learnings

The First Website EverMade…

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Today I found out what the first website ever made was.  Simply put, it was a website made by the World Wide Web’s creator Tim Berners-Lee, who was working for CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research).

The first ever website was published on August 6, 1991 and served up a page explaining the World Wide Web project and giving information on how users could setup a web server and how to create their own websites and web pages, as well as how they could search the web for information.  The URL for the first ever web page put up on the first ever website was http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html

The First Ever Machine to Run a Web Server.

This link is no longer active and, unfortunately, nobody bothered to make a copy of this original page, which tended to be updated daily anyways.  The earliest version of it that was recorded was in 1992 and a copy of that page can be found here.

The first ever web browser, called WorldWideWeb, was also created by Tim Berners-Lee.  This browser had a nice graphical user interface; allowed for multiple fonts and font sizes; allowed for downloading and displaying images, sounds, animations, movies, etc.; and had the ability to let users edit the web pages being viewed in order to promote collaboration of information.  However, this browser only ran on NeXT Step’s OS, which most people didn’t have because of the high cost of these systems (this company was owned by Steve Jobs, so you can imagine the cost bloat ;-)).

In order to provide a browser anyone could use, the next browser he developed was much simpler and, thus, versions of it could be quickly developed to be able to run on just about any computer, pretty much regardless of processing power or operating system.  It was a bare-bones inline browser (command line / text only), which didn’t have most of the features of his original browser, but at least could be used on pretty much any computer out there at the time and allowed people to access the information on the web.

The first web server was also written by Tim Berners-Lee called CERN HTTPd, the latter part standing for “Hypertext Transfer Protocol daemon”.   For those not familiar, a daemon is simply a program that more or less runs in the background on a system doing whatever it is programmed to do; in this case, listening for and responding to requests for web pages that exist on the machine it is running on; thus this daemon would be called a “server”.

Source…….www.todayifoundout.com

Natarajan

Unique Kailas Temple @ Ellora Caves Complex….!!!

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This is the world famous Kailasa temple at Ellora and let’s look objectively into who could have built this amazing structure. By the end of this video, I hope you will agree with me that our history is completely wrong, and that this temple was built by a very advanced civilization.

What is so special about this temple? This temple was not constructed by adding stone blocks, but an entire mountain was carved to create this temple. This is the only example in the whole world where a mountain was cut out from the top, to create a structure. In all the other temples and caves, even in Ellora and the rest of the world, the rock was cut from the front and carved as they went along. The whole world has followed a rock cutting technique called “cut-in monolith” while Kailasa temple is the only one that has used the exact opposite technique called “cut-out monolith”.

To see why this rock cutting technique is so different, let’s take a look at this pillar that is over 100 feet tall. See how small human beings look when compared to this pillar. Normally, to create such a huge pillar, it would take years of work, carving accurately on the huge rock. But this pillar was carved by scooping out all the pieces of mountain around it. You can imagine the amount of rock, which has been removed to create this pillar.

Historians and archaeologists are confused because of the sheer amount of rock that was removed in this temple. Archaeologists confirm that over 400,000 tons of rock had to be scooped out, which would have taken not years, but centuries of human labor. Historians have no record of such a monstrous task and they think that it was built in less than 18 years.

Let us do a simple math and see if historians could be right. I am going to assume that people worked every day for 18 years and for 12 hours straight with no breaks at all. I am going to ignore rainy days, festivals, war time and assume that people worked like robots ceaselessly. I am also going to ignore the time taken to create intricate carvings and complex engineering design and planning and just focus on the removal of rock.

If 400,000 tons of rock were removed in 18 years, 22,222 tons of rock had to be removed every year. This means that 60 tons of rock was removed every day, which gives us 5 tons of rock removed every hour. I think we can all agree, that is not even possible today to remove 5 tons of rock from a mountain, every hour. Not even with all the so called advanced machines that we have. So, if it is not humanly possible, was it done by humans at all? Was this created with the help of extraterrestrial intelligence?

Now, forget about creating such an extraordinary structure. Can human beings at least destroy this temple? In fact, Aurangzeb a Muslim king employed a thousand workers to completely demolish this temple. In 1682, he ordered that that the temple be destroyed, so that there would be no trace of it. Records show that a 1000 people worked for 3 years, and they could only do a very minimal damage. They could break and disfigure a few statues here and there, but they realized it is just not possible to completely destroy this temple. Aurangzeb finally gave up on this impossible task.

