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Different species harbour different strains of the flu virus, for example Bird Flu, Swine Flu and Human Flu.

What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by influenza type A which infects pigs.

There are many types, and the infection is constantly changing.

Until now it has not normally infected humans, but the latest form clearly does, and can be spread from person to person - probably through coughing and sneezing.

What is new about this type of swine flu?

The World Health Organization has confirmed that at least some of the human cases are a never-before-seen version of the H1N1 strain of influenza type A.

H1N1 is the same strain which causes seasonal outbreaks of flu in humans on a regular basis.

But this latest version of H1N1 is different: it contains genetic material that is typically found in strains of the virus that affect humans, birds and swine.

Flu viruses have the ability to swap genetic components with each other, and it seems likely that the new version of H1N1 resulted from a mixing of different versions of the virus, which may usually affect different species, in the same animal host.

Pigs provide an excellent 'melting pot' for these viruses to mix and match with each other.

How dangerous is Swine Flu?

Symptoms of swine flu in humans appear to be similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu.

These include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue.

Most cases so far reported around the world appear to be mild, but in Mexico lives have been lost.

How worried should people be?

When any new strain of flu emerges that acquires the ability to pass from person to person, it is monitored very closely in case it has the potential to spark a global epidemic, or pandemic.

The World Health Organization has warned that taken together the Mexican and US cases could potentially trigger a global pandemic, and stress that the situation is serious.

However, experts say it is still too early to accurately assess the situation fully.

Currently, they say the world is closer to a flu pandemic than at any point since 1968 - upgrading the threat from three to four on a six-point scale following an emergency meeting on Monday.

Nobody knows the full potential impact of a pandemic, but experts have warned that it could cost millions of lives worldwide. The Spanish flu pandemic, which began in 1918, and was also caused by an H1N1 strain, killed millions of people.

The fact that all the cases in the US and elsewhere have so far produced mild symptoms is encouraging. It suggests that the severity of the Mexican outbreak may be due to an unusual geographically-specific factor - possibly a second unrelated virus circulating in the community - which would be unlikely to come into play in the rest of the world.

Alternatively, people infected in Mexico may have sought treatment at a much later stage than those in other countries.

It may also be the case that the form of the virus circulating in Mexico is subtly different to that elsewhere - although that will only be confirmed by laboratory analysis.

There is also hope that, as humans are often exposed to forms of H1N1 through seasonal flu, our immune systems may have something of a head start in fighting infection.

However, the fact that many of the victims are young does point to something unusual. Normal, seasonal flu tends to affect the elderly disproportionately.

Can the Swine Flu virus be contained?

The virus appears already to have started to spread around the world, and most experts believe that containment of the virus in the era of readily available air travel will be extremely difficult.

Can Swine Flu be treated?

The US authorities say that two drugs commonly used to treat flu, Tamiflu and Relenza, seem to be effective at treating cases that have occurred there so far. However, the drugs must be administered at an early stage to be effective.

Use of these drugs may also make it less likely that infected people will pass the virus on to others.

The UK Government already has a stockpile of Tamiflu, ordered as a precaution against a pandemic.

It is unclear how effective currently available flu vaccines would be at offering protection against the new strain, as it is genetically distinct from other flu strains.

US scientists are already developing a bespoke new vaccine, but it may take some time to perfect it, and manufacture enough supplies to meet what could be huge demand.

A vaccine was used to protect humans from a version of swine flu in the US in 1976.

However, it caused serious side effects, including an estimated 500 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome. There were more deaths from the vaccine than the outbreak.

What should I do to stay safe to avoid Swine Flu Spread?

Anyone with flu-like symptoms who might have been in contact with the swine virus - such as those living or travelling in the areas of Mexico that have been affected - should seek medical advice.

But patients are being asked not to go into GP surgeries in order to minimise the risk of spreading the disease to others. Instead, they should stay at home and call their healthcare provider for advice.

After the WHO raised its alert level over swine flu, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office began advising against all but essential travel to Mexico.

What measures can I take to prevent Swine Flu infection?

Avoid close contact with people who appear unwell and who have fever and cough.

General infection control practices and good hygiene can help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including the human swine influenza. This includes covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible and disposing of it promptly.

It is also important to wash your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people and cleaning hard surfaces like door handles frequently using a normal cleaning product.

If caring for someone with a flu-like illness, a mask can be worn to cover the nose and mouth to reduce the risk of transmission. The UK is looking at increasing its stockpile of masks for healthcare workers for this reason.

But experts say there is no scientific evidence to support more general wearing of masks to guard against infections.

Is it safe to eat pig meat?

Yes. There is no evidence that swine flu can be transmitted through eating meat from infected animals.

However, it is essential to cook meat properly. A temperature of 70C (158F) would be sure to kill the virus.

What about bird flu?

The strain of bird flu which has caused scores of human deaths in South East Asia in recent years is a different strain to that responsible for the current outbreak of swine flu.

The latest form of swine flu is a new type of the H1N1 strain, while bird, or avian flu, is H5N1.

Experts fear H5N1 hold the potential to trigger a pandemic because of its ability to mutate rapidly.

However, up until now it has remained very much a disease of birds.

Those humans who have been infected have, without exception, worked closely with birds, and cases of human-to-human transmission are extremely rare - there is no suggestion that H5N1 has gained the ability to pass easily from person to person.

Where can I get further advice?

Further information and advice on swine flu can be found at websites of leading health and research organisations around the world. The World Health Organisation gives background information on the Swine Flu virus. The UK's Health Protection Agency advises the public about what to do if returning from a Swine Flu affected area. The US government's Centre for Disease Control is counting the number of cases in the US.

You can also track the spread of swine flu reports using unofficial sources. Healthmaps maps viruses using news reports. Social media guide Mashable lists some ways to track the virus . Links to useful websites are being shared on Twitter , the micro-blogging service.

Posted by chandu at 12:33 AM | Permalink | Comments

I found this good article by Michael Wood suggesting the needed attitude and the steps to be taken in this time of economic crisis especially by the employers.

So, here we are, in the midst of perhaps the worst recession in U.S. history. And although originally fueled by bad lending practices in the housing market, the new fuel is the fear, uncertainty and doubt engulfing consumers. Yes, the great U.S. consumption engine that the world relies on is coming to an abrupt halt just as unemployment numbers are soaring.

For those who have jobs, there lingers a nagging fear that those jobs are not secure, as fellow workers and friends get laid off, retirement accounts get ravaged and cost controls eclipse opportunities for growth. It isn’t surprising that issues related to declining morale and productivity has become commonplace in the workplace. IT is not immune to this situation, and finding ways to stabilize and improve morale within the IT ranks has become increasingly difficult.

Leaders need to understand that in recessionary times, it is anything but business as usual. They need to introduce counter-measures to break the cycle of fear that emotionally and physically grips employees. The conventional wisdom points to frequent and honest communication and increased employee recognition programs as ways to improve morale. Consider the following from “Impact of the Recession on Employee Morale” from www.managingconflict.com:
“Instead of deliberately and consistently communicating with employees, employers will go into 'shut down' mode. The result will be increased fear among employees and mistrust of management.

Communicate constantly to minimize uncertainty. Uncertainty arouses the fear circuits in the brain and is an absolute killer to employee productivity. When people are unsure about the stability of their organization, their standing with their boss or supervisor, or a clear understanding of what’s expected of them, most assume the worst. The ensuing stress decreases the amount of a chemical called dopamine in the brain, a chemical that is critical for clear thinking and reasoning by the prefrontal cortex. Continuous uncertainty can also increase the levels of Cortisol in the body, too much of which can permanently damage both the brain and the circulatory system.”

So it appears that continuous doses of fear create physically debilitating effects. But is the conventional wisdom enough to remedy the situation? Today, employees need more than empty reassurances and pats on the back. They need to see evidence that management has a workable approach to regrouping and returning to a stable and predictable work environment. Here is an approach that might help management move in that direction.

Develop a formal set of downsizing rules and scenarios that consciously quantify the trade-offs and impact on customer retention, employee service levels and owner value. Each scenario would be event-triggered, objective and fair. For example an organization that wants to keep reductions in the workforce as a last resort might choose the following sequence of events if downsizing is required:

• Elimination of all bonuses and discretionary perks for upper and middle management – to demonstrate sacrifices will be top down.
• Reduction in executive pay to the previous 3 to 5 year levels – to demonstrate sacrifices will be top down.
• Monetization of non-performing passive investments (land, buildings, etc.)
• Reduction in Inventory (more frequent replenishment) to preserve cash flow
• Aggressive accounts receivable collection efforts to accelerate cash flow
• Hiring freeze – without rehire using attrition to achieve FTE goals
• Early retirement incentives – without rehire using attrition to achieve FTE goals
• Elimination of matching 401k contributions with pledge to resume once business improves.
• Reduction in subsidized medical insurance costs with pledge to resume once business improves.
• Reduced work week options such as 4 day / 32 hour week, unpaid leave with benefits, etc.
• Reductions in pay geared to wage brackets (i.e. 100k and up employees take 15% where under 40k employees take 3%)
• Reductions in force based on performance ratings and tailored to the value each organizational unit delivers and balanced with service level support requirements.

Posted by chandu at 6:36 AM | Permalink | Comments

I bought a used Chevrolet UVA LS 2007 modal 6 months back and decided to give it for servicing since I felt the difference in performance and fuel efficiency. Since, this is the first time that I'm giving car for service and since I was not much aware of the car terminology I took the help of carwale.com forums. When I got to learn the names of a few terms that I can use at the time of service I went to Orange auto Pvt. Ltd., Sanathnagar, Hyderabad.

I thought my experience there at the service station would help some one. So, posting this review.

When I entered the compound, the security guard showed me the place to park. I parked the vehicle and waited out side the car for nearly 7 minutes looking at the group of people chit chatting wearing sky blue shirts. When I felt that no one is interested to come forward to attend me I took a proactive step to approach the group then one of the guys walked towards me then crossed me and started writing the car number on the job card. I said 'Hi' and that guy looked at my face and said .....nothing.

Okkkay! typical Hyderabadi.

From here onwards every thing is proactive no initiative from the guy. I started telling him the problems, which I had already written on a paper(just in case if I forget the terminology). The guy (service Advisor), didn't get the terms Rattling and ORVM. So, I said noise in the door and he started slamming the door and I told him that we need to go for a test ride to listen to the noises. He called up a mechanic and we went for a test run and the mechanic smartly told what to write in the job card and showed the origination of the rattle in the door and in the dashboard to the service Advisor.

After the test run, we went into the office and there the service Adviosr opened the service history of my car (which showed 1 major and 1 minor accidental jobs, which the previous owner of the car kept secret from me) and the shocking thing is that the previous service was done at 15,000 KMs. No service at 20k and 25k (By the time I bought the car it ran 27k). Now it is 31,200KM. So, had to replace air and fuel filters, and the spark plug. The service advisor was sure that if I do not go for the replacement of these the car will break down in between. Okay....people in Hyderabad are not so friendly to push the car to atleast side of the road. So, I said change them.

I gave the car at 11:15AM on Saturday and they said it will be ready by Sunday afternoon 1PM.

I got a call from the floor incharge saying that I need to change the brake pads otherwise the drum/disk's life time will be reduced drastically. I said okay, the pads cost around 1500/-

Pity me I was expecting a call from them when the vehicle is ready instead I had to call them at 3:30PM on Sunday. Some one picked up and took my number saying that he would call to let me know the status. I had to call after 30mins and this time a lady picks up and again asks for my number so that should would call and let me know the status. Okay, I gave the number again and this time I did get the call saying that they are addressing the noise in the door and the vehicle would be ready by 5:30 PM.

I was at the service station at 5:20PM. I could hardly find a person in the office. All the front desk seats are empty. I had to look around for more than 10 mins and found a service advisor. I told him the vehicle number. He took the job card and glanced at it and just went off without uttering a single word. From the office I could see my vehicle being taken for water wash by a kid...like a toy...with sudden brakes...making lots of sounds...scaring the other cars parked around.

Water wash??? after the customer is there at the correct time you told him to pickup the vehicle??? The service Advisor who took the job card came to me after 20mins and returned the...nono..I was not so lucky that day...he just returned the job card not the car and again he is so calm as if I told him "you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a....". I had asked him whether the car is ready. He said that they have taken it for water wash. ok.

