SET A GOAL’S

How to Set a Goal

First consider what you want to achieve, and then commit to it. Set SMART (specific, measureable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) goals that motivate you and write them down to make them feel tangible. Then plan the steps you must take to realize your goal, and cross off each one as you work through them.

Goal setting is a powerful process for thinking about your ideal future, and for motivating yourself to turn your vision of this future into reality.

The process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go in life. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. You’ll also quickly spot the distractions that can, so easily, lead you astray.

Why Set Goals?

Top-level athletes, successful businesspeople and achievers in all fields all set goals. Setting goals gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. It focuses your acquisition of knowledge, and helps you to organize your time and your resources so that you can make the most of your life.

By setting sharp, clearly defined goals, you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals, and you’ll see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless grind. You will also raise your  self confidence, as you recognize your own ability and competence in achieving the goals that you’ve set.

Starting to Set Personal Goals

You set your goals on a number of levels:

  • First you create your “big picture” of what you want to do with your life (or over, say, the next 10 years), and identify the large-scale goals that you want to achieve.
  • Then, you break these down into the smaller and smaller targets that you must hit to reach your lifetime goals.
  • Finally, once you have your plan, you start working on it to achieve these goals.

This is why we start the process of setting goals by looking at your lifetime goals. Then, we work down to the things that you can do in, say, the next five years, then next year, next month, next week, and today, to start moving towards them.

Step 1: Setting Lifetime Goals

The first step in setting personal goals is to consider what you want to achieve in your lifetime (or at least, by a significant and distant age in the future). Setting lifetime goals gives you the overall perspective that shapes all other aspects of your decision making.

To give a broad, balanced coverage of all important areas in your life, try to set goals in some of the following categories (or in other categories of your own, where these are important to you):

  • Career – What level do you want to reach in your career, or what do you want to achieve?
  • Financial – How much do you want to earn, by what stage? How is this related to your career goals?
  • Education – Is there any knowledge you want to acquire in particular? What information and skills will you need to have in order to achieve other goals?
  • Family – Do you want to be a parent? If so, how are you going to be a good parent? How do you want to be seen by a partner or by members of your extended family?
  • Artistic – Do you want to achieve any artistic goals?
  • Attitude – Is any part of your mindset holding you back? Is there any part of the way that you behave that upsets you? (If so, set a goal to improve your behavior or find a solution to the problem.)
  • Physical – Are there any athletic goals that you want to achieve, or do you want good health deep into old age? What steps are you going to take to achieve this?
  • Pleasure – How do you want to enjoy yourself? (You should ensure that some of your life is for you!)
  • Public Service – Do you want to make the world a better place? If so, how?

Spend some time brainstorming  these things, and then select one or more goals in each category that best reflect what you want to do. Then consider trimming again so that you have a small number of really significant goals that you can focus on.

As you do this, make sure that the goals that you have set are ones that you genuinely want to achieve, not ones that your parents, family, or employers might want. (If you have a partner, you probably want to consider what he or she wants – however, make sure that you also remain true to yourself!

Step 2: Setting Smaller Goals

Once you have set your lifetime goals, set a five-year plan of smaller goals that you need to complete if you are to reach your lifetime plan.

Then create a one-year plan, six-month plan, and a one-month plan of progressively smaller goals that you should reach to achieve your lifetime goals. Each of these should be based on the previous plan.

Then create a daily  To_Do_List of things that you should do today to work towards your lifetime goals.

At an early stage, your smaller goals might be to read books and gather information on the achievement of your higher level goals. This will help you to improve the quality and realism of your goal setting.

Finally, review your plans, and make sure that they fit the way in which you want to live your life.

IMPROVED YOUR MEMORY

1. Learn something new

Memory strength is just like muscular strength. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. But you can’t lift the same size weight every day and expect to get stronger. You’ll need to keep your brain constantly challenged. Learning a new skill is an excellent way to strengthen your brain’s memory capacity.

There are many activities to choose from, but most importantly, you’ll need to find something that forces you out of your comfort zone and commands your full attention.

Here are some examples:

  • learn a new instrument
  • make pottery
  • play mind games, like Sudoku or chess
  • learn a new type of dance, like the tango
  • learn a new language

2. Repeat and retrieve

Any time you learn a new piece of information, you’re more likely to mentally record that information if it’s repeated.

Repetition reinforces the connections we create between neurons. Repeat what you hear out loud. Try using it in a sentence. Write it down and read it aloud.

But the work doesn’t stop there. Research shows that simple repetition is an ineffective learning tool if used on its own. You’ll need to sit back down later and actively try to retrieve the information without looking at where you wrote it down. Testing yourself to retrieve the information is better than repeated studying. Practicing retrieval creates more long-term and meaningful learning experiences.

3. Try acronyms , abbreviations, and mnemonic

Mnemonic devices can be in the form of acronyms, abbreviations, songs, or rhymes.

Mnemonics have been tested  since the 1960s as an effective strategy for students. You’ve probably been taught a few mnemonic devices for remembering long lists. For example, the colors of the spectrum can be remembered with the name ROY G. BIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet).

4. “Group” or “Group” or “Chunk” information

Grouping or chunking refers to the process of dividing newly learned information into chunks to produce fewer, larger chunks of information. For example, you may have noticed that it’s much easier to remember a phone number if the 10 digits are grouped into three separate chunk

5. Construct a “mind palace”

The mind palace technique is often used by memory champions. In this ancient technique, you create a visual and complex place to store a set of memories.

CONCENTRATION & MEMORY

Concentration and memory work together, but one does not lead to the other. To concentrate is to direct your mental powers, or efforts, towards a particular activity, subject, or problem. Memory is the ability to remember information, experiences, and people. There are some specific skills that can be learned to enhance both concentration and memory. Practicing these skills is likely to improve one’s success as a student.

Once something is stored in our brains, we never forget it. We may, however, have difficulty recalling the information. It is also possible that the information we are trying to recall was never stored. This program will help you understand the structure of memory and also suggest some skills you can use to try to improve your memory.

Good concentration will enhance memory. If we only practice skills that improve our memory but never look at factors that enhance concentration, our efforts will only be marginally successful. For this reason, tips for improving concentration will also be discussed.

Memory Basics

Creating conditions for better concentration is likely to improve the quality of your studying; however, it is also necessary to implement skills that will enhance your ability to remember the material you are studying.

Four skills that can improve memory:

  • Organizational skills
  • Using your body
  • Using your brain
  • Including time for recall

RAIN WATER HARVESTING

All living things including, plants, animals and human beings need water to live and to carry out different cellular activities.

Have you ever imagined a day without water?  

No, we have not and it is hard to imagine. We all use water for different kinds of day to day activities, such as cleaning, washing, bathing, cooking, drinking and other domestic and industrial uses.

Water is a precious, essential and an abiotic component of the ecosystem. Today we all are heading toward the scarcity of water, and this is mainly because of the lack of water conservation and pollution of water bodies. So, let us not waste a drop of water and start conserving water for further use.

Also read: Water

There are different methods used for conserving water, here let us learn about the rainwater harvesting system.

What is Rainwater harvesting?

Rainwater harvesting is the simple process or technology used to conserve Rainwater by collecting, storing, conveying and purifying of Rainwater that runs off from rooftops, parks, roads, open grounds, etc. for later use.

How to Harvest the Rainwater?

Rainwater harvesting systems consists of the following components:

  • Catchment- Used to collect and store the captured Rainwater.
  • Conveyance system – It is used to transport the harvested water from the catchment to the recharge zone.
  • Flush- It is used to flush out the first spell of rain.
  • Filter – Used for filtering the collected Rainwater and remove pollutants.
  • Tanks and the recharge structures: Used to store the filtered water which is ready to use.

The process of rainwater harvesting involves the collection and the storage of rainwater with the help of artificially designed systems that run off naturally or man-made catchment areas like- the rooftop, compounds, rock surface, hill slopes, artificially repaired impervious or semi-pervious land surface.

Several factors play a vital role in the amount of water harvested. Some of these factors are:

  • The quantum of runoff
  • Features of the catchments
  • Impact on the environment
  • Availability of the technology
  • The capacity of the storage tanks
  • Types of the roof, its slope and its materials
  • The frequency,  quantity  and the quality of the rainfall
  •  The speed and ease with which the Rainwater penetrates through the subsoil to recharge the groundwater.

Why do we Harvest Rainwater?

The rainwater harvesting system is one of the best methods practised and followed to support the conservation of water. Today, scarcity of good quality water has become a significant cause of concern. However, Rainwater, which is pure and of good quality, can be used for irrigation, washing, cleaning, bathing, cooking and also for other livestock requirements.

Advantages of Rainwater Harvesting

The benefits of rainwater harvesting system are listed below.

  • Less cost.
  • Helps in reducing the water bill.
  • Decreases the demand for water.
  • Reduces the need for imported water.
  • Promotes both water and energy conservation.
  • Improves the quality and quantity of groundwater.
  • Does not require a filtration system for landscape irrigation.
  • This technology is relatively simple, easy to install and operate.
  • It reduces soil erosion, stormwater runoff, flooding, and pollution of surface water with fertilizers, pesticides, metals and other sediments.
  • It is an excellent source of water for landscape irrigation with no chemicals and dissolved salts and free from all minerals.

CODING IN KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT


Every engineer understands the value of code knowledge management. I doubt many developers repeatedly say to themselves: “There’s too much documentation here.” Yet, most of the existing knowledge management tools do not answer our requirements, and we’re left with tedious, manual processes. As a result, documenting code has become like going to the gym. Once we’re into it, we understand the value, but it’s hard to get us up and running.

