Unmanned aerial vehicle Bangalore

It was a dream come true for five Bangalore students when their 'baby' took off on the tarmac, which is generally used by sophisticated US naval aircraft. Not just that, by flying their unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), these students also stood first in Asia and third in the world displaying their technological prowess.
For the last one year, it has been the dream of students to build aero models. "We would take these aero models made out of thermocol out of Bangalore to fly it manually. But, we never took it seriously as to whether we can build an UAV ourselves. Then, we were doing research in IISc when we met Dr Prashanth, who heads the micro nutrient department in St John's hospital. Prashanth, who has a hobby of building UAVs, encouraged us to do UAVs and this was when we took it as a challenge and completed in three months flat. Our UAV is made of balsa wood while its wings are manufactured using thermocol. The engine is electrically powered for which we have coded to take instructions. The instructions are sent from a laptop to the autopilot device installed in the UAV. This auto pilot, we fondly call as paparazzi," explained Prasanna R, a team member.

Then with the UAV in their arms, these mechanical engineering students of M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology headed to Maryland, USA to participate in the ninth Annual Student Unmanned Air Systems (SUAS) event from June 15-19. The competition was about building an UAV capable of autonomous flight (auto piloted) and live imagery while airborne and identifying some ground targets and determining their GPS coordinates, explained Prateek Khanna, another student.

Participant Rajharsee Rahul said, "Our mission was to fly autonomously (without human intervention) using an autopilot controlled by ground station laptop and survey the given area. The competition was very tough. Students from 34 universities from across the world were participating."
In the first round, these students were shortlisted from a preliminary test while the second round was based on safety measures and the third was the actual flight session. The final round had four phases; presenting the journal paper, followed by an autonomous flight, oral presentation and image processing, added Srikanth Singh, another student.


The competition was sponsored by companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, IBM, Northrop Grumman, Compass Systems etc, said Prasanna.
The team was awarded the 3rd place for autonomous flight and 4th place in the journal paper out of 36 international teams present there. They received a cash prize of $2700 (about Rs 1,35,000).
Now, the students are planning to have an UAV club in college and share their experience with other students to ensure better performance in next year's competition. "Now, we can build an UAV in two weeks," said Vishnu B N, a team member.

Banning texting for all drivers

A new report published by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has concluded that distracted driving is associated with 15 to 25 percent of all crashes in the US. The GHSA made this claim after reviewing the results from more than 350 scientific papers published between 2000 and 2011. The report also included recommendations calling for banning texting for all drivers, and banning cellphone use by new drivers.

In addition to quantifying the relationship between driver distraction and accidents, the report, titled "Distracted Driving: What Research Shows and What States Can Do," also concluded distractions affect driving performance, drivers frequently are distracted as much as half the time while they are driving, drivers do pay more attention to driving and reduce their distracting activities in more risky driving situations, cell phone usage increases crash risk, and texting likely increases crash risk more than cellphone use.


The study suggests that the ban on cellphone usage by novice drivers should be for both handheld and hands-free use, since both are easily distracting for those not yet comfortable on the road.

The report was careful to add that more research was needed. "Despite all that has been written about driver distraction, there is still a lot that we do not know," GHSA Executive Director Barbara Harsha said. "Much of the research is incomplete or contradictory. Clearly, more studies need to be done addressing both the scope of the problem and how to effectively address it."

Museum in China

A museum in China has decided to duplicate renowned painter and sculptor Michelangelo's four masterpieces of bronze statues.
The statues - Day, Night, Twilight and Dawn - collected by the house of Medici, who ruled over Florence in the 15th and 16th century, will be replicated by the Heng Yuan Xiang Art Museum for the first time in China.

These masterpieces were sculpted between 1520-1534 when Michelangelo was in his 40s and 50s. It took him almost 15 years to accomplish this work.

The original sculptures are now displayed at the San Lorenzo Church of the Medicci family in Florence in Italy.

Michelangelo (1475-1564), a rennaissance painter, sculptor, architect and poet, left only a few sculptures in the world. It is thus very rare to find his works.

Museum spokesman Guo Jianchen said they will make six replica sets of Michelangelo's four sculptures. The first set will come out in August. But Guo did not reveal who will buy these replicas and at what prices.


The replication project is part of the "Italian Year in China" programme this year.

A few years ago, Thinker, a statue made by French sculptor Auguste Rodin, was also copied and acquired by a Chinese real estate company in Shanghai.