He came to me again after 15mins with a bunch of papers and handed them over to me and said "pay the Bill, Sir". Awesome, I should not expect the bill to be explained. ok again.

I went through the bill and asked him where did they use Fevikwik. Guess his answer..."they used it to stick some thing sir..". Perfect answer. Ok...nope Not okay this time.

I had to en route my words to come from a filter less tongue (which is the only way to get things done most of the times in this part of the Earth). After a couple of minutes of talk with that guy he is straight and went through the whole bill once and then explained me everything and Fevikwik is used to stick ORVM.

I said I would like to go for a test run before paying the money, so we went in to the garage where the washers are doing last minute touch ups to the tires(I believe polish). When they are done with the front 2 tyres, service advisor said 'enough' and those guys stopped the work. ok.

Now, that guy wants to sit in the driver seat and drive. The dumbest act I've ever experienced. I told him that I will drive and he came out of the car and the moment I sat in the car I could see the undone things. All the dust on the dashboard is as it is and on the mats they kept a cover that said (thanks you...welcome again...) when I lifted the cover and saw the mats were dirtier than they were when I gave for servicing. ok.

We left the compound, and the first revolution of the tyre on the road made all the rattling in 'n' number of places. It used to be n =2. Now, n = n.

Came back to the service station and showed him the job card that clearly says 'noise in the dash board and left door' and the bill shows a labor charge of 187/- for LHS door rattle. Service advisor started to convince me to visit some other time to fix the problem.

What to do now, took out the tongue filter again, this time a driver of 'Captiva' joined the voice (he had some billing problem).

I forced the service advisor to call the floor incharge and we went for a test drive again. After coming back from the test drive floor incharge assigned the work to a mechanic. I could make it out that the mechanic who was working on the problem is not a regular guy and he is finding it difficult to open the door screws. He could some how tighten the part producing the rattle but he couldn't put the opened door parts together. In the process he broke a plastic lever. The stores guy was already done with his accounts for the day and closed the store so he rejected the request for the new lever.

At last the floor incharge told me to come on the next day at 10:30AM, so that he can fix all the problems. I got a call from the service station that my vehicle is ready. So, I went there at around 11:45AM and went for a test run again and I could still hear the rattle from dashboard (The Door is not making any sound). Floor incharge told me that some A/C tubes are vibrating and that is what causing the sound and he said that it will take a lot of time to open the whole dash board and then investigate further. I said 'ok not this time'.

The dust on the dashboard is still there as it is. So, the car went again for a complete vacuum clean and water wash and then the billing took 30 mins.

The over all rating out of 10 that I gave in the feed back form is around 3.5 for the service.

The whole service costed me Rs.4800/-(including VAT). Right side ORVM costed Rs.366/- + Rs.80/-(labour charge). Just the glass. Chevy parts are indeed costly :).

The final verdict - I'm very very unsatisfied with the way they have finished things. My car looks so ugly now, with all the unevenly fit black color beading around the door glasses and couple of clearly visible (but small) scratches (must be by the screw driver slippage) on the left side door.

For my next service I will not visit this service station.

Posted by chandu at 5:40 AM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by chandu at 12:14 AM | Permalink | Comments

Global markets saw record falls in 2008 as the financial turmoil and economic slowdown ended the stock market boom. The start of the year showed real promising growth but as the year progressed the markets sat on the floor.

Following is a list of Major market falls in 2008.

Posted by chandu at 4:48 AM | Permalink | Comments

It was real fun watching the much tensed final of World Darts Championship.

Phil Taylor of England, won the match in a sudden-death leg against Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands. I really thought Gerwen is going away with the championship when he got the Bulls-eye to throw first in the sudden-death leg. But he threw the chance away and handed over the championship to Taylor, the legend, 13 time world champion.

Posted by chandu at 4:30 AM | Permalink | Comments

Following are the key points in this prestigious project for Hyderabad Metro Rail.

• With good inter- modal connectivity between the Metro Rail stations and MMTS stations, major railway stations of Secunderabad, Nampally, Begumpet & all the bus terminals, “seamless travel facility” will be created in the city.
• All stations will have air conditioned “Merry go round” mini-bus services, connecting nearby colonies, business establishments and other popular places.
• Terminals and junctions will be connected with BRTS routes.
• Smart card based Automatic ticketing & gate systems for passenger convenience and seamless travel.

Posted by chandu at 1:05 AM | Permalink | Comments

Consuming nuts during pregnancy may increase the risk of developing childhood asthma among newborns.

To investigate the influence of mother’s food consumption during pregnancy on childhood asthma outcomes from 1 to 8 years of age, researchers in America followed 4,146 pregnant women (1,327 with a history of allergy or asthma and 2,819 with no such history). These women were asked about their frequency of consumption of fruit, vegetables, fish, egg, milk, milk products, nuts, and nut products during the last month of pregnancy. Their children were followed until 8 years of age.

It was found that daily consumption of nut products increased the risk of wheezing in a child by 42 percent, shortness of breath by 58 percent and steroid use to ease asthma symptoms by 62 percent, compared to children born to mothers who rarely consumed nuts. Overall, the odds of developing asthma symptoms for a child whose mother ate nuts daily were 47 percent higher. No association was found between vegetable, milk, and fish consumption during pregnancy and risk of childhood asthma.

The findings caution pregnant women to reduce nut consumption during pregnancy, specially those women who have a family history of food allergy. However, further studies need to be done before dietary advice can be given to pregnant women.

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
July 2008

Source: http://doctorndtv.com/news/news.asp?id=3292

Posted by chandu at 1:16 AM | Permalink | Comments

This is what I lost by taking a Sify broad band connection.

2,000(installation charges) + 567(Package) + (41,000 * 2)(2 months salary) + Lots of uncomforts + Increased Mobile Bills + Bad words from operators + Peace of Mind + Waiting For Ever

My Locality is Kumaraswamy Layout, 2nd Stage, Bangalore. My Life was never the same since the day I thought of taking Sify Broad Band. Here is a short...very short story of the problems I've faced and the problems any one can face if they go for Sify broad band.

I have applied for Sify Broad Band believing on their promise that the connection will be given within 3 days where as others like Reliance Wi-Fi said it will take 10 working days (to my unfortune there is no touchtel(airtel) network in my locality).

I paid 2000/- to Sudhir, Sify business executive for installation and 567/- for package money(in cash not cheque) on March 30th, 2008.

No one turned up for 3 days. Then I've called the executive...he said that he will send a technician the next day. Technician(Shiv) had come indeed. He did give the connection but instead of giving me my login details, he used some other names loggedin and showed me that internet is working and took 150/- as one time service charge. I was very happy that I got internet as I badly needed to work from home as I was recovering from a serious slip disk/disk prolapse. But when I saw the validity of account it was showing only 14hrs and terms explained there are no where related to the package that I'v taken. When I asked him the same thing he assured me that he will call and give me my userid and default password. I again believed in him and gave him 150/-.

The next day as expected the dummy account had expired. No one called up. I've called Shiv. He did not pick up the phone. I've called Sudhir. He said he will call Shiv and tell him to generate my username.

Another day gone by...didnt get call from either Shiv or Sudhir. Again called both of them...this time niether of them pickup the phone. I've kept on calling them the whole day thinking that they are busy...all of a sudden the word "cheaters" came to mind and tried from my wife's mobile. Shiv picked up and when I said my name he kept on saying "hello...hello...hello..hello..." and then cut the call. Sudhir too picked up. He spoke to me and said that he is returning from his native and just got mobile network signal(some bullshit). He said he will give the username as soon as possible and he did give me the username the next day. I was on top of the mountain...very very happy.

Next Two days...every thing is perfect...the speed of internet was good...I could download my files and upload in relatively less waiting times. Third day morning...Problems started...when I switched on my PC and tried to connect using sify client it gave me a famouse Sify BB101 error. I tried pinging the gateway. It was not pinging. Kept on pinging till evening but of no use. Then in the evening called up the customer care and launched a complaint. They said it will be rectified within 12 working hours. That blew my mind...12 working days means another working day. Remember...I was working from home and each day of leave will show a loss of 1367/- in my salary.

I was patiently waiting for the connection looking at my command prompt by issuing the command 'ping -t GATEWAYIP'. At last at 9PM...no...the connectivity did not return. I recalled the customer care. They said that the status is in progress and said it may take another 12 working hours.

Its the next day afternoon....the connection did not return...but I got a call from my Project Manager asking for the status of the work...I told him the thing going on with internet connection. He said to call him once the connectivity is established. The connectivity is back that day evening. I'm happy again and sad that I had work hard the whole night to make up the lost days with unbearable back ache. I was not supposed to sit for longer times but I had to work and I took 2 pain killers that night and applied almost half tube of Volitra ointment(Muscle relaxant). Worked almost till 3:30AM in night and couldnt bear the pain after that...so slept. Woke up at 8AM in the morning...there was no connectivity again. Called up the customer care....launched a fresh compliant and this time told them harshly that I need the connection that day itself.

The next day...next 2 days...next 5 days..next 7 days...next 10 days...next 15 days...next 20 days...next 23 days...no connectivity....meanwhile I've called all the people I could...hopeless customer care people, arrogant unworthy technicians, the business executive....no one came for the help...no I'l term it as rescue. Because I wasnt in a situation to go to office and my PM lost the patience and told me that he can no more accept me fit for work from home too as there was no productivty for almost 1 month and said will talk about my continution as employee once I return to the office.

I was living on my credit card the whole month as my previous month's salary and little savings were consumed by the hospitalization expenditures for my slip disk's ailment. I did not get the connectivity for a month but I got my post paid mobile bill increased by 700/- compared to previous average monthly bills.

With these frustrations I lost my emotional controls and had a huge argument with my wife and my doctor did tell me to have a relaxed mind for speedy recovery from back ache but the situation was getting worse day by day as I was loosing my emotional balance.

After a couple of days we have decided to leave the town as there was no hope that the connectivity will be back and hardly any money to survive in Bangalore. I had put my self on heavy pain killars and did an adventure to travel in train to my home city Vijayawada with help of my dad. The whole month of May I was in Vijayawada and I recovered as if it was a miracle.

Came back to Bangalore on 30th May. Started my fight again. Called up the customer care, they said..my account is inactive and then active and then expired. I told them that I wasnt even in the city from last one month. Then the lady asked my IP address after I gave my IP address to my astonishment she said that some one else was using my account. So another fresh complaint was launched.

This time I've started scolding them...the customer care, the executive, techinicains all of them....a week back I got a call from Sify Bangalore office and the lady told me to talk to the operator to get the money back and she also said that Sify can not do anything in this regard. I spoke to the operator and he said the money is not refundable. Ofcourse the money is not refundable but only when they are able to provide inertnet. But how come they take the money and dont provide service even atleast for a month and say that the money is not refundable.

I've called the customer care again and they said to call the operator again. But that day evening a technician came to my house and did some thing...the gateway was pinging. I tried to login with my username and password to renew but it was saying "wrong username/password". The technician gave some other password and then it got logged in. I've asked him how come they change my password...he didnt utter a single word and instead told me that I can not renew now using credit card and asked me to pay the package money to him so that he can arrange for renewal.

I told him straight away that I will not believe him. Then he said he will give a dummy account to have a check for 5 days and if it works fine then I can decide on renewal. I said okay...but even after 3 days he did not give any dummy account and this time when I called him he picked up the phone and told "Veeresh is not in town he will come after a week". I could findout that the voice is Veeresh's. I've called up from my wife's mobile and he said..."veeresh speaking..."...I've blasted him on the phone...atlast he said "do what ever you want...you will not get the money back...and we will not give you the connection too".

When I told the same thing to Sify...they again said..they can not do anything in this regard...and added that I did not pay money to Sify but paid to the operator so I need to settle the matter with the operator.

Long story short...do not take Sify broad band connection. They cheat you by taking the money. This is what they do. They will put the cable. They use a single working switch for a single day and show you that internet works and take money from you and after you pay the money they will take the switch back to fool some other person. Atleast this is what happened in my case. And their topology is so worst, they install an adoptor in a near by house to you and expect them to switch on all the times. If they switch it off, you will loose the connectivity and if they do not have any ports available to give a new connection they will take out the one used by the old customers and use that port to give a new connection.

