Friends are few, and that's true for the brain too. Even if you gather 5,000 friends on Facebook, your brain is only capable of managing only 150 friendships, say evolutionary anthropologists at Oxford University, UK. Blame it on the neocortex, the part of the brain used for conscious thought and language. It limits people to managing about 150 friends, no matter how sociable one is.
Age makes you smarter:
If you thought your brain stops growing after 25, think again. In fact, as you reach midlife-between age 40 and 65-you become better at things that you couldn't do when you were in your 20s. For instance, inductive reasoning and problem solving, arguments, sizing up a situation and reaching a creative solution. Social expertise also peaks and so does one's financial judgement, says a Harvard University study.
Water is good for grey matter:
Drink enough water and save your brain. That's the call from scientists at King's College, London. They have found that just 90 minutes of steady sweating can shrink the brain by as much as a year of ageing. Starved of water, grey matter is also forced to work harder to process the same information. But don't panic just yet; drink a glass of water or two and your brain will return to normal, say the researchers after scanning the brains of teenagers after an hour-and-half of cycling. The sweaty teens did just as well when asked to play a computer game that tests the ability to plan and solve problems. But the scans showed they had to use more of their brains to do it.
Sound of music:
Stroke patients who have lost the ability to speak can be trained to speak by singing first, say neuroscientists at the Harvard Medical School. Patients who responded with incoherent sounds were found to sing-recite addresses, communicate if they were thirsty and even moved beyond simple phrases, after the therapy. The underdeveloped systems on the right side of the brain that responds to music became enhanced and changed structures, say researchers.
As BP struggles to contain the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, an Indian-origin scientist from Texas University has created a special cotton fabric that can clean up crude oil up to 40 times its weight and help in cleaning efforts.
Seshadri Ramkumar, associate professor of the Texas Tech Institute of Environmental and Human Health, has created a non- oven environment-friendly cotton carbon absorbent wipes, Fibertect.
"Cotton fibre contains 0.5 per cent wax, which enables it to soak up 40 times its weight," Ramkumar said.
"The chemistry of cotton makes it the ideal material for oil absorption with its waxiness, strength when wet, absorption capacity and ability to biodegrade," explained Professor Ramkumar, who described his discovery as "a blessing in an ironic situation."
"The synthetic booms soak up only a third of what cotton absorbs and are not biodegradable. You take those plastics and where do you put them? In landfills. They will stay put forever," he added.
"Add chemicals and it could absorb up to 70 times its weight," he said.
Through his research with nonwoven cotton, Ramkumar may have found an all-natural way to absorb oil from spills.
Rather than spending money and effort on containment structures and synthetic materials, he recommends utilising cotton.
Ramkumar is surprised that why cotton had not been considered earlier, reported the A-J's Alyssa Dizon.
"We are the only ones..to my knowledge...focused on taking cotton to oil absorption using nonwoven technology," he said. Unlike apparel production, there is no need to go through the expensive processes of dyeing, bleaching and weaving the cotton.
Since the explosion of an offshore rig more than a month ago, scientists and London-based BP oil company have been trying various methods to contain or soak up as much oil as possible, largely with limited or no success.
One cotton product Professor Ramkumar invented last year was Fibertect, a commercially sold nonwoven decontamination wipe that absorbs toxic chemical substances.
This is significant because now that the oil has reached the coastline, the nonwoven cotton technologies potentially could be doubly beneficial.
"Any wildlife rehabilitation that will occur we believe could be assisted with the Fibertect invention as well as other nonwoven applications from his lab," said Ronald Kendall, founding director of Tech's environmental institute.
"There are just so many applications of Dr Ramkumar's technology to take cotton and turn into products that we never even thought of before," he added.
The potential benefits of Dr Ramkumar's research stretch far beyond helping preserve the environment from natural and man- ade disasters and raising Texas Tech's reputation in the higher education community nationally and internationally.
New opportunities for cotton are always good news for producers, especially if it will help them sell low-quality cotton, said Shawn Wade, director of communications for Plains Cotton Growers.
Several million feet of booms, lightweight tubes used to recover oil, have already been tossed into the ocean, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.
What makes Fibertect different from other cotton absorption technologies, however, is its combination with carbon.
It is a three-layer design consisting of a top and bottom layer of cotton to absorb oil and a middle layer of carbon that absorbs hydrocarbons and harmful carcinogenic vapours released from the oil.
Ramkumar said his unique use of activated carbon fabric in oil clean-up is extremely beneficial because the toxic vapours could potentially destroy ecosystems and cause cancer in humans if they are not absorbed.
Ramkumar said he and other researchers are simply taking what nature provides and applying it in new ways.
"Mother Nature has given cotton wax to protect it," said Ramkumar.
