communication – Page 136 – Take off with Natarajan

நண்பர்களை நம்பர்களாக்கும் வாட்ஸ்ஆப் வாழ்க்கையைத் துறந்த தருணம்…

October 8, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

“ஹலோ எழுத்தாளரே, எப்படி இருக்கிறீர்கள்?”

பழைய நண்பன் ஒருவனின் குரலை, காலையிலேயே கேட்க ஆச்சரியமாக இருந்தது. எனக்கும் பேச ஆசைதான். ஆனால் அதிகாலை நேரத்தில், பல மாதங்களுக்குப் பின்னர், பழைய நண்பனின் குரலைக் கேட்டால் எப்படி இருக்கும்? அதுவும் வருடத்துக்கு ஒரு தடவை (என்னுடைய பிறந்தநாளுக்கோ அல்லது அவனுடைய பிறந்தநாளுக்கோ), அதிகபட்சமாய் மூன்று நிமிடங்கள் பேசும் நண்பனின் குரல் அது!

பேராவலுடன் என்ன விஷயமாக இருக்கும் என்று யோசித்தேன். பெரியதாக ஒன்றுமில்லை. அவன் க்ரூப் அழைப்பை அனுப்பியதை நான் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளவில்லை. அதனால்தான் கூப்பிட்டிருக்கிறான். சீரியஸான பல கேள்விகள் மற்றும் பதில்களுக்குப் பிறகு, அது ‘வாட்ஸ்ஆப் க்ரூப்’ என்பது புரிந்தது. அதில் என்னைத்தவிர எல்லா முன்னாள் வகுப்புத் தோழர்களும் இருக்கிறார்களாம். ”நீ மட்டும் அதில் இல்லை, அதன் சந்தோஷங்களில் கலந்துகொள்ளவில்லை” என்றான் அவன். என்னால் சிரிக்கமட்டுமே முடிந்தது.

முதன்முதலாக நான் ஒன்றரை வருடங்களுக்கு முன்னால் வாட்ஸ்ஆப்பில் நுழைந்தேன்; அதுவும் துளிகூட விருப்பமே இல்லாமல். தொழில்நுட்பத்தில் பின்தங்கி இருப்பதால், புதிதாக வரும் விஷயங்களைத் தெரிந்து கொள்வது கடினமாகி விடுகிறது. எனக்கு ஆர்க்குட் அறிமுகமான சமயத்தில், உலகமே ஃபேஸ்புக்கை நோக்கி நகரத்தொடங்கி இருந்தது. கஷ்டப்பட்டு ஃபேஸ்புக் அக்கவுண்டைத் திறந்தபோது, கூகுள் ப்ளஸ் வந்திருந்தது. அதுசரி டிவிட்டருக்கு என்ன ஆனது என்கிறீர்களா? கொஞ்ச நாளைக்கு அந்தப்பக்கம் போகாமலே இருப்போமே. அதனால் இயல்பாகவே வாட்ஸ்ஆப்பைப் பற்றிய எந்த அறிகுறியும் எனக்கு வரவில்லை. உறவுக்காரி ஒருத்தி அதை அறிமுகப்படுத்தி வைத்த பின்னரும், வாட்ஸ்ஆப் பற்றி பெரிதாக எதையும் யோசிக்கவில்லை.

சகாக்களின் நெருக்கடியை எந்த வயதிலும் பொறுத்துக்கொள்ள முடியாது. 35 வயதே ஆனாலும் கூட. என்னுடைய மருத்துவர், செவிலி, டெய்லர் என எல்லாருமே ‘இதை வாட்ஸ்ஆப் பண்ணி விடுங்கள்’ என்கின்றனர். அவர்கள் யாருமே வழக்கமான குறுஞ்செய்திகளை கண்டுகொள்வதாகக் கூடத் தெரிவதில்லை. நண்பர்கள் மற்றும் உறவினர்களின் பல மாத வற்புறுத்தலுக்குப் பின்னர், என்னுடைய மருத்துவரையும், கடைக்காரர்களையும் நோக்கி ஒரு பார்வையைச் செலுத்திவிட்டு, வாட்ஸ்ஆப்பில் நுழைந்தேன். ஒரு அழகான காலையில், உலகத்தையே பெருந்தன்மையுடன் பார்த்த தருணம் அது.

