| A big city lawyer went duck hunting in rural North Wairarapa.
Eventually he shot down a bird, but it fell into a farmer’s field on the other side of a fence. As the lawyer climbed over it, the elderly farmer drove up on his tractor and asked him what he was doing. The litigator responded, “I shot a duck and it fell into this field, and now I’m going to retrieve it.” The old farmer replied, “This is my property, and you are not coming over here.” The indignant lawyer said, “I am one of the best trial attorneys in New Zealand and if you don’t let me get that duck, I’ll sue you and take everything you own.” The old farmer smiled and said, “Apparently, you don’t know how we settle disputes in North Wairarapa. We settle small disagreements like this with the ‘Three Kick Rule.'” The lawyer asked, “What is the ‘Three Kick Rule’?” The Farmer replied, “Well, because the dispute occurred on my land, I get to go first. I kick you three times, and then you kick me three times and so on, back and forth until someone gives up.” The attorney quickly thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take the old codger. He agreed to abide by the local custom. The old farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the attorney. His first kick planted the toe of his heavy steel-toed work boot into the lawyer’s groin and dropped him to his knees! His second kick to the midriff sent the lawyer’s last meal gushing from his mouth. The lawyer was on all fours when the farmer’s third kick to his rear end, sent him face-first into a fresh cow pie.
The lawyer summoned every bit of his will and remaining strength and very slowly managed to get to his feet. Wiping his face with the arm of his jacket, he said, “Okay, you old fart. Now it’s my turn.” The old farmer smiled and said, “You know what? Take the duck.” Source…….www.ba-bamail.com Natarajan |
discipline
Message for the Day…….” Distinction between the ordinary Person and Spiritual aspirant…”
Spiritual aspirants must carefully understand the distinction between the conduct of the ordinary (sahaja) person and spiritual aspirant. The ordinary person has no fortitude (sahana), is conceited (ahamkara), and is full of desires related to the world, through which the person is trying to have a contented existence. Aspirants engaged in contemplation of the Lord (Sarveswara-chinthana) as ceaselessly as the waves of the sea, accumulate the wealth of equality and equal love to all, and are content in the thought that all is the Lord’s and nothing is theirs. Unlike the ordinary person, the spiritual seeker won’t easily bend before grief, loss, anger or hatred or selfishness, hunger, thirst or fickleness. Aspirants should master all good things as much as possible and journey through life in fortitude, courage, joy, peace, charity, and humility. Realise that tending the body is not all-important, and bear even hunger and thirst patiently and engage uninterruptedly in contemplation of the Lord.
The Stopping of Niagara Falls in 1969…!!!
Endeavor to change the course of history, has always been a primary motive of human civilization, through several centuries. It has been observed throughout history, that several times people have tried to undertake a feat which brings them in direct face-off with nature. May it be the intent to master the air by inventing airplanes, building mega-structures such as pyramids, or even stopping the flow of one of the world’s largest water resources, “The Niagara Falls”.
Niagara Falls consists of Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls. Due to several years of rocks falling in, between the year 1931 and 1954, the American Falls faced erosion, which if not prevented would have resulted in the permanent extinction of the American Falls. With resulting public outcry and protests to save the American Falls, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) – Buffalo district was encumbered with the immense responsibility of dewatering the American Falls for repairs. Taking up this historic challenge, a cofferdam was constructed, that took 3 days after working in two 11-hour shifts, resulting in cutting off of the flow of the Falls from 60,000 gallons per second to one-fourth of its capacity of 15,000 gallons per second.
Photo credit: Russ Glasson/Flickr
This gigantic effort, comprising 1,264 truck loads, carrying 27,800 tons of sand and earth, was carried out to fill the cofferdam. Another minor discovery, which emerged from the De-watering Project, was that of a dead-body of a woman, which would never have been possible if the American Falls had been in full-flow. The woman was wearing a gold band, with the tragic inscription ‘forget me not’ on the inside.
Rochester Shale, a type of rock, which started crumbling due to the de-watering project, was a major concern for the geologists who wanted to carry out tests. Pipes totaling 800 feet of length and approximately six inch diameter were laid to moisten the shale.
