Moon expense claims, MacGyver moments and other interesting Buzz Aldrin facts…

November 30, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Former NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin is pretty clear with about his thoughts on travel to Mars.

AMERICAN astronaut Buzz Aldrin is best remembered for being the second man to set foot onto the surface of the moon during NASA’s Apollo 11 mission.

However, there is much more to the famed astronaut than meets the eye.

Here are 10 facts about 85-year-old that might surprise you.

1. BORN TO WALK ON THE MOON

Buzz’s parents were Edwin Eugene Aldrin Sr and Marion Aldrin.

Nothing seems out of the ordinary here until you discover the mother of the man selected for the Apollo 11 mission was actually born Marion Moon.

So that means Buzz’s career choice was either destiny or a very big coincidence.

2. HIS OWN FIRST ON THE MOON

He may not have been the first man to set foot on the moon, but Buzz Aldrin does hold the dubious honour of being the first man to urinate there.

While making his way down the lander’s ladder, nature came calling and Buzz was forced to perform a lunar leak into a special bag in his space suit.

3. EXPENSE CLAIM

For many, being able to set foot on the moon would be a prestigious honour, but for Buzz it wasn’t enough.

Once returning to Earth, he submitted an expense claim for the Apollo 11 mission, which asked to be reimbursed $AU46.33.

The claim was very accurate in its depiction of “points of travel” with Buzz detailing his travels from Houston to Cape Kennedy to the moon to the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii and then back to Houston.

As the documents show “government meals and quarters” were provided throughout the July 1969 mission, Buzz did not place a claim for those.

However, he did claim for the use of a car for travel between airports on his way to the launch at Cape Kennedy.

The claim was paid by NASA.

4. COOL AS A CUCUMBER

After exploring the surface of the moon, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made their way back into the lander so they could start their return journey to Earth.

However, once inside, Buzz discovered a broken circuit breaker lying on the floor of the module.

Following a brief search, it was discovered the circuit breaker was from the ascent engine — a vital component required to lift the lander off the moon.

After phoning mission control for advice, the astronauts were to told they would have to wait overnight for a solution.

So with the possibility of an indefinite stay on the moon surface looming, Buzz did something strange.

He spread out on the floor of the landing module and went to sleep, obviously completely unfazed by the hiccup.

5. MOVE OVER MACGYVER

The following morning, Buzz was told getting the breaker pushed back in was the only solution to getting the lander back into space.

With the component being electrical and his fingers being too large to do the job, Buzz began searching for a tool to use.

The solution came in the form a felt-tipped pen he had in the shoulder pocket of his space suit.

After successfully pushing the circuit breaker in with his pen, the lander was ready for takeoff.

Even more impressive was the fact Buzz still has the very same pen sitting in his home.

6. CUSTOMS DECLARATION

If you think being on the first mission to the moon excludes you from filing those pesky customs declarations, you are sadly mistaken.

Upon returning to Earth, all of the astronauts on board Apollo completed and signed customs forms declaring they were brining “Moon rock and Moon Dust” back.

7. BECOMING BUZZ

Buzz Aldrin was born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr on January 20, 1930 in Montclair, New Jersey.

However, his family wasn’t all that keen on the name and ended up nicknaming him Buzz.

The nickname evolved from his younger sister who struggle to pronounce “brother” and would often say “buzzer”.

He legally changed his name in 1988.

8. FLYING HIGH

Long before he was an intergalactic traveller, Buzz had an interest in flying.

This saw him being a test pilot for US Navy and also serving a stint as a fighter pilot.

While on combat missions in Korea, Buzz earned the Distinguished Flying Cross medal for destroying two MIG’s and damaging another.

9. THOSE BLACK MARKS

There is iconic picture of Buzz Aldrin standing on the moon, but closer inspection shows there are two mysterious black marks on the front of his spacesuit.

These are the result of Buzz’s failed attempt to reboard the lander on the surface of the moon.

When trying to jump up to the lander, Buzz didn’t provide enough force and collected his shins on the button rung of a ladder.

Buzz Aldrin has a completely white suit, except for the marks on his shins.Source:News Corp Australia

10. ALL YOU NEED IS A PUNCH IN THE FACE

There are many conspiracy theories floating around questioning the legitimacy of the moon landing.

It is fine to speculate, just don’t approach Buzz Aldrin with your suspicions because if you call him a fraud, he might just punch you in the face.

Matthew Dunn news.com.au

Source….www.news.com.au

Natarajan

வானவில் பெண்கள்: சி.பி.ஐ.க்குப் பயிற்சியளிக்கும் மதுரைப் பெண்…

November 30, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

படங்கள்: எஸ். கிருஷ்ணமூர்த்தி.

இரவு சமையலுக்குத் தோசைக்குத் தொட்டுக்கொள்ள என்ன சமைப்பது என்று யோசிக்கும் இல்லத்தரசிகளில் ஒருவராக இருந்தவர்தான் மதுரையைச் சேர்ந்த ஸ்ரீதேவி. ஆனால் இல்லத்தரசி என்ற அடையாளத்தைத் தாண்டி தனக்கெனத் தனி அடையாளம் வேண்டும் என்று அவர் நினைத்ததன் விளைவு, ஸ்ரீதேவி அமெரிக்கப் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தின் பாராட்டைப் பெற்றிருக்கிறார்.

எதிர்காலத்தில் ஏதாவது சாதிக்க வேண்டும் என்ற கனவுடன்தான் பொதுவாக எல்லாப் பெண்களுமே படிப்பார்கள். ஆனால், படிப்பு முடிந்ததும் பெரும்பாலான பெண்களுக்குக் குடும்பச் சூழலால் அந்தக் கனவு கைகூடாமல் போய்விடுகிறது. எம்.பி.ஏ. படித்து முடித்ததும் ஸ்ரீதேவிக்குத் திருமணம் ஆனது. கணவர், காவல்துறை ஆய்வாளர். குடும்பம், குழந்தைகள் என்று பார்த்துக்கொண்டிருக்கும்போதே 13 ஆண்டுகள் ஓடிவிட்டன.