Note that this attempted destruction is very similar to another mysterious structure called The Menkaure’s pyramid in Egypt. Another Muslim ruler wanted all the pyramids to be destroyed, and started his work from the Menkaure’s pyramid. After years of trying, he was only able to make a small dent on the pyramid. He gave up too. Were all these indestructible structures around the world created by extraterrestrials? Is that why human beings are not even able to destroy them?

In fact, archaeologists agree that Kailasa temple was created before any other temple in the Ellora cave complex. Could this have been built centuries before human beings started carving other temples nearby? Is this why the architecture, the design, and the size is so much better and bigger than other temples? If it was built by humans, it is logical to expect that the rock cutting techniques and design would become better over time. People would gain more experience and knowledge and make better structures in the future. However, the Kailasa temple is the oldest and the biggest temple carved with engineering perfection.

Unlike other temples, the Kailasa is the only temple that is visible from the air. Out of 34 temples, all carved side by side, Kailasa stands out and you can see it while flying over it. Is this just a coincidence? Or was it designed for people to see it from the air, like Nazca lines of Peru? Even on Google earth, the aerial view of Kailasa temple clearly shows an X mark. This is how it looks from the top; you can see a circular design that is studded with 4 lions that create this huge X mark. Was this created as a signal for extraterrestrials, who can spot the location while flying?

Source……..www.you tube.com

Natarajan

Harvard, IIT Graduates are Tea Sellers too….!!!

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An increasing number of b-school graduates are exploring tea-based services and products for businesses and some of them have tasted success too.

Harvard, IIT graduates are tea sellers tooAmuleek Singh Bijral had some of the best offers from the corporate world after graduating from Harvard Business School. But those offers weren’t his cup of tea; so, Bijral did something that surprised even his closest friends — he set up Chai Point, an online tea selling business in Bengaluru and Noida five years ago.

Bijral obviously read the tea leaves well quite early in his career.

Chai Point, which received Rs 12 crore from Saama Capital, is now looking to raise its next round of funding worth Rs 80-100 crore to finance plans to expand to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai.

Chai Point has 50 stores and claims to have sold 10 million cups of tea.

Bijral says there is no single organised player in India’s Rs 33,000-crore chai market and Chai Point targets white-collar workers across the country who are fast on technology and love the new experience of sipping tea.

The idea is catching on — Chai Point’s latest app has seen about 12,000 downloads in the last three months.

In the backdrop of rising real estate prices, Chai Point is keen to do a hub-spoke model in each city it plans to enter.

Bijral isn’t alone. Nitin Saluja, founder of Chaayos, ventured into the business after he started missing home-made ginger tea during his days in the US.

In 2012, the IIT Mumbai graduate opened Chaayos in the National Capital Region along with IIT Delhi’s Raghav Verma.

Both are in discussions to take the next leap in scalability and are in talks with venture capital investors to raise Rs 30-40 crore.

Investors seem to be getting interested in putting in more money, with good reason.

Ankur Bisen, senior vice-president, at retail consulting firm Technopak, says, “Tea-based cafes have seen interest because Chaayos and Chai Point have demonstrated to investors that they can grow beyond local catchment areas to different cities,” Bisen adds.

Replicating the success of Starbucks and Cafe Coffee Day through the chai business is an idea that has inspired many graduates from India’s premier institutes.

A year ago, Pankaj Judge, an IIT Kharagpur graduate, opened his first outlet of Chai Thela in Noida with a plan to enter Delhi and Gurgaon.

From aam aadmi chai to adrak chai, to tulsi chai, Chai Thela offers 30-plus varieties of tea through seven outlets in Noida.

“We want to do with chai what Starbucks and Cafe Coffee Day did with coffee,” Judge says, explaining why the potential is huge.

On average, each of his outlets sells 400-500 cups of tea per day.

Chai Thela, which focuses on IT parks, hospitals and college campuses, is in discussions with angel investors to raise Rs 1 crore now and another Rs 12 crore after six months.

Recently, another firm TeaBox, an online retailer of premium tea, raised Rs 36 crore in fresh funds led by venture capital firm JAFCO Asia and existing investor Accel Partners.

TeaBox, which eyes international markets, plans to expand its footprint to the US, China, Japan, etc.