ஆரம்பத்தில் வாட்ஸ்ஆப்பில் எதுவுமே எனக்குப் புரியவில்லை. அது என்ன என்று தெரிந்துகொள்ளவே பல நாட்களானது. நிலத்தை, உடையை, ஏன் அழகை வாங்கச் சொல்லிக் கூவும் விளம்பரங்களை மட்டுமே கண்டுபிடிக்க முடிந்தது. சம்பந்தமே இல்லாத க்ரூப்புகளில் இணைக்கப்பட்டேன். நாய்க்குட்டிகள், பூனை, குழந்தை, சமயத்தில் பன்றிக்குட்டிகளின் படங்கள் மட்டுமே அதில் பகிரப்பட்டன. நான் புதிதாகச் சேர்ந்ததற்கான எந்த அடையாளமும் அதில் காண்பிக்கப்படவில்லை.

”உன்னுடைய வருகையை முதலில் அறிவிக்க வேண்டும்” என்றாள் ஒருத்தி. எனது முதல் நிலைத்தகவலை அதில் இட்டேன். “தவலை இப்போது கிணற்றின் வெளியே வந்துவிட்டது!” என்று. அந்த யுக்தி பலித்தது. ”பைத்தியம், அது தவலை இல்லை; தவளை” என்று ஏராளமான செய்திகள் வந்து குவிந்தன. தொடர்ந்த சில நாட்களில் வருடக்கணக்காக என்னுடைய நண்பர்களாக இருந்தவர்கள், போனில் வெறும் நம்பர்களாகிப் போனார்கள். செல்பேசியின் திரையை விட்டு கண்ணை எடுக்காத போதை, என்னை மெல்ல மெல்ல ஆக்கிரமித்தது.

ஸ்மார்ட் போனையோ அல்லது சமூக ஊடகங்களையோ நான் எதிர்த்ததற்கான முக்கியக் காரணமே, உள்ளங்கையில் மறைந்துவிடும் ஒற்றைச் சாதனம் நம்மை அடிமையாக்கிவிடக் கூடாது என்பதற்காகத்தான். உண்மையான உலகத்தை விட்டுவிட்டு மெய்நிகர் உலகத்தில் வாழ்வதை என்னால் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள முடிந்திருக்கவில்லை. ஆனால் எதை நினைத்து பயந்தேனோ அது நன்றாகவே நடந்தது.

ஒரு சில மாதங்களிலேயே, எதுவும் பேசுவதற்கு இல்லாத நிலையிலிருந்து, பேசுவதற்கும், எழுதுவதற்கும், டைப்புவதற்கும் ஏகப்பட்ட விஷயங்கள் குவிந்தன. வீட்டு வேலைகளை தள்ளிப்போட்டேன். தூக்கம் குறைந்தது; கணவரையும், வீட்டையும் சேர்த்து குழந்தைகளையும் புறக்கணித்தேன். செல்பேசியோடு சேர்ந்து உறங்கி, அதனுடனேயே எழுந்தேன். சில நேரங்களில் தூக்கத்திற்கு இடையில் விழித்து போனைப் பார்க்கத் தொடங்கினேன். செல்பேசியை விட்டுத் தள்ளி இருக்கும் சமயங்களில்கூட, அதன் ஞாபகமாகவே இருந்தது. இவைகளோடு இன்னொரு முக்கியமான நிகழ்வும் நடந்தது.

குறுஞ்செய்தி அனுப்புவது, பகிர்ந்துகொள்வது, பேசுவது, அழுவது, சிரிப்பது என எல்லாமே மெய்நிகர் உலகத்தில் மட்டுமே நடந்தது. அன்றாட வாழ்க்கைப் பேச்சுகள் வெகுவாகக் குறைந்திருந்தன. இனி இதைப் பற்றிச் சொல்வதற்கு எதுவுமில்லை என்றுதான் நினைக்கிறேன்.

ஒருமுறை, நெடு நாட்களுக்குப் பிறகு, என்னுடைய நண்பனைப் பார்த்தேன். வெகு நேரம் இருவரும் எதுவுமே பேசவில்லை. அவன் போனையே நோண்டிக் கொண்டிருக்க, நான் வானத்தையே வெறித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தேன். அந்த நொடியில்தான் இந்த வலையில் இருந்து வெளியே வரவேண்டும் என்று முடிவு செய்தேன்.

ஆனால் அது அத்தனை சுலபமாக இருக்கவில்லை. வாட்ஸ்ஆப்பினுள் நுழையாமல், தனியாக அமர்ந்து, சுவர்களையே கொஞ்ச நேரம் பார்த்தவாறு அமர்ந்திருந்தேன். ‘அங்கே அவர்கள் எல்லோரும் பேசுவார்கள்; சிரிப்பார்கள்; சண்டை போட்டு ரசிப்பார்கள்’ என்று தோன்றியது. உண்மையே இல்லாத மெய்நிகர் உலகம் என்னைக் கவர்ந்து இழுத்துக்கொண்டே இருந்தது. ஆனால் அதற்கு திரும்பிவிட வேண்டும் என்ற எண்ணம் வரும்போதெல்லாம், புத்தகம் படித்தேன்; கேக் தயாரித்தேன்; பேசாமல் தவறவிட்டிருந்தவர்களிடம் பேசினேன். அடிக்கடி அம்மா, மாமியாரின் நலம் விசாரித்தேன். கிசுகிசு பேசத் தோன்றிய போதெல்லாம், என் பெண்களுடன் கதை பேசினேன்.

