CyberBullying - A New Leash of Life Thereafter

The increase in the use of technology in today's world has resulted in development of new applications and softwares that could be used for the wellbeing of human kind. However, there is another side in the misuse of technology by nerds. They in pursuit of knowledge and wealth, develop technological applications and softwares for teasing, for fun and for stealing other’s time, knowledge and wealth. All these activities could be grouped as cyberbullying. This has necessitated the need to create awareness against cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying impacts the life of an individual, their family, society and their work life. As an individual, this is very difficult to manage emotions to overcome the cyberbully leading to frustration and affecting the normal work life of the individual. Performance of individuals at work decreases with increasing impact of cyberbullying. Family members who may not be aware and understand cyberbullying will express varying emotions and are prone to fall prey to the temptations of cyberbullies leading to misconceptions and disengagement in family life. This in turn affects the individual leading to disconnected social life like social isolation.

Cyberbullying is a punishable offence across the globe. While this is not legally acceptable as is affecting the normal life of the individual harming them; cyberbully could also lead to criminal activities like personal identity theft of passwords and bank balance. Cyberbully is also against human ethics as is violating the privacy of the individual and disrespecting their emotions by not gaining consent from the concerned individual who are targeted. When a cyber-activity is harming the individual and one's well-being in the society, then cyberbullying turns socially unacceptable as well.

Thus awareness is necessitated to create awareness amongst public from falling prey to cyberbullying and to prevent them from becoming cyberbullies due to ignorance. Owing to the the pacing speed in technological developments the craving for need of power, lust and money, thus increases the chance of cybercrimes and cyberbullies. Cyberbullying thus has the potential to turn into the buzz word in cybercrimes.

PS: This was a short essay prepared for an online course of academic writing from University of Reading, UK

Bharathanatyam Accessories or Jewels–How do I ask?

The classical dance of Tamil Nadu is Bharathanatyam. This elegant dance of various postures which requires the dancers to balance against gravity comes with lot of vivid and bright colours and expensive glittering ornaments. Here is a list of ornaments that a Bharathanatyam dancer will wear:

1. Waist Belt: These are ornaments worn around the waist region and is called ottiyanam. The various varieties are Golden Lakshmi or Temple Lakshmi or Temple round belt.

2. Bangles; These are ornaments worn around the wrist and when they are not of fixed size and is of a constant length is called a bracelet. But for dancers they only wear bangles that are usually gold or gold-plated and studded with stones, gems and pearls.

3. Arm Band; These are ornaments worn on the arms and could be worn directly or is tied around the arms. They come in metal which is much more traditional and stiff than the pearl studded ones that are generally tied around the arms. They are also called vanki  or bajuband.

4. Neck Ornaments; Generally there are two types of neck ornaments – long chain and choker or necklaces. The long chain usually comes with a pendant and is a chain or is a kaasu mala or other such mala in which many small pendants like gold coins or other designs are threaded together on a gold or silver thread.

5. Ear Ornaments: There are two things worn by dancers in their ears. They are the chain that lifts and bears the weight of the ear droppings or stud. The ear droppings or stud is usually made of colourful stones, gems or pearls and is either flat (mattal) or round (jimikki).

6. Nose Rings and Nose Studs: Nose rings and nose studs are small ornaments worn in the nose together by the dancers. Generally dancers will prefer two nose rings than a nose stud (mukutthi). Nose rings could be worn in the side (valayam) or in the center (nath bullaku, which is more commonly worn).

7. Hair and Head Ornaments: The various ornaments of the hair will include the set braid adorned with ornaments. The end of the braid is tied with a decorative bun called kunjalam, which is heavier and keeps the hair and head straight and a wave while dancing. The braid is decored with braid billai, a circular to different shaped ornaments of varying size (big to small from the top to bottom).

Head ornaments will include those that decorate the forehead and the front of the head. the come as a single strand with a pendant or with many pendants (called step) or in three chains (one to the back of the head, two to both the sides) with a pendant in the front. This ornament is called netrichudi or head band (Indian). This ornament comes with a pair of head pins that could be worn in the gaps of the front head, nearly seven inches apart – one in circular head pin called the chandra, worn on the right and the other a semi circular head pin called the surya, worn on the left.

The final piece of head ornament is the bun ornament called rakodi. These are big round stone or gem studded grandly designed bun pins that cover the tangles and holds the bun tight.

8. Ankle Bell: These are ornaments adorned in the legs that makes noise because of the big brass bells stitched to clothe or velvet pad or a leather pad. They make noises in synchronisation to the music and rhythm of the dancer’s movements. They are called gunghroo or salangai.

Thus these are the various ornaments that are adorned by Bharathanatyam dancers and find below a display of antique piece of bharathanatyam ornamental set.

Kinds of Coffee: More than one flavour to relish your coffee!!! A Cuppa to your Valentine

COFFEE is the buzz word on a busy day!!! Oh! I got a headache! Oh! I need to get all these done by today! And, there you go with a cup of coffee from the cafeteria to keep you going till you end the day. Did you know? There are nearly 59 ways to prepare a CUPPA!!!

Ristretto: This is highly concentrated espresso having 0.75 ounce of espresso with very less water to pass through the coffee ground.

Espresso: This is strong black coffee prepared by using dark roasted coffee beans and hot steam in an espresso coffee machine, thus leaving a thick golden foam on the top. One may add sugar to taste and could have it as “short” (concentrated) or “long”.

Doppio: Double shot espresso for those who can take it.

Lungo: A 2 to 3 shots of espresso that passes through coffee grounds more number of times.

Cafe crema: Also called long black this coffee preparation is prepared by brewing for longer period using nearly 180 ml to 240 ml of water using manual pressure.

