Random Thoughts-16: "Cluttering, Uncluttering and Decluttering"

I take pride in calling myself a booklover and book collector. But my family members have different ideas and call me by different names, which I prefer not to mention here.

I have been collecting books from my childhood. For a person who does not own a house and who is compelled to shift house periodically, this could be a real headache. Under these difficult and painful circumstances, however best I tried, limiting and preserving books was becoming a great worry.

During the course of my life (I am nearing 60), I have hardened my heart and parted with a lot of books out of desperation, despair and dejection. Yet I was accumulating more books and paper-cuttings than I was getting rid of. The painful part of it is the volume of my reading was going down all the time. So it is obvious I was accumulating more cud than I can chew.

The other painful thing is when I wanted something, more often than not I was finding it difficult to locate it. I would be pretty sure that I have the required material with me, still I would not be able to lay my hands on it. It is as good as or as bad as not having it.

What to do?

Sometimes friends are helpful in this regard. They borrow books and never return them. Here the crunch is I have only a limited number of friends. For this sake I can’t develop new friendships.

My wife and children were and are making my life miserable by threatening to throw out everything, if I do not get rid of, well in their language, ‘the junk’ myself. I started having nightmares of finding my room barren with the books having vanished from there.

Then I came across this article in time.com: “How to live with just 100 things”
(http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1812048,00.html)

Very interesting article and if you are like me, a must read and I hope even otherwise everyone reads it. That is how I came to know about Dave Bruno and clutter-free living and goal-oriented minimalists and SHED (acronym stands for ‘Separate the treasures, Heave the trash, Embrace your identity from within and Drive yourself forward’).

Dave Bruno’s online musings caught the attention of a lot of people (obviously there a lot of people like me) and suddenly the Net erupted with websites and articles on decluttering.

When I looked up ‘declutter’ in Google, it came up with 1,170,000 results for declutter in 0.25 seconds! Hats off to you, Google!!

Some of the results from Google are really very interesting and innovative. I am citing a few examples for your kind perusal, in the fond hope that you also will like them and maybe you may also try to declutter your home.

1. How to Declutter Your Home: http://declutteryourhome.blogspot.com
2. Declutter Your Home Fast and Save Yourself from Embarrassment by Ricky Liang : http://ezinearticles.com
3. Declutter Forum: http://www.amazon.com/tag/declutter/forum
4. Declutter 15 minutes a day: http://www.43things.com/things/view/113682/declutter-15-minutes-a-day
5. Get Organized Today with Free Tips Booklet: http://ineedmoretime.com
6. Cut Clutter: http://organizedhome.com/articles/cut-clutter
7. No More Clutter, Declutter Your Home: http://www.myhouseandgarden.com/declutter.htm
8. How to Live with Just 100 Things: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1812048,00.html
9. Ask the Experts: 5 Steps to Clutter-Free Living: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1812185,00.html?iid=redirect-declutter
A detailed and directly relevant article to this topic I came across in Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsive_hoarding. As usual, Wikipedia is very informative and I picked up a few valuable points from there also.

Now, don’t ask me whether I have decluttered my room. As always, implementation is hardest part. Hope I shall get around to do it sooner or later.

Grateful thanks to Time.com, Google and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Letters-51: "Obama's Historic Win"

1. The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America is a historic global event for more than one reason. He won on a positive note. He never appealed to the narrow sentiments of race or region. He believed in and stressed on the oneness of America throughout his campaign. His strong academic background helped him to project himself as a statesman with a liberal outlook. He is not arrogant like his predecessor. May our political leaders too develop the vision of oneness and give up vote-bank politics. - G.Sankara Bhanu, Hyderabad.

2. The epoch-making election of Mr.Obama is perhaps the second earth-shaking event in the American history, after the abolition of slavery. That the descendant of a social class once frowned upon and socially boycotted should rise to the top post in the U.s. is indeed a miracle and testifies to the wisdom and sagacity of the Americans. Both the Democrats and the Republicans should rejoice at this historical happening, for it is beyond party politics. - K.P.R.Iyer, Bangalore.

3. Americans told the world that for them, it is the personal qualities of a leader that are more important than anything else while choosing a President. They are more worried about job losses, high taxes and the outsourcing of jobs, which the President has promised to control. - P.K.Jayanandan, Kozhikode.

4. Never since the release and election of Nelson Mandela has there been such euphoria worldwide. The victory is not just of an African-American but of the spirit of liberty and equality. Mr.Obama is not an individual but a phenomenon heralding the changing consciousness of Americans and the rest of the world. -Joshua Kalapati, Chennai.

5. Mr.Obama's victory has proved that racism has been buried deep and a political leader must be above race, religion, caste and creed. When will our country choose its leaders in an election that is free from the considerations of caste and religion? - E.Rajakumar Arulanandham, Palayamkottai.

6. Mr.Obama's victory is a moral victory for all Americans who believe in equal rights, the need for change and democracy. The expectations and responsibility that go with his victory are high. - Sumathi Chandrashekaran, Chennai.

7. Three cheers to the people of the United States! By electing an African-American to the highest office, they have set an example to the racially prejudiced westerners and the caste-conscious Indians. - Sixtus Thundathil, Kottayam.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, November 6, 2008 ("Letters to the Editor")

Grateful thanks to M/s.G.Sankara Bhanu, K.P.R.Iyer, P.K.Jayanandan, Joshua Kalapati, E.Rajakumar Arulanandham, Sumathi Chandrashekaran, Sixtus Thundathil and The Hindu.

Letters-50: "Terror in Assam"

1. The Assam bomb blasts, coming close on the heels of eight other blasts across the nation, are a traumatising shock. India's political will to combat terrorism indeed seems half-hearted. Given the wave of blasts, the government seems to have a dreary attitude in confronting the menace. Our children are petrified to go to malls and travel by trains. - K.Chidanand Kumar, Bangalore.

2. The blasts show the perpetual organising capability of terrorists. Stringent laws, a will to do away with vote-bank politics, and a modernised police force with a vigilant civil society alone will curb such inhuman acts. - Saheed Dhiranka, Palwal.

3. It is difficult for a person who has not lost his kin to a bomb blast to understand the grief caused by the explosions in Assam. It is always the common man who pays the price for such frenzied attacks. The protest staged by lawyers and the locals explains that they too are tired of assurances and compensations given by the government. Gloomy days are ahead if minority appeasement policies of the Centre continue. - Mahesh Singh, Vellore.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, November 1, 2008. ("Letters to the Editor")

Grateful thanks to M/s.K.Chidanand Kumar, Bangalore; Saheed Dhiranka, Palwal; Mahesh Singh, Vellore and The Hindu.

