That's The Way It Is..

Hiccups

2011-07-12T22:12:00.002+05:30

Hello..!!!

Ever wondered why we get hiccups..?? What are it's causes..?? And, is it really true that someone is missing you when you get hiccups...???

Well, the "missing" part is just a myth...!! :(

But, I can tell you the biological or the actual reason behind this..!! :)

A hiccup is involuntary twitching of muscle of the diaphragm (sheet of internal muscle that extends across the bottom of the rib cage) that repeats several times per minute. In humans, the abrupt rush of air into the lungs causes the vocal cords to close, creating a "hic" sound.

Most likely hiccups are a reflex. Nerves inside the chest send signals to the diaphragm and muscles between the ribs to spontaneously contract during normal breathing. This “hiccup reflex” may be set off by many triggers, including:

Emotional stress or excitement
Stretching of the stomach as may occur after overeating, drinking carbonated beverages, or swallowing air
Abrupt changes in the temperature (as with drinking a hot beverage)
Alcohol binging
Smoking

And, below are listed some of the ways to cure these annoying hiccups.. ;)

1. Sweeten The Hiccups

Overloading the nerve endings in the mouth with a sweet sensation maydo the trick. Have a teaspoonful of sugar, and if you can, place the sugar on the back of thetongue, where "sour" is tasted. This way, the sugar overload will pack the most punch.

2. Play "Hear No Evil"

Some doctors recommend that you put your fingers in your ears to stop hiccups. Thebranches of the vagus nerve (one of the nerves that connects directly to the brain) also reach into the auditory system, and by stimulating the nerveendings there, the vagus nerve goes into action. But be gentle, and don't stick your fingers too farinto your ears.

3. Get Scared

Having someone surprise you can overwhelm the vagus nerve and put an end to hiccups.

4. Drink Water

Swallowing water interrupts the hiccupping cycle, which can quiet the nerves.Gargling with water may also have the same effect.

5. Tickle Them Away

Tickling the soft palate of the roof of your mouth with a cotton swab may dothe trick. Or, if you're the type who enjoys getting tickled, have someone find your ticklish spots.

6. Hold Your Breathe

Hold your nose and close your mouth for as long as you can or until you sense that the hiccups are gone.

7. Take An Antacid

This method may be more effective if you choose one that containsmagnesium, since the mineral tends to decrease irritation and quiet the nerves. One or two tabletsshould take care of hiccups.

By the way, you can always use "desi nuske"..!! :)

L and R Earphones

2011-07-04T23:21:00.001+05:30

Hey..!!!
Ever noticed L and R signs on your earphones..?? Well, L stands for Left and R is for Right. Many of you might be knowing this... But. does it really matter to put the right earphone in the right ear..?????

Well, the answer is YES.. for the sake of better tone of the music being played..!!

All two-channel or stereo recordings have a left, L, and right, R, audio channel. These channels do not contain the same audio information.

Most studio recordings are really multi-channel mono recordings, in which the producer 'places' the audio signal from each channel somewhere between hard left and hard right using the pan control on the mixing console. Each instrument or voice is recorded very close to the source, eliminating any room effects. The relative content, left vs. right, is a production decision, so listening with the left earphone in your left ear and the right in your right reproduces the environment the producer was trying to create.

In real stereophonic recordings, at least two microphones, usually oriented towards the left and right sides of the hall, are used to record a musical performance from the listener's perspective. The audio information that is recorded includes the musical source material, as well as any room reflections and any other out of phase sounds. When this is played back in the proper orientation - left channel to the listener's left and right to the right - the performance can be reproduced with many, if not most, of the directional cues intact. Playing with the channels reversed can ruin the acoustic image.

Hope you will check your earphones now before plugging 'em in..!! :)

Chocolate Shortage

2011-02-04T19:43:00.000+05:30

Yeah... you read it RIGHT..!!!

I was reading newspaper, and this really small article about chocolates caught my eye...!! Chocolate's production gonna decline drastically in next 20 years... and hence, its consumption..!! :(

In a world that takes for granted the availability of delicious and affordable chocolate, it's easy to forget that the popular product actually comes from trees -- not magical elves or free-flowing cocoa rivers, sadly. But, some experts are predicting that in a matter of decades a drop in production due to changing weather and agriculture incentives may make chocolate 'as expensive as gold'. In 20 years chocolate will be like caviar. It will become so rare and so expensive that the average person just won't be able to afford it. The reason behind the worry is that we're consuming more chocolate than we're producing cocoa which is notoriously difficult to harvest. Added to that is the recent drought in Western Africa and unrest in the Ivory Coast (the world's biggest cocoa producer) which when combined with rising consumer taste for cocoa-rich dark chocolate, raises concerns about a shortage in supply in the not-too-distant future.

Well... that's a reason for concern...!!!!

Physics Meets Philosophy

2010-08-16T20:07:00.000+05:30

Heyaaa..!!!

I was never so keen about science and its discoveries.. but after reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown , I got interested in Noetic Science... And, thus, wanted to share what I got about it...

Noetic Science is a branch of metaphysical philosophy concerned with the study of mind and intuition, and its relationship with the divine intellect. Among its principal purposes are the study of the effects of perceptions, beliefs, and intentions on human consciousness. The theory of noetics centers around the idea that the human mind is capable of affecting work or events or even doing work in the physical world. Just as gravity affects all matter, so do thoughts to an apparent lesser degree. Noetic sciences are explorations into the nature and potentials of consciousness using multiple ways of knowing—including intuition, feeling, reason, and the senses. Noetic sciences explore the "inner cosmos" of the mind (consciousness, soul, spirit) and how it relates to the "outer cosmos" of the physical world.

According to the novel, the IONS and PEAR have proved that human thoughts, if properly focussed, had the ability to affect and change physical mass. Our thoughts actually interacted with the physical world.

"Mind Over Matter"

Researches had proven that 'focussed thought' could affect literally anything- the growth rate of plants, the direction that fish swam in a bowl, manner in which cells divided in a petri dish and chemical reactions in our own body.

"Human Thought Can Literally Transform The Physical World"
The mind had the ability to alter the state of matter itself, and more important, the mind had the power to encourage the physical wrldd to move in a specific direction.

Thought, any tiny idea that forms in our mind, actually has mass. It is an actual thing, a measurable entity, with a measurable mass. A minuscule mass, but mass nonetheless. If a thought has mass, then a thought exerts gravity and can pull things towards it. And, if people start focussing on the same thought, all the occurences of that same thought begin to merge into one, and cummulative mass of this thought begins to grow. And, therefore its gravity grows.

Meaning, if enough people begin thinking the same thing then the gravitational force of that thought becomes tangible and it exerts actual force and it can have a measurable effect on our physical world.

Raining Cats And Dogs

2010-05-27T23:17:00.001+05:30

I was wondering about this idiom.. particularly about its ORIGIN..

Was it that it actually rained cats and dogs... or it was just another one from epics...????

And.. what I got was.. There's no specific origin of this idiom...

Some would say that in old England, they had hay roofs on their houses and the cats and dogs would sleep on the roof. When it rained, the roofs got slippery and the cats and dogs would slide off of the roofs. There for it was "Raining Cats and Dogs".