"The natural wax on the cotton helps to hold the oil together. So, wax has affinity towards oil, and then the carbon has affinity towards vapour, it holds the vapour." Because Fibertect is all- atural, unlike synthetic plastic booms previously used to clean oil spills, it is 100 per cent biodegradable and one sheet can be wrung and reused up to five times.
According to www.propublica.org, the only cleaning method currently being used by BP is dispersants, which is an aerial spraying technique.
The dispersant most commonly being used is Corexit EC9500A, which the Environmental Protection Agency has shown to be more toxic and less effective than other methods.
Ramkumar said the problem with Corexit EC9500A, besides the fact that it itself is toxic, is that it simply breaks down the oil into tiny particles which remain in the water and can be harmful to marine life and humans.
He said Fibertect eliminates this problem because it absorbs the oil rather than break it down.
Samples of Fibertect have been sent to be BP but no decision has been made on whether or not to use it.
Haldenby and Ramkumar said if they do decide to use it, this could be a big step towards a National Research University status for Texas Tech.
Obese people can cut down their excess flab just by eating a fat-buster diet pill that contains a unique anti-obesity formula.
The new drug that claims to burn fat twelve times faster than normal, got sold out in just three days after going on sale.
The drug named Capsiplex was sold as soon as it hit the shelves in early June.
The over-the-counter pill, made by British pharmaceutical giant Capsiplex, is the first to contain a unique anti-obesity formula previously available only on the National Health Services, where it has already been prescribed to 10,000 people, reports The Daily Express.
The drug that costs 24.99 pound-a-month was sold out at stores across Britain, including Harrods, Selfridges and Lloyds Pharmacy.
"It is a discreet tablet which enables you to effortlessly lose weight without inhibiting your lifestyle,"
Researchers have warned that incessant use of mobile phones may cause a brain tumour pandemic in Britain.
A recent 17 million-pounds study concluded that the risk of the disease is at least 25 per cent more than previous studies showed, and only those who talk on their mobile for 30 minutes a day for ten years were more likely to get brain cancer.
But electronics engineer Lloyd Morgan says that the danger is grossly under estimated.
"What we have discovered indicates there is going to be one hell of a brain tumour pandemic unless people are warned and encouraged to change current cell phone use behaviours," The Scotsman quoted Morgan as saying.
"Governments should not soft-peddle this critical public health issue but instead rapidly educate citizens on the risks.
"People should hear the message clearly that cell phones should be kept away from one's head and body at all times," Morgan added.
An earlier study, which included results from the UK and four Scandinavian countries found virtually no increased risk of meningiomas and glioma - two types of brain cancer. Morgan, however, insists that a correction factor applied showed that not only was risk of meningioma found for every year of cell phone use, a person's risk of meningioma increases by 24 per cent.
Ed Yong, head of health information at Cancer Research UK, said, "The warnings of a 'brain tumour pandemic' are overblown.
"National brain cancer rates have not increased in proportion to skyrocketing phone use and there are still no good consistent explanations for how mobile phones could cause cancer. " (ANI)
Warren Anderson, former chairman of Union Carbide Corp responsible for the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, was certain that Indian law couldn't touch him.
Anderson, in an interview with the BBC after he was released by the Madhya Pradesh government on 7th December 1984, had said that he was going home to America.
"House arrest or no arrest or bail, no bail, I am free to go home...There is a law of the United States...India, bye bye, thank you," Anderson had said even though there was an arrest warrant against him.
Congress leader Arjun Singh, who was Madhya Pradesh's Chief Minister in1984, was in Bhopal that time and clearly said his government didn't intend to prosecute or “harass” Anderson.
"There was no intention to prosecute anyone or try to, sort of, harass anyone,” Singh told BBC outside the Union Carbide plant.
"Therefore, he (Anderson) was granted bail and he agreed to be present in court when the charges are made," said Singh.
Singh has not spoken publicly after a Bhopal court's verdict in the gas leak case two weeks ago, but Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said that the decision to let Anderson leave Bhopal was strictly a law and order decision.
A Bhopal court had on January 1, 1992 issued a notice for Anderson's appearance before it. After Anderson failed to turn up, non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against him.
In 2003, India sent an extradition request for Anderson to the US Justice Department, which rejected it in 2004. The last request for extradition by the External Affairs Ministry was made in September 2008.
Gordon Streeb, who was deputy chief of mission of the US embassy in New Delhi in 1984, has said the Indian government had assured "safe passage" to Anderson.
Beauty experts say that facials are the best way to tighten up facial muscles, detoxify and tone the skin. They not only remove dead cells, but also provide nourishment.
Here are a few exotic facials that keep you radiant, no matter what the weather. Caviar spa facial: Caviar are exotic fish eggs which are rich in proteins, minerals and lipids known for cell regeneration and anti-ageing properties.
The omega 3 fatty acids and DHA component found in caviar oil is a tonic for tanned skin. Good for: Dry skin, freckles, crow feet and fine lines.