S&T Watch-36: "Making Objects Invisible" by Biman Basu

MAKING OBJECTS INVISIBLE

Biman Basu

Email: bimanbasu@gmail.com

From DREAM 2047, October 2008, p.26-27.

Fans of Harry Potter may be familiar with the concept of an invisibility cloak. As its name suggests, the invisibility cloak renders Harry invisible. Of course, Harry is a fictional character and so is his invisibility cloak. But it may not be too long before the idea becomes a reality. The first steps towards achieving that goal have already been taken. Materials that could one day make objects invisible to visible light have been devised by scientists at the University of California at Berkeley, USA.

It is well known that when light passes from one medium into another it bends. While passing from a lighter medium to a denser medium a ray of light normally bends towards the normal. The refractive index describes the way the light waves bend when they enter and leave the material and the speed at which they propagate. The refractive index of normal materials is always positive, e.g., 1.0003 in air, about 1.5 in ordinary glass, 2.1 in zircon, and 2.4 in diamond.

In the mid-1990s, some scientists realised that it could be possible to construct artificial materials in which the refractive index could be negative. The trick was to assemble an array of components that resonate with the electric and magnetic fields of the light waves as they pass through. It was known that these materials would be unlike any conventional substance; hence they were dubbed "metamaterials". Metamaterials are artificially engineered structures that have properties, such as a negative refractive index, not attainable with naturally occurring materials.

Although discovered only six years ago, materials with negative refractive index have been the target of intense study, drawing researchers from physics, engineering, materials science, optics, and chemistry and two breakthroughs in the development of metamaterials were reported separately in the online of Nature (13 August 2008; doi:10.1038/nature07247), and in Science(15 August 2008).

In Nature, Xiang Zhang and colleagues of the University of California, Berkeley, report creation of a 3D optical metamaterial made of cascaded 'fishnet' structures, with a negative index existing over a broad spectral range. The materials can reverse the natural direction of visible and near-infrared light and could help form the basis for higher resolution optical imaging, nanocircuits for high-powered computers, and, to the delight of science-fiction and fantasy buffs, cloaking devices that could render objects invisible to the human eye.

The metamaterial described in the Science paper by the same authors takes another approach to the goal of bending light backwards. It is composed of silver nanowires grown inside porous aluminium oxide. Although the structure is about 10 times thinner than a piece of paper, it is considered a bulk metamaterial because it is more than 10 times the size of a wavelength of light. The authors of the Science paper observed negative refraction from red light wavelengths as short as 660 nanometres. It is the first demonstration of a bulk media bending visible light backwards.

For most of the applications routed for metamaterials, such as nanoscale optical imaging or cloaking devices, both the nanowire and fishnet metamaterials can potentially play a key role. While the researchers welcome these new developments in metamaterials at optical wavelengths, they also caution that they are still far off from invisibility cloaks and other applications that may capture the imagination. For instance, unlike the cloak made famous in the Harry Potter novels, the metamaterials described here are made of metal and are fragile. According to the researchers, developing a way to manufacture these materials on a large scale scale will also be a challenge.

Grateful thanks Mr.Biman Basu and Dream 2047.

Facts & Figures-55: "4.34 lakh cases pending in Madras High Court!"

A Law Ministry report states that 4.34 lakh cases are pending in the Madras High Court.

Courtesy: 'Ananda Vikatan', Tamil weekly, November 5, 2008.

How To-42: "How to Write a Speech"

How to Write a Speech

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

As you hang up the telephone, the icy fingertips of panic grip your stomach; your heart races. Your most recent project was delivered on time, within budget, and is approaching payback one year ahead of schedule. As a result, your Industry Association wants you to address their annual convention. Relax! They believe you have something to offer. Here are some steps to ease your palpitations.

Steps

1. Remember that all great speeches, and even some not so great, require shape. The old saying is hard to beat: "Tell them what you will tell them; tell them; then tell them what you told them."
   
2. "Shake hands with the audience." You have something worthy of being said. Former Ambassador Robert Strauss used to begin his addresses like this: "Before I begin this speech, I have something to say." This passage was always composed in a style that enabled him to reclaim a powerful tone for the instructive portion of his remarks. Put on your smile; calm your nerves, then get to work. You may want to start with a smashing one-liner or an anecdote.
   
3. Rise to the occasion. In other words, feel passionately about your topic. Recall old Uncle Ned's tear jerking toast at the wedding? Even ordinary folks can deliver great moments of oratory if they rise to the occasion. Make sure the audience feels how important the topic is to you, so that they begin to think about why they should care.
   
4. Build clear and sensible transitions (segues) from one thought to the next. The biggest mistake speakers and writers make is to assume people will follow their leaps of logic. Spell out to the audience when you are taking a turn in your thoughts with phrases like: "As an example of this" or "This brings us to the larger problem of," and so forth.
   
5. Focus. A "great" speech does not need to start out great and stay great to the finish. It engages the listeners. It makes allowances for a dip in interest in the middle. Then, it gathers anticipation for its key moment. John Stuart Mill, the political economist, defined the orator's art this way: "Everything important to his purpose was said at the exact moment when he had brought the minds of his audience into the state most fitted to receive it."
   
6. Add purpose. A speech should be made for a good reason. To inspire, to instruct, to rally, and to lead are noble purposes. To sound off, to feed a speaker's ego, to flatter, or to intimidate are not.
   
7. Know your theme. If you cannot answer the question "what do you want to say?" in a single, declarative sentence, do yourself and the audience a favor: decline the invitation.
   
8. Write with one particular person in mind, someone you actually know. This helps you to keep the message real and personable. This helps you anticipate reactions and keep your language down to earth.
   
9. Deliver the goods. Delivery is the essence of eloquence. It requires practice, discipline, drill, and timing. You can be your own trainer. As you develop self-confidence, you put the audience at ease, or make them sit up. Your eye is in contact with the people, not the page. If looking at people makes you nervous, look between them, at the clock on the back wall, over somebody's shoulder - as long as it seems you're making eye-contact. Your professional passion is contagious. Use gestures to emphasize points, and make sure your tone of voice and facial expressions are appropriate for the topic.
   
10. Illustrate. Illustrations can come in the form of slides, visuals, stories, jokes, or dramatic gestures. Your goal is to make some portion of the speech stick to the mind of the audience--if someone asks about it afterwards, they should say something like, 'I enjoyed the story Tom told about his sister,' or 'The pie chart of this year's earnings was helpful.'
    