Another theory, "Rain Cats and Dogs" stems from the Norse Mythology. Cats were believed to represent the wind and dogs represented rain. Different animals represented different weather and natural phenomenon.

One supposed origin is that the phrase derives from mythology. Dogs and wolves were attendants to Odin, the god of storms, and sailors associated them with rain. Witches, who often took the form of their familiars - cats, are supposed to have ridden the wind. Well, some evidence would be nice. There doesn't appear to be any to support this notion.

One theory is that witches are associated with cats and storms, so perhaps when there was a really bad storm it was blamed on a witch for instance and therefore there would be cats nearby - this doesn't really explain the dogs bit though. Another theory is to do with the noise that dogs and cats make when fighting and the link between this and a storm, but no-one knows for sure!

At the end I am just sure that it definitely means "to rain heavily"..

Whatever its origin is...!!!! :P

Prophetic Dream

2010-05-25T14:30:00.000+05:30

Remember.. I told you that some people can foretell future by their dreams...??

Prophetic dreams, also referred to as precognitive or psychic dreams, are dreams that seemingly foretell the future. One rational theory to explain this phenomenon is that your dreaming mind is able to piece together bits of information and observation that you may normally overlook or that you do not seriously consider. In other words, your unconscious mind knows what is coming before you consciously piece together the same information.

In a prophetic dream, you see the future through your dream. It is difficult to determine that a dream is prophetic because we can only confirm such a dream after it has taken place. Even then, we only hear of the success stories. There are so many other dreams that do not come true. Thus, prophetic dream may just be mere coincidences.

In the science world, it is believed that psychic powers do not exist. Scientists rationalize that dreams that seemingly come true may actually be a suggestion or guide for you to follow, thus making it seem as if the dream is coming true. You are willing it to be true. Another argument is that you may have a tendency to self-edit your dream to match the outcome. Because dreams are so easily forgotten, your memory of the dream may not be accurate. Still another theory is that your dreaming mind is able to piece together bits of information faster that your conscious mind. Your mind is able to see what will happen based on information that it has already collected.

Having a prophetic dreams suggests that you are experiencing anxiety and that you are expressing a desire for certainty in the future. You are looking to your dream to help you make an important decision or to reassure you that you are on the right path.

Dream Facts

2010-05-24T16:43:00.000+05:30

1. One-third of your lives is spent sleeping.

2. In an average lifetime, you would have spent a total of about six years of it dreaming. That is more than 2,100 days spent in a different realm!

3. Dreams have been here as long as mankind. Back in the Roman Era, striking and significant dreams were submitted to the Senate for analysis and interpretation.

4. Everybody dreams. EVERYBODY! Simply because you do not remember your dream does not mean that you do not dream. In fact, you have several dreams during a normal night of sleep.

5. Dreams are indispensable. A lack of dream activity can mean protein deficiency or a personality disorder.

6. On average, you can dream anywhere from one or two hours every night. Moreover, you can have four to seven dreams in one night.

7. Blind people do dream. Whether visual images appear in their dream depends on whether they were blind at birth or became blind later in life. But vision is not the only sense that constitutes a dream. Sounds, tactility, and smell become hypersensitive for the blind and their dreams are based on these senses.

8. Five minutes after the end of the dream, half the content is forgotten. After ten minutes, 90% is lost.

9. The word dream stems from the Middle English word, dreme which means "joy" and "music".

10. Men tend to dream more about other men, while women dream equally about men and women.

11. Studies have shown that your brain waves are more active when you are dreaming than when we are awake.

12. Dreamers who are awakened right after REM sleep, are able to recall their dreams more vividly than those who slept through the night until morning.

13. Physiologically speaking, researchers found that during dreaming REM sleep, males experience erections and females experience increased vaginal blood flow - no matter what the content of the dream. In fact, "wet dreams" may not necessarily coincide with overtly sexual dream content.

14. People who are giving up smoking have longer and more intense dreams.

15. Toddlers do not dream about themselves. They do not appear in their own dreams until the age of 3 or 4.

16. If you are snoring, then you cannot be dreaming.

17. Nightmares are common in children, typically beginning at around age 3 and occurring up to age 7-8.

18. In a poll, 67% of Americans have experienced Deja Vu in their dreams, occurring more often in females than males.

19. Around 3% of adults suffer from sleep apnea. This treatable condition leads to unexplained tiredness and inefficiency.

20. Research has shown that the house is the most common setting for dreams.

21. It is very normal for males to experience an erection during the REM stage of sleep, even when they are not dreaming anything of a sexual nature.

22. The original meaning of the word "nightmare" was a female spirit who besets people at night while they sleep.

Dreams

2010-05-21T16:19:00.002+05:30

We all dream...!!

To some, Dreams are the way they take temporary refuge from daily life.. Some can foretell future... ( bit psycho... right??? )
Some can just...... ummm...well that i'll tell in my next posts... :P

Well.. here's some science and facts about dreamzzzzz...!!

The Sleep Cycle

One sleep cycle comprises of four stages and lasts for about 90-120 minutes. However there are some books that list five stages in the sleep cycle. These books consider the first five to ten minutes when you are falling asleep as a stage in the sleep cycle. We think this is more of a transitional phase and not really part of the cycle. While the other stages of sleep repeat themselves throughout the night, this phase of sleep does not. For this reason, it has been excluded as part of the cycle.

Dreams can occur in any of the four stages of sleep, but the most vivid and memorable dreams occur in the last stage of sleep (also commonly referred to as REM sleep). The sleep cycle repeats itself about an average of four to five times per night, but may repeat as many as seven times. Thus, you can see how a person has several different dreams in one night. However, most people only remember dreams that occur closer toward the morning when they are about to wake up. But just because you can't remember those dreams do not mean that they never happened. Some people believe that they simply do not dream, when in reality, they just don't remember their dreams.

The Stages Of Sleep

The stages in the sleep cycle are organized by the changes in specific brain activity.

Stage 1: You are entering into light sleep. This stage is characterized by Non-rapid eye movements (NREM), muscle relaxation, lowered body temperature and slowed heart rate. The body is preparing to enter into deep sleep.

Stage 2: Also characterized by NREM, this stage is characterized by a further drop in body temperature and relaxation of the muscles. The body's immune system goes to work on repairing the day's damage. The endocrine glands secrete growth hormones, while blood is sent to the muscles to be reconditioned. In this stage, you are completely asleep.

Stage 3: Still in the NREM stage, this is an even deeper sleep. Your metabolic levels are extremely slow.

Stage 4: In this stage of sleep, your eyes move back and forth erratically as if watching something from underneath your eyelids. Referred to as REM sleep or delta sleep, this stage occurs at about 90-100 minutes after the onset of sleep. Your blood pressure rises, heart rate speeds up, respiration becomes erratic and brain activity increases. Your involuntary muscles also become paralyzed or immobilized. This stage is the most restorative part of sleep. Your mind is being revitalized and emotions is being fine tuned. The majority of your dreaming occurs in this stage. If you are awakened during this stage of sleep, you are more likely to remember your dreams.

