Saturday, August 21, 2010

Untitled

Amplify’d from www.facebook.com
Gopal Unnikrishna
The spirit or ghost of Patience Worth who was an unmarried English woman and an ardently aspiring writer who lived in Nantucket island
in Massachusetts, USA, in the late 1600s and been killed in an Indian raid transformed Pearl Curran a r...estless housewife plagued by nervous ailments into a busy celebrity in 1919 by appearing to Pearl and dictating fine literary works through the medium of the latter's Ouija board ( a contrivance to communicate with spirits or ghosts). For three centuries, Patience said, she’d searched for an earthly “crannie” (as in “cranium”) to help her fulfill a burning literary ambition. She’d found it at last in Pearl.

Speaking through a Ouija board operated by Pearl Lenore Curran,Patience Worth was nothing short of a national phenomenon in the early years of the 20th century.Though her works are virtually forgotten today, the prestigious Braithwaite anthology listed five of her poems among the nation’s best published in 1917, and the New York Times hailed her first novel as a “feat of literary composition.” Her output was stunning. In addition to seven books, she produced voluminous poetry, short stories, plays and reams of sparkling conversation—nearly four million words between 1913 and 1937. Some evenings she worked on a novel, a poem and a play simultaneously, alternating her dictation from one to another without missing a beat. “What is extraordinary about this case is the fluidity, versatility, virtuosity and literary quality of Patience’s writings, which are unprecedented in the history of automatic writing by mediums,” says Stephen Braude, a professor of philosophy at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and a past president of the American Parapsychological Association, who has written widely on paranormal phenomena.
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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Interesting if proven

clipped from news.discovery.com

Kepler Scientist: 'Galaxy is Rich in Earth-Like Planets'

Exoplanet

In a recent presentation, Kepler co-investigator Dimitar Sasselov preempted the official announcement that the exoplanet-hunting Kepler Space Telescope has discovered about 140 candidate worlds orbiting other stars that are "like Earth."

Although he refers to these exoplanets as "candidate" Earth-like worlds, Sasselov goes on to talk about the statistical prevalence of small planets throughout the Milky Way.

Undoubtedly, this is huge news. If officially confirmed by NASA -- and only then would it be advisable to pop the champagne corks -- the discovery of dozens of worlds of comparable size to Earth is historic.

Speculation about the existence of alien life will have another strong case to suggest that if planets like Earth are not rare, than perhaps "life as we know it" is ubiquitous throughout the Milky Way.

China's Air Pollution Crisis

clipped from www.dailygalaxy.com
Amanstandsby
A man stands by windows as a sandstorm hits Beijing in March 2010. China's air pollution has increased this year for the first time since 2005, due to sandstorms, a rise in construction and industrial projects, as well as more cars, said the country's environmental protection ministry. China's air pollution increased this year for the first time since 2005

"More construction and industrial projects that started this year due to economic recovery and the rapid increase in automobiles should also be blamed," Chai Fahe, vice head of the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, told the China Daily newspaper.

The ministry also found that more than a quarter of surface water in China was contaminated, and fit only for industrial or agricultural use. Acid rain was also a problem in the first half of the year -- out of 443 cities the ministry monitored, 189 suffered from the harmful precipitation.

"Religious Freedom May Not Count For Muslims"

Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, currently running third in the state's Republican gubernatorial primary race, says he's not sure if Constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion apply to the followers of the world's second-largest faith, Islam.

At a recent event in Hamilton County, Ramsey was asked by a man in the audience about the "threat that's invading our country from the Muslims." Ramsey proclaimed his support for the Constitution and the whole "Congress shall make no law" thing when it comes to religion. But he also said that Islam, arguably, is less a faith than it is a "cult."

"Now, you could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion, or is it a nationality, way of life, cult whatever you want to call it," Ramsey said. "Now certainly we do protect our religions, but at the same time this is something we are going to have to face."

Politician calls Islam 'cult': Church to burn Quran

Has it gotten that ugly for Christians in United States?

According to Religion News Service, the church is planning "International Burn A Quran Day," on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks this year -- smack during Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic feast days at the conclusion of the Ramadan fast.

Jones tells him this is not about hate but about Christian truth -- and bringing Muslims to convert.
Brent Michael Dykes, blogging at Yahoo's The Upshot, observes Christians might be surprised to discover the Quran mentions Jesus 25 times and considers him a prophet, great spiritual leader and teacher. This also adds fuel to the anti-Islamic fires evident at mosque-building protests in New York this month.

Oh yes, because what the EU really needs is more Muslims!

Unbelievable.
clipped from www.independent.ie

David Cameron is expected to strongly align himself with Turkey's ambitions to join the European Union, hailing its potential as a "unifier" between East and West.

On a visit to Ankara, the Prime Minister is due to say Turkey has a major role to play in securing international peace and security.

He will dismiss concerns among some in the EU about allowing a Muslim country into the union, praising the country's secular democracy and its support for the Nato military alliance.

Mr Cameron will use a keynote speech in the Turkish capital to promise to be the "strongest possible advocate" of its ambitions of a seat in Brussels.

"Turkey can be a great unifier, because instead of choosing between East and West, Turkey has chosen both," he will add.
His stance on Turkey's accession to the EU is at odds with that of many Tory right-wingers.