The motive behind the endeavor to pull off such a huge feat was to conduct tests to prevent further erosion and test the structural integrity of the American Falls. Having planned through all the tests, and having implemented their staggering efforts, USACE estimated that the work will be completed by 1972. A battery of tests consisting of chemical analysis of the rocks, microscopic inspections, and several other tests were conducted accumulating large amounts of engineering, geological, and other data.
After an effort of more than 5 years, the International Joint Commission in 1975 concluded that 385,000 tons of Talus had accumulated at the base of American Falls, and had resulted in reduction of waterfall from 100 feet to 45 feet, while the depth of the Talus ranged from 25 feet to 50 feet.
As per the consensus taken from the public, there was to be no noticeable change in the appearance of American falls. But, it was accepted that there would always be some risk involved in the viewing of falls owing to continued erosion around the Falls.
The important lesson that the effort taught the engineers, and which is also a lesson for all humanity, is that everything has a life span and nothing escapes mortality. May it be flesh and blood humans, or even a stupendous spectacle for humanity such as the Niagara Falls. As is well said, that change is inevitable, and so is the mere existence of everything. It is an important question to be asked that whether something is too big to fall such as the American Falls, or something is too small to rise, like the Talus which over the years caused near extinction of American falls. The dewatering of Niagara Falls in 1969 is abject lesson in the Power of Human effort as compared to the might of Powerful Nature.
Photo credit: Russ Glasson/Flickr
Photo credit: Russ Glasson/Flickr
Photo credit: unknown
Photo credit: Russ Glasson/Flickr
Photo credit: Russ Glasson/Flickr
Source………www.amusingplanet.com
Natarajan
Siachen Miracle – Army Jawan Found Alive, Buried Under 25 Feet of Snow for 6 Days!
Miracles happen! And the Army jawan who was found alive after remaining buried under 25 feet of snow for six days, is a living example of an amazing miracle.
Lance Naik Hanaman Thappa was found in a critical condition after six days of rescue efforts on the Siachen glacier.
Source: Twitter
10 Army personnel including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and nine other ranks of Army’s 19 Madras Regiment were stationed at an altitude of 19,600 feet on the Siachen Glacier in Jammu and Kashmir. On February 3, they were hit by a massive avalanche, and rescue operations have been on since then. The base was located on the Saltoro ridge, close to the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan.
On February 4, a Defence Spokesperson had said that the hopes of finding anyone alive were “very remote”. And later, the Indian Army had declared them presumed dead.
After probable locations of the incident were identified by the rescue team with the help of specialised equipment, they had to cut through up to 40 feet of ice at multiple locations. Frequent snow blizzards, extreme freezing temperatures and low visibility made the search operation very difficult.
Army teams have been sifting through huge mass of ice in the hazardous region where temperatures range between minus 42 and minus 25 degrees Celsius.
Source: Twitter
“It was a miraculous rescue, all efforts are being made to evacuate Lance Naik Hanaman Thappa to the RR hospital in the morning,” Lt Gen D S Hooda, Northern Army Commander, told PTI.
Five bodies have been recovered so far, and four of them have been identified.
“The teams are working round the clock and observing all precautions since the unstable ice and snow in the region could trigger fresh avalanches. Rescue efforts will continue till all our soldiers are found,” said an Army spokesperson.
On Friday, the Ministry of Defence had released the names of all 10 soldiers who were hit by the avalanche:
1. Subedar Nagesha TT – village Tejur, Hassan district, Karnataka.
2. Havildar Elumalai M – village Dukkam Parai, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu.
3. Lance Havildar S Kumar – village Kumanan Thozhu, Teni district, Tamil Nadu.
4. Lance Naik Sudheesh B – village Monroethuruth, Kollam district, Kerala.
5. Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad – village Betadur, Dharwad district, Karnataka.