11. Give your audience a sense of completion. Bring them back to the beginning, but with a louder spirit. This can be done by starting the last paragraph with a quiet, declarative sentence; it should build in a series of semicolons; it should employ the puissance of parallelism; it should reach to the farthest rafter and reverberate with the action and passion of our time, and, forgetting all else, it should connect with, no, grab each listener by his or her lapels and shout to their hearts and souls to say, "This is the end of the best speech you will ever have the good fortune to experience!"

Tips

• You may experience instant, sustained applause punctuated by the occasional "Bravo" and the ever-present pundit punk who wrinkles his brow and wonders aloud, "But what was really said?"
  
• Each person in the audience experiences your speech as an individual. Speak to them as individuals, by using words like "you" and "your" instead of "all of you" or "everybody here"; it is more direct and compelling, and will engage each member of your audience, whether it be five or five thousand.
  
• Focus your attention on one individual at a time, just as you would in normal, everyday conversation. This will help to relax you, and mitigate the fear of speaking to very large crowds. Shift your focus around the room, to different sections of your audience. By including every area, even when you might not be able see them individually, each person will feel as if you are speaking directly to them, not at them.
  
• Most speakers deal with the eye contact issue by twisting their body from side to side. They look from side to side as if watching a tennis match. Don't make this mistake. Make eye contact using comfortable, natural body and head movements with purposeful glances at different areas.
  
• Smile from time to time but refrain from grinning like an idiot.
  
• Consider your audience's frame of reference. A simple way to do it is to think about: Who's in the audience? Why are they here? And after hearing your speech what's the first thing you would like them to do or say to someone else perhaps?
  
• Don't read your speech. Speak it from memory. You may miss a couple minor points (and even a major one), but if you can't remember it long enough to say it, why would anyone else remember long enough to act on it?
  
• If you are not a seasoned speaker, it is fine to read your speech as long as your delivery isn't stilted and amateurish like a kid reading from a textbook. You may not have time for memorization. If not, don't be embarrassed to read your speech. Getting your message out counts the most. Look up and smile from time to time to let the audience know you haven't forgotten them.
  
• Almost everyone can remember an early experience when they were obsessed with memorization and suddenly drew a blank. It can derail a speech. Be comfortable with your subject and have the bullet points on a few 3x5 cards. Relax and don't be anal about flawless delivery; people probably won't hold it against you.
  
• Use a dramatic pause to emphasize an important point. Stop talking for a second and look as if you are pondering your next words.
  
• Vary the speed of delivery and the loudness of your voice. Talk faster and louder when moving on to a new thought. Speak slowly and lower your voice for emphasis.
  
• Act as if you lived for this one speech your whole life and give it your all
  
• You can fight off stage fright and fear of failure by knowing your subject. Having a commanding knowledge of your topic will show in you, just like not knowing your topic will show-even more so.
  
• Practice your speech with someone else if possible, and ask him/her for input.
  
• People say "Thank you" to signal that, yes, the speech is over. It is a very weak ending to a speech. You really shouldn't thank the audience, any more than they should thank you. You have given the audience a significant experience and they have given you their polite (or enthusiastic) attention. Call it even.
  
• Let the final, forceful sentence be the natural ending of your speech. Signal the end simply by smiling and stepping away from the lectern or podium. If you didn't use a lectern (always a good idea), smile and wave, take a bow, or move to shake hands with someone to signal the end of your dazzling performance. The speech itself might have been a snore fest but at least you'll have a polished exit.
  
• If the speech is followed by questions/answers, it's OK to come BACK to the podium or front of the room when the applause dies down. You don't have to stay up there.
  
• If you are delivering a eulogy or some other solemn address, ditch the smile. Keep your voice and expression solemn and serious at all times. Just emulate a newscaster when they are bringing sad news.
  
• Legendary Actor Anthony Quinn used this technique to give him confidence before an audience: Imagine a ray of energy emanating from deep in the earth and radiating up through your heels, up your spine, and then throughout your body. Keep this image in the back of your mind as you deliver your lines (er, speech).
  
• If you have a lot of time to practice, you can develop some gestures. Gestures are better than keeping your hands in your pockets or folded with the fingers laced. However, if your gestures are awkward and distracting, keep your hands in your pockets.
  
• Watch JFK's inaugural address for pointers on gestures. JFK invented stabbing your closed hand forward while touching your thumb with your curved forefinger. Every major politician now uses that gesture.
  
• Think hard before incorporating flip charts or a dry-erase board into your presentation. For one thing, you don't want to poison the air with the dreadful fumes emitted by dry-erase markers. Eventually you will find yourself talking to your flip chart and not the audience. The audience will be distracted by your scribblings or watching you fumble with your exhibits. Insecure speakers like stage props because they take the focus off them. Whatever best suits you.
  
• Who better to write your introduction than you? Before your speech, contact the person who will be introducing you and give them your introduction. Unless they are a total creepazoid, they will be thankful that you saved them the chore of drafting your introduction.
  
• Be conscious of ummms and ahhhs. Speakers use these as filler for pauses, to let people know they haven't finished their thought. They make you sound hesitant and unsure, however. Too many ummms and ahhhs get to be annoying. It's OK to let silence intrude on your sentence. When you wean yourself of ummms, ahhhs, and y'knows you will be taking a big step toward effective public speaking.
  
• Avoid a sing-song delivery, especially the mannerism known as "uptalk." Uptalk is ending sentences and phrases with a question mark? Not only is it annoying? It makes you sound immature? And very unsure of yourself? No one will be able to stand to listen to you?
  
• Start writing as if you are creating an essay or informative article. When you are comfortable with your draft, read it aloud. Listen to a recording. The style should be different than a typical essay or article. You can't have paragraphs that drone on. Rather than pack your talk with boring facts and figures, give them a handout (AFTER your talk). It's OK to repeat or revisit important points for emphasis.
  
• The type of event you attend will determine the length of your speech. Consider that the average speaker speaks 100 to 135 words per minute. Below are sample speech lengths:
  
• Standard keynote speaker: 18 - 22 minutes (est. 1800 to 2970 words)
  
• Motivator: 12 - 15 minutes (est. 1200 to 2025 words)
  
• Ceremonial speaker: 5 - 7 minutes (est. 500 to 945 words)
  
• News conference: 2 - 3 minutes (est. 200 to 405 words)
  
• Wedding toast: 2 - 3 minutes (est. 200 to 405 words)

Warnings

• Don't be a windbag. Time your speech in a few practice runs. If it goes more than five minutes you had better be a spellbinding speaker. The typical amateur speaker will have the audience checking their watches after about three minutes. Remember, Abe Lincoln only needed a minute or two for the Gettysburg Address.