Turkey is the world's 16th largest economy and is expected to be the third fastest-growing, after China and India, by 2017.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

The World Environment Day

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

101 Ways to Save Green and Live Green

1. Freecycle: Everyone has at least a few items that they don't really want but can't bear to throw away. Freecycle it. Freecycling is giving something to someone who will use it -- for free -- instead of throwing it in the garbage. (To find or start a local group, visit freecycle.org). It's simple: post a message on your local freecycle group's Web site, decide who will get your item, then arrange a pick up time. Members give and get everything from moving boxes to cabinetry.Fun & Info @ Keralites.net
2. Re-Use: A great way to help the environment and reduce your carbon footprint is to reuse items. There are two ways to reuse items. Reusing them for their original purpose, such as ziploc bags, tinfoil, plastic utensils etc. and finding new uses for things you already own. By doing this you are not consuming any more of the world's precious resources. If you can't reuse something of your own, purchasing something secondhand instead of brand new is another way to reduce your consumption of resources.
3. Microwave your meals: While Microwaves do consume electricity they are between 3.5 and 4.8 times more energy efficient than traditional electric ovens. Cooking and reheating with a microwave is faster and more efficient than a stove top or oven.
4. "Green" your laundry: Get your clothes clean without all of the pollution of detergents, fabric softeners and bleaches by switching to eco-friendlier cleaners. The companies Ecover, Sun & Earth, Seventh Generation and OxyPrime make less-toxic alternatives to traditional laundry detergents. Try nonchlorine bleach such as OxyBoost or Ecover's hydrogen peroxide-based option.
5. Adjust your Thermostat: Adjusting your thermostat is free, easy and can yield big savings. Every degree you raise your thermostat in the summer will reduce air conditioning bills by about 2 percent. Lowering the temperature by one degree in winter will save you 3 percent on heating bills. Regular maintenance and a tune up every two or three years will keep your heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, system operating efficiently, saving energy and money. A programmable thermostat -- excellent for a family that spends a good part of the day at work or school
6. Switch to cold water:Almost 90 percent of the energy used to wash clothes is used to heat the water. Save money and energy. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water, instead of hot, using a detergent formulated for cold-water use.
7. Have a Backyard or terrace? ..then Line-dry your clothes: Dry your clothes on a laundry line..just the way grandma used to rather than throwing them in the dryer. Clothes dyers are the third-largest energy users in the home, behind the refrigerator and washing machine. It may take longer but it dries it just the same. Already have a dryer?..save it for a rainy day...while the sun is bright and shinning let that dry your clothes.
8. Stop the junk mail: Each year, 100 million trees are cut down and turned into junk mail, with Americans receiving a total of 400 million tons of it every year. Earthworks Group, an environmental consulting firm, said cutting out junk mail is one of the most effective things people can do to reduce pollution. Don't just let it keep coming...get on the phone and make it known that you want off their mailing lists.
9. Switch to CFLs.: Compact fluorescent bulbs use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. They're more expensive than traditional light bulbs, but it only takes about 3 months to make up for the higher sticker price in energy savings.
Fun & Info @ 
Keralites.net10. Unplug your Appliances: Many appliances use electricity even when they're turned off. It's called a phantom load, or vampire electricity, and as much as 75 percent of the electricity used by home electronics and small appliances is used while they're turned off. The simple solution is to unplug small appliances and electronics when you aren't using them. Or, plug them into a power strip and turn the power strip off when you aren't using those items.
11. Run your Dishwasher FULL: You'll save up to 20 gallons of water per load, or 7,300 gallons a year. That's as much water as the average person drinks in a lifetime. And don't pre-rinse if your dishwasher can handle it.
12. Don't preheat: Don't bother if you are broiling, roasting or baking a dish that will cook for an hour or more. Don't preheat for more than 10 minutes for breads and cakes. And when roasting meats or baking casseroles, turn off the oven 10 minutes to 15 minutes before cooking time runs out; food will continue to cook without using the extra electricity.
13. Don't let the water run while you brush: Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth. You'll conserve up to five gallons of water per day -- which could add up to 1.5 billion gallons that could be saved across the country each day -- more than enough for all of New York City.
14. Filter Instead of Buying Bottled: Buy a water filter for your kitchen faucet and put to good use yet another way to do away with those plastic water bottles that are clogging landfills and burning up energy in recycling plants. About 1.5 million tons of plastic are used on the bottling of 89 billion liters of drinking water each year.
15. Use low-flow water devices: Wherever you use water, there's a low-flow device to fit it -- from hose nozzles, to showerheads, to faucet aerators. Handy products, such as the WaterMiser Waterbroom, use water and air pressure to remove dirt from outdoor surfaces, reducing water use by up to 60 percent.
16. Watch the Watts: Gadgets such as the Kill-A-Watt and the Watt Minder help you find the biggest energy users in your home. Plug an appliance into one of these devices and it will tell you how much energy it uses per hour, month, or year, and how much it's costing you.
17. Clean air filters: Check air conditioning filters monthly to either clean or replace them. This will help the unit run more efficiently. Better yet: buy a permanent filter that can be washed and re-used. This will save you money over the long run and keep all those disposable filters out of landfills. If your unit is outdoors, check to make sure the coils are not obstructed by debris, plants or shrubs.
18. Use Natural fertilizers: Natural fertilizers actually cost less, and using fewer chemicals can save you money and reduce the level of pollution in local waterways and around your home. To boost the health of your lawn, add clover, as it naturally fertilizes the soil and is drought-tolerant. Let the lawn grow a little longer before cutting it -- longer grass chokes out the sunlight weeds need to grow.
19. Know when to replace your appliances: If your furnace, air conditioner or other major appliances are more than 10 years old, it may make sense to replace them with newer, more efficient models. Buying newer, Energy Star appliances can save you some money per year as well.
20. Make your own cleaners: Household chemicals, including some cleaners, contain volatile organic chemicals, which contribute to indoor air pollution and may cause disease. A cost-effective way to make your home greener is to make your own household cleaners. Many homemade cleaners use non-toxic ingredients and clean just as well as commercial cleaners.If making your own cleaners isn't an option, look for cleaners carrying the Green Seal. Green Seal is a nonprofit organization that certifies products based on their environmental impact, biodegradability and other factors.
21. Fresh Vs Canned Food: Whenever possible, limit purchases of canned fruit and vegetables and substitute fresh. The process involved in canning fruit is at least 10 times more energy intensive than picking fresh fruit. If every U.S. household replaced just one pound of canned or jarred fruit with one pound of fresh fruit during each of the three summer months, the total energy saved could operate the kitchen appliances of over 21,000 households for an entire year.
Fun & Info @ Keralites.net22. Paper or plastic? Neither: Use reusable cloth or canvas bags. The hard part is remembering to take them with you. But they are sturdier and carry a heck of a lot more stuff. Have a couple of sets and leave one in your vehicle at all times. Paper may be slightly better than plastic because it holds more per bag, but baggers also frequently double bag. Paper bags can be easily reused in many forms and have a better chance of being recycled. If you happen to get a few plastic bags, reuse them as much as possible until they can be used no more.
23. Buy Organic and foods produced locally: Organic products are grown without synthetic pesticides and herbicides and processed without the addition of synthetic chemicals. Some organic options are more expensive. Other products, like cereal and some fruits and vegetables, are very competitive. The secret: Compare prices, buy produce in season and don't buy more than you can use. Locally grown food is often less expensive. In addition, you'll be supporting the local farmers, many of whom are using more earth-friendly farming methods. Buying local foods can reduce the amount of petroleum consumed to transport your dinner by as much as 95 percent.
24. Research fish choices before you buy: If you can read a paper, you already know that the oceans are being overfished. So skip the varieties with dwindling populations or the ones that are targets for poaching or overfishing. Limit your exposure to mercury and other toxins by choosing smaller varieties of fish and avoiding some farm-raised options.
25. Support 'green' businesses: Many manufacturers, stores, restaurants and coffee houses are greening their businesses with strategies like adopting large scale recycling programs; using sustainable forms of energy, such as solar or wind power; reducing waste; and committing to the use of organic, locally grown or eco-friendly products. By spending your money selectively, you reward greener behavior and encourage other companies to become similarly competitive. And, in many cases, there is no extra cost to consumers.