Espressino: A combination of Italian coffee drink prepared with equal parts of espressino and steamed milk.

Affogato: A scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream with a shot of hot espresso.

Cafe con Hielo: A cup of hot coffee – white or black – with desired amount of sugar added is poured over a glass of ice.

Cafe Cubano: Cuban coffee is mixing few drops of espresso with sweet natural brown sugar and slowly adding the remaining espresso to a light brown foamy layer.

Espresso Romano: A single shot of espresso topped with a fresh peel of lemon.

Macchiato: This is of two types: Caffe Macchiato in which a shot of espresso is added with a small amount of foamed milk; and is also called espressino macchiato; and in Latte Macchiato in which half a shot of espresso is added to foamed milk.

Caramel Machiato: A combination of espresso, caramel and foamed milk or hot milk with vanilla essence to add flavour makes this as one of the addictive coffee drink to give you the perfect experience of the java beans.

Cafe con leche: A Spanish white coffee drink prepared by adding a shot of espresso to scalded milk.

Cortado: This Spanish coffee preparation of espresso with warm milk to reduce acidity in proportions of 1:1 to 1:2.

Cortadito: This is Cuban coffee version of Cortado that is served in a special glass with metal base and metal handle. Cortado condensada or bombon is a variation in which milk is replaced with condensed milk and leche y leche in which the condensed milk is topped with cream.

Piccolo Latte: This is ristretto shot served in a small latte glass topped with warm and silky milk sans cream.

Cappuccino: A combination in equal parts od espresso, steamed milk and milk froth complemented with unsweetened with cocoa powder and grated dark chocolate.

Flat White: A black coffee with milk.

Cafe au lait: This is French coffee prepared in brewed coffee and hot milk in equal parts. Thus is much weaker than caffe latte.

Breve: A milk-based espresso drink prepared with steamed milk and cream in half-and-half ratio.

Red Eye: Fortified coffee drink in which espresso is mixed with a shot of drip or filter coffee.

Black Eye: A cup of coffee that has black marking caused by pouring out a shot of espresso on a scoop of cream.

Americano: This is a single shot of espresso added to a cup of hot water with or without milk. However, this famous drink of Americans is best preferred with minimum quantity of milk added.

Vienna: A creamy cup of coffee prepared by mixing two shots of espresso with whipped cream until the standard cup is full and twirled with cream and sprinkled with chocolate chips.

Mocha: Also called Mocaccino is a chocolate flavoured caffe latte. This is prepared with a shot of espresso and hot milk with chocolate – dark or milk chocolate.

Borgia: Borgia is a delicious coffee made using equal proportions of hot chocolate and espresso and topped with whipped cream and grated orange peels.

Caffe Latte: A caffe latte is combination of single shot of espresso and three parts of hot milk.

Ca Phe Sua Da: A cup containing sweetened condensed milk is mixed with Vietnam grown roasted dark coffee beans which is brewed using a French metal drip filter over ice.

Galao: This is a Portugal hot coffee prepared by mixing espresso with foamed milk in 1:3 ratio.

Frappe: Cold espresso prepared with 1 – 2 teaspoons of instant coffee with sugar, water and ice, which is placed in ice in a long glass and milk to prepare coffee milkshake.

Mazagran: Cold sweetened coffee beverage of Portuguese combining espresso ,lemon and rum.

Irish Coffee: An alcoholic coffee drink that is prepared with a shot of Irish whiskey in a whiskey glass and three cubes of sugar filled with strong black coffee and topped with heavy cream.

Schiumatto: This is a coffee preparation with one shot of espresso topped with frothy milk.

Decaffeinato: The use of decaf coffee for preparation of a cuppa is decaffeinato.

Espresso Con Panno: Topping a cuppa espresso with whipped cream.

Espresso Corretto: Espresso with a splash of grappa, cognac or sambuca (liquor or brandy). This is an Italian preparation.

Espresso Macchiato: Espresso with a dollop of steamed milk decored artistically.

Caffe Americano: A shot of espresso diluted to the strength of drip coffee by adding hot water.

Cafe Mocha (Mochachino): This is cappucino or caffe latte complemented with chocolate syrup or powder and garnished with whipped cream.

Cafe Breva: Cappucino with half and half milk instead of whole milk to give a more richer and creamier flavour.

Cafe Macchiato: A shot of espresso with steamed milk in 4:1 ratio.

Cafe Latte Fredo: This is Cafe Latte prepared in cold milk and shook with ice in a cocktail shaker.

Espresso Granita: A cocktail coffee combining a shot of epsresso, splash of brandy and a teaspoon of brown sugar. This is frozen and crushed to prepare a drink in parfait glass with whipped cream.

Turkish Coffee or Greek Coffee: A thicker coffee prepared in a special long-handed, open brass or copper pot called ‘cezve’. finely ground fresh coffee beans is boiled in water to prepare muddy coffee that is thick and served on ‘Demitasse’ cups with sugar and cardamom pods (Turkish) or Arabic spices or chicory (Greek).

Indian (Madras) Filter Coffee: Freshly ground coffee beans is drip filtered using a traditional metal coffee filter and mixed with milk in 1:3 ratio.

Cafe Melange: A black coffee mixed or topped with whipped cream.

Carajillo: A Spanish coffee drink prepared by mixing coffee with brandy or rum or by heating the poured spirit and adding lemon, sugar and cinnamon.

Eiskaffee: German preparation of ice coffee prepared combining strong and chilled coffee, milk and ice cream (vanilla) with chocolate chip toppings.

Bicerin: This is a good combination of coffee (espresso), chocolate and whole milk in small rounded glasses.