Related wikiHows

• How to Write a Comparative Essay
  
• How to Become a Motivational Speaker
  
• How to Write a Book About Your Life
  
• How to Write a Demonstrative Speech
  
• How to Mentally Prepare for a Speech
  
• How to Deliver a Graduation Speech
  
• How to Maintain a Good Weblog

Sources and Citations

• http://www.toastmasters.org/ - An organization where you can practice public speaking
  
• http://www.speechmastery.com/ - An interesting read on speech topics and personal experience
  
• http://www.speech-topics-help.com/ - Tutorials and 1,250+ speech topics
  
• http://www.best-speech-topics.com/ - Tips on finding the best speech topics
  
• http://www.masterspeakers.com/ - Best online guide to making great speeches

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Write a Speech. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-41: "How to Build a Social Life as a Senior Citizen"

How to Build a Social Life as a Senior Citizen

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

When a mature person loses a spouse, a close friend, or even a pet, it can be very easy to lose perspective on life. It is all too easy slip into sadness and seclusion and stop relating with people who once filled an important part in daily life. Children (if any) have often moved away and are frequently so heavily involved in their own lives, with work, children and other obligations that they cannot spend a lot of time with their aging parents. Although experiencing loss and loneliness as a senior citizen is difficult, it is not impossible to develop a new social life. A good attitude is a major factor, as is making most of the opportunities that come your way. Here are some ways that you can begin to build a fulfilling social life for yourself that will help you to live meaningfully and with purpose.

Steps

1. Determine what activities you used to enjoy. Did a loss cause you to set aside favorite hobbies or pursuits? Pick them up from where you left off. Or try new activities with the help of a local club, group, church or even through Internet and library research. Use the local newspaper to keep abreast of upcoming events of interest. Visit university lectures on topics you know nothing about to stretch your imagination and improve your knowledge. More ideas are suggested in the Tips below.
   
2. Return to keeping fit. While climbing Mt. Everest may no longer be in the cards, there is certainly nothing stopping you from continuing physical activities involving walking clubs, senior's gym or other fitness activities made available especially for seniors. Staying fit is a sure way to build confidence and regain a healthy outlook on life.
   
3. Find a buddy. If you feel reluctant to go out on your own, there are many volunteer organizations that will help by providing transportation. Invite a friend or neighbor to attend events with you. Get back into the rhythm of meeting new friends. Little by little, you'll become less fearful of going out alone.
   
4. Be open to new suggestions. This may feel uncomfortable at first, especially if it involves new technology. Consider trying new activities that are possible given your level of health and fitness, and that you find interesting. Try not to react negatively to suggestions from others who try to help. Think things through before rejecting the ideas altogether. You may discover something you wished you'd tried earlier.
   
5. Become a mentor for younger people. Young people are eager and willing learners when they discover that you have knowledge that you are willing to share. Offer your services at local clubs to give talks, to teach a skill or to guide people (museums, zoos, parks etc.). Elderly people are respected for their knowledge; capitalize on this by sharing it.
   
6. Remain positive. The pain will always be there; that is the nature of loss. You deserve the best after giving so much of yourself to the world. Smile when you're feeling down. Smiling induces positive chemical changes in the brain and brings us back up. Take in a light movie or rent an old classic to watch at home. Listen to comedy on the radio, check out a humorous book or two from the library and have a good hearty chuckle. Rediscover your sense of humor and your well-being will improve; this is all the more important if you have buried yourself under a load of sadness, self-pity and sorrow.
   
7. Think outside the square. Research the Internet for stories of the more challenging things senior citizens are doing; cycling across countries, skiing, writing a first novel, entering the Masters' Games etc. All these things and more are possible with the right attitude. You are as old as you let yourself be; your dreams are as expansive as you let them be. So, what about all those things you promised yourself you'd do someday? Maybe today is that day.

Tips

• No matter what you're doing, always offer to help others, and don't be afraid to ask for help, either. In pursuing new activities and knowledge, you can build a social life simply by sharing your newfound zest for life.
  
• Here are some ideas for activities:
  
• Book clubs: Scan the bulletin board at your local library or book store for book clubs that meet periodically and share opinions about a particular book or author.
  
• Golf: Visit a recreation golf course in your area. Hit a few balls on the driving range to see if you like it. Inquire with the program coordinator or on-site pro about groups of other seniors that may need another member. If there are not senior groups, be proactive and start one!
  
• Learning new cuisines: Many communities have a retail store that specializes in cooking utensils, books, and offer cooking demonstrations or classes. Small groups of food and cooking enthusiasts are formed and their members become fast friends by sharing ideas, recipes and “touring” dinners at each other's homes; even touring a country for its cuisine is not out of the realms of possibility. Move beyond the cuisine you've always made and try something completely different.
  
• Sewing/Knitting/Crochet/Quilting: These timeless activities are always great hobbies. Check out the local craft or fabric shop for postings on clubs or groups that share these hobbies. Or offer to teach - your skills are in high demand from younger generations rediscovering their utility and relaxing nature.
  
• Gardening: This can almost become a job as much as an activity, depending on how much you want to do. Whether it’s just puttering around a small flower bed, or becoming an expert on roses and orchids; gardening is a very popular pastime. Garden clubs abound and many cities have a community garden where individuals maintain their own plot within the garden to plant, nurture and harvest their favorite growing elements. If you are already an experienced gardener, share these skills with others by giving demonstrations or mini-lectures through clubs or botanical gardens.
  
• Scrapbooking: You are sure to have years of photos and memorabilia that tell your life's story! Introduce yourself to this popular activity by attending a scrapping party or taking a class at your local craft retailer.
  
• Visit your local senior center. Take a trip to learn what activities are offered; something is certain to tickle your fancy.
  
• Further ideas you might like consider include:
  
• Season ticket packages for concerts and/or plays.
  
• Painting
  
• Building bird houses, making doll clothes, volunteering at your hospital or shelter.
  
• Adult education classes. Perhaps you'd like to learn about computers, or obtain your high school diploma or degree. Many facilities offer physical classes such as low-impact jazzercise or yoga.
  
• Volunteer at the library to teach adults to read.
  
• Join a chess or bridge club.
  
• Reading and story-telling to youngsters at the library.
  
• Join wikiHow and write or edit articles.

Warnings

• Know your physical limitations. Consult with your personal physician prior to beginning a new physical activity.
  
• If you have difficulty with your eyesight and reading, first ensure that you have the best possible medical attention and eye examinations. Get the most suitable eyeglasses for your needs. Ask for books with large print; these are available at many libraries. It is also possible to increase the size of the font on your computer and Internet; ask someone for help if you cannot work out how to do this yourself.