As a VP R&D who is co-founding a startup, and a tech lead at Guradicore just last year, I believe knowledge management is at the core of making good decisions and being productive. Here are four requirements I look for when shopping for a code knowledge management tool.

4 Code Knowledge Management Tool Requirements

1. Covers Multiple Use Cases

A good code knowledge management tool will single-handedly cover a wide span of use cases, from onboarding to code reviews to component installation. To do so, the tool should be able to include tutorials, algorithm explanations, information about why certain technologies were chosen, etc. If these different documentation formats are distributed between different tools, adoption will be scarce and usage will be non-efficient.

2. Available On-demand

Tools like Discord , Confluence and Notion are useful for managing discussions and projects. They can be used for looking back into why certain decisions were made. But a good documentation tool needs to be able to provide answers on-demand, without the digging (and the time that goes into it).

Developers need to be able to immediately find out what a code line means, why a decision was made, how to install a component, why files are divided the way they are, which research was done on the feature, etc. Trying to find out by retrieving lists from Jira or Confluence does not yield high-quality results. If getting the answers is too difficult or takes too much time, they will not use the tool and go back to asking others or move forward to the best of their understanding.

3. Answers the What and the Why

Today, most tools either explain what they did with the code, or why they did it. Code snippets, service contracts, in-line documentation – they all explain what happened in the code. Wikipedias, emails, chats – cover the why. But more often than not, this is not documented anywhere.

To really understand the code and how to use it, our engineers need to understand both what was done and why it took place. Blog posts are a good way to cover this, as they provide technical tutorials and explanations. But they are not scalable in large organizations, and they could also be difficult to find answers in, if they are not structured well. So, we need a tool that shows us the code, and the entire story behind developing it – from design through research and up to programming.

4. Fit For Beginners and Senior Engineers

Too often we think of documentation only for one audience: new developers. More specifically, when they’re onboarded to the company. As a result, we lack the right infrastructure for more senior developers. For example, when they work together on a new feature a service they’re not familiar with. Or when they have to gain observability into dependencies.

Therefore, good documentation needs to be usable and understandable for beginners, intermediate developers and our advanced developers who (think they’ve) seen everything. It should include beginner and advanced explanations, enable high-level and in-depth understanding, and enable integration into existing developer tools.

IDENTIFYING TALENT 

Several years on from the so called ‘war’ for talent, most organisations agree that having the biggest share of the right people is crucial when it comes to achieving a competitive edge.

Research completed by McKinsey & Company found that 86% of senior executives believe that talent is the single biggest contributor towards profitability and bottom line performance.  At the same time, over half of those same executives admitted that they do not spend enough time on key talent matters, including:

  • How to recruit more of the right people
  • How to identify potential stars and high performers within an organisation more accurately
  • How to identify and develop leadership skills, behaviours and traits
  • How to prepare for management and leadership succession
  • How to prevent derailment and failure
  • How to deal with the people implications of structural business change, growth and evolving customer expectations

IDENTIFYING WINNERS AND FUTURE POTENTIAL

Since our launch in 1993, Quo have been a global pioneer when it comes to helping organisations address the above challenges.  Blending applied psychology, commercial best practices and our core expertise in behavioural science, we have helped hundreds of organisations identify, develop and retain the right people at all levels, from front line colleagues and team managers to senior leaders and the next Chief Executive.

Over two decades we have developed a globally unique assessment approach (PfAM) which allows organisations to accurately project the likely career paths of their most talented people, significantly increasing internal succession numbers and reducing recruitment costs. 

We have pioneered the application of the Assessment for Development Centre, enabling large numbers of high potential colleagues to build on their core strengths and address development needs, while increasing future leader pools significantly. 

We have developed ground breaking screening and assessment tools, including psychometric assessment, innovative 360 degree evaluation, thinking styles, complexity exercises and 1:1 interview techniques.  Our global partnership with Hogan Assessments and the bespoke application of the Hogan Suite of psychometric questionnaires has played a significant role in helping organisations resource, screen and develop the right people, while planning with greater certainty for future succession.

Organisations including Warner Bros, Johnson & Johnson, Align Technology, Cancer Research UK and Berendsen PLC have worked with Quo to address their biggest talent challenges.  To arrange an initial consultation please contact us at the number listed above.

Recent research on the subject of talent and potential

  • Internally appointed staff members are 3 times more likely to remain with the organisation (than external hires) according to research completed by Hogan Assessments
  • In the next 10 years there will be a 25% increase in the demand for talent within the 35-45 age range.  At the same time, due to changing demographics in recent decades, the supply of talent within this age range will decrease by 15% (research by McKinsey & Company)
  • The cost of losing top performing staff can equate to a financial sum up to 500 times greater than the cost of their replacement (in lost revenues)
  • Staff who have taken up structured personal ’Development Plans’ have been twice as likely to remain with an organisation than those who have not

CONTEMPORARY THEORIES OF MOTIVATION.

Contemporary Theories of Motivation

Early motivation theories were based on the assumptions and sometime these theories were not supported by strong evidence. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a good example of this approach. Therefore, alternative theories of motivation have been put forward over time.

 Self-determination theory

Self-determination theory of motivation and argues that people often seek control of their actions.

 Goal setting theory

Goal setting theory is based on the view that challenging objectives should aid and improve workplace performance. In this theory, it is assumed that an employee is committed to the firm’s goals and desires to make a positive contribution. It is important that the set goals are also perceived as achievable.

Self-efficacy theory

Self-efficacy theory is based upon an employee’s view about their ability to perform the tasks of their job role. This theory is also known as social learning theory or social cognitive theory.

If an employee has a high self-efficacy, then they will be more confident and have a greater chance of success. In more challenging situations, employees with a low self-efficacy will often have a reduction in their job performance levels.

According to the Albert Bandura, self-efficacy can be increased by four ways such as:

  1.  Vicarious modeling
  2. Enactive mastery
  3. Arousal
  4. Verbal persuasion

 Reinforcement theory

Reinforcement theory refers that to behavior or an attitude is a function of its outcomes or consequences. That is, the theory suggests that the outcomes of behaviour (positive or negative) will either reinforce (or modify if a negative outcome) ongoing behavior.

Equity theory

Equity theory is where employees compare their job inputs and outputs with others in the organisation – primarily in an attempt to reduce the perceived inequities.

If the employees find inequities they seek resolve them by:

  • Changing the inputs
  • Changing the outcomes
  • Distorting perceptions of themselves
  • Distorting perceptions of others
  • Quitting their job

Expectancy theory

Expectancy theory is the tendency to act in a particular way based upon a preconceived expectation of the likely outcome.

RECRUITMENT

What is recruitment?

Recruitment refers to the process of identifying, attracting, interviewing, selecting, hiring and onboarding employees. In other words, it involves everything from the identification of a staffing need to filling it.

Depending on the size of an organization, recruitment is the responsibility of a range of workers. Larger organizations may have entire teams of recruiters, while others only a single recruiter. In small outfits, the hiring manager may be responsible for recruiting. In addition, many organizations outsource recruiting to outside firms. Companies almost always recruit candidates for new positions via advertisements, job boards, social media sites, and others. Many companies utilise recruiting software to more effectively and efficiently source top candidates. Regardless, recruitment typically works in conjunction with, or as a part of Human Resources.

What is recruiting in HRM?

Human Resource Management, otherwise known as HRM or HR for short, is the function of people management within an organization. HR is responsible for facilitating the overall goals of the organization through effective administration of human capital — focusing on employees as the company’s most important asset.

Recruitment is the first step in building an organization’s human capital. At a high level, the goals are to locate and hire the best candidates, on time, and on budget.

What does recruitment involve?

While the recruitment process is unique to each organization, there are 15 essential steps of the hiring process. We’ve listed them here, but for a detailed exploration of these steps, check out our page on Hiring processing steps

  • Identify the hiring need
  • Devise a recruitment plan
  • Write a job description
  • Advertise the position
  • Recruit the position
  • Review applications
  • Phone Interview/Initial Screening
  • Interviews
  • Applicant Assessment
  • Background Check
  • Decision
  • Reference Check
  • Job offer
  • Hiring
  • Onboarding.

Types of recruiting

There are several types of recruiting. Here’s an overview:

Internal Recruiting: internal recruiting involves filling vacancies with existing employees from within an organization.

Retained Recruiting: When organization hire a recruiting firm, there are several ways to do so; retained recruiting is a common one. When an organization retains a recruiting firm to fill a vacancy, they pay an upfront fee to fill the position. The firm is responsible for finding candidates until the position is filled. The organization also agrees to work exclusively with the firm. Companies cannot, in other words, hire multiple recruiting firms to fill the same position.

Contingency Recruiting: like retained recruiting, contingency recruiting requires an outside firm. Unlike retained recruiting, there is no upfront fee with contingency. Instead, the recruitment company receives payment only when the clients they represent are hired by an organization.

Staffing Recruiting: staffing recruiters work for staffing agencies. Staffing recruiting matches qualified applicants with qualified job openings. Moreover, staffing agencies typically focus on short-term or temporary employment positions.

Outplacement Recruiting: outplacement is typically an employer-sponsored benefit which helps former employees transition into new jobs. Outplacement recruiting is designed to provide displaced employees with the resources to find new positions or careers.

Reverse Recruiting: refers to the process whereby an employee is encouraged to seek employment with a different organization that offers a better fit for their skill set. We offer Reverse recruiting days to help workers with this process. At our Reverse Recruiting Days we review resumes, conduct mock interviews, and offer deep dives into specific job roles.