Yuanyang: A Hong Kong coffee with tea which is prepared by mixing coffee with Hong Kong style milk tea as cold or hot.

Indian Herbal Coffee: A simple decoction of coffee prepared with few medicinal herbs of India like dry ginger, coriander seeds, pepper, cumin seeds and palm sugar or jaggery. Some people add more flavour using basil or omam leaves.

So isn’t the best time to take your Valentine for a cup of coffee!!!

DUNG BEETLE – I AM A WEIGHTLIFTER!

How am I known? I am also known as dung chafer or tumblebug. What I am known for is my dark black body with a metallic lustre that is copper or green in colour.

Why am I popular? I eat dung and am a farmer’s friend! Yes, I chew dung to “nothing” that is easy to digest for other organisms that share my habitat. I am also popular through the movie “MUMMY” where you see me as “scarab” that is a terror attacking in multitude showing that I am symbol of Egyptian Civilization.

Where do I live? Cold or dry weather like desert, prairies, farms, forests and grass lands. These are the habitats and they are omnipresent all over the world except for the continent of Antarctica. They feed on excreta of herbivores, in particular, and omnivores, and also on mushrooms, decaying leaves and fruits. There is a carnivore dung beetle, Deltochilum valgum, in South America that feeds on millipedes.

Dung beetles sense the presence of dung, capture the dung in small balls and take the dung ball to their burrow in a straight line and bury them inside the ground. They prefer carrying the dung ball in a straight path across all obstacles on the way and the possibility of getting stolen by other dung beetles. They maintain the path of travel in accordance with the moonlight.

Do you know the weight of dung carried by the dung beetle? They carry dung that weighs 50 times their own body weight. What’s more? A male Onthophagus taurus dung beetle carries dung that is 1,141 times more than its body weight ≡ a normal person pulling a double decker bus full of people.

Why do they carry these dung to their burrows? Stores food or Mating! If the beetle is going to store food you will find a single beetle struggling with the dung ball and if you find two beetles carrying across a dung ball, one being a male and other being a female, then is part of the mating process – “rolling process”. Later they use these dung balls to mate underground, work on preparing brooding ball and lays eggs to breed larvae. The larvae feeds on the nutrients from this brooding ball and thrives until independent.

There are two more varieties of dung beetle than the rollers: Tunnelers, jump into the dung and dig a ball right down into the ground and Dwellers, jump onto the top of a dung and make themselves comfy.

Display of Diverse Indian Culture – Indian Breads in Indian Cuisine

Indian Breads are those prepared from batter prepared using powdered grains with water in appropriate proportions. They could be steamed, baked, fried or grilled. There are different kinds of Indian bread preparations and each standing evident for the state and culture of the people suiting their agro-climatic zones. They could spicy, sweet or sour preparations made from fermented or unfermented batter.

Briefed below are a gist of various kinds of Indian breads prepared at Indian homes and food services that are broadly classified into flatbreads and crepes:

Appam (Kerala): This is a delicacy from South India prepared with rice batter in a special tava over steam using fermented rice batter and coconut milk. The most common side dish for this preparation are sweetened coconut milk and goat leg soup (paya) preparation. This is a typical desi pancake from India for breakfast or dinner. 

Idiyappam is an extension of the same batter that is prepared with rice flour dough moulded into strings, steamed and served with a range of side dishes from lentils to chicken gravy.

Nei appam (Tamil Nadu): These are also prepared using rice batter with jaggery that could either be steamed or fried. This is a food of Goddess served in many temples as “Prasadham”. They are usually cooked in ghee when served to Goddess and thus the name nei appam. This is more common food found in TamilNadu.

Kuzhi Paniyaram: This a delicacy in Tamil Nadu made during special occasions in the rural parts of the state by steaming a batter made from black lentils and rice. They are served either sweet or spicy with jaggery or sauted green chillies and onions.They are made on special pans and stir fried in gingely oil or ghee. There are many varieites that could be made with this dish like adding fruits and pepper and vegetables.

Idli: These are traditional breakfast of South India that are prepared for regular and daily consumption for breakfast or dinner from the fermented batter of black lentils and rice. The batter is steam cooked into cakes of two to three inches and served hot with colourful chutneys and lentil soup (sambar). Other vraiotions of this food are sambar idli (soaked and served in sambar), mini idlis (soaked in sambar, rasam or buttermilk), tatte idli (Karnataka), sannas (Goan variation), rava idli and muday idli (Mangalorean variety). They are also served with dry spice powder mixed with gingely oil.

Bakarkhani: Baqerkhani or bakar khan roti are thick and flat spicy bread made with a batter of flour, semolina, sugar, molasses soaked in saffron, poppy or nigella seeds, salt and ghee. They have a hard crust that could be eaten like a biscuit. The food is usually cooked in Kashmir and some parts of India near Bangladesh.

Bhatoora: This is a fluffy, deep-fried leavened bred made in North India and is usually served with channa or chole making the infamous, Chole bhature combination. The bhature is made of knead made from white flour, yoghurt, ghee or oil and baking powder or yeast and allowed to raise. The flattened dough is cooked in hot oil and deep fried to form the fluffy, light browned and chewy bread.

Kulcha: This is an alternate form of the dough baked on direct heat in earthen clay oven until they are golden brown without oil. This is a typical Punjabi recipe that is eaten by both Punjabis of India and Pakistan. They are served with butter and chole or channa cooked spicy hot. Amristar is famous for these kind of breads and they are served in the Golden Temple.