Related wikiHows

• How to Live After the Death of a Spouse
  
• How to Build a Social Network
  
• How to Grow Old Without Feeling Old
  
• How to Remain Young Despite Becoming a Senior
  
• How to Go to the Movies
  
• How to Become an Artist

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Build a Social Life as a Senior Citizen. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-40: "How to Entertain Kids"

How to Entertain Kids

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

More than ten ways to entertain your child or others' for $10 or less.

Steps

1. Tell a story. Read a favorite book or make up a story together. It's even more fun to use stuffed animals as the characters in a story.
   
2. Tell a joke. Learn a simple magic trick.
   
3. Sing a song together.
   
4. Blow bubbles. Mix two quarts of warm water with 1/4 C. Dawn or Joy dish washing liquid and 1 Tbsp. Glycerin and then use funnels, canning jar rings and anything else you can find for bubble blowers. Turn the backyard into a bubble festival.
   
5. Visit a neighborhood park, the library, a pet store, a Japanese garden, a berry patch or a children’s museum. Take along a picnic.
   
6. Keep a collection of interesting rocks, dried flowers, pennies or a jar of worms. Put six worms in a jar half-filled with soil. Cover the soil with some old leaves. Keep the jar in a cool place and wrap with dark paper to keep the light out. Unwrap the paper to peer at the worms. Keep the dirt moist by sprinkling with a few water drops every few days.
   
7. Grow. Plant fast growing scarlet runner beans seeds. Grow a sweet potato vine. Put the narrow end of a sweet potato in a glass of water and wait three weeks. Keep the water clean, change as needed. Once the potato sprouts move it to a sunny window.
   
8. Build a play house of cardboard boxes, a fort made of card tables and blankets or sheets or a ramp for toy cars with an ironing board.
   
9. Explore. Take a walk on the lookout for bugs, flowers or anything that catches your eye. Lift rocks. Peer into puddles. Take along a magnifying glass, eyedropper, small plastic spoons, ice cube tray, tweezers, flashlight and jars with lids.
   
10. Camp. Pitch a tent in the backyard and sleep outside. Look up at the stars. Gaze at the moon. Imagine. Tell stories. Giggle.
    
11. Play with water in wading pools, washtubs or sinks. Paint with water on the sidewalk, patio, fence or house. Make mud pies or sandcastles. Mix half a box of cornstarch with a cup of water to make a fun cornstarch goo. Use funnels, spoons, cups, scoops, buckets and bottles.
    
12. Make finger jello, frozen bananas, frozen orange slices or easy “ice cream” sandwiches. Combine plain or vanilla yogurt with peanut butter to a good consistency for spreading. Mix well, spread between two graham cracker squares. Store in containers and freeze.
    
13. Give a child an hour of your time for free time fun. They’ll keep you busy. And love you for it!

Tips

• Be a good listener to the child.
  
• Ask the child what the rules are to games - they'll be inventive, and besides it's easier for you to learn their rules than vice versa.

Related wikiHows

• How to Arrange a Kid's Craft Party
  
• How to Entertain Kids When You Are Babysitting
  
• How to Play With Kids While Babysitting
  
• How to Pull a Coin Out Of an Ear

Sources and Citations

• Family Life Education Department at Edmonds Community College
  
• http://www.gocitykids.com/ -a city guide for parents
  
• Educators' Top 100 Children's Books
  
• Jokes, sing-alongs and games for kids -from the National Institutes of Health

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Entertain Kids. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-39: "How to Design an Effective Newspaper or Newsletter"

How to Design an Effective Newspaper or Newsletter

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A basic overview about how to lay out a good-looking, well-structured page using desktop publishing software. A primer on information architecture, layering and all the other things that will help people read the words you put on the page. This is not a how-to on using desktop publishing software.

Steps

1. Open a desktop publishing program. Quark XPress and Adobe InDesign are the most popular. Much design is done on Macs, but that's not always the case. And now, with Boot Camp, that line is sure to get blurred even further. Anyway, Quark or InDesign are the most professional, most flexible publishing programs. Are you on a broadsheet or a tabloid? Or an 8 1/2 x 11? Good news is, design principles apply to every page size. There are some small differences, but not many.
   
2. Organize. Plan your content. What is the most important story? The next? The next after that?
   
3. Consider your "art."
   
4. Know -- and use -- a grid. 5 columns. 6 columns. 4 columns. Mind you, a 10 column grid is really a 5 column grid that allows for 1/2 columns, and a 12 column grid is 6 columns with 1/2 column slots. 1/2 columns can be useful for running information boxes, mug shots, etc.
   
5. Keep the design on the grid. What does this mean? For example, on a 6 column grid, run a story over 3 columns and another story over 2 and a story over 1.
   
6. Think about the centerpiece. What is the dominant story the grid -- either through rules (thin, usually .5pt black lines) or through images or logos or boxes. The centerpiece is an anchor.
   
7. Create a dominant headline. Consider 60pt, even 70pt, but probably no less than 52pt for the most important story. The hierarchy of story headlines should be at least 6pt difference. If the biggest story is 52pt, the next highest should be 48, 42, 36 and so on. Some consider 10pt, or 8pt to be preferable.
   
8. Back to the photos -- dominant vs. secondary. Hopefully, a photo editor will make that call, but if not, what photo advances the story the best? Look for emotion, dynamics and movement, unusual angles and intense or intimate moments. Then play them big. Don't be afraid of, say, 4 columns wide on a 6 column grid. Huge? Yes. Worth it? Yes.
   
9. If you have multiple photos, the second photo should not be greater than half the size of the dominant. If the main image is 4 columns wide, the secondary should be roughly 2. Maybe 2.5. Not 3. 1 Might be too small. Strong headline order + big photos = strong, basic page.
   
10. Add layering. What is layering? See tips.
    
11. Have someone else look at the page. A copy editor, for example, to proof the headlines and layers and body copy for, hopefully, minor errors like grammatical mistakes. You never know what factual errors may come up, and as a designer, its usually not your job to "proof" a story.
    
12. Send the page to press.

Tips

• You'll be given stories to lay out. While you may not be responsible for "proofreading" them for grammar, you had better be sure to read them. You will be able to add context and information -- your design will be more informed. This is critical: newspaper design is an architectural thing, not really a paint-pretty-pictures thing.
  
• Avoid lumping photos in the ubiquitous, non-descriptive "art" category. Consider "photos" and "graphics." But many editors etc. do call it all "art."
  
• Grids allow a mass of empty newsprint to take on an organizing form.
  
• Headline hierarchy is essential to a well-organized page. Without it, how will a reader know what is important and what's not?
  