Ways to Go Green at Work or School

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net26. Turn off the lights: When leaving the office or classroom, a simple flip of a switch conserves energy. Yet a surprising number of empty offices, conference rooms, restrooms and lobbies are lit for hours each day (and night) while going unused.
27. Use electronic communications: Submit and distribute assignments and reports electronically. E-mailing a document allows for easier, from-anywhere reference for a teacher or colleague -- and provides proof that it was sent on time. For in-progress documents, electronic transmission also make it easy to collaborate.
28. Fax smart: Sending faxes directly from the computer avoids using paper altogether. But if a traditional fax is the only option, either avoid using a cover page or create a reusable cover by laminating the page and using an erasable marker. In addition, avoid the automatic activity report function to save another page. It may be "just a single sheet" of paper, but if everyone followed these green rules, it would really add up.
29. Pack a waste-free lunch: Eliminate plastic bags, plastic utensils, disposable containers, paper napkins and those brown bags. Instead use a lunchbox, reusable drink container, cloth napkin and silverware. Find odd pieces of used silverware at a second-hand store so you don't lose parts of your good set. Sandwiches, fresh fruit, vegetables and treats packaged in reusable containers are healthy alternatives to cafeteria and prepackaged foods. They can also be bought in larger quantities, saving money and packaging.
30. Teleconference, don't travel: With hotel, airfare, local transportation, meals, entertainment expenses and tips, business travel certainly adds up. Today's technology expands the definition of face-to-face contact, making a quick meeting with a client or colleague across the country, or the world, possible. Online professional development options abound, as well -- from Web seminars to entire conferences being held virtually. Fun 
& Info @ Keralites.net
31. Office & Desk supplies: Keep reuse in mind with desk supplies. Refillable pens and pencils help reduce waste, and items such as paper clips, folders and binders can be saved and reused. The key is staying organized, collecting used supplies of like kinds in the same spot and keeping them within easy reach.
32. Save packing materials: In other words, what comes in should go back out. When having to buy boxes and other packing supplies, look for products made from recycled material or those that are biodegradable.
33. Use recycled paper: Compared to other paper, it takes a lot less energy and water to make. And thanks to increased demand, manufacturers have been able to match quality and performance. Speaking of paper, it's got two sides, so when possible, use them both.
34. Use recycled paper: Pens are often tossed into the garbage and not recycled or reused. Their components and packaging are made from nonrenewable resources and can contain environmentally damaging chemicals. Pen refills cost as little as $1 each, which is almost the same as a new disposable pen.
35. Commute smart: That means walking or biking to work or the classroom if practical, or the ever-promoted public transportation option.
36. Tap the tap: Encourage your school or workplace to get a filtration system for the faucet instead, and it'll be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Besides, many bottled-water companies use tap water anyway.
37. Carpool: Carpooling saves time and money. On a typical day, the average mother with school-age children spends 66 minutes driving -- taking more than five trips to and from home and covering 29 miles. The average commuter carpooling every day would save 500 gallons of gasoline, and 550 pounds of poisonous exhaust emission every year.Fun
 & Info @ Keralites.net
38. Switch Off Your Computer: The "sleep mode" reduces energy use by 60 percent to 70 percent, the EPA estimates. As for turning computers on and off, despite a popular misconception, this won't harm the equipment. It will, however, save energy as long as the computer will be inactive for 16 minutes or more. If your job doesn't require constant computer use, break the habit of turning it on first thing and keeping it on all day.
39. Turn Off your Computer Monitor: Turn off your computer's monitor when you're not using it. Screen savers only save the screen from having a pattern burned into it. Energy saving options in Windows still use energy - switch it off (the switch is likely accessible and easy to find!)
40. Think green on computers: When considering a computer brand and model, seek products created for reduced toxin use, that use recycled materials and that prioritize life-cycle management issues. The Energy Star symbol is an easy way to identify energy efficient products, but electricity isn't the only factor to consider.