Chapati: These are unleavened flatbread prepared in many countries like India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan that are prepared with wheat flour dough knead with slat, oil and milk. They are cooked on both the sides of the pan. In South India people usually apply oil or ghee at the time of cooking while in North India oil or ghee or butter is applied at the time of serving. Chapati is served with a number of side dishes ranging from spicy and hot pickle to lentils or curd or raita to spicy vegetarian and non-vegetarian gravy preparations.

Roti: Roti is a typical resemblance of flatbread made like chapati but the difference lies in the flour, stone-ground whole meal flour and therefore the dough will be much coarser. They are cooked on flat or slightly concave iron tawa using unleavened dough. They are normally eaten with curries and vegetable gravy. These rotis are the ones that are used to make the modern wraps with tasty and healthy stuffing.

Tandoori Roti: Tandoori roti is a popular unleavened bread made from whole wheat flour on clay oven or tandoor and is possible to cook them over pressure pan. They are served with spicy and gravy dishes of meat and vegetables.

Dosa: These are fermented crepe prepared from batter of black lentils and rice. This is a delicacy of South India and is no les popular in other neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, Singapore and Malaysia. Dosa went under transformation with time – softer and thicker (kaldosai) to thinner and crispier dosa (paper dosa) of this new world. Dosa is served with side dishes similar to idly, sambar and chutney. There are nearly 200 variations in dosa and many parts of Tamil Nadu host Dosa Festival as a treat to winter.

Uttapam: These are also crepe preparation made from the same batter prepared for dosa but the thicker pancake is crispier on the outer surface and softer in the inner layers like idli. The crepe is usually coked on one side and is topped with a range of toppings like onions, pepper, green chillies, mixed vegetables and sometimes even meat.

Luchi: This is a flatbread native to Odisha, Bengal and Assam that are deep-fried flat bread made of white flour. They are very small in size and served usually with dum aloo or aloo matter. These breads though crispy are never brown in colour. When stuffed, luchi are called kochuri. 

Puri are made with whole wheat flour and turns brown on deep-fry.

Phulka: This is a soft flatbread preparation cooked over dry heat with dough made with a mixture of soya flour and wheat flour and served hot with vegetable curries. For the making of phulka on direct flame or heat they have a special griddle made on which the flattened dough could be placed. The bread is turned over using tongs.

Naan: This is a oven-baked leavened flat bread that is typically made in South Asia which is prepared from white flour with salt, yeast and yogurt. The preparation is soft though elastic and is cooked in a number of forms using butter or ghee and flavoured. They are served with dal (lentil soup), vegetable curries and non-vegetarian curries.

Thepla (Gujarati): These are spicy flattened semi - soft bread with the main proportion of flour being made from whole wheat flour mixed with spices and curd, and cooked over a tawa or griddle using little oil. They are served with chunda or sweet mango pickle.

Paratha: This is a typical Punjabi bread and is the most popular unleavened flat bread eaten in Punjab. The bread is also called parantha and could be prepared in differing shapes. They are prepared using whole wheat flour kneaded with hot oil, raised and cooked over tava or direct heat to puff into layers without oil or ghee. The oil or ghee is usually applied to hot paratha that is served immediately with dal, raita, vegetable curries or non-vegetarian gravies. Parathas could be cooked with fillings or stuffing and cooked to make a number of varieties.

Parotta: Better known as Barotta is a flattened multi - layered unleavened bread made of white flour with egg oil or ghee and water. The bread is beaten to a number of times and usually served with vegetable kuruma or chicken or beef or mutton stew. Parotta comes in a number of variations and diced variations are chilli and kothu parotta.

Puran Poli: Known in different names is popularly known in Tamil as boli and is a sweet flatbread of India that is prepared in the states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Goa. The stuffing for the poli is made of grated coconut mixed with jaggery and roasted condiments like nutmeg or cardamom. This is usually golden yellow in colour and is cooked with ghee on a hot griddle. The range of stuffing could also include lentils and nuts.

Pathiri (Kerala): This is a pancake made mostly by Muslims in Kerala using rice flour dough and baked on oadu pans. They are later served with coconut milk that increases the flavour and retains the softness of the dish. Pathiri varieties will include ghee battered, fried pathiri and fish or meat stuffed pathiri. They are regular delicacy of the month of Ramdan.

Dondiyala-Khakhra: These are left over rotis that are turned into crispy khakhras by grilling on dying charcoal fire using tongs and served with hot pickles and vegetables. They carry a smoky and sweet flavour of burnt roti. These khakhras are served hot with pickles and vegetables.

Is there any better evidence that anyone can tie up the diverse culture of India with food?

HOW GASES MOVE IN PLANTS? – RICE AS MODEL SPECIES

Rice is a semi-aquatic model crop grown widely in regions of seasonal rainfall. Therefore, submergence is one of the most common abiotic stresses that result in reduced oxygen supply for respiration at night. This in turn reduces the rate of respiration at night resulting in decreased survival of rice plants.

So rice plants adapted to use the oxygen released during underwater photosynthesis, which forms a gas film layer around these submerged leaves. This physiological adaptation is supported by the super-hydrophobic leaves that have a thicker cuticle with increased permeability. These two traits enhance oxygen exchange to submerged shoot regions at night.

In this specific study, the influence of gas film layer on the rate of oxygen transport and resistance to oxygen transport was measured against variabilities in stomatal characteristics, cuticle permeability and thickness of diffusive boundary layer (standing water or bulk water). The use of 3D simulation modelling for this study is a very novel experimental approach and highlights a turning point in plant physiological studies.

The scientists concluded from the hypothetical results that there is a 22 fold reduction in the resistance against oxygen transport rate due to the presence of gas film layers in submerged rice leaves with high cuticle permeability and fully open stomata. This model also predicted the direction of oxygen transport through open stomata to be perpendicular and through closed stomata to be oblique.