“The high disposable income as well as influence of western culture have changed the lifestyle of Indians who like to consume high-end tea in the same way as they enjoy a good wine,” Kaushal Dugar, founder, TeaBox, says.

Bisen says when a concept in the food services space reaches a decent size and show results, it starts attracting the fancy of investors.

Agrees Prashanth Prakash of Accel India. “Most tea retailers continue to rely on a

legacy value chain consisting of multiple middlemen,” he says.

“But the renewed interest in category is bringing in a new set of retailers like Chaayos, who essentially would continue to be a part of the same set-up,” he adds.

Lead image used for representational purposes only

Photograph: Damir Sagolj/Reuters

Source……….. http://www.rediff.com

Natarajan

Message For the Day…” Nature is Your Best Teacher …”

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Every object in Nature and every individual around you is constantly teaching you lessons of various sorts, every moment of your life. Recognise this truth. Marvellous, sacred and beautiful is Nature. Human beings, in deep involvement with mundane concerns, and in their insane conceit, regard themselves as the Master of Nature. Nature is your best teacher. It is Nature that presides over every aspect of your life and provides you with all nourishment. It can bless or punish you, its sway is extensive. God considers all things in creation as equal and He is immanent in all of them. Hence, do not regard God and Nature as distinct entities. They are inseparably interrelated like the object and its image. Ancient Indian scriptures regarded and worshipped every object in Nature as a divine manifestation. From a stone to a diamond, from an ant to an elephant, from a simple person to a sage, everything and every being was considered worthy of worship.

Sathya Sai Baba

” Namaste to a Pain Free Life …” !!!

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We don’t need to live with pain. Pain is a sign of imbalance and non-alignment, of neglect and disconnection. Being pain-free means tuning into our life, our lifestyle, our emotions and our daily choices, with keener attention to the details. Every action, and the lack of it, determines the quality of our overall health. So fine-tuning our well-being is something that we can actively take charge of by investing in small actions that release pain and boost overall health.

A simple example to illustrate my point would be the stiff necks, painful shoulders, rounded backs and carpal tunnel syndrome that most people who sit at computers for hours suffer from. A simple posture done regularly through the day can reverse and prevent the crippling pain that they experience.

The following is a modified version of a posture that can be done multiple times at any point of the day to relieve stiffness in your shoulders and wrists. The shoulder girdle is built for mobility rather than strength and, therefore, the joints need to put through their full range of motion, so that they remain supple and fit for life.

The posture drains lymph and boosts circulation to the wrists and fingers. The chest and upper back muscles also get a break from the constant contraction and pressure that they are under.

Simplified Parsvotasana (The Rotating Posture)

Stand with your feet four to five inches apart.

Turn your feet parallel to the sides of the mat, with your toes turned slightly inward and your heels turned slightly outward.

Tuck your tailbone in, contract your gluteus muscles, tighten your thighs and pull your knees upwards.

Get used to the steadiness of your lower body.

Relax your shoulder joints by rotating them up to your ears and backwards five times.

First rotate your wrists and then your head and neck, clockwise and anti-clockwise five times.

Bring your palms together behind your back in a namaste position. The fingers should be pointed up.

You will find it tough in the beginning if your shoulders and arm joints are stiff, you might even have muscle cramps, but keep trying.

If you are able to bring your palms together, breathe deeply and hold this position for at least 15 counts. Release gently.

Keywords: Yoga on the move, fitness

Source ……..DIVYA SRINIVASAN in http://www.the hindu.com

Natarajan

” ஆணவமும் பொறாமையும் அறிவுக்கு சத்துரு …”

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பொறாமை! அது, மனிதர்கள் அனைவரையுமே ஆட்டிப் படைக்க கூடியது. அதற்கு, படித்தவர் – படிக்காதவர் என்ற பேதமில்லை; பொறாமை, உத்தமமான பக்தர்களைக் கூட ஆட்டிப் படைத்திருக்கிறது என்பதற்கு, இக்கதையே உதாரணம்.