Leisure & Vacation Green Tips

41. Drink tap water at restaurants: Tap water is more strictly regulated than bottled water and there's no need to add tons of plastic and glass bottles and jugs -- about 60 million a day -- to landfills. And recycling them takes energy, too.
Fun & Info @ Keralites.net
42. Download music: Download tunes instead of purchasing them at the store. Each month, more than 45 tons of CDs become obsolete -- outdated or unwanted -- and end up in landfills.
43. Rent, don't buy, movies: One hundred thousand DVDs and CDs are thrown away each month. So you won't be contributing to the trash pile.
44. Subscribe to online newspapers: Cancel your paper subscription altogether and get your news -- often from the same newspaper publisher -- online. Each year, 10 million tons of newspapers are tossed into landfills and aren't recycled. If just half of these were recycled, it would save 75 million trees
45. Turn off your entertainment center: Electronics, including TVs, cable boxes, DVD players, computers, music systems and gaming consoles, consume up to 40 percent of their full operating power when switched "off" or left in standby mode. They also continue to produce heat, which increases home cooling loads. Turn them completely off all at once with a common surge protector. They'll last longer and you'll reduce your electric bill.
45. Take an Eco-tour Vacation: For a conscientious vacation, try an eco-tour. These earth-friendly getaways seek to enhance awareness of our natural world, promote conservation, minimize impact and provide a positive experience for guests and hosts. Some even put you to work improving the local ecosystem.
46. Seek 'green' lodging: Business travelers and beach-bound hedonists can decamp in "green" comfort, thanks to the growing number of urban hotels, luxury resorts and lodgings that are minding their carbon footprint. For an extensive list of hotels verified by readers, visit EnvironmentallyFriendlyHotels.com.
47. Use rechargeable batteries: While it's true that rechargeable batteries cost more to purchase, you'll save money over the long run. A single rechargeable battery can replace up to 1,000 single-use alkaline batteries over its lifetime. Most rechargeable batteries can be recharged up to 1,000 times.
48. Buy soft drinks in a cup: Whenever possible, buy soda from a fountain in a paper cup instead of in a can or plastic bottle. You'll reduce the amount of aluminum cans and plastic bottles wasted. More paper (48 percent) is recycled and recovered to make new products than aluminum soda cans (43.9 percent) or plastic soda bottles (25 percent).
49. Use digital cameras: Some 686 million rolls of film are processed each year and the solutions used the make the prints often contain hazardous chemical that require special treatment and disposal. Digital cameras continue to become more affordable and the savings on film -- depending on how many photos you take -- can be significant.
Fun & 
Info @ Keralites.net50. Get a truly 'green' lawn: One hour of mowing your lawn with a gas-powered mower produces as much pollution as driving your car for four hours. For a truly "green" lawn, consider using a push mower or hiring a lawn service that uses solar-rechargeable electric mowers.
51. Share your swim space: Swim at your community pool or fitness center instead of installing a pool of your own. If you already own a pool, consider allowing your neighbors access and share the expenses. A pool's circulating pumps cost as much to run as your home air conditioning system.
52. Buy tickets online: Airline, movie and event tickets can be purchased online or by telephone and printed at home and you'll save time and paper waste. Print-at-home tickets use plain copy paper, which is easier to make into recycled paper than the paperboard used for printed tickets -- and the ink and magnetic strips make printed tickets even more difficult to recycle.
53. Reuse hotel linens and towels: You probably don't change your sheets and towels every day at home, so why do it while you're away? One towel change per week ought to be plenty.
54. Pack light: Every additional 10 pounds per traveler requires an additional 350 million gallons of jet fuel per year, which is enough to keep a 747 flying continuously for 10 years.
55. Research your trip online: Print out only the pages or maps you'll actually need. Close to 1 million guidebooks are printed annually, but just 18 percent get recycled. Map paper is particularly difficult, if not impossible, to recycle because of all the ink used. You'll save time, money and paper waste. Use old maps as gift wrap and you'll save a bundle.
56. Rent hybrid cars: Try a hybrid or more fuel-efficient car. A hybrid rental can go three times as far as a standard sedan on a single tank of gas.
57. Refill water bottles: Use a refillable bottle or thermos or canteen when you travel.
58. Give small gifts: Gift cards, concert tickets, restaurant certificates and movie vouchers are great alternatives to holiday presents heavily packaged and wrapped in expensive and hard-to-recycle paper. You'll also reduce the time, stress and energy associated with traffic, crowds and long checkout lines. How many gifts do you give a year? If you average $2 for wrapping paper, ribbon and labels for each, think of how much you can save, not to mention the recycling costs.
59. Get the holiday LED Lights: Next time you replace your holiday lights, save both money and energy by choosing LED types. What's more, with a 100,000-hour life span, your LED lights could last until the next century.
60. Go for glass Instead of Cans: The energy required to produce a single 12-ounce aluminum can from virgin ore is enough to produce nearly two 12-ounce glass bottles. So the next time you buy a six-pack of beer, opt for glass bottles over aluminum cans.
61. Reduce sports gear: Consider renting or leasing sports equipment on a per-use basis as opposed to wasting money and cluttering up your garage with stuff you likely won't use more than once or twice a year. Or purchase used equipment. You'll reduce the energy needed to produce an additional piece of equipment and decrease the amount of waste eventually sent to the landfill.

Green Health & Beauty Tips

62. Use bars of soap versus liquid wash: It's less expensive, and it saves packaging waste. Not to mention that body wash is primarily water, so the fuel costs for transporting it are higher because it weighs more.
63. Skip the treadmill: If the weather's right, consider giving the treadmill a rest and taking your walking or jogging routine outdoors.
64. Slash trash: Cut waste by selecting products with less packaging. Three ways to do it: Choose products that come with minimal packaging, buy larger sizes, or buy refills or in bulk which typically have less packaging.
65. Get two for one: Consider using a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner instead of buying each separately. If one in seven U.S. households replaced its shampoo and conditioner purchase with a single two-in-one bottle, the amount of plastic saved per year could fill a football field 27 stories high.
66. Avoid pore pluggers: When you buy deodorant, try to avoid antiperspirants, which use aluminum salts to seal up your pores. In addition to being a potential health toxin, aluminum takes a tremendous amount of energy to mine. If you buy one stick of aluminum-free deodorant, the energy saved could power your laptop for 30 minutes.

