My Photo Album-44: "Vinod at Work"

My Photo Album-43: "Achu looks up!"

My Photo Album-42: "Achu, a recent photo"

My Photo Album-41: "A Beaming Aravind with hands folded in salutation"

S&T Watch-19: "Fuel cell cars still 15 years away!”

Los Angeles Times of July 18, 2008 reports quoting Reuters as source that Fuel cell cars are still 15 years away at best.

Excerpts from the news item:

Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are still 15 years away from becoming a viable business for automakers even if they overcome remaining technical hurdles and the US govt provides massive subsidies, a government-funded report said Thursday (July 17, 2008).

Under a best-case scenario, automakers will only be able to sell about 2 million electric vehicles powered by fuel cells by 2020, according to the study by the National Research Council. That would mean that less than 1% of the vehicles on US roads by that date would be powered by fuel cells.

Advocates see the still-emerging technology as a way to cut oil use and carbon emissions since fuel cells combined stored hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity. As a result, fuel-cell vehicles emit only water vapor.

Success for fuel-cell technology hinges on building facilities to generate, transport and store hydrogen at filling stations. It will also require automakers to build cheap and durable hydrogen vehicles that consumers want to buy.

For the full article from Los Angeles Times:
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-fuel18-2008jul18,0,2916893.story

Grarteful thanks to Los Angeles Times and Reuters.

Nellaiappan's Column-5: "Gettings Things Done"

Getting things done is an art. It is like how a bee extracts honey from a flower. Another way is like crushing sugarcane to extract juice. How do you extract work? Are you a bee or a crusher?

When I asked the above question in the training program I got many different answers. I am a bee, said someone. No, I am a crusher, was the second answer. The third man said, “I am a bee most of the time, but occasionally I become a crusher to the same person”.

“It depends on the other man” was the next interesting reply. It depends on whether the other man is a flower or sugarcane- someone elaborated. He further added, “I am a bee to a flower and a crusher to a sugarcane”.

“It not only depends on the other person, but mostly on the situation too. Ya, urgency and precision of work drive us so” was the view of an Engineer.

The Production Manager said, “ I am a flower to my boss and a crusher to my production team”. Amidst waves of laughter the Production Supervisor contradicted his boss by saying, “ No, no. Our boss is always a bee to us”

“You are expected to speak like that, as the annual appraisal is fast approaching” – HR Manager added his share. Roars of laughter filled the air.

Someone seriously interrupted, “Where is the question of flower and sugarcane? I have clay, dry hard clay with me. Even if it is wet clay, I can mould it to the required shape. How to mould dry clay?”

You add water. It is as simple as that. HR man had the readymade answer.

“Why should the HR recruit clay and sugarcanes in the first place instead of flowers?”, argued the Maintenance Manager.

“All were flowers at the beginning and only their long association with you, made them as clay and sugarcane,” retorted the HR Manager.

“We cannot remain as flowers as long as the bosses are not bees,” added the union leader.

“No one is a complete clay, sugarcane or flower. They act differently at different situations and accordingly we have to handle them,” the GM explained with live examples.

He concluded with “Tell people what you want. Never tell them how it should be down. Instead, question them how they are going to do it. Let the other man feel it is his baby. If it is your baby they will kill it, and if it is theirs they will cherish it.

The entire program was full of interaction and GM was praising me (in his cabin) for the bee and sugarcane example. I told him that that was not my original stuff. I read in a book, how a government should collect tax from its people like a bee collecting honey. I only modified it to another situation.

Then I should appreciate you for reading good books, he said. If you want to appreciate someone, you present him or her with good books, I told him. That’s what I suggest you too.

S&T Watch-18 : "500-metre diameter synchrotron!"

The world's largest scale synchrotron is at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai Research and Development Center. It produces neutrons and neutrionos to be used for research materials and life science.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, July 24, 2008 ("Snapshots")

For a detailed article on "Synchrotron" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchrotron

Grateful thanks to The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

S&T Watch-17 : "Easterbunny" becomes "Makemake"

"Easterbunny," a red, methane-covered dwarf planet orbiting the sun beyond Neptune, was designated as the third plutoid in our solar system and rechristened "Makemake." - Claire Gutierrez

Courtesy: Harper's Weekly, Weekly News, July 22, 2008.