ஒரு வழியாக அந்த மாய உலகில் இருந்து வெளியே வந்துவிட்டேன். என் நண்பர்கள், உறவினர்கள், பக்கத்து வீட்டுக்காரர்கள் என எல்லோரிடமும் இயல்பாகப் பேச முடிந்தது. வழக்கமான அழைப்புகள் தொடர்ந்து வந்து கொண்டேதான் இருந்தது. முன்னர் பேசியதைவிட இன்னும் தெளிவாக, ஆழமாக, அழகாக பேச முடிந்தது. அன்று தொடங்கி இப்பொழுது வரைக்கும், எல்லா சந்தோஷங்களையும் நிஜ உலகத்திலேயே பெற்றுக் கொள்கிறேன்.

அனுபுதி கிருஷ்ணா

தமிழில்: க.சே.ரமணி பிரபா தேவி….www.tamil.thehindu.com

Natarajan

Ten legendary eateries in Madras you simply cannot miss …

October 8, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

It is Madras Day – the day a city celebrates its birthday. And what is a birthday without a party and great food? So along with a friend and a foodie Vasudevan, I decided to get all nostalgic and celebrate by heading to some of the oldest eateries in the city that we personally like and recommend.

I am not too much of a lunch or a dinner person, but as a kid, it is the tiffin that has always fascinated me. So I decided to stick to just places we would go for breakfast or for a quick evening meal. While I have been to some of these eateries since childhood – food, being a great favourite of both my parents, it is Vasudevan who curated the list.

We just went to two areas mainly – Mylapore and Sowcarpet with a stop over at Triplicane. This is by no means an exhaustive list and we hope to add to it as we go by.

We also looked at eateries which are fairly old and are favourites with almost every citizen of Madras. The only street vendor we include is Amudha’s Bhajji stall in Mylapore. I dont think there is a name for the stall, but Amudha is in demand. She has an entire set up in Mylapore, near Kapaleeshwar temple on the road and she is flocked by people, even before she prepares her dough. I met her during the Myalpore Festival and I decided to feature her here.

Amudha at her bhajji stall

All these eateries mean more to us than just food. They have a story, a memory locked inside them. I am sure that all of you resonate with the thought as well. So let the emotions flow like the sambar as we go on this first food trail of Madras or Chennai as we know it today as we go on this tiffin trail.

Ratna Cafe, Triplicane

Our first stop of the day is to Triplicane, an area that fascinates me immensely for its heritage, its architecture, its melange of cultures and the food. I want to stop at the Parthasarathy temple for a quick darshan and the puliodharai, but we are a bit late. So we say a silent prayer and continue to one of the oldest eateries in Triplicane, a landmark by itself – Ratna Cafe.

Started in 1948 by a man from Mathura, Triloknath Gupta, the family still manage this very popular eatery. –

Idly at Ratna Cafe

If there is one moment that defines our breakfast in Ratna Cafe, it is this – the waiter brings a contraption that looks like a saucepan and he pours the hot red sambar on the fluffy white idlis, until they are soaked in it. We order a plate of idli and vadai and top it with a plate of crispy golden brown ghee roast dosai, on the recommendation of a friend, Giridhar on Twitter.

The menu is packed in the evenings with so many dishes to choose from. A board announces the same right at the entrance.

Rayar’s Mess, Mylapore

Our next halt. One of the oldest and humble abodes which is very popular with most citizens of Madras, the Rayar’s Mess which has been around for more than 75 years in Mylapore. If there is one dish that is the signature dish, it is the kara chutney. Every foodie, including my father and his friends swear by it. Vasudevan specifically likes the over fermented super soft idlis which literally melts in the mouth.

Breakfast at Rayar’s Mess is usually idli, vadai, pongal served with a variety of chutneys, including the famous kara chutney, sambar and molagai podi. Top it up with filter kaapi. This is what I call elaipotta tiffin (tiffin served on a banana leaf).

Rayar Mess Tiffin

The eatery comes alive in the evening with bondas, rava dosai, kal dosai, adai, vadai, a variety of sweets and more dishes.

We speak to Kumar, the third generation owner, whose grandfather Srinivasa Rao started this. They were Kannadigas who had settled in Tamil Nadu ages ago and it reflects in the food – the recipes are probably the best of both worlds.

