LIFE MATTERS

 It Matters In Life... 

The plus symbol is made with two minus symbols!

So all negative things can be shaped as positives by our smart work and positive thinking! 

You are great if you can find your faults. You are greater if you can correct them. But you are the greatest if you accept and love someone with their faults! 

Success is the problem, but failure is the formula. You can’t solve the problem without knowing the formula. 

Anger comes alone, but takes away all the good qualities from us. Patience too comes alone, but brings all good qualities to us. 

There is no past tense in loving someone. It’s either you always will or you never did. 

Instead of thinking about what you are missing, sometimes it is good to think about what you have that many are missing. 

It is not that some people have will-power and some don’t. It is that some people are ready to change and others are not. 

Efforts towards success will make you a master. But efforts towards satisfaction will make you a legend.

SALTIEST SEA IN THE WORLD

 Dead Sea

     The saltiest sea in the world is the Dead sea, an inland water-body between Jordan and Israel. At about 1370 feet below sea level, it is literally the lowest place on earth. It is 55km long and 3 to 18 km in width, It is one of the saltiest water-bodies in the world, with 33.7% salinity (the average salt content of the world's oceans is 6%). Because of its extreme salinity, aquatic animals and vegetation cannot survive in its waters --- hence its name. Also the density of water is very high, enabling even non-swimmers to float easily on its surface.

     There is a reason for the excessive salinity of the water. The Dead Sea is a land-locked water-body fed by the Jordan river. Once the river water enters the sea, the only way it can escape is through evaporation, When the water evaporates, the salty minerals are left behind, causing the remaining water to become more and more concentrated with salt.

     The mineral content of the Dead Sea is very different from that of the ocean water. At least 35 different kinds of mineral salts, including potassium, calcium and magnesium are present in large quantities. These have been proved to cure various ailments ranging from skin problems to rheumatic diseases,

     The Dead sea has attracted visitors from around the world for thousands of years. One of world's earliest health resorts, it has been the supplier of a variety of products, from balms for mummification to potash for fertilisers. Unfortunately, the water level is fast coming down, as the water level that used to feed it is being diverted for other purposes in Israel and Jordan. Environmentalists warn that if this trend continues, the Dead Sea would disappear completely by the year 2050.

CYCLING

For a healthy life and healthy earth

     Among the numerous days celebrated the world over, the one that profoundly impacts the present as well as future generations is World Bicycle Day. Well, on 3 June every year, since 2018, the U.N. General Assembly dedicated this day to celebrate the joy of riding bicycles. The simple structure of a bicycle requires only air and a bit of energy to function, however, it has proved itself to be both environmentally-friendly and a friend to all mankind. 

     Prof Leszek Sibilski, a Polish-American sociologist, along with his sociology students, was the inspirer of this cause. 

     Apart from being an eco-friendly and economic means of transport, bicycling also promotes good physical as well as mental health. Cycling decreases the possibility of falling prey to cardiovascular diseases, aids in building body muscle, and reduces overall fat. It strengthens bones, improves joint mobility and relieves stress. In addition, it also facilitates the regulation and maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels in our system. Thus, cycling reduces the risk of depression, obesity, arthritis, diabetes, certain cancers, strokes and heart attacks. The bicycle symbolises adaptability and sustainability.  

     Governments around the world are adopting and promoting eco-friendly conveyance systems. Many countries have dedicated bicycle tracks which make commuting by bicycle safe. India, too, has introduced bicycle tracks in cities like Delhi and Bangalore. Though daily riding to work may be an inconvenience, taking into consideration climatic conditions, either having to face the scorching sun or heavy rain, however, despite these conditions, enthusiastic riders change their cycling gear once they reach their destination. It’s a trend already prevalent in Europe.

Types of bicycles: If you are new to buying a bicycle, these guidelines will help you choose the right one.

Road bikes: Designed for normal roads.

Mountain bikes: Suited for hilly terrains.

Hybrid/commuter bikes: Combination of road bikes and mountain bikes.

Cyclocross bikes: A road bike feel for off-road trips.

Folding bikes: Commuting, leisure or touring for the short-on-space.

Electric bikes: A hybrid, mountain or road bike with a battery and a motor.

Touring bikes: Designed for carrying loads over longer distances while remaining comfortable for the rider.

