How 32 Youth Groups Are Fighting Hunger in Rural West Bengal …….

September 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Kshama Mondal, 19, of Housibad village, which falls under Jhunjka gram panchayat in Chhatna block of Bankura district, West Bengal, enjoys learning new facts related to the food and nutritional needs of her people and then putting this important information to practice. From being an active participant in the nutrition camps that are organised regularly in her village, Kshama has moved on to encouraging others. As a member of the Hosibad Naba Tarun Taruni Dal, a youth group in her village, she is involved in creating awareness on nutrition, health, education and development. Encouraging this process are the activists of the Kolkata-based non-government organisation, Development Research Communication and Services Centre (DRCSC).

Currently, 32 youth groups, comprising 10-15 members, have been set up in Ghosher and Jhunjka gram panchayats, covering 32 villages of Chhatna block. Over 50 per cent of the members are girls like Kshama. –

$Youngsters in 32 villages of Ghoshergram and Jhunjkagram panchayats in Bankura district of West Bengal have formed groups that spread awareness on issues related to health, education and development. (Credit: DRCSC\WFS)$

Youngsters in 32 villages of Ghoshergram and Jhunjkagram panchayats in Bankura district of West Bengal have formed groups that spread awareness on issues related to health, education and development. (Credit: DRCSC\WFS) Anirban Banerjee of DRCSC, shares, “We partnered with Welthungerhilfe of Germany to implement the Fight Hunger First Initiative (FHFI) in the rural areas of West Bengal. Food security, income security and education security form the focus of this programme. We realized that to ensure sustainable progress in all three areas, it was imperative to involve the youth, which is why we are reaching out to youngsters between 12 and 22 years.”

He believes that not only will young people be able to mobilise and motivate their family and friends but eventually, as adults, they will also be in a position to sustain the movement to ensure a far reaching impact.

One group has been constituted in each village and they have been trained to function independently.

Suryakanta Das of DRCSC’s Education Team, elaborates, “The groups are involved in creating awareness and monitoring Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) and mid-day meals. Besides this, they conduct workshops and discussions on nutrition, check on the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and even keep an eye on the workings of the school management committee or the village education committee for the proper implementation of the Right to Education Act.”

Kshama looks forward to being with her group as their joint activities help them form a bond with the community.

$Girl youth club members explain the Infant Young and Child Feeding (IYCF) cards to the pregnant women and lactating mothers in their villages. (Credit: DRCSC\WFS)$

“I like explaining the Infant Young and Child Feeding (IYCF) cards to the pregnant women and lactating mothers. It feels nice to be in a position to help and guide them towards better health,” says the teenager.

Her group even conducts workshops where the nutritional value of different leaves, fruits, grains that are available in the area is explained and the local women taught to cook nutritious meals. “For us young girls these are important learnings for life,” she smiles.

Another way in which the youth groups put forth their messages is through street plays.

“We write and stage the street plays on themes like basic hygiene, hand-washing, healthy diet and good food habits. We also emphasise the importance of taking children for timely check-ups to the primary health centre,” elaborates Amita Roy, 15, of the Bortor Ashar Alo group from Bortor village under Ghosher gram panchayat.

Commemorative occasions like World Water Day, World Climate Day, World Health Day, Global Family Day, Earth Day, and so on, are observed in Bortor village with rallies and plays. The youngsters now even act as the bridge between the school and the community, calling for meetings between parents and the school management or village education committees so that the local community’s Right to Education is realised.

However, it is their green fingers that are truly inspiring. Ten groups have created gardens on the premises of 11 primary schools as well as two ICDS centres, all of them managed and maintained by the enthusiastic members themselves.

To get to know the local topography better, the groups draw up a village profile map, clearly demarcating the agricultural land, fallow land, ponds, rivers, forest, and so on.

$Ten youth clubs in the region have created gardens on the premises of 11 primary schools as well as two ICDS centres, all of them managed by the young members. (Credit: DRCSC\WFS)$

“While its mostly the boys who participate in this activity, there are some girls too who take part, especially those interested in mapping, topography, resource management,” remarks Sarla Tudu, 16, of Dharam Mandoya group from the tribal village of Kendua under Jhunjka gram panchayat.

At the Siuli Pahari Primary school, a wonderful green patch is being cared for by the Siuli Pahari Nabajiban Dal.

Kakoli Mal, 13, a group member and a secondary school student, elaborates, “We have pitched in to create this school garden, utilising whatever area was available for the purpose. The students help us out by watering the plants or doing the weeding, but the hard work of planting and manuring is done by us. We have planted a variety of vegetables, tubers, leafy vegetables and this produce is used to prepare healthier mid-day meals.”

Those involved in managing the school gardens hold weekly classes on natural resource management and talk to students about their local environment and the ecology as well. The merit of using organic fertilisers, such as vermi-compost or compost and liquid manure, is widely known these days.

“For the youth, participating in such group initiatives has many advantages. It provides practical learnings related to environmental education, which is a part of their syllabus in school. Apart from this it prepares the ground for them to become eligible for the work-for-pay schemes of the panchayat, like doing surveys, once they turn 18. Many of the youth in the 18-22 age group, who are part of the initiative, have become vocal participants in the gram sabha meetings and have the potential to be community leaders. They have realised that knowledge is power,” observes Das.

One successful youth leader who has emerged through this intervention is Laltu Gorai, 21, who has been elected the Upa-Panchayat Pradhan of Benagoria village that falls under the Ghosher gram panchayat. Laltu has been able to better facilitate the implementation of schemes like the MGNREGA because of his broader awareness and community experience thanks to the experience he gained during his work for the local youth group.

