DO YOU KNOW

 Why should you change engine oil?

Engines are designed to allow oil to enter into areas around the piston and valves. As you continue driving your vehicle, the oil in your engine eventually wears out, breaks down and becomes contaminated. As this happens it becomes less and less effective at absorbing heat and lubricating the important parts in your engine. Running your vehicle with dirty oil causes its parts to begin to grind together. This causes damage, creates noise and allows heat to build up. When you begin to notice the colour of the oil getting darker, freshen it up. General recommendation for an oil change is every 5,000-8,000 kilometres.

MYSTERIES OF THE WORLD

 Giant stone balls of Costa Rica 

They vary in size from as small as a tennis ball up to an astonishing 8 feet in diameter and weighing 16 tons. Almost all of them are made of a hard, igneous stone not local to the region.

Deep in the jungles of Costa Rica, back in the 1940s, workmen clearing dense jungle for a United Fruit Company banana plantation were amazed to find dozens of large stone ball-shaped objects, many of them perfectly spherical.

The stones are believed to have been carved between 200 BC and 1500 A.D. Most stones are no longer in their original locations. The culture of the people who made them, disappeared after the Spanish conquest.

Numerous myths surround the stones, such as they came from Atlantis, or that they were made as such by nature. Some local legends state that the native inhabitants had access to a potion able to soften the rock.The spheres are perfect, or very near perfect in roundness. How did primitive people with crude tools manage to sculpt huge artifacts like these with such great precision, and why? The giant stone balls of Costa Rica remain a mystery.

THE GREATEST FIGHTER

 Muhammad Ali

He won and defended the heavyweight championship in epic fights in exotic locations. He spoke loudly on behalf of the blacks. He refused to be drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War. Despite his debilitating illness, he travelled around the world to receive rapturous reception. Discover how Ali became a modern icon.

17 January 1942 - A star is born

Marcellus Clay Jr. (original name of Muhammad Ali) was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. His father was a sign painter and his mother a part-time cook and cleaner for wealthy families. 

17 January 1954 - A stolen gift

When Clay was 12 years old, his bike was stolen. Furious, Clay went to report the theft to a local policeman named Joe Martin. Martin was a boxing instructor. As Clay threatened to find and beat up the thief, Martin suggested he learnt how to fight before dishing out threats. Martin became Clay's first trainer. Clay soon won an array of titles under Martin's guidance.

5 September 1960 - Clay wins gold

At 18, Clay qualified for the Olympics in Rome. He charmed the world media and proved popular among his fellow athletes. He proved himself in the ring too, winning gold as a light-heavyweight. 

29 October 1960 - Turning professional

Eight weeks after his victory in Rome, Clay won his first professional bout. He faced tough opponents, including popular Englishman Henry Cooper and proved his supremacy. 

6 March 1964- Muhammad Ali is born

In 1964, Clay publicly acknowledged he was a member of the religious movement. In March, he was given the name Muhammad Ali by his spiritual mentor. Ali was criticized in some circles. For many, he was a symbol of black pride, refusing to play the role of the 'compliant negro' in order to gain acceptance from the white establishment.

28 April 1967 - Ali vs US government

As war unfolded in Vietnam, Ali received a notice drafting him into the US Army. Ali objected to serving in the military because of his religious beliefs. He also protested the mistreatment of the black Americans. He was stripped off his championship, indicted for draft evasion, fined $10,000 and sentenced to five years in prison. Three years later, his conviction was overturned. 

10 December 1974 - A global superstar

He fought in three different decades, finished with a record of 56-5 with 37 knockouts. He was the first man to win heavyweight titles three times. His famous fans included Elvis, Bertrand Russell and Nelson Mandela. In an effort to heal the rifts caused by the war in Vietnam and racial divisions, President Gerald Ford invited him to the White House in December 1974. 

1 October 1975 - Thrilla in Manilla 

The Thrilla in Manila was the third and final boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. It was contested in 1975 for the Heavyweight Championship of the World at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila, Philippines. Ali won by technical knockout (TKO). The name of the contest is derived from the frequent rhyming boast made by Ali that the fight would be a "killa and a thrilla and a chilla, when I get that gorilla in Manila."

1984 - A new fight

In the early 1980s, Ali developed noticeable tremors and slurs in his speech. In 1984, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's. 