Cost: Rs 2,200. Crystal glow facial: Crystal salts used in it relax es the entire body. They also help remove dead skin. Helps: Enhance the overall purification and detoxification of body.
This facial therapy also incorporates the Thai Candle detoxification procedure in which the toxin waxes are extracted from the ear with the help of suction. Cost: Rs 3,000 Wine and honey facial: This facial uses a mixture of wine, honey, glycerine, turmeric, gram flour, jojoba oil and semolina.
Helps: Serves as a protein pack for the skin, which provides nutrients to the skin externally. Wine is a very good agent which contains high protein and minerals which are readily absorbed by the skin.
Cost: Rs 1,500 Spanish chocolate facial: Chocolate has elastic properties and one can choose between white chocolate and dark chocolate for application. Good for: Wrinkled, parched skin.
Also effective for under eye dark circles. Cost: Rs 1,200 Jasmine and lavender facial: If mixed with sour curd, it hydro cleanses the oily skin and helps in drying acne faster.
Few drops of mint essence with jasmine and ylang ylang oil brings a glow to open pores. Good for: Oily skin.
There's so much about summer that makes skincare a nightmare. You've to contend with the hot sun, the dust and the sweat.
While the heat shrivels up the skin and the sun tans it, the sweat - water combined with excretory products such as urea and salicylic acid - coats the body with smelly salts. Natural oils on the face and scalp, mixed with the sweat, cause sensitivity and redness.
Basic steps of skincare remain the same - cleaning, protection and nutrition - but you have to take added precautions to battle the sun. Cleaning: Wash your face frequently, using a gentle face wash.
Avoid harsh soaps as they cause dryness as well as rebound oiliness. Soothe the skin with ice cubes, applying ice directly on clean skin and then dabbing it dry.
Do no scrub. Oily hair can make your skin spotty and prone to acne, so wash it regularly, especially after exercising, stepping outdoors or doing any work that makes you sweat.
Excess shampooing does not harm the hair, but go for a normal shampoo. Protection: Cover up using caps, scarves and full-sleeved shirts.
Do not step out in the sun between 11 am to 2 pm, when UV exposure is maximum. If exposure is unavoidable, use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15-30, which is best suited for Indian skin types.
Lower SPF is ineffective, higher causes skin damage. Choose a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB and apply it 10 minutes before stepping out.
Re-apply every two hours. Physical barriers such as calamine lotion and pure zinc oxide lotions also work.
The Karnataka High Court delivered its verdict on Swami Nityananda’s bail plea. The 32-year-old spiritual teacher and founder of the Dhyanapeetam, faces several criminal charges including that of rape and “unusual sex”.
12th June 2010: Swami Nityananda has got conditional bail but has been instructed not to teach or preach.
11th June 2010: Swami Nityananda gets bail on Rs 1 lakh bond. No witness against Nityananda in rape case.
30th April 2010: When the CID was interrogating him, the swami’s shocking statement, “I’m not a man. There’s no way I could have indulged in sexual activities with women. Do a potency test on me,” gave a new twist to the sordid saga.
21st April 2010: Almost a month and a half after the sex scam broke out, Swami Nityananda was arrested from Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district. At the time of his arrest, the Bangalore police found Rs 3 lakh and 2000 dollars with him.
2nd March 2010: The Swami scandal surfaced in March 2010 when a local channel aired video footage of the swami in a compromising position with a Tamil actress after he had retired from his ashram to live a life of “spiritual seclusion”.
After almost 50 days in jail, the decision on his bail plea will be taken today. Amidst allegations against Nityananda and all the controversy, some loyal devotees continue to hold onto their faith.
Swami Nityananda is not the only self-professed godman to be embroiled in a controversy; several others too have been in the news for all the wrong reasons.
Social media channels, specifically Twitter, was abuzz with quips about Swami Nityananda’s sex scandal. For an interesting flipside view to the Swami saga, check this link.
The world's oldest leather shoe, 1,000 years older than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt and 400 years older than Stonehenge in Britain, has been found perfectly preserved in a cave in Armenia.
The 5,500-year-old shoe was discovered by a team of international archaeologists, who reported details of their finding on Wednesday. It is made of a single piece of cow-hide leather, had laces, and was shaped to fit the wearer's foot.
It is 24.5 cm long, 7.6 cm to 10 cm wide, and dates back to around 3,500 BC, an era known as the Chalcolithic period.
"It is not known whether the shoe belonged to a man or woman," said Ron Pinhasi of University College Cork in Ireland, who led the research team. He said while it was small, matching a modern-day European size 37 or U.S. size 7, the shoe "could well have fitted a man from that era."
The cave where the discovery was made is in the Vayotz Dzor province of Armenia, on the Armenian-Iranian-Turkish borders.
Pinhasi said the stable, cool and dry conditions in the cave meant the various objects found there were very well preserved.