Posted by chandu at 12:55 AM | Permalink | Comments

It is proved that if one considers the following points as important notes, one's health will be in tact for ages.

• Reduce volume of tea intake
• Do not eat bread which has JUST been toasted
• Stay a distance from your charger
• Drink more water in the morning, less at night
• Do not drink coffee twice a day
• Reduce your volume of oily food
• Best sleeping time is from 10 at night to 6 at the morning
• Do not have HUGE meals after 5pm
• Do not take alcohol more than a cup daily
• Do not take capsules with cold water
• Do not lie down immediately after taking medicine before sleeping
• Have 8 hours sleep. Lack of it will make a person stupid
• People who get used to napping will not get old easily
• If you can't get on early morning runs, 5-8 in the afternoon is a great time for jogging
• When battery left last grid, do not answer the phone. The radiation is 1000 times
• Answer the phone with your left ear. It'll spoil your brain directly if you use your right ear
• Do not use earphone for long time. Rest your ear a while after 1 hour

Posted by chandu at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments

A few days ago,there was an announcement in papers that there will be no water supply for 3 days.At home, on knowing this, all we inmates plunged into action to store and save water for 3 days and then imposed a higher level of ration on water usage – we resorted to turn the tap to very minimal while using, bathing water quantity reduced by 50% and strict instruction to the maid to conserve water and so on.

Well, when the normal water supply was restored, all the ration and austerity measures went out of the home like Yuvi’s sixer!

The above is a good reflection of our weakness. We act only when a crisis is forced upon us. Pity that we know that drinking water level all over is ‘sinking’ at a much faster rate than what is was 10-20 years ago. we do not seem to be alarmed by this. Predicted that we will soon (after say 50 yrs.) start feeling the heat on water scarcity, first effected will be the city inhabitant, no need to say the Bruhat Bangalore (I mean Bengalooru) is one of the front runners in the (hit)list! ‘I may not live that long’, one may say, but what is that I am leaving for our next gen?

No corporation/municipality or civic body can help much on this unless I, you, he and she start saving (ie., using water just as needed and ensuring that we do not waste un-necessarily.)this natural resource.

Let’s act and do something with vision.

Posted by chandu at 10:41 PM | Permalink | Comments

I have been using Reliance Money For the last 3 to 4 months and it has been a bad experience till now with the over all performance of their site (except brokerage, which is just 1 paisa for whatever the volume you do.

The site reliancemoney.com gives a lot of headaches especially for people like me who are part time traders. I can not spend much time waiting for the page to load.

The portfolio section is never working fine and now it says "we are upgrading portfolio section, please bear with us". Though it is not a big issue to maintain my portfolio in other sites, why should I waste time??

Now the current issue is in the buy and sell page when I try to get the price it says "No details available". Funny and the most important part is that I got this message for a most happening scrip RNRL and that too in trading hours. If it is for a short span of time, then it is okay. But if it for all the scrips thorough out the day....imagine...if you wanted to buy or sell something important on that particular day.

Have a look at the picture in this post.

So, the final word is "If it is not for 1 paisa brokerage, I would have closed my troubling trading account with reliance money by this time".

Posted by chandu at 12:10 AM | Permalink | Comments

The war of words over the Ram Setu degenerated into a bitter slander match on Thursday with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi calling Lord Ram a ‘drunkard’ and a ‘big lie’. Karunanidhi reacted with these bitter words after senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani on Thursday asked him to withdraw his statement about Ram, saying “people at the helm of affairs do not force contempt on others as far as religious affairs are concerned.”

“I want the Tamil Nadu CM to withdraw his statement about Ram. I respect Karunanidhi for being an atheist. But people at the helm of affairs do not force contempt on others as far as religious affairs are concerned,” Advani, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, said.

He pointed out that even the PM was upset about the Ram Setu controversy.

Karunanidhi shot back in no time, saying he remains firm on his stand. “I will not withdraw my statement."

"Ram is as big a lie as big as the truth of the existence of the Ganges and the Himalayas," he said. The TN Chief Minister even went on to call Lord Ram a 'drunkard'.

"Even Valmiki has said that Ram was a drunkard. I urge Advani to get into a debate with me after reading Valmiki's Ramayana," Karunanidhi said.

In the wake of the Ram Setu controversy, Karunanidhi had described Lord Ram as a ‘mythical hero’ and vowed to not go back on the Sethusamudram project.

“Is there any proof of Ram having built the bridge, or that he had the engineering expertise… There was no person in the name of Ram. The story of Ram is authored by Valmiki in Ramayana. There are so many things that Valmiki has said about Ram," Karunanidhi said.

On Tuesday evening, Karunanidhi daughter Selvi's house in Bangalore was attacked by unidentified miscreants in a development that was seen as a fallout of his comments. Karunanidhi slammed the attackers, saying "they showed the culture of Ram Bhaktas (worshippers). I treat these things like a speck of dust. I welcome such opposition.”

''The Ram Sevaks have proved their culture. I reiterate what I had said. There is no historical proof that Rama existed or of the bridge been built,'' he said.

Advani, who was at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu on Thursday, described DMK as the second 'destabilising force' in the UPA Government after the Left, and alleged that the party was making its own interpretations and issuing statements on the 'Ram Setu.'

“After the Left, the DMK had become the second destabilizing force in the government,” he said and demanded Karunanidhi to withdraw his remarks on Lord Ram and the Ramayana.

He also urged the Centre to fix ministerial responsibility on those who filed the affidavit on Ram Sethu and appropriately penalise them.

Predicting mid-term elections in early 2008, Advani told a press conference that he foresaw a ‘radical political change’ in the country after the next General Elections.

Source: IBNLIVE

Posted by chandu at 2:55 AM | Permalink | Comments

Zimbra - The leader in open source messaging and collaboration has been acquired by Yahoo!

Read the message sent out by the CEO of Zimbra - Satish Dharmaraj here and the news announcement by Zimbra here.

Posted by chandu at 2:14 AM | Permalink | Comments

Alex, a parrot that could count to six, identify colors and even express frustration with repetitive scientific trials, has died after 30 years of helping researchers better understand the avian brain. The cause of Alex's death was unknown. The African grey parrot's average life span is 50 years, Brandeis University scientist Irene Pepperberg said. Alex was discovered dead in his cage Friday, she said, but she waited to release the news until this week so grieving researchers could get over the shock and talk about it.

"It's devastating to lose an individual you've worked with pretty much every day for 30 years," Pepperberg told The Boston Globe. "Someone was working with him eight to 12 hours every day of his life."

Alex's advanced language and recognition skills revolutionized the understanding of the avian brain. After Pepperberg bought Alex from an animal shop in 1973, the parrot learned enough English to identify 50 objects, seven colors and five shapes. He could count up to six, including zero, was able to express desires, including his frustration with the repetitive research.

He also occasionally instructed two other parrots at the lab to "talk better" if they mumbled, though it wasn't clear whether he was simply mimicking researchers.

Alex hadn't reached his full cognitive potential and was demonstrating the ability to take distinct sounds from words he knew and combine them to form new words, Pepperberg said. Just last month, he pronounced the word "seven" for the first time.

The last time Pepperberg saw Alex was Thursday, she said. They went through their back-and-forth goodnight routine, which always varied slightly and in which she told him it was time to go in the cage.

Posted by chandu at 4:36 AM | Permalink | Comments

A powerful earthquake hit Indonesia on Wednesday, causing buildings to sway in at least four countries, and authorities issued a tsunami warning for much of the Indian Ocean region.

The undersea quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.9 and hit at about 6:10 p.m. (7:10 a.m. EDT), the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was centered 65 miles southwest of Bengkulu, on Sumatra island, at a depth of 9.7 miles, the USGS said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning for wide areas of the region.

"Earthquakes of this size have the potential to generate a widespread destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean Basin," it said, warning that waves could hit Indonesia and Australia within an hour, and Sri Lanka and India within three hours.

Residents in Bengkulu — where at least one building was demolished — said the quake triggered panic and that people ran inland.

"Everyone is running out of their houses in every direction," according to Wati Said, who spoke by cell phone standing outside her house. "We think our neighborhood is high enough. God willing, if the water comes, it will not touch us here."

"Communication is cut, we can't call out," she added. "I don't know how you contacted us. Everyone is afraid."

The temblor could also be felt in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, 375 miles away, where office workers streamed down the stairwells of tall, swaying buildings.

Some people in high-rises in neighboring Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand also felt the quake.

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

In December 2004, a massive earthquake struck off Sumatra island and triggered a tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries, including 160,000 people in Indonesia's westernmost province of Aceh.

Source: Yahoo! News

Posted by chandu at 5:58 AM | Permalink | Comments

These are the fastest cars based on acceleration (in seconds) from 0 to 60 MPH.

2.6 - 1994 Dauer 962 LeMans
2.7 - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Concept
2.7 - 2000 Dodge Hennessey Viper Venom 800TT
2.7 - 1999 Leblanc Caroline
2.7 - 1993 Dauer 962 Le Mans
2.8 - 1996 Renault Espace F1
2.9 - 1991 Audi Avus Quattro
2.9 - 1997 Callaway C7 Corvette
2.9 - 1997 Dodge Viper GTS-R
3.0 - 2003 Bugatti 16/4 Veyron
3.1 - 2006 Mosler
3.1 - 1995 Ford GT-90
3.1 - 1993 Jaguar XJR-15
3.1 - 1998 Koenigsegg CC
3.1 - 1991 Lotec C1000
3.1 - 1991 McLaren F1
3.1 - 1995 Yamaha OX99-11
3.2 - 2002 Koenigsegg CC 8S
3.2 - 1992 Bugatti EB110 SS
3.2 - 1996 Quadraduce
3.3 - 1997 McLaren F1
3.3 - 2001 Saleen S7
3.3 - 1987 Vector Avtech WX3
3.4 - 1992 Bugatti EB110 GT
3.4 - 1985 Koenig Competition Evolution
3.4 - 1994 Schuppan 962CR
3.4 - 1987 Westfield SEI
3.4 - 1997 Dodge Viper Venom 600 GTS
3.5 - 2002 Pagani Zonda C12-S 7.3
3.5 - 2002 FERRARI ENZO
3.6 - 2002 Lamborghini Murciélago
3.6 - 2003 Ferrari Enzo
3.6 - 2001 Lamborghini Diablo
3.6 - 1997 Porsche 911 GT1
3.6 - 1987 Porsche 959
3.6 - 1997 RUF Porsche CTR-2
3.7 - 1991 BMW Nazca C2
3.7 - 1996 Ferrari F 50
3.7 - 1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE30 Jota
3.7 - 1996 Porsche 911 GT2
3.8 - 2003 Dodge Viper SRT-10
3.8 - 2000 Porsche 911 Turbo
3.8 - 1997 Campagna T-Rex
3.8 - 1992 Jaguar XJ220
3.8 - 1996 Lamborghini Diablo SV
3.8 - 1998 Lotus GT1
3.8 - 1994 Ultima Spyder
3.9 - 2006 Dodge Viper
3.9 - 2001 B. Engineering Edonis
3.9 - 2003 Viper SRT/10
3.9 - 1987 Ferrari F 40
4.0 - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
4.0 - 2000 Dodge Viper ACR Coupe
4.0 - 2001 Porsche Carrera GT
4.0 - 2003 Porsche 911 GT2
4.0 - 1993 Lamborghini Diablo SE30
4.1 - 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta
4.1 - 1990 BMW Nazca M12
4.1 - 1993 Lamborghini Diablo VT
4.1 - 1996 Lamborghini Diablo Roadster
4.2 - 2000 BMW Z8
4.2 - 2000 Ferrari 360 Modena
4.2 - 2002 Ferrari 575 M Maranello
4.2 - 1994 TVR Cerbera
4.2 - 1985 Vector W8 Twin Turbo
4.3 - 2003 Porsche 911 GT3
4.3 - 1996 Bugatti EB112
4.4 - 2002 Aston Martin Vanquish
4.4 - 2002 Lotus Esprit V8
4.4 - 1988 Cizeta Moroder V16T
4.4 - 1997 Dodge Viper GTS
4.4 - 1997 Gillet Vertigo
4.4 - 1996 Mega Monté Carlo
4.4 - 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo
4.4 - 1996 Spectre R42
4.4 - 1990 TVR Griffith
4.4 - 1996 Vector Aeromotive M12
4.5 - 2003 z06 Corvette
4.6 - 1996 Dodge Viper RT/10
4.6 - 1994 Ferrari F 512 M
4.6 - 1996 Ferrari F 355 GTS
4.6 - 1996 Ferrari F 355 Spider
4.6 - 1982 Lamborghini Countach
4.7 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL600
4.7 - 1992 Aston Martin Vantage
4.7 - 1996 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
4.7 - 1997 Ferrari F 550 Maranello
4.7 - 1985 Isdera Commendatore
4.7 - 1996 Lotus Esprit S4S
4.7 - 1997 Rinspeed Mono Ego
4.8 - 1997 Chevrolet Corvette C5
4.8 - 1996 Lotus Esprit V8
4.8 - 1997 Panoz Roadster
4.9 - 2002 Acura NSX
4.9 - 1994 Chaterham Seven HPC
4.9 - 1989 De Tomaso Guara
4.9 - 1996 Ferrari F 355 Berlinetta
4.9 - 1996 Ford Mustang Saleen S351
4.9 - 1997 Italdesign Scighera

Source: 2sportscars.com

Posted by chandu at 5:10 AM | Permalink | Comments

A new video purportedly featuring an introduction from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was released Tuesday -- the sixth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. Although the authenticity of the video could not be confirmed, it did feature the logo of As-Sahab Media, the company that traditionally handles al Qaeda communications to the public. The 47-minute videotape was obtained by terrorism expert Laura Mansfield before it was to appear on several Islamist Web sites known for carrying statements from al Qaeda and other radical groups.