Ali's physicians linked his condition to the repeated blows to the head sustained during his boxing career. Ali, however, had stated that he did not believe his condition was caused by boxing. 

In the ensuing years, Ali became a visible symbol of courage in the face of physical disability and helped raise millions of dollars for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center. 

29 June 1990 - Fighter turned philanthropist

Throughout his retirement, Ali has devoted himself to humanitarian work and charitable causes.

In 1990, Ali met Nelson Mandela in Los Angeles, paying his respects to a fellow advocate of civil rights and political freedom.

9 July 1996 - An emotional return

In the summer of 1996, a trembling Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic flame in Atlanta.

His appearance generated a worldwide outpouring of love, reaffirming his status as an iconic symbol of tolerance, understanding and courage. 

14 Nov 2005 - The champion honoured

In 2005, Ali was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honour that can be bestowed on a civilian in America. Although he did not speak, Ali's sense of humour was still on full display. When President Bush threw a mock punch at the former champion, Ali twirled a finger round his head to indicate he would be crazy to take him on in a fight.

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali - one of the world's greatest sporting figures died at the age of 74 on 3rd June 2016. No athlete has been more written about, talked about, eulogized, defined and redefined than Muhammad Ali in the field of boxing. 

NEVER GIVE UP

Blessings come in disguise

The only survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small uninhabited island. 

He prayed feverishly to God to rescue him, and everyday he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. 

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood. He felt relatively safe that this hut would protect him from wild animals and wind. 

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with the smoke rolling up to the sky. 

The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stung with grief and anger. 

"God, how could you do this to me!" He cried. 

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. 

"How did you know I was here?" Asked the weary man to his rescuers. 

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied. 

NEVER FORGET THAT BLESSINGS COME IN DISGUISE. 

STRANGE BUT TRUE

 Fascinating Facts:

1. Cucumbers are 96 per cent water, which can help toddlers stay hydrated. 🥒 

2. Bananas are slightly radioactive because the potassium in them releases radioactive electrons when the banana decays. However, you would need to eat almost 300 bananas every day for several years to be concerned about it being harmful. 🍌 

3. Birds need gravity to swallow food. When a bird eats, it lifts its head and uses its tongue to direct food towards its throat. The gravitational force of the earth then helps slide the food into a pouch called a crop. 🐦 

4. It is impossible for most people to lick their own elbow. 

5. Wearing headphones for just an hour could increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times. 🎧 

6. In the course of an average lifetime, while sleeping you might eat around 70 assorted insects and 10 spiders, or more. 

7. Declared the “Banana Republic of Africa,” Uganda consumes more bananas per capita (600 pounds) per year than any other country.🍌 

8. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out. 🐊 

9. A shrimp’s heart is in its head. 🍤 

10. Some lipsticks contain fish scales. 🐟 

11. Cat urine glows under a black-light. 🐈 

12. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different. 👅 

13. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear. 🐈 

14. An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain. 

15. Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur. 

16. The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world. 🐙 

MARCH 8

International Women's Day

There isn't a single field or domain that is untouched by women these days. They have excelled in numerous fields & events and never did they let a single factor stop or hinder them from achieving whatever they've dreamt of. They have become mountaineers, naturalists, astronomers, astronauts, artists, cobblers, blacksmiths, pilots, engineers, doctors, businesswomen and what not. They have demonstrated strength in times of weakness and bravery in times of darkness. They have worked hard and leaped so far to the front that they have become a symbol of power and strength. Commemorating their achievements and strengthening their beliefs, a day is dedicated as a tribute for all the women internationally i.e., March 8th. International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the historical, cultural, and political achievements of women.

International Women's Day (IWD) grew out of the efforts in the early 20th century to promote women's rights, especially suffrage, the right to vote. There has been numerous battles for women to fight to get the right to vote for women. Some people felt it to be unnecessary while some felt the need for women's vote to be nothing short of a sin. In its campaign for female enfranchisement, the Socialist Party of America in 1909 held the first National Woman's Day, which was highlighted by mass meetings across the United States. An International Women's Conference was organized by the German activist Clara Zetkin, in 1910 in the women's office.