Other finds included large ceramic containers, many of which held wheat, barley, apricots and other edible plants.
The team said preservation was also helped by the fact that the floor of the cave was covered by a thick layer of sheep dung which acted as a solid seal over the objects, keeping them safe for several millennia.
The shoe was found in 2008 by Armenian PhD student Diana Zardaryan of the country's Institute of Archaeology, in a pit that also included a broken pot and sheep's horns.
"I was amazed to find that even the shoe-laces were preserved," she said in the report of the find, which was published in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS One.
Scientists in radiocarbon laboratories in California and in Oxford, England, have been working since 2008 to try to put an accurate date on the shoe.
The oldest known footwear in the world are sandals thought to be around 2,500 years older than the Armenian leather shoe. They were found in a cave in Missouri in the United States.
The US is home to about 1.6 million Indian origin people, making them the third-largest immigrant group in the country after Mexicans and Filipino, a Washington-based think tank has said.
Between 2007 and 2008, the number of Indian immigrants surpassed the number of Chinese and Hong Kong-born immigrants for the first time since at least 1960, said the Migration Policy Institute in its latest report.
Indian immigration to the US, a fairly recent phenomenon, grew rapidly during the 1990s and 2000s.
In addition, people with Indian ancestry have also immigrated to the US from the Caribbean, East Africa, Canada, and the United Kingdom, said the report authored by Aaron Terrazas and Cristina Batog.
The report said Indians are heavily concentrated in California and New Jersey. Compared to other immigrant groups, the Indian foreign born are much better educated - nearly three-quarters of Indian-born adults have a bachelor's degree or higher.
About one-quarter of Indian-born men in the labour force work in the information technology industry. Nearly half of all Indian immigrants resided in California, New Jersey, New York, and Texas, it said.
California had the largest number of Indian immigrants (303,497 or 18.7 per cent of the Indian-born population) in 2008, followed by New Jersey (187,732, or 11.6 per cent) and New York (141,738, or 8.7 per cent).
Texas (131,729, or 8.1 per cent), Illinois (129,187, or 8.0 per cent), Pennsylvania (65,014, or 4.0 per cent), Florida 59,169, or 3.6 per cent), Georgia (54,111, or 3.3 per cent), Virginia (53,674, or 3.3 per cent), and Michigan (49,167, or 3.0 per cent) are the other cities with substantial Indian-origin population.
In 2008, the Indian born made up 10.9 per cent of all immigrants in New Jersey and 10.3 per cent of all immigrants in West Virginia.
They were also about one in 10 immigrants in Pennsylvania (9.8 per cent), Delaware (9.7 per cent), New Hampshire (9.5 per cent), and Ohio (9.5 per cent).
The Indian immigrant population more than doubled in 10 states between 2000 and 2008.
These states, which generally had small Indian immigrant populations in 2000, include Montana (from 253 to 1,009), Utah (from 2,030 to 5,629), Nevada (from 2,511 to 6,750), Idaho (from 845 to 2,269), Arizona (from 9,134 to 22,731) and Washington (from 14,714 to 36,435).
New Hampshire (from 2,530 to 6,244), Vermont (from 585 to 1,429), Mississippi (from 2,351 to 5,010), and the District of Columbia (from 1,139 to 2,350) where increase in population was observed.
Over one in six Indian immigrants resided in the New York metropolitan area.
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA, was the metropolitan area with the largest number of Indian born (277,401, or 17.1 per cent) in 2008, followed by Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI (116,395, or 7.2 per cent); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (78,001, or 4.8 per cent); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (67,340, or 4.2 per cent); and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA (66,125 or 4.1 per cent).
Of the 2.3 million members of the Indian Diaspora residing in the US in 2008, 66.4 per cent were born in India, including individuals born in India to at least one parent who was a native-born US citizen.
One-fifth (20.0 per cent) were US citizens at birth. The remaining 13.6 per cent were born elsewhere, mainly in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Fiji, the Caribbean (Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica), East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa), and the British Commonwealth (Canada, United Kingdom).
The Indian Diaspora in the United States is relatively small compared to the total population of India (1.1 billion in 2008 according to the World Bank).
The number of Indian immigrants in the US (1.6 million) is roughly the same size as the population of the Indian city of Agra, and the Indian Diaspora (2.3 million) is about the same size as the population of Jaipur.
As of 2008, 43.4 per cent of the 1.6 million Indian foreign born entered the country in 2000 or later, with 29.9 per cent entering between 1990 and 1999, 15.0 per cent between 1980 and 1989, 9.0 per cent between 1970 and 1979, and the remaining 2.7 per cent prior to 1970.