Green Car Tips

67. Tyre Pressure: Keep the tires at the correct PSI (air pressure) at all times: driving around without proper air in the tires wastes gas.
68. Air conditioning and heat: Minimize the use air conditioning and heating when possible, roll down those windows and breathe some fresh air when the weather permits.
69. Weight matters: Having extra weight(tools, sports equipment, etc.) in the car hurts gas mileage.
70. Gas-saving driving: If you must drive, at least ensure that you're using less gas by doing so. Some common recommendations to do so: ease up on the gas pedal and brake pedal, be sure your tires are inflated and your engine is running smoothly, don't have your car on idle for too long, and get a fuel-efficient car.

Other Tips

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net71. Get your bank statement electronically: If you're worried about computer hackers, don't. Most banks send you an e-mail with a link to a secure Web site where you can check your balance
72. Cancel the canceled checks: If you still get paper bank statements that include canceled checks, at least cancel the canceled checks. You can reconcile your account just fine without all those extra slips of paper.
73. Donate clothing and household goods: Donate clothing and household goods to the environmental nonprofit of your choice. Many charitable groups, including those dedicated to saving the planet, will take such gifts.
74. Direct-deposit your pay: Most employers and banks can handle your request. In fact, they probably prefer the method. Your paycheck will always be in the bank, not in the mail, and there's no environmentally wasteful paper paycheck to worry about.
75. Pay your bills electronically: Once you're online looking at those charges, it just takes a couple extra clicks to make the payment.
76. Buy a hybrid vehicle: The advantages of these combination gas/electric autos have become well-known since pump prices have stabilized around $3 for the last couple of years.
77. Invest in 'green' funds: Ramp up that good eco-investing feeling by choosing stocks or mutual funds that that buy environmentally friendly assets. This type of investing goes beyond the usual eco-suspects, such as organic farms or environmental services firms. Green investing also means buying into mainstream companies that encourage sound environmental policies, such as energy efficiency, renewable energy and green building.
78. Skip the receipt at the ATM: Most of the time you just take a glance at it and tear it up. Why not see your balance on the ATM itself instead of requesting a receipt.
79. Use cloth diapers: Another huge thing a parent can do to live green is to use cloth diapers as opposed to disposables. Disposable diapers take up an enormous amount of this countries landfills, don't break down easily, cost a lot of money, put chemicals directly on the bottoms of our children, and in many cases delay potty training.
80. Go Solar: Pick up some solar chargers, generators, or other solar powered tools.
81. Compost waste: Compost waste if you have a garden, saving on fertilizer cost and giving your plants a treatment they'll love.
82. Buy only what you need: Buy what you need when you're shopping. The supermarkets exist to tempt us into buying more than we need with constant special offers, designed to load up our houses with unnecessary extras. Take a list when shopping and stick to it. You'll throw less food away and have a clearer kitchen as well as a clearer conscience.
83. Other alternative energy sources: Thermal heating, photovoltaic cells, solar shingles, hydro power (water), Wind power (wind mills and wind turbines), can also take your house of the electric grid and gas line without hurting the environment.
84. Go For Natural Fibers: Buy products with natural fibers, like cotton and wool, that are naturally fire resistant.
85. Dispose Properly: Dispose of old paint, oils & chemicals properly- Never put paint, oils, batteries or antifreeze in the trash! Use proper toxic disposal sites.
86. Look for PVC-free Toys for your Kids: PVC (aka polyvinyl chloride) seems to be everywhere we look. Some beach toys, teethers, dolls, and even (gasp!) rubber duckies are cheaply manufactured with the environmentally dubious material. A dioxin-producing powerhouse, PVC releases toxins into the environment all the way through its life cycle from manufacturing to disposal.
87. Donate, not discard: Don't throw something away just because you've outgrown that particular style—thrift stores such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army will be more than happy to take items in serviceable condition. You're also likely to find takers by posting on Craig's List or Freecycle. Call it a win-win-win situation for you, the new owner, and the earth.
88. Grow Your Own Food: Start a small vegetable garden. Even if you don’t have a garden at all, herbs and salads can be grown in a window box, and sprouting seeds is an easy way to grow some fresh food too. Complete self-sufficiency might not be realistic, but any food you can grow at home will be an important contribution to cutting food miles, and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. It will also taste delicious.
89. Home Brew your Coffee: The local café is great. It’s got your friends, good food, free wireless. But if you think you can be greener in your own kitchen, give it a try. When you do it at home you know where the beans and leaves are coming from and also where they go when they’re spent. Plus, you can’t forget your mug, you can choose organic milk, and never toss out another paper sugar packet. Try a bit of quick math on the cost savings of making your morning cup-o-joe at home.
90. Buy vintage or used: People unload clothes for all types of reasons, and you know that adage about trash and treasure. From Oscar-worthy vintage dresses to Freecycled denim, you can likely find the piece you’re looking for second hand. You’ll be giving a cast-off garment a second life, and possibly supporting charitable work in the process.
91. Compost the roast: Tea leaves and especially coffee grounds make outstanding compost. Coffee’s high nitrogen content has made it a fertilizer of choice since days of yore. Composting leaves and grounds helps keep organic waste out of landfills, makes great soil, and keeps waste baskets dry. If you don’t have a heap to toss it on, just spread coffee grounds on the top of your plants’ soil.
92. Clean up your Pets poop: Scoop up your doggie doo in biodegradable poop bags so your buddy’s No. 2 isn’t immortalized in a plastic bag, while deep-sixed in a landfill somewhere for hundreds of years. Cat owners should avoid clumping clay litter at all costs. Not only is clay strip-mined (bad for the planet), but the clay sediment is also permeated with carcinogenic silica dust that can coat little kitty lungs (bad for the cat). Eco-friendly cat litters avoid these problems; a happy cat is a cat that doesn’t claw your face off.
93. Buy Recycled: The essence of recycling is the cyclical movement of materials through the system, eliminating waste and the need to extract more virgin materials. Supporting recycling means feeding this loop by not only recycling, but also supporting recycled products. We can now find high recycled content in everything from printer paper to office chairs.
94. Harvest rainwater: Adding a rain barrel is an inexpensive and effortless way to capture mineral- and chlorine-free water for watering lawns, yards, and gardens, as well as washing cars or rinsing windows. By harnessing what's literally raining from the sky, you'll not only notice a marked dip in water costs, but also a reduction in stormwater runoff, which in turn helps prevent erosion and flooding. Pop a screen on top of your barrel to keep out insects, debris, and bird missiles, and make frequent use of your water supply to keep it moving and aerated.
95. Recycle your water: If you're a homeowner, consider rearranging your plumbing so that rainwater or wastewater from your shower and tub is used to flush your toilet. If you have a garden, water it with leftover bathwater or dishwashing water (as long as you use a biodegradable soap).
96. Packaging Material: Styrofoam peanuts, those non-biodegradable, everywhere-flying, petrol-based, little packaging devils can be brought back to most packaging stores for reuse as long as they’re clean and dry.
97. Buy only Certified sustainable wood: Whether a piece of furniture is made from wood, cloth, metal, plastic, or whatever else, there are earth-friendly options.
98. Low-toxicity furniture: When you buy a piece of furniture, bring it home, and set it down in a room, it doesn't just sit there. No matter what it's made out of, chances are, it's offgassing (or releasing substances into the air). Almost everything offgasses, which isn't necessarily bad, but synthetic materials or those treated with synthetic substances can offgas chemicals which are toxic. Everyone should be conscious of the kinds of chemicals they bring home, but especially if you have kids, pets, or other family members who are low to the ground and prone to licking things.
99. Find the Time to Volunteer: Your first reaction to the thought of volunteering your time may well be: what time? But you can’t help others until you help yourself. So ask yourself the following: Do you need more time for fitness? Then volunteer to do something active. Don’t over-commit, but ask yourself how volunteering could be the value-added time you will anyways dedicate to goals of your own. Worried this approach seems selfish? Don’t! The most effective volunteers are those who do things that match their pace.
100. Put Your Money to Work: So you really, really don’t have the time? Or maybe you are volunteering already and see clearly that there is no point in dying rich? Then consider offering some funds toward good green causes. To select where your money goes, we suggest using the same techniques mentioned above for choosing an organization with which to spend your time.
Fun & Info @ 
Keralites.net
101. Spread the Word: Bring awareness to wasteful people around you not only by telling them to Go Green but by leading by example. By being Green in your life and showing people how easy it can be...they gain confidence that they can follow suit. Suggest ways that they could be more eco-friendly and point out how much they save.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Top 11 Signs Facebook Has Violated Your Privacy.