Hence these adaptations confirm that rice crop have better survival strategy in regions with seasonal inundation problem and thus can serve as the crop of choice for rotation during wet season.

Reference: VERBOVEN, P., PEDERSEN, O., HO, Q. T., NICOLAI, B. M. and COLMER, T. D. (2014), The mechanism of improved aeration due to gas films on leaves of submerged rice. Plant, Cell & Environment, 37: 2433–2452. doi: 10.1111/pce.12300

PANDA – ENTHRONED SOLITAIRE CULTURAL MASCOT OF CHINA

If I am asked, “What do you know about Panda?”, these are the words that will flash into my surface memory – China, Olympics, Endangered Species, Bamboo, Gentle Animal and Adorable Animal of the Wild. They are known to the world ever since 1869 as described by French Missionary Pere Armand David.

Giant Panda whose primary abode is in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of of Southwest of China has been populated to a number of 1600 in the wild as per 2004 census and thus been classified by IUCN in the Red Data Book as ENDANGERED with the main reasons being hunting and forest destruction. Currently, these Pandas are abode only in six mountainous regions of China.

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION: 

CLASS	Mammalia
ORDER	Carnivora
FAMILY	Ursidae
GENUS	Ailuropoda
SPECIES	melanoleuca

Pandas of China are the most beloved and rarest species of the bears of the world ranging from miniature toys to big fluffy dolls. These Pandas are the symbol of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) ever since its inception in 1961. These Pandas are characterised and well-known for their striking contrasting colours of black and white with soft and smooth fur. The block patches on their body is well defined including the well-noted and distinguishing black patch near the eyes all well-adapted for camouflage on the tree tops and on the mountainous regions of China.

This gentle and kind mammalian inhabiting the thicker and deeps forests of western China usually live for nearly 14 to 20 years in the wild standing taller more than four feet. They give birth to 1 or 2 cubs during their breeding period. The Panda weighs around 70 to 125 kilograms.

They are excellent tree climbers and rely on bamboo leaves and stalks food. As these are low in nutrients and consume around 26 to 84 pounds on a daily basis which is the main task of the day next to sleeping. They also need plenty of water to drink like other bears. Some of the other food that Panda eats will include grasses, bulbs, fruits, some insects and even rodents and carrion. These Pandas stay in old, hollow logs and tee stumps with holes where they can rest in cosy comfort.

Pandas are not social animals and usually stay in isolation (solitary habitats) and for them two is a crowd attracting conflicts expect during mating and parenting season. If seen in crowd, Pandas are mating adults or mother Panda with her cubs. The only companion Pandas have is the “bleat” and other ways of communication are honks, huffs, barks, growls, croaks and squeals. CALL OF THE NATURE Other ways of communication by Pandas are through their distinctive scent glands located under the tail that leave a waxy and stinky mark on trees, rocks, bamboos and bushes. These scents are much useful at the time of courting and mating and for marking their territory.

Giant Panda is a keystone species of the Chinese temperate forests as it plays a very important role in the ecological habitat of bamboo forests where it abodes. Besides they are endemic in that region. They play a vital role in dissemination of bamboo seeds and facilitates the spread of bamboo forests in the Yangtze Basin thus paving way to ecological restoration in deforested areas. This region is blessed with species whose survival are interdependent to the survival of Pandas: golden monkey, takin and crested ibis (endangered species); and dwarf blue sheep and multi-coloured pheasants. Thus this turns out to be one of the hotspots for ecotourism.

PANDA AS OLYMPIC ANIMAL: GIANT PANDA FOR EATING!

No wonder Panda became the world’s most adorable bear ever since they became official mascot of Olympic Games at Beijing in the year 2008 standing evident as the cultural icon for China and her natural resources, the wealth of any nation. A point to be brought forward to our notice at this instance that Panda was adopted as the logo of WWF.

WHAT ARE THE THREATS TO PANDA?

Loss of habitat is the major problem as a result of deforestation for timber industry and lowland habitat by farmers for agriculture and civilisation making “search of food” difficult for Panda.

Some of the ways we can help the Pandas and make them stay with us and with our children:

1. Adopt a Panda

2. Take Action – CAMPAIGN!

3. Speak Up for Wildlife

4. Stay Informed – Keep Yourself Abreast!

5. Become Defender of Wildlife

HALLUCINATIONS - SCIENCE BEYOND YOUR IMAGINATIONS!

DEFINITION: Hallucinations are the unusual ability of the brain to sense something which is not present to be present when one is awake, in contrary to the series of incidents that one sense during sleep, which we call as dreams. This is also called illusion.

In extreme cases and in spiritual sense these could sometimes also be referred as “visions” – Christianity and “apparitions” – Hinduism.

TYPES:

There are many types of hallucinations:

1. feelings on the body sensation with no real symptoms – crawling on the skin and movement of internal organs kinesthetic hallucination.

2. Hearing sounds like music, banging windows and doors and footsteps – auditory hallucination or paracusia or paracusis.

3. Hearing voices of people whom you are familiar and them not being around or voices that give instructions to cause harm to others or to themselves, critical and complement oneself.

(you hear them like cosmic noises and sounds)

4. Seeing objects, flashes of lights or living things like a mirage or a flash of light – visual hallucination.

5. Smelling foul or pleasant odour olfactory hallucination.

6. sensing unusual taste – gustatory hallucination

7. hypnagogic hallucination is a dream-like hallucination that occurs at the onset of sleep and hypnopompic hallucination that occurs on awakening.

Hallucination like hearing voices or seeing images of grieving hearts after death of near and dear ones is acceptable and normal.