• Research respected publications and compare how they do layout, Often a proven method is what readers expect - this is a great source for Daily Newspaper Covers
  
• To layer: Add subheds, or "decks," or "dropheds." These are two three or four lines of additional display type -- 20-24 pt -- that add context to the hedline. You can run them 1 column deep, or on the other extreme, you can strip them all the way across a page. They allow readers to get a better grasp of the story while doing a lot less work than reading the whole story.
  
• Add infoboxes. Pull information out of the story and bullet-point it; bold key numbers and explain WHY these numbers are so important. Readers want information quickly; breaking it out for them is simply doing your job.
  
• Mug shots are good for identifying who the players in a story are. Mugs are small, 5p-6p-7p sized headshots. Crop tightly. Add a sentence or two giving context about who the mug-ee is and why they are being featured. Mugs run this way function as additional layering -- information pulled out, brought forward, thrust in front of the eyes of your readers.

Warnings

• Photoshop cutouts can be awesome -- they add a powerful dynamic to a page. But be very, very, very careful about how and when you apply this technique. Photoshopitis is common.
  
• You only really need one headline font. One body copy font. One infobox font. Maybe another variant for cutlines. More fonts doesn't make anything better.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
  
• Patience
  
• Stories, photos

Related wikiHows

• How to Create a Professional Looking Newsletter
  
• How to Make a Company/Organization Newsletter Interesting Yet Still Professional
  
• How to Write a Newspaper
  
• How to Write a Newspaper Column

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Design an Effective Newspaper or Newsletter. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

S&T Watch-35: "Brain's Role in Obesity"

Reuters reports of a scientific study of milk chocolates carried out at the Oregon Research Institute which throws more light on the link between brain and obesity. When you eat, your brain releases a chemical called dopamine in the brain's reward centres. The amount of pleasure you derive from your food depends on the amount of dopamine released in your brain. In simple terms, if the response is blunted, you get less satisfaction. To derive more satisfaction, naturally you eat more, which leads to obesity.

Detailed Wikipedia article on "DOPAMINE":

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

Grateful thanks to Reuters and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Facts & Figures-54: "250,000 Women Die of Cervical Cancer!"

According to New York Times (nytimes.com), an estimated 250,000 women die of cervical cancer, mostly in poor countries!

Detailed Wikipedia article on "CERVICAL CANCER":

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

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

Self-Improvement-40: "How to Handle Jealousy"

How to Handle Jealousy

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Many people feel jealous from time to time. Jealousy is easy to deal with, once you understand what it's teaching you. Here are some pointers on working through your emotions and feelings of jealousy.

Steps

1. Understand the emotions. Jealousy is a combination of fear and anger: fear of losing something and anger that someone is "moving in on" something that you feel belongs only to you.
   
2. Allow yourself to actually 'feel' emotions in a healthy way. When you start feeling jealous, ask yourself: Is it more fear-based or more anger-based? Recognize which part of your body is being affected. If you feel a dropping or clutching sensation in your stomach, it’s probably fear. If you feel a burning, tight sensation in your shoulders and jaw, then you’re likely feeling anger. You might also feel a combination of those sensations.
   
3. Communicate your feelings. Sharing your true feelings with someone without blaming them can create a deep sense of connection between the two of you and open up a dialogue about the path of your relationship. Use "I" instead of "you." Instead of saying, "You shouldn't have done that," say, "I felt terrible when that happened."
   
4. Identify what your jealousy is teaching you. Jealousy can alert you to what you want and what is important to you. If you’re jealous of someone talking to a friend of yours, personal relationships may be important to you. If you’re jealous about money, you may have an underlying need for security or freedom. Ask yourself, "Why am I jealous over this? What is making me jealous? What am I trying to keep? Why do I feel threatened?" When you begin to understand what makes you jealous, you can begin to take positive steps to maintain those things, without the cloud of negative emotion that accompanies jealousy.
   
5. Change any false beliefs that might cause jealousy. There are often false beliefs that underlie jealousy and fuel emotion. If you examine the belief, you can often eliminate the jealousy. Some common underlying beliefs are “Everyone is out to get my money” or “If this person leaves me, I won't have any friends.” Beliefs are changeable. If you change your belief, you change the way you feel. Choose to tell yourself a belief that is nurturing and supportive, and you’ll feel better. When you begin taking steps to creating a happy and fulfilling life for yourself, you will find the anger, the jealousy, and the fear will disappear. Don't listen to people who make you jealous.

Tips

• Jealousy is not the same thing as love. Sometimes, people think that by feeling jealous about someone, they are loving them. Jealousy is not love; it’s the fear and anger of losing love. Jealousy disappears when you are truly loving yourself and others for whatever experience you’re having.
  
• Learn to be happy with yourself and what you have. Everyone is different, and each person has good and bad qualities. Realize that you have the potential to create a better future.
  
• Try to talk about your problems with someone. Perhaps you feel that these jealous tendencies are a private matter; then, you ought to anonymously ask an advice column or similar construct about your problem.
  
• Irrational jealousy usually stems from your own insecurities and low self-esteem. Address these issues first.
  
• Be happy for the other person. When you are jealous, you may think, "I like that; it would be nice to have that thing or experience." When you can be happy for another person's success and happiness, you allow positive feelings to flow into your life. Instead of being angry, congratulate the other person.

Warnings

• If jealousy in your relationship is leading to control or power struggles, it's a sign that there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.

Related wikiHows

• How to Identify if You Are in an Abusive Relationship
  
• How to Have a Healthy Relationship
  
• How to Tame a Free Spirit
  
• How to Not Be an Obsessive Girlfriend
  
• How to Maintain Romance
  
• How to Make a Long Distance Relationship Work
  
• How to Get Over a Break Up
  
• How to Earn Friendships Back

Sources and Citations

• Advice and Examples on How to Cope With Jealousy Practical advice on how to deal with romantic jealousy.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Handle Jealousy. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Self-Improvement: "How to remember to take things with you"

How to Remember to Take Things With You

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Many people worry about finding themselves several blocks from home and suddenly remembering the keys left behind in the office, or the wallet. Anything can be forgotten. If you're the type of person who tends to forget things, here are some tips to help you.

Steps

1. Establish a group of things that you cannot ever forget. This group includes such items as:
   
• Keys to your home, car, or office
  
• Purse or wallet
  
• Money and/or credit card
  
• Identification
  
• Badge for work
  
• Watch
  
• Cell phone
  
• Memory stick
  
2. Get a basket or other receptacle where you can leave the things you should always take when you leave home. There you can place your wallet, your cell phone, your keys and your calendar or planner. Make it a habit to leave these items (and any others you consider necessary) in the basket so that you can easily take them when it's time to go. If you need to take something special with you on a particular day, i.e. a book you're loaning to a friend, leave yourself a voicemail on your home or cell phone, and as soon as you get home and retrieve the message, put the item in the basket so it's there waiting for you the next morning.
   