கிஞ்சன்வாடி என்ற கிராமத்தில், கணேச பட்டர் எனும் விநாயக பக்தர் வாழ்ந்து வந்தார். விநாயகர் மீது அவர் வைத்திருந்த துாய பக்தியின் காரணமாக, அவர் அளிக்கும் விபூதி பிரசாதத்தால், நோய் மற்றும் பிரச்னைகள் தீரும்; வறுமை நீங்கும் என்று அப்பகுதி மக்கள் நம்பினர். அதன் காரணமாக, அனைவரும் கணேச பட்டரைப் போற்றினர்.
அதே காலகட்டத்தில், துகாராம் என்பவர் வாழ்ந்து வந்தார். அவர், ஞான திருஷ்டி படைத்தவர்; அத்துடன், அவர், பண்டரிநாதனுக்கு படைக்கும் உணவை இறைவன் உண்டு செல்வார் என்றெல்லாம் அவரின் புகழ் பரவியிருந்தது.
இவ்விஷயத்தை கேள்விப்பட்ட கணேச பட்டருக்கு, ஒரு குடம் பாலில், துளி விஷம் கலந்தாற் போல, மனதில் பொறாமை தீ வளர்ந்தது.
‘நாளை துகாராமிடம் போய், என் கண்முன் பண்டரிநாதனை
வரவழையுங்கள் பாக்கலாம் என கேட்கப் போறேன். அப்போது, அவரோட பொய் வெளிப்பட்டு விடும். அத்துடன், நான் விநாயகரை வரவழைத்து, துகாராமை விட நான் தான் பெரிய பக்தன் என, அனைவர் முன்பும் நிரூபிப்பேன்…’ என, சபதமிட்டார் கணேச பட்டர்.
மறுநாள், நீராடி, துாய ஆடைகள் அணிந்து, ஆசார அனுஷ்டானங்களை முடித்து, கோவிலுக்கு புறப்பட்டுக் கொண்டிருந்தார் பட்டர். அப்போது, ‘ஸ்வாமி… உள்ளே வரலாமா?’ எனக் குரல் கேட்டது. வெளியே வந்து பார்த்தார். அங்கே, துகாராம் நின்று கொண்டிருந்தார். ‘ஸ்வாமி… நீங்க என்னைப் பாக்க விரும்புவதாகவும், அவருக்கு சிரமம் கொடுக்காமல், நீயே அவரைப் போய் பார்ன்னு பண்டரிநாதர் எனக்கு கட்டளையிட்டார். அதன்படி உங்களப் பாக்குறதுக்காக வந்துருக்கேன்…’ என்றார் துகாராம்.
அதைக் கேட்டதும், பட்டருக்கு கோபம் வந்து, ‘பொய் சொல்லாதீர்; இன்று நான் உங்கள சோதனை செய்ய வரப் போறத
எப்படியோ தெரிஞ்சு, பண்டரிநாதன் சொன்னதாக பொய் சொல்கிறீர். ஒரு சாதாரண வணிக குலத்தில் பிறந்த நீர், உயர் குலத்தில் பிறந்த என்னிடம் பொய் சொல்லாதீர்…’ என்றார்.
துகாராம் எவ்வளவோ சொல்லியும், அதை ஏற்கவில்லை பட்டர். இதனால், ‘சரி… இதோ நான் பண்டரிநாதரை அழைக்கிறேன், என் பக்திக்கு இரங்கி அவர் வருவார். நீங்க உங்க விநாயகரை அழையுங்க, நானும் அவரை தரிசிக்கிறேன்…’ என்றார்.
இதைக் கேட்டதும், பட்டருக்கு கோபம் அதிகமாகி, ‘அப்படியா… இதோ விநாயகரை அழைக்கிறேன்; அவர் கண்டிப்பாக வருவார்…’ என்றார்.
தகவல் அறிந்து ஊரே கூடி விட்டது. கணபதி பட்டர் கைகளைக் கூப்பி, மந்திரங்களைச் சொல்லத் துவங்கினார். ஊஹூம்… என்னென்னவோ செய்தும், விநாயகர் வரவில்லை.
அப்போது துகாராம், ‘ஸ்வாமி… விநாயகரின் பக்தர் ஒருவர், குளிப்பதற்காக குளத்திற்குச் சென்றிருந்தவர் படிக்கட்டில் வழுக்கி, குளத்தில் விழுந்து விட்டார். ‘கணேசா காப்பாற்று…’ என்று கதறிய அப்பக்தரை விநாயகர் காப்பாற்றி கரை சேர்த்து, அமைதிப்படுத்திக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார். அதனால் தான் உங்க குரலுக்கு வரவில்லை…’ என்று கண்களை மூடியபடியே சொன்னார்.
ஆனால், அதை நம்பவில்லை பட்டர்.
‘நான் சொல்வதில் நம்பிக்கை இல்லன்னா நீங்க பூஜை செய்யும் விநாயகர் கோவில்ல போய் பாருங்க உண்மை தெரியும்…’ என்றார். அதன்படி, பட்டரும், மற்றவர்களும் கோவிலுக்கு சென்று பார்த்த போது, அங்கே ஈரக் காலடிச் சுவடுகள் இருந்தன. விநாயகரின் திருமேனி முழுவதும் நனைந்திருந்தது. விநாயகர் அணிந்திருந்த ஆடைகளில் இருந்து, தண்ணீர் சொட்டிக் கொண்டிருந்தது.
அனைவரும் வியக்க, உண்மையை உணர்ந்த கணேச பட்டர் தலை குனிந்தார். அவர் மனதில் இருந்த பொறாமையும் அகன்றது.
ஆணவமும், பொறாமையும் அறிவுக்கு சத்ரு; அதுவும், ஆன்மிகத்தில், பொறாமை அறவே கூடாது.
பி.என்.பரசுராமன் in Dinamalar.com