தேடல் தொடங்கியது

எந்தவொரு சிக்கலும் இல்லாத மிக இனிமையான வாழ்க்கை ஸ்ரீதேவிக்கு. இருந்தாலும் தனக்கென ஒரு அடையாளத்தை ஏற்படுத்திக்கொள்ள விரும்பினார். வீட்டை விட்டு வேலைக்காக வெளியே செல்லத் தயக்கம். அதனால் வீட்டில் இருந்தபடியே ஏதாவது சிறுதொழில் செய்யலாம் என முடிவெடுத்தார். பட்டு மற்றும் தோல் பொருட்களைத் தயாரித்து விற்பனை செய்யத் தொடங்கினார். படிப்படியாக டென்மார்க், ஆஸ்திரேலியா, இலங்கை போன்ற நாடுகளுக்கு அவற்றை ஏற்றுமதி செய்யும் அளவுக்குத் தொழில் முனைவோராக உயர்ந்தார். தங்களுக்கும் தொழில்முனைவோர் பயிற்சியளிக்க வேண்டும் என்று பல பெண்கள் ஸ்ரீதேவியைத் தேடி வந்தனர்.

“எதையுமே முறைப்படி கத்துக்கிட்டாதான் அடுத்தவங் களுக்குப் பயிற்சியளிக்க முடியும். அதனால அமெரிக்காவின் நெவாடா மாகாணத்தில் உள்ள ரீனோ பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் பயிற்சி பெற்றேன். சிறுதொழில் முன்னேற்றம் பற்றி மற்றவர்களுக்குப் பயிற்சியளிப்பது எப்படின்னு அங்கே கத்துக்கிட்டேன். இந்தப் பயிற்சியில என்னுடன் முப்பது பேர் பயிற்சி எடுத்துக்கிட்டாங்க. அதுல நான் முதலாவதாகத் தேர்ச்சி பெற்று அந்தப் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தின் பாராட்டுச் சான்றும் விருதும் பெற்றேன்” என்று சொல்லும் ஸ்ரீதேவி, அதன் பிறகு பெண்களுக்குத் தொழில்முனைவோர் பயிற்சியளிக்கத் தொடங்கினார். ஸ்ரீதேவி அளித்த பயிற்சியால் மதுரையைச் சேர்ந்த பல பெண்கள் சுய தொழில் தொடங்கி, வெற்றிகரமாகச் சாதிக்கத் தொடங்கியுள்ளனர்.

மென்திறன் பயிற்சி

தொழில் முனைவோர் பயிற்சியில் மட்டுமல்லாமல் மென் திறன் பயிற்சியளிப்பதிலும் இவர் தேர்ந்தவர். அந்தத் திறமை, இவருக்கு கவுரவப் பேராசிரியர் என்ற தகுதியையும் பெற்றுத் தந்திருக்கிறது. டெல்லியில் இருக்கும் சி.பி.ஐ. பயிற்சி அகாடமியில் புதிதாகப் பணியில் சேரும் சி.பி.ஐ. அதிகாரிகளுக்கு மென்திறன் பயிற்சியளித்துவருகிறார் இவர்.

“அலுவலகத்தில், அதிகாரிகளிடம் பேசும் விதம், நேர்முகத் தேர்வில் கலந்துகொள்வது, குழு மனப்பான்மை, தனக்குக் கீழ் பணியாற்றுபவர்களை எப்படி உற்சாகப்படுத்துவது போன்றவற்றை உள்ளடக்கியதுதான் இந்த மென் திறன் பயிற்சி. டெல்லியில் உள்ள சிபிஐ அகாடமியில் கடந்த சில ஆண்டுகளாக இந்தப் பயிற்சியை அளித்துவருகிறேன். பொதுவா ஓய்வு பெற்ற நீதிபதிகள், போலீஸ் அதிகாரிகள்தான் சி.பி.ஐ.-யில் இந்தப் பயிற்சியை அளிப்பார்கள். அவர்களைத் தவிர்த்து மற்றவர்களுக்கு இங்கே இடமில்லை. ஆனால் இப்படியொரு வாய்ப்பு முதல் முறையாக எனக்குக் கிடைத்திருப்பது மகிழ்ச்சி தருகிறது” என்று பூரிப்புடன் சொல்கிறார் ஸ்ரீதேவி.

புற்றுநோய் விழிப்புணர்வு

புற்றுநோயிலிருந்து பெண்களைக் காப்பாற்றுவது எப்படி என்பது குறித்து, ‘சேவ் விமன்’ (Save Women) என்ற இவரது திட்டத்துக்கு வெளி நாட்டில் நிதியுதவி கிடைத்தது.

“அமெரிக்காவில் இருந்து மதுரை வந்ததும் 10 கிராமங்களைச் சேர்ந்த பத்தாயிரம் பெண்களைச் சந்தித்தேன். அவர்களிடம் மார்பகப் புற்றுநோய், கர்ப்பப்பை, வாய் புற்றுநோய் குறித்துப் பேசினேன். அவர்களில் பலருக்குப் புற்றுநோய்க்கான அறிகுறிகள் இருப்பதைக் கண்டுபிடித்தேன். புற்றுநோய் பற்றிய விழிப்புணர்வு இல்லாததால் அந்த அறிகுறியைப் பற்றிக் கவலைப்படாமல் இருந்தனர். அப்படியே தெரியவந்தாலும் மருத்துவமனைக்குச் சென்று சிகிச்சை பெற அவர்களுக்கு ஒருவிதத் தயக்கம். தன்னைக் காப்பாற்றிக்கொள்வதைவிட தங்களுக்கு வந்திருக்கும் நோய் அடுத்தவர்களுக்குத் தெரியக் கூடாது என்றே பலரும் நினைத்தனர்” என்று மக்களிடம் பரவிக் கிடக்கும் அறியாமையை குறித்து கவலைப்படுகிறார்.