SELECTION PROCESS

Definition: The Selection is a process of picking the right candidate with prerequisite qualifications and capabilities to fill the jobs in the organization.

The selection process is quite lengthy and complex as it involves a series of steps before making the final selection. The procedure of selection may vary from industry to industry, company to company and even from department to department. Every organization designs its selection process, keeping in mind the urgency of hiring people and the prerequisites for the job vacancy.

Selection Process

The selection procedure comprises of following systematic steps:

  1. Preliminary Interview: The preliminary interview is also called as a screening interview wherein those candidates are eliminated from the further selection process who do not meet the minimum eligibility criteria as required by the organization.Here, the individuals are checked for their academic qualifications, skill sets, family backgrounds and their interest in working with the firm. The preliminary interview is less formal and is basically done to weed out the unsuitable candidates very much before proceeding with a full-fledged selection process.
  2. Receiving Applications: Once the individual qualifies the preliminary interview he is required to fill in the application form in the prescribed format. This application contains the candidate data such as age, qualification, experience, etc. This information helps the interviewer to get the fair idea about the candidate and formulate questions to get more information about him.
  3. Screening Applications: Once the applications are received, these are screened by the screening committee, who then prepare a list of those applicants whom they find suitable for the interviews. The shortlisting criteria could be the age, sex, qualification, experience of an individual. Once the list is prepared, the qualified candidates are called for the interview either through a registered mail or e-mails.
  4. Employment Tests: In order to check the mental ability and skill set of an individual, several tests are conducted. Such as intelligence tests, aptitude tests, interest tests, psychological tests, personality tests, etc. These tests are conducted to judge the suitability of the candidate for the job.
  5. Employment Interview: The one on one session with the candidate is conducted to gain more insights about him. Here, the interviewer asks questions from the applicant to discover more about him and to give him the accurate picture of the kind of a job he is required to perform.Also, the briefing of certain organizational policies is done, which is crucial in the performance of the job. Through an interview, it is easier for the employer to understand the candidate’s expectations from the job and also his communication skills along with the confidence level can be checked at this stage.
  6. Checking References: The firms usually ask for the references from the candidate to cross check the authenticity of the information provided by him. These references could be from the education institute from where the candidate has completed his studies or from his previous employment where he was formerly engaged. These references are checked to know the conduct and behavior of an individual and also his potential of learning new jobs.
  7. Medical Examination: Here the physical and mental fitness of the candidate are checked to ensure that he is capable of performing the job. In some organizations, the medical examination is done at the very beginning of the selection process while in some cases it is done after the final selection.Thus, this stage is not rigid and can take place anywhere in the process. The medical examination is an important step in the selection process as it helps in ascertaining the applicant’s physical ability to fulfill the job requirements.
  8. Final Selection: Finally, the candidate who qualifies all the rounds of a selection process is given the appointment letter to join the firm.

TIME MANAGEMENT MATRIX

Industrial operators widely recognised preventative maintenance extends the life of assets, increases productivity, improves overall efficiency and reduces maintenance costs, with a significant margin on a run-to-failure maintenance approach..

But proper preventative maintenance is difficult to achieve, because it involves putting the seemingly non-urgent things before the fires that need to be fought in everyday production.

Today, we’ll take a look at a time-honoured tool in the business world,the Time Management Matrix, to show how it can help industrial operators move towards a preventative maintenance The good news is, It’s surprisingly simple.

JOB ANALYSIS

Definition of Job Analysis

Mathis and Jackson (1999) view job analysis as a systematic way to gather and analyze information about the content and human requirements of jobs and the context in which jobs are performed.

Dessier (2005) defines job analysis as the procedure through which job analyst determines the duties of different positions of an’ organization and the characteristics of the people to hire them.

Dale Yoder (1983) defines job analysis as “a process in which jobs are studied to determine what tasks and responsibilities they include their relationships to other jobs, the conditions under which work is performed, and the personnel capabilities required for satisfactory performance.”

In the opinion of Strauss and Sayles (1977), job analysis consists of two parts, a statement of work to be done (Job description) and the skills and knowledge which must be possessed by anyone filling the job (Job Specification)”.

According to Gary Dessler, “Job analysis is the procedure for determining the duties and skills requirements of a job and the kind of person who should be hired for it.”

According to Edwin B. Flippo, “Job Analysis is the process of studying and collecting information relating to the operation and responsibilities of a specific job.”

“Job analysis is a systematic way to gather and analyze information about the content and the human requirements of jobs and the context in which jobs are performed.” – Decenzo and Robbins.

Job analysis involves collecting data about the performance of the job in an organization.

However, this definition is probably too simplistic when all of the different types of information that must be collected are considered.

For example, the data collected should clearly describe exactly what is required to perform a specific job.

This should include the:

  • Knowledge: Knowledge is defined as the degree to which a job holder must know specific technical material.
  • Skill: Skill is defined as adequate performance on tasks requiring tools, equipment, and machinery.
  • Abilities: Abilities refers to the physical and material capabilities needed to perform tasks not requiring the use of tools, equipment, and machinery. Further, where the job is completed must be considered.

So the types of information to be collected by a job analysis are shown below:

  • Work activities.
  • Work-oriented activities.
  • Machines, tools, equipment, and work aids are used.
  • Job-related tangible and intangible.
  • Work performance.
  • Job context.
  • Personal requirement.

So. job analysis is the process of determining and reporting pertinent information relating to the nature of a specific job. It is the determination of the tasks that comprise the job and the skills, knowledge, abilities, and responsibilities required of the holder for successful job performance.

The end product of a job analysis is a written description of the actual requirements of the job.

LEARNING ORGANISATION

Learning organisation is the one that has developed the capacity to continuously learn, adapt, and change”. — B. P. Robbins and M. Coulter

Organisations operate in the dynamic environment. There are continuous innovations in information and computer technologies. Markets are global and customers are spread worldwide. Though the world has become global, customers all over the world are not the same. They are guided by their country’s culture, attitudes and beliefs.

In order to be successful, organisations should learn and respond to changes quickly. They learn about effectively challenging conventional wisdom, manage the organisation’s knowledge base and make the desired changes. All organisational members take active part in identifying and resolving work- related issues. In a learning organisation, employees practice knowledge management.

They continuously acquire, share and apply new knowledge in making decisions. In today’s world of competition, organisations that learn and apply new concepts have edge over competitors. “All organisations learn, whether they consciously choose to or not — it is a fundamental requirement for their sustained existence”.

Learning organisations:

a. Learn from experience

b. Adopt continuous development programmes.

c. Solve problems through systematic techniques

d. Transfer knowledge throughout the organisation through formal training programmes.

e. Create space and formal mechanism for people to think, ask questions, reflect and learn, encourage them to challenge the existing way of working and suggest improvements.

It “provides a healthy environment for natural learning.” It identifies individual needs, develops skills of people through training, reviews organisational policies and learns from experiences of its members. It makes use of experiences of managers to meet its strategies needs. Learning organisations are associated with internal renewal of the organisation in the face of competitive environment.

Save Girl Child!

The existence of human lifestyles on the planet is not possible with out the equal participation of both women and men. They are similarly responsible for the survival of the human race on this planet. They are also accountable for the development and growth of a nation. However, the lifestyles of the girl is for greater essential than men. Because with out her we can’t consider our lifestyles.

Girl toddler is a blessing. There are some societies where gender discrimination exits until today. Uneducated and illiterate people do not recognise that girls are similarly essential for the social equilibrium. In many societies it’s far observed that ladies enjoy much less rights compared to guys. People’s attitude has grown so terrible that they started out to differentiate among little children. Girls were understood as fabric or stranger man or woman but no longer as a daughter of own residence. Such sort of human beings are satisfied and have a good time the delivery of a son whilst they’re blessed with a daughter, the complete house is in silence or grief. They even mourn for the delivery of a female child. Many cases have been located in our united states of america that the newly born female infant has been dumped in an unwanted and stranger location. Also, from time to time they have been admitted to the orphanage, although their mother and father still exist on earth.

We can’t deny the value of a lady toddler, she plays her position within the form of a mother, wife, daughter or sister. Government is taking strict measures to do away with the crime towards women.

Social Media!

Social media is a device which is becoming quite popular these days due to its consumer-friendly features. Social media systems like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and greater are giving human beings a chance to connect with every different throughout distances. In other words, the entire global is at our fingertips all thanks to social media. The youngsters is mainly one of the most dominant users of social media. All this makes you wonder that something so powerful and with one of these big attain can not be all appropriate. Like how there are continually aspects to a coin, the equal goes for social media. Subsequently, exclusive human beings have exceptional critiques on this debatable subject matter.

When we have a look at the wonderful factor of social media, we discover several benefits. The most crucial being a top notch device for schooling. All the statistics one requires is just a click on away. Students can train themselves on numerous subjects the use of social media. Furthermore, as an increasing number of humans are distancing themselves from newspapers, they are depending on social media for news. You are always updated at the state-of-the-art happenings of the world through it. An individual turns into extra socially aware of the issues of the arena. Most importantly, it also presents a tremendous platform for young budding artists to showcase their talent without cost. You can get amazing possibilities for employment via social media too.

Despite having such precise advantages, social media is taken into consideration to be one of the most dangerous elements of society. If using social media isn’t monitored, it is able to lead to grave results. It is harmful because it invades your privacy like by no means earlier than. The oversharing taking place on social media makes youngsters a goal for predators and hackers. It also results in cyberbullying which impacts any individual notably. This dependancy hampers with the educational performance of a student as they waste their time on social media rather than studying. Social media additionally creates communal rifts. Fake information is unfold with the usage of it, which poisons the thoughts of peace-loving residents.