Karpagambal Mess, Mylapore

It feels like you are entering a temple. Right from the rangoli or the kolam on the steps to the large pictures of Gods and Goddesses on the walls to the various podis (powder) and pickles that is sold, everything about Karpagambal Mess is an ode to tradition.

Keerai Vadai at Karpagambal Mess

My earliest memory to the place was when it I could not say no to a sweet, Vasudevan recommends kasi halwa, but we finally have wheat halwa. There is also rich badam halwa for those who want to binge further. We stop right here as we have another six more eateries to visit.

Mami’s Mess, Mylapore

Next to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mylapore is another famous eatery, popular with old timers and the young alike Mami’s Mess. Vasudevan and another friend on twitter – Degreekaapi recommends that we head there to taste thavala vada. But we are unlucky. However our appetite is satiated with the bhajjis and bondas around. Customers flock to buy Kozhukattai, a sweet dumpling made with rice flour filled with wheat and coconut. Although it was renovated recently it is still more than 50 years old.

Bondas at Maami Mess

The dish according to us, that you must eat here is keerai vadai. Vasudevan is also tempted by the vazhai poo adai served with avial, which is absolutely delicious.

Vasantha Mami apparently came from a small little village called Alvarkurichi in Tirunelveli which is very close to our ancestral village and she started this eatery in Mylapore. Her sons take care of it now.

Jannal Bhajji Kadai, Mylapore

Bhajji Kadai was not open

In a little lane around the Kapaleeshwar temple is a small green grilled window on the wall that serves sinfully delicious bhajjis. You stand here and eat to your heart’s fill, be it bhajjis or upma or idlis. Sadly they were shut as they had a wedding in the family. Vasudevan says the Vazhakkai Bhajji is extremely good and my parents are a bit disappointed that I cannot not buy some bhajjis for home, but then, there is always another time.

Kalathi Stall, Mylapore

All in the same vicinity, it is very easy to miss this little news mart, a small shop hidden by trees. The headlines here scream of Rajinikanth and Sachin Tendulkar but what it does not scream about is the recipe of the rose milk which Mani and his family has safely guarded for over 80 years and sells it here fresh. I gulp glasses while Vasudevan buys the rose essence . A couple of women get off their two wheeler to drink panner soda, another speciality. Mani says celebrities have flocked to his shop.

Rosemilk at Kalathi Stall

Novelty Tea House, Mint Street

It is almost dark when we reach Mint Street and walking down the mini streets of Broadway and Parrys Corner is a delight in itself. As we navigate pedestrians, cows, cycle rickshaws, autos, tempos and cars, we find ourselves wondering if we are in Old Delhi or even Ahmedabad. Sowcarpet is one of the oldest locales in Chennai and my father who used to work here knows almost every eatery in the lanes.

Pudhina Dosa at Novelty

We head to Novelty Tea House at the recommendation of my uncle, Kannan and a mutual friend of Vasudevan and mine on Facebook – Sreemathy Mohan. The pudhina onion dosai is what she recommended and that is what we order. I definitely recommend it as well along with the pav bhajji.

Novelty Tea House started as a tea stall in the late 50s by Chandrakant Moolchand Shah and it is now managed by the third generation. They do have branches everywhere, but do not miss the oldest eatery in Mint Street. The atmosphere is an experience in itself.

Mehta’s Vada Pav, Mint Street

There is a branch near my house near Purasaiwalkam but Vasudevan tells me that the the original should not be missed. So in a little stall, barely enough to house a man and his delicacies, is one of the oldest stalls here which sells vada pav and mirchi bhajji. Bhavin Mehta who has been here for more than 50 years proudly says that his is the best. Vasudevan agrees . And you thought, Madras is all about idli and dosai.

Kachoris at Mehtas

Kakada Ramprasad, Mint Street

I know of them since I was a kid as my father used to bring sweets and savouries home. Yet, when I land there today I am surprised to find a huge building, selling everything from jalebis to fafdas, chaats to badam milk. We decide to try out two of their most famous specialities – the aalu tikki chaat and the hot hot jalebis. I am a loss for words. You just have to eat it, sorry, devour it to experience it.

Aloo Tikki at Kakada Ramprasad

Anmol Lassi, Mint Street

They say eat, drink and be merry. We are eating and we are merry, but the drink is missing. So next door to Kakada Ramprasad, is the a former wrestler who speaks flawless Tamil with a great sense of humour, who came to Chennai from Patiala 27 years ago. The board says “Anmol Mohit Patiala, specialist in Kesar Lassi.” He also serves masala butter milk . He says he stands here everyday from morning till night, except on Sundays. ” My wife will divorce me otherwise, ” he says with a laugh as we gulp down the cold icy lassi down our throats.