“புற்றுநோய்க்கு ஆரம்ப கட்டத்தில் சிகிச்சை பெற்றால் வாழ்நாளை நீட்டித்துக்கொள்ளலாம். முப்பது வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட பெண்கள் கண்டிப்பாகப் புற்றுநோய் பரிசோதனை செய்துகொள்ள வேண்டும்” என்கிறார் ஸ்ரீதேவி.

ஒரு புறம் ஆரோக்கியம் பற்றிய விழிப்புணர்வு, மறுபுறம் மென் திறன் பயிற்சிகள் என்று பரபரப்பாக இயங்கிக்கொண்டிருக்கிற ஸ்ரீதேவி, எந்த வயதிலும் சாதிக்கலாம் என்பதற்கு சாட்சி.

Source…….ஒய்.ஆண்டனி செல்வராஜ்….www.tamil.thehindu.com

Natarajan

” Ravichandran Ashwin Rewrites Records….” !!!

November 30, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Ravichandran Ashwin Rewrites Records in Nagpur Test Against South Africa

Ravichandran Ashwin picked up his 15th five-wicket haul and his fourth ten-wicket haul in just his 31st Test to help India clinch a series win over South Africa after 11 years.

Ravichandran Ashwin is currently the leading wicket-taker in 2015 with 55 wickets in just eight Tests so far.

Ravichandran Ashwin created several records during India’s magnificent victory in Nagpur against South Africa. His magnificent haul of 12/98 helped India achieve their first series win against South Africa after 11 years and it also ended the Proteas’ nine-year unbeaten series run overseas. Here is a look at other statistical achievements by Ashwin in the Nagpur Test. (Ravichandran Ashwin is the World’s Best Spinner: Sunil Gavaskar)

– Ashwin became the seventh Indian bowler to take more than 50 Test wickets in the calendar year. Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble have taken 50 wickets in a year three times. (No Excuses Please, India Say After South Africa Thrashing)

– Ashwin went past 50 wickets in only his eighth Test this year. This is the fastest ever by an Indian spinner in Tests, breaking the mark of nine Tests set by Vinoo Mankad in 1952. (Ashwin is Becoming World’s Envy)

– Ashwin became the first Indian bowler after seven years to take 50 wickets in the year. Harbhajan was the last Indian bowler to go past this landmark in 2008.

– He is also the fourth Indian bowler after Subhash Gupte, Harbhajan and Kumble to take six five-wicket hauls in a single year. Gupte achieved this feat in 1955 while Harbhajan and Kumble did it in 2001 and 2004 respectively.

– Ashwin is the 22nd bowler overall to take six five-wicket hauls in the calendar year. Overall, the bowlers who have the most five-wicket hauls in a year are Malcolm Marshall and Muttiah Muralitharan with nine hauls.

– The Tamil Nadu offspinner does wonders as an opener. He is only the third bowler in Test history to take eight five-wicket hauls while opening the bowling. The other two bowlers are England’s Colin Blythe and Australia’s Hugh Trumble.

-With Inputs from HR Gopala Krishna-

Source…..www.ndtv.com

Natarajan

10 Brilliant Indian Tech Solutions to Keep Your Child Safe…..On the Internet & on the Street…

November 29, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Many children today have very easy access to the latest technologies – internet being the scariest one of them, if you ask parents and teachers. While there is a very advantageous side to the fact that internet is being used by children to enhance their knowledge with just a few clicks, one of the major concerns remains that it is not a very safe place for a child. With cases of cyber bullying, frauds and scams surfacing so often, it is quite natural for parents to be worried every time their child picks up a smartphone or tablet to browse.

Thankfully, when technology causes distress, it is technology that comes to the rescue as well. There are numerous apps which have been developed with the sole purpose of giving parents peace of mind with regards to the safety of their children. And it’s not just about protecting them on the internet; these apps are meant to keep an eye on their whereabouts, to find them in time of need, to provide them with tools to reach out for help, and more. Working parents are also anxious when they have to leave their kids behind for long hours. For them, and many others, here are 10 apps/devices that can help ensure a safe environment for your child, and also help them sleep peacefully at night.

1. eKavach

This is a digital parenting app meant to increase awareness among parents about their children’s online activities. Available in Android and iOS platforms, eKavach was launched last year by a Delhi-based technology start-up, Certus Technologies. Noopur Raghunath, mother of a 10-year-old, is the brain behind the app. She was worried about her son’s obsession with internet browsing, and decided to do something about it. Parents just need to download the app on their phone, and on their children’s phones or tablets. This is how it helps them:

Manage applications: eKavach tells parents what applications are being used by a child, and how much time he/she spends on any particular app. It also provides information about new apps installed.
Web filtering: It allows parents to block certain web categories, content, websites etc. Parents can also set time limits on web surfing, and enable safe search options to ensure that a child does not come across any adult, profane, or objectionable content while searching for something.
Get real time alerts: eKavach monitors the child’s online activities all the time. The instant any boundaries set by parents are breached, the app sends a notification on their phone. One can also receive SMS alerts in case the internet is not working. The app also makes the details of a child’s whereabouts available on the map, and enables children to send SOS messages in case of a problem.

Download here.

2. Angel Child Monitoring

Bangalore based Krishnendu Dasgupta, a telecom industry veteran, developed Angel Child Monitoring device after the incident of rape of a 6-year-old girl at a school in the city. It is a GPS- and GSM-card-enabled device that can be carried by a child like a mobile phone, or can used like an ID card given in schools, thus tracking the location. It also enables parents to learn about the real time surroundings of a child. For this, they can call the gadget. It does not ring but the call gets answered automatically and parents can hear all that is happening around the child.

Parents can also create safe zones by including all the usual places that the child visits every day, and get alerts if the device is somewhere else. They get a notification when the child leaves one safe zone, and then again when he/she enters another. Parents can access the device through their computers, or the Safe In City Android app that was also developed by Dasgupta.