By contrast, 29.5 per cent of the 38.0 million total foreign born entered the country in 2000 or later, with 28.7 per cent entering between 1990 and 1999, 20.0 per cent entering between 1980 and 1989, 11.4 per cent between 1970 and 1979, and the remaining 10.4 per cent prior to 1970. According to the report, over half of Indian immigrants residing in the United States in 2008 were men (54.8 per cent) and 45.2 per cent were women.
Among all immigrants, 50.2 per cent were men and 49.8 per cent were women. Further, Indian immigrants were as likely as the foreign born overall to be naturalised US citizens.
Among the Indian foreign born, 43.8 per cent were naturalised US citizens, compared to 43.0 per cent among the overall foreign-born population.
Also three of every 10 Indian immigrants in 2008 were limited English proficient. About 9.2 per cent of Indian immigrants age 5 and older reported speaking "English only" while 62.4 per cent reported speaking English "very well".
In terms of academic achievement, Indian immigrants were better educated than other immigrants and the native born. In 2008, 73.6 per cent of Indian-born adults age 25 and older had a bachelor's degree or higher compared to 27.1 percent among all 31.9 million foreign-born adults and 27.8 per cent of all 168.
1 million native-born adults. An additional 8.6 per cent had some college education or an associate's degree compared to 16.4 per cent among all immigrant adults and 30.8 per cent of all native-born adults.
Among the 713,000 Indian immigrant male workers age 16 and older employed in the civilian labor force in 2008, 27.0 per cent reported working in information technology; 20.2 per cent in management, business, and finance; 10.7 per cent in other sciences and engineering; and 10.6 per cent in sales, the report said.
About 16.4 per cent of Indian immigrants lived in poverty in 2008 compared to 37.9 per cent of all immigrants and 28.7 per cent of the native born.
The estimated number of unauthorised immigrants from India has increased from about 120,000 in 2000 to about 200,000 in 2009, an increase of 64 per cent, the report said.
India's high net worth individuals are heavy on gold and real estate but have kept currency out of their investment plans as they look beyond equities to maximise their returns. Other than going long on gold and cutting deals in the real estate space they have entered the private equity space. Some of their more defensive strategies include investing in short-term debt instruments and structured products with capital protection.
HNIs are tapping opportunities in the realty space in countries like the US, UK and Singapore. Some are even scouting for houses in debt-ridden Spain and Greece, part of euro zone. This is because many houses abroad have become dirt-cheap after the financial meltdown. In the US, some houses priced at half a million dollars in 2006-07 are now available around $200,000. "Many HNIs with children studying in the US are used to paying $2,000-3,000 per month on rents; so they are saying why not buy a house," says Maneesh Kumar, MD, Burgeon Wealth Advisors. Under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme of RBI, every resident individual can remit up to $200,000 overseas every year.
Gold is in vogue as well. HNIs are purchasing gold through exchange traded funds and physical gold and through international gold funds. The Gold Harvest Scheme is a popular route where one buys gold by paying interest-free installments along with the rollover cost. The biggest advantage here is that HNIs can get delivery of gold, say, 1, 2 or 3 years later at the price fixed today. "Gold is seen as a hedge against currency and inflation risks. Plus, it is liquid," says Ajay Bagga, head (private wealth management), Deutsche Bank.
According to him, gold has historically given returns near to or slightly above inflation. Year-on-year, gold is up 24% in dollar terms and 23.1% in rupee terms. If global markets continue to remain tumultuous, gold may rise further, feel experts.
Investing through private equity (PE) is gaining ground as well. "This is mainly because PE funds have reduced the ticket size of investments to about Rs 25 lakh. Earlier, the minimum amount was in crores," says Rajev B Sharma, country head (wealth management), Unicon.
HNIs are investing in PEs by becoming limited partners or directly co-investing in projects. Alternatively, the PE might approach institutional investors like banks, which will issue a tranche to the PE for the required amount and then approach individual HNI customers for funds.
Not all HNIs are gung-ho about taking the PE route, though. "This is because the lock-in period is longer at 5-7 years and transaction costs are substantially higher," says Bagga.
And those who do not have the patience for long-term bets are turning to short-term, liquid and fixed return products. HNIs typically earn 4-5% p.a on short tenure fixed deposits, 5% on liquid mutual funds and 6-6.5% on short-term mutual funds. "Cash is now king for HNIs and they are looking for stability and protection of capital," says Bagga.
HNIs are also investing in company deposits with tenures below six months. Rates for some of these short-term company deposits could be as high as 9-11%p.a. "Because of market volatility as well as higher perceived risk with corporate FDs, HNIs are less inclined to lock in their money for an extended tenure," says Kumar of Burgeon Wealth Advisors.
Lower graded debt instruments are also on the radar. "Even though these instruments may not have a high credit rating, a credit-enhancing mechanism can offer additional comfort for HNIs. The promoter usually offers company shares as collateral," says Vishal Kapoor, general manager (wealth management), Standard Chartered India.