There have been numerous multiplier effects of this intervention. Currently, youngsters from within the community are motivated to come forward and work together to bring about positive changes in their lives – be it related to their health, education or employment. The trust factor is high and the bonding strong, which only brightens the chances of this transformation being sustained in the coming years, too.

Written by Ajitha Menon for Women’s Feature Service (WFS) and republished here in arrangement with WFS. – in http://www.thebetterindia.com

Natarajan

At the Age 64 , She adopted her First Orphan…

September 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Thousands of orphaned children in India never find loving homes because the authorities take too long to declare them ‘free for adoption.’ Prabhavati Muthal, 79 years old and mother of two adopted orphans herself, has been fighting to get justice for these children all her life. We appeal to all our readers to support her by signing her petition.

“We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime is abandoning the children, neglecting the fountain of life. Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made, and his senses are being developed. To him we cannot answer ‘tomorrow,’ his name is ‘today’.”

― Gabriela Mistral

“Aai tu Aai saarkhi nahi disat, Aaji sarkhi diste. Mala ‘Mummy Papa’ hawa aahe”

(Mom you don’t look like a mom, you look like a grandma. I want my Mummy Papa!)

Mohini often used to say this to Prof. Prabhavati Muthal. Mohini was 5-years-old now and she had heard from her schoolmates that she had not come out of her mother’s womb but from a dirty sack, and because of that, her right arm was paralyzed.

Photo Credit: Tawheed Manzoor/Flickr

On November 30, 1996, Prof. Prabhavati Muthal had retired and was all set to relax for the rest of her life in Chandrapur, Maharashtra, after working for 35 years as a history professor. Her son was a well-known paediatrician at the local government hospital.

There was no orphanage in the town. Thus, unwanted and orphan (mostly newborn) babies landed in Dr. Muthal’s ward. Like all government hospital wards, this too was crowded. The nursing staff were always overloaded.

On March 30, 1997, a lady sarpanch from a nearby village brought a brutally battered newborn girl to Dr. Muthal. The baby was just 3 days old. She had been tied in a gunny bag and thrown in the garbage to die. Someone had found her and informed the sarpanch.

The girl was visibly injured. Her skull was fractured. Yet, for three days, the lady sarpanch had not provided her with any treatment nor had she informed the police. Consequently, the child became critically sick, developed a high fever and started convulsing.

Even then, the lady was reluctant to let the hospital keep the child and treat her. Dr. Muthal had to threaten her and force her to admit the child to the government hospital. On seeing how serious the child’s condition was, the lady sarpanch disappeared from the scene.

For weeks, the child hovered between life and death. One usually associates government staff with impersonal and callous behaviour, but the nurses at this government hospital rallied together to save the child. One of the sisters told Dr. Muthal: “God will not forgive us if we cannot save this child.”

Due to their untiring efforts, the child survived. But the prolonged battle for life had taken its toll. She was badly emaciated and cranky due to constant pain. She had major neurologic deficit, which left her right side paralysed. Feeding and cleaning her was an ordeal.

Prof. Prabhavati Muthal willingly took over this daunting task. With her selfless love and care, the child gradually improved. As she grew healthier, a beautiful face emerged. She looked so attractive that she was called ‘Mohini.’

Little abandoned but inncocent infants giggling at Kilbil, not knowing their fate

Her story attracted a journalist’s attention and she became well known. Many people, including a doctor, came forward to adopt her. Suddenly, the lady sarpanch re-entered the scene and demanded custody of the child.

The custody of orphan children is decided by the JWB or Juvenile Welfare Board (the name for the Child Welfare Committee before the year 2000). To everybody’s surprise, the local JWB gave Mohini’s custody to the same sarpanch, ignoring better claimants and the lady’s past suspicious behaviour.

Alarmed, Prabhavati approached the Sessions Court. After a prolonged struggle lasting over 2 years, the Sessions Court finally overturned the JWB’s order.

Prabhavati then decided to establish an orphanage so that Mohini had a place to stay. The orphanage, called Kilbil (chirping of birds), is now 16 years old.

Prabhavati Muthal with a 1.5-year-old child who is waiting to be made ‘free for adoption’ by CWC –

However, Mohini’s agony did not end here. The infuriated JWB avenged the situation by blocking her transfer to the orphanage for a year. Finally, her case was cleared by special order of the state government. The JWB continued to obstruct her rehabilitation. She was finally declared ‘free for adoption’ by the Session Court under section 7.3 of the Juvenile Justice Act after one more year.

‘Free For Adoption’ means that a child’s parents or guardians have relinquished their parental rights or have had them terminated in a court of law. Once this has occurred, a child is then ‘legally free’ to be adopted by another person or family member. Any orphan or abandoned or surrendered child, declared legally free for adoption by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), is eligible for adoption.

“Most of the couples prefer small babies so that they can enjoy each milestone of the baby while growing up. If a child is not made ‘free for adoption’ soon, then mostly they don’t get adopted and lead an affectionless life,” says Prabhavati Muthal.

Unfortunately, in Mohini’s case too, all the prospective adoptive parents had given up by the time she became ‘free for adoption.’ No one was willing to wait for years and fight court battles just to adopt a physically impaired child.