Kesar Lassi

And finally the rains tumble down as we want to explore more eateries, but we run for cover and walk down the lanes to digest the entire spread from morning. I probably have to starve for the next couple of days and run miles to burn the calories, but then my love affair with Madras just got deeper. Bon appetite and enjoy the many flavours of the city.

If you have not visited all these stalls, you have not lived Madras yet. -!!!!!!!

This was originally posted here.

Source…..Lakshmi Sharath….www.thenewsminute.com

natarajan

Message for the Day…” Have Faith in God…Do Not Get Carried away by malice Stories…”

October 8, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Joy is your birthright; peace is your innermost nature. The Lord is your staff and support. Do not discard it; do not be led away from the path of faith by stories invented by malice and circulated by spite. Take up the name of God; it could be any one of His innumerable ones that appeals to you the most, and also chose the form appropriate to that name, and then start repeating it from now on – that is the royal road to ensure Joy and Peace. That will train you in the feeling of brotherhood and remove enmity towards fellowmen. When you sow seeds in the field, they can be eaten away by ants or washed off by rains or picked on by birds or destroyed by pests, still some seeds stave off all these and grow as strong and sturdy seedlings. Similarly, you must do everything to uphold the privilege of this birth and strive to return to the Lord.

India Shares It’s Border With 7 Nations. Here’s How The Separating Lines Look Like…

October 8, 2015Natarajan1 Comment

When you think of India’s international border with neighbouring countries, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Armed soldiers? Fences? Or maybe barbed wires?

Most of the time when you are in front of our international borders, the only indication that you get is a sign that says ‘Welcome to …’ or ‘Indian territory ends’.

The international border of India is the third largest in the world after China and Russia. Not just that, the borders of India are one of the most sensitive borders of the world along with extreme climatic conditions.

Through this article, I am presenting you some images of Indian borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

1. India-Pakistan International Borders

The border runs from the Line of Control (LoC) in the north to Wagah which partitions the Indian state of Punjab and Punjab province of Pakistan in the east. And in the west, India shares its border in Barmer Border in Rajasthan and Sir Creek Border in Gujarat.

(i) In Jammu & Kashmir, India shares its border with Pakistan in POK and Suchetgarh.

ii) LOC (Line of Control)

(iii) This is the India-Pakistan Rajasthan border in the west.

(iv) Here’s how the Gujarat border of India-Pakistan looks like

(v) The evening flag lowering ceremony at the Wagah border.

vi) One of the very few beautiful international boundaries visible after dark.

(vii) The border, floodlit for surveillance purposes, looks like this at night.

2. India-Myanmar International Borders

Four Northeast Indian states – Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur share their borders with Burma:

(i) Moreh in Manipur…

(ii) This is Champhai in Mizoram.

(iii) The two countries also meet at the hilly untamed region of Nagaland.

3. India-Nepal International Borders

Nepal shares its boundaries with India in Uttarakhand and Sikkim in the north-east. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are the other two states where they share their borders.

(i) In Uttarakhand, the border is mainly used for trading and other commercial purposes.

(ii) There is one more border in Bihar.

ii) …and in Uttar Pradesh too.

4. India-Sri Lanka International Borders

India and Sri Lanka form the shortest land border in the world. The length of the border between these two countries is 100 meters. Both the countries are joined by a narrow stretch of Adam’s Bridge.

5. India – China International Borders

India shares some of the most historic and famous borderlines with China which happen to be popular tourist destinations as well.

(i) First China meets India at Chumar, Ladakh.

(ii) ..then in the paradise of Himachal Pradesh.

(iii) Even in Uttarakhand, the two countries share the border area.

(iv) In Sikkim, they meet again at the Nathula Pass.

6. India-Bhutan International Borders

India shares a 699-km long border with one of the happiest countries in the world, Bhutan along Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

(i) First they meet at Sikkim.

(ii) Then at Bumthang, Arunachal Pradesh.

7. India-Bangladesh International Borders

The border between India and Bangladesh (4,096 Km) is the fifth-longest land border in the world. At first India meets Bangladesh at Kishanganj.

(i) After that, they meet at West Bengal.

ii) Also, they share an international border in Meghalaya

(iii) Mizoram.

(iv) …and Tripura.

Source….Shuvro Ghoshal…www.storypick.com

Natarajan

Sikh Group Shows A True Mark Of Humanity. Sets Langar On Syrain Border To Feed Migrants…..

October 7, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Iraq and Syria have been in a major state of disarray right now. Every day thousands of people of try to flee the horror and every day more migrants lose their life to either man or nature.

Yazidis whose life is commonly at gunpoint of Islamic State Of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) lived in many parts of Syria and Iraq in an attempt to ‘purify’ the non-Islamic influences are counting their days of hunger and starvation.