Robotics engineer / Artificial intelligence future

 
robots are the helping hands everyone has always wished for. Deriving its origin from the Czech word robota, meaning forced labour;Though the first thing that comes to mind vis-a-vis a robot is an imitation of a human from Star Wars, the Terminator or Star Trek it's not always a man versus machine game. Robots we encounter in our daily lives are those that perform tasks that are too dangerous, boring or onerous, thus being the helping hands.
With over a million types of robots, their presence is seen in almost every industry especially the auto, medical, manufacturing and space industry. Robots are used in industries for speeding up the manufacturing process. They are also used in the fields of nuclear science, sea exploration, servicing of transmission signals and bio-medical equipment design.
 
Created as a result of the perfect blend of the human imagination and technological developments, robots can be described better as mechanical devices that are capable of performing a variety of complex human tasks on command or by being programmed in advance. It is an artificial agent guided by computer or electric programming and is able to do tasks on its own.
A combination of intelligence, energy, movement and senses, robots require these characteristics to fulfil their purpose. The branch of study that develops these robots is robotic engineering. It deals with design and application of robots and the use of computer for their manipulation and processing.
Professor Patricia H. Reiff, director, Rice Space Institute and a professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, while highlighting new career trends says, "Robotics is very critical these days and one of the most upcoming career options. The expansion in space research these days will also boost robotics and its development."
To follow this career and develop an interest in robotics, an engineering background is a must. Mechatronics is the area of knowledge and practice interfacing mechanical and electronics engineering. Robotics is a subset of mechatronics, which involves automated machinery and components that move. Robotics being an inter-disciplinary course prefers students who have completed their graduation in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, instrumentation engineering or computer engineering with an interest in robotics and artificial intelligence.
Though the specialisation is offered at an undergraduate level in a few private engineering colleges across the country, it is not the preferred choice. The popularity and growing demand for robotics is at the Master's level.
A course in robotics trains and educates a student in the field of artificial intelligence, computer-aided manufacturing, computer integrated manufacturing system, computational geometry, robot motion planning, digital electronics and micro processing. The different facets of building a robot include working on developing the hardware, software, intelligence control and adaptive control of this machine.






























Robotics is not all about designing the robots. Its maintenance, developing new applications and conducting research are equally important. Specialising in design and control in robotics is close to mechanical engineering. For hardware design of robots, a B.Tech. in electrical or electronics and communication engineering forms a good base.

Computer engineers can look at hardware design in robotics and the controls part requires aspects of electrical engineering. This field also requires the application of computer-integrated manufacturing, mechanical engineering, electrical and software engineering and biological mechanics.
In India, work on robotics began in educational institutions and research centres such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the Indian Institute of Science. Now this field is the preferred choice of many budding engineers and contests are held among students across the country to encourage talent.
 
Robotics engineering can be studied at the IITs in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur and Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. A few other institutes that offer this specialisation are the National Institute of Technology, University of Hyderabad, Jadavpur University and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science.
A specialisation in robotics is a popular choice for students going abroad to study. This field offers job opportunities and a robotics engineer can apply his mastery in diverse fields like modern warfare, surgery, nano-technology and space-exploration. Many funding programmes and scholarships are available for research and PhD. students. Developing a robot comes with the goal of finding a solution to the problem. Along with the technical know-how, interest in research is essential. This field has no boundaries and will continue to grow until the machines take over!

types of vodka / best tasting vodka / vodka water

 

-> Vodka as a Disinfectant
All you have to do is mix 1 part Vodka and 2 parts of water and when the mixture dries up the smell of the booze dries up and the mixture does a great job a cleaning glass.

 -->Vodka to Fight against Odors
If you have some clothes, which are stinking, then just sprinkle some Vodka and keep the clothes for drying. When all the drying is done your clothes will left smell clean. 

 

-->Vodka as a Dish Cleaner

You can add some to your dish soap and use it while cleaning. It will help you cut grease. The same mixture can also help you remove sticky residue from the labels of the bottles, which you might need while recycling the bottle.

-->Vodka for Toothache

Toothache can actually squeeze the life out of you. But, if you take a Vodka shot and swish it around in your mouth, then it will help you numb the painful area and you might get some relief until you reach the dentist.

-->Vodka as a Bug Repellent

All you have to do is mix one part Vodka, one part apple cider vinegar and some citronella essential oil. It will give you a nice bug repellent.

 

-->Vodka for Hair

A shot of Vodka mixed in every shampoo bottle will make your shampoo more effective. It will remove old residue from your hair.