These stages repeat themselves throughout the night as you sleep. As the cycle repeats, you will spend less time in stages 1 to 3 and more time dreaming in stage 4. In other words, it will be quicker and quicker for you to get to stage 4 each time the cycle repeats.

The Importance Of Dreaming

Do you dream in order to sleep or do you sleep in order to dream? Although that question remains debatable, researchers agree that there is a purpose and importance to dreaming.

Research have showed that people who are deprived from entering the dream phase of sleep or the REM stage, exhibit symptoms of irritability and anxiety. In one dream study, volunteers are woken up right before they enter into the

dream state. Then they are allowed to fall back to sleep. Again, right before they enter REM sleep, they are awaken. This continues on through the night. The volunteers sleep the same amount of time as they normally do. The next day, these volunteers go about their day and observed to be disoriented, depressed, crabby, and quick tempered. There is a general impairment in their daily functioning. Some eat more than usual. As this study continues on through several nights, subjects become more and more agitated. It is found that deprivation of REM sleep causes over-sensitivity, lack of concentration and memory loss.

This study shows the importance of dreaming and its role in your well-being and health. Some researchers believe that dreams help you to tackle stress. Dreaming is a necessity and helps to recharge the mind and revitalize the body.

Why should you remember your dreams?

1. Your dreaming mind has access to vital information that is not readily available to you when you are awake. Your dreams may reveal your secret desires and subconscious feelings.

2. In remembering your dreams, you will gain increased knowledge, self-awareness and self-healing. Dreams are an extension of how you perceive yourself. They can be a source of inspiration, wisdom, joy and overall improved psychological health.

3. Learning to recall your dreams may help you become a more assertive person. By remembering your dreams, you are expressing and confronting your feelings.

4. Dreams can help guide you through difficult decisions, relationship issues, health concerns, career questions or any life struggle you may be experiencing.

5. Remembering your dreams can help you come to terms with stressful aspects of your lives.

Tom And Jerry

2010-04-26T22:34:00.001+05:30

Ahh... My favourite cartoon...!!! Well.. Just wanted to share something about these two creatures.. And their never-ending rivalry.. As there's no clue why they are always after each other..!! But they are lovable..!!!

Thomas Cat (Tom) is a fiendish opportunist, always anxious to ingratiate himself with the powers that be, wether housekeeper, dog, or even, on occasion, mouse. All ways things of his stomach.

Jerry Mouse (Jerry), small, brown, cherubic yet cheeky impish schemer, is happy minding his own business until cornered, piqued or generally provoked. All ways looks out for the other little guy.

Tom and Jerry is a series of animated theatrical shorts created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that centered on a never-ending rivalry between a cat (Tom) and a mouse (Jerry) whose chases and battles often involved comic violence. Hanna and Barbera ultimately wrote and directed one hundred and fourteen Tom and Jerry cartoons at the MGM cartoon studio in Hollywood, California between 1940 and 1958, when the animation unit was closed.

Tom and Jerry has a worldwide audience that consists of both children and adults, and has also been remembered as one of the most famous and longest-lived rivalries in American cinema. In 2000, TIME named the series one of the greatest television shows of all time.

Tom is very quick-tempered and thin-skinned, while adorable mouse Jerry is independent and opportunistic. Jerry also possesses surprising strength for his size, lifting items such as anvils with relative ease and withstanding considerable impacts with them. Despite the typical cat eats mouse, it is actually quite rare for Tom to actually try and consume Jerry. Despite being very energetic and determined, Tom is no match for Jerry's brains and wits. By the final "iris-out" or "fade-out" of each cartoon, Jerry usually emerges triumphant, while Tom is shown as the loser.

Well.. And that's why I love this show.. 'Cause in the end the small guy- Jerry wins and not the big cat- Tom..!!!'

POSH

2010-04-22T13:45:00.000+05:30

Heyaaa..!!!

We all must have used this word (or rather, phrase as you will read further).. POSH society..POSH this..and POSH that...!!

Well.. let me tell you.. POSH is basically an acronym for Port Out, Starboard Home.

Starboard refers to the right side of a vessel as perceived by a person on board facing the front. The equivalent for the left-hand side is Port.

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P. & O.), which from 1842 to 1970 was the major steamship carrier of passengers and mail between England and India. The P. & O. route went through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. The cabins on the port side on the way to India got the morning sun and had the rest of the day to cool off, while starboard ones got the afternoon sun, and were still quite hot at bedtime. On the return trip, the opposite was true. The cooler cabins, therefore, were the more desirable and were reserved for the most important and richest travelers. Their tickets were stamped P.O.S.H. to indicate these accommodations—in large violet letters, according to one recollection.

Thus, POSH derives itself from the incident. And hence, the meaning elegant, swanky, or rich...

Isn't it interesting...????

Three Questions

2010-04-18T22:32:00.000+05:30

I came across this story by Leo Tolstoy.. Felt like sharing it..

One day it occurred to a certain emperor that if he only knew the answers to three questions, he would never stray in any matter.

What is the best time to do each thing? Who are the most important people to work with? What is the most important thing to do at all times?

The emperor issued a decree throughout his kingdom announcing that whoever could answer the questions would receive a great reward. Many who read the decree made their way to the palace at once, each person with a different answer.

In reply to the first question, one person advised that the emperor make up a thorough time schedule, consecrating every hour, day, month, and year for certain tasks and then follow the schedule to the letter. Only then could he hope to do every task at the right time.

Another person replied that it was impossible to plan in advance and that the emperor should put all vain amusements aside and remain attentive to everything in order to know what to do at what time.

Someone else insisted that, by himself, the emperor could never hope to have all the foresight and competence necessary to decide when to do each and every task and what he really needed was to set up a Council of the Wise and then to act according to their advice.

Someone else said that certain matters required immediate decision and could not wait for consultation, but if he wanted to know in advance what was going to happen he should consult magicians and soothsayers.

The responses to the second question also lacked accord.

One person said that the emperor needed to place all his trust in administrators, another urged reliance on priests and monks, while others recommended physicians. Still others put their faith in warriors.

The third question drew a similar variety of answers. Some said science was the most important pursuit. Others insisted on religion. Yet others claimed the most important thing was military skill.

The emperor was not pleased with any of the answers, and no reward was given.

After several nights of reflection, the emperor resolved to visit a hermit who lived up on the mountain and was said to be an enlightened man. The emperor wished to find the hermit to ask him the three questions, though he knew the hermit never left the mountains and was known to receive only the poor, refusing to have anything to do with persons of wealth or power. So the emperor disguised himself as a simple peasant and ordered his attendants to wait for him at the foot of the mountain while he climbed the slope alone to seek the hermit.

Reaching the holy man's dwelling place, the emperor found the hermit digging a garden in front of his hut. When the hermit saw the stranger, he nodded his head in greeting and continued to dig. The labor was obviously hard on him. He was an old man, and each time he thrust his spade into the ground to turn the earth, he heaved heavily.