clipped from www.bbspot.com
Top 11 Signs Facebook Has Violated Your Privacy
11. Mark Zuckerberg is looking through your bedroom window.
10. Your personal photos start showing up on billboards.
9.Your account has uploaded pictures of you sleeping all by itself.
8. Singles who live near you start showing up at your door.
7. Friends start sending you Farmville invites in the mail.
6.Nigerian spammers are calling your cell phone.
5. You get over a million hits when you google your credit card number
4.People on the street keep asking you if you're the guy who likes Ke$ha.
3.Lady Gaga says she's glad she at least has more privacy than you.
2.You get friend suggestions based on your annual salary.
1.You have a Facebook account.


Saturday, May 1, 2010

Man 'Survives Without Food' For 70 Years

"This may help in working out strategies for survival during natural calamities, extreme stressful conditions and extra-terrestrial explorations like future missions to the Moon and Mars by the human race."

Since the experiment began on April 22, Jani has neither eaten nor drunk and has not been to the toilet.

"The exercise of taking this yogi under the medical scanner is to understand what energy supports his existence," Dr Ilavazahagan added.

"Jani says he meditates to get energy. Our soldiers will not be able to meditate, but we would still like to find out more about the man and his body."

Jani, who dresses in red and wears a nose ring, grew up in Charod village in the Mehsana district in Gujarat.
clipped from uk.news.yahoo.com

Man 'Survives Without Food' For 70 Years

Indian doctors are studying a remarkable 83-year-old holy man who claims to have spent the last seven decades without food and water. Skip related content

Military medics hope the experiments on Prahlad Jani can help soldiers develop their survival strategies.

The long-haired and bearded yogi is under 24-hour observation by a team of 30 doctors during three weeks of tests at a hospital in the western city of Ahmedabad.

Two cameras have been set up in his room, while a mobile camera films him when he goes outside, guaranteeing round-the-clock observation.

His body will be scanned and his brain and heart activity measured with electrodes.

"The observation from this study may throw light on human survival without food and water," said Dr G. Ilavazahagan, who is directing the research.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Your Mom’s Guide to Those Facebook Changes, and How to Block Them

  • tags: Facebook

    • Facebook launched some fairly impressive new features and services at its recent f8 conference, but some of them were also more than just a little scary.
    • What do these changes mean? And what should you do if you don’t like the prospect of automatically sharing your activity with everyone you know on Facebook?
    • Liking without logging in:

      The biggest change Facebook has launched will let any website you visit display a simple “like” button, for example on a story at CNN.com — although CNN has decided to use the term “recommend” instead. If you click that button, it will show all of your friends back on Facebook that you liked that story, by posting it on your Facebook wall. It will also show you — in the same box on the CNN site that has the “recommend” button — how many of your friends liked that story.

    • Some sites will be allowed to take this ability even further, and show you personalized content based on the details of your public profile at Facebook, which they will be able to read and interpret without asking you.
    • The easiest way out of all of these new features, of course, is to simply not log in to Facebook, or to cancel your account. In order to do that, you have to go to this page, down at the bottom, and click “deactivate.”