On March 19, 1911, the first IWD was held in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. More than one million people attended rallies marking the day. On March 8, 1917, women in St. Petersburg, Russia, marked the day by staging a strike to protest food shortages, poor living conditions, and World War I. This strike for "bread and peace" helped give rise to the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Susan B. Anthony was a political activist and an advocate of women's rights. After the Civil War, she fought for the 14th Amendment that was meant to grant all naturalised and native-born Americans citizenship in the hope that it would include suffrage rights. Although the 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868, it still didn't secure their vote. In 1869, the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) was founded by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony to continue the fight for women's rights. In the early 1900s, women were experiencing pay inequality, a lack of voting rights, and they were being overworked. In response to all of this, 15,000 women marched through New York City in 1908 to demand their rights. In 1909, the first National Women's Day was observed in accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. This was celebrated on the last Sunday of February until 1913. On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified and white women were granted the right to vote in the U.S. The liberation movement took place in the 1960s and the effort led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act, allowing all women the right to vote. When the internet became more commonplace, feminism and the fight against gender inequality experienced a resurgence. Now we celebrate International Women's Day each year as we push continuously with the hope of creating a completely equal society.

This day is also observed to take action against gender inequalities in the world. Basing an entire argument that someone isn't capable on gender is baseless and outright stupid.

Regardless of what a woman does, she and her work should be respected because the world depends on women. There's no way the world could run the way it is running, without the contribution of women. Women are considered equal to God in India and it is believed that a house can never be a home without women. It's high time that we consider women to be capable of independence in living, decision making, choosing for themselves and providing for the family. A woman is capable of everything a man is capable of, since gender, in no way, hinders her from achieving her dreams.

A JOYOUS CELEBRATION OF LORD SHIVA

Maha Shivratri

Introduction:

Maha Shivratri is a vibrant and spiritually significant festival celebrated by millions of people around the world, particularly Hindus. It’s a time when devotees honour Lord Shiva, one of the principal deities in Hinduism, with great enthusiasm and devotion. Let’s delve into the heart of this festival to understand its significance and how it’s celebrated.

What is Maha Shivratri?

Maha Shivratri, which translates to “Great Night of Shiva,” falls on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the Hindu month of Magha (usually between February and March). This auspicious day is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the supreme being who is revered as the destroyer of evil and the transformer of the universe.

Significance of Maha Shivratri:

According to Hindu mythology, Maha Shivratri marks the day when Lord Shiva performed the heavenly dance known as the ‘Tandava.’ It symbolises the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction. Devotees believe that observing rituals and prayers on this day can cleanse them of past sins and lead to spiritual enlightenment.

It also commemorates the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Celebrations and Rituals:

The celebrations of Maha Shivratri vary across regions, but certain customs are observed by devotees worldwide. Many people fast throughout the day and night, offering prayers and performing special rituals like bathing the Shiva Lingam (a symbolic representation of Lord Shiva) with milk, honey, and water. Devotees also chant prayers and hymns dedicated to Lord Shiva, seeking his blessings for happiness and prosperity.

The Legend of Maha Shivratri:

There are various legends associated with Maha Shivratri, each highlighting the greatness of Lord Shiva. One popular legend narrates the story of how Lord Shiva saved the universe from destruction by swallowing the poison that emerged during the churning of the ocean. His act of consuming the poison turned his throat blue, earning him the name “Neelkanth” (the one with a blue throat).

Meditation and Spiritual Awakening:

Maha Shivratri is also a time for introspection and meditation. Many devotees stay awake throughout the night, engaging in meditation and chanting prayers. It’s believed that staying awake during this night-long vigil can awaken one’s inner consciousness and bring them closer to the divine.

Cultural Significance:

Beyond its religious significance, Maha Shivratri holds cultural importance as well. It’s a time for communities to come together, share meals, and participate in various cultural performances and events. The festival promotes unity and harmony among people of different backgrounds, fostering a sense of collective celebration.

Conclusion:

Maha Shivratri is not just a festival; it’s a spiritual journey that brings people closer to Lord Shiva and to each other. Through rituals, prayers, and acts of devotion, devotees seek blessings, wisdom, and inner peace. As we celebrate Maha Shivratri, let us embrace the teachings of Lord Shiva and strive for a world filled with love, compassion, and understanding.