The emperor approached him and said, "I have come here to ask your help with three questions: When is the best time to do each thing? Who are the most important people to work with? What is the most important thing to do at all times?"

The hermit listened attentively but only patted the emperor on the shoulder and continued digging. The emperor said, "You must be tired. Here, let me give you a hand with that." The hermit thanked him, handed the emperor the spade, and then sat down on the ground to rest.

After he had dug two rows, the emperor stopped and turned to the hermit and repeated his three questions. The hermit still did not answer, but instead stood up and pointed to the spade and said, "Why don't you rest now? I can take over again." But the emperor continued to dig. One hour passed, then two. Finally the sun began to set behind the mountain. The emperor put down the spade and said to the hermit, "I came here to ask if you could answer my three questions. But if you can't give me any answer, please let me know so that I can get on may way home."

The hermit lifted his head and asked the emperor, "Do you hear someone running over there?" The emperor turned his head. They both saw a man with a long white beard emerge from the woods. He ran wildly, pressing his hands against a bloody wound in his stomach. The man ran toward the emperor before falling unconscious to the ground, where he lay groaning. Opening the man's clothing, the emperor and hermit saw that the man had received a deep gash. The emperor cleaned the wound thoroughly and then used his own shirt to bandage it, but the blood completely soaked it within minutes. He rinsed the shirt out and bandaged the wound a second time and continued to do so until the flow of blood had stopped.

At last the wounded man regained consciousness and asked for a drink of water. The emperor ran down to the stream and brought back a jug of fresh water. Meanwhile, the sun had disappeared and the night air had begun to turn cold. The hermit gave the emperor a hand in carrying the man into the hut where they laid him down on the hermit's bed. The man closed his eyes and lay quietly. The emperor was worn out from the long day of climbing the mountain and digging the garden. Leaning against the doorway, he fell asleep. When he rose, the sun had already risen over the mountain. For a moment he forgot where he was and what he had come here for. He looked over to the bed and saw the wounded man also looking around him in confusion. When he saw the emperor, he stared at him intently and then said in a faint whisper, "Please forgive me."

"But what have you done that I should forgive you?" the emperor asked.

"You do not know me, your majesty, but I know you. I was your sworn enemy, and I had vowed to take vengeance on you, for during the last war you killed my brother and seized my property. When I learned that you were coming alone to the mountain to meet the hermit, I resolved to surprise you on your way back to kill you. But after waiting a long time there was still no sign of you, and so I left my ambush in order to seek you out. But instead of finding you, I came across your attendants, who recognized me, giving me this wound. Luckily, I escaped and ran here. If I hadn't met you I would surely be dead by now. I had intended to kill you, but instead you saved my life! I am ashamed and grateful beyond words. If I live, I vow to be your servant for the rest of my life, and I will bid my children and grandchildren to do the same. Please grant me your forgiveness."

The emperor was overjoyed to see that he was so easily reconciled with a former enemy. He not only forgave the man but promised to return all the man's property and to send his own physician and servants to wait on the man until he was completely healed. After ordering his attendants to take the man home, the emperor returned to see the hermit. Before returning to the palace the emperor wanted to repeat his three questions one last time. He found the hermit sowing seeds in the earth they had dug the day before.

The hermit stood up and looked at the emperor. "But your questions have already been answered."

"How's that?" the emperor asked, puzzled.

"Yesterday, if you had not taken pity on my age and given me a hand with digging these beds, you would have been attacked by that man on your way home. Then you would have deeply regretted not staying with me. Therefore the most important time was the time you were digging in the beds, the most important person was myself, and the most important pursuit was to help me. Later, when the wounded man ran up here, the most important time was the time you spent dressing his wound, for if you had not cared for him he would have died and you would have lost the chance to be reconciled with him. Likewise, he was the most important person, and the most important pursuit was taking care of his wound. Remember that there is only one important time and is Now. The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future. The most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at you side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life."

Well... Pretty long..right??..

But, its worth it..!!!

Twinkle Twinle Little Star

2010-04-13T13:16:00.001+05:30

Hilarious video... Our nursery rhyme in different tunes... Check this out...!!

Ice-Creams

2010-04-12T20:32:00.000+05:30

YUMMY.... That's the first thing that comes to our mind when we think about ice-creams...

Well... Summer's on head... And we all must be longing for ice-cream...

Right now, am here to share with you, the history of ice-creams...

The origins of ice cream can be traced back to at least the 4th century B.C. Early references include the Roman emperor Nero (A.D. 37-68) who ordered ice to be brought from the mountains and combined with fruit toppings, and King Tang (A.D. 618-97) of Shang, China who had a method of creating ice and milk concoctions. Ice cream was likely brought from China back to Europe. Over time, recipes for ices, sherbets, and milk ices evolved and served in the fashionable Italian and French royal courts.

The first ice cream parlor in America opened in New York City in 1776. American colonists were the first to use the term "ice cream". The name came from the phrase "iced cream" that was similar to "iced tea". The name was later abbreviated to "ice cream" the name we know today.

African American, Augustus Jackson was a candy confectioner from Philadelphia who created several ice cream recipes and invented an improved method of manufacturing ice cream around 1832. Contrary to popular folklore Augustus Jackson did not invent ice cream itself, however, he was an accomplished businessman and helped to perfect the making of ice cream at that time.

The meaning of the term ice cream varies from one country to another. Terms like frozen custard, frozen yogurt, sorbet, gelato and others are used to distinguish different varieties and styles. In some countries, like the USA, the term ice cream applies only to a specific variety, and their governments regulate the commercial use of all these terms based on quantities of ingredients. In others, like Italy and Argentina, one word is used for all the variants.

HB Pencils

2010-04-08T15:22:00.001+05:30

Hey Folks...

Writing after a really long time... Was little bit busy with other stuffs...

Neways..
Do you guys know what does this 'HB' means when we talk about Pencils...???

We use them daily.. but have you ever wondered what exactly it is..???

Let me tell you then...

Today pencils are numbered and/or lettered to tell us how hard the lead is. The higher the number, the harder the lead, and the lighter the markings. However, it wasn't always this way.

The earliest pencils were made simply from filling a wood shaft with raw graphite. The hardness of the graphite would differ depending on the quality of the graphite, thus it was different depending on where the pencil was made.

The current style of making pencils was developed in 1794 by Nicolas-Jacques Conté (1755-1805). Conté, a painter, chemist, physicist, balloonist, and inventor, put into practice a new method of making pencils so that they would be much more functional.

The Conté Process, as it became known, mixes powdered graphite with finely ground clay. This mixture is then shaped into a long cylinder and then baked in an oven. The more clay that is added versus graphite the harder the pencil lead. In January 1795, Conté patented his method as patent number 32.

Conté's first pencils were numbered for varing degrees of hardness. As the Conté process made its way into the world, other pencil makers decided to use the same technique. Of course, like any product, each company came up with their own standards for how their product should be labeled.

To further complicate things, English pencil decided to use letters instead of numbers. Soft leads were labeled 'B' for black, and harder leads with 'H' for hard. For varying grades they would just add more letters, thus very soft was 'BB', very hard was 'HH', and extra hard was 'HHH'.