6. Sepoy Mahesha PN – village HD Kote, Mysore district, Karnataka.
7. Sepoy Ganesan G – village Chokkathevan Patti, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu.
8. Sepoy Rama Moorthy N – village Gudisatana Palli, Krishna Giri district, Tamil Nadu.
9. Sep Mustaq Ahmed S – village Parnapalle, Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh.
10. Sepoy Nursing Assistant Suryawanshi SV – village Maskarwadi, Satara district, Maharashtra
The survivor is a resident of Betadur village in Dharwad district of Karnataka.
“We are happy. The entire village is happy and relieved. We were eagerly waiting for some news for past few days. It was difficult to even believe that he was saved. Now, we need everyone to pray for his survival,” his uncle told The News Minute.
Source…….Tanaya Singh in http://www.the betterindia.com
Natarajan
This Auto Driver Mortgaged His Auto to Pay for the Medical Expenses of a Passenger…
K Ravichandran, a 48-year-old auto driver from Chennai, mortgaged his auto to pay for the medical expenses of his passenger who suffered a cardiac arrest during the ride.
It happened a few months ago when a passenger boarded his auto to go from Ramapuram to Triplicane. They had reached Mount Road, when the passenger, who was about 57 years old, complained of chest pains. The Good Samaritan took the passenger to a nearby clinic, where he was referred to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.
Doctors there informed Ravichandran that the patient had three blocks in his heart’s blood vessels, and they would have to place a pace-maker for his recovery.
PIcture for representation only. Source: Angus/Flickr
On informing his family, the passenger’s son arrived from Kolkata that night. The cost of treatment was about Rs. 1 lakh. They spoke with the hospital’s Dean and got the cost reduced to Rs. 47,000. But his son was left with Rs. 15,000 only after spending on flight tickets.
“I decided to pledge my auto rickshaw, the only property I owned and managed to pay the balance,” Ravichandran told The New Indian Express.
This Sunday, Ravichandran was rewarded by the Anna Auto Welfare Trust – an organisation that was started to motivate auto rickshaw drivers and acknowledge them for such laudable deeds. 16 other auto drivers including three women were also awarded.
Anil Khicha founded Anna Auto Trust with the view that people who visit Chennai, meet auto rickshaw drivers first. And the kind of behaviour they experience, forms their impression about the city. If the good work of drivers is appreciated, it will encourage them to do better.
According to the report, the trust has printed stickers asking passengers to send their feedback to 9243000111. Based on this feedback, they call drivers who have behaved well and honour them every month.
Featured image credit: The New Indian Express
Source…..Tanaya Singh in http://www.the better india .com
natarajan
Zika Virus – All You Need to Know…
| The ongoing Zika virus outbreak has created fear and uncertainty throughout the world because no-one knows how to contain it or cure it as yet. With that being said, I figured that the best way to protect myself from infection was to inform myself. Here are the five W’s of the Zika virus, and how to protect yourself from contracting it:
Who discovered the Zika virus?
Zika was first discovered by scientists in 1947, when a rhesus monkey (pictured) living in Uganda’s Zika forest developed an unknown febrile illness. They were able to isolate a new transmissible agent from the sick monkey, and, in 1952, named it Zika after the forest in which it was discovered. The first recording of human infection was also made in 1954 after a serological (the study of bodily fluids) survey was conducted on people in Uganda and neighboring Nigeria. Some 50 out of 84 people tested were found to have developed antibodies. Another study conducted in India around the same time showed that a significant number of the people tested had developed Zika-specific antibodies, indicating the likelihood that the virus has long been present in various human populations. What is the Zika virus?