While most of us sit back and worry about the condition that is worsening every day, a Sikh community has taken up a never before initiative to help them out. They have set up their traditional langar with the name Langar Aid about 10 km from the Syrian border in the Pesh Harbour area.

This group constitutes of many NRI Punjabi Sikhs as well as some European volunteers who have come forward to help the migrants. Instead of a traditional kitchen, they have set up a bakery and are providing fresh bread to nearly 14,000 refugees every day.

The IS were destroying any food that was coming in for the refugees, therefore a UK based NGO Langar Aid took from help from the local government to set this up.

They are also getting some help from Serbia and Greece which are the neighbouring European countries.

The CEO of Khalsa Aid, Ravi Singh told TOI, “Refugees often mistake us for IS because of our appearance. I was there about two months back and it was a very overwhelming experience. It was poignant to meet a family that had fled from their homes with their 10-month old child and they were pleasantly surprised to find aid in the middle of nowhere. Then there was an elderly lady who still wanted to return to her village she had built after years of hard work. The situation will get more challenging as winter sets in.”

A UK based volunteer of Indian origin Indy Hothi said, “We set up a bakery at a refugee camp for Yazidi people to provide a self-sustaining solution. We are also trying to set a school for 5,000 local children on the Lebanon-Syrian border.”

Now that’s a service to God in the true sense. We are so proud of you.

News Source: The Times Of India

Source….Shubhi Dixit….www.storypick.com

Natarajan

Mumbai Airport Recruits Trained Therapy Dogs To Bring A Smile On Passenger’s Face…

October 7, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Airports are exciting places of activity, but at times they also can be overwhelming for some fliers.

Recently, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport brought in two legitimate, trained therapy dogs to help ease the stress of travelling.

Mumbai airport is possibly the first in the country to employ animals that would help ease travellers’ anxieties about returning to the skies. Earlier, therapy dogs were used to comfort special children and traumatised adults at US airports after the 9/11 attacks.

Goldie and Pepe, trained by the Animal Angels Therapy Centre in Pune, can sense a person’s mood by sniffing them.

Their mission is to put a smile on every passenger’s face they interact with.

This is what a Chicago-bound flier who came to bury his dead mother wrote in the feedback form:

“What an amazing and needed facet of airports. After a long painful day at the Mumbai airport, Goldie and Pepe brought ‘humanity’ into an otherwise dehumanising experience.”

Of course, not everyone is a dog lover. Some people would feel less stressed at an airport if they could cuddle with a cat.

But, let’s admit it, passengers will now have a PAWSitive experience at the Mumbai airport! 🐾

News Source: Hindustan Times

Source….Shuvro Ghoshal …www.storypick.com

natarajan

This tiny country just outlined a plan to completely stop using oil, coal, and gas….

October 7, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Recently, there seems to be an uptick in small nations or islands setting their sights on becoming increasingly, or completely, powered by non-fossil fuel energy sources, particularly renewables such as solar, wind and hydroelectric power.

This is welcomed news in a world that – despite recent advances in tackling climate change by the US and China – remains relatively paralyzed in its ability to make substantial changes to how it deals with climate change.

Earlier this year, Costa Rica met the entirety of its national power demand using renewable energy for 75 days straight.

Shortly afterwards, the US state of Hawaii passed legislature decreeing that, by 2045, the entire island will be powered by renewable, sustainable energy sources.

Denmark, one spectacularly windy day in July, generated 140% of the nation’s electricity demand through wind power alone, as reported by the Guardian. Remarkably, much of the excess was given to Germany, Norway and Sweden.

Sweden may have taken this to heart, because just last month they announced that they will be spending an extra $546 million (£360 million) on renewable energy and climate change action, beginning with their budget for 2016.

Stockholm

Sweden is on track for becoming a nation powered by sustainable, renewable energy sources alone by the next half-century.

The ultimate aim is as ambitious as it is honorable: They hope to become one of the world’s first nations to end its dependence on fossil fuels. Solar energy, in particular, has seen its budget increase by 800%.

Although this nationwide goal has not got its own timetable yet, the Swedish government has announced that its capital of Stockholm aims to be powered only by sustainable energy sources by 2050.

This announcement couldn’t come soon enough: The United Nations Climate Change Conference, which will be held this year in Paris, is beginning at the end of November. Sweden’s – and Denmark’s – climate change initiatives will hopefully influence the less keen attendees of the conference to begin to adapt their own countries’ energy grids.