Later they switched again to a combination of numbers and letters! Where you would see 2B, 9H, etc. Although more complicated, this system allowed for a much wider variety of grades to be made with no more than a two character description. This was the last major change in the English grading system, the same they use today.

The full English scale is:

Many pencils across the world, and almost all in Europe, are graded on the European system using a continuum from “H” (for hardness) to “B” (for blackness), as well as “F” (for fine point). The standard writing pencil is graded HB. According to Petroski, this system might have been developed in the early 1900s by Brookman, an English pencil maker. It used “B” for black and “H” for hard; a pencil's grade was described by a sequence or successive Hs or Bs such as BB and BBB for successively softer leads, and HH and HHH for successively harder ones.

Friends

2009-12-05T16:29:00.000+05:30

Hey!!
Got another nice poem written by my friend Nishtha...

In a dark room, I was sitting lonely,
An unknown grief hovering over me,
I cried to God, "Oh! Please send somebody,
Who could save me, who can love me?"
With a shiney white light, he descended down,
A serene face, his face bowed down.

He then looked towards me and said,
"You have everything one can wish for,
Then why are you in such dread?"
My eyes filled with tears when I spoke to him,
"I don't want riches, I am not greedy
I want only love, so help this needy!"

He smiled to see me crying so bitterly and said.
"Now, I understand what you want,
Today lovely angels for you I grant"
"Who will they be? What will I call them?" I inquired,
"They'll love you and will be around you always,' he immediately fired.
Your every wound, every crevice in your heart, they'll mend,
Whenever you need them, call them your FRIENDS!!"

Today these lovely angels surround me,
They make my world really lovely,
I am incomplete without them,
So, it’s a tribute to all of them...

Funny Life

2009-12-03T22:02:00.001+05:30

If money doesn't grow on trees then why banks have branches...??

Why does a round pizza comes in square box..??

Why doesn't glue stick to its bottle..??

Why do you still call it a building when it is already built..??

If its true that we are here to help others then what are others here for..??

If are not supposed to drink and drive then why do bars have parking lots..??

We are a funny bunch of people living in funny world...!!

Enjoy Life.. Its Worth It..

Donald Duck

2009-11-27T18:42:00.000+05:30

wak wak wak wakk waakk....!!!!

Here comes Donald Duck..

Today, I felt like knowing more about this quacker.. And sharing it with you guys..

Donald Duck is an American cartoon from Walt Disney Company. Donald's most famous personality trait is his easily provoked and explosive temper. He has beed officially honored as the third most popular cartoon character of all times with Bugs Bunny at number 2 and fellow Mickey Mouse topping the list.

Donald first appeared in The Wise Little Hen on June 9, 1934 which is also regarded as his birthday.

Donald's voice, one of the most identifiable in all of animation, was performed by voice actor Clarence 'Ducky' Nash. It was largely this semi-intelligble speech that would cement Donald's image into audience's mind and help fuel his image to stardom.

Hot-headed Donald is a little man in a big world. Call it fate or call it lack of self control, nothing goes right for this duck; even his best intentions sometimes go awry. He can't understand why life is seems so much easier for pals Mickey and easy-going Goofy. Its not fair. But still, Donald keeps struggling to get what he deserves in this world.

He's not a loser, not a quitter and he'll go down fighting. This is a duck with one short fuse and an amazing command on language. It doesn't matter how much humiliation world dishes out to him, he takes it all...!!

Why Don't We Laugh When We Tickle Ourselves..??

2009-11-22T15:38:00.000+05:30

Heyie Guys..

Most of you must have tried this and asked the same question... So, here's the answer for you..!!

When we are tickled, we laugh and wriggle. This is what is termed as reflex action, an action which takes place without any thought on our part.

When we try to tickle ourselves, the brain knows that we are going to do it and so there is no reflex action.

Where Do SPACECRAFT Get Their Power From..??

2009-11-21T14:45:00.001+05:30

Well...

Spacecrafts can not carry large supplies of fuel and there aren't any filling stations in space. Instead, many have large panels of solar cells. These capture sunlight and turn it into electricity. The Sun always shines in space, so there is always electricity to power the spacecraft.

Some space probes travel to the outer planets far from the Sun. There the sunlight is too weak for solar cells, and the probes have small nuclear power plants instead.

These plants produce electricity from a small amount of a long lasting nuclear fuel like phetonium.

India Needs VISION

2009-11-19T21:28:00.002+05:30

Based on our past experience of many decades in varied fields of development or drawbacks, we come to the conclusion that our leaders shy away from articulating plans and vision, blundering directly into action. And, action without vision, as several Indian internal quagmires reveal, is recipe for disaster.

India whines, old and new, reflect our innate security and our ill-articulated view of the road ahead. After spending many eras under the yoke of conquerors and until the 1990s as third world backwaters, I guess insecurity and craveness go hand in hand.

But being better than the world takes a little more than a few nuclear warheads, a semi successful cricket team, the glamour of Bollywood and 6-7% economic growth.

It takes VISION.

During the World War II, Churchill offered his country an extraordinary vision " We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight landing ground, we shall fight in the streets, we shall never surrender." Barrack Obama swept to power and owns a Noble Peace Prize on strength of vision.

" A developed India by 2020 or even earlier need not be mere vision but mission we can all take up."

Had we imbibed the vision and planning, the attack on Mumbai by sea route or attack on parliament could not have taken place. So, on this side of security we must have clear-cut vision and planning to deal with effectively.

And case of terrorism, we must prepare a vision and planning to curb it. Like wise, the appearance of maoists are the result of lack of vision. Had there been proper understanding and realisation, they could not have extended the terror tentacles in all its manifestation.

Unless we have vision, be it climate change, productivity, security, family planning and host of other aspects concerning science and technology, we can not be a prosperous nation- encompassing all fields.

The Truth About DARYAGANJ... How The Daryaganj's Sunday Book Bazaar Came Into Being?

2009-10-25T14:02:00.001+05:30

Scrolling through HT City, I read this article and felt like sharing it...

So, here the story goes...

Fifty years ago, a kabadi bazaar selling used clothes, sandals and furniture was held each Sunday near Jama Masjid in the walled city. The shops would be lined on both sides of what once was Delhi's biggest fish market. In 1964, three men gate-crashed hte bazaar and set-up second-hand book stalls.

After five years, the kabadi bazaar was moved to Red Fort's 'backside'. This ' backside' was not easily accesible by public transport. Within six months, one of the three original book-sellers (Kuldeep Raj Nanda) left the place to set-up a Sunday stall just below the lohe wala pul and become the first book-seller of the present-day Sunday Book Bazaar in Daryaganj.

Nanda was soon joined by many other book-sellers. For six straight days, these men would visit the city's kabadis. The kabadis would get used books from wealthy families in the city, and these book-sellers would but books from them on per-kilo basis. On the seventh day - Sunday - the books would be displayed on the little stretch in Daryaganj.

Initially, a small number of passers-by would stop to check out the books. Gradually, a few of these became regular. More people started coming. More book-sellers set-up stalls.

The Sunday Book Bazaar is now a city institution.