CAUSES:

The various reasons that could cause hallucinations will include:

1. Having been abused with substances like alcohol, marijuana, LSD, cocaine, PCP heroin, amphetamines and ketamines.

2. Delirium or dementia leading to visual hallucinations

3. epilepsy could lead to odor hallucination

4. Very high fever

5. mental disorders like schizoprenia.

6. Sensory disorders like blindness or deafness or even repeated infection of ears could lead to hallucinations.

7. Failure of organs like liver, kidney and brain cancer or infections could also lead to hallucination. `

8. Lack of sleep, disturbances during sleep cycles especially when entering the deep sleep cycle or waking up often over a continuous period of time besides continued stress are some of the other reasons that could lead to hallucinations.

9. Social isolation could lead to hallucination in elderly people.

In the hospital: Better not get astrayed! When you have a problem this is how the doc will usually undergo a medical examination…the doc will make queries on the number of incidents of occurrence, when this has been happening, when they occur and the kinds of drugs they have been taking at that instance.

Even otherwise healthier habits like good sleep, good and healthy food with healthier lifestyle habits like avoidance of substance abuse and good social and emotional support with happier environment are some of the best ways to treat this condition initially followed by use of medications if required in much more intense conditions.
People started asking me why I wrote this blog? Hallucinations, my doctor when I told him of seeing light flashes - he clearly told this is not related to my sclerotic neuroheadache and assured that this hardly happens to patients with even serious neural conditions. The only reason is stress and I need to eat well nutritively and good sleep. I was stressed and maybe due to the trauma of being hit by the ball that reduced automatically with the healing of the neck and muscles in the back of my head. Please do not trouble me recollecting these events again.

SPARROWS: GETTING LOST IN METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY

House sparrows are one of the most commonly seen birds in the city in house roofs, sunshades and buildings and gardens. As per IUCN list they are of Least Concern, yet is on the verge of shifting to the vulnerable category at the rate that modernisation of metropolitan cities are affecting their niche in the cities and increasing shortage of food.  I still remember when I was a kid playing with sparrows and having them building nests at home and nearby garden. I have watched them hatch eggs and feed their chicks.

They belong to the family of Passer and are cosmopolitan entertainers of the city, though predominantly feeding on seeds, grains and small insects. They are unusually cute, small, plumpy little birds that are brown in colour with grey feathers in between their wings and tail with stubby and powerful beaks. Male house sparrows are brighter brown in colour, while the female sparrows are dull and grubby. Stripes of black, brown and buff on sparrows are the striking features of male sparrows.

House sparrows are very noisy and in groups they enjoy your garden and roofs, food and water. You could find their nests holes in your house roofs, bird’s nest, bird box, roof tops, traffic signals, shop sign boards and fences. They are found more common in human acquaintances and found mostly in the city and farmstead.

With the decrease in number of sparrows and spotting them becoming a rare occasion in daily life, March 20th, of every year has been declared as “World Sparrow Day”. This has been reported at various instances that the number of sparrows are slowly disappearing in the cities of United States, in India at major cities like Bangalore, Chennai and other metropolis. What usually happens on this day is a celebration by conservationists and environmentalists to host programmes for breeding and conserving sparrows by active individuals, national and international groups. The decline in number was first noticed in the year 1990s. Citizen Sparrow is a Citizen Science Programme and Education and Public Engagement Programme; Bring Back Sparrow is an environmental campaign initiated by an individual hailing from Bangalore, working as a full-time dentist, Dr. Harish Narayan and the implementation of Project Sparrow by a few students in Chennai. There are many such similar programmes working towards the cause for saving sparrows and in the year 2010 a stamp was released by the Indian Postal Department.

What you can do near your house?

Place a bird box and a feeder outside the garden or near the window or under the sunshade.

Water bowls and bird bath are some other option to invite and attract sparrows and is a conservatory measure.

Always try to have some space for garden at your home or apartment where you will find some niche for sparrows.

SPARROWS! You Will See A Chirpy Fulfilling Happiness Entering Your Home!

PROJECT WORKS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS AND OTHER WORKS AT REDUCED COST

Complete your project work before you go to DTP (Xerox) shop with me....What I will do for you???

1. Tables       -  Min. Rs. 3 per Table
2.Graphs      -  Min. Rs. 5 per Graph
3. Pictures and Image Alignment - Min. Rs. 10 per plate of A4 size.

Contact: 9500906549; 
email: ecoagripolicy@gmail.com

HURRY UP ONLY FOR LIMITED PERIOD!!!

GREEN DIWALI CONCEPTS FOR 5 DAYS YEAR 2014

This year amazingly happened to find time in my records to take initiatives and work on my social media campaign for preventing the over use of crackers:

Eco-anti-cracker Campaign

GREEN DIWALI CONCEPTS!!!

Day 1: 

Use low noise producing crackers than exploding crackers – Join the cause “Low Toxic Dumping into the Environment”

Toxic gun powders are used in exploding crackers in which the combustible gas is released under pressure exploding the cardboard shell of these crackers with a loud popping noise.

Low noise producing crackers are those that display colourful fireworks which are as a result of mixing smaller amounts of gun powder with salts that gives colourful flames.

There is much more science to production of fireworks – but “gun powder” has been the killer to the labourers as well, besides toxic to the environment.

Let’s think twice before we decide what crackers to buy this season!!! HAPPY DIWALI FOLKS!!!

Day 2:

Family reunions - new clothes, sharing cherishing moments, following family rituals, sharing sweets and hot, spicy snacks and good menu on the platter from breakfast to dinner.