In the 14-minute introduction to the video, a voice identified as bin Laden praises 9/11 hijacker Waleed al-Shehri, from Saudi Arabia, who sat in seat 2B on American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. The voice speaking in Arabic is heard over a still picture of bin Laden and contains English subtitles.

The balance of the recording is a video will read by al-Shehri, with 9/11 symbols in the background. He is the seventh of the 19 hijackers to appear in such a will since the terrorist attacks. The voice and picture in the video sound and appear similar to a bin Laden video released late last week. There is no indication that any part of the video was recorded recently. The only element tying it to somewhat-current events is in the introduction and the mention of the death of al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed during a U.S. raid in June 2006.

For several weeks, radical Islamist Web sites have been announcing that there would be "good news soon from Sheikh Osama bin Laden."

Source: CNN

Posted by chandu at 4:26 AM | Permalink | Comments

The destitute and the diseased still gather outside MotherTeresa's clinics in this sprawling city in eastern India, where the ethnic Albanian nun, known simply as ''Mother'', dedicated her life to helping the poorest of the poor. Mother Teresa died 10 years ago on a Wednesday, and many of those who rely on her order, the Missionaries of Charity, never met the tiny, frail woman who became a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a global icon of selflessness and devotion.

But they love her just the same and her name, and her legacy, still provide inspiration, comfort and care, said volunteers as well as those who receive food, shelter, medicine, comfort and more from her group. Gopal Das, 50, was living on the streets with a malignant stomach tumor, and Ninandath, who goes by one name, had a festering leg wound when Missionaries of Charity sisters found them. 'We would have been dead if the sisters had not brought us here' said Das. He was staying at Nirmal Hriday, or ''Pure Heart,'' the first of the many clinics that MotherTeresa opened in Calcutta's ramshackle neighborhoods during her nearly seven decades in India.

Moon Moon Mondal, 17, was raised there because her parents couldn't afford to keep her at home. She thanks the nuns for taking care of her when no one else would and, just as importantly, for giving her an education and training so she could find a job and look after herself. She returns most days to visit her brother and sister, who still live at the center, and to see the nuns.

Mother Teresa came to Calcutta in 1929 as Sister Teresa after she said she heard a call from God to serve the poorest of the poor. She set up schools for street children and medical clinics for slum-dwellers.

Source: MSN.co.in

Posted by chandu at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by chandu at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments

Federal agents spied on the widow of Martin Luther King Jr. for several years after his assassination in 1968, according to newly released documents that reveal the FBI worried about her following in the footsteps of the slain civil rights icon. Coretta Scott King might try to tie "the anti-Vietnam movement to the civil rights movement" according to some of the nearly 500 pages of intelligence files, which go on to show how the FBI trailed King at public appearances and kept close tabs on her travel.

The documents were obtained by Houston television station KHOU in a story published Thursday. Coretta Scott King died in January 2006. She was 78. One memo shows that the FBI even read and reviewed King's 1969 book about her late husband. The entry made a point to say that her "selfless, magnanimous, decorous attitude is belied by ... (her) actual shrewd, calculating, businesslike activities." The documents also focus on her relationship with Stanley Levison, who was a close adviser to Martin Luther King Jr. and a person the government long suspected was a communist.

There is also evidence that the Nixon administration and then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger were kept informed of the FBI's surveillance. Martin Luther King Jr.'s activities were long known to have been monitored by the federal government. News of intelligence gathering on famous Americans and war critics became so infamous that rules to curtail domestic spying were put in place in the 1970s.

source: cbs46.com

Posted by chandu at 6:14 AM | Permalink | Comments

Fans of US TV will be able to download episodes of Lost, Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty as Apple launches its video downloads service in the UK. Initially 28 series will be available with Apple promising more content soon. There is currently little UK-produced content, although ITV, Channel 4 and the BBC all offer their own download catch-up TV services. Unlike the BBC, Apple will charge iTunes customers £1.89 per episode for their favourite shows.


Music core

The BBC and Channel 4's offerings are essentially catch-up services, whereas any content bought via iTunes can be kept. The content - available from Apple's iTunes store - can be viewed on TV, iPods or a widescreen TV via its add-on peripheral Apple TV. Apple launched its video download service in the US two years ago with mixed results.

"Video content in the US has clearly not been as strong as music in terms of both the breadth and depth of what is available and in terms of how much is being sold," said JupiterMedia analyst Mark Mulligan. While a video catalogue is an important addition to the UK iTunes store, music will remain its core service, he said. Down the line partnerships with the BBC and Channel 4 could be on the cards, he thinks.

"It is a natural partnership and UK companies have shown a willingness to experiment with online video distribution but a lot of questions remain over things such as usage rights and how to differentiate content," he said.

Posted by chandu at 6:18 AM | Permalink | Comments

If you are smoker and looking for ways to quit smoking, then here are some pics from BBC Science which would definitely motivate you to take the path of quitting.

Posted by chandu at 6:10 AM | Permalink | Comments

Jobs portal Monster.com has released details about the severity of the attack on its site. It said confidential details of more than 1.3 million people, mainly Americans, were stolen by malicious hackers who carried out the attack. It said that servers in Ukraine and hijacked home computers were used to mount the attack. Monster said the information was stolen to lend credibility to e-mails sent out as part of a phishing campaign.

Bank job

The thieves got away with names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of Monster.com users. The job site said that the thieves did not get any useful financial information such as bank account details in the attack. Monster told the Reuters news agency that it first heard about the attack on 17 August thanks to security firm Symantec. The jobs portal said it managed to shut down the rogue servers used in the attack on 21 August after contacting the Ukrainian company hosting them.

These servers were used to get access to Monster's database using stolen login details. The attackers wanted to get hold of personal information in an attempt to make e-mails supposedly sent by recruitment firms more plausible. By getting people to open the fake e-mails and click on the attachments the thieves aimed to steal more saleable information or hijack an infected machine.

The vast majority of those affected by the attack are based in the US. Monster estimates that fewer than 5,000 people outside the US had their details stolen in the attack. Monster said it had more than 73 million CVs in its database.

Source: BBC

Posted by chandu at 6:03 AM | Permalink | Comments

The number of UK homes with internet access has gone up by nearly a million over the last year, figures suggest. Some 15.2m UK households - 61% of homes - now have an internet connection, compared with 54% in 2006, research from National Statistics found. London and south-west England had the highest percentage online at 69%, with Northern Ireland lowest at 52%. In total, 84% of web-enabled households said they had a broadband connection, up from 69% in May 2006.

Internet shopping

The research found that age was a significant factor in determining whether individuals were likely to go online, National Statistics said. "There was still a large difference between the number of young and older people accessing the internet," it said. According to the report, 71% of those aged over 65 said they had never used it, while the figure for those aged 16 to 24 was just 4%. It found that internet shopping is also on the increase, with 53% having bought goods online, compared with 44% last year.

But the research found evidence that users were not taking threats to their online security seriously enough. A total of 46% of internet users said they had never or hardly ever made a back-up of files on their computer - and of those, 21% had had a computer virus in the last 12 months.

The figures were compiled from the National Statistics Omnibus Survey conducted each month with 1,200 adults aged over 16 in Great Britain, and with 400 adults in Northern Ireland in May 2007. They echo a recent report by Ofcom which found older media such as TV, radio and DVDs are being abandoned in favour of more modern technology.

Posted by chandu at 5:58 AM | Permalink | Comments

Every movement, gurgle and chuckle made by a baby in the first three years of its life is being recorded by a scientist in the US. Professor Deb Roy of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is recording his son's development to shed light on how babies acquire language. The Human Speechome Project, as it is known, uses cameras and microphones installed in the scientist's home. The project will eventually gather 400,000 hours of material.

"As every proud parent knows, there's no such thing as too many images and videos you can take of your newborn," Professor Roy told a press conference. "I think we're taking this to a whole new level."

Language difficulty

There is still a considerable amount of debate about how infants acquire language. Although listening to the cooing of parents is thought to play an important part, most scientists believe it cannot be solely responsible for the rapid progress seen in most children. Instead, language-specific genes and environmental factors have both been put forward as additional factors that help children to learn to speak.

Until now, the environmental influences on development have been very difficult to test because scientists have been unable to observe a baby for long enough in its home environment. The Speechome Project will change that by generating and analysing vast tracts of recorded material. For example, to understand how Professor Roy's son learnt his first words, the scientists will be able to mine their records to see who used those words around the child, where they were and what the child was doing at the time.

Frank Moss, director of MIT's Media Lab, believes the project has close parallels to the Human Genome Project. "Just as the Human Genome Project illuminates the innate genetic code that shapes us, the Speechome Project is an important first step toward creating a map of how the environment shapes human development and learning," he said.

Big brother

The project started recording nine months ago when Professor Roy's newborn son left hospital. Since then a "big brother" network of 14 microphones and 11 omni-directional cameras has been recording his son's waking hours. The surveillance system is turned on at eight o'clock in the morning until 10 o'clock at night, producing nearly 350GB of compressed data every day.

It will be switched on for the next three years, by which time Professor Roy's son should be using complex language and spending more time outside, making recordings more difficult. In case Professor Roy's family requires some privacy, every room is fitted with a PDA that can turn the microphones or cameras off. An "oops" button allows people to erase the last few minutes of footage. "You can type in how many minutes back in time you want to scrub permanently from the house's memory," said Professor Roy.

Source: BBC

Posted by chandu at 5:36 AM | Permalink | Comments

A person's entire life from birth to death could one day be recorded by a network of intelligent sensors, according to a senior scientist. By 2057, Martin Sadler of PC firm Hewlett Packard, said there could be at least 1m devices for every UK resident. Predicted advances in storage and cameras coupled with decreasing costs would allow this explosion, he said. But, he warned, the amount of personal data that could be collected would lead to difficult ethical dilemmas.

"Maybe the first time you know you are pregnant is when a targeted piece of advertising comes through on your computer screen offering you some baby clothes because somehow the smart toilet, or some other aspect of your environment, leaked that information," he said.

Life recorder

Already we live in a world surrounded by sensors and recording devices, said Professor Sadler, director of the Trusted Systems Lab at Hewlett Packard. Current uses include CCTV, wildlife monitoring, mobile phone cameras and GPS devices. A 2002 study calculated there were around 4.2 million CCTV cameras in the UK, one for every 14 people. Professor Sadler said: "The average Londoner may be viewed as many as 300 times a day."

The growth in the number of devices would continue to grow, he predicted. "If you go forward 50 years, you are probably talking about one million forms of sensors per person in the UK," he said. This was a conservative estimate, he said. "More aggressive" calculations suggest there could be 20m sensors per person. Already some researchers at Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and MIT have developed devices that record a person's every move. Research like this, as well as advances in sensor technology and manufacturing techniques would see a continued "slow and incremental, year-on-year" growth in the number of devices that surround and monitor people, he said. This would result in a world where "everything we want monitored can be monitored," he said.