The Ecologist reports that Sweden is also closing its nuclear power plants, although this is mainly due to their aging infrastructure. Nevertheless, no replacements are planned, with the government preparing to use only renewable energy sources. It should be pointed out that nuclear power plants are often lumped together with fossil fuel power plants as being just as harmful to the environment. However, in terms of climate change, nuclear power plants have a negligible carbon footprint more in line with renewables, as reported in Nature.

Governments often stop using nuclear power plants in response to political pressure, demonstrated by Germany’s recent move. In this case, the Fukushima crisis in Japan – caused by a once-in-a-lifetime natural disaster – prompted the German government to phase out its nuclear power plants by 2022, according to BBC News.

Germany, of course, is a country that does not suffer from tsunamis or dangerous earthquakes; there is a near-zero risk for any such crisis occurring to any nuclear power plants there.

Despite also eschewing nuclear power, Sweden is on track for becoming a nation powered by sustainable, renewable energy sources alone by the next half-century, which is a remarkable feat. Two-thirds of the country’s electricity is generated from non-fossil fuel energy sources already, mainly through hydroelectric and nuclear power generation.

It will be interesting to see how replacing their nuclear power plants with renewables will hamper or assist them on their path to becoming a fossil fuel-free nation.

Source….

Robin Andrews …www.businessinsider.com.au

Natarajan

Icon A-5: The Folding Airplane….

October 7, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

The Icon A-5 is a whole new aviation concept. It is designed to be a personal airplane aimed at the domestic leisure market – and people don’t need to be experienced pilots to fly it. The A-5 intends to simplify the flying process so much that anyone can pick up the skills necessary to fly the plane quickly and easily, and it has a whole stack of sophisticated safety features to help it achieve this goal. The aircraft has been in development since 2008 and is moving towards general release, having passed through the first of the necessary regulatory checks. Let’s have a look at this incredible concept and see a video of the A-5 in action.

Icon A-5

Image: iconaircraft.com

If you have ever dreamed of owning your own plane, but don’t want the added hassle of huge storage costs, long periods of training and complicated dashboards full of buttons, then the Icon A-5 is designed with you in mind. The dashboard of the plane looks more like something that you would find in the modern sports car, than an airplane, and aims to keep things as simple as possible. The A-5 has been described as the aviation industry’s answer to the Tesla.

Icon A-5 dashboard

Image: Andrew Moseman, popularmechanics.com

The aircraft can take off and land on either water or gravel, and is genuinely amphibious. It features a carbon-fiber airframe, retractable undercarriage, and is powered by a three-bladed pusher propeller. The plane is meant to appeal to ‘weekend warriors’ who would savor the thrill of flying, and use the plane to reach remote lakes and rivers. The company’s head of sales, Craig Bowers believes the plane will be at the forefront of the ‘next powersport’. It can be viewed as the latest expensive toy in a list that historically includes sports cars, supercars, jet skis and private yachts.

Icon A-5

Image: iconaircraft.com

Of course, flying is inherently dangerous and if people don’t know what they are doing then it could turn out very badly indeed. For that reason, the designers have attempted to ‘fool-proof’ the plane to prevent accidents. Among the many safety features are a unique ‘angle of attack’ gauge that lets the pilot know if they are flying safely relative to the conditions. Engineers have also designed the plane to be resistant to spins and stalls. If the pilot makes a mistake and stalls the engine, the plane will continue to glide rather than nosedive, due to its specially designed wings.

Icon A-5

Image: iconaircraft.com

Of course, it wouldn’t be suitable for the general adventure sport market if it wasn’t easy to store and transport. Engineers have tried to satisfy this need – and they have been innovative in doing so. The wings of the A-5 fold inwards to make the machine much more compact so it can be carried on a trailer. By the same logic, the plane could also be feasibly stored in a garage – although with a length of 23 feet (7 meters), you would need a fairly large garage.

Icon A-5

Image: iconaircraft.com

The Icon A-5 is officially classed as a light-sport aircraft and features some impressive specifications. It has room for one passenger in addition to the pilot, a range of around 345 miles (556km) per journey and a maximum speed of 211mph (194km/h). The maximum take-off weight is 1,510lbs (685kg), meaning there is room for 550lbs (249kg) of ‘useful load’ (passenger weight, baggage etc.).

Icon A-5

Image: flickr user H. Michael Miley

Before you get too excited, the Icon A-5 does of course come at a high price. The first batch of models are being sold for $250,000, although the company intends to sell later batches at the lower (but still significant) price of $197,000. That said, the plane is the first of its type and it remains to be seen whether the concept will catch on, leading to more affordable but similar offerings in years to come. The company behind the design is currently busy earning all the necessary Federal Aviation Association approvals ahead of the plane’s release, and have already received orders for 1,500 planes, which they hope to deliver by 2019.

Here is a video of the Icon A-5 in action:

H/T www.popularmechanics.com

Source….www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

A Stupid Criminal Gets Trapped… Watch this Hilarious Video Clip …!!!

