage
to the immune system. The results of this study suggest that fasting may
mitigate some of the harmful effects of chemotherapy," said Tanya Dorff,
assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern
California.
"More clinical studies are needed, and any such dietary intervention
should be undertaken only under the guidance of a physician."
Researchers are now carrying out further studies to investigate the link
between diet and stem cell regeneration.
Professor Longo said: "We could not predict that prolonged fasting would
have such a remarkable effect in promoting stem cell-based regeneration
of the hematopoietic system.
"We are investigating the possibility that these effects are applicable
to many different systems and organs, not just the immune system."
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Send your email first class
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Biomorphs evolution visualized
Biomorphs are virtual entities that were devised by Richard Dawkins in his book The Blind Watchmaker as a way to visualize the power of evolution.
(Turn on Javascript and) view this:
http://www.emergentmind.com/biomorphs
/A
(Turn on Javascript and) view this:
http://www.emergentmind.com/biomorphs
/A
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Thursday, May 22, 2014
EdX courses -- free, or pay to get certificates
Courses from MIT, Harvard etc..
https://www.edx.org/how-it-works
Audit for free or register and get certs issued.
--A
https://www.edx.org/how-it-works
Audit for free or register and get certs issued.
--A
Thursday, May 1, 2014
hinduism ,heritage, a way of life
http://www.sunday-guardian.com/analysis/hinduism-is-intrinsically-secular
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Or how I learned to stop worrying and
love email again
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Or how I learned to stop worrying and
love email again
Monday, March 17, 2014
About MH370, another article on the guy who saved the Skylab
* How we know MH370 kept flying for hours
Interesting description here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/03/14/heres-how-we-know-mh-370-kept-flying-for-hours/
* Skylab's Savior Jack Kinzler passes on
Read about his solar parasol that saved the Skylab
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/us/jack-kinzler-skylabs-savior-dies-at-94.html
/A
Interesting description here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/03/14/heres-how-we-know-mh-370-kept-flying-for-hours/
* Skylab's Savior Jack Kinzler passes on
Read about his solar parasol that saved the Skylab
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/us/jack-kinzler-skylabs-savior-dies-at-94.html
/A
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Sunday, February 16, 2014
phir wahi baat
It is not clear why you must use the full force of your brain and brawn
to take accha-amma 'on' ?
just like your boarding master has rules, we have some too.
if everyone eats on time, we can clear up faster and achcha-amma can
have some
time to attend to our stuff/get some rest.
if everyone drinks water regularly, there will be no need to drink water
just when a meal has been
served
if we remind one to drink water, it is not a heinous crime
if we dont want our kids to read distasteful, derogatory articles or
books, it is not a heinous crime.
i suppose there may be things that one doesnt understand till one has a
kid of their own....
at least one may have the 'humility' to accept that there are questions
whose answers are
not yet known to one.
your notion of 'freedom' is incomplete, edgy and seeks to push one to
'make enemies' of
people who are 'not one of us'. also you seem disinclined to give unto
others the freedoms you
accord yourself.
being co-operative and supportive is a sign of good health - physical,
mental,
emotional and spirtitual.
giving tips to enable you to have better health - not covered by good
looks/wearing cool
and being 'in' - in near term and far, is not a 'heinous crime'.
pointing out signs of neglect and abuse, is not a heinous crime.
if one takes care of one's health, you can care better for others around
you - even in the hostel,
or wherever you are..
what is the problem that you face, that is currently being solved 'in
your mind', by this
brute-force approach ? please clarify - it is not at all clear to me.
'anbum aRanum udaithaayin, il vaazhkai paNpum payanum adu'
'affection and genuine good-will are the cause and the effect of
meaningful life, a harmonious home-stead'
only a fool will cut the tree - the bulwark- on which he/she rests.
take care and god bless, dear sir.