Future use

A lot of the applications would be "innocent and harmless", he said. We imagine by 2057 our motorways, rivers and coastal defences, farms, businesses, homes and neighbourhoods and bodies will all be highly instrumented," he said. But he said there would be potential to misuse the networks and the data they collect. "We will hit some of these scenarios when people suddenly think, 'Oh, I didn't really intend to go there'," he said. "I'm sure there will be a lot of after the event working out what we do about some of the more invasive uses of the technology."

As a result, he said, people needed to make decisions now about the future use if the technology. "We have some real choices that we can make over the next few years about how much we benefit from all this information... or how much it presents some sort of dark future for us."

Source: BBC

Posted by chandu at 5:28 AM | Permalink | Comments

A SOUTH African mining company yesterday claimed to have discovered the world's biggest diamond, twice the size of the current biggest known stone, the Cullinan. Brett Jolly, a spokesman for the company, Two Point Five Construction, said the rough diamond - reportedly a 7,000-carat stone about the size of a coconut - had been transported under tight security to Johannesburg and deposited in a bank vault Mr Jolly, in a local radio interview, said he was now consulting with lawyers about future steps concerning the diamond.

The Cullinan, which was discovered in South Africa more than 100 years ago, became part of Britain's Crown Jewels.

Before anything else happens, in the country's strictly controlled diamond mining industry, the stone will have to be examined by the South African Diamond Board, which registers all diamonds, to confirm its authenticity and that it was found at a licensed diamond mining site.

In the north-west of the country, where Two Point Five operates, hundreds of small diamond prospecting companies are registered. It is illegal to attempt to sell stones other than from registered sites and both the Diamond Board and the government's Ministry of Minerals and Energy have to register stones and give permission for export. It would also be subjected to the Kimberley Process, a system aimed at controlling the sale of "blood diamonds" used to finance Africa's many wars.

Tom Tweedy, a spokesman for De Beers, the world's biggest diamond company, said that if the find were genuine it would be "the stone of the century". However, he said photographs of the "diamond" show it to be light green in colour, which while possible is very rare. "I have my doubts that it is real," Mr Tweedy added. Various diamond industry spokesmen said that while the precise site of the find had yet to be revealed, it was standard practice not to do so with a potentially very valuable diamond for security reasons.

It is also common for the owner of a big find to keep details under wraps initially for the purposes of increasing buyer interest. "If it is what it is, it's very, very rare," said Les Milner, a gem scientist with the Jewellery Council Laboratories, the umbrella organisation of South Africa's precious stones trade. "I tend to be very sceptical about this kind of thing."

But Mr Milner added that photographs show it has the typical octahedral shape of a diamond.

Now the topic of biggest diamonds has come up, so, let us see some other biggest ones. Following are some well known names of biggest diamonds.

• KOH-I-NOOR
• Cullinan I
• The Excelsior
• Orloff
• The Great Mogul
• The Idols Eye
• Sefadu
• The Centenary
• The Premier Rose
• The Regent
• The Blue Hope
• The Sancy
• The Taylor-Burton

Posted by chandu at 1:49 AM | Permalink | Comments

Thousands of IT professionals and executives, developers, technology providers, and industry experts from around the world are expected to join in VMworld 2007 on September 11-13 at the Moscone Center in scenic San Francisco to experience the latest and greatest in virtualization technology and business solutions. As part of the VMworld 2007 industry leaders speak about the latest trends and challenges in the virtualization ecosystem.

The event is expected to be attended by more than 10,000 technology experts and business executives including VMware employees. VMworld 2007 will offer over 250 breakout sessions that fall into one or more of following eight tracks.

• Infrastructure Planning
• Infrastructure Operations
• Workloads & Virtual Appliances
• Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery
• Software Lifecycle Automation
• Desktop Virtualization

"Solutions Exchange"- an event which will have over 100 industry leading companies showcasing the latest products and services in the virtualization ecosystem.

Registrations can be done at http://www.vmware.com/vmworld/

Source: VMware

Tags: VMworld 2007

Posted by chandu at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments

1. Make strategic moves within your industry. Contrary to myth, successful job hoppers are focused and targeted. They know what they want and go after it. Each job change can be likened to a move on a chessboard. It's carefully planned rather than an impetuous or thoughtless act.

2. Don't burn bridges. Farsighted job hunters change jobs without leaving a bad taste in the mouths of previous employers. A take-this-job-and-shove-it attitude is career suicide. Even though you hate everything about the job, leave on good terms and swallow your feelings.

3. Leave in style. That means no surprises. Give plenty of warning so the powers-that-be have plenty of time to find a replacement. Waiting the obligatory two weeks before telling your boss is bad form. The same goes for colleagues. Prudent job changers leave a job even better than they found it. They do everything they can to ensure a smooth transition.

Source: grantthead Newsletter by Bob Weinstein

Posted by chandu at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments

Excerpts of the speech given by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates at Harvard University on June 7, 2007.

In his commencement speech at Harvard, Bill Gates talks to the graduates about the use of modern technology for the betterment of humanity.

I’ve been waiting more than 30 years to say this: “Dad, I always told you I’d come back and get my degree.”

I want to thank Harvard for this timely honor. I’ll be changing my job next year … and it will be nice to finally have a college degree on my resume.

…What I remember above all about Harvard was being in the midst of so much energy and intelligence. It could be exhilarating, intimidating, sometimes even discouraging, but always challenging. It was an amazing privilege – and though I left early, I was transformed by my years at Harvard, the friendships I made, and the ideas I worked on.

But taking a serious look back … I do have one big regret.

I left Harvard with no real awareness the awful inequities in the world – the appalling disparities of health, and wealth, and opportunity that condemn millions of people to lives of despair.

I learned a lot here at Harvard about new ideas in economics and politics. I got great exposure to the advances being made in the sciences.

But humanity’s greatest advances are not in its discoveries – but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity. Whether through democracy, strong public education, quality health care, or broad economic opportunity – reducing inequity is the highest human achievement.

I left campus knowing little about the millions of young people cheated out of educational opportunities here in this country. And I knew nothing about the millions of people living in unspeakable poverty and disease in developing countries.

It took me decades to find out.

You graduates came to Harvard at a different time. You know more about the world’s inequities than the classes that came before. In your years here, I hope you’ve had a chance to think about how – in this age of accelerating technology – we can finally take on these inequities, and we can solve them.

...If we can really see a problem, which is the first step, we come to the second step: cutting through the complexity to find a solution.

Finding solutions is essential if we want to make the most of our caring. If we have clear and proven answers anytime an organization or individual asks “How can I help?,” then we can get action – and we can make sure that none of the caring in the world is wasted. But complexity makes it hard to mark a path of action for everyone who cares — and that makes it hard for their caring to matter.


Cutting through complexity to find a solution runs through four predictable stages: determine a goal, find the highest-leverage approach, discover the ideal technology for that approach, and in the meantime, make the smartest application of the technology that you already have.

…The crucial thing is to never stop thinking and working – and never do what we did with malaria and tuberculosis in the 20th century – which is to surrender to complexity and quit.

The final step – after seeing the problem and finding an approach – is to measure the impact of your work and share your successes and failures so that others learn from your efforts.

You have to have the statistics, of course. You have to be able to show that a program is vaccinating millions more children. You have to be able to show a decline in the number of children dying from these diseases. This is essential not just to improve the program, but also to help draw more investment from business and government.

But if you want to inspire people to participate, you have to show more than numbers; you have to convey the human impact of the work – so people can feel what saving a life means to the families affected.

…The defining and ongoing innovations of this age – biotechnology, the computer, the Internet – give us a chance we’ve never had before to end extreme poverty and end death from preventable disease.

…as my class graduated without me, technology was emerging that would make the world smaller, more open, more visible, less distant.

The emergence of low-cost personal computers gave rise to a powerful network that has transformed opportunities for learning and communicating.

The magical thing about this network is not just that it collapses distance and makes everyone your neighbor. It also dramatically increases the number of brilliant minds we can have working together on the same problem – and that scales up the rate of innovation to a staggering degree.

At the same time, for every person in the world who has access to this technology, five people don’t. That means many creative minds are left out of this discussion — smart people with practical intelligence and relevant experience who don’t have the technology to hone their talents or contribute their ideas to the world.

We need as many people as possible to have access to this technology, because these advances are triggering a revolution in what human beings can do for one another. They are making it possible not just for national governments, but for universities, corporations, smaller organizations, and even individuals to see problems, see approaches, and measure the impact of their efforts to address the hunger, poverty, and desperation.

…When you consider what those of us here in this Yard have been given – in talent, privilege, and opportunity – there is almost no limit to what the world has a right to expect from us.

In line with the promise of this age, I want to exhort each of the graduates here to take on an issue – a complex problem, a deep inequity, and become a specialist on it. If you make it the focus of your career, that would be phenomenal. But you don’t have to do that to make an impact. For a few hours every week, you can use the growing power of the Internet to get informed, find others with the same interests, see the barriers, and find ways to cut through them.

Don’t let complexity stop you. Be activists. Take on the big inequities. It will be one of the great experiences of your lives.

You graduates are coming of age in an amazing time. As you leave Harvard, you have technology that members of my class never had. You have awareness of global inequity, which we did not have. And with that awareness, you likely also have an informed conscience that will torment you if you abandon these people whose lives you could change with very little effort. You have more than we had; you must start sooner, and carry on longer.

Knowing what you know, how could you not?

And I hope you will come back here to Harvard 30 years from now and reflect on what you have done with your talent and your energy. I hope you will judge yourselves not on your professional accomplishments alone, but also on how well you have addressed the world’s deepest inequities … on how well you treated people a world away who have nothing in common with you but their humanity.

Good luck.

Source: thesmarttechie.com

Posted by chandu at 1:28 AM | Permalink | Comments

Do You Know,

Letters 'a', 'b', 'c' & 'd' do not appear anywhere in the spellings of 1 to 99
(Letter 'd' comes for the first time in Hundred)

Letters 'a', 'b' & 'c' do not appear anywhere in the spellings of 1 to 999
(Letter 'a' comes for the first time in Thousand)

Letters 'b' & 'c' do not appear anywhere in the spellings of 1 to 999,999,999
(Letter 'b' comes for the first time in Billion)

And

Letter 'c' does not appear anywhere in the spellings of entire English Counting

Posted by chandu at 2:04 AM | Permalink | Comments

Techies and IT people are very happy these days, as well they should be. It isn’t job utopia, because there are still plenty of experienced IT pros out of work. For the most part, however, the job picture is nothing to complain about. This is not breaking news. It’s been this way for several months now, and I’ve written about it before. But I’ve also been a profit of gloom. Doomsday is not on the horizon, but darker days may be ahead if you’re not on top of market realities. Human beings have a way of fooling themselves and believing that because things are good at this very moment, they will stay that way.

There is something to say for the Buddhist “living in the moment” philosophy, but it’s also very dangerous if you expect to stay on top of your game. There’s more to the Buddhist doctrine, however. It goes on to say that we are accountable for our actions until the end of our lives.

Apply that notion to your career, and you’ll start making smart decisions and logical assumptions about your future. A short while ago, I posed this question: What will you do if the economy turns sour? Anything is possible, but a likely scenario is that U.S. companies will become so backlogged with projects that they’ll have no choice but to outsource and offshore their IT operations just to meet their production deadlines.

That’s largely because there is a shortage of qualified technology candidates to fill all the available jobs. Following the 2001 economic downturn, IT enrollment in colleges and universities fell dramatically. Since then, high school and college advisers have been doing a miserable job of luring young people back into technology programs.

In 2006, there were 7,798 undergraduate IT majors in the field, compared with 15,958 in 2000, according to The Computing Research Association, which has tracked enrollment in computer programs at four-year universities since 1974. As Mark Roberts, CEO of the National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses, said in a recent eWeek magazine story, “Tech just ain’t cool.” And parents aren’t encouraging their kids to go into technology, he added.