Article on "Makemake" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easterbunny

Grateful thanks to Claire Gutierrez, Harper's Weekly and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Letters-31: "Alarming Trend"

1. Boozing and drug abuses are common among teenagers in most states ('Folley Valley', The Week, June 22, 2008). It is the parents who are to blame for this. Parents nowadays are so involved in their careers that they ignore their cchildren. By giving their wards pocket money and the latest gizmos, they think that they have done their duty. Little do they realise that they are spoiling the future of their children by not giving them proper care and guidance. - A.Rekha, On email.

2. The country is so obsessed with petty politics and the lousy game of cricket that we miss the real issues. We are too busy to sit down with our children and understand their problems. The difficulties faced by today's youth are different from the previous generation's, because society has changed tremendously in the last few decades. - Janardana Pai, Chennai.

Courtesy: The Week, July 13, 2008 ("Letters").

Grateful thanks to Ms.A.Rekha, Mr.Janardana Pai and The Week.

Eyecatchers-92: "CFL Bulbs Mandatory"

The UP government has made it mantory for government institutions and organisations to use CFL bulbs instead of incandescent ones for lighting.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, July 22, 2008 (Newscape).

Grateful thanks to The Hindu.

Have a hearty laugh-3:

A complaint has been lodged against a policeman at Tirunelveli, alleging that he has forcibly taken away money from two beggars, Dinamalar reports (July 22, 2008).

India Watch-7: "Confidence Motion in Parliament for the 8th time!"

Confidence motion has been tabled at the Indian Parliament 8 times in the past 29 years and six times the ruling party has won, Dinamalar reports.

Courtesy: 'Dinamalar', Tamil daily, July 22, 2008.
Grateful thanks to 'Dinamalar'.

India Watch-6: 'Price' of an MP, Rs.100 crores!

As the fate of the Manmohan government is being decided at the parliament today, reports say that the 'price' of an MP has gone up to Rs.100 crores as the climax nears. It is presumed that even if he loses or wins, the margin will be slim.

Courtesy: 'Dinamalar', July 22, 2008.

Grateful thanks to 'Dinamalar'.

India Watch-5: Record Betting in Mumbai!

It is reported that in Mumbai, betting figures are of the order of Rs.3000 crores on whether the present government at the centre will surive the confidence vote in parliament today.

Courtesy: 'Ananda Vikatan, (Tamil weekly), July 23, 2008.

Grateful thanks to 'Ananda Vikatan'.

India Watch-4: "120 crore Indians by 2010!"

India's population will touch 120 cores in 2010.

Courtesy: 'Ananda Vikatan', (Tamil weekly), July 23, 2008.
Grateful thanks to 'Ananda Vikatan'.

India Watch-3: "30 crore Indian can't read even their names!"

A recent study says that there are 30 crore Indians who can't read even their names.

Courtesy: 'Ananda Vikatan, (Tamil weekly), July 23, 2008.
Grateful thanks to 'Ananda Vikatan'.

Nellaiappan's Column-4: "Work is Elastic"

When a professor asked one section of students to submit an assignment within seven days invariably most of the students submitted the same on the seventh day. The same professor when asked another section of students to submit the same assignment within 10 days, only on the tenth day most of the students submitted it. To be more correct, it was the eleventh hour of the tenth day.

Well, I have seen people reading till the last minute in the corridor of the examination venue. This holds true even for IIT and IAS examinations.

Whenever there was an audit in the factory, till 9 A.M people continue cleaning some thing or the other, rewrite some records, shift an equipment or paint a door.

There is a general principle inherent in all the above examples. Parkinson law states that in a single line. It requires lot of distilled wisdom to state some management concept or principle in few lines in simple language. That’s why they are great.

Long back, I bought “Parkinson’s Law” for just Rs. 5 in a roadside secondhand bookstall. It says, “Work expands so as to fill the time allotted to complete it”. Or, work expands to fill the time available. Or more precisely, “work is elastic”.

Mega serial stories expand to fill the number of episodes allotted by their TV channels. Bonus talks continue till the eve of “ Diwali” or “Pongal” as the case may be. Promises pour in till the eve of elections. Tailors always stitch till the evening of the delivery date and so on.