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இன்பால் உயிர்நிலை செய்த இறை ஓங்கும்
நண்பால் ஒருவனை நாடுகின்றேனே!
கருத்து: எலும்புகளால் பின்னி, நரம்புகளால் இழுத்துக் கட்டி, ரத்தம், சதையால் அமைக்கப்பட்ட, உடம்பு எனும் வீட்டில், உயிர் என்பது இன்பமாக நிலை பெற்று இருக்கிறது. அவ்வாறு உடம்பையும், உயிரையும் சேர்த்துத் திருவருள் புரிந்த இறைவனை, துாய்மையான அன்பினால் நான் நாடுகிறேன்.

Source……….www.dinamalar.com

Natarajan

” எத்தர்கள் எத்தனை விதம் ….Eiffel Tower ” விலைக்கு வந்த கதை …” !!!

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‘உலக மகா எத்தர்கள்’ நூலிலிருந்து  ………….

:பாரிஸ் நகர இரும்பு வியாபாரிகளான அந்த ஐந்து பேரும், அந்நகர பொதுக் கட்டடங்களைப் பராமரிக்கும் அரசு அதிகாரியான விக்டர் லஸ்ட்விக் சொல்வதை, வியப்புடன் கேட்டுக் கொண்டிருந்தனர். ‘பாரிஸ் நகரின் பெருமையை உலகுக்கு உணர்த்தும் சின்னமான, ‘ஈபில் டவர்’ விலைக்கு வருகிறது. அதைப் பராமரிக்க ஆகும் செலவு அதிகமாவதால், அரசு கஷ்டப்படுகிறது. எனவே, அதை அடியோடு இடித்து அப்புறப்படுத்த முடிவெடுத்துள்ளது. அதற்கு குத்தகை எடுப்பவர்கள் தங்கள், ‘டெண்டர்’களை முத்திரையிட்ட உறைகளில், தனித்தனியே கொடுத்து விட வேண்டும்…’ என்றார் லஸ்ட்விக்.
ஐந்து வியாபாரிகளும், மனக் கணக்குப் போட்டனர். ‘ஈபில் டவரை உடைத்தால், மிக உயர் ரக இரும்பு, 7,000 டன் கிடைக்குமே… என்ன ஒரு அதிர்ஷ்டம்!’ என நினைத்து மகிழ்ந்து, ஐந்து வியாபாரிகளும், ‘டெண்டர்’ அனுப்பி வைத்தனர். மறுநாளே, ஆண்ட்ரி பாஸன் என்பரின் டெண்டர் எடுத்துக் கொள்ளப்பட்டிருப்பதாகவும், பணத்தைக் கட்ட வேண்டும் என்றும் தகவல் சொல்லப்பட்டது.
பணத்தை தயார் செய்து விட்டார் பாஸன். ஆனால், அவருக்கு ஒரு சந்தேகம்… ஈபில் டவரை இடிப்பது, டெண்டர் எடுப்பது போன்ற மிக முக்கியமான விஷயத்தை ஒரு அரசு அலுவலகத்தில் கூப்பிட்டுப் பேசாமல், ஓட்டல் அறையில் ஏன் பேசுகிறார் என்று!
மறுநாள், விக்டர் லஸ்ட்விக்கை அவரது அரசு அலுவலகத்தில் சந்தித்த போது, இச்சந்தேகத்தைக் கேட்டார் பாஸன். உடனே விக்டர், தன் உதவியாளரை வெளியே அனுப்பி விட்டு, ‘ஒரு அரசு ஊழியன் வாழ்க்கை இருக்கிறதே… அது ரொம்ப மோசம்; இதுபோன்ற பெரிய, ‘டெண்டர்’ விஷயங்களில், நாங்கள் பல கோடீஸ்வரர்களைக் கூப்பிட்டு, விருந்து கொடுக்க வேண்டும்; அன்றைக்கு பிரமாதமாக ஆடை அணிந்து, ஓடி ஓடி உபசரிக்க வேண்டும்; இவற்றை எல்லாம் இந்த அரசு கொடுக்கும் பிச்சைக் காசிலேயே முடிக்க வேண்டும். முடிகிற காரியமா? அது தான், இந்த மாதிரி, குத்தகை விடும்போது…’ என்று கூறி, ‘ஹி… ஹி…’ என்று சிரித்தார்.
புரிந்து கொண்ட பாஸன், ‘டெண்டர்’ கொடுத்ததற்காக அதிகாரிக்கு, ஒரு பெரிய தொகையைக் கொடுத்து விட்டு, ராஜநடையில் வெளியேறினார்.
ஒரு மணி நேரத்தில், ‘செக்’கைப் பணமாக்கிக் கொண்டு தலைமறைவாகி விட்ட விக்டர், அதன் பின், இன்று வரை போலீசிடம் பிடிபடவே இல்லை. !!!

