Letters-65: "On Ragging"

1. The death of Aman Kachroo, a first year student of the Dr.Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Kangra, allegedly at the hands of his seniors, has shaken the faith of those who are for the effective implementation of anti-ragging measures in educational institutions, especially professional colleges. The time has come to discard the term "ragging" an d substitute it with the word "torture". "Ragging" does not seem to convey the ominous consequences to which it can lead. It is still considered by many as some form of camaraderie, necessary for juniors to get to know their seniors. The law should leave no scope for doubt in the mind of the torturers about the nature of their actions. - Subhash Chander Gupta, Rohtak.

2. Aman's death makes one wonder what led his fellow students to behave in the manner they did. Who is to blame for the barbaric mentality in youngsters? Their acts of violence reflect the slackening of moral values among the younger generation. The resignation of the principal or the suspension of a few will not help to end ragging in colleges. The attitude and outlook of the youth should change. And for this to happen, they should be educated on human values. - Sruthi Appu, Bangalore.

3. The arrest and expulsion of the four students who allegedly beat Aman to death are welcome. But the legal procedure may take some time and the torture undergone by Aman will soon be forgotten. The trial should be swift and the guilty brought to book soon. The Kangra incident should serve as an eye-opener to all collgees. Instead of waiting for students or parents to complain of incidents of ragging, the college authorities should be proactive in preventing ragging on campus. Even the so-called light ragging - lime making students sing or dance - should be dealt with firmly as it eventually leads to serious ragging. - Jayanthi Viswanathan, Palakkad.

4. It is shocking to learn that ragging continues unabated despite a ban on it and the Supreme Court's direction to educational institutions to curb it. It is not the seniors alone who are to blame for what happened to Aman. The college authorities are equally to blame. Colleges in which such instances take place should be derecognised. The fear of de-recognition may be more effective in curbing the menace of ragging. - Amit Kumar, Patna.

5. Aman's death is not an isolated incident. Serious cases of ragging are suppressed by college authorities. Deaths are dubbed as suicide. In spite of the Supreme Court's orders, the mental and physical torture of freshers continues in almost all professional colleges across the country. All rational people should raise their voice against the despicable practice. A toll-free helpline should be created for the victims of ragging. - U.Kaur, New Delhi.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, March 14, 2009 ("Letters to the Editor").

Grateful thanks to M/s.Subhash Chander Gupta, Sruthi Appu, Jayanthi Viswanathan, Amit Kumar, U.Kaur and The Hindu.

Letters-64: "Unacceptable and Shocking!"

It was indeed shocking to read that advocates attached to various Bar Associations of Tamil Nadu burnt not only copies of the Justice B.N.Srikrishna report but also an effigy of the retired Supreme Court judge who probed the violence in the Madras High Court. The behaviour of lawyers has already attracted criticism from many quarters. A few members of the legal fraternity think they are above the law and can therefore indulge in despicable acts. They have tarnished the fair name of their noble profession. Before things go from bad to worse, the lawyers should resume work. - G.Ramalingam, Chennai.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, March 11, 2009 ("Letters to the Editor")

Grateful thanks to Mr.G.Ramalingam and The Hindu, India's National Newspaper.

S&T Watch-54: "Wheel obeys Mental Signals!"

A wheelchair that obeys mental signals sent to a computer has been designed. The user, linked to a computer with electrodes on his scalp, sends a signal by focusing on the name of the destination displayed on a screen.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, March 12, 2009 ("Snapshots")

Grateful thanks to The Hindu, India's National Newspaper.

Health News-21: "Bionic eye gives blind man sight "

Ron who has not been able to see for the past 30 years is able to see now, thanks to 'bionic eye'. He is 73! The 'bionic eye' is still in experiment and may soon become available to all. For more details (video presentation from BBC, UK):

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7920600.stm

Grateful thanks to BBC.

Facts & Figures-55: "India's Power Requirements"

India's power requirements will be of the order of 3 lakh megawatts by 2020.

Source: Education Plus, Supplement to The Hindu, March 9, 2009.

Grateful thanks to The Hindu, India's National Newspaper.