Weighing 25 grams, the device can register two mobile numbers that will be called automatically in case of an emergency. It has been differentiated based on age of children. For children below six, there are no buttons on the device, and it is completely remote controlled. Angel candy, made for slightly older kids, allows children to make a call as well.

“We’re very particular about the devices being used for children below 12. Teenagers want their privacy and we have to respect that. The kids, however, actually like having the device, as do their parents!” Krishnendu Dasgupta toldDeccan Chronicle.

3. IT Act, 2000 & Cyber Law India

This is an app that was developed with the aim of creating cyber awareness in India among all sections of the society. With tips for general safety on the Internet, the app is very useful for children, educators, and parents. It provides information on how to be safe on the internet, and also explains the cyber law as applicable in India, including the Information Technology Act 2000, as amended by IT (Amendment) Act, 2008.

With the help of the cyber dictionary, the app helps people get familiar with the jargon, so they can understand the law and the various cases in a simple manner. There is a dedicated option named cyber safety tips for children that parents can go through, while also reading about different cyber law cases to understand situations better.

Download here.

4. Safe Browser

This is a cloud-based browser that monitors more than 8 million websites and a billion web pages every day to prevent children from opening inappropriate pages. Every time a child browses the internet, this app will make sure that he/she is not able to reach the wrong places.

Download here.

5. Kids Place

There are guests in the house. Your child asks for your phone and you know you will not be around to check what he/she is using it for. What do you do? This parental control app can come handy in such situations. It an app that launches parental control and child lock kits to protect sensitive data and restrict kids from accessing adult content or apps that are not age appropriate. It also prevents children from downloading unnecessary apps, materials etc. Just run Kids Place before handing the phone to the child and you will be set.

Download here.

6. Talkative Parents

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you got a chance to interact with parents of other kids in your child’s classroom? And not just during parent teacher meeting, but whenever you want? Well, now you can! It is sometimes important for different parents to interact with one another so they can help each other. So, Bengaluru-based Mahesh Vorkady, launched the Talkative Parents app last year.

With a database of 6,900 schools and over 2,000 active users, the app connects the parents of children studying in the same class. Called the social network for parents, this app enables parents to chat with one another. It helps them pool resources, share information, coordinate a child’s travel to and from school, keep up with assignments, learn about tuition options, and so much more. It also offers schools the option to send notices, documents, files etc. to parents.

Download here.

7. BabyChakra

Source: Facebook

Many first time parents are often hassled by the numerous options of child care facilities available these days, with absolutely no information about which one is trust worthy. To help them out of their misery, Naiyya Saggi from Mumbai started an online platform that connects parents to childcare services and products. She came up with Babychakra after coming across several Facebook pages that were filled with questions from worried parents about various services available for their child. BabyChakra helps parents find plays schools, doctors, products, events related to children or parenting – all at one place. With the help of reviews from other parents, they are able to take more informed and confident decisions.

Visit here.

8. ItsMyChild

This is a comprehensive app that helps parents keep track of their child’s physical safety and academic achievements, while also managing healthcare, digital communication and socialising. Developed by entrepreneur Adris Chakraborty and tech professional Animikh Sen, the app has the following options:

• Emergency Alerts – Sends an alert to six contacts from your child’s phone in case of an emergency.
• Find My Child – Helps parents locate their child with just a click.
• Ping my child – Helps parents connect with their child.
• Find a Doctor – Quickly Search for a physician nearby in case of an emergency.
• Phone Safety – Parents can set usage limits, times and categories on their child’s phone.
• Health – Enables parents to maintain complete health records online.
• Memories – Parents can also store special moments and achievements of their child, all at one place.
• Event Calendar & Reminders – Set up reminders for all academic and non-academic activities.
• School Notifications – Schools can send notifications to individual parents or common announcements to everybody.

Download here.

9. Children TV

Want to be sure that your kid is watching the right things online? Then this is the right app for you. Children TV is meant for children and adults to enjoy watching child friendly video clips on YouTube. Parents can search for their child’s favourite video clips. The app also provides the option for parents to suggest a video clip that might not be available on the app but is there on YouTube, by filling out a simple form. Selection can be done on the basis of age group and language. This way parents can be sure that the child is watching age appropriate things online, and does not come across something objectionable.

Download here.

10. MamaBear

This all-in-one parenting app creates a private hub for families to interact. It has several social media monitoring features, family mapping features, alerts about cyber threats to children, and more. Parents can know where their child is, what is on their social media page, and also get alerts if someone in the family is over speeding.

Download here.

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

Natarajan

” The Antidote of Fifty Enemies is ONE Friend….” !!!

November 29, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Growing up, my mother bought me a poster with two puppies and the quote “Friends make everything twice as fun”. Many years later, I still find it just as true. Nothing makes life richer than your jack of all trades friends: jesters, memory sharers, shoulders to cry on and life companions. Here are some thoughtful quotes, by minds with more wisdom than mine, about the joys of true friendships.

Source…….www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

நித்தமும் சுத்தம்; மேகாலயாவின் சொர்க்க பூமி மாவுலிநாங்…”ஆசியாவின் சுத்தமான கிராமம்” !!!…..

November 29, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

நாட்டின் வட கிழக்கில் அமைந்துள்ள, மேகாலயா மாநிலத்தில் உள்ளது, மாவுலி நாங் கிராமம். இயற்கை எழில் கொஞ்சும் இங்கு வசிக்கும், காஷி இன மக்கள், 100 சதவீதம் எழுத்தறிவு பெற்றுள்ள போதும், இவர்களின் பிரதான தொழில் விவசாயம் தான்! வளைந்து நெளிந்து செல்லும் சாலைகளின் இரு மருங்கிலும் காணப்படும் மூங்கில் வீடுகள், காண்போரின் கண்களை மட்டுமல்லாது நெஞ்சத்தையும் கவர்கின்றன. சாலையின் எந்த ஒரு பகுதியிலும் குப்பையை காண
முடிவதில்லை. காரணம், சாலைகளின் இரு மருங்கிலும் கனிம மற்றும் கரிமக் கழிவுகளை தனித்தனியாக தரம் பிரித்து கொட்டுவதற்காகவே, மூங்கிலால் ஆன குப்பைக் கூடைகள் வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. இவற்றில் சேகரமாகும் குப்பை, உரமாக பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. பெரியவர்கள் மட்டுமின்றி, சிறியவர்களும், தங்கள் பொறுப்புணர்ந்து செயல்படுவதால், கிராமமே சொர்க்கமாகக் காட்சியளிக்கிறது.