Source………www.dinamalar.com

Natarajan

Do You Know That ‘Cholesterol’ is an essential molocule for our health and Life …?

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    How to Reduce Your Cholesterol Levels!

Before blaming family genetics, or panic over the latest blood test, it’s important to first remember that cholesterol is, first and foremost, an essential molecule, without it there would be no life, and also – that we have the ability to influence the level of cholesterol in our bodies.

The level of cholesterol in our body is a result of the process of creating cholesterol by the liver. In fact, over 85% of our cholesterol is created by the liver. The rest comes from eating animal products: Beef, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy

The body is an amazing system, and if a healthy body creates cholesterol, then it is indeed an essential material in our bodies:

–  Cholesterol is used to build needed steroids.
– Cholesterol is used to build hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
– Cholesterol is vital for the creation of vitamin D.
– The membrane of every cell in our body contains cholesterol.

When there’s too much cholesterol

A situation of higher than normal levels of cholesterol can be worrying, because it may build inside the blood vessels and cause coronary diseases and problems with blood flow.

As of today, the normal range of cholesterol in the body is up to 200 mg.

The common medicine to take care of additional cholesterol delay the enzyme that takes part in the process of creating cholesterol in the liver so in fact we limit the rate of building our own cholesterol. But is it logical for us to limit the internal creation of cholesterol without addressing the external source? Nutrition will always be at the forefront of dealing with a surplus of cholesterol.  

How can we reduce the levels of cholesterol?

– Reducing or eliminating animal foods: Beef, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products and especially foods rich in fat and cholesterol.

eggs

– Consuming Phytosterolsthat come from vegetation. Phytosterols have a similar chemical structure to cholesterol and because of this similarity they both compete for absorption by the lower intestine, and so consuming them will reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed.  A good daily amount would be 1.5-2.5 grams a day.

Best sources for Phytosterols: Sesame oil and corn oil but also grains, nuts and seeds: wheat germ, flax seed, wheat bran, peanuts, almonds and cashews, fruits and vegetables: beets, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, onions, oranges and legumes: peas and beans. Legumes and grains are a good source of proteins instead of the fat rich foods.

– Staying away from trans-fats. Trans fat also appears as vegetable oil that has gone through hydrogenation in order to make it harder. This fat is not recommended at all and you’d be best staying clear of it. It is mainly found in processed foods such as margarine, puff pastry, pastries such as croissants, and processed cakes and cookies.  

A few more tips…

– Consuming anti-oxidants will help limit the oxidation of cholesterol and consuming them will help getting the cholesterol off  the artery walls.