Letters-63: "Epicentre of Terror"

1. The daring terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team confirms that Pakistan is a sanctuary for terrorists. The Frankenstein monster created by it to destroy others is now taking its toll. Unfortunately, the government is continuing to turn a blind eye to the reality and collaborating with fundamentalist forces such as the Taliban to buy peace. As a neighbouring state, India has to do a lot more to insulate itself from the lawlessness spreading in Pakistan. - Satwant Kaur, Mahilpur.

2. Pakistan is fast becoming the epicentre of terrorism. It produces and exports terrorism. It poses a grave threat to not only India but also the entire world. All countries should join hands to pressure Pakistan into dismantling the terror infrastructure on its soil. - G.Gandhi Raja, Chennai.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, March 5, 2009 ("Letters to the Editor")

Grateful thanks to M/s.Satwant Kaur, G.Gandhi Raja and The Hindu.

Health Facts-3: "Berries"

Berries contain plant nutrients called anthocyanidins. These are incredible antioxidants and some have high levels of resveratrol, which help fight heart disease and cancer.

Source: Chennai Times, Feb.22, 2009.

Detailed Wikipedia article on "BERRIES":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berries

Grateful thanks to Chennai Times and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

S&T Watch-53: "New Generation Solar Cells"

Plants' ability to turn sunlight into energy through photosynthesis has been successfully mimicked by scientists at the University of Southampton to produce a new generation solar cells.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, March 5, 2009 ("Snapshots").

Detailed Wikipedia article on "Solar Cells":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cells

Grateful thanks to The Hindu, India's National Newspaper and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Lettters-62: "Srikrishna Report"

1. The editorial "Telling it as it happened" (The Hindu, March 7) has rightly pointed out that Justice B.N.Srikrishna has presented an objective report on the violence involving the police and the lawyers in the Madras High Court on February 19. It is about time the lawyers realised that they cannot resort to unlawful behaviour on emotive issues and consider themselves above the law. What is worrying is the failure of the court administration to nip the unruly acts in the bud. Equally worrying is the behaviour of the police who went berserk while carrying out the order of a lathi charge. I am sure there are norms in place for executing such orders. - Paingannan Senthil Kumar, Gurgaon.

2. Justice Srikrishna has rightly castigated the lawyers for their unruly behaviour and in equal terms the police for their excess action. The behaviour of a few lawyers has brought disgrace to the entire lawyer community. When the situation on February 9 reached alarming levels, the police were left with no choice except resorting to force. The lawyers forgot that they were an important part of the elite society and they have the responsibility to follow the law. Their attempts to pressure the judiciary to act in their interests speak of the extent to which vested interests have penetrated the so-called noble profession. The lawyers who are on a war path should realise that they can no longer hold society to ransom and put the litigants to hardship. It is earnestly hoped that wise counsel will prevail upon them and they will return to work without further complicating the issue. - Nemani Vivekananda Rao, Hyderabad.

3. Justice Srikrishna's report proves that the lawyers acted as if they were above the law. The police have also come in for criticism for their high-handedness. That the very people who pray for justice and enforcement of human rights in courts violated the principles of law and resorted to unruly behaviour is unfortunate. One hopes better sense will prevail on both the police and lawyers and they will work in harmony as law-abiding citizens. - Varijakshan Edakkazhiyoor, Malappuram.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, March 9, 2009 ("Letters to the Editor")

Grateful thanks to Paingannan Senthil Kumar, Nemani Vivekananda Rao, Varijakshan Edakkazhiyoor and The Hindu.

CNN Videos-2: "US Airways Jet crashlanding into the Hudson River"

How To-55: "How to Put Together a Hard Puzzle"

How to Put Together a Hard Puzzle

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
These days, puzzles can have thousands of pieces. All of them can be done, but the question is, how long will it take?

Steps

1. Do the border of the puzzle. This is the easiest because the edge pieces will tend to have a straight edge. Therefore, this should always be first.
2. Separate all the pieces into groups according to their texture or color.
3. Start putting pieces of the same group together. It should form an image. Look on the box to see where that image goes and put it there.
4. Make all the other images shown on the box.
5. Connect the images using the colored pieces of whatever the background is.