பிள்ளைகளுக்கு சிறு வயது முதலே, சுத்தம், சுகாதாரம் குறித்து பெற்றோரால் பாலபாடம் நடத்தப்படுகிறது. இங்குள்ள பொதுக் கழிப்பறையை சுத்தம் செய்ய யாரும் தயங்குவதில்லை. தவிர, தோட்டங்கள், சாலைகள் மற்றும் பொது இடங்களை பொதுமக்களே சுத்தம் செய்து
பராமரிக்கின்றனர்.
இந்தப் பணி, ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் மாலையில் நடக்கிறது. சீரான, சுத்தமான சாலைகள், திட்டமிட்ட கட்டமைப்பு, தடையில்லா, சுத்தமான குடிநீர் வசதி போன்றவை, மக்களின் நிம்மதியான சுகாதாரமான வாழ்க்கைக்கு வித்திடுகிறது.
கல்வியையும், விவசாயத்தையும் இரு கண்களாய் எண்ணும் இவர்கள், காடுகளை பாதுகாப்பது குறித்த விழிப்புணர்வு பிரசாரத்திலும் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளனர். ‘நாடு வளம் பெற காடுகள் தேவை’ என்பதை உணர்ந்துள்ள இவர்கள், அதை போற்றி பாதுகாக்கவும் செய்கின்றனர்.

மேகாலயாவின், கிழக்கு காஷி மலைகள் மாவட்டத்தில் அமைந்துள்ள மாவுலிநாங், சிறந்த சுற்றுலா தளமாகவும் விளங்குகிறது. இயற்கை அன்னையின் அருளை பரிபூரணமாக பெற்றுள்ள இந்த கிராமத்திற்கு, ஆண்டுதோறும், உள்நாட்டு மற்றும் வெளிநாட்டைச் சேர்ந்த ஆயிரக்கணக்கான
சுற்றுலா பயணிகள் வந்து செல்கின்றனர். மலைகள், நீர்வீழ்ச்சிகள், காடுகள், அரிய வகை மரங்கள் என இயற்கை படைப்புகளோடு, தொழில்நுட்ப ரீதியாகவும் இக்கிராமம் வளர்ச்சி அடைந்துள்ளது. ‘சுற்றுச்சூழல் பாதுகாப்புடனான வளர்ச்சி’ என்ற வகையில், இக்கிராம மக்கள் தங்கள் தேவைகளை பூர்த்தி செய்து கொள்கின்றனர்.
சுற்றுலா பத்திரிகையான, ‘டிஸ்கவர் இந்தியா’ மாவுலிநாங் கிராமத்திற்கு, ‘ஆசியாவிலேயே சுத்தமான கிராமம்’ என்ற விருது வழங்கி கவுரவித்துள்ளது. பரம்பரை பரம்பரையாக இங்குள்ள மக்கள், சுத்தம் மற்றும் சுகாதாரத்தை பேணி பாதுகாத்து வருகின்றனர். சுற்றுச்சூழல் பாதிப்பற்ற வகையில் சுத்தம், சுகாதாரத்தை பேணுவதே இவர்களின் தலையாய கடமையாகக் கொண்டுள்ளனர்.
இங்குள்ள மக்கள், தாய் வழி சமூகத்திற்கே முக்கியத்துவம் அளிக்கின்றனர். அதாவது, தாயின் சொத்துகள், அவரின் கடைசி மகளுக்கே சென்று சேர்கிறது.

‘மன் கி பாத்’ என்ற நிகழ்ச்சியின் மூலம் வானொலியில் உரையாற்றிய பிரதமர் மோடி, மாவுலிநாங் கிராமத்தை வெகுவாக பாராட்டினார். ‘நாட்டின் ஒவ்வொரு குடிமகனும், இக்கிராம மக்களைப் போல் செயல்பட்டால், இந்தியா விரைவில் சுத்தமான நாடாக மாறும்’ எனவும் தெரிவித்தார்.
நாட்டின் பெரும்பாலான நகரங்கள், குப்பையாலும் சுற்றுச்சூழல் மாசுபாட்டாலும் சீர்கெட்டுள்ள நிலையில், மாவுலிநாங் கிராம மக்கள், விதிவிலக்காய் வாழ்ந்து வருகின்றனர். இம்மக்களை முன்னோடியாகக் கொண்டு, நாட்டின் பிற பகுதியினர் செயல்பட்டால், மகாத்மா காந்தியின், 150வது பிறந்த ஆண்டான, 2019ல், குப்பை அற்ற சுகாதாரமான இந்தியாவை நம்மால் உருவாக்க முடியும். வி.சண்முகநாதன் மேகாலயா கவர்னர்

Source….www.dinamalar.com

Natarajan

Prithvi-II, India’s Indigenously Developed Missile, Successfully Test Fired in Odisha….India

November 27, 2015Natarajan1 Comment

Prithvi-II, India’s indigenously developed nuclear capable missile was successfully test fired on Thursday. The missile has a strike range of 350 km, and it is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads.

The test was a part of a user trial by the Army and was conducted from a mobile launcher at launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) located at Chandipur, in Baleswar District of Odisha.

Source: Wikimedia

Prithvi-II is surface to surface missile thrusted by liquid propulsion twine engines. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory to hit the target. The navigation aid, inertial navigation system (INS), uses a computer, motion sensors and rotation sensors to calculate the position and velocity of a moving target without any external references.