Social media has both advantages and downsides. When you use it productively, it could be a device of titanic assist however over utilization can become a silent enemy. Thus, we as users ought to learn how to stability and now not permit ourselves to be controlled by way of this technology.

THE COBRA EFFECT

The economic term ‘The Cobra Effect’ was coined by German economist Horst Siebert. The Cobra Effect refers to a situation where in, an attempted well planned and intended solution given to any problem makes the problem worse. This leads to an unintended negative consequence. This term is used to illustrate the causes of incorrect solutions in economy and politics.

This term was coined with regards to a real situation that occurred in Colonial India. There was an alarming increase in the number of venomous cobras in the city of Delhi. The British government expressed their concern regarding this issue. The government planned to offer a sum to the public for killing the cobras. A large number of venomous snakes were captured and killed by people in order to earn the reward. This served as a very successful strategy initially. But, over a period of time, people began to trick the officials by breeding cobras, expanding their numbers and later killing them to continue getting the reward from the government. Ultimately, the government became well informed about the ill happenings in hunger for the reward. Hence, they scrapped this entire plan. After scrapping of the scheme, people were no more interested in capturing, breeding and killing cobras. Therefore, they set all their wild cobra population free in the city. This in turn, increased the population of venomous cobras in the city. Thus, a planned solution to the problem lead to the problem worsening.

A similar instance occurred in Hanoi, Vietnam during the French Colonial rule. The officials designed a scheme in which people would earn a bounty upon killing rats. In order to earn the cash reward, people had to kill a rat, chop off it’s tail and provide it to the responsible officials. Over a span of time, the government noticed rats wandering in places without tails. They were surprised on being aware of the fact that, rat catchers were collecting rats, chopping off their tails and later leaving them into sewers where breeding would take place. This produced a humongous number of rats. The idea of offering a bounty on exchange of dead rat tails failed miserably.

Airbus Airlines, formally suggested their design engineers to make it’s airplane cabins quieter to ensure a pleasant travel experience. The idea was executed and cabins were made more silent than usual. Instead of making the travel more peaceful, it worsened the travel experience of the passengers onboard. People could easily eavesdrop on other people’s conversations, could hear louder noises of food and beverage trollies rolling in the aisle, babies crying on board and restroom doors opening and shutting throughout the journey. This economic decision of Airbus did not succeed.

In 1989, Mexico proposed a plan of action called – ‘Hoy No Circula’ . According to this scheme, people were debarred from using their private vehicles from 5:00 a.m to 10:00 p.m depending on the last digit of their vehicle’s number plate. This was in context of odd and even numbers. The scheme was introduced to limit the number of vehicles on road which in turn would cut down release of pollutants in the atmosphere. Instead of abiding by the norms in a fair manner, people began purchasing two vehicles in the same household, one with an even number plate and another with an odd one. This particular scheme did not serve very fruitful in the longrun.

Perverse Incentive or better known as Cobra Effect may not always be an outcome of poorly planned modules or shortsighted decisions. It may cause due to unpredictable behaviors of the recipients. A strategy planned to curb anything may cause adverse outcomes when people find the same strategy rewarding. In such contrast outcome scenarios, planning authorities may either scrap the plan or re-design it in order to get constructive outcomes.

Sustainable Development Goals

Times are not just difficult but also alarming for every sphere of our existence. At first glance, it might appear that the raging pandemic has temporarily paused climate action and initiatives related to other environmental issues. Sustainability, it appears, may have taken a back-seat too. However, with a decade left for the end of ‘Agenda 2030’, achieving sustainable development has become even more important.



A significant feature of the raging pandemic is that it has disrupted the hyper-interconnected world characterized by globalization. Supply chains are badly affected and global markets are under severe stress. Evidently, the virus has laid bare the vulnerabilities and risks of a globalized world order. In fact, it has put under scanner not just globalization but also the Sustainable Development Goals. Nevertheless, this could be a turning point for the international community to unlearn and revamp its basic conduct on global governance and make it more inclusive in nature. Besides, the pandemic has also thrown open an opportunity to give impetus to a glocalized framework of global governance to protect the ‘global commons’ in the light of the broader debate on sustainability.

This is where glocalization can fill the gap. Simply put, glocalization refers to the interpretation, representation and replication of the global elements at the local level.

The term, glocalization, is used quite frequently in business parlance but it has begun to gain momentum in cultural, social and political arenas too. Utilizing it appropriately in the environmental domain is the need of the hour.

The term, glocalization, is used quite frequently in business parlance but it has begun to gain momentum in cultural, social and political arenas too. Utilizing it appropriately in the environmental domain is the need of the hour.



Covid-19 has brought about the necessity of refining and revising globalization. This can be done by integrating glocal elements to achieve global good, be it sustainable development or climate action, by roping in local actors, such as subnational agencies, grassroots bodies, non-governmental organizations and other relevant non-State actors in the discussion on sustainability. Localizing economies would provide leverage to the development targets of those like India. This can help attain the much-needed balance between ecological equity and economic growth. Additionally, it is hard to overlook the expertise and knowledge offered by local populations that are located at ground zero and are in tune with ground realities. This kind of resource efficiency could prove to be useful in operationalizing the potential glocal elements of global governance. Factors like accountability, transparency and trust-building among the State and non-State actors are also vital in this context.



Considering the changes in modern living, starting from working remotely to radically cutting down on carbon footprints, glocalization could turn out to be a viable alternative to globalization, thereby creating innovative pathways for sustainable development in the near future.

Written by : Ananya Kaushal

The James Webb Space Telescope- World’s most powerful telescope

The James Webb space telescope or JWST will replace the Hubble space telescope. It will help us to see the universe as it was shortly after the big bang. It was named after the second head of NAS James Webb. James Webb headed the office of space affairs from 1961 to 1968. This new telescope was first planned for launch into orbit in 2007 but has since been delayed more than once, now it’s been scheduled for 18 December 2012. After 2030 the Hubble will go on a well deserved rest since its launch in 1990 its provided more than a million images of thousands of stars, nebulae, planets and galaxies. The Hubble captured images of stars that are show about 380 million years after the big bang which supposedly happened 13.7 billion years ago. These objects may no longer exist, we still see their light. Now we expect James Webb to show us the universe as it was only 100 to 250 million years after its birth. It can transform our current understanding of the structure of the universe. The Spitzer space telescope and Hubble telescopes have collected data of gas shells of about a hundred planets. According to experts, the James Webb is capable of exploring the atmospheres of more than 300 different exoplanets.

The main mirror- A giant honeycomb consisting of 18 sections.

The working of James Webb space telescope

The James Webb is an orbiting infrared observatory that will investigate the thermal radiation of space objects. When heated to a certain temperature, all solids and liquids emit energy in the infrared spectrum; here there is a relationship between wavelength and temperature. The higher the temperature, there will shorter the wavelength and higher the radiation intensity. James Webb sensitive equipment will be able to study the cold exoplanets with surface temperatures of up to 27° Celsius. An important quality of this new telescope is that it will revolve around the sun and not the earth unlike Hubble which is located at an altitude of about 570 kilometers in low earth orbit. With the James Webb orbiting the sun, it will be impossible for the earth to interfere with it, however he James Webb will move in sync with the earth to maintain strong communication yet the distance from the James Webb to the earth will be between about 374,000 to 1.5 million kilometers in the direction opposite of the sun. So its design must be extremely reliable.

The James Webb telescope weighs 6.2 tones. The main mirror of the telescope is with a diameter of 6.5 meters and a colleting area of 25 square meters, it resembles a giant honeycomb consisting of 18 sections. Due to its impressive size, the main has to be folded for start up; this giant mirror will capture light from the most distant galaxies. The mirror can create a clear picture and eliminate distortion. A special type of beryllium was used in the mirror which retains its shape at low cryogenics temperature. The front of the mirror is covered with a layer of 48.25 grams of gold, 100 nanometers thick; such a coating best reflects infrared radiation. A small secondary mirror opposite the main mirror, it receives light from the main mirror and directs it to instruments at the rear of the telescope. The sunshield is with a length of 20 meters and width of 7 meters. It composed of very thin layers of kapton polyimide film which protects the mirror and tools from sunlight and cools the telescope’s ultra sensitive matrices to 220° Celsius.

The NIRCam- Near Infrared Camera is the main set of eyes of the telescope, with the NIRCam we expect to be able to view the oldest stars in the universe and he planets around them. The nurse back near infrared spectrograph will collect information on both physical and chemical properties of an object. And the MIRI mid-infrared instrument will allow you to see stars being born many unknown objects of the Kepler belt. Then the near infrared imager and sliteless spectrograph or NIRIIS camera is aimed at finding exoplanets and the first light of distant objects. Finally the FGS- Fine Guidance Sensor helps accurately point the telescope for higher quality images updates its position in space sixteen times per second and controls the operation the steering and main mirrors. They are planning to launch the telescope with the help of the European launch vehicle Ariana 5 from the kourou Cosmodrome in French Guiana space center. The device is designed for between 5 to 10 years of operation but, it may serve longer. If everything goes well, $10 billion worth of construction and one year of preparation will have finally started in orbit.