Tips

• Consult the picture on the box whenever you are confused.
• This may take a few days; you can leave the puzzle on a table until you are finished.

Warnings

• Be patient and don't get too frustrated if it's hard.

Related wikiHows

• How to Finish Jigsaw Puzzles Faster
• How to Assemble a 3D Puzzle
• How to Solve a Sudoku
• How to Be Patient

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Put Together a Hard Puzzle. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

CNN Videos-1: Defeating Militancy in Pakistan

Letters-61: "Chennai High Court Incidents: Appalling"

1. The behaviour of lawyers in the Madras High Court first when they assaulted Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy inside the court hall and on February 19, when they indulged in a pitched battle with the police on the court premises was appalling. It will be apposite to quote a passage from a celebrated decision of the Supreme Court: "The legal profession is a solemn and serious occupation. It is a noble calling and all those who belong to it are its honourable members. Although entry to the profession can be had by acquiring merely the qualification of technical competence, honour as a professional has to be maintained by its members by their exemplary conduct both in and outside the court." - M.Mahadevan, Kovilpatti.

2. When the police remained mere onlookers during the violence in the Chennai law college, they were widely criticised. And now by taking action against lawyers in the High Court, they have landed in a fix. Under which law are lawyers permitted to behave in an unruly manner? - S.Shankar, Chennai.

3. The police are a disciplinary force who are denied rights like trade unionism. It is only reasonable that they are treated fairly. In the High Court incident, the judiciary seems to be treating the lawyers with kid gloves although public opinion is critical of their conduct. - S.Rajagopalan, Chennai.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, March 4, 2009 ("Letters to the Editor")

Grateful thanks to M/s.M.Mahadevan, S.Shankar and S.Rajagopalan and The Hindu.

S&T Watch-52: "Space Rock gives Earth a Close Shave"

An asteroid of a size similar to a rock that exploded above Siberia in 1908 with the force of a thousand atomic bombs whizzed past the earth on Monday, March 2, 2009, astronomers said on Tuesday.

2009 DD45, estimated to be between 21 and 47 metres across, raced by at 13.44 GMT, the Planetary Society and astronomers' blogs reported.

The gap was just 72,000 km, or a fifth of the distance between the earth and the moon and only twice the height of a satellite in geosynchronous orbit, the website space.com said.

The estimated size is similar to that of an asteroid or comet that exploded above Tunguska, Siberia, on June 30, 1908, flattening 80 million trees in a swathe of more than 2000 sq.km.

Excerpt from AFP news item entitled, "Space Rock gives Earth a Close Shave" in The Hindu, Madurai, March 4, 2009.

Grateful thanks to AFP and The Hindu.

Letters-60: "Movie with a Message"

1. When I saw Slumdog Millionaire, I was spellbound and told myself "this is an Academy Award production." The story is seen through a western perception which is why it reached the Oscars. Had it been made by an Indian, it would have been just another movie as most of the truth would have been obfuscated. Why should we cry hoarse over the exposure of our slums? The slums that were shown in the movie are nothing compared to the ones I have seen in Mumbai. Why is no one talking about the demeaning manner in which Jamal, the participant in the millionaire show, is addressed? We see it happening everywhere to persons from a humble background. I hope the movie will serve as an eye-opener to all those who copy Hollywood movies from to frame, and stars who demand crores. - Joe L.Sinnathamby, Kottakkal.

2. Slumdog Millionaire should serve as an eye-opener to our leaders who claim that India is growing fast and poised to become a superpower. There is also a lesson in it for the media, which have digressed from their basic objective as they run after money and sensation. Slumdog is a wonderful film with a wonderful message for the nation. - Shibin Joe, Kozhikode.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, February 27, 2009.

Grateful thanks to M/s.Joe L.Sinnathamby, Shibin Joe and The Hindu.

Letters-59: "On Slumdog Millionaire"

1. Slumdog is a fascinating tale of the victory of hope over despair. But do we always need a Richard Attenborough or a Danny Boyle to bring us glory? Yes, because Bollywood is obsessed with the box office. Our movies are either extended video recordings of Indian weddings or an exaggerated attempt to transport us to the world of fantasy. A majority of our movies lack a good story and are dependent on half-a-dozen irrelevant songs. Very few producers attempt to make socially relevant movies. They lack the financial muscle, the propaganda machinery and the wherewithal to market their venture to the Academy. So till Bollywood achieves the size, scale and perhaps purpose comparable to that of Hollywood, we will continue to need foreigners like Boyle to redeem us. - Mithileshwar Thakur, Kochi.