-->Vodka prolongs the life of your razor

When you are done with the shaving, all you have to do is, soak your safety razor in the alcohol. This soaking will not only help disinfect the razor, but will also prevent rusting.

-->Vodka as an Astringent

You can apply Vodka on your face with a cotton, it will cleanse the skin and tighten the pores too. 

-->Vodka as a Pain Reliever

Mix half cup Vodka and half cup water and pour it in a freezer bag, the result will be a refreshable ice pack for your pains. 

 

-->Vodka to relieve Fever

To do so, you will have to use a washcloth to rub Vodka on your chest and back.

-->Vodka for a Sore Throat

Add a tablespoon of Vodka to a glass of warm water and gargle. It will help numb the sore throat.

Flying car at SG Road in Ahmedabad

In 2008, NRG businessman Subhash Shihora's wife and six-month-old son were not allowed to board a flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad despite having a valid ticket because of a technical glitch. Shihora, a major stake-holder in the Rs 2 lakh crore Urok consultancy firm in the UK, was so angry he sued the airline for Rs 21 crore. He also wanted to ensure that it never happened again. And he found a way out — Shihora has become the first Indian to buy the world's first commercial flying car called 'Transition' from a company in Massachusetts, US.

Shihora now wants the car to be parked at his farmhouse off SG Road in Ahmedabad. But he fears getting permission may not be easy. He will need clearances from not just aviation agencies, but security agencies as well and has already started talking to officials.

"I fly down to Ahmedabad at least six times a year and then fly to Mumbai and Rajkot. I had taken a test drive of the flying car. By pressing just one button, the car turns into an aircraft. I have started taking flying lessons to get the licence," says Shihora. He booked the car in 2009 and will get delivery in 2012. Shihora, who moved to UK in 1998, booked it for Rs 1 crore and will pay another Rs 1 crore by the time it is delivered. "With all taxes and duties paid, the car will cost me around Rs 6 crore in Ahmedabad."


The car, designed with foldable wings, successfully completed its first flight on March 5, 2009 and recently got clearance from the US Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration. The two-seater vehicle falls in the light aircraft category and requires a private pilot licence to fly it. The vehicle, which is big enough to fit into a home garage and runs on unleaded petrol, can travel up to 450 miles and can fly at 115 mph.

Colonel VK Nagar, an aviation industry expert, says, "Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India (AAI) may give permission under the micro light aircraft category. But a vehicle that can both be driven on roads and can be taken to the skies from anywhere may create issues with security agencies."

sleep we get can impact our mental health

The amount of sleep we get can impact our mental health in later life, a study has warned.
Sleeping too little or for too long disrupts how we think and can age the brain by up to seven years, the findings show.

Getting less or more than the six to eight hours recommended sleep increases the speed of cognitive decline and affects abilities such as reasoning and vocabulary.

The researchers warned that worsening brain function could also trigger physical decline and early death.

University of London scientists showed how changes in sleep over a five-year period in late middle age affects cognitive function in later life.

The six standard tests measured memory, reasoning, vocabulary, phonemic fluency, semantic fluency and global cognitive status.

Between 7 and 8 per cent of those who slept longer than the recommended amount fared worse in all the cognitive tests apart from short-term verbal memory.

A quarter of women and 18 per cent of men who slept less suffered a decrease in their capacity for reasoning and vocabulary.


Around seven hours of good quality sleep is fundamental to human functioning and well-being, according to the study.

Sleep deprivation and sleepiness have adverse effects on performance, response times, errors of commission, and attention or concentration. 

Furthermore, sleep duration has been found to be associated with a wide range of quality of life measures, such as social functioning, mental and physical health, and early death.

Senior research fellow Jane Ferrie said: 'The main result to come out of our study was that adverse changes in sleep duration appear to be associated with poorer cognitive function in later-middle age.

'The detrimental effects of too much, too little and poor quality sleep on various aspects of health have begun to receive more attention.

'Given that our 24/7 society increasingly impinges on the lives of many people, it is important to consider what effects changes in sleep duration may have on health and well-being in the long term.'

Researchers found the ideal amount of sleep duration of seven hours per night resulted in the highest score for every cognitive measure, followed closely by six hours of nightly sleep.