The result is that the demand for IT people is so strong, companies are outsourcing and offshoring their IT projects. And it’s only going to get worse. A 2007 Deloitte CEO Consulting survey said that CEOs are increasingly turning to overseas talent to compensate for the shortage of qualified workers. About 45 percent of respondents said that they are currently offshoring, and 55 percent said they are planning to offshore in the next five years.

Quoting Roberts again, “If we don’t have the people, the work will get pushed offshore. One way or another, companies will get their projects done. “ That’s a pity, because there is no better time to enter the IT field. If you’re thinking about a career change, you can’t go wrong with virtually anything connected with technology. While enrollments are not likely to return to 2000 levels, the good news is that more students are taking advantage of online technical degree programs. For the academic year, there was a slight uptick in the number of freshmen declaring computer science as a major.

Until recently, many of the snobby Ivy League schools have thumbed their noses at online degree programs. But more top schools are offering them. StanfordUniversity, for example, offers online master’s degrees in certain sciences. It’s time that we got off our high horses and gave the first-rate, acclaimed online programs the credit they deserve. The University of Phoenix, the nation’s largest for-profit online school, has been offering a raft of technical degree programs for several years.

Here’s some sound advice for senior and junior IT workers: Don’t assume you’ll remain employable. Because technology is constantly changing, there’s a good chance your skills will be obsolete if you don’t update them regularly. The only way to stay on top of your field is to take courses, enroll in training programs, get career-enhancing certifications--and do whatever else it takes to remain a hot property. You’ll kick yourself if you don’t. At the rate we’re going, if we don’t meet industry’s insatiable appetite for technical candidates, thousands of good IT jobs will be shipped overseas. And they’re not likely to come back so quickly.

Source: grantthead.com
Tags: Jobs Employer Job Trends Loosing Job

Posted by chandu at 12:36 AM | Permalink | Comments

The European Space Agency (Esa) is after volunteers for a simulated human trip to Mars, in which six crew members spend 17 months in an isolation tank. They will live and work in a series of interlocked modules at a research institute in Moscow. Once the hatches are closed, the crew's only contact with the outside world is a radio link to "Earth" with a realistic delay of 40 minutes. It sounds like Big Brother, but there are no plans to televise the test. The modular "spacecraft" measures some 550 cubic meters (19,250 cubic feet), the equivalent of nine truck containers. It is based at the Russian Institute for Biomedical Problems in the Russian capital.

Posted by chandu at 5:17 AM | Permalink | Comments

I happened to read a bit about and know a bit about Ron Paul at his official site ronpaul2008.com. I do not have much idea about the American Politics and I did not have the interest in learning about it too until I saw the movie "Good Shepherd". The recent discussions about Ron Paul made me to get to know about him. Here is a bit about him though you can always get it from here.

Posted by chandu at 2:40 AM | Permalink | Comments

25 years ago

A program was ... a television show
An application was .. for employment
Windows were..... something u hated to clean
A cursor ... used profanity
A keyboard was ...a piano
Memory was..... something u lost with age
A CD was... a bank account
If u unzipped in public u went to jail
Compress was something u did to garbage
A hard drive was a long trip on the road
Log on was adding wood to fire
A backup happened to your toilet
A mouse pad was where a mouse lived
Cut.. u did with scissors
Paste.. u did with glue
A web was a spiders home
A Monitor was some one who used to keep watch on classmates in absence of teacher or
A Monitor was class (School's)representative
A Desktop was desk's top surface.
And a virus was the flu !!

Times surely have changed

Posted by chandu at 5:28 AM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by chandu at 5:06 AM | Permalink | Comments

A newspaper in southwest China has sacked three of its editors over an advertisement saluting mothers of protesters killed in the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, a source with knowledge of the gaffe said on Thursday.

Public discussion of the massacre is still taboo in China and the government has rejected calls to overturn the verdict that the student-led protests were subversive. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, were killed when the army crushed the democracy movement on June 4, 1989. Li Zhaojun, deputy editor-in-chief of the Chengdu Evening News in Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu, and two other members of the tabloid's editorial office had been dismissed, the source told Reuters requesting anonymity.

The newspaper and the Chengdu city government declined to comment. Li could not be reached. On the 18th anniversary of the crackdown Monday, the lower right corner of page 14 of the Chengdu Evening News ran a tiny ad reading: "Paying tribute to the strong(-willed) mothers of June 4 victims." Authorities interrogated newspaper staff to find out how the advertisement slipped past censors. Newspaper ads need to be vetted in China.

Hong Kong's South China Morning Post said Wednesday a young female clerk allowed the tribute to be published because she had never heard of the crackdown. She phoned back the person who placed the ad to ask what June 4 meant and he told her it was the date of a mining disaster, the Post said. It was unclear if the man who placed the advertisement had been arrested.

The man also tried to place the same advertisement with two other Chengdu newspapers, the source said. "Staff at the other two newspapers also did not know what June 4 was, but they phoned and asked their superiors and he walked away," the source told Reuters. The Communist Party has banned references to the crackdown in state media, the Internet and books as part of a whitewash campaign, meaning most young Chinese are ignorant of the events. The 32-page Chengdu Evening News, which boasts a circulation of 200,000, has not suspended publication.

Source: Yahoo! News
Tags: Tiananmen Square crackdown China

Posted by chandu at 4:58 AM | Permalink | Comments

Poland's 1,200 troops assigned to NATO forces in Afghanistan will not achieve full combat readiness for up to several weeks due to stolen vehicle keys, the defense ministry said Thursday.

"We had been told a 10 percent theft rate was likely in convoys brought in from Pakistan, but we had not expected the spare car keys to go missing," defense ministry spokesman Jaroslaw Rybak told news channel TVN24. "We shall have to send away for spares, so it may take from several days to several weeks for our contingent to become combat ready."

According to media reports, Polish troops taking part in NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan have been assigned to patrol the mountainous border area with Pakistan to search for Taliban guerrilla activity.

The military vehicles used by Polish forces include Poland's Land Rover-like Honkers and U.S.-built Humvees.

Posted by chandu at 4:52 AM | Permalink | Comments

Astronauts James Reilly and Danny Olivas were planning to keep their eyes on their gloves Monday during the first spacewalk of Atlantis' visit to the international space station. A new spacewalking procedure requires astronauts to examine their gloves after every task to make sure there are no cuts in them. NASA put the procedure into place after astronaut Robert Curbeam last December apparently cut an outer layer of his glove during a spacewalk. Curbeam was never in any danger — in fact the cut was found during an examination on the ground several months later — but NASA wants to make sure there is no chance a leak could develop while an astronaut is in space.

"If we do have damage to the glove, it will help us detect where on the vehicle we have a sharp edge," Kirk Shireman, deputy program manager of the international space station, said Sunday. Reilly and Olivas plan to connect a new, 35,000-pound segment to the space station and remove bolts and restraints that hold in place a solar array, also a part of the segment, to be unfolded later in the mission. The new solar array will add about 14 kilowatts of power-generating capability to the station.

Reilly has gone on three previous spacewalks and Olivas is going on his first. While Reilly and Olivas are working as space electricians, engineers in Houston 220 miles below will evaluate whether a peeled-back thermal blanket on Atlantis should be fixed by astronauts. The loosened blanket, covering a 4-inch-by 6-inch area over a pod for engines, was discovered during an inspection of the space shuttle on Saturday.

A decision likely will be made in the next day or two, and if the answer is to fix it, another decision will be made on whether it will be done during one of three scheduled spacewalks or during an extra, unplanned one. "I'm leaning, maybe, a little bit toward doing it," said John Shannon, chairman of the mission management team. Engineers who had studied past damage to the blanket area on other shuttle missions were uncomfortable with the safety margins of a piece of the blanket sticking out during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

Temperatures on the shuttle's heat shield can reach as high as 2,900 degree Fahrenheit during re-entry, although the heat on the blanket's location during re-entry only reaches 700 degrees to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. "The concern is that if it sticks up, you get additional heating," Shannon said.

Engineers didn't think heat could burn through the graphite structure underneath the blanket, but they were worried it might cause some damage that would require repairs on the ground. The rest of the vehicle appeared to be in fine shape, NASA said.

Atlantis docked with the space station on Sunday, and the crews of both spacecraft greeted each other with hugs and handshakes. Prior to docking, astronauts inside the space station took photographs of the shuttle's belly when Atlantis was 600 feet below the orbiting outpost. Nothing "jumped out at us" during a review of the photos, Shannon said, although there did appear to be a few pieces of gap filler sticking out. Gap filler is material fitted between thermal tiles to prevent them from rubbing against each other.

U.S. astronauts Sunita Williams and Clayton Anderson traded out seatliners on the Russian emergency vehicle attached to the station. The seatliner exchange marked the official replacement of Williams by Anderson as a space station resident. Williams will return to Earth aboard Atlantis after more than six months in space.

Anderson, who will spend four months at the station, appeared to be getting his bearings in his new home when Mission Control asked him how he was doing via radio. "Aside from the fact that I don't know where anything is or how to do anything, I'm OK," he said.

Posted by chandu at 4:43 AM | Permalink | Comments

When Dr.Julio Bonis awoke one Sunday morning with a sore shoulder, he could not figure out what he had done. It felt like a sports injury, but he had been a bit of a couch potato lately. Then he remembered his new Wii.

Bonis, 29, had spent hours playing Nintendo Co.'s new video game in which players simulate real movements. Bonis had been playing simulated tennis. It was not quite tennis elbow, he decided. "The variant in this patient can be labeled more specifically as 'Wiiitis,'" Bonis, a family practice physician, wrote in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine
"The treatment consisted of ibuprofen for one week, as well as complete abstinence from playing Wii video games. The patient recovered fully."

Wiiitis -- pronounced "wee-eye-tis" -- is the latest ailment to develop from the video game era, beginning with Space Invaders' wrist in 1981, which was caused by the repeated button mashing required by the popular arcade game.

Nintendo's Wii game can captivate for hours and "unlike in the real sport, physical strength and endurance are not limiting factors," Bonis of the Research Group in Biomedical Informatics in Barcelona, Spain, wrote. "What convinced me to send the case report was that a friend of mine, after playing 'Wii Sports' suffered from a similar complaint," Bonis told Reuters in an e-mail. "I have not found other cases in my clinical practice, but it is probably an underdiagnosed condition."

It is not the first time Nintendo has received attention in the medical field.

In 1990, a Wisconsin doctor characterized the thumb soreness brought on by pushing the buttons on a controller as "Nintendinitis" after it affected a 35-year-old woman who played a Nintendo game without interruption for five hours. With virtual golf, boxing, baseball and bowling already on the market, "future games could involve different and unexpected groups of muscles," Bonis said. "Physicians should be aware that there may be multiple, possibly puzzling presentations of Wiiitis."

Bonis said he still plays the games, "but I try to use it with moderation. Sometimes it's hard to do!"

Source: Yahoo! News
Tags: Wii Nintendo Wiiitis Video Games Virtual Reality Health

Posted by chandu at 4:31 AM | Permalink | Comments

Hundreds of naked cyclists, some sporting strategically-placed body paint, toured the streets of London and other cities around the world on Saturday to protest oil dependency and the car culture. Traffic came to a standstill and onlookers gaped or took photographs as the bare cyclists streamed past London's landmarks, blowing whistles and waving flags saying "Rights for Bikes".

Cyclists in Paris, Madrid and Vancouver, among other cities, joined in what was the fourth annual world naked bike ride. One London participant had painted "Less Gas More Ass" across his bare back to extol the benefits of pedal power. More modest cyclists wore shorts, bikinis or strips of tape.

"We shouldn't be so dependent on oil," said Bogdan Potrowski, a 36-year-old Polish electrician, wearing just a baseball cap. "We also want to show everyone how defenceless we are on the roads," he added after completing the route past London's prime tourist sites including the Houses of Parliament and Downing Street. Tom Whelehan, 40, said the protest had numerous objectives: to urge more people to ride bikes, to highlight the vulnerability of cyclists and to celebrate the human body -- in all its shapes and sizes.

"We're trying to find the simplest, safest and most natural way to make our point," said Whelehan, a teacher. He said cycling naked was reasonably comfortable but added that some of London's cobbled streets had proved a challenge. Others were just there for fun or to bemoan the difficulties of being a bike-owner in big cities.

Rebecca Craig, 20, a student midwife with red hand prints painted on her breasts, said she had been motivated to join the ride after the front tyre of her bicycle was stolen. "Everyone does it for different reasons," she said, pointing to the message drawn on her bare back: "Give me my wheel back".