     Taking into consideration the multiple benefits that cycling has to offer, using a bicycle whenever possible, if not regularly, will be advantageous to both our earth and ourselves. Look for ways in which cycling can be introduced into your daily routine; maybe riding to nearby places while carrying out daily tasks, to school, work or a friend’s house. Let’s try and adopt the culture of cycling and be the change our environment and our health needs. 

Fun Facts:

* The longest ‘tandem’ bicycle seated 35 people; it was more than 20 metres long. 

* Every year, around a 100 million bicycles are manufactured worldwide.

* The use of bicycles has conserved more than 238 gallons of gas yearly.

* The Netherlands is the most bicyclefriendly country in the world. 30 per cent of all transport is via bicycle. Seven out of eight of its residents over the age of 15 own bicycles.

* The Tour de France, established in 1903, is the most famous bicycle race in the world. Bicycle track racing has been a sport in the Olympic Games since 1896.

MARTIAL DANCE

Dance with weapons

     One of the first implements that man devised for his survival was the knife. And in what better way could he show off his skill of weaponry than in a dance! 

     In the earliest reference to martial dances, Plato described the Pyrrhic dance of ancient Sparta as a great way to train warriors. It was performed with shields and spears during ancient Greek festivals. Today, the style is still evident in Albanitiko, the national dance of Albania. 

Desi Sword Dances: 

     A Kumaoni wedding in Uttarakhand would be incomplete without a performance of the Choliya dance. In keeping with the tradition of their ancient martial race, male Rajput dancers brandish swords and shields as they accompany a groom’s baraat to the bride’s house. 

     The men whirl around in bright colourful costumes styled after the old military attire and perform acrobatics and mock fights along the way. They dance to the tune of traditional Kumaoni instruments like the turi and ransing which were once used to boost the morale of troops during war.

 Kalaripayattu:

    Kerala is home to one of India’s proud exports to the world—the Kalaripayattu. It is the forerunner of the martial art of karate. Young boys start training in the art of combat when they are 7-8 years old. Kalaripayattu marks a perfect union of dance and martial arts. Trainees build their stamina and dexterity and learn to handle different weapons like sticks, maces, spears, daggers and swords. A Kalaripayattu performance is like a lyrical dance of exceptionally nimble warriors. 

Swordswomen with Style: 

     One of the cultural gems of Korea is the Jinju Geommu dance. The traditional sword dance is performed by a group of female dancers clad in ethnic Korean costumes resembling the military uniforms of yore. Legend has it that a young boy named Hwangchang, a talented Geommu dancer, was invited to perform at the court of an enemy kingdom. While dancing, the bold boy slew the king. Hwangchang was then executed. The people in his kingdom mourned his loss by wearing masks resembling  his face and performing the dance. Later, the mask was discarded and the art form was formalised into a court dance performed by women. The dancers use a replica sword called Kal and dance to a band of traditional Korean musical instruments.

White vs. Black: 

     A medieval sword dance called Moreška from the town of Korcula, Croatia, depicts the tale of a White King fighting to rescue his fiancée Bula from the clutches of the Black King. After the main characters are introduced, the armies of the two kings engage in mock battle. Dancers clad in red costumes spar with their black uniformed counterparts in a choreographed sequence of sword fights. The show ends with the defeat of the Black King and the union of the White King with his beloved.

     In many parts of India including Goa, in many village jatras(fairs) there is dance performed with swords in honour of the village deity. It is also seen in folk dances.

AN ANCIENT INDIAN FOLKTALE

 A journey to Earth 

     Lord Yama is king of the underworld. Everyone trembles when he visits their house. They know he has come to take a dear one away from this world. Death and lord Yama walk hand-in-hand. No wonder lord Yama is never on anyone’s guest list!

     A long time ago, Lord Yama came down to earth for a holiday. He took the guise of an ordinary man. It was a wise decision. People liked him and invited him to their house. This was a new experience for him. He had got used to people wailing at the sight of him! 

     He was sitting by the river one day, when he met a beautiful girl. She had come to help her father haul up his fishing net. Lord Yama fell in love with her. The fisherman’s daughter, Mohana, agreed to be his wife. A delighted Lord Yama decided to extend his sojourn on earth. The grand wedding ceremony took place in the village temple hall. Everyone had only one remark to make. The couple made a handsome pair! The fisherman’s son-in-law looked like a prince. Mohana was a very, very lucky girl!