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Korean woman climber's Himalayan record challenged

  • tags: no_tag

    • Chart of female climbers who have climbed peaks over 8,000m showing Oh Eun-Sun from Korea, still to climb Annapurna. Edurne Pasaban from  Spain, still to climb Shisha Pangma. Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner from Austria, still to climb Everest and K2. Lastly Nives Meroi from Italy, still to climb Kangchenjunga, Makalu and Annapurna.
    • A Korean climber may this weekend become the first woman to scale the world's 14 highest peaks. It's one of the most formidable feats in mountaineering - but doubts have been creeping in about her right to claim the glory.

      A year ago three European women were leading the race to conquer all 14 mountains in the world above 8,000m high - Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner of Austria, Nives Meroi of Italy and Edurne Pasaban of Spain.

      But over four months in 2009 two rival South Korean climbers scaled an astonishing four peaks each, catapulting one of them, Oh Eun-Sun, to the top of the league table.

      She is now on the slopes of her final mountain of the 14, Annapurna, with a Korean TV crew, which is planning a two-hour live broadcast on Sunday, when it estimates she will reach the summit.

      Nothing can be taken for granted. But if she succeeds it will be a bitter blow to Edurne Pasaban, her nearest rival in the race, who ascended Annapurna herself on Saturday and is about to leave for Tibet to tackle the last peak on her list, Shisha Pangma.

    • But this week, after Pasaban's descent from Annapurna to Kathmandu,
    • She began to voice doubts that Oh had reached the top of the world's third-highest mountain, Kangchenjunga, which both of them tackled in May last year.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Does Chaos Have Meaning?

take a moment and listen to this brilliant presentation
clipped from www.nyas.org


Does Chaos Have Meaning?


Award-winning filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and astrophysicist Piet Hut discuss what chaos is and what it means when it comes to the universe.

When Social Fear Is Missing . . .

. . . So Are Racial Stereotypes, Shows Study of Children With Williams Syndrome

ScienceDaily (Apr. 12, 2010) — Children with the genetic condition known as Williams syndrome have unusually friendly natures because they lack the sense of fear that the rest of us feel in many social situations. Now, a study reported in the April 13th issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, suggests that children with Williams Syndrome are missing something else the rest of us have from a very tender age: the proclivity to stereotype others based on their race.

The findings support the notion that social fear is at the root of racial stereotypes. The researchers say the results might also aid in the development of interventions designed to reduce discriminatory attitudes and behavior towards vulnerable or marginalized groups of society.

"This is the first study to report the absence of racial stereotypes in any human population," said Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg of the Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim/University of Heidelberg

How Not to Raise a Bully

clipped from www.time.com

Increasingly, neuroscientists, psychologists and educators believe that bullying and other kinds of violence can indeed be reduced by encouraging empathy at an early age. Over the past decade, research in empathy — the ability to put ourselves in another person's shoes — has suggested that it is key, if not the key, to all human social interaction and morality.

Without empathy, we would have no cohesive society, no trust and no reason not to murder, cheat, steal or lie. At best, we would act only out of self-interest; at worst, we would be a collection of sociopaths.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Iceland's Erupting Volcano

clipped from edition.cnn.com

CNN's Gary Tuchman flies close to Iceland's erupting volcano and sees lightning bolts and glass shards and boulders thrown in the air. FULL STORY

Breaking News

Sources: Sunanda to give up stake. Sources: Formal announcement soon. Sources: Possible reprieve for Tharoor. Tharoor meets PM at 7 RCR.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Another Bomb At Chinnaswami Stadium

clipped from www.ndtv.com
Another bomb was found and defused at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, while the IPL match between Bangalore and Mumbai was still on. The bomb was located outside gate no 8, and was timed to go off at 8 pm - when the match would end.
 

 

Breaking News

Posted by Gopal Unnikrishna

Just In
I-T dept questions Vijay Mallya's stepdaughter Laila Mahmood
Vijay Mallya\'s stepdaughter Laila Mahmood works for Lalit Modi

