












source::::: fropki.com
Natarajan













source::::: fropki.com
Natarajan







A scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds released in 1963. Tourists visiting the Farne Islands have been forced to dive for cover in scenes reminiscent of the film ” The Birds ” during visits to a huge nesting site !!!
Thousands of terns nesting on the isolated Farne Islands are dive-bombing and pecking people’s heads forcing them to take cover during visits to islands off the coast of Northumberland.
Even bird watchers trying to photograph them are watching helplessly as the creatures attack their cameras.
Will Scott, National Trust Ranger, said: ‘The terns are trying to protect their eggs and also to protect their chicks.
‘Obviously they nest quite close to the board walk which gives them a bit of protection from the gulls who come and take their eggs.
‘It’s a bit of a love hate relationship because the humans that are protecting them by chasing away the gulls are also quite close to their eggs which is why they are pecking head and can drop a little present on you as well.’
But the attacks are not putting off tourists visiting the islands.
One visitor said: ‘I think they’re fantastic, it is the first time I have been for years. I’m not scared, what’s the point in being scared, they’re just friendly. I really love them.’
Another said: ‘They are absolutely fantastic, this is the second time I have been and I’d recommend it to anybody.’
When asked about visitors being scared of the birds, she said: ‘They know what they’re coming into, they should be prepared and bring a hat. It’s no good hitting the birds, they are just protecting their nest.’
The Farne Islands are a group of 20 islands and are home to hundreds of seals and one of Britain’s largest sea bird colonies.
Mr Scott said: ‘The Farne Islands are really important for arctic tern. We are one of the largest colonies in England and one of the most successful as well.
‘The presence of people makes the terns a lot more successful, a lot more collective as a colony and produce a lot more chicks because of the lack of
predators who come and steal their chicks while they are raising them.’
When 21 year old engineering student Indrajeet Ghorpade saw waste paper bins at his college hostel overflowing with used notebooks at the end of every semester, he was horrified. If this was the waste generated by a single institution, he could only imagine the scenario at schools, colleges and universities across the country at the end of every academic cycle. Thousands of tonnes of paper wasted each year just on rough-work and calculations. Considering that India recycles only 26% of its paper,this amounted to shocking misuse of a non-renewable resource. Something needed to be done and fast.
The first step for Indrajeet, was admitting that despite technology providing us with paperless alternatives like laptops, tablets etc, the conventional paper notebook at least in the Indian context was here to stay. Although, access to technology is rapidly increasing, it remains out of reach for the poor student. Besides, writing and learning is still the most popular method of studying in India across the economic spectrum.
The question that kept doing the rounds in his mind was how did one come up with an environment-friendly alternative that was affordable and yet did not disrupt the preferred method of studying? At last it dawned upon him. A reusable notebook that uses washable synthetic sheets instead of paper. So simple.
“These sheets can be washed, dried,re-bound and used again,” says an enthusiastic Indrajeet. “Thus you end up saving electricity and trees that go into the manufacturing of the conventional paper notebooks as well as the money that goes into buying new books”.
“Since stationery can be very expensive,” he says. “This is an attractive alternative for the students. One does not fill all the pages of a book in a day, so you don’t have to wash it everyday. Most likely you’ll only need to do it once a month and its as simple as doing your laundry.”
The Reusable Notebook: Wash and re-use!When showcased at the Innovation Jockeys contest last year, the reusable notebook became an instant hit. Buoyed by the positive response generated by his product, its proud creator says it’s only a matter of time before the reusable notebook hits the market.
“I have presented my idea to few of the leading stationery manufactures and organizations that support eco-friendly innovations and have received a positive response. With efforts channeled in the right direction along with smart marketing strategies, we should be able to see the product being used in every household, school and college in near future.”
In his final year in engineering at the Vellore Institute of Technology, Indrajeet has already landed a cushy job with a prestigious internet company. However, he dreams of striking it big on his own someday. First on his agenda is creating an “educational Institution where teaching will happen in an unconventional way with a complete emphasis on gaining practical skills, encouraging creativity and innovation.”
Other dream projects include, turning his house and eventually the entire neighbourhood into an eco-friendly zone. A beach-side café also happens to be on the list.
However, the die-hard fan of Vint Cerf and Tim Berners-Lee insists that innovators today have a more difficult challenge ahead of them. Environmental sustainability must be a part of every solution. For him,a true trailblazer is one who can think diversely and “come up with a technique that is efficient, cost effective and supports sustainable development.” Much like the reusable notebook.
Indrajeet Ghorpade
source::::yahoo specials India
Natarajan
Japan’s floating bullet trains – which will travel at up speeds of up to 311mph – have undergone their first test runs.
The magnetic levitation, or ‘maglev’ trains, use state-of-the-art technology to reach mind-blowing speeds.
The teams behind the operation aim to have an established track from Tokyo to Osaka by 2045, eventually linking the entire country from north to south.