दिल्ली को अगले 3 साल में प्रदूषणमुक्त कर देंगे: गडकरी

सड़क परिवहन मंत्री नितिन गडकरी ने गुरुवार को कहा कि केंद्र सरकार अगले तीन साल में दिल्ली को वायु, जल और ध्वनि प्रदूषण से मुक्त करेगी। उन्होंने कहा कि मौजूदा समय में प्रदूषण देश के लिए सबसे बड़ी चिंता की बात है।



इंडस्ट्री पीएचडी चैंबर ऑफ कॉमर्स के सालाना कार्यक्रम में गडकरी ने कहा कि उनके मंत्रालय ने सड़क बुनियादी ढांचा विकास पर 60,000 करोड़ रुपये खर्च किए हैं। इस प्रयास से दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण को कम करने में भी मदद की। वायु प्रदूषण, जल प्रदूषण और ध्वनि प्रदूषण देश के लिए चिंतित करने वाले मुद्दे हैं। हम दिल्ली को अगले तीन वर्षों में वायु, जल और ध्वनि प्रदूषण से मुक्त कर देंगे।



गडकरी ने कहा कि सरकार सुप्रीम कोर्ट से मंजूरी मिलने के बाद सभी वाहन निर्माताओं के लिए फ्लेक्स फ्यूल के अनुकूल इंजन बनाना अनिवार्य कर देगी। फ्लेक्स-फ्यूल, पेट्रोल और एथेनॉल को मिलाकर बनने वाला एक वैकल्पिक ईंधन है। अब एक एथेनॉल अर्थव्यवस्था विकसित करने पर काम किया जा रहा है। गडकरी ने सुझाव दिया कि सेना को डीजल इंजन वाले वाहनों के इस्तेमाल पर प्रतिबंध लगाना चाहिए और एलएनजी, सीएनजी और एथनॉल पर चलने वाले ट्रकों का उपयोग करना चाहिए। मंत्री ने कहा कि इथेनॉल, पेट्रोल और डीजल की तुलना में काफी सस्ता है।

अनन्या कौशल द्वारा संपादित।

देश में आसमान छू रहा ईंधन का भाव !

देश में ईंधन की कीमतों में लगातार बढ़ोतरी देखने को मिल रही है। लागतार बढ़ रहा रेट थमने का नाम नहीं ले रहा, जिससे जनता काफी परेशान है। कच्चे तेल के दामों में जिस तरह से अंतरराष्ट्रीय बाजार में तेजी देखने को मिल रही है,वैसे ही घरेलू बाजार में पेट्रोल और डीजल के दाम भी आसमान छू रहा है। भारत में ईंधन की कीमतें रिकॉर्ड स्तर पर है।

5 अक्टूबर 2021 यानी कि मंगलवार को 1 दिन की स्थिरता के बाद भारतीय तेल कंपनियों ने डीजल और पेट्रोल के रेट में इजाफा कर दिया है। बात करें पेट्रोल की तो 25 पैसे प्रति लीटर एवं डीजल 30 पैसे प्रति लीटर और अधिक महंगा हुआ है। वहीं अक्टूबर में हरदिन भाव बढ़ता रहा है। अब तक केवल 1 दिन डीजल और पेट्रोल का रेट स्थिर रहा है।

इंडियन ऑयल कॉर्पोरेशन के मुताबिक़, ईंधन के दामों में वृद्धि के बाद दिल्ली में पेट्रोल की कीमत 102.64 रुपए प्रति लीटर एवं डीजल 91.07 रुपए प्रति लीटर तक पहुंच गया है। हालांकि,देश के चारों महानगरों की तुलना करें तो मुंबई में डीजल-पेट्रोल सबसे अधिक महंगा है। बता दें, जुलाई एवं अगस्त के महीने में कच्चे तेल के दामों में कुछ खास बदलाव नहीं आया था। इसलिए 18 जुलाई से 23 सितंबर तक तेल कंपनियों ने मूल्य वृद्धि नहीं की थी। इस दौरान पेट्रोल 0.65 और डीजल 1.25 की कीमतों में कटौती की गई थी। फिर अंतर्राष्ट्रीय बाजार में निरंतर बढ़ती कीमतों के कारण 28 सितंबर से पेट्रोल और 24 सितंबर से डीजल की कीमतों में बढ़ोतरी की गई है।

अंतरराष्ट्रीय बाजार में पेट्रोल और डीजल की कीमत क्रूड की कीमत के आधार पर प्रतिदिन अपडेट होती है। कीमतों की समीक्षा करने के बाद ऑयल मार्केटिंग कंपनियां रोज डीजल और पेट्रोल के दाम निर्धारित करती है।

अनन्या कौशल द्वारा संपादित।

Child Labour

By – Supriya

Today’s child is a citizen of tomorrow . The condition of a child foretells the future of any society or nation. Children are the real mirrors of the society – the quality of life of a child reflects how progressive a society is. With the dawn of the twenty first century, one of the problems prevalent globally is the problem of child labour. Millions of children in the world have been forced into child labour owing either to non – schooling or due to dropping out from the school at an early age. Child Labour may be defined as one who has not yet attained the age of 14 years and whose physical, mental and social development has suffered due to his pre – mature employment. Children make up 36% of the country’s total population. We might boast of being the largest democracy on account of numbers , but we definitely don’t seem to be the greatest one. Due to various circumstances , young children are exploited and are forced to forget the pleasures of childhood. At the age when children should be going to schools or playing at playgrounds they are burdened with the hardships of life and denied their childhood. According to the National Child Labour Project 2001 census, there are 12.6 million working children in India. Uttar Pradesh tops this list as 1.9 million innocents are employed in this state alone in various hazardous and non- hazardous activities in agricultural sector, glass factories , carpet industry, brass industries , March-  box factories, on streets as beggars and hotels. However, the fact is that not only in a few selected states but across the length and breadth of the country, a large number of childhood is in a pathetic condition.

According to a recent ILO report, about 80% child labourers in india, and are employed in the agriculture sector. The children are generally sold to the rich moneylenders to whom borrowed money cannot be returned. More than 60,000 children work in extremely inhospitable conditions in the glass and bangle industry under conditions of excessive heat. Almost 4,20,000 children are employed in the carpet industry of India, and than 70,000 work in match-box factories.

Child labour is one of the social evils that has been crippling the Indian society since a very long time.Its presence can be felt everywhere – be it a rural village or a metropolitan city. The small scale industries or Karkhanas are the breeding grounds for child labour.These children are in almost every sector of the economy – both organized and unorganised . Even though child labour is illegal large number of children are found working in factories or Karkhanas, or are working in mines,bidi, carpet , match, fireworks, brass and pandaan, agarbathi and automobiles industries . In urban areas many children work as shoeshine boys, newspaper hawkers, domestic servants and work in hotels, autoshops and plastic recycling factories. The automobile repair- shop industry is one that every one sees in his daily life. We can see these shops in every nook and corner. Young children are being illegally employed in such professions as they can be paid less. Poverty, illiteracy and insufficient resources in family , force the parents to send their children to work . Sometimes , brokers lure parents to force their children into child labour by making false promises.

Elimination of child labour is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges facing our country. Various articles of the Constitution prohibit the employment of children in factories . Under Article 24, it has been stated that no child below the age of 14 shall be employed in any factory or mine or any other hazardous occupation or work. Similarly, Article 31 provides that the state shall ensure that adolescent children are not forced to accept an employment detrimental to their age and physical ability owing to economic compulsions. Children should be provided opportunities to develop in a healthy manner and in a free and respectful environment in which they are protected against exploitation of their childhood and adolescence. Under the schedules of the Child Labour ( Prohibition and Regulation) Act,1986, employment of children is prohibited in 12 occupations and 51 hazardous processes. The Government of India formulated the National Child Labour Policy in 1987 to tackle this problem . It aims at rehabilitation of child labour, implementation of the National Child Labour Projects, grants-in-aid to the voluntary agencies and promoting international programmes for the elimination of Child Labour. For the rehabilitation of working children, special schools and rehabilitation centres have been established where there is a provision of informal education , vocational training and nutrition for the children relieved from work.

On reviewing the factors behind the prevalence of child labour, we find that the social structure , poverty, family size, poor income, and lack of education are some of the major factors that have intensified the problem of child labour in India. The Gurupadswami Committee report shows that problem of child labour is a direct result of poverty whose elimination in itself is a great problem. Government has been taking proactive steps to tackle this problem through strict enforcement of legislative provisions along with simultaneous rehabilitative measures. The strategy for implementing the scheme under the 5- year plan aims at greater convergence with the other developmental schemes to bring about qualitative changes. The plan intends to focus and reinforce action to eliminate child labour in the hazardous occupations. Through expansion of National Child Labour Projects to additional 150 districts , it is focusing towards linking the child labour elimination efforts with the scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to ensure that children in the age group of 5-8 years get directly admitted to regular schools and that the older working children are mainstreamed to the formal education system through special schools functioning under the NCLP scheme . Its other objective is convergence with other schemes of the Departments of Education, Rural Development , Health , and Women and Child Development for the ultimate attainment of the objective in a time – bound manner. However, the problem of child labour is an intense socio- economic issues in India that requires long – term multi – pronged strategies to be carried out on a continuous basis. These strategies should include enforcement of Child Labour Act, strengthening of primary education in rural areas, rehabilitation of child labourers, improvement of economic conditions of child’ s parents through poverty alleviation and employment generation programmes. A strong enforcement of the labour acts may be done to ensure legal action against those who employ children at work. The child labour is an evil that requires awareness and change of approach among all sections of the society. The government , media and NGOs have to unite to play their respective roles in this demanding task – only then the evil of child labour will get effectively curbed.

Thankyou!