Diwali is once in a day in a year when you get an opportunity for family gathering and spend time together. These are the days as a nuclear family we hardly get time to spend with each other with ever raising demand of consumerism and economy to maintain our living standards. May be this Diwali you can try PLANNING YOUR DAY to spend time in or out with your family, more time with God and family, enjoy all the three meals of your day in peace (make it as long as possible) and what’s more than sharing your sweets and snacks with your kins, friends and neighbours – also enjoy sharing your cherishing moments in life (maybe as a parent you can introspect on your childhood days of Diwali) with your family…leave the taboo of gluing to Television if not CRACKERS habit on Diwali!!!

HAVE A LIVELY DIWALI Day!!!

Day 3:

Festival of lights and fireworks - Share and Care

Diwali is popularly called the “Festival of Lights” though for Tamil Nadu, “Karthigai Deepam” is the one during which people light clay oil lamps. However, many people I have known used to decorate their house with oil lamps as well on Diwali. So take some more of your time in the evening to arrange and décor your home or temple with these lamps. Thus, you will find something more fulfilling done on the day other than simply bursting crackers. Bursting crackers – if a status issue and pacifying your ego – don’t worry, share the crackers you have brought with “have not’s” and you will find something done more fulfilling and still you have spent more money on crackers than others. “HAVE A CARING AND SHARING DIWALI SEASON THIS YEAR!”

Day 4:

Lasting or Low in Toxic & Less-Smoke Fireworks?

Well again coming back to the pavilion of your cracker purchase – think twice! You have two options lying in front of you –

Option 1 : Exploding crackers not only produce more noise but most of you burst them in the morning for thrill and fun of who is waking up whom – ultimately you keep bursting those crackers for an hour or two continuously until religious rituals commences;

Option 2 : In contrast, this is a common habit to burst those noiseless cracker that produce smoke which wades away in a few minutes and do not smog by evening; and you have the option of keeping all the pests and mosquitoes off for one single evening and such an enjoyable moment to see bright and vivid colours. “HAVE A VIVID AND VIBRANT COLOURFUL DIWALI!!

Day 5:

What's more Joyful – Exploding or Fun Together?

Well, boys and girls – do your youth and adventure spirit rush into your blood and trigger your desire to burst exploding crackers – well guys and gals think twice??? Do you have pets? Do you have old people and children at home? Is anyone sick at home? Are they there at your neighbourhood? Then why do for just one day thrill and adventure you want to hurt someone? Of course, I am not asking not to burst exploding crackers – your fun is as well important; but check on the decibel limit where you burst and it’s a “BIG NO” to bombs legally at any place.

Try this! Reduce the amount of exploding crackers that you burst and have more fun bursting colourful firework displays which everyone at home and neighbourhood will enjoy – and that’s time spent well for the day. What’s more fun? What’s more fulfilling - your joy or having fun together? HAVE A FUN FILLED DIWALI WITH YOUR FRIENDS, KINS AND FAMILY!

So these concepts are the mark of the year to come!!!!

Principal - Stop Corporal Punishment

All you need to do is to click on the link and sign the petition. If you think you can do a little more, kindly pass this onto to others whom you know will have a good heart and mind. I ask this support as I want to live and not die for the cold blooded murder by the concerned administrative authorities for not using this punishment and going ahead with life. I wonder why public mass is liking to see their children beaten to death. Of course no death reported in this case, because I was present and there was a fear looming that I will not support if I know the truth. Severe punishments were tried in my notice period because I was being physically hurt and now not sure how long I will be alive if you do not show you support me. PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOICE!!!! I hear so many children cry in joy asking people to support for they are being beaten in contempt!!!


Principal - Stop Corporal Punishment

ADOPT ME!!!

Save Me! Give Me Home & Food!

I Promise To Be Your Loyal Friend!

Rather I love to cuddle with you

I am at Play

You can find and pick me up to home when my mother is gone outing leaving her some food near 2/647-2, GR Nagar I Street, Kannanenthal, Madurai - 7.

Thank you!!!!! I got a sweet home!!!!

Care While You Burst And Blast

 

How I wish I could WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY DIWALI!!! And, I do here!!!

Diwali, yes – Festival of Lights, but these days we are making it as Festival of Crackers!!! No Worries!!! Opinion Differs.

Coming to the celebration of Diwali, last year has been my worst experience in seeing personally a number of deaths and accidents, especially because, I regretted till the end that I could not give them a detailed instructions on bursting crackers!!! Here I go, I have the best time to make use of my access to net in peace with the limited time to post some precautions that you could take while bursting crackers.

DO’S AND DONT’S:

• Choose your place to burst crackers!!! Avoid crowded, congested places, narrow places and lanes, huts and animal shelters, garbage and trash areas and places where sources of fire, including the whole lot of fire crackers that you have purchased and have placed them out to burst.

• Supervision of children while bursting crackers is a must. Today morning as I walked past, I saw three children trying to burst crackers on the top of a compound wall – Appreciate their intelligence to avoid wet surface – but by the time they lit the fire and get back to a safe distance the cracker would have exploded! No Parents near by!!!

• Buy branded and sealed crackers – do not buy loose crackers and those which do not have ISI or ISO or that of an authorising agency’s seal and from licensed shops. Your safety first is very important – why? Authorising agency limits the amount of exploding materials that is to be standardised and placed inside the crackers in terms of both quality and quantity.