Prithvi-II is the first missile to be developed by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) under India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP).

Source: Twitter

It can operate with both liquid and solid fuels and can carry both conventional as well as nuclear payloads.

The trial data was conducted by Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which is part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority (NCA). It is responsible for management of India’s strategic nuclear weapons stockpile.

“The missile was randomly chosen from the production stock and the entire launch activities were carried out by the specially formed SFC and monitored by the scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of training exercise…The missile trajectory was tracked by DRDO radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations located along the coast of Odisha,” a defence scientist told PTI.

The teams on the other side were on board a ship near the designated impact point in the Bay of Bengal. They monitored the splashdown and the terminal events. The last user trial of Prithvi-II was successfully conducted on February 19, 2015 from the same test range.

The Indian government had launched the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program in 1983 with the view making the country self-sufficient in terms of development and production of wide range of Ballistic Missiles, Surface to Air Missiles and more.

Source………..Tanaya Singh….www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

” I’m Going to Antarctica to Find How Climate Change, Penguins & Food Are Inter-Connected”…Says Tejaswi Subramanian

November 27, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

My first brush with environmental consciousness took place when I was 13. I came across the Fourth Assessment Report by IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) in 2007, which said that human actions could be held responsible for the climate degradation and change that was visible in various parts of the world. I started thinking about it, and that report affected me very deeply. That’s when and how I became interested in environmental activism. Right from school, I was an active environmentalist. I helped form the eco-club there and was always associated with different activities like selling handmade carry bags to the school cafeteria and nearby shops, organizing awareness events, observing environment day and more.

Growing up, I also gained interest in clean eating habits.

This was about three years ago – I was living alone, was working 8-10 hours a day, was cooking for myself – and amidst all this, I was hit by the realization that I always felt less energetic. I never seemed to have enough energy to do everything. But I was only 20, and I thought, ‘this cannot be right’.

“Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.” – It was then that this quote by Hippocrates changed my life. I had started reading up on healthy eating and came to know about Primal Diet, which advises people to avoid grains and emphasizes on a protein-rich diet that contains healthy fats and is low in carbohydrates. It introduced me to the idea that eating fresh and organic food can heal the body and help us connect with nature. And I witnessed genuine change. I had been suffering with the problem of acne since my early teens, but with my new eating habits, it cleared up in just three months. It was like a miracle. I also witnessed an increase in my energy levels. This lifestyle change fit perfectly with my interest in environmental protection, which further encouraged me to carry on with it.

Additionally, I came across another body of research that motivated me to purchase sustainably-sourced food. It was about Antarctica, one of the last places in the world that remains untouched by rampant human urban settlement and industrialization.

Source: 2041 Foundation

But even in that beautiful place, traces of our irresponsible behaviour towards the environment are clearly visible – in the form of a pesticide. DDT, a chemical pesticide, was banned worldwide because of the harmful effects of the chemicals on the environment. This was done decades ago. However, its traces are found till today in the fatty tissues of Adelie penguins. This is due to the chemical pesticide being washed away and getting drained into the coastal waters, which then finds its way to the ocean. In this consumerist era, our choice to purchase reflects our voice in the systems that support societal norms. What is happening in Antarctica shows that a common thread runs through the universal fabric of our economy and society.

Thus, in the coming months, I plan to research about this issue at the grassroots. I will also be preparing for my expedition to Antarctica, which will host the ‘Leadership on the Edge’ program by Robert Swan, OBE (Order of the British Empire). Through this expedition, I intend to gather first-hand knowledge of the effect that we are having on the ecosystem of Antarctica, despite setting up shop several thousand miles away. Robert Swan is the first person to walk to both Poles. He will be our lead and Chief Guide and will be mentoring us on how we may be able to do our bit in spreading awareness and creating movements toward sustainability back in our homelands.

The idea is to work with like minds in order to spur a sustainable food movement that permeates our food chains and markets.

Source: 2041 Foundation

At a personal level, I am trying to work with sustainably sourced, organic as well as locally grown food. And this program will give me a good idea of how things are being done around the world.

Through this campaign, I am trying to raise funds for the expedition. I strongly believe that we can recreate the health of our bodies, the environment, and the Adelie penguins in Antarctica if we focus on the singular issue of how we source our food. Please support me in my journey. The tentative dates are March 13-25, 2016. Prospective itinerary can be found here. I hope to raise Rs. 12,30,000.

Here’s a break-up of the planned budget.

Source….– Tejaswi Subramanian for http://www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

Australia’s Taronga Zoo has one of the rarest monkeys in the world…..

November 27, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Taronga Zoo is celebrating the newest addition to its family with the birth of an orange Francois’ Langur — one of the rarest monkeys in the world.

The baby monkey, named “Nangua” after the Mandarin word for pumpkin, was born earlier in the month.

While young Francois’ Langurs are born with bright orange hair, as they get older it turns black.

According to senior primate keeper, Jane Marshall, the mother, Meili, and the other females have been closely protecting the baby.

“Noel (another female in the group) has taken on the role of allomother, carrying the baby about 50% of the time,” said Marshall.

This gives mum a break to eat and rest, but as soon as the baby whimpers she races straight back over to him.”

Nangua is Meili’s second baby at Taronga, following the birth of Tam Dao in 2011. The father, Bobo, was brought to Sydney from Beijing Zoo in 2010, as part of the international breeding program for the endangered species.

Here are the photos.

“Meili has shown her calmness and experience since the birth, cradling and protecting the baby,” said Marshall.

Nangua has begun to explore his exhibit on Taronga’s Rainforest Trail to the delight of keen-eyed visitors.

“He’s still quite wobbly on his legs, but his head control is very strong and he’s gripping and climbing well,” said Marshall.

The adults are starting to let him climb off them briefly, which shows they’re happy with his progress.”

Photo Credit….Taronga Zoo…Facebook

Source……..

Sarah Kimmorley, Business Insider Australia in

http://www.businessinsider.com

Natarajan

” Meet the Faces Behind the Popular ‘Humans of Bombay’ Page….”