The Movies

 A film also called a moviemotion picture, or moving picture is a work of visual art used to simulate experiences that communicate ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere through the use of moving images. These images are generally accompanied by sound, and more rarely, other sensory stimulations.  The word “cinema“, short for cinematography is often used to refer to filmmaking and the film industry, and to the art form that is the result of it.

The worlds first three movies were 

  • The Horse In Motion (1878)
  • Roundhay Garden Scene (1888)
  • Arrival of a Train (1895)

Modern Cinema 

With years of the release of the first movie, the Cinema is constantly evolving all around the world with new technology being added up all the time. 

Back in the 1960’s to 1990’s watching movies in theaters was a huge trend and it was most popular among teens and college students. Students were so interested in watching the latest release on Fridays that they will bunk classes for it. 

Then came the era of VCR, DVD players. It gained a lot of market attraction. Their main motive was comfort and portability. People could buy a DVD player and then go to any movie library, pick any disc and watch it at home as many times as they want. and it also gave out a decent quality. The top companies in this field were Philips, Sony, and Toshiba.

Soon the era of internet had begun, people had soon begun shifting from DVD players and started to watch movies online on the internet. The acronym OTT stands for Over-the-Top. This means streaming across different devices whenever we want is possible because of “over-the-top,” a convenient little term that explains the new delivery method of film and TV content over the internet without the need for traditional broadcast, cable, or satellite pay-TV providers. In the best quality possible. In simple terms, we’re talking about people paying an internet provider, like jio, for internet access to watch Netflix, without paying for cable TV. In many ways, OTT platforms were considered much convenient since we didn’t need to Keep buying disks as we did for the DVD players. The top competitors in the market are Netflix, Amazon, and Disney. 

Is watching movies in theaters still a trend?

प्रधान मंत्री ने पेश किया पीएम केयर्स फंड का नया संशोधन।

प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने कहा कि उनकी सरकार का उद्देश्य देश के हर जिले में कम से कम एक मेडिकल कॉलेज खोलना है। वह गुरुवार को अखिल भारतीय आयुर्विज्ञान संस्थान (एम्स) ऋषिकेश में 35 राज्यों को 35 प्रेशर स्विंग ऐडसोरप्सन(पीएसए) ऑक्सीजन संयंत्र समर्पित करने के लिए आयोजित एक समारोह में बोल रहे थे।

ये प्लांट पीएम केयर्स फंड के तहत स्थापित किए गए हैं। उन्होंने कहा कि कुछ साल पहले देश में बहुत कम एम्स थे लेकिन अब हर राज्य में एक एम्स खोलने का प्रयास किया जा रहा है।

उन्होंने कहा कि नवरात्रि पर्व के पहले दिन के अवसर पर उत्तराखंड आना उनके लिए सौभाग्य की बात है। पीएम ने कहा कि उन्होंने 20 साल पहले इसी तारीख को गुजरात के सीएम के रूप में शपथ ली थी और कहा कि इस यात्रा की शुरुआत उत्तराखंड के गठन के साथ हुई थी।

उन्होंने प्रसन्नता व्यक्त की कि जिस धरती से योग और आयुर्वेद जैसी जीवनदायिनी शक्तियों को बल मिला, उसी धरती से आज ऑक्सीजन प्लांट समर्पित किए जा रहे हैं। महामारी की अवधि के दौरान अपनी सरकार की उपलब्धियों की सराहना करते हुए, पीएम ने कहा कि महामारी से पहले सिर्फ एक परीक्षण प्रयोगशाला से लगभग 3,000 परीक्षण प्रयोगशालाओं का एक नेटवर्क बनाया गया था। उन्होंने कहा कि भारत ने दुनिया का सबसे बड़ा और सबसे तेज टीकाकरण अभियान लागू किया है।

उन्होंने कहा कि पहले देश में एक दिन में 900 मीट्रिक टन लिक्विड मेडिकल ऑक्सीजन का उत्पादन होता था, लेकिन जैसे-जैसे मांग बढ़ी, भारत ने मेडिकल ऑक्सीजन के उत्पादन में दस गुना से अधिक की वृद्धि की।

पीएम ने यह भी कहा कि कोविड -19 वैक्सीन की लगभग 93 करोड़ खुराक दी गई है और जल्द ही देश 100 करोड़ का आंकड़ा पार कर जाएगा।

पीएम ने कहा कि अब सरकार इस बात का इंतजार नहीं करती कि नागरिक अपनी समस्याएं लेकर उसके पास आएं और फिर कोई कदम उठाएं, लेकिन अब सरकार नागरिकों तक पहुंच रही है।

अनन्या कौशल द्वारा संपादित।

नितिन अग्रवाल को राहत, बने रहेंगे विधायक

हरदोई।

सदर विधायक नितिन अग्रवाल को बड़ी राहत मिली है. विधानसभा सदस्यता रद्द करने के लिए सपा नेता द्धारा दाखिल की गई याचिका को विधानसभा अध्यक्ष हृदय नारायण दीक्षित ने खारिज कर दिया है। इसकी जानकारी मिलते ही सदर विधायक के समर्थकों में खुशी की लहर दौड़ गई।


विधानसभा में नेता प्रतिपक्ष रामगोविंद चौधरी ने 11 नवंबर 2019 को विधानसभा अध्यक्ष के सामने याचिका दाखिल की थी। इसमें कहा था कि सदर विधायक नितिन अग्रवाल 2017 में हुए विधानसभा चुनाव में सपा के टिकट पर निर्वाचित हुए थे। 2019 में गांधी जयंती के मौके पर हुए मैराथन विधानसभा सत्र के दौरान सपा ने विह्प जारी की थी कि सपा का कोई भी विधायक उक्त सत्र में शामिल नहीं होगा।

इसके बावजूद नितिन अग्रवाल सत्र में शामिल हुए। विह्प का उल्लंघन किए जाने का आरोप लगा उनकी सदस्यता रद्द करने की मांग की गई थी। पूरे मामले पर चली सुनवाई के बाद विधानसभा अध्यक्ष हृदय नारायण दीक्षित ने रामगोविंद चौधरी की याचिका खारिज कर दी है। सदर विधायक नितिन अग्रवाल ने इसकी पुष्टि करते हुए बताया कि गुरुवार को ही इस संबंध में विधानसभा अध्यक्ष ने आदेश पारित कर दिया था

बता दें कि हरदोई सदर विधानसभा पर कई पंचवर्षीय से नितिन अग्रवाल के पिता नरेश अग्रवाल का दवदवा रहा है. इस सीट पर हमेशा से ही नरेश ही जीतते आये हैं. 2017 के विधानसभा चुनाव में बेटे नितिन अग्रवाल सपा की टिकट पर विधानसभा पहुंचे थे. बाद में वे सत्ताधारी पार्टी भाजपा में शामिल हो गए थे।

अनन्या कौशल द्वारा संपादित।

Nobel Prize For Literature – 2021

The Nobel prize ceremony is literature’s greatest show of the year and the jury ensures that only the best make it to the podium. Each year, the literature community is abuzz with speculations regarding the potential winner. The wait came to an end on Thursday when this year’s victor was declared.

About the Prize

The Nobel Prizes, which have been awarded since 1901, recognise achievement in literature, science and peace. As stated by Alfred Nobel in his will, the Nobel Prize in Literature is given to “the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction.” The 18-member Swedish Academy selects the Nobel Laureates in Literature. Nominations come from members of the Academy, members of literature academies and societies, professors of literature and language, former Nobel literature laureates, and the presidents of writers’ organisations. However, it is against the rules to nominate oneself.

Winner of 2021

Abdulrazak Gurnah was preparing a cup of tea in the kitchen of his Canterbury home on Thursday when he received the auspicious call, telling him that he had won the most esteemed prize in the field of Literature. He admitted, that he didn’t have the slightest idea that he was being considered for the award.

A novelist and academic based in the United Kingdom, Gurnah was bestowed with the Nobel Prize for his eminent contributions to literature. In the words of the academy, the prize motivation was “for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents.”            

About the winner

Born in Zanzibar in 1948, Gurnah was displaced from his country and was forced to take refuge in Britain as a young teenager. His books pronouncedly detail the struggles of refugees who sought asylum in other countries. In the 1960s, the Arab Muslims fled Zanzibar to shield themselves from the oppressive regimes that persecuted their community. After reaching England, Gurnah found solace in writing which helped him cope with the loss of his home. He soon became a member of the faculty, at the University of Kent, following the completion of his studies in Canterbury. Gurnah proceeded to have an illustrious career in both academics and writing. The settings in his stories are diverse, ranging from East Africa under German colonialism to modern-day England. Many of Gurnah’s characters deal with the dilemma of leaving their old lives behind and prepare for the life to come, finding themselves in a gulf between cultures while confronting racism and prejudice. He has authored ten novels, throughout his life with three of them featuring in the Man Booker shortlists — “Memory of Departure,” “Pilgrims Way,” “Paradise”. The novels have left a profound impact all across the world, by highlighting the issues of migration, focusing mainly on uprooted people and the places they make their new homes. His work’s relevance has increased even more now, as the world witnesses the large-scale displacement of the Afghan natives.

Past Winners

Past winners have included novelists such as Ernest Hemingway, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Toni Morrison, poets such as Pablo Neruda, Joseph Brodsky and Rabindranath Tagore, and playwrights including Harold Pinter and Eugene O’Neill.

Edgar Allan Poe

By Track2Training

About that author- Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe established his name in literature majorly as a short story writer and poems with his great command in writing. He is also considered as the architect of the modern short story. Edgar Allan Poe, often discussed through his writing which was usually in the horror genre.