2. Many have argued that Slumdog has exported poverty. Cinema is a medium of art, and the Oscars are a form of appreciation of excellence. For Indians, cinema is just entertainment and business. An Indian film should have 6-7 songs at the Alps, New Zealand and so on, a few fights, and artificial emotions. More number of producers should come up with realistic films and win accolades at home and abroad. The audiences must also change their attitude towards cinema. Till such time, we have to wait and hail others. - K.R.K.Prabhakara Murty, Vijayawada.

3. Slumdog Millionaire has created history and those who made it deserve to be congratulated. But apart from the genius of Rahman and Pookutty, what else is there for us to celebrate? The movie has shown to the world India's darker side. Apart from one or two scenes like the hero jumping into a cesspool as a child to have a glimpse of a hero, nothing else was exaggerated. The movie marketed India much more than the brochures issued by the Ministry of Tourism to showcase Incredible India. We, as a nation, should feel the pain. Imagine the plight of the children experiencing luxury in Los Angeles when they return to their routine life and stand in a queue with a mug of water outside a makeshift toilet awaiting their turn. I hope our elected representatives will do something to improve the living conditions of the poor. Let us collectively resolve that in future if somebody wants to make a movie on slums and slum dwellers, they should not even think of India. - Titus George, Abu Dhabi.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, February 26, 2009 ("Letters to the Editors")

Grateful thanks to M/s.Mithileshwar Thakur, K.R.K.Prabhakara Murty, Titus George and The Hindu.

S&T Watch-51: "Tailoring Plants for Biofuel Use"

Michigan State University researchers are speeding up identification of genes affecting chloroplasts' function. Plants could be tailored for biofuel use or delivering high levels of nutrients.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, February 26, 2009 ("Snapshots")

Grateful thanks to The Hindu.

Health News-20: "Helpline for Smoking Ban Violation"

A round-the-clock helpline at toll-free number 1800-110-456 has been set up by the Union Ministry of Health to report violations of the smoking ban in public places.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, February 26, 2009

Grateful thanks to The Hindu.

Letters-58: "Slumdog Millionaire: A Reality"

1. Slumdog Millionaire has explored the unhealthy, obscure and traumatic life led by slum dwellers. Is not it ironical that we appreciate reality when it is portrayed in reel life but don't do much to help in real life? We should draw inspiration from such works to make the lives of slum dwellers better. - Shalabh Katiyar, Kanpur.

2. Hearty congratulations to A.R.Rahman, Gulzar, Resul Pookutty and the entire team of Slumdog Millionaire. Why mar this moment of gaiety with controversies? India is undeniably one of the fastest growing economies. But Dharavis too are a reality. - Shalet Jimmy, Thiruvananthapuram.

3. Slumdog is a reality, not a fallacy. That is perhaps the reason why it has fetched eight Oscars. The fact that the film was directed by a British does not make the film any less Indian. Its story, setting, actors, music and emotions are all Indian. Rahman would have composed Jai Ho even if an Indian had directed the movie. Gulzar too would have written the same lyrics. Let us not take away their credit just because there was a foreign connection to the movie. On the flip side, a few millionaires earned name, fame and some more millions. In a few days the glory will fade, the euphoria will die, and the slum children will return to where they belong, forgotten and used up until another Danny Boyle, Mira Nair or Gurinder Chadha comes looking for them. - R.Venkataraman, New Delhi.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, February 25, 2009 ("Letters to the Editor")

Grateful thanks to M/s.Shalabh Katiyar, Shalet Jimmy, R.Venkataraman and The Hindu.

Health News-19: "Diabetes Jump"

Diabetes cases are soaring in Britain, jumping 74% between 1997 and 2003. Medical experts link it to rising obesity rates caused by unhealthy diets.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, February 25, 2009.

Grateful thanks to The Hindu.