Among men, cognitive function was similar for those who reported sleeping six, seven or eight hours - only short and long sleep durations of less than six hours or more than eight hours appeared to be associated with lower scores.

god of Indian hockey / biography of dhyan chand

Major Dhyan 'Chand' Singh   legendary center-forward, he is remembered for his goal-scoring feats, first as a player and later as captain. Chand won 3 Olympic gold medals (1928 Amsterdam, 1932 Los Angeles, 1936 Berlin) and was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour, in 1956.He was the elder brother of fellow player Roop Singh.

He was born on the 29th of August 1905 at Prayag (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh to a Bais Rajput family. His father served the Indian Army as a Subedar, and played the game of Hockey. Initially known as Dhyan Singh, he had 2 brothers named Mool Singh and Roop Singh, the latter one too being an accomplished Hockey player. Dhyan could not resume his studies after 6th standard as his family used to move from one place to another, before finally settling down permanently at Jhansi.


The last days of Dhyan Chand were not very happy, as he was short of money and was badly ignored by the nation. He developed liver cancer, and was sent to a general ward at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. He died on the 3rd of December 1979.

Dhyan Chand captained the Indian team in 1936 Summer Olympics final. His team had gone down to the Germans in a friendly match, shortly before the Olympics. But this time, India's forward line was reinforced by the inclusion of Ali Iqtidar Shah Dara, who managed to reach Berlin just in time for the final.

In a patriotic note, they raised the Indian tricolour in the dressing room and sang Vande Mataram an Indian nationalist song, rather than the British national anthem, which they were obliged to sing.


Indians were leading 1-0 at the half time. In second half, they scored 7 goals. After trailing 0-6, the Germans are reported to have resorted to body play. In a clash with the German goalkeeper, Dhyan Chand broke one of his teeth. But the valiant Rajput returned to the field after first aid. When the match ended, his contribution in India's 8-1 win was 6 goals.


The match was attended by Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler who left midway as he couldn't bear to see his "racially superior" team being demolished. Sensing something amiss, he was ordered to change his stick, but the flow of goals continued. India won the match 8-1, with Dhyan Chand scoring 6 goals. A reporter said about Dhyan Chand's performance - "With a flick of the wrist, a quick glance of his eyes, a sharp turn and then another turn, and Dhyan Chand was through".

Adolf Hitler left his special box in a huff, after Germany's rout. Next day, he invited him for a meeting the following day. Hitler asked Dhyan Chand what post did he hold in India. On learning that the hockey wizard was a mere Naik in the Indian army, Hitler offered to make Dhyan Chand a Field marshal should he decide to live in Germany. Dhyan Chand politely refused, saying that he had a large family to look after, in India


Dhyan Chand won a number of awards and accolades during his illustrious career. One of the most touching gestures came from the residents of Vienna, who built a statue of the Indian with four hands and four sticks, signifying his unparallel control over the ball. During a 1935 tour of New Zealand and Australia, he scored 201 goals out of the team's tally of 584 in 43 matches. Don Bradman and Dhyan Chand once came face to face at Adelaide in 1935, when the Indian hockey team was in Australia. After watching Dhyan Chand in action, Don Bradman remarked "He scores goals like runs in Cricket" and it is a measure of this man's innocence that he writes, "The picture of that meeting I will cherish all my life."


They say you can judge a man's legend by the quality of myths that surround him. By that measure itself, Dhyan Chand was an extraordinary man. To hear tales of his craftsmanship was to wonder whether his stick was designed by Merlin himself. They broke his stick in Holland to check if there was a magnet inside; in Japan they decided it was glue; in Germany, Adolf Hitler even wanted to buy it.

Once, while playing a hockey game, Major Dhyan Chand was not able to score a goal against the opposition team. After several misses, he argued with the match referee regarding the measurement of the goal post, and amazingly, it was found to not be in conformation with the official width of a goal post (as prescribed under international rules).


After India played its first match in the 1936 Olympics, Dhyan Chand's magical stickwork drew crowds from other venues to the hockey field. A German newspaper carried a banner headline: 'The Olympic complex now has a magic show too.' The next day, there were posters all over Berlin: Visit the hockey stadium to watch the Indian magician Dhyan Chand in action.

On one occasion, a lady from the audience asked Dhyan Chand to play with her walking stick instead. He scored goals even with them!

Don Bradman and Dhyan Chand once came face to face at Adelaide in 1935, when the Indian hockey team was in Australia. After watching Dhyan Chand in action, Don Bradman remarked "He scores goals like runs in cricket"
Residents of Vienna, Austria, honoured him by setting up a statue of him with four hands and four sticks, depicting his control and mastery over the ball.