When nobody came forward to adopt her for more than a year, Prabhavati decided to adopt Mohini herself and become a mother to a 4-year-old child at the age of 64. –

Kilbil had now become the home of many abandoned children. Vasundhara (Vasu) was one of them. Just a few days old, Vasundhara was found in one of the movie theatres of Chandrapur. She did not have one ear. Every adoptive couple wanted a beautiful and flawless child and so did not adopt Vasu. It was Vasu’s 11th year in Kilbil. She was supposed to go to a remand house for juveniles once she became 12. Prabhavati couldn’t let this child go and so, once again, she took the legal guardianship of Vasundhara.

Vasu and Mohini are sisters with the same mother now!

At the time that Prabhavati was looking to adopt Mohini, the law required that to contest a case, you must be the ‘aggrieved party.’ This means you should be affected somehow by the case — it is only then that you have the ‘locus standi,’ that is, eligibility to participate in the judicial dispute.

Prabhavati had none, but she could participate in the dispute because lawmakers then (1986 version of the Juvenile Justice Act) had wisely put in Sec 7.3, which said:

“The powers conferred on the board or juvenile court by or under this act may also be exercised by the high court and the court of session, when the proceeding comes before them in appeal, revision or otherwise.” – Juvenile Justice Act 1986. Sec. 7.3 Chapter II

The word ‘otherwise’ opened the window for any conscientious citizen to seek redress from the Sessions Court purely on merit of the case, bypassing technicalities like ‘locus standi.’ The same clause also allowed the Sessions Court to declare Mohini ‘free for adoption.’

It is vital to keep this window open for the orphans, because they have no one to look after them. The orphanages that keep the children and the parents who adopt the children are really ‘beneficiaries’ and not truly ‘aggrieved.’ They have no real stake in any individual child.

The only victim of a wrong decision (or lack of decision) is the orphan child. The child is therefore, the only truly ‘aggrieved. –

Unfortunately, this Section was deleted only for orphan babies in the newer editions of the Act. The implications are tremendous for the orphan children, because now the CWC has absolute power over orphan children. There is no effective, accessible mechanism to correct its mistakes, misdeeds and inaction. –

Please help Prabhavati make a representation to the government authorities to suitably amend the Juvenile Justice Act and include a clause like Sec. 7.3 of 1986 Juvenile Justice Act in the present Bill for orphan children by signing this petition

. Prabhavati has also penned the story of her struggle in a book titled Adhantari. This book has bagged an award from the Maharashtra government. –

If you wish to help Prabhavati in her struggle for justice for these kids, or wish to donate for Kilbil, or want to adopt a child, please email at kilbil.mvm@gmail.com. You can buy Adhantari (the book is in Marathi) by writing to the same email address. Prof. Muthal is also looking for writers who can translate the book into English.

About the author: A mechanical engineer, Manabi Katoch has been brought up listening to Tagore’s poems and stories, so she is kind of an emotional person within. She loves writing poems and stories on social and political issues. Few of her poems can be viewed on www.poemocean.com and satires on www.mindthenews.com. She has worked with Wipro, Frankfinn and Educomp in the past.

Source………Manabi Katoch….www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

Image of the Day….Best Seat in the World…!!!

September 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

The central bugle of our Milky Way galaxy shines brightly above the vast ocean of lights of Yaqing Temple in China.

View larger. | Jeff Dai submitted this photo of the Yaqing Temple, Sichuan, China. He calls it ‘Lights or Stars.’ Visit his Flickr page.

Jeff Dai submitted this photo to EarthSky – taken September 9, 2015 – and wrote:

Lights or Stars? Today most city skies have become virtually empty of stars. But there is someplace beyond your imagination. Pictured above, the central bugle of our Milky Way galaxy shines brightly above the vast ocean of lights of Yaqing Temple. Located at Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province of China, Yaqing temple lies in an isolated valley with 4,000 meters above sea level. The monastery is associated with the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. With more than 30,000 Sangha members now, it’s the largest concentration of nuns and monks in the world.

This is a single exposure image, No photo montage, additional filter and black card.

Read more about the Yaqing Temple and Monastery

Posted by Deborah Byrd …www.eathskynews.org

Natarajan

” WHY DON’T COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES HAVE PARACHUTES FOR PASSENGERS?…”

September 21, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Seatbelts and airbags in cars save passengers lives. Parachutes save people who, for a variety of reasons, exit a plane in mid-flight. So why aren’t parachutes provided to passengers on commercial airline flights, in case of emergencies?

Because they almost certainly would not save anyone’s life.

Parachuting Basics

When your average daredevil skydives for fun, the plane is typically travelling at between 80 and 110 mph when the skydiver jumps. Tandem and accelerated free fall (AFF) jumps occur between 10,000 and 13,000 feet, while static jumps can be as low as 3,500 feet.

Student divers choosing the easiest, tandem jump, where the newbie is physically and securely attached to an experienced instructor, are still required to undergo “a half hour of basic ground instruction.”

Braver neophytes who wish to fly untethered will have to endure:

Four to five hours of intense ground instruction, including learning body flight maneuvers and hand signals that instructors use to coach the student as they fly alongside.

For an AFF jump, although not harnessed together, freshman flyers are accompanied by two instructors who “hold onto the student’s harness until” it’s deployed.

Those who choose a static line jump also have to take four + hours of training prior to the jump, although the parachute is deployed as the rookie flyer leaves the aircraft.

When skydivers leave a plane, they do it alone or in small groups. When successive groups will be jumping, they try to keep separated by anywhere between 500 and 1500 feet; this is often accomplished by waiting until the preceding group is “back under the tail to 45 degrees behind the airplane” or several seconds in between groups.