"Sleep Tight"

2009-10-21T22:31:00.000+05:30

Where do we get this phrase from...???

Well, it comes from Shakespearean England via thousands of children's bedtimes. William Shakespeare first gave "tightly" the meaning "effectively" or "well" in his 1598 play The Merry Wives Of Windsor.

By the late 18th century, the word was also used as an adjective, and it was in this form that it became part of rhyming couplet "Good Night. Sleep Tight", probably dreamed up by an anonymous mother to wish her young child a pleasant sleep. The subsequent popularity of this rhyme means that the phrase lives on today, despite its exact meaning being largely forgotten.

Green Tips

2009-10-09T22:42:00.000+05:30

Some green tips for you guys. Must have read them or heard many times.. So refresh your Mind and Think about them...

1) REFUSE to take plastic bags from shopkeepers. Take your own cloth bag while going for shopping. Explain to people why plastic bags are wasteful and polluting.

2) Always use both sides of paper before throwing it away. You can use it for rough work, telephone note-pads and other purposes.

3) Always RE-USE envelopes. Better still, make your own from old newspaper or magazines.

4) Conserve every drop of water that you possibly can. Don't waste water while brushing or shaving. Repair leaky taps.

5) Save electricity.

6) Save fossil fuels. Try to walk or cycle short distances while travelling. Prefer public transport like buses, metro.

7) Don't use aluminium cans. They cause an incredible waste problem.

8) Eat low on food chain. It takes much less land, water and energy to support a vegetarian diet.

9) Let your voice be heard. Stop the person dumping garbage on street. FEEL FREE TO AIR YOUR OPINION.

10) Try to use AYURVEDIC or NATURAL removers.

Happy Dussehra..!!

2009-09-28T12:47:00.000+05:30

Everyday sun rises to give us a message that light will always beat the darkness. Lets follow the same natural rule and enjoy the victory of good over evil.... HaPpY DuSsEhRa

History in brief....

Among Hindus, Lord Rama is considered to have a culmination of all the best qualities that a human can possess, required to make this world a happy place. Both the festivals of Diwali and Dussehra are celebrated in honor of Lord Rama and his morals. Dussehra is the tenth day of Navratri, in the month of Ashwin-kartik, while Diwali is celebrated 20 days ahead of Dussehra. Lord Rama emerged victorious in a ferocious battle against Ravana who had abducted Sita. Inspite of all powers that Ravana possessed, it was ultimately the good intensions of Lord Rama that saw the face of Victory. This is generally depicted on the day of Dussehra by burning the effigies of Ravana and Lord Rama’s bow that kills him. People every year on this day get the moral of leading a righteous life.

Dussehra also marks the day when Goddess Durga killed the demon Mahishasura. She had fought a long and ferocious battle against him, who had the boon of not getting harm with weapons. Ultimately, it was “the good” Goddess Durga who won on this day after a 10 day long battle.

We've been listening these legends as our bed-time stories...

But what actually does it mean..??

Ever thought of it..??

Just burning the dummies.. and polluting the environment is not a festive spirit...

Everyone has a devil lurking inside somewhere.
The devil- our weak point- needs to be chased away. Find the devil inside you and get rid of it. What better time than Dussehra to think about the ridding oneself of the devil..????

Safety Alarm.. Some Help For You..!!

2009-09-27T21:30:00.001+05:30

Some Safety Tips...

Do Read Them.. Its For Your Own Life....!!!

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do:

The elbow is the strongest point on your body...If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse,

DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM.

Toss it away from you.... Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will gofor the wallet/purse.

RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy.... The driver won't see you, but everybody else will.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their

chequebook, or making a list, etc.)

DON'T DO THIS!

The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go.

AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR , LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE...

If someone is in the car with a gun to your head

DO NOT DRIVE OFF!

INSTEAD gun the engine!

and speed into anything, wrecking the car.

Your Air Bag will save you.

If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it !

As soon as the car crashes bail out and run.

It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:

A) Be aware:

Look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor and in the back seat..

B) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door.

Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

C) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side... If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out.

IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than

dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs.

Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot.

This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control,

ALWAYS RUN!

The predator will only hit

you 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.

RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. Another Safety Point:

Someone told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird..

The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door..'

The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over.

The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'

He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.

9. Water scam!

If you wakeup in the middle of the night to hear all your taps outside running or what you think is a burst pipe,

DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE!

These people turn on all your outside taps full ball so that you will go out to investigate and then attack....

BETA Version

2009-09-20T19:50:00.016+05:30

Hey Readers,

While surfing on net, you all must have come across BETA Versions of Yahoo!, Google Chrome etc..

But what exactly is BETA Version????

When a new product is created or upgraded, there are several stages in development before the product can be sold in the commercial marketplace. The first stage is the alpha stage, in which the product is tested by software testers within the company and debugged as necessary. A beta version is the name for the second stage of software testing, in which it is released for free or a reduced price to a group of users.

The beta version of a software release is considered to be a preview. It has all the standard features, but is not yet ready for wide release or sale. During this point, the company will collect feedback from users about the product's usability — what they like and what should be changed — before the product's wide release. A beta version of a program can be either a closed beta, which is limited to a specific group of users, or an open beta, which is available for the general public to use.

Though beta version products will often have all the features available in the final version of the product, they generally have limited, if any, technical support available to users. However, many products will often remain in beta version for years, during which time they are used by a wide audience as if they were full versions of products.

The word "beta" comes from the Greek, for the second letter in the alphabet. The term "betaversion," or "beta test," originated with early hardware tests for IBM computers, where the beta test was used to examine whether the hardware properly performed all its listed functions.

Today, most software programs are first released in beta version before being marketed for general release. A beta version can also be applied to a website, which is testing its features and relying on audience feedback. Beta websites are frequently first shown on a secret domain that is only available to their test audience, before being transferred to their real domain for wide viewing.

Lets Get QuIzZiE

2009-09-13T20:42:00.002+05:30

Heyii...

Well, I know I am writing after a long time...

Was busy in Exams and then was shocked by my results... But now back to status...

I have compiled this quiz ( kind of Quiz ) for you all...

Lets see how much you all know...

So, Let The Game Begin...

Q1: What programming language is Google developed in?

A: Asynchronous Java-Script and XML or its acronym AJAX.

Q2: What is the expansion of-

(i) YAHOO

A: Yet Another Hierarchy of Officious Oracle.

(ii) ADIDAS

A: All Day I Dream About Sports.

(iii) STAR (STAR TV Network)

A: Satellite Television Asian Network.

(iv) ICICI

A: Industrial Credit and Investments Corporation in India.

Q3: What does 'baker's dozen' signify?

A: Baker's dozen consists of 13 items.

Q4: Who is the only man to have written the National Anthems for two countries?

A: Rabrindranath Tagore wrote National Anthem for India and Bangladesh.

Q5: From what four word expression does the word 'good bye' derive?

A: "God be with you"

Q6:How is Agnes Gonxha Bojahiu better known as?

A: Mother Teresa

Q7: The faces of which four Presidents are carved at Mt. Rushmore?