Organisers of the London ride said about 850 people had taken part last year and they had hoped for more than 1,000 on Saturday, helped by sunny weather. French television said around 400 cyclists attended the ride in Paris. Police arrived quickly on the scene putting an end to the rally and telling them to put their clothes on. Police said five people were arrested for "sexual exhibition" after the rally which ended near the Opera building in central Paris.

Source: Yahoo! News
Tags: bicycle Rights for Bikes

Posted by chandu at 4:18 AM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by chandu at 11:40 PM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by chandu at 2:19 AM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by chandu at 2:19 AM | Permalink | Comments

Sony has cut $100 (£50) off the price of its new next-generation DVD player as it tries to get ahead in the market. The BDP-S300 now costs $499 - half what the firm's first Blu-ray player cost at its launch six months ago. Sony said growing demand for the next generation technology and falling production costs had allowed for the price cut.

Posted by chandu at 1:48 AM | Permalink | Comments

Apple has confirmed that its much-anticipated iPhone product will launch on 29 June in the US. The date was given in a series of TV adverts broadcast on Sunday, and was later confirmed by a spokesman for the California-based company. The device, which combines the features of a mobile phone and personal digital assistant, will sell for $499 (£251) and $599, depending on configuration. The phone's much-touted feature is a completely touch-sensitive interface.

Posted by chandu at 1:45 AM | Permalink | Comments

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Apple chief executive Steve Jobs have appeared on stage together for the first time in more than two decades. Billed as a public "conversation" between two giants of the computer industry, the event at the All Things Digital conference, hugely anticipated by technology buffs, was seen as a long overdue opportunity for two of the greatest pioneers in the industry to go head to head. But would they re-live old feuds or shuffle uncomfortably in their seats if touchy subjects cropped up?

It was not to be. The question and answer session at the D: All Things Digital conference, turned out to be more of a love-in between old pals. The pair reminisced about how their respective businesses had grown over the years.

Asked what Gates' contribution to computing had been, Jobs said: "Bill built the first.....Read More at BBC Tech News
Tags: Bill Gates Steve Jobs Microsoft Apple

Posted by chandu at 1:40 AM | Permalink | Comments

This is a pretty basic hub, and it’s not powered, which means all four devices share power from that one USB hub it’s plugged into. Sometimes that’s fine, but not when you’re plugging in 4 power intensive devices (cameras, iPods, hard drives). Still, this does what it is supposed to do, which is a good thing. For people with laptops that are stingy on USB ports, this is a cheap, easy way to add an extra four for your USB keys, MP3 players, or any other USB gadget you might have around.

The biggest difference between the USB Squid and other USB Hubs is the USB Squid's arms can bend in any direction (so all your USB cords don't have to be coming from the same place!) Also, they have ridges on one side and the top - and indents on the bottom and other side. You can actually connect the USB ports using these ridges in many different configurations. Maybe you need 4 vertical ports or 4 horizontal or the end two free and the middle stacked or maybe a zig zag hub. The choice is yours.

The USB Squid is 11" long (from plug to hub).

Source: Cool-gadets.com
Tags: USB Squid USB Hub Computer Gadgets

Posted by chandu at 1:26 AM | Permalink | Comments

Insider just shouted to the world that the red Zune—seen much prettier here in their official ad shots—will be available via Target and Amazon starting June 10.

If there's one thing we have to hand to Zune guys, it's that they really know how to pick good looking colors for their players. We're totally in the mood for some juicy, delicious fruit right now.

Posted by chandu at 1:19 AM | Permalink | Comments

"I think of it as a pretty natural evolution, with the one interesting thing being the video side of it," said Martin Pyykkonen, an analyst with Global Crown Capital. "The thing everyone is wondering right now is what will an advertiser be willing to pay for a video link," Pyykkonen said. "From the advertiser standpoint, I think they will be interested in how to hook their customer better." Universal Search means that standard Google searches will draw results from separate properties covering books, local information, images, news, and video, said Marissa Mayer, vice president of search and user experience. "It's breaking down the silos of information that have been built up. It's a broad, long-term vision that will unfold over the next few years," Mayer said. "We are really excited about what Universal Search could evolve to in the future."

The combined search includes any site indexed by Google's services. On the video side, for example, it will include YouTube, Google Video and independent sites like Metacafe.com. Mayer did not directly discuss advertising plans, but she indicated the new service could open the door to more relevant ads on search result pages, which accounted for roughly half of the $10.6 billion in revenue Google did last year.

"For us, ads are (search) answers as well. I would hope that we can bring some of these same advances, in terms of richness of media, to ads," Mayer said. In addition, the company is introducing new navigation features at the top of every Google page that let users to quickly hop between its different properties.

For example, users of Google's e-mail service, Gmail, can jump instantly to search, calendar, documents, and other services, according to a demonstration at the briefing. The company also is preparing a translation service that converts queries into other languages, allowing a user to comb a broader swath of the Web, Google's Vice President of Engineering, Udi Manber, said at the event.

The technique will translate queries in any of a dozen languages into English, find additional search results, then automatically translate those back into the language of the original query. This will give users in any supported language a broader view of information on the Web.

"That by itself will open the whole Web to different languages," Manber said.

Source: CNN.com
Tags: Google Search Engines Web

Posted by chandu at 6:46 AM | Permalink | Comments

• 81 percent of bullies are managers
• 50 percent of bullies are women and 50 percent are men
• 84 percent of targets are women
• 82 percent of targets ultimately lost their jobs
• 95 percent of bullying is witnessed
  

Most disturbing is that only 7 percent of workplace bullies end up censured, transferred or fired.

How do you handle a bully boss? You don’t have to be miserable and take his abuse, says Robert Mueller, a San Francisco-based labor attorney who has represented more than 2,000 employees, many of whom were targets of despotic bosses.

And you don’t have to quit your job. Read why employees leave organisations? If you’re going to deal with the problem, you have to accept the sad reality that workplace bullying is prevalent because companies allow it. “It’s institutionalized abuse,” says Mueller. “There ought to be rules and a code of conduct that prohibits bullying behavior.”

So whether you’re a rank-and-file employee, IT developer or a senior project manager, you have no choice but to deal with the problem on your own. Mueller contends that any victim of workplace bullying can employ self-defense strategies that can restore power and dignity to the bullied employee.

The more you know about your despotic boss, the better you’ll be able to handle him. Here are a few general insights from Mueller:

• Personal confrontations with tyrant bosses are seldom productive.
• Management team members interpret any confrontation an employee might have with a boss as also being a confrontation with them, and without well-documented proof of a pattern of behavior, they will likely view the employee as the problem.
• If bullies notice that you’re avoiding them, they will interpret it as cowering behavior.
• Don’t be afraid to make eye contact with your bully boss.
• Don’t mistakenly think you can diffuse a bully by getting personal and showing your human side. Bullies not only don’t appreciate the personal side of others, they don’t tolerate it. Details of your personal, spiritual or emotional life are weapons in your antagonist’s hands.
• Don’t try and enlist the help of your HR department. HR can be the chilliest place any employee can visit, and also one of the most dangerous. HR’s allegiance is to the employer, especially protecting him from lawsuits. Approach HR cautiously, and only when fully prepared.

• Subtle bullies. These bullies torment their targets quietly by undermining their abilities and never letting up.
  
• Abusive bullies. They mercilessly hound their targets.
  
• Crude bullies. Aggressively use their power, and are vocally and often physically abusive.
  
• Raging bullies. Enjoy intimidating everyone in reach with out-of-control, explosive anger.
  
• Ghost bullies. Guide, mentor and supervise lower-level bosses in harassing techniques and tactics.
• Satellite bullies. Undermine their targets by assisting other bullies.

1. Approach your bullying problem like you would a project. Be methodical in how you behave, perform, document and strategize. Take notes after an incident. Try to stay unemotional. Even though he is trying to make you think that you are the cause of the problem, it is the bully who has a serious personal and professional problem.
2. Be a workplace warrior as you look for other work. Even as you put feelers out for other jobs, dedicate yourself wholeheartedly to vanquishing your abuser, not being a victim. Be prepared for an attack every second you’re at work.
3. Sweat the small stuff. Document even the smallest incidents, which often become the most important, illustrating a pattern of bullying that might not otherwise be apparent. Teasing counts. Sarcasm counts. Ignoring or criticism counts. A very public glare or silent treatment counts.
4. Don’t let yourself become isolated. Every day, pick out someone you haven’t talked to for a while. Have a brief but focused conversation. Bullies work hard to alienate targets from their co-workers. Don’t let that happen to you.
5. Display self-esteem and broadcast a positive attitude. Pay attention to how your appearance--such as hair and clothes--is perceived by others. Have a comfy chair in your office for co-workers. Put fresh flowers on your desk. Decorate with tasteful art that will be pleasing to others. Make your personal space an oasis of calm and taste.
6. Try to stay in safe spots. Your abuser is less likely to attack when you are around other supervisors, known allies, particularly upright employees and customers or other outsiders of importance to the employer. Make a list of those people and places.
7. During a bullying situation, excuse yourself. Don’t beat a hasty retreat, and don’t leave the building. Tell your abuser that you’re late for an appointment with HR, for example. Or casually excuse yourself to the restroom. Never enter the restroom if you are being pursued by a bully.
8. During an attack, try distracting your abuser. Pick up something physical--as long at it’s not a threatening item--such as a critical file that needs the bully’s attention or a note with an important phone number that needs to be called. Sometimes a simple distraction is enough to get him or her to stop.
9. Protect your personal information. Tell bullies as little as possible about your life, family, friends, hobbies, interests, religion and so on. Information about you gives them power.
10. Hold your cards close to the vest. As you’re building a case against a bully boss, the less you talk about your story to others at work, the better. Controlling what you say, when you say it and to whom needs to be part of your overall, well-organized strategy.

Posted by chandu at 1:28 AM | Permalink | Comments

Body Mass Index is a calculation that takes into consideration both a person's body weight and height to determine whether they are underweight, overweight, or at a healthy weight. It can be calculated in inches and pounds (in the United States), or meters and kilograms (in countries that use the metric system).

In inches, the formula looks like this:

BMI Categories:

• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

Posted by chandu at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments

Scientists have developed a technology that can retrieve sounds and conversations that get recorded in the walls around us. An Indian scientist and a software engineer have been working on the secret project for 17 years costing more than 255 crore rupees. Their identities are kept secret for security reasons.

"Well, the methodology is in great demand by the Americans and in Europe it's worth billions of dollars," the scientist said. "We have had kidnap threats, so we can only go public when our security is guaranteed".

Cutting edge technology

NDTV has exclusive access to the cutting edge technology. Every wall in a room is made up of millions and millions of atoms. Each atom is a collection of electrons, protons and neutrons - all electrically charged and constantly moving. When anyone inside the four walls of a room speaks, the sound carries energy that travels in waves and hits the walls. When this voice energy hits the atoms in a wall the electrons and protons are disturbed.

Each word spoken hits the atoms with a different energy level and disturbs the atoms differently. Scientists have worked on the software and technology that can measure how each atom has been disturbed and match each unique disturbance with a unique word. The technology virtually "replays" the sequence of words that have been spoken inside the walls. It's like rewinding a tape recorder and you can go as far back in history as you want.

Historic secrets

The scientists have already recorded many historic conversations some of which are classified as secret. They have extracted a few words by Aurangzeb from the walls of the Red Fort in Delhi and from the walls of the Agra Fort. They contain what Shahjahan said to Noorjahan on the night before she died. It's not just voices from the distant past that can be replayed - when you leave your room at work your boss can tap the walls and hear all that you said. The amazing technology could change the way we live. Inside the bedroom or boardroom - nothing is a secret any more.

It will change way nations spy on each other and it will most certainly lead to the re-writing of history books. The technology will be available commercially for sale 12 months from now in April 2008.

Source: NDTV
Tags: April Fool Listening Walls

Posted by chandu at 11:46 PM | Permalink | Comments

British supermodel Naomi Campbell has been sentenced to five days community service by a court in New York. Campbell has been ordered to clean floors in a municipal warehouse as punishment for throwing a mobile phone at her housekeeper. She pleaded guilty to reckless assault in a plea bargain with prosecutors at Manhattan Criminal Court last month. As well as community service, the 36-year-old was also ordered to attend an anger management course.