The Zika virus is a virus that’s spread by daytime-active mosquitoes that are part of the Aedes genus. They originated in tropical and subtropical zones, however they have now spread around the world. The only place they cannot be found is in Antarctica. Human activity has been in part to blame for the spread of Aedes mosquitoes. An example of this can be seen in how the Asian tiger mosquito made it to the Americas thanks to the used tire trade. Some 1 in 5 people that are infected with the Zika virus through a mosquito bite actually become ill, and the symptoms they exhibit include fevers, rashes, joint pains, conjunctivitis (redness in the eye), muscle pain and headaches. The incubation period for the virus is unknown, however it is believed to range from a few days to one week. Its symptoms usually last for the same period. People do not usually get sick enough to go to hospital if infected with the Zika virus, and it is very rare to hear of a death from the virus too. Zika is related to dengue and yellow fevers, as well as the Japanese encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and West Nile viruses. It is diagnosed with a specialized blood test, however there is no known cure or vaccine. There have been some media reports of the virus being transmitted sexually, however more evidence is needed to confirm whether this is a cause for widespread concern. Even if it is, the likelihood of this taking place remains very low. Where did the current Zika virus outbreak start? While Zika spread through equatorial Africa and Asia between 1951 and 1981, a bona-fide Zika outbreak wasn’t reported until 2007. That took place on the Pacific island of Yap, and thus remained relatively contained. The current Zika outbreak first began last year in Brazil. Researchers suggested that the virus arrived in the country from French Polynesia sometime during 2014. In May 2015, a dengue-like disease outbreak took hold in northern, northeastern and southeastern Brazil. Many patients were exhibiting flu-like symptoms, followed by rashes and joint pain. The outbreak reached Colombia by October 2015, before reaching other South American countries, as well as the Caribbean in November and December. At the time of writing, there were also confirmed cases in Central America, the United States, Australia and Europe. In fact, the World Health Organization has said that it expects Zika to spread throughout the entire Americas in the coming weeks. When should you be concerned about the Zika infection?
Zika is said to have the most severe effects on pregnant women and children, however anyone is vulnerable to infection. If you have visited one of the affected countries and are exhibiting any of the symptoms mentioned in this article, see a doctor as soon as possible. He or she may prescribe blood tests to conduct further investigations should there be suspicion of you having contracted the virus.
Why has Zika become an international health concern?
As aforementioned, the ongoing Zika outbreak commenced in Brazil in May 2015. The main cause for concern over the virus is the fact that there has been a huge spike in births of babies with microcephaly in the affected regions of that country. That is why the virus’ movement is being tracked and reported on all over the world. Microcephaly is a condition where a baby’s head is much smaller than expected. It occurs because a baby’s brain has not developed properly during pregnancy, or because it stops growing after birth, resulting in a smaller head size. While it can be an isolated birth defect, it can also occur in combination with other major defects, such as developmental delay, intellectual disability and proneness to seizures. In a nutshell, the World Health Organization is doing what it can to halt Zika’s progress in order to protect unborn children. Currently the biggest fear is that there will be an explosion of microcephaly cases around the world. How to Protect Yourself From Contracting Zika
– Avoid traveling to countries where the virus has been confirmed. – If you must, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. – Stay somewhere air-conditioned or use windows and door screens to keep any mosquitoes outside. – Sleep under a mosquito bed net if possible. – Use insect repellent. – If you have a child, dress in clothing that covers the arms and legs and use mosquito netting to cover cribs or strollers. – Treat your clothing with permethrin (a synthetic insecticide), or purchase permethrin-treated items. – Use protection if you intend to sleep with someone who has just returned from traveling in a Zika-affected region. Source……….www.ba-bamail.com Natarajan |
Message for the Day…” True Living consists in the Realisation of God …”
Education and other things that make one grow and become big are of no use for spiritual progress; they bring about only spiritual downfall. That is why the world is called the ‘illusory universe’ (maya-prapancha). Truth, in whatever illusion it is immersed, will only shine more effulgently, for such is the nature of truth. How can we say that the objective world, which undergoes modifications every minute, waning and waxing with the waywardness of appearing and disappearing, is eternal truth? The characteristic of a spiritual aspirant is the attainment of Truth, not the search of the unreal in this evanescent world. In this false world, there can be no true living(satya-achara). There can be only false living (mithya-achara). True living consists in the realisation of the Lord. This must be borne in mind by everyone every moment of one’s life.
வாரம் ஒரு கவிதை …” இழப்புகள் தரும் வலி ” …
இழப்புகள் தரும் வலி
………………..