October 7, 2015October 7, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Crime doesn’t pay (but unsuccessful crime caught on camera might make others laugh a whole lot).

Store keeps getting broken into. Owner sets a trap and catches a guy breaking in. Hilarity ensues as the burglar panics and tries to escape.

It’s an unfortunate fact that any business owner, home owner, or human (in general) has to protect themselves against theft. In 2013 alone, there were an estimated 1,928,465 burglaries resulting in about $4.5 billion in property losses. (That’s just in the United States.)

This convenience store owner in particular had been robbed multiple times and was sick of letting the thieves get away. So, he set up a clever trap…and recorded what happened.
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Source….www.youtube.com and http://www.viralnova.com

Natarajan

How do the Astronauts Sleep in Space….

October 7, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

After months of intense training and a white-knuckled trip through the ozone layer at nine times the speed of a rifle bullet, you can bet that NASA astronauts need to bank some rest.

Space sailors log really long hours throughout their days on tasks that require intense concentration, which is why NASA schedules precisely 8.5 hours of sleep per 24 on deck.

How exactly does ‘nighttime’ play out in space?

Astronauts Pam Melroy, George Zamka, and European Space Agency’s Paolo Nespoli, sleep in their sleeping bags, which are secured on the middeck of the Space Shuttle Discovery while docked with the International Space Station.

The International Space Station (ISS) orbits the Earth at 17,150 miles per hour, clocking one lap around our planet every hour and a half. Doing the math, this means 16 sunsets every 24 hours — a new day every 90 minutes.

Fascinating, yes, but this unrelenting motion can create colossal jet lag and wreak havoc on an astronaut’s internal body clock.

Hence, Mission Control’s strict bedtime schedule and windows-shut policy.

(Though according to one report, snoozing astronauts still see streaks and bursts of bright color caused by high-energy cosmic rays bursting harmlessly onto their retinas.)

What time zone do they use?

To establish to a regular schedule in zero gravity, Mission Control keeps our diurnal astronauts on Greenwich Mean Time.

I’m guessing no cushy mattresses?

The crew members are provided sleep pods that look like padded broom closets. They have custom sleeping sacks fastened to a wall or the ceiling, lest they float about the cabin.

According to retired astronaut Marsha Ivins, who spent 42 days in space on five different missions, their sleeping bag has armholes that allow you to reach outside the bag to zip it up. You then settle yourself in by tightening the attached Velcro straps. If you don’t tuck your appendages into the bag, they’ll drift out in front of you.

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield offers this video tour of his very own sleep sack aboard the ISS. After showing off his astro-PJs you can watch him zip up and close the doors to his pod.

Pillows?

That’s a whole other issue. Though not everyone wants or needs one, Ivins says she did, to help her neck relax. She actually attached her head to a block of foam.

“You put the back of your head on [the ‘pillow’],” she says, “and then you Velcro the front of your head to it.”

What about parasomnias? Any chance of sleepwalking?

Actually there was one reported case of … drifting.

According to a British reporter, one Russian crew member apparently preferred to do without a sleep pod or sleeping bag. His fellow crewmembers, still awake after he turned in, saw him float by — presumably in the midst of sweet dreams. They watched him “bouncing off the walls, his course set by the air currents that gently pushed and pulled him.”

Do they end up getting their hard eight?

No. As hard as they try to get comfy, most astronauts don’t get enough rest. Many are routinely sleep deficient, logging just six hours of sleep every 24 hours.

However, some astronauts speculate that these short sleep sessions may be the result of the body’s feeling less fatigued in a microgravity environment. Less fatigue may equal less sleep need.

Do they report any weird dreams?

According to dream studies conducted aboard the Russian space shuttle Mir, astronauts experience significantly diminished REM sleep in space compared to us Earthlings. They are therefore continually monitored for any and all ill effects.

“Efforts are planned to understand more fully the spaceflight environment and the role that other factors may play in reducing or promoting sleep,” said Lauren Leveton, PhD, senior research scientist in NASA’s Behavioral Health and Performance Division.

Who wakes them up when it’s ‘morning’?

During the 30-year space shuttle program, which ended in 2011, it was a NASA tradition to have wake-up calls during the shuttle missions. Each “morning” at the scheduled wake-up time, ground operations broadcast a song into the space shuttle cabin. A wide range of musical styles were played, including rock, pop, western and classical.

Each song was selected for a particular astronaut. Sometimes the astronauts requested the tune; other times their families selected a song with special meaning.

Unfortunately, the wake-up service is not available on the ISS. There, the crew must use a regular alarm clock.

Source….www.businessinsider.com.au

Natarajan