Experienced skydivers can make even riskier jumps, although when descents begin at higher than 15,000 feet, “the risk of hypoxia and being significantly affected by altitude” increases dramatically and divers are less able “to make effective safe decisions at critical times.” Therefore, divers who jump from 15,000 feet or higher carry supplemental oxygen.

Further, each parachute weighs around 40 pounds and the equipment is expensive. To be fully outfitted with “rig, main, reserve, ADD, altimeter, jumpsuit, helmet [and] goggles” can run between $5,900 and $9,000.

Commercial Airplane Basics

Perhaps the most popular commercial jetliner is the Boeing 737 family. Its 737-800 can carry nearly 200 people (including the crew).

Although speeds can vary slightly, the 737-800 travels at approximately 600 mph when at its cruising altitude of 35,000 feet. Cruising altitudes are assigned by air traffic controllers and are usually up to 39,000 feet, except for longer flights that may fly higher.

Individual Parachutes Won’t Improve Passenger Safety

Doing the math . . .

Passenger Training

Since four hours of training just to board a plane is unrealistic, passengers would have to read and execute detailed skydiving instructions including how to properly strap the chute on in order to benefit from the parachute. Not everyone is good at following detailed, technical instructions even when time and stress aren’t a factor. In a situation where the plane is going down and one has only a moment to get the parachute properly strapped on (likely while keeping an oxygen mask firmly attached and perhaps also needing to keep the seat belt on to keep from being thrown about in the cabin), it’s unlikely most would be able to even get this far.

Every Man for Himself

Unless passengers wanted to fly suited up and tethered for a static jump, parachuting from a commercial airplane will be an AFF jump; however, unlike the conditions that students get – training and trained instructors to assist, commercial passengers will just have to learn as they go.

In addition, they will have to keep calm and proceed in an orderly fashion, which will require most to patiently wait their turn to exit. This is not likely to happen.

Parachuting Equipment is Bulky

Adding just parachutes (not counting helmets, altimeters, etc.) for each passenger would add another 8,000 pounds or so to the flight’s weight. In addition, that equipment would take up space, that is already at a premium.

Parachuting Only Makes Sense if Something Happens in Mid-Flight

The only feasible time for people to jump from the plane is while it’s cruising. However, most fatal airline accidents occur on airplanes during takeoff and landing.

Consider that between 2003 and 2012, only 9% of all fatal accidents on commercial flights, seven total, occurred while the plane was cruising; moreover, at least one of those accidents happened as a result of wind shear or thunderstorm. This is a situation where parachuting is extremely dangerous even if you’re an expert.

So even if parachuting were feasible from a jetliner, the conditions in which parachutes could theoretically save lives are almost never apparent in fatal commercial accidents. But even if they were, it still wouldn’t be a good idea.

Jetliners Cruise Very High and Very Fast

At 35,000 feet (three times higher than a typical jump) every passenger would need high altitude equipment (HALO) that includes an oxygen tank, mask and regulator, flight suit, ballistic helmet and altimeter just to manage the thin air. Or they could just pass out from hypoxia and wake up later, hopefully when the parachute automatically deployed at under 15,000-20,000 feet.

Of course, none of this would matter since the plane is moving so fast (600 mph), and it is so large, that many passengers would almost certainly smash into it and suffer debilitating if not fatal injuries.

Whole Plane Parachutes May Save Lives

There is hope, however. Over the past few years, many small planes have been equipped with whole-plane parachutes that slow the craft’s descent. As of late 2013, the largest planes equipped with these safety devices carry five people, but plans are in the works for putting them on larger crafts. As one manufacturer said, “There is no doubt that big commercial airlines of the future will be equipped with some kind of parachute recovery system.”

Bonus Airplane Crash Survival Tips:

Sit in the back with the cool kids. According to several studies, “passengers near the tail of the plane are about 40 percent more likely to survive a crash than those in the first few rows up front.” The other advantage is that most passengers choose not to sit in the back. So unless the plane is full, you might get the row of seats to yourself.
However, other research into surviving plane crashes indicated that “those [passengers] who sat more than six rows from an exit were found to be far less likely to survive.” So if the plane doesn’t have a rear exit, that’s something to be factored in.
If you do happen to fall out of a plane at 35,000 feet (without a parachute), Popular Mechanics has some advice on how to survive the fall: “The concept you’ll be most interested in is terminal velocity. As gravity pulls you toward earth, you go faster. But . . . you [also] create drag . . . . and [eventually] acceleration stops. Depending on your size and weight, and [other] factors . . . your speed at that moment will be about 120 mph [this takes about 1,500 feet. At about 22,000 feet] You sputter into consciousness [hypoxia had knocked you out from shortly after you exited the plane]. . . . Take aim . . . . Glass hurts, but it gives. So does grass. Haystacks and bushes . . . and trees aren’t bad, though they tend to skewer. Snow? Absolutely. . . . Contrary to popular belief, water is an awful choice [to cushion the fall]. . . . With the target in mind, the next consideration is body position. To slow your descent. . . spread your arms and legs, present your chest to the ground, and arch your back and head upward. . . . Relax. This is not your landing pose. . . . . [To land, assume] the classic sky diver’s landing stance – feet together, heels up, flexed knees and hips.”