November 26, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

She doesn’t just share pictures – she shares the many stories of success, failure, hopes, dreams, desires and so much more behind the faces that make it to her well-known and loved Facebook page. Meet Karishma Mehta, the human behind Humans of Bombay.

In November 2010, a young man named Brandon Stanton started taking pictures of people in New York City and sharing little vignettes of their lives on a Facebook page called Humans of New York (HoNY).

Little did he know that his little hobby would take the world of social media by storm, garnering over 16 million “likes” and spawning a host of similar pages in virtually every country of the world.

Brandon Stanton

Photo Credit: Niyantha Shekar/Flickr

India too sprouted several “Humans of ” pages overnight, but most of them have either vanished as quickly as they came or languished for lack of attention.

In sharp contrast is the Humans of Bombay page on Facebook, run by 23-year-old Karishma Mehta.

Karishma Mehta

The following of this page has grown by leaps and bounds to reach four lakhs in a short period of time, entirely due to Karishma’s meticulous efforts in capturing poignant photographs and stories of the many Mumbaikars she meets every day.

“Tell me your story,” she often requests of the old and young and middle-aged she meets on a daily basis. But ask her the same question and she laughs – “That’s why I am behind the camera, and not in front of it. In all probability, if someone stops me on the road, says ‘can I take your photograph?’, and asks me to share my story, I would say ‘no’!”

Every day, Karishma goes out to meet and converse with five to ten strangers on the streets of the city.

Humans of Bombay

Website · 431,445 Likes

· 20 November at 15:23 ·

“I couldn’t conceive for a very long time, even though I was going through extensive treatments. Finally years later, something in my treatment ticked and I was pregnant. You know how it is with Indian families – everyone begins to guess the gender of the child before it’s even born, but I never took part in that – I was only concerned with the health of my baby.
When I delivered, everyone was excited to know the sex of the baby and my whole family was really happy to know that it was a baby girl. I remember hearing, ‘oh my god, it’s a girl!’ and I just kept thinking, ‘oh my god, it’s a healthy child.’ I thanked God with all my heart for blessing me with Motherhood that day and everyday of my life. She’s 22 years today, and still the best thing that ever happened to me.”

She listens to their stories, clicks their photographs, and finally shares her work on the Humans of Bombay page. These are stories of success and failure, hope and inspiration, dreams and heartbreaks – each one unique and memorable.

Karishma started the page in January 2014. “I was just out of college when I started it. At that time, I had been following HoNY closely, so I knew that something like this existed. But I also knew that something like this had not been done correctly in a city like Bombay, which has so many different worlds in it. Thus I started the page pretty much as an experiment to see how it would pan out. But as it grew, my passion towards this work kept growing,” she says.

Born and brought up in Bombay, she describes her life as “a very normal one.” After studying at Bombay Scottish School, she went on to a boarding school in Bangalore for two years. This was followed by three years of college in UK. “I would say I was on the sheltered side…” she remembers.

In the beginning, Karishma’s parents did not understand what she was doing. “They were a bit confused as there was no specific definition for what I was doing back then,” she says. But her friends had been following HoNY, so they knew. “They supported me, gave a lot of healthy criticism, and also encouraged me to not give up. That initial push was very important for me to continue for as long as I have.” She now has the complete support of her parents as well.

Ask her about the experience of collecting such personal stories from complete strangers and Karishma says – “It is not easy to talk to strangers on the road and engage with them in a conversation for five to six minutes…But when you do so, you will be surprised by the kind of things you hear in response to just a simple question! That’s because everybody has a story. Literally every person walking on a street has some story that they want to share. The important thing is to focus on the simple questions that can bring about these very powerful narrations.”

Karishma, a business and economics major, never took any lessons in photography. For her, it has all been about her passion; photography is something that she “learned on the job.” With two interns to assist her she goes out to shoot for about five hours every day and shares one story a day on Facebook, after writing about it and editing the picture. While most of her time goes in maintaining the page itself, she is also involved in some freelance projects that deal with writing.

Currently, she is also busy working on a Humans of Bombay book that will be out soon.

Humans of Bombay

Website · 431,445 Likes

· 17 hrs · Edited ·

“I was a chef in the Taj banquet kitchen when the gunshots started that night. Initially the news was that it was an internal gang war in a neighbourhood nearby and that it would die down soon. It was only at about 10:30 – 11PM that we understood the magnitude of what was going on. We were 7 chefs in total in the kitchen that night, not one of whom left the Taj despite knowing all exit points. By then the shootout had happened at the Wasabi restaurant and all those who had survived were pouring into the banquet hall and kitchen where we were working. As soon as we had heard about the shootout, we prepared sandwiches for our surviving guests which we then handed out. After this, we entered the corridor to escort our guests out of the hotel through the back entrance. We had successfully helped a few guests when I saw the left profile of a terrorist in a red cap, who began shooting.
I was standing next to a refrigerator, when my head chef and sous chef both got shot. There was chaos, panic and fear as our guests started running everywhere – but by then they had opened fire in all directions. I remember running towards the kitchen and looking around to see that no one else had made it. All of a sudden, everything went quiet and that silence was the worst. I tried looking around for survivors, but it was just me. I stayed there for a few hours, until I realised that no help was coming anytime soon. I walked out of the kitchen and saw all of my colleagues dead on the floor – the whole Taj was deserted. I looked at the refrigerator where I’d been only a while ago and it had 3 bullet holes in it – I’d narrowly escaped death, but it was horrifying to see that my guests and colleagues hadn’t been as lucky. I won’t look back on that day as just a terrorist attack, but a day when many brave individuals looked death in the eye to help others.”

What has been one of the most memorable moments of her life till now? She has an answer this time:

“It is a personal one. Very recently, my sister delivered a baby boy and it was like an I-can’t-describe kind of moment. I was very happy.”

The one thing she is looking forward to for Humans of Bombay?