• Avoid long loose and nylon or silk clothes – good that you would love to burst crackers in your Diwali dress – but is that worth your life??? I still remember one of my neighbour, an engineering graduate, lighting lamp for Diwali when her grand, expensive silk saree got burnt – I informed only to get abused, leaving aside for her thankful mother.
• Wear closed shoes for your good to prevent crackers from hurting your feet and don’t examine burst crackers.
• Keep in handy a bucket of water and sand, and a blanket to wrap yourself if only you get hurt by fire…Also have a burnt first-aid kit, icepack, etc., in handy.
• Do not burst crackers like rockets or those that shoot up or flower pots near plants and trees.
• Always use long Agarbatti (incense stick) or lit stick to burst crackers. Avoid using matchbox and candles. Never ever use oil lamps to light your lit sticks or other small fireworks, incense sticks.
• There is no thrill in holding crackers and throwing them – you could land hurting someone and if that happens to be someone on whom you have a displeasure they may corner you with a murder complaint.
• Keep a bucket or dig a pit to dispose all the burnt cracker and in the end throw that bucket of water into the pit.
• Do not intimidate small kids to burn crackers forcefully. They will learn at their own time and pace.
• Park all your vehicles at a safer distance and never burst them on main roads where vehicles pass-by.

All done and back into your house – STOP – don’t rush to those sweet and snack shop – wash yourself completely with lots of soap and water to rinse off all the toxins from the crackers that you had been handling….

Rush to the nearest hospital in case of injury – be glad to know that there are docs ready to come and help you!!! Be glad to know that there are people in fire department to come in and subdue the fire for you!!!

Do you want to WISH everyone A HAPPY DIWALI – then please don’t hurt others!!!!

Say No To Drugs! Let Your Mind Control The Drug and Not The Drug Control You!–PART I

June 26th has been dedicated as International Day Against Drug Abuse an information spread across for awareness campaign by Narcotics Control Bureau, Tamil Nadu with the motto of the campaign being “Get High On Life, Not On Drugs!” NCBR SMS Campaign!

Drugs are abused by individuals either at their own will or by others resulting in victimization. These days modernisation and lifestyle changes creeping into the society in the form of night clubs as an instance has led to free traffic of drugs. When I happened to make my trip abroad I was both warned and happened to read in our orientation books and programmes to avoid going to night clubs for the probability of use of drugs to make people stay awake and energize to dance for longer hours is high. These drugs are either mixed in the drinks or thrown as powder in the air. Besides, girls who used to visit these night clubs used to share their experiences of how men tend to lose control and misbehave in many ways and take advantage while dancing with them and how boys accompanying them come to their rescue… in the end they were happy at the adventure they had! I have also read in papers that drugs are used in Indian night clubs as well and recently I happened to read an article on drugs being abused by college students in Sivagangai District! The next day I happened to find a used needle barrel at the campus of my workplace in a primary student’s hand to my despair, which on enquiry I happened to be picked by that student’s sibling in KG….though I have sense that needle maybe used for practical, I have the common sense and still remember the difficulty that we had when we wanted one from the medical shop because we are school students (and managed to get one for the reputation my school had) and we were thought of how to dispose…!

All this led me to decide on to share my part of knowledge on using these kind of drugs… why not there were and are many tele-serials and cinemas telecasted to contribute to their campaign against the use and abuse of drugs.

Why Drugs?

Why talk about drug abuse? Drugs are used to modify the state of mind and mood to create problems causing displacement at place of work or study and at home as a result of which inter-personal relationships diminishes, depreciated health and violation of law will result. The reasons are simple: loss of ability to think and take decisions and make judgements because of blurred vision and other related effects of drug abuse.

Before getting into the depths of drug abuse and drugs prevalent in the community and in party clubs, some of the terminologies that needs to be understood are as follows:

1. Tolerance: Tolerance is the need for higher dosage of drugs when the lower dosage of drug that previously effective becomes ineffective.

2. Dependence: Dependence is the inability of a person to manage without taking a drug specifically when withdrawal symptoms instigates the affected individual to depend on the drug to manage the withdrawal effects.

3. Abuse: Abusers overuse the drug and are addicted to drugs. They tend to hide their addiction, deny substance-related problems and under-report their problems.

4. Addiction: Addiction is abusing drugs without physical dependence on the drug.

COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS:

Alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, opiates (heroin and Talwin), psychostimulants (cocaine), sedative-hypnotics (benzodiazepines and barbiturates), hallucinogens (LSD), phencyclidine (PCP), designer drugs (ecstasy and meow) and inhalants.

MEDICAL AND MENTAL ILLNESSES:

The overall effects of abusing drugs leads to medical and mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, insomnia, phobias, emotional and behavioural problems.

CANNABIS      Respiratory disorders, pulmonary cardiac arrest, decreased sperm count and motility and menstrual abnormalities.

STIMULANTS  Sudden death, cardiac arrhythmias, fibrillation, infarction, hypersensitive crisis, physical exhaustion.

OPIATES         Increased risk of TB, generalized malnutrition.

What I have understood from the awareness sessions given to us on drugs and from personal readings in pamphlets at various counselling centers is that the effect of drug abuse is more severe and opposing on health when you try to control drug abuse symptoms from affecting you with your mind or by nature if the drug abused is not being acceptable by your body. In other words, trying to control neuro alterations in the brain and the implications thereof on physical and pscyhological effects either by the course of nature or with your mind.

In the next section to follow we will see more of the symptoms associated with different types of drug abuse……

Story of Two Horses

Author: Rachel Predeepa J

There were two horses and the keeper of the horse took both the horses to the riverside for drinking water and grazing. Both the horses grazed happily. However when he took the horses to the river to drink water, one of the horses drank the water and the other refused to drink. The horse that drank the water was feeling good and energetic because it had its thirst pacified. While the other horse did not drink water and grumbled. In the end when they went ahead of their journey, the horse which drank the water was able to walk steadily while the horse which refused to drink the water found the journey hard and weary.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Making the best use of resources available is dependent on how you make the best use of the opportunity and guidance.