According to the Geneva-based Aircraft Crashes Record Office, between 1940 and 2008 there were 157 people who fell out of planes during a crash and without a parachute and lived to tell about it. A full 42 of those falls occurred at heights over 10,000 feet! One such incident involved a British Tail-gunner whose plane was shot down in 1944 during WWII. He fell over 18,000 feet without a parachute. His fall was broken by pine trees and soft snow. After his “landing” he found himself completely fine, except for a sprained leg. Things didn’t initially improve for him as he was quickly captured by the Germans. Apparently the Germans were more impressed by his near death experience than his nationality, because they released him the following May after having given him a certificate commemorating his fall and subsequent survival.

Source….www.today i foundout .com

Natarajan

” The British Flying Jeep….” !!!

September 21, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

WWII Files: The British Flying Jeep

How many of you science fiction buffs have fantasized about zipping around town in your very own flying car? Sure, a trip in a helicopter or airplane has now become the standard or even mundane mode of long distance travel, but imagine taking your very own flying machine on a trip across town, presumably with The Jetsons’ theme song blasting in the background. With advances in modern technology, it is only a matter of time right? What may surprise you though, is that way back in 1942, twenty years before Americans were meeting George Jetson and marveling at The Jetsons‘ flying car, the British Military actually had their very own flying jeep.

It was right smack in the middle of the Second World War and the military needed to find a way to airdrop more than messages, medical supplies or rations. They wanted to sky dive off-road vehicles to provide transportation for their infantry soldiers and other military personnel. They had previously tested the Hafner Rotachute, a rotor equipped parachute towed by an airplane with the objective of delivering armed soldiers more precisely to the battlefield, and they figured they could apply similar technology to a large vehicle.

So they looked to Raoul Hafner again. Hafner was an Austrian engineer – a contemporary and admirer of Juan de la Cierva, that Spanish pioneer of rotary-winged flight – with a passion for helicopters. Hafner first designed the Rotachute and later conceptualized its spin-off the Hafter Rotabuggy. While both machines used rotor technology, the Rotachute was actually a fabric-covered capsule with room for one pilot and a notch for his weapon with fairing in the rear and an integrated tail. After various modifications, the first successful launch occurred on June 17, 1942 from a de Havilland Tiger Moth. Taking off, the airplane towed the Rotachute on a 300 foot towline and released it at an altitude of 200 feet. A rough landing necessitated further improvements in the form of a stabilizing wheel and fins to improve stability.

In the case of the Rotabuggy the question was how to build a vehicle that they could fly and drop from a height without causing damage. They did some tests using a regular (non-flying) 4×4 wartime jeep- a Willys MB- loaded with concrete and discovered that dropping it from heights up to a pretty impressive 2.35 metres (7.7 ft) could work without damaging the unmodified jeep.

With durable jeep in hand, they then outfitted it with a 40 ft rotor as well as a streamlined tail fairing with twin rudderless fins. For added toughness, they attached Perspex door panels, while stripping it clean of its motor. Inside they installed a steering wheel for the driver and a rotor control for the pilot and other navigational instruments. So visually you had the now-bantamweight jeep in front with two guys inside, a driver and a pilot, a rotor on top and a tail bringing up the rear. Welcome to the Blitz Flying Jeep!

In November of 1943, the flying trials started at Sherburn-in-Elmet, near Leeds. The first challenge was how to get the jeep up in the air. As so often happens with first attempts, during the first test flight the jeep literally failed to get off the ground. It ended miserably as they used a lorry to tow the flying jeep but it couldn’t get enough speed to lift the Willys MB airborne. During the second attempt, the jeep was towed by a heavier and more powerful Bentley automobile and it flew, gliding at speeds of reportedly about 45 to 65 mph. Later, they tested the jeep behind an RAF Whitley bomber, managing to achieve an altitude of about 122 meters (approximately 400 ft) in one ten minute flight in September of 1944.

While the records show that in the end the Flying Jeep worked very satisfactorily, there is an account of a witness who observed a rather shaken and exhausted pilot emerge to lie down relieved after one terrifying test flight. Apparently it had taken superhuman effort for him to handle the control column on that particular flight, which led to a rather scary, bobbing and weaving, bumpy ride. When the jeep finally dropped safely to the ground, the driver took over. After the vehicle came to a stop, reports say the ensuing silence was protracted, then the pilot was helped out to a spot adjacent to the runway where he lay down to rest and collect himself.

Although the Flying Jeep machine was improved with upgraded fins and rotor functionality, perhaps it was just as well that its further development was abandoned after military gliders, like the Airspeed Horsa, that could transport vehicles, were introduced.

Source….www.today i foundout.com

Natarajan

” LA has turned to most unusual methods to protect the city’s water …”

September 21, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

The sea of 96MILLION plastic balls that LA hopes will save it from drought: Reservoir is covered in an ocean of black spheres to stop 300million gallons of water evaporating

Black plastic balls were this week released into the 175-acre Los Angeles Reservoir in Sylmar, California
They are designed to cover the water, prevent evaporation and protect it from dust, rain, chemicals and wildlife
The polyethylene balls, around the size of an apple, cost 36 cents each and are black to help deflect the UV rays

With no apparent relief to California’s record-breaking drought, Los Angeles has turned to more unusual methods to protect the city’s water.

Officials recently released 96 million floating ‘shade balls’ into the 75-acre Los Angeles Reservoir in Sylmar, California.

The black plastic balls are designed to help protect the water against dust, rain, chemicals and wildlife, as well as prevent 300 million gallons of water from evaporating each year.

