A Thought for Today-420:

The ancient scholars studied for their own improvement.  Modern scholars study to impress others - Confucius

A Thought for Today-420:

The ancient scholars studied for their own improvement.  Modern scholars study to impress others - Confucius

Picture of the day-246:

Picture of the day-246:

A Thought for Today-419:

Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain.  It is not something you learn in school.  But if you have not learned the meaning of friendship, you have not really learned anything - Mohammad Ali

A Thought for Today-419:

Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain.  It is not something you learn in school.  But if you have not learned the meaning of friendship, you have not really learned anything - Mohammad Ali

Picture of the day-245:

Picture of the day-245:

Picture of the day-244:

Picture of the day-244:

A Thought for Today-418:

One must forever strive for excellence or even perfection, in any task however small and never be satisfied with second best - JRD Tata

A Thought for Today-418:

One must forever strive for excellence or even perfection, in any task however small and never be satisfied with second best - JRD Tata

S and T Watch-59: Man invents machine to convert plastic into oil

Thanks to Digg, I could see this interesting and enlightening video.  Though the commentary is in Japanese, they do give English sub-titles and hence I could follow the whole thing.  Akinori Ito has found a way to reduce carbon emission and pollution and save energy.  I wish authorities take note of this invention and try to get this machine and test it in India.  The whole thing seems to be very simple.

As plastic is made from oil, it should not be difficult to convert it back.  Our man Akinori Ito's machine just does this.  Just put plastic articles into the machine; you don't have to break them down.  As the machine is swithched, the temperature increases; the plastic melts and becomes liquid; liquids boils and gas emanated which passes through a tube and is cooled with tap water and then it becomes oil.  With further processing it can be used as gasolene, diesel and kerosene.  One kg of plastic can be converted into one litre of oil.  When you burn one kg of plastic waste, three kg of carbon dioxide is released.  By Ito's process, you can reduce carbon emission by 80%.  Thus, waste becomes treasure.  He has demonstrated this in many places.  What are we waiting for?

For further info:

Plastic to oil fantastic

http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/plastic-to%20-oil-fantastic/

A Machine That Turns Plastic Back Into Oil

http://motherboard.tv/2010/8/22/a-machine-that-turns-plastic-back-into-oil--2

Grateful thanks to Akinori Ito, Digg, Our World, UN University, MotherboardTV and YouTube.

S and T Watch-59: Man invents machine to convert plastic into oil

Thanks to Digg, I could see this interesting and enlightening video.  Though the commentary is in Japanese, they do give English sub-titles and hence I could follow the whole thing.  Akinori Ito has found a way to reduce carbon emission and pollution and save energy.  I wish authorities take note of this invention and try to get this machine and test it in India.  The whole thing seems to be very simple.

As plastic is made from oil, it should not be difficult to convert it back.  Our man Akinori Ito's machine just does this.  Just put plastic articles into the machine; you don't have to break them down.  As the machine is swithched, the temperature increases; the plastic melts and becomes liquid; liquids boils and gas emanated which passes through a tube and is cooled with tap water and then it becomes oil.  With further processing it can be used as gasolene, diesel and kerosene.  One kg of plastic can be converted into one litre of oil.  When you burn one kg of plastic waste, three kg of carbon dioxide is released.  By Ito's process, you can reduce carbon emission by 80%.  Thus, waste becomes treasure.  He has demonstrated this in many places.  What are we waiting for?

For further info:

Plastic to oil fantastic

http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/plastic-to%20-oil-fantastic/

A Machine That Turns Plastic Back Into Oil

http://motherboard.tv/2010/8/22/a-machine-that-turns-plastic-back-into-oil--2

Grateful thanks to Akinori Ito, Digg, Our World, UN University, MotherboardTV and YouTube.

Eyecatchers-153: Julian Assange of WikiLeaks caught up in a drama

I read with interest an article in The Hindu of August 23, 2010 by John F.Burns and Eric Schmitt.  Naturally, after seeing the TED Global Video Interview of Julian Assange (embedded in this blog some days back) and reading much about him, any news about Assange is of interest to me.

According to this New York Times Newservice report Julian Assange of WikiLeaks was sought by the Swedish authorities on allegations of rape and molestation and later, the rape allegation was dropped.  

The whole thing sounds fishy.  One wonders whether people are after Julian Assange or some sort of conspiracy is brewing to intimidate Assange and close down WikiLeaks.  Assange has tweeted that the whole thing is baseless.

I feel this is not the end.  More may be coming up.  Let us hope that he does not get caught in any conspiracy.  I wish him all the best and may God protect him!  