Debt syndication deals too are gaining currency. A lender (bank, NBFC, etc) lends to a promoter against shares. The lender then issues a debt instrument representing obligation to repay the loan in the form of a unitised debt paper sold in units. The shares are used as security. These unitised papers are sold to HNI investors with permission of the borrower promoter. "HNIs can hope to earn 12-15% returns through these deals," said Mohit Batra, Group CEO, Alchemy Capital Management.
HNIs are looking at structured products with a capital protection component. Such schemes are essentially a mix of debt and equity with a coupon attached that guarantees a minimum rate of return. These help to participate in the upside of the market while protecting the downside. Even for these products, clients prefer staying invested for a shorter period ― the investment tenure has come down from 3 years in 2006-07 to 18-24 months nows. "Structured products are typically not very leveraged, have a scientific base, are less risky, generally have a strict stop-loss and are based on the customer profile," says Sharma of Unicon.
Did the mythical Sarasvati river actually exist? Eminent French non-fiction writer and Indophile Michel Danino suggests that oral tradition, literary testimony and now a mass of evidence could all be made to converge to establish that it did.
Danino, a religious scholar who has lived in India for more than three decades, finds 'startling matches between literary accounts and ground situations' in his new book 'The Lost River: On the trail of the Sarasvati.'
'There was indeed a local oral tradition recalling the loss of the river. But there was also much literary testimony to that effect, and now a mass of evidence in the form of topographic and geological studies, archaeological findings and satellite imagery. Could it all be made to converge?' enquired Danino in an e-mail interview to IANS.
'In the case of the Vedic Sarasvati river, we find an excellent match between the literary record and the ground situation. That is the story I tried to tell in my book,' the writer said.
The earliest evidence of the existence of a vanishing river in official annals, said Danino, could be found in the folios of Lieutenant Colonel James Tod in the early 19th century.
Tod refers 'to the tradition of the absorption of the seasonal Caggar (Ghaggar) river as one of the causes of the comparative depopulation of the northern desert.'
The 'Sarsuti (Sarasvati)' or the sacred river of Punjab since 'early Brahminical times' is known to have merged with the Ghaggar somewhere in the Haryana region after passing through Kurukshetra, says Danino in his book.
A British surgeon, C.F. Oldham, known for his varied interests, drew attention to the river in a paper 'The Sarasvati and the Lost River of the Indian Desert'. Danino falls back on this text to bring the mythical Sarasvati to life.
Oldham said the Vedic hymns placed the river somewhere 'between the Yamuna and the Sutlej'.
'It is difficult to say how Sarasvati came to be deified. The river was worshipped as a goddess as early as in the Rig Veda, but the Indus, which is equally important as a river, never enters the pantheon. I assume that many of the 'rishis' (seers) who composed the Vedic hymns lived on the Sarasvati's banks - in fact, the Mahabharata states as much,' Danino said.
Danino, who gathered the bulk of his evidence from the archives, is struck by two mysteries about the Sarasvati. 'First the strange fact that the only river deified in the Rig Veda (and in the Yajur Veda, she becomes the goddess of speech) should be the one to disappear,' he said.
Secondly, the hundreds of ruined sites along its banks had always been known to local people and 'were recorded by British topographers, but no one knew what epoch they belonged to', the writer argued.
'That hundreds of them should have turned out to be Harappan was a major discovery. But it also presented a riddle. This was the dry bed of a river everyone agreed must have been the Vedic Sarasvati, so where were the Vedic settlements one might have expected? Or was it possible that the Harappan settlements had a connection to the Vedic culture?' he said.
Why was the story of Sarasvati of such profound interest to foreign audiences unlike other Indian river lores? For the writer, the Sarasvati is 'a whole symbol of Indian civilisation.'
'But beyond this, anyone trying to pierce the riddle of human existence needs to go back to some of our myths of origin, myths that define what we are and what we should aspire to. Gilgamesh's quest for immortality, Prometheus' stealing of the heavenly fire, Osiris' death and resurrection, Sarasvati's disappearance and rebirth are powerful stories that can still inspire us and give meaning to our increasingly drifting lives,' the writer said.
Danino was drawn to India at the age of 15 and is an authority on Sri Aurobindo's philosophy of divine consciousness and Aryan culture with several books and treatises to his credit.
The rains are here and how! After a long wait, they've surely made a dramatic entry. But along with them, health concerns have gone up as well.
Here are some health tips from experts to keep you hale and hearty during the monsoon.
Stock up on food
Since gastric troubles are common, avoid eating out during the monsoon. It would be a good idea to carry to work a packet of biscuit, some fruit or healthy snacks like khakras. This can definitely help you avoid all sorts of health issues usually faced during the rains.
Mumbai-based general physician, Dr Maya Gariba, says, "Avoid eating out as far as possible and all things cold as well since you are more susceptible to the flu or the common cold. Make sure that the food you eat is warm and freshly cooked."