Psychological Sleep Disorders

According to the American Psychiatric Association, sleep disorders are major disturbances of normal sleep patterns that lead to distress and disrupt functioning during the day (APA, 2000). Not only are sleep disorder extremely common, affecting virtually everyone at some point in their lives, but they can also lead to serious stress and other health consequences.
According to a major survey by the National Sleep Foundation, more than half of Americans reported experiencing at least one symptoms of insomnia several times a week during the previous year. Highlighting another major danger of sleep disorders, the survey also reported that 60 percent of respondents had driven while drowsy during the previous year (2005).

Insomnia:


Insomnia is by far the most common sleep disorder, affecting nearly 60 percent of U.S. adults at least one night each week (National Sleep Foundation, 2002). Common symptoms of insomnia include difficulty getting to sleep and waking before it is time to get up. There are many factors that can contribute to insomnia including stress and underlying medical conditions. Typical treatments include sleeping pills and behavior therapy. Practicing good sleep habits can often be effective for treating mild cases of insomnia.

Sleep Apnea:



Sleep apnea is the second most common sleep disorder and affects approximately 20 million Americans. This disorder causes people to stop breathing abruptly while they are asleep. During this brief period, carbon dioxide builds up in the blood and the sleeper wakes suddenly to gasp for breath. The length of time that the sleeper stop breathing can vary from a few seconds to so long that the individuals skin actually turns blue from oxygen deprivation.

Narcolepsy:



Narcolepsy is a neurological sleep disorder that leads to periods of intense sleepiness during the daytime. People suffering from narcolepsy often experience bouts of overwhelming sleepiness and may fall asleep for brief periods of time during the day. These sleeping periods may last from a few seconds to several minutes and in some cases may last up to an hour or more. Those with narcolepsy can fall asleep in the middle of a conversation, during a meal or even while driving a vehicle.
Affecting as many as 250,000 Americans, narcolepsy is a chronic condition that typically begins during adolescence. In addition to sleepiness, narcolepsy is frequently accompanied by cataplexy, which involves a sudden loss of muscle tone and control that can last seconds or minutes. Other symptoms include hallucinations and paralysis during sleep.

Sleepwalking & Night Terrors:



While insomnia and sleep apnea are more common in adults, other sleep disorders such as sleepwalking and night terrors are far more common in young children. Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, is characterized by periods of getting out of bed while asleep.
Night terrors are most frequently seen in very young children (between the ages of 2 and 6), but people of any age can be affected by this sleep disorder. Typical symptoms include excessive sweating, shaking and obvious fear.

Some of the Intersting Facts

1. A pig's orgasm lasts for 30 minutes.

(How'd they figure this out, and why?)

2. Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.

(Still can't get over that pig thing)

(Don't try this at home...maybe at work?)

3. Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.

(Is that why Flipper was always smiling?)

(And pigs get 30-minute orgasms? Doesn't seem fair)

4. The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

(Hmmmmmmmmm........)

5. Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people do.

(If you're ambidextrous do you split the difference?)

6. The ant can lift 50 times its own weight, can pull 30 times its own weight and always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.

(From drinking little bottles of...?)

(Did taxpayers pay for this research??)

7. Polar bears are left handed.

(Who knew....? Who cares? How'd they find out, did they ask them?)


8. The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.

(What can be so tasty on the bottom of the pond?)

9. The flea can jump 350 times its body length.

It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.

(30 minutes...can you imagine?? And why pigs?)

10. A cockroach will live nine days without it's head, before it starves to death.

(Creepy)

11. The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.

(Honey, I'm home. What the....)

(Well, at least pigs get a break there...)


13. Some lions mate over 50 times a day.

(In my next life I still want to be a pig ... quality over quantity)


15. Butterflies taste with their feet.

(Oh, Geez) (That's almost as bad as catfish)

14. An ostrich's eye is bigger than it's brain.

(I know some people like that.)

15. Starfish don't have brains.

(I know some people like that too.)

Interesting Facts II

1. Mosquito repellents don't repel. They hide you. The spray blocks the mosquito's sensors so they don't know you're there.

2. Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.

3. The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as substitute for blood plasma.

4. No piece of paper can be folded in half more than 7 times.

5. Donkeys kill more people annually than plane crashes.

6. You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television.

7. Oak trees do not produce acorns until they are fifty years of age or older.

8. The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum.

9. The king of hearts is the only king without a mustache.

10. A Boeing 747s wingspan is longer than the Wright brother's first flight.

11. American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating 1 olive from each salad served in first-class.

12. Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

13. Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.