A i)George Washington

ii) Thomas Jefferson

iii) Theodore Roosevelt

iv)Abraham Lincoln

Q8: India's current Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, is a Rajya Sabha member from which state?

A: Assam.

Q9 In India's famous freedom fighting tiro of Lal-Bal-Pal, who was Pal?

A: Bipin Chandra Pal.

Q10: June 25 is a special date in Indian cricketing calendar. Why?

A: India played its first Test (1932) and won the World Cup (1983).

Q11: Stocky was the screen name of which famous Indian film music composer?

A: R.D. Burman.

Hope, it did add to your GK....!!!

Have A Good Day..!!

Rubik's 360 - New Toy In Town

2009-08-28T12:36:00.000+05:30

Hello..

You all might be knowing or must have even solved the Rubik's Cube.

Nearly three decades after his cube took over the world by storm, master puzzler Erno Rubik has come up with 3-D mechanical puzzle- the Rubik's 360.

The 360 has three clear spheres, each within the other, and six coloured balls in the innermost sphere. The puzzle involves changing the position of six balls, each a different color, in a central sphere to six compartments in the outer sphere. This is done by shaking them through a middle sphere that only has two holes.

With the cube the quickest solutions are based on formulas and you can remember the fastest way to reach the solution from various starting points. The 360 requires no maths, it is more about physics.

The 360 was launched in UK last month and is expected to be marketed world-wide soon.

Without A Word...

2009-08-27T19:01:00.000+05:30

Heyii...!!!

Another, and probably the last poem by my friend Nishtha for all u guys...

I survive in this cruel world,

Without uttering a single world,

No hope of love and happiness,

I am a victim of stark loneliness.

But now they think I'm mean,

They wanted a talent, a literary scholar,

But I'm none of it, much to their horror,

They provide me with everything I need,

But please mom and dad, listen to my heed

" I might not be prettybut my heart is pure

Given a chance, I'll prove it for sure"

Don't leave me alone in this cruel world

I say with my eyes without uttering a word...

Tears fall down from my eyes,

Deep inside my heart cries,

Is it a curse not to be beautiful?

Don't I have a right to be blissful?

I find it tough to fight this cruel world

Still my battle continues, without uttering a word...

My life is meaningless and void,

From love and affection, it is devoid,

No matter how much I try to please everyone,

Each day, I am betrayed by someone.

My dark eyes search frantically,

For the one who'll look at me lovingly,

Will love me just as I am today,

Will bring in my life a new day,

Will stay with me in this cruel world,

And understand my feelings without uttering a word...

How Does A Submarine Stay Under Water..??

2009-08-25T13:27:00.000+05:30

You may have noticed that an empty bottle will float along the surface of water, but one which is full of liquid will sink.

The submarine works in exactly the same way. Each submarine has several large tanks, which can be filled with either water or air.

When they were filled with air, the submarine will float on the surface of the water, just like a ship. When it is time for the submarine to dive, large amounts of water are pumped into the tanks, so making the vessel much heavier.

By regulating the amount of water and air in the tanks, the crew of the submarine can make their vessel rise or sink to various levels in the water.

Life

2009-08-23T19:11:00.000+05:30

When you Really want something,

sometimes you have to swim a little

deeper... You can't give up just

because things don't come easy...

You have to overcome the obstacles

and face your fears...

But in the end, it's all worth while!

Life is full of ups and down,

but if u believe in yourself

you will always come through with

flying colours... Value friendship,

love and faith... Never

underestimate yourself...

Believe in yourself...!

Have A Good Life....

My Love

2009-08-22T16:49:00.002+05:30

You meet millions of people in your lifetime. Sometimes you give them something and sometimes you are granted something. But this does not happen always....

You give happiness to someone, you receive their beautiful smiles in return

You give your devotions to God, he gives you his blessings in return

You give a chocolate to a cute little baby, you receive his giggles in return

You give a hug to someone, you receive one in return

But sometimes....

You give your heart to someone and get tears in return

You give your soul to someone and get loneliness in return

And a time comes when you give your everything to someone and receive a heartbreak in return...

This is a truly experienced poem of my friend Nishtha (the anynomous one)....

No matter how far you are from me

I'll always be there for you

No matter if we don't meet ever again

I'll continue to love you.

You came in my life like a spring of breeze

Whenever we sat together, I simply used to freeze

I kept sneaking at you from the corner of my eye

But you just kept ignoring me with a deep sigh.

I thought we'll have a long conversation

But that class ended with a silent observation

Then we parted, me hoping to meet again

However I knew, my hopes will be in vain.

However, destiny bought us together once more

And again I drooled over your black eyes and the innocence you bore

A brilliant smile on face and that sweet melodious 'Hi'

Was suffice reason for me to die.

We could only greet each other

No conversation, not a word further.

You were a figure of perfection

And me a bundle of mistakes, is my confession

A perfect soul would never have me

This fact clearly haunted me.

So, I kept quiet trying to forget you

But, unsuccessful in my efforts, I had to tell you.

" I love you a lot, a degree unmeasurable "

This day for me was unforgettable.

I just told you I have no hopes

With a bundle of misfortune, no one can cope

I know you'll get someone beautiful

So, just be honest and be merciful "

You consoled me saying that even I was a beauty

A perfect girl, just perfect in her duty

But, just then you shattered my dreams

Flowed then, a long emotional stream.

You shyed away from relations

You thought they led to much temptations

No matter how much I tried to assure you

You consoled me saying,

" We'll be friends, but I can never love you "

My reason to live was gone then and there

This seemed to me very unfair

My belief was over from love

I lifted my face and looked above.

I cried my heart out speaking to HIM

" You have made my life colourless and dim "

Still i thought, we'll be friends

But just a conversation and a relationship ends

You never spoke to me as before

I was left alone on the sea-shore.

Hearing your voices from the sea

Feeling you always besides me...

I'll wait for you dear for a life-time

Just to make you forever mine....

You may think I'm insane

But the problem is I can't love anyone else once again...

What Makes Popping Corn 'POP'..?

2009-08-20T21:01:00.000+05:30

Ever wondered why is it so....???

Anyways.... Right now you just need to grab a bowl of pop-corn and READ THIS....

Corn is a generic term to describe fruit of cereal plants. Popping corn is just one of the many varieties of maize grown commercially.

The bulk of tissue within a grain of corn is called the endosperm. Endosperm is the specialised storage tissue providing nutrients for the embryo when seed germinates. It is also a source of carbohydrates.

In pop-corn, the outer part of the endosperm is hard but the centre is soft. When the corn is heated, the water in the central part turns to steam causing the seed to burst.

This is the pop-sound we hear. And this bursting results in the white, puffy treat....

... And see what all happens in those three minutes... !!!

Why Do Tears Flow From Our Eyes When We CRY....???

2009-08-19T20:41:00.000+05:30

Socha Hai.....???

Yeh Tumne Kya Kabhi...

Socha Hai....???

Ki Hai Yeh Kya Sabhi...

Socha Hai...???

Socha Nahi To.... I'm Telling You Naa...Why To Worry????

Hmmm....

So here it is why tears flow from our eyes....