Early Life 

Edgar Allan Poe was born in 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. his parents were both actors. He was very young when he lost both his parents and was then taken care of by John Allan and his wife. In 1824 Poe got into the University of Virginia and was doing well academically but had to leave due to financial stress. 

Early career 

After living with Allan for sometime Poe went to Boston and published a collection of poems Tamerlane, and Other Poems in 1827. He also was forced to join the army, because of his poverty. 

He published his next collection of poetry Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems in 1829. Both of the collections that were published did not receive much attention. The same year Poe’s father helped him secure him an appointment at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

About 2 years later Poe moved to New York  , where he published another collection of his works, Poems.

He later went back to Baltimore to his aunt and began writing stories. His stories were getting published in newsletters, he also won a 50 USD cash prize for one of his short stories MS. Found in a Bottle involving an unnamed narrator who sails a ship and encounters a bunch of terrifying situations along his journey.

Poe was offered the position of an editor at Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond where he married his 13 year old cousin, which is bizarre but it was 1836. 

Poe established himself as a fine literary critic over the years although his writing did not grab people’s eyes until the late 1930s. 

Later Years 

His career was going well but he was still not earning enough, his jobs were not getting him enough money so he went to New York again, where he was often seen drinking. In 1838, he published The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, the only complete novel by him.

A year later, he was the editor of Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine in Philadelphia and after that he was the editor of Broadway Journal in New York City. While editing in Philadelphia and New York he published several stories like Broadway Journal in New York City. which was published in Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine while he was editing there, Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine, his first detective story published in 1842 in Graham’s magazine.

Poe’s work grabbed national attention after the publishing of his poem The Raven which led him to become an editor of the Broadway Journal. Virginia, Poe’s wife passed away due to tuberculosis in 1847 after which he was involved romantically with multiple women. 

Poe moved to Baltimore in 1849, where one morning Poe was discovered lying, almost unconscious and a few days later, he died. The cause of his death is still not known  

References

Beaver, H., & Poe, E. A. (2006). The Science Fiction of Edgar Allan Poe. Penguin UK.

Jain, Sarika, Kavita Dehalwar, and Shashikant Nishant Sharma. “Explanation of Delphi research method and expert opinion surveys.” Think India 27, no. 4 (2024): 37-48.

Kennedy, J. G. (Ed.). (2001). A historical guide to Edgar Allan Poe. Oxford University Press, USA.

Poe, E. A. (1895). The Works of Edgar Allan Poe (Vol. 2). AC Armstrong &son.

Sigmund Freud

One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful– Sigmund Freud.

Sigmund freud one of the most influential neurologists known to us

An Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis. He conducted a lot of research throughout his life, and was wrong about a lot of his studies but he still managed to leave a mark in the science textbooks

Made a profound impact on psychology even though he faced a lot of criticism for a lot of his studies. He had a lot of unconventional ideas, he was filled with them. It is known that he studied and pushed the use of cocaine, this also led to one of his close friends getting addicted to the drug.

Sigmund Freud was born in 1856, Freiberg, Moravia, Austrian Empire

At the age of 17, he went to study medicine in the University of Vienna where he studied physiology under Ernst von Brücke. He spent about 6 years in Brücke’s lab where he compared brains of different animals. 

In 1882 After graduating from The University of Vienna, he started working in the General Hospital in Vienna as a clinical assistant under the psychiatrist Theodor Meynert and Hermann Nothnagel.

In 1885, went to Paris to study neuropathology at a clinic where he also worked under  Jean-Martin Charcot, charot used to work with patients with hysteria which exposed him to psychological disorders and the possibility that psychological disorders might be linked with the mind and not the brain. Charot’s technique of hypnosis left freud quite impressed and was intrigued by the idea of hypnosis 

After his return from Paris he established a clinic for neuropsychology for his clinical practice and this could also be termed as the beginning of his psychoanalytic theories. Freud was partners with the physician Josef Breuer for a long time and also published their work together in 1895 Studien über Hysterie (Studies in Hysteria) which was a result of some previous research conducted and their clinical experience.

The next year in 1886 he married  Martha Bernays with whom he had 6 children, one of being Anna Freud who followed her father and studied psychoanalysis just like him.

Freud’s psychoanalytic theories further  gave birth to multiple concepts. Psychoanalysis is a collection of theories associated with psychology and a group of techniques that deal with the unconscious mind with an attempt to cure mental disorders. It basically involved trying to make the unconscious thoughts of the patient conscious by various methods and when these thoughts were made conscious, they showed improvement. The development of these concepts and techniques were a result of Freud’s working with people and his own clinical experiences.

Now, psychoanalytics is a vast subject and everything mentioned in the article about his contributions was just the tip of the iceberg. It is impossible to cover the whole subject here,it is almost impossible to study and understand all of his work, that is the quality and quantity of work he has done for science and this article doesn’t  justice to his work, so I hope it is at least encouraging enough to get you to read more about his studies.

Different Types of Vegetables

1. Artichoke

Artichoke (or artichoke heart) is a kind of thistle.Interestingly, this vegetable is actually the flower buds of the plant before they bloom.Nutritionally, artichokes offer a decent mix of vitamins and minerals per 100g (1);Calories: 47 kcalCarbohydrate: 10.5 gFiber: 5.4 gSugar: 1.0 gFat: 0.2 gProtein: 3.3 gVitamin C: 20% RDAVitamin K1: 18% RDAFolate: 17% RDAMagnesium: 15% RDAManganese: 13% RDA

2. Arugula

Arugula leaves are otherwise known as ‘rocket’, and they are particularly popular in the Mediterranean and Middle-East.

In fact, arugula is one of the tastiest foods on this vegetable list, and it adds a complex flavor to any dish.These leaves are relatively nutrient-dense too, and their nutritional

3. Asparagus

Out of all the different vegetables in the world, asparagus has a good argument for being the tastiest.After all, it’s often the one which steakhouses serve alongside the main attraction.As well as being one of the tastiest vegetables, it provides a good source of nutrition too (3);Calories: 20 kcalCarbohydrate: 4.0 gFiber: 2.1 gSugar: 1.9 gFat: 0.1 gProtein: 2.2 gVitamin K1: 52% RDAVitamin A: 15% RDAFolate: 13% RDAIron: 12% RDAVitamin B1: 10% RDA

4. Bell Peppers

Bell peppers come in all shapes and sizes, but they all grow from the same plant.The difference between green, yellow, orange and red varieties is merely the state of ripeness. Red bell peppers are the ripest and sweetest, while green peppers are the freshest and slightly bitter.Technically bell peppers are a fruit, but since most people use them as a vegetable, they make this list.Nutritionally, each color pepper has a very slight difference, but they are fairly similar.

5 . Beet Greens

The leaves of the beetroot plant are incredibly nutritious, so don’t throw them away!Out of all plant foods, beet greens are one of the most impressive for nutrient density (5);Calories: 22 kcalCarbohydrate: 4.3 gFiber: 3.7 gSugar: 0.5 gFat: 0.1 gProtein: 2.2 gVitamin K1: 500% RDAVitamin A: 127% RDAVitamin C: 50% RDAPotassium: 22% RDAManganese: 20% RDASee this guide to leafy greens for an in-depth look at the nutritional benefits of leafy vegetables.

6. Beets / Beetroot

Depending on where you are from, beets (or beetroot) goes by different names.Beets are a root vegetable, and they are quite adaptable too. For instance, they can be boiled, fried, roasted, mashed, or you can even buy pickled beets.Consuming beets leads to a large intake of nitrate, which has many purported health benefits. Most notably, nitrate helps to lower blood pressure

Health Benefits Vegetables

All food and beverage choices matter – focus on variety, amount, and nutrition.

1 . As part of an overall healthy diet, eating foods such as vegetables that are lower in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.

2 . Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.

3 . Eating a diet rich in some vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers.

4 . Adding vegetables can help increase intake of fiber and potassium, which are important nutrients that many Americans do not get enough of in their diet.

Benefits of Lemons

Lemons are high in vitamin C, fiber, and various beneficial plant compounds.These nutrients are responsible for several health benefits.In fact, lemons may support heart health, weight control, and digestive health

1. Support Heart Health

Lemons are a good source of vitamin C.One lemon provides about 31 mg of vitamin C, which is 51% of the reference daily intake (RDI).Research shows that eating fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke

2. Help Control Weight

Lemons are often promoted as a weight loss food, and there are a few theories as to why this is.One common theory is that the soluble pectin fiber in them expands in your stomach, helping you feel full for longer.That said, not many people eat lemons whole. And because lemon juice contains no pectin, lemon juice drinks will not promote fullness in the same way.

3. Prevent Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are small lumps that form when waste products crystallize and build up in your kidneys.They are quite common, and people who get them often get them repeatedly.Citric acid may help prevent kidney stones by increasing urine volume and increasing urine pH, creating a less favorable environment for kidney stone formation

4. Protect Against Anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is quite common. It occurs when you don’t get enough iron from the foods you eat.Lemons contain some iron, but they primarily prevent anemia by improving your absorption of iron from plant foods (26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source).Your gut absorbs iron from meat, chicken, and fish (known as heme iron) very easily, while iron from plant sources (non-heme iron) not as easily. However, this absorption can be improved by consuming vitamin C and citric acid.

