Attitude – Page 85 – Take off with Natarajan

This Singapore apartment complex was just voted the best new building in the World…

November 6, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

HOUSING The Interlace by OMA:Buro Ole Scheeren, Singapore

One of the most prestigious prizes in architecture has just been awarded to a housing complex in Singapore.

The judges at the World Architecture Festival 2015, which ran from November 4 – 6, has bestowed its top honours, the “World Building of the Year” award, upon an apartment complex known as The Interlace. Designed by the Dutch-based Office for Metropolitan Architecture, the building was an entry in the housing category, where it was also recognised as the top entry.

World Architecture Festival

The development is located on an elevated site covering eight hectares. It makes the most of being located in the lush green Southern Ridges of Singapore, with its 31 stacked apartment blocks each measuring six stories high and ensuring beautiful views in every direction.

This also creates eight huge, open courtyards with rooftop sky gardens and terraces for both public and private use. The development’s apartment facings were carefully designed to ensure privacy.

But this unique design doesn’t sacrifice living space. The complex contains 1,040 apartment units of varying sizes spread across more than 1.8 million square feet — all with an incredible amount of outdoor space and landscaping.

The Interlace

Source…. Dennis Green …www.businessinsider.com.au

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Message for the Day….” Contentment, Humility and Detachment Keep You on the path of Truth” …

November 6, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Some profess that since this is Kali yuga, falsehood alone can succeed. No! In spite of all appearances, honesty is still the best policy. One lie must be couched by a hundred others; whereas uttering truth is the easiest, simplest and safest. Be what you profess to be; speak what you intend to do; utter what you have experienced; no more, no less. It is a hard job to maintain a false stand, while it is always safe to be straight and honest. Do not take the first false step and then be led, on and on, to perdition. Truth is one’s real nature and when you are yourself, there comes a great flood of joy welling up within you. When you deny and deceive yourself, shame darkens your mind and breeds fear. You take the path of falsehood because of the Rajasikpassions of lust, greed, hate and pride. Contentment, humility and detachment – these keep you on the path of Truth.

Earthquake-Resistant Houses? These Residents of Uttarakhand Had Cracked It 900 Years Ago! ….

November 6, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Despite being located in an earthquake-prone region, residents of Uttarkashi do not hesitate in constructing multi-storey houses. These elaborate buildings in Rajgarhi area of Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand are perfect examples of splendid architecture as well as earthquake-resistant engineering.

Called Koti Banal, these buildings have been named after a village in the district and have successfully survived many minor and major earthquakes in the past ten centuries.

Even the extremely disastrous earthquakes, in recent times the 1991 and the 1999 ones that killed thousands of people and caused immense damage to property including many concrete structures in the state, could not move these buildings. One such building in Guna has been standing tall for more than 728 years now.

Koti Banal style came into existence about 900 years ago and is hailed as one of the finest specimens of architecture as well as of earthquake-resistant design. The houses are built using locally available materials like stone-filled solid platforms and there is an extensive use of wood, which offer special advantages over other materials during earthquakes.

The height of these houses is usually 7 to 12 metres above the base. The traditional houses usually have five storeys. Some of the key features of these houses include a simple layout of the structure; construction on an elaborate, solid and raised platform; incorporation of wooden beams all through the height of the building at regular intervals; small openings and shear walls.

Extensive use of locally available wood was made in these homes since wood is an elasto-plastic material with the ability to absorb the brunt of an earthquake.

The sole objective behind the construction of these houses was safety and not much attention was paid to the comfort of the inhabitants. This reason has led to many such dwellings being abandoned in recent times.

People have also started destroying these structures in order to use the building material for the construction of new and modern houses. Lack of awareness is further causing the slow death of these traditional houses which represent a strong cultural heritage.

Photos and inputs from : Dr. Piyoosh Rautela and Girish Chandra Joshi. Check out their full report on these extra ordinary structures.

Watch the video that explains more about the technique – –

Featured image: www.worldfpa.org]

source….Shreya Pareek

http://www.the betterindia.com

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Two guys wearing jetpacks fly alongside an Airbus A380….!!!

November 6, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

We’ve already seen ex-fighter pilot Yves Rossy — a.k.a. Jetman — fly his jet-propelled wing in formation with another pilot, and we’ve seen him whizz around Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.

His latest stunt, however, again performed with parachuter Vince Reffet, is perhaps the most impressive so far. The two pilots fly their jetpacks in formation with an Emirates-owned Airbus A380.

In the stunt, once again available in 4K resolution, the pilots whir incredibly close to the airplane as it flies above the Dubai skyline. The airplane’s size — the A380 is the world’s largest passenger airliner, some 238 feet long — gives a great sense of scale, showing how incredibly small the pilots’ jetpacks really are.