Grateful thanks to The Hindu, John F.Burns, Eric Schmitt and New York Times News Service.

Eyecatchers-153: Julian Assange of WikiLeaks caught up in a drama

I read with interest an article in The Hindu of August 23, 2010 by John F.Burns and Eric Schmitt.  Naturally, after seeing the TED Global Video Interview of Julian Assange (embedded in this blog some days back) and reading much about him, any news about Assange is of interest to me.

According to this New York Times Newservice report Julian Assange of WikiLeaks was sought by the Swedish authorities on allegations of rape and molestation and later, the rape allegation was dropped.  

The whole thing sounds fishy.  One wonders whether people are after Julian Assange or some sort of conspiracy is brewing to intimidate Assange and close down WikiLeaks.  Assange has tweeted that the whole thing is baseless.

I feel this is not the end.  More may be coming up.  Let us hope that he does not get caught in any conspiracy.  I wish him all the best and may God protect him!  

Grateful thanks to The Hindu, John F.Burns, Eric Schmitt and New York Times News Service.

Eyecatchers-152:

1. Even if we don't pay wages, people will contest for Parliament.  Some out of idealism, to change India.  Others, to rob India - Pritish Nandy in Twitter

2. Nuclear Liability Bill: High time UPA govt stops behaving naive, Bhopal experience key.  Should protect Indian interests rather than suppliers! - Sanvai in Twitter

Courtesy: Tweets of the Day, The New Indian Express of August 23, 2010.

Grateful thanks to Pritish Nandy, Sanvai and The New Indian Express.

Eyecatchers-152:

1. Even if we don't pay wages, people will contest for Parliament.  Some out of idealism, to change India.  Others, to rob India - Pritish Nandy in Twitter

2. Nuclear Liability Bill: High time UPA govt stops behaving naive, Bhopal experience key.  Should protect Indian interests rather than suppliers! - Sanvai in Twitter

Courtesy: Tweets of the Day, The New Indian Express of August 23, 2010.

Grateful thanks to Pritish Nandy, Sanvai and The New Indian Express.

Eyecatchers-151: Sidewall of Underpass Bridge on 4-lane NH collapses

If you think train journey is unsafe and you can take to road travel, please read this report. 

Mr.J.Arockiaraj of ENS writes in The New Indian Express of August 23, 2010 of the collapse of  the sidewall of underpass bridge towards Vadivelkarai from Nagamalai Pudukkottai in the Samayanallur-Virudhunagar National Highway four-way lane.  The construction is barely six months old.  It is alleged that faulty design and inferior construction have led to the collapse. Other details of the article make painful reading and I don't want to record them here. The official machinery will take its own time to attend to the problem and maybe they will spend some more public money and come up with some sort of temporary protection.

We don't know who is at fault for this collapse.  Generally, what I recorded elsewhere about trade unions and associations holds good for contractors also.  It seems nobody can touch them and they can get away with anything.  Usually such contractors have the backing of some strong politician or the 'benamis' or  close relatives of some powerful politician.  So it seems they can never be brought to the book if they commit any misdeed.  The least we can expect is that the concerned department will take up the problem at the earliest and does some corrective action or repair.

Grateful thanks to Mr.J.Arockiaraj of ENS and The New Indian Express for bringing out the news before the public.

Eyecatchers-151: Sidewall of Underpass Bridge on 4-lane NH collapses

If you think train journey is unsafe and you can take to road travel, please read this report. 

Mr.J.Arockiaraj of ENS writes in The New Indian Express of August 23, 2010 of the collapse of  the sidewall of underpass bridge towards Vadivelkarai from Nagamalai Pudukkottai in the Samayanallur-Virudhunagar National Highway four-way lane.  The construction is barely six months old.  It is alleged that faulty design and inferior construction have led to the collapse. Other details of the article make painful reading and I don't want to record them here. The official machinery will take its own time to attend to the problem and maybe they will spend some more public money and come up with some sort of temporary protection.

We don't know who is at fault for this collapse.  Generally, what I recorded elsewhere about trade unions and associations holds good for contractors also.  It seems nobody can touch them and they can get away with anything.  Usually such contractors have the backing of some strong politician or the 'benamis' or  close relatives of some powerful politician.  So it seems they can never be brought to the book if they commit any misdeed.  The least we can expect is that the concerned department will take up the problem at the earliest and does some corrective action or repair.

Grateful thanks to Mr.J.Arockiaraj of ENS and The New Indian Express for bringing out the news before the public.