3. Try this memory trick as a checklist when making quick trips: "Sell M.I.L.K.." Instead of "Sell," bring your cell, plus:
   
• Money
  
• I.D.
  
• Lipstick, Lip gloss, List or Lucky penny - whichever you use most
  
• Keys.
  
4. Make a big list and post it prominently by the door where you leave your house. Write in big letters so you can quickly review it on your way out.
   
5. Buy a white board and place it next to your preferred exit, next to the other list. On this board, write the things that vary (extra money for a special payment, picking someone up, etc.). Write things down as soon as you arrive home and review them when you leave.
   
6. Count the items. If you must always have your bag, your lunch box, your badge, and your keys when you leave, check to make sure you have four items each time you leave.
   
7. Place clocks in strategic locations throughout the house. Many times we forget things because we don't have the time to check. The clocks can help to remind us of our sense of responsibility and return our minds to the real world.
   
8. Organize your room and your home. Slowly become the sort of organized person who knows where everything is. Even if disorganized people know where everything is, it's more likely that something is out of place in a disorganized room than in an organized one. In an organized room, everything out of place is visible instantly.

Tips

• Don't stop to think too much about what you might be forgetting. Most of the time it doesn't work anyway since there is nothing you're forgetting, anyway. If there were something, you probably wouldn't be forgetting it. It's better to review your list and leave confidently.
  
• Using the list and the board can be difficult at first. People are creatures of habit and it takes time to change. Don't get discouraged if you don't remember to use the board and the list at first. The important thing is to keep trying.
  
• It's important that you organize your things for yourself. Otherwise, it's not likely that you'll find something quickly when you need it.
  
• A very easy way to remember things is to attach them to you somehow: for example, a wallet with a chain, commonly known as a "biker's wallet" or "trucker's wallet". Mini-carabiners, sold for about a dollar or less at discount stores, let you expand this idea to several other items. Something large, like a laptop that you leave behind after a few drinks at the bar, can be attached by looping the shoulder strap around a leg. You might fall flat on your face getting off the barstool, but you won't forget your laptop!
  
• A very simple way to make sure everything is still with you, e.g. when you get off a bus, is to build the habit to put keys, wallet and cell phone always in the same pockets. In the meanwhile, the quick mechanical movement of touching your pockets on the outside with your hands, will allow you to immediately tell what is there and what is not (if the left pocket, where you usually put your phone seems empty, you have surely forgotten your phone somewhere!). After a while this check sequence will become a subconscious action, and every time you get off the car, leave the house, go through a crowd (risk of pick-pocketing), you will be sure everything is with you.
  
• If you can't leave without your car keys (if you have to drive to go anywhere), place your car keys on top of items that you don't want to forget--your lunch leftovers in the fridge or that pie to take to dinner at a friend's house, for instance. This way it is impossible to leave without your keys, which are with your 'don't forget' stuff.
  
• Another can't miss tip is to put easily forgotten items in your shoes. This is especially helpful with unusual items that you may only need to remember occasionally such as a grocery list or a bank deposit.
  
• Always lock all the doors to your house, so you get in the habit of always carrying a key. If your front door has a deadbolt lock, use that, because it has to be locked with a key from the outside.
  
• If you pack your lunch for work the night before, place your keys in your refrigerator next to your lunch before you go to sleep. Never mooch again!
  
• Have duplicates (when possible) in case you do forget something really vital. For instance, if you're likely to forget your key for home, have a duplicate at work. Or be sure your roommate, spouse, or friend has a copy.
  
• Checklists aren't a sign of weakness. Airplane pilots have a checklist that they use every time they fly, no matter if they've just earned their license or have flown for thirty years. Don't be afraid to use a physical checklist if it helps you.

Warnings

• Take care to include all the items you need in the list and on the board. At first it's likely that you'll forget to write down certain things until you make it a habit to do so. Remember to check your list twice before continuing.

Things You'll Need

• A basket or other receptacle
  
• A white board
  
• White board markers
  
• A white board eraser
  
• A sheet of paper for your list
  
• A pen to write with

Related wikiHows

• How to Remember Lists of Words With the Memory Trick
  
• How to Remember Lists of Words With the Roman Room Trick
  
• How to Remember Your Password
  
• How to Remember Your To Do List
  
• How to Remember Anything

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Remember to Take Things With You. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Self-Improvement: "How to Impress Someone With Your Intelligence"

How to Impress Someone With Your Intelligence

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

You want people to think you are smart! The easiest way to do this is to specialize.

Steps

1. Choose a small area in which to become an expert.
   
2. Read books and magazines about this topic.
   
3. Find other people who like this area too, and spend time with these people. The conversation will inevitably lead to your favorite topic, and you will therefore learn even more about it.
   
4. When you are with the person you are trying to impress, steer the conversation over to your area of expertise every once in awhile. The more you know, the more impressive you are going to be.
   
5. Study History. Studying history will give massive amounts of general knowledge to draw on in almost any conversation.

Tips

• Be sure to learn all the vocabulary and buzzwords associated with your topic. If you like cars, know what a V-8 engine is, for example.
  
• A good way to find others interested in your topic is to join a club. If birdwatching is your thing, start going on those Saturday morning hikes you have read about in the paper.
  
• You don't have to know a lot about everything to show that you are in fact quite intelligent. You just have to know a lot about any one small area. Not too many people can tell the difference between a Gypsy Moth and a tent caterpillar, but if you can, people are going to notice!
  
• When you try to impress someone with your intelligence, be sure to find a person who will respond well to your area of expertise.

Warnings

• Sometimes people are put-off or feel belittled when talking to someone who is trying to impress them with smarts. Be modest with how much you throw at the person all at once.
  
• Try not to make your knowledge too obscure or uninteresting to others. Don't specialize in something like the manufacture of ballpoint pens.
  
• If you try to impress someone, who doesn't play computer games, with your Marvel vs. Capcom 2 knowledge, you'll come off looking like a geek. Pick your targets with care.
  
• Try not to look like a know-it-all because no one likes them.

Related wikiHows

• How to Ask a Question Intelligently
  
• How to Become More Intelligent Than You Are Now
  
• How to Be Smart
  
• How to Challenge Your Mind to Become Smarter and Wiser
  
• How to Be Good at Geography

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Impress Someone With Your Intelligence. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-38: "How to draw a Cartoon Man?"