With no apparent relief to California’s record-breaking drought, Los Angeles has turned to more unusual methods to protect the city’s water. City officials recently released ninety six million floating ‘shade balls’ into the Los Angeles Reservoir to cover the complex’ water

The balls work by floating on the surface and blocking the sun’s rays.

As well as protecting against evaporation, they also prevent the chemical reaction that creates the carcinogenic compound bromate.

For most people, exposure to bromate – created from naturally-occurring bromide in water -is unlikely to be cause problems.

But some people who ingest large amounts of bromate have suffered nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.

The balls also form a protective barrier across the surface that helps keep birds, animals and other contaminants out.

Dr Brian White, a now-retired Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP biologist), was the first person to think of using shade balls for water quality.

The idea came to him when he learned about the application of ‘bird balls’ in ponds along airfield runways.

His in-house solution has been used in LADWP’s open-air reservoirs since 2008 to block sunlight, prevent chemical reactions and curtail algae blooms.

The balls, around the size of a large apple, cost 36 cents each and are black because it is the only colour that is able to deflect UV rays.

They balls work by floating on the surface and blocking the sun rays to prevent the water from evaporating. By doing this, they also prevent the chemical reaction that creates the carcinogenic compound bromate.

They are currently in place at Upper Stone, Elysian and Ivanhoe reservoirs, and come with the added benefit of reducing evaporation off the reservoir surfaces by 85 to 90 per cent.

Mayor Eric Garcetti joined officials yesterday to release the final 20,000 shade balls as part of the region’s $34.5 million water quality protection project.

‘In the midst of California’s historic drought, it takes bold ingenuity to maximize my goals for water conservation,’ Garcetti said.

‘This effort by LADWP is emblematic of the kind of the creative thinking we need to meet those challenges.’

The polyethylene balls are expected to save $250 million when compared to other, similar techniques to protect the water.

These include splitting the reservoir into two with a bisecting dam; and installing two floating covers that would have cost more than $300 million.

‘In addition to cutting back on the need to chemically treat our water to prevent natural occurrences like algae, these shade balls are a cost-effective way to reduce evaporation each year by nearly 300 million gallons, enough to provide drinking water for 8,100 people for a full year,’ added Councilman Mitch Englander.

Pictured is an aerial view of the reservoir showing the shade balls in position. The polyethylene balls are expected to save $250 million when compared to other, similar techniques to protect the water

Dr Brian White, a now-retired LADWP biologist, was the first person to think of using shade balls for water quality. The idea came to him when he learned about the application of ‘bird balls’ in ponds along airfield runways.

Source…..www.dailymail.co.uk

By ELLIE ZOLFAGHARIFARD FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 04:49 EST, 12 August 2015 |

Natarajan

Forget Cable TV…. Look at the Alternatives….!!!

September 21, 2015September 21, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

When TV started becoming popular, it was transmitted via radio waves and the quality wasn’t great. Later came cable and satellite TV, offering better quality, more channels and even smart features like checking a channels scheduled programs. Now, it’s the turn for the next revolution:

Meet the media streamers – These devices can turn your TV into a “smart TV”, allowing you to install apps, stream high-definition TV shows and movies, play games, browse the internet and visit Baba-Mail from the comfort of your living room. Want to watch Downton Abby now? Go to Hulu or Netflix. Got an Amazon Prime account? Watch free movies and shows. The possibilities are endless.

The best streamers in the market today:

The Fire TV is Amazon’s official media streamer, it lets you use your Amazon account, and if you’re using Amazon Prime – you can enjoy hundreds of thousands of TV shows and movies. The Fire TV’s remote has a built-in microphone you can use instead of a keyboard, and you can also install a remote-control app on your smartphone or tablet if you feel like it.

APPLE TV

If you prefer Apple’s iOS interface and mainly have iPhones or iPads in your home, going with Apple TV is the best choice for you. The interface is sleek and runs smoothly, and the device connects to other iOS devices with ease.

Google Nexus Player

Google recently released the Nexus Player, which unlike the rest of the competition, has an internal (albeit small) hard drive and the remote includes a microphone for voice-search. You can pair the Nexus with a Bluetooth keyboard & mouse for easier use. If you or someone in your family enjoys gaming, you can purchase a specialized gamepad to improve your gaming experience.

preferred media streamer, by far, is the Roku 3. The device currently has more apps than all of its competitors, access to a great many channels, the ability to stream content from your phone to your TV via Roku, and best of all, it has a feature none of the competitors have: A headphone jack in the remote control that lets you enjoy those late-night movies and shows without disturbing anyone.

Data Sheet:

	Roku 3	Apple TV	Amazon Fire TV	Google Nexus Player

Remote	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Voice control	No	No	Yes	Yes
Harddrive	No	No	No	Yes
Headphone jack	Yes	No	No	No
WiFi required	No*	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ethernet	Yes	No	No	No
Connects via:	HDMI	HDMI	HDMI	HDMI
Supported services:
Netflix	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Amazon Instant	Yes	AirPlay	Yes	TabCast
YouTube	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hulu Plus	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HBO Go	Yes	Yes	Yes	Cast
Showtime Anytime	Yes	Yes	Yes	Cast
Vudu	Yes	AirPlay	No	Cast
Flixster	Yes	Yes	Yes	Cast
Crackle	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
PBS	Yes	Yes	Yes	TabCast
PBS Kids	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
FXNow	Yes	Yes	No	No
Disney Channels	Yes	Yes	Yes	TabCast
Time Warner Cable TV	Yes	No	No	No
SlingPlayer	Yes	AirPlay	No	Cast
Sky News	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Starz Play	No	No	No	Cast
Bloomberg TV	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Watch ESPN	Yes	Yes	Yes	Cast
MLB.TV	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
NFL Now	Yes	Yes	Yes	Cast
NBA Game Time	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pandora	Yes	AirPlay	Yes	Yes
Spotify	Yes	AirPlay	Yes	TabCast
Rdio	Yes	AirPlay	No	Cast
Beats Music	No	Yes	No	No
Rhapsody	No	AirPlay	No	Cast
Vevo	Yes	Yes	Yes	Cast
“Radio” & iTunes radio	No	Yes	No	No
TuneIn	Yes	AirPlay	Yes	TabCast
iHeartRadio	Yes	AirPlay	Yes	Cast
Amazon Music	Yes	AirPlay	Yes	No
iTunes content	No	Yes	No	No
Google Music	No	No	No	Yes
Google Play Movies and TV	Yes	No	No	Yes
Plex	Yes	AirPlay	Yes	Yes

* No WiFi needed if connected via Ethernet

Glossary:

AirPlay: Apple technology that allows wireless streaming of audio, video, and photos between devices.
Cast / TabCast : Google technology that allows wireless streaming of audio, video, and photos between devices.
HDMI: A digital connector, used for high-definition video and audio broadcasting.

Source….www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

Famous Concorde supersonic airliner could start flying again ….

September 19, 2015September 19, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

How good would travelling to Europe in less than 14 hours be?

THE Concorde supersonic airliner looks like it will make a return to the skies thanks to some aviation enthusiasts with very deep pockets.

Club Concorde, a group of ex-pilots, airline executives, engineers and Concorde enthusiasts have unveiled their plan to have the legendary jet back in the air by 2019.

It has been nearly 12 years since Concorde took its last flight, with the final journey occurring on October 24th, 2003.

Although they need a little maintenance, these fully-functional planes are scattered across the globe in aviation museums and science centres.

The particular plane Club Concorde is after is located at Le Bourget airport in Paris, which they want to buy and restore for around $250 million.

Once the restorations are complete, Club Concorde wants to use the iconic plane at air shows, corporate events and for private charters. At this stage, there are no plans to resume commercial flights.

The pride of British aviation, the Concorde making its final landing in 2003.Source:News Corp Australia

Flying at Supersonic speeds, a Concorde could fly between London and New York in a little less than three hours. In Comparison, a regular commercial flight can take around seven hours. However not many people got to experience this speed in its years in the sky. Due to limited seating capacity in the planes, ticket prices for regular economy seats were often around the same price as a first-class ticket in a standard airliner.

The Concorde’s 27 year life came to an end in 2003 following severe financial problems. A crash in 2000 which led to the death of all on-board passengers and crew, high maintenance costs and lack of customers after 9/11 was reported as the main reason for its downfall.

Despite the fact that we will most likely never see another commercial Concorde, companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin and even NASA are working on ways to have commercially available supersonic airliners in the air again by 2030.

Source….www.news.com.au

Natarajan

Meet the Only Indian Woman to Participate in ‘The Most Dangerous Race in the World…..

September 19, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Who wants to ride through 17 cities, over 3000 kms, in 2 weeks over bumpy roads in a flimsy vehicle? Only crazy extreme-adventure-sport-loving foreigners, right? Wrong! There’s one daring 29-year-old from Mumbai who also decided to take on the challenge. Meet Rutavi Mehta, just back from her maiden auto rickshaw race, which she finished in only 12 days.

In April, 2015, about 250 people from over 50 countries came down to India to be part of a very unique adventure sport – an auto rickshaw run. The challenge was to drive an auto rickshaw for about 3,000 kms, from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan to Shillong in Meghalaya, covering the breadth of the country in just two weeks — that’s six states and 17 cities. This feat, considered one of the most dangerous adventure sports in the world, had to be accomplished without any backup teams of mechanics, no guidance in terms of directions or any other help, in barely roadworthy vehicles that are certainly not meant to be driven long distance.

Among these 250 people, there was just one Indian participant – Rutavi Mehta.

Rutavi and her team at the finish line

“I had known about this adventure sport since a long time,” says Rutavi, a travel consultant by profession. “It was in 2007, when a couple of rickshaws had come down to the hotel where I was working as a marketing head earlier…that’s when I came to know about the run.”

At that time though, she hadn’t even dreamt that she would herself participate in the run one day.

Rutavi is from the hospitality industry and has backpacked through Europe in the past. As a travel consultant today, she runs her own company called Photokatha – a place where various travelers from across the country share their travel experiences. She also runs various campaigns with tourism boards of different states as a consultant. Recently, she got a chance to design and head a Kerala Blog Express campaign where 27 international bloggers traveled in different parts of Kerala to experience the culture of the state.

The Rickshaw Run is organized by a UK-based group known as ‘The Adventurists.’ The first run took place in 2006, when the contestants covered the route from Kochi in Kerala to Darjeeling in West Bengal. Since then, the sport is organized with a different route in India every six months, and there has never been a single run in which all the participants have reached the finish line.

There is no prize for winning this difficult race, which is more about giving than getting. –

The only necessary requirement for competing is that every team (usually 3 people) should raise a minimum amount of £1000 (USD 1550) for organizations that are working towards the protection of the environment. The two organizations they donated to were Cool Earth and Planeterra. Cool Earth is an environmental charity group working for the protection of rainforests and the local communities living in those areas. Planeterra is also a non-profit organization that helps empower local people to develop their communities and conserve their environment.