Maglev trains use magnets to lift the carriages above the track, eliminating the need for wheels and therefore any incidence of friction, providing a faster and quieter service.
The first five of the Series LO cars, manufactured by Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai), are propelled by magnetic forces and have undergone initial tests that involved being pushed along the track by a maintenance car, the Telegraph reported.
Official test runs are scheduled to begin in September, and are on schedule to be running between Tokyo and Nagoya, the third largest city in Japan, by 2027.
The sleek, aerodynamic trains are the fastest ever manufactured.
Japan is well-established as the world leader in high-speed trains, having developed the first ‘bullet train’ in 1964.
Maglev trains are the latest in high speed transport, and have reached up to 361mph in test runs.
China was the first country to have a commercially-operated Maglev service.
The Shanghai Maglev opened to the public in January 2004, and has a top commercial operational speed of 268mph due to the short track length.It cost $1.3billion (£830million) to build.
Manufacturers claim that Maglev technology is less polluting than the flights that currently link the cities.

source:::::mailonline.com
Natarajan
During the 1920s and 1930 there was a very controversial politician in Britain called Johnston. Once another notable politician was asked what was the difference between a tragedy and a calamity. The reply was: If Johnston were to be drowned in the Thames, that would be a tragedy. But if he were to come out alive, that would be a calamity.
Once Johnston made an unpleasant statement about the government. The entire media was up against him and for a full week there were devastating attacks on him but he did not respond. A journalist asked him about this and Johnston’s reply was: Just imagine the amount of free publicity I got all last week!
xxxxxx
This humorous touch was not missing in India. In 1951, Rajendra Prasad outwitted Nehru and got himself elected the first President of the Republic though Nehru’s preference was for Rajaji, the Governor-General. Five years later, Nehru preferred Radhakrishnan as President but Rajen Babu again got the better of Nehru and was elected President. Rajen Babu was one of the most selfless freedom fighters and highly respected by Congressmen. After Independence, attitudes started changing, resulting in even a person like him manoeuvring to stay on as President for a second term. The then Editor of Deccan Herald, Pothan Joseph, wrote in his daily column, “Over a cup of tea”: “Rajen Babu was sitting in his presidential suite, eagerly waiting to give his reluctant consent to continue as President.” Readers had a good laugh but a badly hurt Rajen Babu wrote a nasty letter to the Editor.
xxxxxx
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was another politician who regaled audiences with his humorous remarks. During an election meeting in Gujarat, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi told the gathering that she was a daughter of Uttar Pradesh and daughter-in-law of Gujarat and was seeking votes on that basis. Vajpayee later said Mrs. Gandhi had forgotten to say that she was also the mother-in-law of Italy. The audience had a hearty laugh and one journalist later wrote that this humorous remark of Vajpayee had brought the BJP a lot of votes.
source::::G.Dwarakanath in The Hindu…English Daily
Natarajan