14. The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.

15. Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin.

16. The first owner of the Marlboro Company died of lung cancer.

17. Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike annually than all of the Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.

18. Marilyn Monroe had six toes. (rumor)

19. All US Presidents have worn glasses. Some just didn't like being seen wearing them in public.

20. Walt Disney was afraid of mice.

21. Pearls melt in vinegar.

22. Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.

23. The three most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca-Cola, and Budweiser, in that order.

24. It is possible to lead a cow upstairs...but not downstairs.

25. A duck's quack doesn't echo and no one knows why. (Or does it?)
26. The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.

27. Richard Millhouse Nixon was the first US president whose name contains all the letters from the word 'criminal.' The second was William Jefferson Clinton.

28. Turtles can breathe through their butts.

29. Butterflies taste with their feet.

30. In 10 minutes, a hurricane releases more energy than all of the world's nuclear weapons combined.

31. On average, 100 people choke to death on ball-point pens every year.

32. On average people fear spiders more than they do death.

33. Ninety percent of New York City cabbies are recently arrived immigrants.

34. Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.

35. Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.

36. Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

37. It's physically impossible for you to lick your elbow. (or can you?)

38. The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.

39. A snail can sleep for three years.

40. No word in the English language rhymes with 'MONTH.'

41. Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.

42. Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing. SCARY!!!

43. The electric chair was invented by a dentist.

44. All polar bears are left handed.

45. In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies,

including their eyebrows and eyelashes.

46. An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

47. TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.

48. 'Go', is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

49. If Barbie were life-size, her measurements would be 39-23-33. She would stand seven feet, two inches tall. Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.

50. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.

51. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

52. Almost everyone who reads this will try to lick their elbow.

tying a sari

A friend of mine, Siddartha Banerjee has created his 2nd iPhone app (MeterDown being the first), called the Sari App. So, that's one more to the 400,000+ apps on the iPhone platform, you say? Yes, its a lot more than that.

Apps like these go a long way in strengthening the lure of the iOS platform both for end-users and developers. While there are several jokes about 'There's an App for that' (which Apple has trade marked by the way!) the sheer breadth and width of apps – from the useful to the bizarre – available on the iOS platform makes it difficult for competition to match. From Snow Reports to Children's stories to Bird Watching, there is an app for that.

The Sari App fits in well with most of the successful utility apps – it is global in terms of appeal, has repeat value and can be a 'must-hav-app' for many. Personally speaking,  the fact that such apps go through the Apple approval system and free of malware is a hug plus too.

Another interesting aspect of the app is that its been created by a true Apple evangelist. The developer was my colleague – working as copywriter in an ad agency many years ago. His passion for all things Apple didn't just stop at buying and recommending Apple products – but training (self-taught, I believe) to become an iPhone Developer. That's amazing. Speaks volumes about the passion brand Apple evokes, not just among geeks.

The Apple-iOS-Developer-Consumer chain is made stronger with the success of such apps.

happy family is having two daughters

The key to a happy family is having two daughters, according to a new study. Researchers concluded that two girls are unlikely to fight, will play nicely together, rarely annoy their parents and tend not to wind each other up. Scientists also claimed that they also make little noise, seldom ignore each other and are more likely to confide in their mother or father.

Researchers questioned thousands of mothers and fathers of under-16s to come up with the recipe for a harmonious family life.

Those with two girls were most likely to say their children were easy to reason with, helped around the house and generally got on well with each other.
After two girls, the second most appealing combination of children was one girl and one boy, with 86% of parents saying their little boy and little girl were genuine friends.
The third most favourable combination was two boys, with parents saying their sons pay each other lots of attention and are close friends — but are less likely to confide in their mum or dad as they grow up.

Liquor prices move up on heavy duty

Beer and hard liquor will cost 10-20% more in Bangalore and the rest of Karnataka.
    The alcoholic beverage industry is reworking its costs, following the steep excise duty increase in the last state budget. In a first, the price of popular beers such as Kingfisher Premium will cross Rs 100 per bottle, while standard whiskey brands like Signature will hit a new high at over Rs 600 a bottle, costlier by almost Rs 30-50.
    "Liquor of all 17 categories will cost more, as the revised retail price hikes were unveiled, effective April 1,'' excise minister M P Renukacharya told reporters here on Monday.
  