“I am looking forward to seeing more people open up to share larger aspects of their lives. I have had a series of people who have given me their stories but as soon as they see the reach that the platform has they say they don’t want to share them further. I would love people to realise that sharing is not always a bad thing. You are not always judged. You are not always looked upon negatively. Sometimes, it could actually help you.”

Her advice to people?

“I am a business and economics major and I am doing something that is not directly based on that line. And I don’t think it matters. It is about what you want to do, what you feel will get you to a certain place in life…just go with it.”

Her favourite stories? “I am biased. I like them all,” laughs Karishma.

Recently, she shared the picture of a woman named Zaaria who has come out of a very abusive marriage after struggling for years.

Humans of Bombay

Website · 431,445 Likes

· 23 October · Edited ·

“His family and my family have lived in the same building for years but since his business was in Bombay and Dubai, I barely saw him. This one day, he asked my driver which college I was studying in, he came there, waited for me to finish class and asked me to coffee. We ended up chatting for an hour that day and I was completely enamoured by him — he was such a charmer! His parents wanted us to marry quickly because he was 7 years older – so at 19 I got married to someone who I thought was the man of my dreams…but he was an asshole.
It started at the honeymoon, where I wasn’t allowed to look anywhere but towards him, wasn’t allowed to enter shops which he didn’t like and was supposed to wear only what he wanted me to. We were to visit our relatives in London, so he asked me to wear a salwaar but no jacket…and I remember freezing. When we went back to Dubai, he didn’t allow me to turn on the AC and if I did in the middle of the night because it was so hot – he would smash my perfumes, candles and upturn my entire wardrobe. He would drive his convertible car at the maximum speed and threaten to throw me out if I ever disobeyed him. Once, in between abusing and screaming at me, he pinned me down, forced himself upon me and 6 months into my wedding I was pregnant. He hid my medicines saying I don’t need them — I was throwing up 30 times a day and all the minerals in my body had drained to the point that I couldn’t stand and that’s when he agreed to take me to the hospital. The nurse there saw me once and said ‘I’ve to take you to the emergency room – and had you come a day later you would return to Bombay in a coffin’. When I went home after those 3 days, he pushed me, I started bleeding and he waited 24 hours to take me back to the hospital. On the hospital slip it said ‘bled yesterday and brought to the hospital today.’
He only let me return home because my parents were at Hajj. When I came home, I asked him if I could stay for a night in my own home instead of his – which he flatly refused. I was talking to my mother on the phone for 15 minutes when he called me 40 times, sent his sister upstairs to snatch my phone and sent me a text saying,’If you return to Dubai, I will rip your ass apart’ in Hindi. That’s when I decided I had enough.
The next 6 years were hell for me. He sent me a legal notice saying he wanted custody of my unborn child, but I would never let that happen. So 30 days after I had delivered and my stitches hadn’t healed – I went to the family court to fight for my son. My son has been to more courtrooms in the first 5 years of his life than most people ever would. He bribed people from the court and the judges to prolong this case and if not for this one police man who understood me and helped me – God knows how much longer I would have to continue my fight. In 2012, my hell was finally over. I won all cases because of that one hospital slip and received nothing in compensation from him or his family. He seemed so normal, but he snatched my innocence away. Please, don’t rush into marriage because so often what people appear to be and who they are, is entirely different. 10 years later, I’ve put it behind me because I have my son and my life is for him. He’s all that matters.”

The hard-hitting story of how Zaaria successfully improved her life was widely shared. “It is a very, very powerful story. Zaaria was so strong while narrating it that I was literally shocked,” remembers Karishma. And the best part is that it did not just end there. People actually went ahead and expressed their support for Zaaria.

“She was overwhelmed. She told me that she has got messages from all over the world with people praising her for her courage and bravery…it is just amazing.”

Given that her page has had such an impact, it is not surprising that Karishma also chose to utilise it for a larger purpose.

Humans of Bombay with Ebonie Penado.

Website · 431,445 Likes

· 22 August ·

“My mother and I had to come to Bombay to support ourselves, once my father sold our family food business and didn’t support us. She got into the sex trade since that time and I always feel upset because she thinks its ‘dirty work’. Why is it considered dirty? My mother is a woman of strength and I want her and all like her to know that it’s okay.
Dirty are those men who force themselves on us, abuse us and walk away. I was raped as well, but for 7 years I kept it within me because I thought I was dirty. It was only after I came to Kranti and went through intense therapy that I finally found a voice. I will start volunteering with a sex workers’ rights group next month and give speeches and detailed information on the rights of sex workers. I was once blaming myself for being raped, but today I know better — It’s not my fault. I want to inspire the thousands like me, who have kept quite and felt dirty. We’re not dirty ones.”

—

A few months ago the young girls of Kranti were thrown out of their house, by a landlord who refused to pay them back their deposit. These are young girls who are the daughters of sex workers with big dreams. Kranti, nurtures their dreams, gives them a place to stay safe at night, teaches them and exposes them to a new world…one they’d never known before.
We’re starting a campaign to raise Rupees 5,00,000 for Kranti. This money will be used by Kranti to make a home for these girls in a space that’s currently unhygienic, dusty and in complete shambles. They all have to share one tiny bathroom which makes them late for school, there’s no proper construction — just bare, dilapidated walls with no beds.

Lets give these girls a place they can call home.

She conducted a Facebook campaign with the aim of raising funds for an organization called Kranti that helps the daughters of sex workers in Mumbai. While the aim was to collect Rs. 5 lakhs, Humans of Bombay ended up collecting Rs. 6.5 lakhs in just one day.

But what is it that keeps her going out to work on something that does not even pay? “I like listening to people’s stories. I like knowing that the next stranger on the block will have a story that people will appreciate. And I like to be the mediator of that story. The fact that I can bring those stories to the world is what pushes me,” she concludes.

Visit Humans of Bombay here.

Source……….Tanaya Singh……..www.the betterindia.com

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Given that her page has had such an impact, it is not surprising that Karishma also chose to utilise it for a larger purpose.