I can deduce the following from the above.

(1) Only deadlines make things happen.
(2) Allot only the exact time for any work. Never give grace time to any one, expecting perfection or better quality.
(3) Never declare the real deadline to downline and always keep some cushion for last minute fine-tuning.

Why the purse is always near empty while returning home after our purchase spree? Is there a law about this? My wife enquires. Well, “Expenses expand to match the income” is the answer.

Letters-30: "Living Well"

1. The article, “The Way to Wellness” (July 13, 2008) came like a fresh breeze on a lazy Sunday morning. It reminds us that there is much more to life than just making money. Everyone likes earning more, but are not able to accept the “free gift” that comes along with it – stress!

When life hits hard, we blame our destiny, often forgetting that we ourselves are the ones who create it. This article teaches us to take charge of our lives, to stay calm and optimistic through all the whirlwinds that life brings with it and most importantly, it reminds us that life is to live! – Aparna Pal, Email.

2. The article is an excellent piece, to be read by all. It is written in a simple language with readymade prescriptions to suit the moderns and the traditionals alike. We have forgotten simplicity and acquired the habit of making things complicated. The article gives out the essence of Vedic knowledge with excellent narratives. Lifestyles incorporating the steps to wellness can transform people’s physical and mental health. – Dr.A.R.K.Pillai, Mumbai.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Sunday Magazine, July 20, 2008 (Mail Bag).

For reading the full article, “The Way to Wellness” by Geetha Padmanabhan in the online edition of Hindu of July 13, 2008:

http://www.hindu.com/mag/2008/07/13/stories/2008071350020100.htm

Grateful thanks to Ms Aparna Pal, Dr ARK Pillai and The Hindu.

Facts & Figures-36 : "Space Junk"

There are about 6000 satellites in orbit and some 5000 of them are dead, said former NASA Director Ivan Kekey.

There are an estimated 1,50,000 pieces of space debris of the size of basket balls and tiny bulletfast pieces..... – New York Times News Service

Excerpt from The Hindu, Madurai, July 20, 2008.

Article on “Space Debris” from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_junk

Grateful thanks to the New York Times New Services, The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

S&T Watch-16: "Light Rays used to judge Health of Plants"

I have read about Kirlian Photography some years back during my Homeopathy days. It was discovered accidentally by Semyon Davidovich Kirlian, a Russian of Armenian descent, in 1939. It employs high-frequency current and is also known as Corona Discharge Photography. Without a camera, using only a photographic film and electric current, Kirlian was able to take striking photographs of apparent energy discharge around objects.

It was found that Kirlian photography could help detect incipient plant disease. Likewise, it can also help to find the index of a person’s health, besides illuminating the acupuncture points of the human body. Incidentally, it also showed proof of supernatural auras, resembling outline of objects like colourful halos. This is an interesting but controversial subject and research is still being conducted on it.

More details about “Semyon Kirlian” and “Kirlian Photography” are available in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semyon_Kirlian

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirlian

The book, “Psychic Discoveries Behind the Iron Curtain” by Sheila Ostrander and Lynn Schroeder also provides more details about the experiments of the Kirlians on Kirlian Photography aka Corona Discharge Photography. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice-Hall, 1970).

Now, I have read in today’s paper about a Singapore Polytechnic lecturer coming up with a similar discovery which could help determine health of plants. Further, this discovery also helps farmers detect when and how much fertilizer and water their plants need. Very useful and interesting indeed. The report from DPA, which was reproduced in The Hindu, Madurai, of July 20, 2008 is furnished below:

“A Singapore lecturer has found a way to determine the health of plants long before they show obvious signs of wilting, a centre for biomedical life sciences said on Saturday (July 19, 2008). Dr Liew Oi Wah, at the Singapore Polytechnic, is replying on light sensors to study the wave pattern reflected from plants. She is able to determine the extent of minerals a plant needs depending on the light spectrum produced. Dr Liew is aiming to develop sensor that will help farmers detect when and how much fertilizer and water their plants need. More than 70% of the world’s fresh water supply goes to agriculture, with fertilizers causing pollution in some countries. – DPA”

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, July 20, 2008

Grateful thanks to DPA, The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.