 He said the government has decided to revise duty to increase revenue from excise duties, as announced by chief minister B S Yeddyurappa in his recent budget speech. "The proposal will fetch an additional revenue of Rs 560 crore," Renukacharya added.
    He said the increase in price varies 10-20% and the department officials are working out the extent of enhancement on each category of liquor. He said he would continue to fight the illicit liquor mafia and hooch dens across the state, despite the fact that such centres crop up suddenly and close immediately. "I am aware that this is a risky battle, but I am determined to fight the hooch menace, come what may. I have also told officials not to be afraid of anything. I will lead the raid from the front,'' Renukacharya said, recalling the attack by the hooch mafia in Belgaum earlier this year.

4 Year Old “Threatened with Arrest”???

Picture the bucolic scene: 4 year Sienna Marengo and her sister India, 10, picking daffodils in Whitecliffe Park, Dorset. Picture too Councillor Peter Adams, driving past and seeing the girls at play. Picture him phoning the police. Picture the police, taking the call and sending an officer over. Picture that officer talking to the parents of the girls for fully 20 minutes and warning them that they could be arrested and face charges of criminal damage.
















It seems unlikely doesn't it? And yet that is what happened on this late-winter's day.
As ever, there are two sides to the story. To the girls' parents, this was a frightening, intimidating and heavy-handed encounter with officialdom, prying into the joyful playtime of their children. To the councillor, the picture was somewhat different:


"We are very proud of our parks and can't have people ripping up public property. I am a reasonable person and would not have called the police if they were just picking two or three flowers, but this was totally disgraceful."

It is certainly clear that the boundaries we might accept in terms of children's behaviour vary wildly from person to person – but it is noticeable that the parents haven't denied that the charge that their kids were taking more than 2 or 3 flowers. Either way, reports that the girl is too upset to return to the council-owned park in case her family "would be taken away by the police" shouldn't fill anyone with gladness.

“Driver” Fails Theory Test for 90th time

A 26 year old woman from London has created an unenviable record by sitting – and failing – her driving theory test for the 90th time. At £31 per attempt, that stacks up to a cool £2790 just pointlessly sitting exams!


The Driving Standards Agency has released the details of the case (although not the unfortunate woman's identity) following a Freedom of Information request. The same request also revealed that a man in the Midlands is currently waiting to take his practical test for a 37th time, having failed test 36 at the back end of 2010.

If that sounds pretty stunning, it's worth pointing out that he still has some way to go to beat the record number of fails. That record is still the proud possession of Git Kaur Randhawa of Middlesex who took 48 attempts before finally being declared roadworthy in 1987. Presumably accompanied by a 21 gun salute and RAF fly-past.

You do kind of wonder what the problem is. The theory test is a series of 50 multiple choice questions of which you must answer 43 correctly to pass. Multiple choice! And there are a limited number of questions and you can take test tests online from various places (including at the DVLA itself). After 90 attempts and who knows how many thousand practices you'd think that your recall of the questions would be near photographic, but apparently not.

To be fair, we've all known otherwise bright people who couldn't get to grips with exams – either due to the pressure or the very specific nature of the task of remember certain things. Even so, spare a thought for this poor woman as she embarks on lonely attempt 91 in the near future. Mystery woman: we wish  you well!

700 year old china mummy found

These incredible pictures show a 700-year-old mummy, which was discovered by chance - by road workers - in excellent condition in eastern China.


The woman, discovered two metres below the surface in a wooden tomb, was wearing a Ming Dynasty dress and is thought to have been at a high-ranking level


The corpse of the high-ranking woman believed to be from the Ming Dynasty - the ruling power in China between 1368 and 1644 - was stumbled across by a team who were looking to expand a street.


And the mummy, which was found in the city of Taizhou, in the Jiangsu Province, along with two other wooden tombs, offers a fascinating insight into life as it was back then.


Immersed: The mummy was found by road workers, and had been preserved in a brown liquid


Discovered two metres below the road surface, the woman's features - from her head to her shoes - have retained their original condition, and have hardly deteriorated.


When the discovery was made by the road workers, late last month, Chinese archaeologists, from the nearby Museum of Taizhou, were called into excavate the area, the state agency Xinhua News reported.


They were surprised by the remarkably good condition of the woman's skin, hair, eyelashes and face. It was as though she had only recently died.

bollywood star kids / star kids enter Bollywood

Trishala Dutt

Sanjay Dutt's daughter is all grown up and set to enter Bollywood. Trishala is all of 21 and has made up her mind to take up acting despite her father's disapproval. She joined Atlantic Theater Acting School to pursue her passion for acting and seeks to make it big in Bollywood only on the basis of her talent and hard work and not her father's fame.