Friday, April 16, 2010

News: Indian Over View

Posted by Gopal Unnikrishna

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In Your Sources

The government is all set to reap handsome revenues from the 3G spectrum auction with the pan-Indian licence bid crossing Rs 5,000 crore mark on the sixth day of the bidding process.At the current price the government will get over Rs 20,700 crore from the sale of 3G spectrum.
NDTV News 12:24 PM UTC+6
African migrants will do anything to get into the Spanish enclave of Melilla. And the authorities will do anything to keep them outBack in the autumn of 1998, a teacher from Melilla called Jose Palazon noticed something strange was happening each night to the dustbin in front of his house. He kept an eye out and discovered that, under cover of darkness, a young boy was removing the rubbish from th
Guardian Unlimited home | Guardian Unlimit... by Nick Davies 2 hours ago
The Great Indian Railway saga started 157 summer afternoons ago on April 16 when the first 14-coach steam engine chugged out from " Boree Bunder" to " Tannah" (today CST to Thane) now a portion of the vast Central Railway network.
India-The Times of India 3 hours ago
PM Manmohan Singh may be the only lucky Indian who can look forward to flying back home after a trip to the US and Brazil this weekend.
India-The Times of India 3 hours ago
The Indian economy is likely to have grown by 8.6 percent in the January-March quarter and may grow near the upper end of an estimated range of 8.25 to 8.75 percent in this fiscal, Chief Economic Advisor Kaushik Basu said.
NDTV News 4 hours ago
The inquiry against Commodore Sukhjinder Singh has established his `amorous relationship' with a Russian woman while he was posted in Russia as head of the Indian team overseeing the refit of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov.
India-The Times of India 4 hours ago
Indian markets snapped its ninth straight weekly rise after Sensex ended 48 points lower Friday, at 17,591. For the week, the Sensex slipped close to 2 per cent. In today s session, the Sensex traded between 17,663 and 17,529, with a lot of choppy movement. On the NSE, Nifty ended at 5,262, off 11 points.
NDTV News 6 hours ago
New Delhi: After a visit to the Mumbai offices of Indian Premier League (IPL), the tax administration proposes similar investigations in other cities as well to ascertain the source of funds of various franchises, officials here said.
382,4740.31 à´Šà´°à´•ം à´µിà´¶േà´·ം: à´…à´¬്à´¦ുà´³്à´³ à´•ാà´°ാà´¤ോà´Ÿ് 11 minutes ago à´Žà´¸് à´Žà´¸് à´Žà´«് à´Šà´°à´•ം à´¸െà´•്à´Ÿà´°് à´®ുà´¨് à´¸െà´•്à´°à´Ÿ്à´Ÿà´±ിà´¯ും à´…à´²് ഇസ്à´µാà´¬ à´šീà´«ുà´®ാà´¯ à´…à´¬്à´¦ുà´³്à´³ à´•ാà´°ാà´¤ോà´Ÿ് à´µാഹനാപകടത്à´¤ിà´²് മരണപ്à´ªെà´Ÿ്à´Ÿു. വള്à´³ിà´•്à´•ുà´¨്à´¨്: à´Ÿീà´¨േà´œുà´•ാà´°ുà´Ÿെ 23 minutes ago by ബഷീà´°് Vallikkunnu  à´†à´¸്à´Ÿ്à´°േà´²ിയയിà´²െ ഇന്à´¤്യന് à´µിà´¦്à´¯ാà´°്à´¤്à´¥ിà´•à´³് à´µംà´¶ീà´¯ à´ªീഡനങ്ങള്à´•്à´•് ഇരയാà´µുà´¨്നതിà´¨െà´¤ിà´°െ വളരെ à´•ൗà´¤ുà´•à´•à´°à´®ാà´¯ à´’à´°ു à´ª്à´°à´¤ിà´·േà´§ സമരം ഇക്à´•à´´ിà´ž്à´ž വള്à´³ിà´•്à´•ുà´¨്à´¨് - http://vallikkunnu.blogsp
The Indian cricket team will tour Zimbabwe in May-June 2010 for a tri-series with Sri Lanka being the third nation. India will also play two T20 matches.
NDTV News 10 hours ago
Owners of the Indian Premier League cricket teams could soon find themselves being questioned by income tax officials. Sources in the income tax department confirm to NDTV that a complex inquiry has begun into the owners of IPL franchises, along with their funding.
NDTV News 10 hours ago
A team of Income Tax officials visited the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium in Mohali on Friday to seek details of the Kings XI Punjab franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Treasurer of the PCA, G S Walia, said that the Income Tax officials had come to the stadium as part of their countrywide drive to collect data relating to the IPL.
NDTV News 10 hours ago
New Delhi: Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor Friday clarified that he had not misused his official position and his "mentoring" the Kerala consortium of the Kochi Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise was within the "bounds of appropriate conduct".
Following is the text of Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor's statement, clarifying his position on the Kochi franchise of the Indian Premier League, in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
NDTV News 12 hours ago
384,2020.24 à´•à´£്à´£ിà´®ാà´™്à´™: ,à´•േà´°à´³ à´¸്à´ªൈà´¸ി à´šിà´²്à´²ി 7 minutes ago by à´•à´£്à´£ിà´®ാà´™്à´™  à´šിà´•്à´•à´¨് à´šെà´±ുà´¤ാà´¯ി à´®ുà´±ിà´š്à´šു ഉപ്à´ªും മഞ്à´žà´²് à´ªൊà´Ÿി , à´µിà´¨ിà´—െà´°്, à´¨ാà´°à´™്ങനീà´°് ,à´…à´²്à´ªം à´•ുà´°ുà´®ുളകുà´ªൊà´Ÿി ഇവ à´ªുà´°à´Ÿ്à´Ÿി à´µെà´•്à´•ുà´• . à´•à´£്à´£ിà´®ാà´™്à´™ - http://kannimanga-kannimanga.blogspot.com/ Asamyuktham Chinthitham...: Kancheevaram… 14 minutes ago by R.Nagarajan  Lots of films and dramas have been shown about the communist movement in south India
New Delhi: At least 84 officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and 33 of the Indian Police Service (IPS) are facing criminal charges, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan told the Rajya Sabha Thursday.
Hyderabad: Pakistani Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, cricketer Sohail Tanvir and singer Waris Baig attended the wedding reception of Shoaib Malik and Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza Thursday night.
All long-haul flights between India and Britain, the US, Canada as well as some other European cities were cancelled or indefinitely delayed today as airspace remained closed over several North European airports due to drifting ash from a volcano in Iceland.
NDTV News 15 hours ago
Malayalam News, Kerala, Malayalam, India, Movies, Kerala Tourism, Kerala News, Malayalam Cinema, movies, Indian news, Kerala news, Kerala Festivals, kerala news, India, Indian, news in Malayalam, , comedy, jokes, Malayali, malayalam, ...
blogurl:blogspot.com OR blogurl:wordpress.... by Sumesh Kombaruparambil 15 hours ago
Mumbai: The powers of Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi are expected to be curbed at the upcoming meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on April 24, a likely consequence of his public spat with minister Shashi Tharoor over the Kochi IPL franchise. On the other hand things seem to have calmed down for Twittering Minister for the time being at least.

In The News

Indian minister denies wrongdoing in IPL scandal AFP 13 hours ago
Indian shares end 9-week winning run; earnings eyed Reuters 12 hours ago
Trio of Indian Lenders Win Malaysian Bank License BusinessWeek 14 hours ago
Indian Software Body Hopes To Raise Export Target Wall Street Journal 13 hours ago
Indian carriers cancel flights to US, Europe, Canada Economic Times 15 hours ago
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In The Blogosphere

Dhaka Jamaat leader indiavision.com 1 day ago
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