     A year passed. Mohana was surprised her husband never went to work. However, as he never was short of money, she did not complain. The days passed by quickly. Lord Yama was convinced he had discovered heaven on earth! A year later, Mohana gave birth to a bonny baby boy. All seemed well in their little world. 

     Now there was a drastic change in Mohana’s personality. She suddenly realised her husband was always idle. He was never interested in doing work. In fact, her husband was a good-for nothing! 

     “All you do is play with our little son,” said Mohana angrily. “You never do any work. Soon we will need more money to buy food and clothes. Will it fall from a coconut tree?”, she added.

     Poor Lord Yama! He could not tell her he was the Lord of the dark underworld. There was absolutely no need for him to work! He dearly loved his little son, Prasad. One day he would have to return to his own dark world. Until then, he wanted to be on earth with his family. 

     But Mohana was very angry. She insisted her husband should go and find work. He could start by helping his father-in-law catch fish. That was a big mistake. The time had changed. His identity was getting disclosed. The moment the fish sensed Lord Yama was close by, they refused to be ensnared into the fishing net! 

“Mohana, we caught no fish today,” said her father sadly. Mohana glared angrily at her husband. 

“Now you are bringing us bad luck as well!” 

     Next day she refused to milk the cows. So lord Yama went out to do the first chore of his life! The cows mooed in fright when they saw him. They refused to fill the buckets with milk. Mohana was very angry. 

“What a useless man you are!” sneered Mohana angrily. “You do not even know how to milk the cows. You seem to think you area royal prince. But work you will have to do. Our son should not have a father who is a good-for nothing!” 

When she sent him to buy vegetables, a strange thing happened.

The vegetables came back all shriveled up! Also, cats yowled and dogs howled when he crossed their path. Suddenly, nobody wanted to talk to LordYama. Word had spread like wildfire that strange things happened when little Prasad’s father walked by their house! 

     Mohana yelled and ranted the whole day long. Lord Yama was now petrified of his beautiful wife. He yearned to go back to his own beautiful, dark world! He was sad at the thought of leaving his son behind. But he told the boy just to call for him whenever he needed help. Lord Yama then hurried away from his house and disappeared into thin air. He was glad to be finally back home and once again the king of the dark underworld!

     Meanwhile Prasad grew up into a fine, handsome boy. He still loved his father dearly, though his mother was glad her ‘good-for-nothing’ husband had left the house. “One mouth less to feed!” said Mohana sarcastically. 

     Prasad needed a job. He prayed to his father to come and help him. That night, Lord Yama came to his bedside. Prasad blinked unbelievingly at his father. His father was Lord Yama, the Lord of death! “Tell everyone you can cure all diseases,” said Lord Yama, handing him a bag full of medicinal herbs. “This pouch will always contain medicine. If you find me standing near the patient’s head, you will know that death waits at his door. My blessings will always be with you, my beloved son.” 

     Prasad soon became famous far and wide. He refused to treat patients whom he knew were going to die. Lord Yama was always at their bedside. The others recovered miraculously from their maladies. Prasad became very rich. Mohana was very happy. At least her son was not a good-for-nothing! 

     Then one day the princess fell very, very ill. The distraught king summoned Prasad to the royal palace. He promised Prasad a handsome reward if he cured the ailing princess. Prasad was stunned to see his father, LordYama, standing at the head of the princess’s bed. He knew the princess was going to die. What was he now supposed to do?Prasad was in a dilemma. He had to give his medicine to the princess. If she was not cured, the king would throw him into the dark dungeons. He would proclaim to the world that Prasad was a fraud! The rest of his life would be spent within the four walls of a dark, dingy prison.

     He had to find a way to make his dear father go away. Prasad pondered on what to do. Then a smile lit his face. Now he knew exactly what he had to do! He told the guards that he wanted his mother to be brought to the palace. Mohana was brought into the princess’s room. Lord Yama went pale when he saw her. She could not see him. He was visible only to their son. “If only your ‘good-for-nothing’ father was here!” sneered Mohana. “He would have seen whose brains you inherited!” Lord Yama cringed in the corner of the room. His wife’s rasping voice brought back the nasty days of the past! He was sure she would soon see him. Then she would once again rave and rant about what a ‘useless’ man he had been. He decided to do the vanishing act. 