Filming the video was no easy feat either; every little detail had to be carefully planned, with a team of videographers recording the stunt from another, smaller plane. Check out the “making of” video below.

Source…… STAN SCHROEDER…..www.mashable.com

Natarajan

An 83-Year-Old On Oxygen Begins To Sing…By The Time He’s Done, Everyone’s In Tears….

November 5, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

The Young@Heart chorus based in western Massachusetts is comprised of senior citizens ranging from their early 70s and beyond. Established at an elderly housing project in 1982, the program has given countless aging individuals an exciting, fun, and productive pastime to look forward to each day.

During a performance in 2007, 83-year-old Fred Knittle stepped on stage to perform the lead vocal in their cover of Coldplay’s “Fix You.” Though he had retired from their group a few years before and was struggling with health issues, his incredible voice still managed to bring the house down. Prepare for your heart to melt.

https://youtu.be/G-e8LGMPTtE

Sadly, Knittle passed away just two short years after this stirring performance. But thank goodness they captured this amazing moment so his legacy can live on. You can find more of the chorus’s beautiful renditions over on their YouTube page.

Source…..Jessica Catcher in http://www.viralnova.com

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Stunning Performance on Ice… !!!

November 5, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Competing at the World Synchronized Skating Championships earlier this year, Team Canada stepped onto the ice with something to prove. They wanted to be the best and weren’t going to let anyone get in their way. Because after all the practice, hard work, and dedication, they knew they wanted it more than their peers.

That’s why when the music started, and their performance began, you could tell something special was about to happen…

It must be incredibly difficult to work so seamlessly with so many people — and on ice, nonetheless! But, as you can see, when it’s pulled off correctly, the result is simply stunning.

Source….www.viral nova.com and http://www.you tube .com

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Used Wimbledon Tennis Balls Become Tiny Homes for Mice….!!!

November 5, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Every year, an astonishing number of tennis balls are used during the Wimbledon tournament — more than 54,000. This high figure is due to the fact that tennis balls are replaced at frequent intervals during a match to make sure they aren’t worn down or become too warm to affect the ball’s physical dynamics. Used balls are resold every day at the club to spectators on the grounds, and nearly 700 balls go missing every year, probably taken by the audience and kept as souvenirs. Since 2001, some of these balls are being donated to various animals conservatives around Britain who make cute little homes for harvest mice.

The Eurasian harvest mouse is typically found in fields of cereal crops, such as wheat and oats, in reed beds and in other tall ground vegetation, such as long grass. An adult mouse weighs as little as 4 grams. The mice normally weave their homes out of shredded grass and reeds, attached to stems well above the ground.

Photo credit

In recent years, their habitat has come under increasing threat from intensive farming methods. Yearly floods also destroy their homes.

Some animal conservatives then discovered that tennis balls make excellent, waterproof homes for these tiny rodents once you cut a small hole into the balls. The balls are attached to poles about a meter or a meter-and-half off the ground where they can make their nests in relative safety from birds of prey and weasels, which are too big to get through the hole.

Now aside from Wimbledon, many lawn tennis clubs around the United Kingdom regularly donates used tennis balls to various wildlife conservation organizations to help them in their conservation efforts.

The natural nest of a harvest mouse. Photo credit

Source….bbc ….www.amusingplanets.com

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“Smile…It makes people wonder what you are thinking….”

November 4, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Even if it its repeated …. Read with a Smile for a Good Laugh !!!””

And Start your day with a Big Smile ….

A good 30 laughs – Dilbert’s one liners :
Old Classics

🔺 I say no to alcohol, but it just doesn’t listen.
🔺 A friend in need is a pest indeed.
🔺 Marriage is one of the chief causes of divorce.
🔺 Work is fine if it doesn’t take too much of your time.
🔺 When everything comes in your way you’re in the wrong lane.
🔺 The light at the end of the tunnel may be an incoming train..
🔺 Born free, taxed to death.
🔺 Everyone has a photographic memory, some just don’t have film.
🔺 Life is unsure; always eat your dessert first.
🔺 Smile, it makes people wonder what you are thinking.

If you keep your feet firmly on the ground, you’ll have trouble putting on your pants.
🔺 It’s not hard to meet expenses, they are everywhere.
🔺 I love being a writer… what I can’t stand is the paperwork..
🔺 A printer consists of 3 main parts: the case, the jammed paper tray and the blinking red light.
🔺 The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three, he was the genius.
🔺 The trouble with being punctual is that no one is there to appreciate it.
🔺 In a country of free speech, why are there phone bills?