இருப்பதை இழந்தால் உறுத்தும் மனசு …வலிக்கும் இதயம்
பிறப்பும் இறப்பும் இயற்கையின் நியதி என்றால்
இருப்புக்கும் இழப்புக்கும் அதே நியதிதானே…பின்னர் ஏன்
இருப்பதை இழக்கும் நேரம் வலிக்குது இதயம் ?
விடை இதுதான் …நம்மிடை ஒன்று இருக்கும் சமயம் தெரிவதில்லை
நம்முடன் இருப்பதன் அருமையும் பெருமையும் !
இழந்தது பொருளானால் மீட்கலாம் அதை கடும் உழைப்பால்!
இழந்தது நட்பானாலும் மீண்டும் மலர்ந்து தொடரும் அதே நட்பு
நடந்ததை நண்பர்கள் மறந்தால் !
இழந்தது நெருங்கிய உறவானால் நிச்சயம் நொறுங்கும் இதயம் !
இந்த இழப்பினால் வரும் வலி, ” நான் ” ” எனது ” என்னும் நம்
குறுகிய உணர்வை துறக்க ஒரு வழியையும் திறக்கும் !
இழப்புகள் தரும் வலியால் பிறக்கும் ஒரு நல் வழியும் இதுவே !
Natarajan
The World’s Only Floating National Park Is Located in India. And It Is Amazing….!!!
Imagine standing on a piece of land that floats on water. No, not for some fictitious narration or a movie scene, but in real life – this is something that’s actually possible in Manipur.
Welcome to Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India. This iconic lake, located in Bishnupur district, at a distance of 53 km from Imphal, is known for its circular floating swamps (called phumdis in the local language).
Source: Wikimedia
The term phumdis refers to a collection of heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil, and organic matter at various stages of decomposition. Resembling miniature islands, these phumdis are found in various forms, floating on the lake.
Covering an area of 300 square metres, the lake is a lifeline for many people. It serves as a source of water for hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking water supply in the region, other than being the source of income for many fishermen who largely depend on it. Children of the fishermen can even be seen playing and running around on these phumdis.
“Loktak is our mother. Since time immemorial, the lake has been feeding the people of Manipur and nourishing us”, a fisherwoman told The Northeast Today.
The Sendra Tourist Home, located on a large phumdi island, also makes for an ideal tourist spot.
The lake is home to 233 species of aquatic plants, more than 100 species of birds, and 425 species of animals, including the Indian python and sambhar.
Photo: Flickr/Zehawk
What makes the Loktak Lake even more special is the Keibul Lamjao National Park located at the south western part of the lake. It is the world’s only floating national park and is home to the endangered Manipuri brow-antlered deer, Sangai.
Sangai is the state animal of Manipur. Its hooves are adapted to walk on the phumdis.
Source: Wikimedia
This park, which was initially declared as a Sanctuary in 1966, was subsequently declared a National Park in 1977.
Photo: Flickr/Zehawk
Loktak is a birder’s paradise. The most commonly sighted birds in the region include black kite, northern hill myna, East Himalayan pied kingfisher, lesser skylark, lesser eastern jungle crow, Burmese pied myna, and more.
The lake is now endangered, with innumerable threats like pollution, decline in diversity of avifauna and thinning of phumdis. All this, in turn, threatens the Sangai deer. Phum Shang, an investigative documentary directed by Hao Bam Pabankumar, which examines the serious environmental concerns facing Loktak Lake, won the Golden Conch award for Best Documentary in the Mumbai International Film Festival recently.
Source…….www.the betterindia.com
Natarajan
This Solar Powered Marvel of Engineering Lets a Person with Disabilities Earn a Living Anywhere!
Sunny Splendor is a great piece of engineering – a solar vehicle that works as a mobile shop for people with disabilities to start up small businesses and earn a living. It was designed by Hari Vasudevan of Ostrich Mobility, and this is how it works.