Rutavi was very unsure about participating in the race at first.

“A couple of my friends from the travel blogger industry were coming to India and they wanted to be a part of the run. They had already registered for it, but I was not sure,” she remembers.

Being a woman and travelling pan-India was a scary thought to begin with. Moreover, she did not know how to drive a rickshaw. But the sense of adventure, the spirit of charity, and the motivation of friends added up and she got herself registered. “I went out, borrowed a rickshaw and learned how to ride it in a few days.”

Every team in the run has a maximum of three members. Rutavi participated with her friends Derek Freal and Ryan Brown who are travel bloggers from USA — they called themselves Teen Romanchaak Yaar (three adventurous friends). The teams are required to cover a distance of 300 km each day, with one person driving for 100 km at a stretch. –

“In a rickshaw, 300 km is like 600 km by car, since the maximum speed is only 55 km/hr, and you don’t have any cushions to support you during the bumpy ride,” says Rutavi.

The race is an expensive one, says Rutavi. The registration fee itself is £2500, a part of which goes directly for charity. In return for the registration amount, they only get the rickshaw. Her team decided to crowd fund this fee, and with the help of friends, family, some corporate organizations and the travelling network created by all three of them, they raised enough for registration as well as for the cause even before the race had started. As for their accommodation, they partnered with different organizations and individuals.

“Since we are travel bloggers, many companies supported us. Zostel (a chain of backpackers’ hostels) came on board as the hospitality partner. In most of the cities we stayed in Zostel and we partnered with similar organizations for our stay and food in other parts,” says Rutavi.

Mountainous terrain, broken roads, unknown paths, and rivers to cross – Rutavi saw it all during the journey.

“I met people from so many countries and got a chance to learn about their cultures. People from Norway, Canada, some countries that I had never even heard about – I learnt how they live, about their culture, food, music, and so much more. There was also a lot of creativity going on around us. Rickshaws were decorated in many unique and brilliant ways,” she says.

But there were some very difficult spots as well. The rickshaw run is considered to be one of the most dangerous adventurous sports by many.

Rickshaw Run – Old-school Adventure Across India

Watch this video clip ….

This is because the difficult roads have to be covered on a three wheeler seven horsepower rickshaw, without any support or knowledge about the way, without any back-up or a set route. Rutavi’s team survived two accidents also. One was in Allahabad and the other one in Guwahati, just 150 km before the final destination. But she did not give up and made it to the finish line in spite of some bad injuries.

The one thing that she realised with this journey is that no matter which part of India you are in, people are very helpful. She was amazed to see how the local people turned up to help every time they needed something. If the rickshaw broke down, mechanics would help them without taking any money in return, and people would also offer food at many places. All because they were happy to see a very simple vehicle being used for a charitable cause!

Rutavi says she has travelled to 1500 destinations around the world so far. This enthusiastic wayfarer has spent months exploring Lakshadweep all on her own. She also goes to Ladakh for two months every year where she teaches kids.

Rutavi says that besides getting the thrill of adventure from her rickshaw run, she had one more motive for doing it:

“To empower Indian women with a ‘women can do, and will do’ attitude. People keep saying India is not safe. The aim was to show that women can travel fearlessly in India. It all starts with the realization that they can overcome any fear,” she says.

“My attitude towards rickshaw rides has also changed. Whenever I travel by rickshaws now, I talk to the drivers and tell them about my experience. Many of them can’t believe that I rode a rickshaw for such a long time,” she concludes laughing.

You can contact Rutavi at rutavi@photokatha.in

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

Natarajan

Hats off to this Lady …A Mumbai Baker Made A 35 Kg Ganesha Idol From Pure Chocolate To Feed Underprivileged Kids….

September 19, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Festivals indeed occupy an important place in our lives and they bring our family and friends together. But aren’t we supposed to spread happiness and share our joy with the world too?

This year, from Spiderman to Bahubali, we stumbled upon some of the most innovative designs of Ganesha idols.

But, this wonder woman, Rintu Kalyani Rathod, chose to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in a totally different way.

She has her own bakery, ‘Rini Bakes – Bake my Dreams’ in Mumbai. Apparently, this wonder woman made a 38 inches tall chocolate Ganesha with 35 kg of chocolate in 50 hours.

After 5 days, she has planned to immerse Ganesha in milk, feed the chocolate Ganesha to hundreds of underprivileged kids and spread happiness in the lives of those kids.

This is what this amazing lady said on her Facebook post:

“It pains me tremendously to see the way our environment is exploited in the name of devotion. I just couldn’t bare the sight on the beach after the visarjan. Drunk people dancing on the streets on vulgar film songs blaring from loud speakers is not devotion.

I am a commercial designer turned designer baker. I decided to make my idol from chocolate last year. We immersed the idol in milk and distributed the chocolate milk among the underprivileged kids prasad. 1100 people took the prasad last year. It was a 28 kg, 32 inches tall idol. Real visarjan is done by bringing smiles on the faces of little kids not by polluting our waters.

This year my idol is 35 kg and 38 inches tall. It took me 50 hours to make it. Hope to distribute prasad to many more people this time, so bappa can stay in them forever. After all, bappa’s favourite place to reside is inside us, nowhere else.”

Isn’t this the perfect way to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi? After all, happiness doesn’t result from what we get, but from what we give.

If you really believe in God, then do your bit. Be a better person and celebrate the spirit of mankind.

News Source: Facebook andShuvro Ghoshal in www.storypick.com

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