Delhi-based general physician Dr Sindhu Nair says, "Carry ORS (Oral rehydration solution/salts that help restoring water content in the body) with you. It instantly cures dehydration, in case you are stranded somewhere due to the rains."
Get your first-aid kit
Dr Gariba says, "It is advisable for those who suffer from asthma to carry their inhaler at all times. A paracetamol-based drug always comes in handy in case of cramps or if you suspect the flu. Heart patients should carry their medications with them as well. Sorbiprat is a drug you can stock on, as it helps in subsiding chest pain." It will be a good idea for car owners to update their medical kit as, road accidents tend to rise this season.
Sanitise, sanitise, sanitise!
Germs and bacteria are out on the prowl, so you need to be doubly careful. Therefore, sanitise, sanitise, sanitise!
Keep a hand sanitiser handy at all times. It is advisable to wash your hands every time you come in from the rains, before and after meals. It will keep several infections at bay.
Try dry therapy
Getting wet in the rain is fun. However, you should not stay wet for a long time as you could fall sick. Leg cramps, flu and fever are a few things you could suffer from, if you don't take enough care.
"Hot water bags, a good massage and vitamin D and calcium supplements are a good remedy for leg cramps," Dr Nair says.
Protect yourself from the rains with a good umbrella or a raincoat. For those who commute long distances, it's a good idea to keep a pair of spare clothes at your work place. You can change into them on a wet day. Carrying a large napkin in your bag is a good idea too.
Happy feet, a must!
Our feet get battered the most during the rainy season with the rainwater, dirt and muck. As a result, we tend to get fungal infections. Hence, it's important to take more care of your feet. Invest in a good pair of rainy shoes.
Dr Nair says, "Wear closed shoes to protect your feet. Gum boots are the best option as they keep your feet clean and dry."
Each time you come in from the rain, wash your feet and wipe them dry. Keep a pair of sandals at work and change into them when you come in. Follow these tips and have a healthy monsoon.
However, it would be better to take a rain check before you venture out. Stay indoors if it's pouring cats and dogs.
Wondering whether to study entrepreneurship in grad school? Well, you might want to have your DNA tested before that, says Economics Prof. Scott Shane.
He told The Wall Street Journal that 40 percent entrepreneurial predispostion could be innate.
Shane, who teaches at Case Western University, said that certain personality traits are widely shared by successful entrepreneurs.
His book, 'Born Entrepreneurs, Born Leaders,' says qualities like extroversion, being open to new ideas and the ability to negotiate tough terms are attributes that may be inherited.
Shane thinks that this could lead to the idea of education based on an individual's DNA.
"Instead of assumming everyone is equal and will respond to education the same way, we will be able to look at genetic predispositions and figure out what fits," the New York Daily News quoted Shane as saying.
A simple answer to this question is ‘NO’. Ask this question to a trader and he’ll surely say yes. It’s because he knows that’s how it needs to be marketed to be sold.
Diamonds for years have been considered as a symbol of love and romance. But if you read this, you would know how a successful brand campaign persuaded us to believe that diamonds are precious.
So why are diamonds so expensive? It all began in the 1940s when De Beers started an ad campaign ‘Diamonds are forever’ in America linking it to love and romance. But the process to dig out diamonds is too laborious. Also, the distribution of the number of diamonds to the market each year is highly regulated.
In fact, try selling a diamond to a trader and you know what my argument is. You can’t sell your diamond unless you are a certified trader. So in turn, it becomes a dead investment. Diamond pricing is also very complicated and is determined by an independent body.
To quote De Beers chairman Nicky Oppenheimer: “Diamonds are intrinsically worthless, except for the deep psychological need they fill.” In fact, De Beers have ensured that they don’t ever lower the price of diamonds. While the process of extracting it is laborious, the stone itself isn’t rare.
So whether you hate it or not, diamonds aren’t a good investment option.
Millions of Pakistanis in the country's northwest tribal areas live in a 'human rights-free zone' where they have no legal protection from the government and are subjected to abuses by the Taliban, the Amnesty International has said.
In a report titled 'As if Hell Fell on Me: The Human Rights Crisis in Northwest Pakistan', the London-based rights organisation urged the Pakistan government and Taliban to comply with international humanitarian law.
"Nearly four million people are currently living under the Taliban in Pakistan in northwest Pakistan without rule of law and effectively abandoned by the Pakistani government," Amnesty International's interim Secretary General Claudio Cordone said.
"There are still more than one million people who were displaced from their homes in Pakistan's northwest tribal belt by the conflict with the Taliban (and) whose plight is largely ignored and who are in desperate need of aid."
According to Amnesty, at least 1,300 civilians were killed in the fighting in northwest Pakistan in 2009.