“I earn more than Rs. 4,000 a day now and can even think of sending my children to a good school,” says Umesh, a street vendor from Bangalore who lost both his legs in a road accident. Umesh used to work as a driver earlier but his life came to a standstill for about five years after the accident. He could not find any suitable source of income and things became increasingly difficult for his family. So he set up a small cart and started selling items like tea, coffee, bread, biscuits, and chocolates. But business was never very lucrative because he couldn’t move around with his cart and had to remain stationary at the same spot all day long.
After struggling for a long time to make ends meet, Umesh received the most amazing gift a few months back. He was introduced to Sunny Splendor – a mobile shop meant for people with disabilities to run petty businesses from wherever they want.
Earning more than double of what he would make earlier, Umesh has now left hard times far behind and is extremely happy with his new shop on wheels.
Umesh at work
Sunny Splendor was developed by Hari Vasudevan, Founder and Managing Director of Ostrich Mobility, a company that excels in manufacturing personal mobility appliances for people with disabilities.
The team at Ostrich Mobility
“Umesh was able to increase his profits only because he got the chance to roam around with his shop. If one place is less crowded he moves on to the next, and keeps moving to the more crowded areas of the city,” says Hari.
For Umesh, the best thing about Sunny Splendor is that it needs zero maintenance and customers are often attracted to his shop just to find out how it works. This adds to his business and he has some very loyal customers who are amazed by his story and keep coming back to his shop.
Hari says he was inspired to design this vehicle in 2013 when K.S. Rajanna, a differently-abled man, was appointed the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in Karnataka.
When Rajanna sir became the commissioner, he visited my office to see the kind of things we manufacture. He asked me a simple question: ‘Why don’t you hire people with physical disabilities?’ I told him that we deal with heavy objects and it would be difficult to find a person with disability who would want to do this kind of work. Moreover, we are not some big corporate firm and it won’t be easy for us to change the complete infrastructure of the office building to make it suitable for differently abled people.”
But the question remained with Hari. He found himself thinking about developing a way to help people with disabilities find a source of income. “And the idea suddenly struck me – I decided to design an electric wheelchair in a way that it would work as a mobile shop to help people run small businesses,” he says.
The mobile shop is called Sunny Splendor because there is a solar panel attached to its roof, which helps charge the batteries it operates on.
Sunny Splendor is basically an electric wheelchair designed like a three-wheeler, with a lot of space to display the items for selling. The wheelchair’s batteries can be charged with the help of electricity as well as solar energy. Eight hours of sunlight are enough to get the vehicle fully charged, and it can run for about 45km at a speed of 15km/hr after one charge. Even those who don’t have access to electricity can use it with the help of solar charging only.
There is a joystick to control the direction in which it moves and disabled people can use the vehicle to sell all kinds of things like magazines, food, toys, vegetables, and more.
Sunny Splendor is available in the market for Rs. 1.5 lakh. But many people who need it the most don’t usually have the required money to make the purchase. So Hari and his team are talking to NGOs and other organizations to make it available to people with disabilities. As of now, two people in Karnataka are using the mobile shops gifted to them by Mahindra & Mahindra (as a part of the organization’s CSR activities). Three other people have received them from the Kerala government.
Hari, who is 44 years old, founded Ostrich Mobility after completing his M.Tech course in product design and manufacturing. Prior to that, he did his BSc in Physics and BE in Mechanical Engineering, followed by seven years of work in the field of manufacturing automobiles.
“Engineering is my passion…I got a chance to meet many kids with disabilities during college because my final year project was related to making a device to help them walk. And after a visit to a school for children with disabilities, I decided that I will do something to help such people with whatever engineering I know. In 2005, I got four orders for wheelchairs from a school, and I decided to continue from there,” he recounts.
In 2007, Hari started Ostrich Mobility with the idea of making electric wheelchairs. Today, the company sells more than 22 products, including various electric wheelchairs, mobility scooters, hospital beds, and more. All the products are designed by Hari.
Hari feels that anyone buying Sunny Splendor is actually buying a business that can grow much beyond the initial investment. However, it is difficult for someone who is poor to make that investment so Hari is looking for micro-financing companies to help people purchase the vehicle.
Source……Tanaya Singh in http://www.the better india.com
Natarajan
Take off with Natarajan 