– Consuming soluble fibers, which are abundant in full wheat products, oatmeal, vegetables and fruit. These absorb conversion salts in the digestion system and the body then uses cholesterol to make new ones, thus reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood stream.

– Daily exercise.  We know it’s tough, but you’ll thank us when you get less bad cholesterol, and more good cholesterol. 

Source…………wwwba-bamail.com

Natarajan

IIT Mumbai ‘s Prank on April 1….Goes Viral…A Good One … Watch …

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IIT Bombay's Prank On April Fool's Day Goes Viral. It's A Good One.

Screengrab from YouTube video uploaded by IIT Bombay

On April Fool’s Day, Google pranked users with its Pacman doodle, Uber said it has launched supercars and Ola launched a fictional helicopter ride service for Rs. 499/hour.

But, guess whose prank is still getting major online props, even two days later?

It’s the one by IIT Bombay, whose video has been viewed over 3 lakh times on YouTube.

Students used hidden cameras to film others on campus picking up 100-rupee notes lying on the ground. When they unfold them, there’s a bit of a twist.

Watch the video here to find out (or scroll down if you just want to read about it)

 

The currency notes have a message on them-“It takes equal effort to pick up a piece of garbage. #PickItUp.”

Well played, IIT Mumbai, well played.

Source:::: http://www.ndtv.com

Natarajan

“Why Bread Goes stale Six Times Faster in the Fridge than at Normal Room Temperature” ?

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Today I found out bread goes stale about six times faster in the refrigerator then when kept at room temperature.

On the surface, this might seem counter intuitive; after all, everyone knows if you want to keep food fresher longer, you put it in the fridge.  The problem stems from what bread is made out of, specifically starch molecules, and how those starch molecules react in certain conditions.

Before we begin to dissect why bread goes stale faster in the fridge, it’s important to know what bread is actually made of.  Breads are essentially networks of wheat flour protein molecules (called gluten) and starch molecules.  Suspended in this network of molecules is carbon dioxide that is produced by the fermentation of yeast inside the dough. This gives bread its fluffy, foam-like texture.  Begin to play around with the amounts of these ingredients and other fancy tasting additives and you can get many different types of textures and tastes.

The starch inside of this mixture has its own characteristics.  Starch molecules are made of two base components, both are long chain sugar molecules.  Glucose (sugar) is classified as a monosaccharide, meaning one glucose unit. But if you link these units together, they can become a polysaccharide or complex carbohydrate (be afraid Atkins lovers, be very afraid).  The two units are Amylose and Amylopectin. Amylose, which usually consists of about 10,000 sugar units, is built like a narrow bundle of reeds with all its glucose units arranged in straight parallel lines.  Amylopectin, which usually consists of about 20,000 glucose units, have a more tree-shrub like appearance with its glucose units clumped together going in all directions.  Plant starch is typically 20-30% amylose and 70-80% amylopectin.

When heated up in the presence of moisture or water molecules, for instance placing the bread dough in the oven, the starch molecules weaken and allow water molecules to enter, or get in between the chains of the sugar molecules and join with them.  This swells the starch granule and begins to soften it up, making it oh so warm and squishy!  In the case of bread dough, the moisture can come from two sources, either the wheat protein in the bread itself or the water added to the mixture that makes up the dough.  Once cooling begins, the moment you take it out of the oven, the process begins to reverse itself and the starch molecules begin to “dry out” or crystallize and harden again, a process known as retrogradation.  Thus, the slow process that makes croutons what they are begins (thank you Outback Steakhouse, thank you!)  Another example of a similar process in food can be observed by leaving honey uncovered on the counter.  Over time, it would dehydrate and all you would be left with is pure granules of hard white glucose molecules (sugar crystals).

So then why does this retrogradation process occur more rapidly in the refrigerator?   Although scientists have made considerable progress in dissecting the staling process, it still is not yet wholly understood.  The leading theory is that the dehydration reaction, condensation, is the main mediator in the dehydration process in this case.  Whatever the mediator, the cause of the staleness is the same; water molecules detach themselves from the starch molecules and the starch molecules begin to take their original shape and harden again.  The cool temperatures of the refrigerator make the dehydration process happen more quickly, specifically, about six times as fast via the process listed above.  This is why fruit and vegetables can last longer in the refrigerator.  In their case, the dehydration process slows the natural degradation caused by the presence of water molecules.