--vasu
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Choose from over 50 domains or use your own
to take accha-amma 'on' ?
just like your boarding master has rules, we have some too.
if everyone eats on time, we can clear up faster and achcha-amma can
have some
time to attend to our stuff/get some rest.
if everyone drinks water regularly, there will be no need to drink water
just when a meal has been
served
if we remind one to drink water, it is not a heinous crime
if we dont want our kids to read distasteful, derogatory articles or
books, it is not a heinous crime.
i suppose there may be things that one doesnt understand till one has a
kid of their own....
at least one may have the 'humility' to accept that there are questions
whose answers are
not yet known to one.
your notion of 'freedom' is incomplete, edgy and seeks to push one to
'make enemies' of
people who are 'not one of us'. also you seem disinclined to give unto
others the freedoms you
accord yourself.
being co-operative and supportive is a sign of good health - physical,
mental,
emotional and spirtitual.
giving tips to enable you to have better health - not covered by good
looks/wearing cool
and being 'in' - in near term and far, is not a 'heinous crime'.
pointing out signs of neglect and abuse, is not a heinous crime.
if one takes care of one's health, you can care better for others around
you - even in the hostel,
or wherever you are..
what is the problem that you face, that is currently being solved 'in
your mind', by this
brute-force approach ? please clarify - it is not at all clear to me.
'anbum aRanum udaithaayin, il vaazhkai paNpum payanum adu'
'affection and genuine good-will are the cause and the effect of
meaningful life, a harmonious home-stead'
only a fool will cut the tree - the bulwark- on which he/she rests.
take care and god bless, dear sir.
--vasu
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Choose from over 50 domains or use your own
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Monday, February 3, 2014
colours
vibgyor is arbitrary ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i9AIry7Fis
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Access all of your messages and folders
wherever you are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i9AIry7Fis
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Access all of your messages and folders
wherever you are
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Avial and other recipes..
http://www.cookingandme.com/2013/09/avial-recipe-kerala-style-aviyal-onam.html
also other recipes there....
/A
also other recipes there....
/A
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Music/midi/audio station on Linux
* CCRMA (pron. "Karma") collection of tools:
http://ccrma.stanford.edu/planetccrma/software/
* Collection of audio apps -- KXStudio
http://kxstudio.sourceforge.net/
* LMMS ("Compatible with many standards such as SoundFont2, VST(i), LADSPA, GUS Patches, and MIDI")
http://lmms.sourceforge.net/ [sourceforge.net]
* Ardour (A DAW, but maybe useful)
http://ardour.org/ [ardour.org]
* Rosegarden (Best sequencer, with Lilypad notation support... )
http://www.rosegardenmusic.com [rosegardenmusic.com]
* GUI notation, MIDI creator
http://laborejo.org/
A GUI for Lilypond, a MIDI creator and finally a tool collection to inspire and help you compose.
...... and non-gratis, non-free, not on Linux but reputed software:
http://www.reaper.fm/
/A
http://ccrma.stanford.edu/planetccrma/software/
* Collection of audio apps -- KXStudio
http://kxstudio.sourceforge.net/
* LMMS ("Compatible with many standards such as SoundFont2, VST(i), LADSPA, GUS Patches, and MIDI")
http://lmms.sourceforge.net/ [sourceforge.net]
* Ardour (A DAW, but maybe useful)
http://ardour.org/ [ardour.org]
* Rosegarden (Best sequencer, with Lilypad notation support... )
http://www.rosegardenmusic.com [rosegardenmusic.com]
* GUI notation, MIDI creator
http://laborejo.org/
A GUI for Lilypond, a MIDI creator and finally a tool collection to inspire and help you compose.
...... and non-gratis, non-free, not on Linux but reputed software:
http://www.reaper.fm/
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How Mat Honan's digital life was wiped
Lessons to be learnt from
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/
- don't throw your personal information all around...
- don't tie everything to one insecure place...
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http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/
- don't throw your personal information all around...
- don't tie everything to one insecure place...
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"How I lost my $50,000 Twitter Username"
http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2014/01/29/lost-50000-twitter-username/
Lessons:
- if your email address depends on your domain, and your domain is
stolen, your email address is stolen... and if everything else
depends on that, you are in deep trouble.
- Use longer TTLs for DNS MX record
- Two-factor authentication is a must
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Lessons:
- if your email address depends on your domain, and your domain is
stolen, your email address is stolen... and if everything else
depends on that, you are in deep trouble.
- Use longer TTLs for DNS MX record
- Two-factor authentication is a must
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Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Grammars and Nat. Language processing...
Start with this video lecture.. (Prof Kamala Krithivasan)
(About 1 hour)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aIRqNnUvEg
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(About 1 hour)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aIRqNnUvEg
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Thursday, January 16, 2014
Scientific ideas due for retirement
A large collection of them... read an article a day!
http://www.edge.org/responses/what-scientific-idea-is-ready-for-retirement
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http://www.edge.org/responses/what-scientific-idea-is-ready-for-retirement
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