Posted by chandu at 1:41 AM | Permalink | Comments

An Indonesian jet has crashed and burst into flames on landing at Yogyakarta airport in Java, killing 22 people. The state-owned Garuda airline, which operated the Boeing 737-400, confirmed that 118 people had survived. Indonesia's president immediately announced an investigation into the crash in Yogyakarta, 440km (270 miles) south-east of Jakarta. Indonesia's safety record has been in the spotlight recently after a series of accidents, correspondents say.

'Too fast'

The crash happened at about 0700 local time (0000 GMT). Survivors say a large number of passengers escaped through emergency doors before the plane burst into flames. The jet reportedly started shaking violently before landing. The operations chief at Yogyakarta airport said the front wheel of the plane was on fire as it landed, causing it to veer off the runway and hit a boundary fence. He said an engine had then broken away from the plane and the fuselage burst into flames. The aircraft came to rest in the middle of a rice field.

First Air Marshal Benyamin Dandel, air force commander at Yogyakarta, said: "The plane was too fast or over-speeding, so it ran about 300 metres off the runway." Some survivors said the fire started near the front the plane and spread quickly down the fuselage. One survivor, Din Syamsudin, who is the chairman of Indonesia's second-largest Muslim organisation, Muhammadiyah, told Reuters: "Some passengers wanted to get their hand luggage. I cried to them, 'get out, get out'.

"The plane was full of smoke. I just jumped from two metres and landed in a rice field." A number of survivors are being treated in hospital for severe injuries or burns. The blaze took two hours to put out and gutted the jet.

Source: BBC
Tag: Indonesia Jet Crash

Posted by chandu at 1:35 AM | Permalink | Comments

Here is a funny video from YouTube on different usages of iPhone. When I say funky..it is really funky and if you own a iPhone do not try to put it on use for the various purposes you see in this video ;)

Posted by chandu at 12:47 AM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by chandu at 12:33 AM | Permalink | Comments

You can view the compiled posts of live Coverage of Future Of WebApps(FOWA) conference happening at London.

You can view the images too in Flickr

Tags: FOWA

Posted by chandu at 7:23 AM | Permalink | Comments

Stress as mentioned by a lot of Doctors is the primary reason for a lot of ailments. Ranging from Cancer to hysteria or what is not in the list...there is a major hand of stress in our health and life being squeezed. Fighting Stress is as easy as it is reading the following top 10 tips to Fight Stress.

Top 10 tips for… Stress

1. Don't seek solace in a tea or coffee cup because caffeine increases the body's production of the stress hormone adrenaline, which can cause diarrhoea among other things. Either switch to decaffeinated tea or coffee or herbal infusions like vervain, mint or camomile.

2. Drinking water is another healthy de-stressing option. It's in any case vital to drink 2.5 litres of water a day because water helps your body to derive energy from food.

3. A glass of fresh fruit juice, which will provide your body with a good dose of fructose, vitamin C and other essential nutrients, can do wonders for a stressed body. When stressed, the body goes into overdrive, burning up more vitamins and minerals than usual, so it's vital to make up the shortfall.

4. Rushing your meals is a false economy, as your digestive system won't have enough time to prepare itself properly, causing bloating and indigestion.

5. The liver is very sensitive to stress, so eating lots of fatty foods can make you feel liverish, aggravate the symptoms of irritable-bowel syndrome and disrupt sleeping patterns.

6. Starchy foods, such as pasta, rice, potatoes and bread, stimulate the body to produce stress-busting, soporific hormones, that can help to settle a body under stress.

7. Take advantage of one of the home-delivery or mail-order services that many food retailers offer.

8. Drinking too much alcohol sends your energy levels crashing and disrupts sleep.

9. If you find yourself smoking more, take a daily 2000mg vitamin C supplement to help to minimise the damage.

10. Have a relaxing shower or bath. Adding a few drops of calming essential oils, such as lavender, bergamot or rose to your bathwater, or sprinkling them on your pillow, will help you to feel relaxed.

Source: Guardian.co.uk
Tag: Stress

Posted by chandu at 2:05 AM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by chandu at 4:41 AM | Permalink | Comments

Britney Spears seen in tattoo parlor with her head shaved bald. Police arrive to control crowd of fans and photographers. Appearance came same day as reports Spears tried rehab. Spears' manager could not be reached for comment.

A salon owner tried to talk Britney Spears out of shaving her head, but the singer insisted and actually used a buzzer to do the job herself. Salon owner Esther Tognozzi said Spears appeared at her shop late last week and announced she wanted all of her hair cut off. Tognozzi said she refused to do it and tried to reason with the singer. "Are you sure you're not having a bad day?" Tognozzi recalled asking Spears. "And tomorrow you'll feel differently about it? Why don't we wait a little bit?"

At that point, Tognozzi said, the singer grabbed some electric clippers and went to the back of the shop and began cutting her hair off. All Tognozzi did was "even it out," the salon owner said.

Later, Spears was at a San Fernando Valley tattoo parlor, sporting her newly bald head. Video on KABC-TV showed the newly shorn Spears with tiny tattoos on the back of her neck as she sat Friday night for a new tattoo -- a pair of red and pink lips.

"She just wanted something real small on her wrist, something dainty," Max Gott, the tattoo artist at Body and Soul in Sherman Oaks, told the TV station. "She got some cute little lips on her wrist."

Derrik Snell, who works at the tattoo parlor, said Spears showed up without notice and stayed for about 90 minutes as about 60 fans, photographers and gawkers gathered outside. "She seemed fine," Snell said. "I didn't really notice [the hairdo] at first, she had a hood on when she showed up."

The appearance came the same day as reports on TV and Web sites that Spears, who has drawn criticism for her recent partying and sloppy behavior, had briefly checked into rehab. Larry Rudolph, Spears' manager, couldn't be reached for comment.

Syndicated entertainment TV show "Extra" first reported that Spears had entered a treatment facility. Celebrity Web site TMZ.com then said the singer had entered a treatment center but had checked out one day later. Neither revealed their sources.

People magazine's Web site, citing "a source," said Spears had gone in and out of rehab, and identified the facility as Eric Clapton's Crossroads center in Antigua, in the Caribbean. "Access Hollywood" then said the reports weren't true, but didn't cite a source. A woman who answered the phone at Crossroads told The Associated Press that she couldn't confirm or deny anyone's presence at the facility. Angelique Uram, a Spears fan who stood on the tattoo parlor's sidewalk for Friday night's spectacle, was aghast at the singer's new look. "We could see her in the mirror, and her head is completely shaved," she told KABC. "It looks terrible."

Police arrived to control the crowd and helped Spears' bodyguards guide her into a waiting SUV, her head covered by a hooded sweatshirt.

Source: CNN
Tag: Britney Spears

Posted by chandu at 4:11 AM | Permalink | Comments

An autopsy will be conducted on Friday to help determine the cause of Anna Nicole Smith's death, according to the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office. Smith died Thursday at a South Florida hospital after being discovered unconscious in her hotel room. The reality TV star, Playboy Playmate and former Guess model was 39. Her death came less than five months after the birth of her daughter and the death of her 20-year-old son. One of two men involved in a paternity dispute over Smith's daughter is seeking a DNA sample, and a hearing is set for Friday morning.

Posted by chandu at 4:40 AM | Permalink | Comments

People using Yahoo Pipes will be able to mix and mashup data sources from all kinds of places on the Internet into combined feeds they can share with others. The latest service from Yahoo makes mashing up RSS feeds from lots of sources into single powerful feeds much easier thanks to its drag and drop interface. It's a tool that hardcore information junkies will love. I do have a Pipe for this blog.

Posted by chandu at 4:25 AM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by chandu at 3:07 AM | Permalink | Comments

The sixth edition of Aero India 2007 took off on a spectacular note Wednesday at the Yelahanka air base in Bangalore, with breathtaking manoeuvres and daredevil aerobatics at the flying display. The supersonic fighter Sukhoi-MKI30, three Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) of the Sarang aerobatic team and nine sub-sonic trainer aircraft Surya Kirans of the Indian Air Force (IAF) stole the thunder at the hour-long flying display, leaving about 5,000 spectators spellbound.

Other aircraft and helicopters that took part in the flying display were the two prototype Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), the five deep-penetration fighter Jaguars, transport planes Tuplov 142N, IL-78 with air-to-air fuelling by two Mirage 2000 jets, AN-32 and the prototype of the 14-seater Sarang aircraft of the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL).

Inaugurated by Defence Minister A.K. Antony in the presence of his two deputies - Inderjit Singh and Pallam Raju, Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumarawamy and a host of top dignitaries, the five-day international defence exposition-cum-seminar received an overwhelming response from global aerospace majors and the aviation industry, including the large Indian industry this time. Held biannually about 20 km away from India's silicon hub, the mega event is being attended by delegations from 15 countries, with air chiefs of 28 nations participating in such large numbers for the first time in an Indian air show.

Welcoming hundreds of delegates, participants, exhibitors and other stakeholders, defence production secretary K.P. Singh told the gathering that the air show had attracted over 500 companies, including 280 global firms from major aerospace countries such as the Britain, Germany, France, Israel, Russia, Sweden and the US. Among the Indian participants are a dozen public sector units, including HAL, BEL, NAL, DRDO, ADA, GTRE and BEML and about 200 firms from the private sector.

"Aero India provides an ideal platform to the Indian aerospace industry to showcase its capabilities to the global audience. It is also an excellent forum to explore business opportunities and facilitate joint ventures and collaborations for mutual benefit," Antony said in his inaugural address.

Source: MSN.co.in
Tags: Aero India Indian Air Force

Posted by chandu at 10:22 PM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by chandu at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments

Paris is bracing for a transport revolution later this year with the arrival of more than 20,000 self-service bicycles thanks to a deal between city hall and one of the world's leading suppliers of urban advertising. A contract signed Monday with JCDecaux gives the French firm access to more than 1,600 hoardings and other publicity sites, but also requires it to provide a mass system of cheap cycles-for-hire.

By the end of the year JCDecaux has undertaken to set up 1,451 stations, where customers can use swipe-cards to rent some 20,600 cycles for journeys around the capital. The bikes can be deposited at any station, and then picked up by new users.

A similar system has been run by JCDecaux since 2005 in the southeastern city of Lyon, where city authorities have hailed it as a major success in the campaign to reduce motor transport. France's second largest city Lyon adopted the system in May 2005. It has been a huge success, with people combining cycles and other modes of transport to reach work or leisure destinations.

• 2,000 bicycles and 175 pick up/drop off ranks installed
• Up to 16,000 rentals per day
• Each bicycle used by up to 15 people each day
• Average journey time is 17 minutes and 1.7 miles in distance
• In 10 months users cycled 2.5 million miles - the same as travelling from the Earth to the Moon ten times.

Posted by chandu at 11:42 PM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by chandu at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments

For anyone trying to lose weight, this question is an exciting one! If you simply want to know if your body burns calories warming up the water, the answer is yes. But if you want to know if drinking a lot of ice water can help you lose weight, or keep weight off, this "yes" needs to be qualified with some calculations.

First of all, calories are case-sensitive. There are calories and then there are Calories. Calories with a big "c" are the ones used to describe the amount of energy contained in foods. A calorie with a little "c" is defined as the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius.

What most people think of as a Calorie is actually a kilo-calorie: It takes one Calorie to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water 1 degree Celsius. So when you drink a 140-Calorie can of cola, you are ingesting 140,000 calories. There is no cause for alarm, because the conversion applies across the board. When you burn 100 Calories jogging a mile, you are burning 100,000 calories.

So, considering that the definition of a calorie is based on raising the temperature of water, it is safe to say that your body burns calories when it has to raise the temperature of ice water to your body temperature. And unless your urine is coming out ice cold, your body must be raising the temperature of the water. So calories are being burned.

Let's figure out exactly what you're burning when you drink a 16-ounce (0.5 liter) glass of ice water:

• The temperature of ice water can be estimated at zero degrees Celsius.
• Body temperature can be estimated at 37 degrees Celsius.
• It takes 1 calorie to raise 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius.
• There are 473.18 grams in 16 fluid ounces of water.

Posted by chandu at 1:25 AM | Permalink | Comments