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Need to draw a cartoon man for a school project, greeting card for someone or just plain bored and looking for things to draw? Follow this simple step-by-step how to for instructions on how to draw a cartoon man.

Steps

1. Start out using a light color. Light blue in particular or yellow won't show up if you scan or copy your drawing, so you don't need to erase it. When you are happy with your picture, go over your best lines in black.


2. Draw a circle, which will be the man's head.


3. Draw a rectangle, attached to the man's head by a small line, which leaves a space to draw his neck. The rectangle will be the man's chest and stomach area.


4. Draw two stick legs on the man.


5. Draw two stick arms on the man, and a couple of fingers.


6. Add some more detail to his arms.


7. Add some more detail to his legs.


8. Draw a pair of ears on the man.


9. Add some hair on the man if you like.


10. Add detail to the man's ears.


11. Add the man's facial features, including his eyes, nose, mouth and eyebrows. Always remember that people's eyes are positioned halfway down their heads, not at the top. You can adjust his expression by the slope of the eyebrows and the angle or curve of the mouth.


12. Draw a shirt on the man.


13. Draw, and add detail, to your man's fingers. Some people find it more pleasing to only draw three fingers and a thumb, but it's up to you.


14. Add detail to the remaining parts of your man, including his pants and shoes. Don't forget that people's heels extend past the line of the leg.

Tips

• Using a pencil instead of a pen or marker can prove helpful as it is much easier to correct any mistakes, because you can just simply erase the errors and start over again.


• The source below provides a step-by-step video on how to make this drawing.

Related wikiHows

• How to Draw a Cartoon Woman


• How to Draw a Cartoon Face


• How to Draw a Cartoon Dog


• How to Draw a Cartoon Frog


• How to Draw a Cartoon Lion

Sources and Citations

• http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-draw-a-cartoon-man" rel="nofollow">VideoJug - Original source of information. Shared with permission.


• Stephen Marchant, Cartoon Museum, London

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on http://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Cartoon-Man">How to Draw a Cartoon Man. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/">Creative Commons license.

Facts & Figures-53: "Computer Penetration in Schools"

The number of schools in India with computers are 1,67,000-plus as of September 2006.

Courtesy: Report on 'Strengthening Education Management Information System in India' published by the union ministry for human resources development and the National University of Educational Planning and Administration(NUEPA)

S&T Watch-34: "Chandrayaan-1 enters deep space"

India's first unmanned lunar spacecraft Chandrayaan-1 on Sunday (Oct.26, 2008) entered deep space after crossing 150,000 km from the earth and is well on its way to the moon.

Courtesy: The Times of India, Chennai, Oct.27, 2008.

Detailed Wikipedia article on Chandrayaan-1:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrayaan-1

Official Homepage of Chandrayaan-1: (Chandrayaan-1: India's First Scientific Mission to the Moon)
http://www.isro.org/chandrayaan/htmls/home.htm

Grateful thanks to The Times of India, Chennai; ISRO and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Letters-49: "The Chain of Hatred"

1. The article "Cutting off the chain of hate," (The Hindu, Oct.21) was thought-provoking and timely. Nietzsche and Martin Luther King Jr. present two mutually exclusive models: one model that represents unrestrained power and is devoid of any love; and the other that is selfless and divine, submerging all our powers in the service of humanity, especially the marginalised.

While the article mentions the recent advances in neurobiology leading to the discovery of a genetic basis for altruism, we must also keep in mind the contribution of scientists like Richard Dawkins, who have spoken of 'selfish genes.' Unless our leaders choose the path of non-violence and love in their exercise of power, however weak they may seem, humanity is bound to sink into turmoil and anarchy. - Joshua Kalapati, Chennai.

2. The article refers sanyaas as abdication of action. I would like to clarify that sanyaas is not abdication of action as commonly interpreted. The Sanskrit word 'Sam' means 'complete' or 'full'. 'Nyaas' means 'balance'.

Sam-nyaas, therefore, means a balanced response to pleasure or pain, heat or cold, praise or abuse, etc. A sam-nyaasi does act but always in the interest of society. He renders service to others, without expecting anything in return. - T.Sekhar, Chennai.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, October 22, 2008 ("Letters to the Editor")

Detailed Wikipedia article on "THE SELFISH GENE" by Richard Dawkins:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selfish_genes

Detailed Wikipedia article on "NIETZSCHE":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nietzsche

Detailed Wikipedia article on "MARTIN LUTHER KING":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_king

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

Facts & Figures-54:

The latest estimates say more than 75% of U.S.households have at least one PC.

Courtesy: "All Things Digital" (www.allthingsd.com)

My Photo Album-28: "Suri with Shri Morarji Desai"

More than 30 years ago, I went on an All-India Tour availing leave travel concession provided by my office. It was a 23-day bus-trip from Madurai to Srinagar and back via some of the beautiful places of India, some of which I was seeing for the first and probably the last time. (Kancheepuram, Tiruttani, Kalahasti, Nellore, Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Jammu, Srinagar, Verinag, Delhi, Agra, Faridabad, Lucknow, Nasik, Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur and Bangalore. Unfortunately, I did not have the sense to take journal with me and jot down my impressions of the trip on a daily basis. All I now have is a few photographs. This is one such photograph. This was taken at the Residence of the then Prime Minister of India, Shri Morarji Desai. It was early morning and there were a lot of visitors like us. Each group was asked to sit and wait for the PM. There were security staff all around and some official photographers also. Probably it was a year or two after the emergency, when the coalition govt led by Shri Morarji Desai was in power.

I did not know that the PM was standing right behind me and I was being photographed. I was joking with a neighbour, when the photo was taken. The PM was so close to me. Between me and the PM, a guy whose name I have forgoteen was there (probably he was on his knees to get a prominent place in the photo). He was one of the servants employed by the travel agents for attending to odd jobs. I do remember the name of the travel agents now; it is M/s.Kumaran Travels, Madurai. The photo reached the travel agent's office at Madurai even before we reached there. On my arrival, my father commented about the photo and showed it to me. Then only I saw it. As you can see, I was all teeth!

From the PM's residence, we were taken to visit Smt.Indira Gandhi's residence also. She was then out of power. But still she was popular with the masses, especially South Indians. There were also security arrangements but there was no official photographer. So we had hired one and have taken him with us. We waited for some time. Then she came and talked to our Manager and enquired about the places we visited. Then she posed with our group for the photo. Our useless, stupid photographer clicked twice or thrice. But the camera was not working. The stupid fellow was wasting her time. Then she said 'sorry' with a smiling face and left our group.