A teacher who fled Swat with family in March 2009 was quoted as saying: "The government just gave away our lives to the Taliban. What's the point of having this huge army if it can't even protect us against a group of brutal fanatics? They took over my school and started to teach children about how to fight in Afghanistan.
"They kicked out the girls from school, told the men to grow their beards, threatened anybody they didn't like. Our government and our military never tried to protect us from this."
Cordone said that for years, the tribal areas have been treated as a stage for geopolitical rivalries and are currently in focus because of the conflict in neighbouring Afghanistan and the search for al-Qaeda militants, rather than the rights of the people living there.
"The Pakistani government should not just respond using military force; it needs to provide and protect the basic rights of its citizens living there."
"The Pakistani government has to follow through on its promises to bring the region out of this human rights black hole and place the people of FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) under the protection of the law and constitution of Pakistan," Cordone said.
There is no quick-fix solution for decades of "misrule" and the conflict of the past few years, but the road to recovery starts with recognising the rights of the people of FATA, he said.
Amnesty said the US' use of drones to target insurgents in northwest Pakistan has generated considerable resentment inside the country.
It called on the US to clarify its chain of command and rules of engagement for the use of drones and ensure proper accountability for civilian casualties.
Scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center have offered new insights into how acupuncture alleviates pain.
The researchers identified the molecule adenosine as a central player in parlaying some of the effects of acupuncture in the body.
Building on that knowledge, scientists were able to triple the beneficial effects of acupuncture in mice by adding a medication approved to treat leukemia in people.
The research focuses on adenosine, a natural compound known for its role in regulating sleep, for its effects on the heart, and for its anti-inflammatory properties.
But adenosine also acts as a natural painkiller, becoming active in the skin after an injury to inhibit nerve signals and ease pain in a way similar to lidocaine.
In the current study, scientists found that the chemical is also very active in deeper tissues affected by acupuncture.
The Rochester researchers looked at the effects of acupuncture on the peripheral nervous system - the nerves in our body that aren't part of the brain and spinal cord.
The research complements a rich, established body of work showing that in the central nervous system, acupuncture creates signals that cause the brain to churn out natural pain-killing endorphins.
The new findings add to the scientific heft underlying acupuncture, said neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard, who led the research.
"Acupuncture has been a mainstay of medical treatment in certain parts of the world for 4,000 years, but because it has not been understood completely, many people have remained skeptical," said Nedergaard.
"In this work, we provide information about one physical mechanism through which acupuncture reduces pain in the body," she added.
The study has been published online May 30 in Nature Neuroscience.
All expecting mommies rejoice! As you ready your body for your baby, why not give your wardrobe an overhaul? After all, you don’t have to sacrifice your style quotient to wear baggy, ill-fitting clothes when this is one of the most joyful times of your life.
So, here’s your guide on how to look posh when pregnant:
A bundle of joy
Don’t feel the need to hide you growing tummy with dark and dull colours. Get colourful with vivacious yellows, girly pinks, cool blues and refreshing greens.
Experiment with small floral prints, tie and dye (this season’s hottest trend) and classic paisleys. The joy you get from looking good will spread to the little life growing inside you!
Elegance is the key
This is the time to truly explore your feminine side. You don’t need to spend big money, just invest in a few key pieces, like well-tailored anarkalis, kurtis, kaftans, and maxi dresses. Most long flowing garments can make any woman look graceful and elegant. A maxi or a kaftan can be worn later too.
The focus is on letting your skin breathe, so wear natural fabrics like cottons, mulmuls, linens, chiffons and jersey blends that are really soft on your body.
A few tricks and tips
The empire cut, multiple pleats and tiered clothes are little details that would accentuate your curves. Get your kurtis or anarkalis stitched with pleats so that they expand through your maternity period. Another trick is to wear wrap kurtas, blouses and dresses.
V-necks with interesting detailing around the neckline in a solid colour garment will draw the focus away from your mid-riff. Watch out for feminine ruffled necks, studded or embroidered necklines and off-shoulders for a chic look.
Maternity wear
If you must wear jeans, buy denims for expecting moms. These basically have a wide waist that can be expanded as your tummy grows. Brands like Mama&Bebe specialise in maternity wear.
This brings us to the very important topic of underwear. All your old bras need to be stocked away. Good quality, comfortable bras should be on top of your shopping list because your breast size increases. And, you better take good care of your girls by investing in well-fitted bras.
Accessories
Give your heels a break and trot around in fancy flats. The fancier they are, the more interesting your wardrobe will get.
Pairing your V-neck tops and wraps with eye-catching neckpieces is another way of drawing the attention away from your growing tummy. An elegant pair of earrings will add to the glow on your face.
If you love wearing tunics, why not throw on a belt, just like the radiant model Padma Lakshmi?
We spoke to the stylish and graceful Tisca Chopra who offered some style advice for moms-to-be:
All expecting moms should know that a baby bump is the biggest fashion statement.