When we are upset, our brain and body overreacts and works overtime by producing chemicals and hormones. These hormones are not required by our body and hence crying helps eliminate these extra chemicals.

As our tears flow, these chemical agents are expelled from our body and we feel lighter and better...

Popular Misconceptions

2009-08-17T23:06:00.001+05:30

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY.

Same can be said for all sorts of fruits and vegetables. Apples do contain Vitamin C which helps us to resist illness but amount of Vitamin C present in citrus fruits is much higher (5 times more).

BEES COLLECT HONEY FROM FLOWERS.

In fact, bees collect thin sweet liquid called Nectar present at the base of petals from flowers. The body of the bee is like a honey making factory, in which chemical processes turn nectar into honey.

SPIDER WEBS ARE WEAK AND FRAGILE.

They may appear weak but a spider's silk is stronger than anyother fibre in nature. It is very flexible - stretching five times in length without breaking and has a tensile strength greater than that of steel.

SPINACH IS ESPECIALLY RICH IN IRON.

Spinach contains no more iron than anyother green leafy vegetable. The myth arose in 1870 when a German scientist analysing the iron content of foods misplaced a decimal point and showed spinach as having 10 times more iron than cabbage.

THE STRONGEST ANIMAL IS ELEPHANT.

In proportion to their size, the strongest animal are the beetles found mainly in the tropical lands. Tests carried out on a Rhinoceros beetle showed that it could support 850 times its own weight on its back.

A Lonely Soul

2009-08-16T16:46:00.005+05:30

Heya...
Another cool poem for you guys...
Written by that "anynomous friend"..

Here it is..

Lonely in the darkness, I find sunshine
Someone special, whom I can call mine
Collecting the pieces of my broken heart, I console
Still cries my heart, still cries my soul
Will I find the one who'll live just for me?
Help me search the real me
The one whose soul will be pure and divine
Will hold my hand in the golden sunshine.

Am I the beauty born yesterday?
Or am I a flawed face today?
Gone are the days of love and affection
Today I make a great confession.

Neither was I selfish, nor was I bad,
You all took me wrong, and that makes me sad
I wanted everyone around me to be happy and gay,
But could find no other way,
Than to kill the true me, the one who
Today wants to be free.

Fly to the zenith of the skies
To a world of happiness where no one cries
A world of love, a world of affection
A world of liberty, a world of passion.

Someday I'll enter the hall of angels, the almighty's sky
But atleast remember me when I die...
Just keep a flower on my grave and say,
"Oh! My dear, why you went away?
Day and night, I miss you,
Could not say in my lifetime, but I love you...

The Buzzard, The Bat And The Bumble-Bee

2009-08-16T11:51:00.002+05:30

If you put a buzzard in a small enclosure or fence of six or eight feet square and entirely open at the top, the bird, inspite of his ability to fly, will be an abosolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten or twelve feet. Without space to run, as is his habit, he will not attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life.

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, can not take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, untill it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw himself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

A bumble-bee if dropped into an open tumbler will be there untill it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means to escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. it will seek a way where none exists, untill it completely destroys itself.

In many ways, there are lots of people like the buzzard, the bat and the bee. They are struggling about with all their problems and frustations, not realising that the answer is right above them...

A Rainy Day

2009-08-15T22:46:00.008+05:30

Sick of crying...
Tired of trying...
Yep..!! I am smiling...
But.. Inside I'm dying....

Hii Folks..
The following poem is written by my friend (who would like to remain anynomous).
So, here it goes....

Darkness in the sky, it was a wet rainy day,
I had to travel a long-long way,
Wearing my boots, with my umbrella,
I went out in the rain,
My attempts to move undrenched, seem to be just in vain.
Humming a tune, whisting about, I went on
The life then looked just like a beutiful song,
Thinking of meeting her someday,
I went out on a rainy day.

Just then an umbrella flew past by me,
I checked around to see whose it may be,
Golden streaks of hair flew upon her face,
That's when I met her pretty gaze.
She danced in the rain, with enjoyment,
As, I saw her in boundless amazement.

Can such beauty ever exist?
Such innocence can anyone resist?

I smiled at her looking dazed,
As pearl like drops fell on her face,
She saw me and stopped baffled,
In the shower, this beuty dazzled.
A beutiful smile flashed across her face,
Showing her glory, showing her grace.

She started running away from me,
Full of vigour and care-free.
I chased her but stopped abruptly,
To meet her eyes that cried frightingly.

A vehicle rushed towards her too fast,
As she stood there aghast.
I quickly rushed towards her,
Just when I saw the car crush her.
With tears in my eyes, I shook her twice,
Then she slightly opened her eyes,
Battling with life, she said to me
" It was like you were made for me,
I don't know who you are, why you are here,
But you know, I just don't care.
Now that I've seen you, I can die.
I too love you, but dear GOOD-BYE!! "

With this, she left me forever,
However, her memories couldn't leave me ever.
I stand today on that path, on that way,
Hoping to meet her again SOMEDAY.

If you love someone dearly today,
Just don't let them go away.
Make them yours right now and right here,
Just show them how much you care...

Incredible India - Jai Hind..!!

2009-08-15T21:06:00.002+05:30

Happy Independence Day to all!!

Today, I salute the heroes who made India a better and safe place to live. The midnight of August 15, 1947 is memorable for every Indian on earth, as it is the time, when India gained independence from the stranglehold of the mighty British. The otherwise suppressed tri-colored flag of India was given its due respect, when it was hoisted in the midnight on the Independence Day. Since then, the red-letter day is celebrated across the length and breadth of India. Cultural programs and flag-hoisting ceremonies are the predominant affair of the day, while colorful kites fill the sky in the evening, to symbolize freedom.

Some Really Cool Laws..

2009-08-14T13:26:00.004+05:30

LAW OF MECHANICAL REPAIR : After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch.

~*~*~*~

LAW OF ENCOUNTERS: The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

~*~*~*~

LAW OF BIOMECHANICS: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

~*~*~*~

LAW OF COFFEE: As soon as you sit down for a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

~*~*~*~

Janmashtami

2009-08-14T12:25:00.001+05:30

Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great devotion in the August/September months, on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksh or the 8th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadon, in the whole of north India. Temples and homes are beautifully decorated and lit. An attractive feature of the celebrations are cribs & other decorations depicting stories of Lord Krishna's childhood. There are five main "jhankis" of Janmashtami which depict the entire sequence of events from Lord Krishna's birth to his being discovered in Gokul.

The "jhankis" include the birth of Krishna in jail, Vasudev carrying Krishna to safety across the river Yamuna amidst thunder and lightning, Vasudev's return to the jail, Kansa killing Yashoda's daughter and finally the little Krishna in the cradle in Gokul. "Jhankis" are created out of dolls dressed up as kids, men and women with lehangas, chunnis, dhotis & kurtas. Raslila of every type are also performed - Janmlila, Shankarlila, Putnalila and Naglila. In the evening bhajans are sung which end at midnight, the auspicious moment when Lord Krishna was born. Thereafter arti is done, prasad distributed and flowers showered on the idol.