If you cannot change your mind, are you sure you have one?
🔺 Beat the 5 O’clock rush, leave work at noon!
🔺 If you can’t convince them, confuse them.
🔺 It’s not the fall that kills you. It’s the sudden stop at the end.
🔺 I couldn’t repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.
🔺 Hot glass looks same as cold glass. – Cunino’s Law of Burnt Fingers
🔺 The cigarette does the smoking you are just the sucker.
🔺 Someday is not a day of the week

Whenever I find the key to success, someone changes the lock.
🔺 The road to success…. Is always under construction.
🔺 Alcohol doesn’t solve any problems, but if you think again, neither does Milk.
🔺 In order to get a Loan, you first need to prove that you don’t need it !!!

Source…input from a friend of mine

natarajan

Mysore Gets India’s First Visually -Handicapped Friendly Railway Station …

November 4, 2015November 4, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Mysuru Railway Station has become the first railway station in India to be visually impaired friendly.

With the aim of helping visually impaired passengers travel independently, features like tactile maps and train schedules in Braille were unveiled at the station.

Source: Twitter

Anuprayaas, a non-government organization working for the welfare of visually challenged persons, along with south-western railway officials, started working on this project about a month ago. The first phase was inaugurated on November 3, and two more phases are being planned. The installations at the station include the following:

Tactile maps to give people an idea about the physical layout of the station. It is basically a map with raised surfaces that describes the distance and location of the entrance, platforms, counters, washrooms etc. The map informs people where they are, which side to turn and how many steps to take to reach a help desk.
Train itinerary sign board that provides train names their schedules in Braille. These are fixed signboards and do not provide real time information like electronic boards.
400 metallic Braille signs have been installed at about ten places on each platform. Placed along the railing of the staircase leading to various platforms, they provide directions and platform information.
Restaurants, canteens and food plazas in the railways station will not have Braille menu cards too.

27-year-old Pancham Cajla is the founder of Anuprayaas, and he started working on this project along with five of his friends. Mysuru MP, Pratap Simha, inaugurated the facility.

“As a part of the railway department, I went to organizations and met blind people. We asked them about what they would expect from a blind-friendly railway station,” Arun Kumar Singh, Telecom engineer with the South-Western Railways who helped in the execution of the project, told The News Minute.

During the testing period, the NGO brought many visually impaired people to check the features. Until people became aware of this facility, volunteers from the NGO will help the passengers. Anuprayaas is planning to go digital, improve the tactile maps, and introduce more disabled friendly battery cars in the second phase.

Sowmya visually challenged girl inaugurating tactile map of mysuru station with all utilities & train time table

https://twitter.com/DrmMys

Source…. Tanaya Singh ….www.the better india .com

Natarajan

This Kerala Man Built an Aircraft. He Now Wants a Job….

November 4, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Saji Thomas has studied only till class 7 and has always been hooked on to electrical gadgets and their repairs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After five years of painstaking efforts, Saji Thomas has built a small aircraft – all on his own – but now this 45-year-old from Kerala, who is speech and hearing challenged, yearns for a full-time job.

His wife Maria said that they have been married for 14 years and since then, all that she saw was her husband busy tinkering with small motors and machines she didn’t have a clue about.

“Initially I tried my best to dissuade him to get work as an electrician, but when I found all my efforts were in vain, I decided to support him in all his endeavours. Today the entire village (near Thodupuzha in Idukki district) is steadfastly behind him as he built a twin-seater ultralight aircraft, which has been filmed by the Discovery Channel,” Maria told IANS.

Mr Saji has studied only till class 7 and has always been hooked on to electrical gadgets and their repairs.

“The first thing he built was the frame of an helicopter. He got in touch with (former prime minister) Rajiv Gandhi, seeking money to buy an engine for it. It did not materialise because Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated (In May 1991). Then his interest shifted to building an aircraft and after five years of hard work, he fitted the small aircraft with the engine of a two-wheeler. Later it was given to a college nearby and they still use it to teach their students,” the proud wife said.

She said he then began work on this now successful two-seater and sourced all the materials from Bangalore.

“After a marathon five years of work, last year in April, it was taken to a private airline academy in Ambasamudram near Madurai. Since this aircraft has no licence nor does Saji have a licence to fly aircraft, he could fly it for a few minutes there. Later the chief instructor, a retired air force officer, also flew it for a few minutes. The aircraft flew only at a height of 20 feet as the rules are very strict,” added Maria.

Today the couple, who has a 13-year-old son Joshua, is still hoping for the government support.

“We see the present programme of Discovery Channel which has filmed his efforts as an eye-opener and it is expected to be aired soon. Our only wish is my husband gets a stable monthly job as by now he has sold a portion of our land to complete this aircraft. We live in a small two-room home built with the help of the local village council in 2001,” Maria said.

In all, Saji has spent Rs.25 lakh for his expensive hobby in the past more than 15 years.

Source….www.ndtv.com

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