Varun Dhawan

Varun is director David Dhawan's son and is being launched by none other than Karan Johar in his film 'Student of the Year'. It is a debut that most newcomers only dream of as even established newcomers seek to experience the Johar magic. He too worked as an assistant director in KJo's 'My Name Is Khan'.

Alia Bhatt

Another dream debutante is Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan's daughter Alia Bhatt who is the female lead in KJo's 'Student of the Year' alongside Varun Dhawan and model Siddharth Malhotra. With her fresh appeal and vivacious energy, the girl is sure to bring a lot of guys on their knees.
Mahesh Bhatt's daughter Alia Bhatt is soon going to get a big break in the Indian cinema. Alia will be seen opposite newbies Varun Dhawan and Siddharth Malhotra in Bollywood's Student Of The Year. The movie is being directed by Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan plays the role of a professor in the movie.The cute dimpled Alia is currently present on Twitter and is going to debut in the romantic comedy opposite David Dhawan's son Varun Dhawan.

Tanuj Virvani

This good looking lad is the son of yesteryear actress Rati Agnihotri. 23 year old Tanuj is multi-talented as he has written, directed, scripted, edited and acted in three of his short films. Another assistant director, he worked with David Dhawan and Ken Ghosh.
Unlike his mother, the young Tanuj wants to make a career in direction. Though his mother Rati always wanted her children to focus more on studies and take a call about their career only when the right time came. And it seems it's the time.

When Rati was asked about the decision, she told that she always knew that Tanuj was interested in acting. It's only recently that he told her that he wants to act. However, she didn't want to speak on his behalf. She also told, ut's his decision, let him speak about it.
When Tauj was asked about it, he told, acting, as a profession, has always been there at the back of his mind. He got offer for a film long ago but he didn't take that seriously on that time. But now he is open to acting. He also informed the reporter that he has already done an acting course from Kishore Namit Kapoor's academy and he is being prepared for acting

Tiger Shroff

Jackie and Ayesha Shroff's son will reportedly make his debut in 2012 with a remake of his dad's blockbuster movie, 'Hero'. Tiger's parents are so anxious about their son's Bollywood debut that they have got a manager to make sure he does not falter in his steps to stardom.
The handsome 19-year-old son of Jackie Shroff has started to make his presence felt. The new star-in-the-making Tiger Shroff is seen in a hot baywatch look on the cover of Men's Health magazine.



After seeing his well-toned, athletic body on the cover page, who could believe Tiger was once 'exceptionally' thin. As per reports, the boy is now "obsessed with strength" and loves to work on his body. Oh boy! your hard work is showing.

It's also learnt that he will be launched in Bollywood by Subhash Ghai, the showman who is responsible for making his father's career. But Tiger, whose real name is Jai, says, "I have no plans for movies at this point of time. My parents and I agree that I'm still too young. As of now, I'm more of an athlete than an actor. However, I will follow in my father's footsteps only when the time is right."

Zoa Morani

Zoa Morani is the daughter of producer Karim Morani of 'Raja Hindustani' fame. She was discovered by non other than SRK who is launching her alongside three other newcomers in Roshan Abbas directed 'Always Kabhi Kabhi'. Zoa too was an assistant director in Rajkumar Santoshi's 'Halla Bol' and Farah Khan's 'Om Shanti Om'.
She will debut in Roshan Abbas' maiden directorial venture Always Kabhi Kabhi later this year.

Zoa won't have a big bash this year. She said, "I just want to chill with my family and go out for dinner with them."


Morani, an Ismaili by birth, added, "I will definitely pray at the Jamatkhana (community centre)."

What makes this birthday extra special is that her boyfriend Shamik Raja will be in town. "He surprised me by flying down from London. He had told me he wasn't going to be able to make it," she gushes.

She met her guy, an Indo-Canadian, two years ago on her father's birthday. According to a source, Shamik manages a hedge fund and has a house next to Shah Rukh Khan's in Dubai.

On screen, the newbie would love to romance Hrithik Roshan. "He is so hot," she said.

Read more at: http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_Story.aspx?id=ENTEN20110172483&keyword=&subcatg=&cp

Ahana Deol

After Esha Deol, its Ahana's turn to live her Bollywood dream. Hema Malini's second daughter will star in an Aparna Sen directed film which is a modern day take on Romeo and Juliet. Though elder sis Esha faile to impress with her acting skills, we hope Ahana proves her worth in the film industry.