     Given the situation, it was the best thing to do! He forgot he had to escort the princess to the nether world. Only one thought loomed inside his head. He had to get far away from his frightening loud-mouthed wife! Prasad was delighted. His medicines cured the sickly princess. He was now famous all over the kingdom. The king made him the royal physician. Prasad’s cup of happiness was now full to the brim. His mother was very happy. She no longer had to do any hard work. “Your ‘good-for-nothing’ father should now see us!” gloated Mohana angrily. “Mother, his blessings will always make tomorrow what we want it to be!” replied her wise son happily. 

LIGHT AMPLIFICATION OF STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION

 Laser

     The word stands for Light Amplification of Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser gives a narrow, accurate beam of very bright light. Unlike ordinary light, all rays of a beam of laser have the same wavelength and are perfectly in phase and parallel to one another.      

     According to Quantum Theory, energy is transmitted in packets (Quanta). In laser, the quanta are organized end to end. Thus in vibrating together, they produce light of a very high intensity. 

     Laser beams can either be visible light or be invisible, in which case they are composed of infrared rays. An infrared laser can cut through substances ranging from metal to human tissues with extremely fine accuracy.  Therefore, it has found application in the field of medicine, especially for microsurgery. Visible light lasers are also used in recording, CD Rom players and fiber-optic communications. 

     A laser beam is produced by exciting atoms of a medium that can both absorb and release energy. There are a variety of substances that can work as a medium, such as ruby, some liquid dyes or a gas like carbon dioxide. 

     Charles H Townes, an American physicist, discovered laser in the early 1950s. He and his students constructed the first maser and showed that a similar device producing a visible light (laser) was also possible. For his invention of maser and later laser, he shared the 1964 Nobel Prize with Aleksandr M Prokhorov and Nikolay G.Basov. Based on Charles H Townes’ earlier work, Theodore Maiman constructed the first laser in 1960, using a rod of ruby.

* Before the laser was developed, there was the“maser” . This stood for “microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation” and was based on Albert Einstein’s principle of stimulated emission masers, which were used in atomic clocks.

* The light in a laser is more parallel than any other light source; every part of the beam has almost the exact direction.

* In 1974 lasers were used commercially for the first time in supermarket bar code scanners.

22 JUNE

 World Rainforest Day

     World rainforest day is celebrated annually on June 22. The theme for this year's celebration is 'Conserve, Restore, Regenerate.' This theme captures the critical work that must be done to safeguard rainforests against any further damage.

     There are two types of rainforests --- tropical and temperate. Tropical rainforests are found closer to the equator where it is warm and rains all year long. Tropical rainforests are found closer to the equator where it is warm and rains all year long. Temperate rainforests are found near cooler coastal areas further north or south of the equator.

Adaptations in rainforest plants:

* Plants in rainforests have adapted to survive in their unique environment,

* Woody vines like lianas root in the ground, but they climb up trees to reach sunlight. Their leaves and flowers grow in the treetops.

* Tree trunks are tall and thin so that trees can reach the sunlight. The bark of these trees is smooth so that water can flow down easily to the roots.

* Plants have leaves with pointed tips. This allows rainwater to run off the leaves quickly without damaging or breaking them.

* Some plants have supporting roots or buttress roots. These are large roots with ribs that form a large surface and support large trees.

Some facts about the rainforests:

* Rainforests are found in Central and South America, Western and central Africa, Western India, Southeast Asia, the island of New Guinea and Australia.

* The Amazon Rainforest is the world's largest tropical rainforest. It covers area of 5.5 million sq. kms. Due to the thickness of the tree canopy here, the forest floor is always in darkness. It is said that it takes 10 minutes for the rain to pass through the canopy and rich the ground!

* Around 400 to 500 indigenous American tribes live in the Amazon Rainforest. It is believed that many of these tribes have never had any contact with the outside world!

* 20% of oxygen we breathe comes from the rainforests of the Amazon.

* The Daintree Rainforest in Australia is said to be between 135 and 180 million year's old! It is the world's oldest tropical lowland rainforest.

Did you know?

Rainforests are being destroyed by human greed!

Their trees are being cut down to:

* grow crops like soya beans

* use the wood for furniture and timber

* make room for mining projects

* build roads for farmers, loggers and miners

* create space for development projects such as hydropower and infrastructure 

* make space for building houses.