5. Reduce Cancer Risk

A healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help prevent some cancers (28Trusted Source).Some observational studies have found that people who eat the most citrus fruit have a lower risk of cancer, while other studies have found no effects (29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).In test-tube studies, many compounds from lemons have killed cancer cells. However, they may not have the same effect on the human body

Avocados

Avocados

The popularity of avocado is down to its rich, creamy texture and mild flavour. The avocado, or Persea Americana, is a fruit that belongs to the family of lauraceae; a group that also includes members such as cinnamon and laurel. There are dozens of varieties of avocado, ranging in size, colour and texture. All are native to tropical climates and when harvested, the flesh softens to a buttery texture that has become extremely popular in everything from dips to desserts.

  1. Avocados are nutritionally rich

Avocados have been commended as an example of a nutrient dense food, with one half of the fruit counting towards your five-a-day.Avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fat and vitamin E, and are a good source of folate. They also supply more soluble fibre than other fruit and contain a number of useful minerals including iron, copper and potassium.

2. May support heart health

Avocados are high in fat with 60 per cent of this being monounsaturated fats, which research suggests helps to protect against heart disease and lower blood pressure. They are also an excellent source of potassium, folate and fibre, all of which benefit the heart and cardiovascular system.

3. May help to lower cholesterol

The oils supplied by avocado include oleic acid and linoleic acid, these unsaturated fats are recommended as part of a balanced diet to help manage cholesterol.

4. May help to regulate appetite

There is no doubt that the calorie content of avocados is greater than other fruits and vegetables. However, an interesting study has shown that the fat and fibre content of avocados leads to feelings of satiety which helps regulate appetite.

5. May help keep eyes healthy

Alongside the benefits outlined above, avocado are a rich source of protective vitamin E as well as carotenes including lutein and zeaxanthin which are thought to help keep the eyes healthy.

Health Benefits of Kiwifruit

The kiwifruit, or Chinese gooseberry, originally grew wild in China. Kiwis are a nutrient-dense food — they are rich in in nutrients and low in calories.A schoolteacher introduced the fruitTrusted Source to New Zealand in 1904, upon returning from China with seeds. The New Zealanders called it “kiwi” after their national bird.Kiwi has a reputation as a health food because of its high vitamin C content, but the fruit is also rich in other nutrients. These may help reduce blood pressure, boost wound healing, help maintain bowel health, and more.

Kiwi and other fruits provide a range of health benefits due to their nutritional contents. Kiwis are a good source of vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber.Antioxidants — including vitamin C, choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin — help remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that the body produces during metabolism and other processes.If too many free radicals build up, they can causeTrusted Source oxidative stress, which can result in cell damage. This damage may lead to issues such as heart disease or cancer. Antioxidants can help protect the body by removing free radicals.

Are you also thinking to do B.Pharm?

If you are thinking to do a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) after your 12th, then you must know the various career opportunities after B.pharm.

In my previous content, we talk about the various entrance exams after B. Pharmacy and their preparation.

Now we will address the various career opportunities after B. Pharmacy.

First, we will talk about the “Government Jobs” available for B. Pharm graduates.

Goverment Jobs:-

All of us have a dream to do government jobs. If we start our preparation from today then our dreams can comes true.

Drug inspector:-

After graduating we can give this test. This test is not much easy as you assume. Most of the students have a dream to become a drug inspector, but the problem is that the seats for this post are very less and the competition is very high, that’s why many of the students are not able to achieve this.

Drug inspector is an expert in monitoring and executing efficiency, safety, quality and usefulness of drugs from the production stage to the final stage.

To become a drug inspector, students are required to go through a selection process conducted by the UPSC and/ or SPSCs.

RRB:-

Railway Recruitment Board Exam (RRB) also we can give after our graduation. For this exam both B. Pharma and D. Pharma candidates are eligible.

The exam type of RRB exam is objective and computer-based. The jobs are available all over India.

Syllabus:-The Syllabus for the RRB Pharmacist exam includes topics from Aptitude, Reasoning, Professional Knowledge, General Awareness. Professional knowledge encompasses questions from all 4 years of B. Pharmacy subjects.

Hospital pharmacist:-

After completion of our graduation, we can also do a job as hospital pharmacists.

Hospital pharmacists (also known as health-system or clinical pharmacists) encompasses a broad range of duties which includes providing quality care during an inpatient stay, ensuring a seamless transition of care, and reducing the number of medication mistakes.

The important thing for students who are interested in doing government jobs is to keep updated on vacancy seats.

Jobs In Industrial Sector:-

Most of the students are interested in doing the job in the industrial sector. But many of the graduates that are doing the job in the industrial sector are completed their master’s degree after B.Pharm. It is our wish to do Masters Degree or not, but I think if we do the masters then we can get placement in the industry with a good package.

Production Department:-

In the industrial sector, there are two divisions one is production and the other is R&D.

Further, there are two divisions in the Production department i.e. “Quality Control & Quality Assurance”.

Quality control:- As the name suggests, it involves assuring the quality of all the products manufactured, at every stage of manufacturing/processing Drug Products.

It also involves the tests to verify the product quality against the predefined standards given in pharmacopoeias.

Quality Assurance:- In the pharmaceutical industry, the main role of the QA department is to ensure that pharmaceutical products are manufactured to a safe and are of a consistent standard. It’s is a very broad field and it involves various other important roles.

R & D department:-

This sector involves research and development and it mostly works to review its business model strategies to maximize the income.

In this sector largely preferred candidates are of having a masters degree (M.Pharm). In this department, the candidate having a B. Pharm degree are much low. The advantage of doing M.Pharm is to increase our knowledge and experience which helps us in this department.

Entrepreneurship:-

In this, we can do our own business. After B. Pharmacy we have the license and we can easily do our business.

In wholesale business, we can transport the required product to a small pharmacy store.

As an entrepreneur, we have to be confident, have patience and work hard to achieve the success. If we have a loss in our business then we have to face the problem and not stay away from that issue.

It includes a whole sell business, retailer and we can also do business of selling manufacturing units.

Marketing:-

After our graduation, we can also get a job in the marketing field as a “Medical Representative”(MR), in which we have to increase the sales of specific medical products of the respective brand.

Academics:-

After our graduation or post-graduation, we have also a career opportunity in academics as Assistant Professor & lecturers.

In this, if we have completed our graduation in B.Pharm then we can do the job as a professor to teach D.Pharm students. And if we have completed our masters then we can teach to B.pharm students.

Entrance exam & Post-graduation:-

As we know, B.Pharm is graduation after this we can prepare for various competitive exams including MPSC etc.

If you want to accomplish specialisation in pharmacy then you have two options i.e. M.Pharm and M.B.A.

My opinion is if you are having an interest in the marketing field then you can do an M.B.A.from a top university.

The benefit of doing M.Pharm. :- As I said earlier, we have the benefit of doing M.Pharm for doing the job in the industrial sector.

Secondly, after qualifying for GPAT (Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test ) i.e. entrance exam for taking admission, with good rank, then we can get a scholarship monthly.

Entrance exams to take admission in postgraduate courses:- There are mainly two tests that are GPAT (Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test ) & NIPER JEE (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Joint Entrance Exam ).

After qualifying the GPAT we are eligible for the NIPER JEE exam.

There are other entrance exams too such as GMAT, CAT etc.

This is all about the basic knowledge about various career opportunities after B.Pharmacy. So, let’s start investing the time for preparation and achieve success. If you are currently doing the B. Pharm then you must have to do planning as per your interest in various fields and work hard. Best of luck with your upcoming journey. 👍✌

!! Thank you !!

Muskmelon

MuskmelonHomeEntertainment & Pop CultureFoodMuskmelonplantAlternate titles: nutmeg melon BY The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica | View Edit HistoryMuskmelon, also called nutmeg melon, any of several varieties of netted-rind melons in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), noted for their musky-scented sweet juicy orange flesh. Muskmelons are among the most-important commercial melons and are commonly eaten fresh. Although the term muskmelon is sometimes loosely applied to any dessert melon, in botanical usage it refers strictly to the fruits that are cultivars of the common melon (Cucumis melo) and are classified in the Reticulatus cultivar group. In addition, those melons are sometimes inaccurately referred to as cantaloupe in North America, a term that should properly be reserved for European melons of the Cantalupensis group. Like all melons, muskmelons are annual vines that require a long warm growing season. They have hairy trailing stems with clasping tendrils and bear round to lobed leaves. The yellow unisexual flowers produce large fruits, which give off a sweet odour when ripe. The plants are susceptible to a number of fungal diseases, especially in humid conditions, and are killed by frost.

Cantaloupe nutrition benefits

The humble cantaloupe may not get as much respect as other fruits, but it should.This tasty, although odd-looking, melon is packed with nutrients. If you don’t think about nabbing a cantaloupe each time you hit your grocery store’s produce section, read on to learn why you may want to think again.Adding fruit of any kind to your diet is beneficial. Cantaloupe, a variety of musk melon, is a particularly good choice.

Beta-carotene

When it comes to beta-carotene, cantaloupe knocks other yellow-orange fruits out of the park.According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)Trusted Source, cantaloupe has more beta- carotene than:apricotsgrapefruitorangespeachestangerinesnectarinesmangoes

Vitamin C

According to the USDATrusted Source, 1 cup of balled cantaloupe contains over 100 percent of the recommended daily value (DV) of vitamin C. According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamin C is involved in the production of:blood vesselscartilagemusclecollagen in bonesMore research is needed on vitamin C to prove its effectiveness against diseases like:asthmacancerdiabetesHowever, eating vitamin C-rich foods may help reduce how long your symptoms last the next time you have the common cold.

Folate

Folate is also known as vitamin B-9. Folate is the term used when it’s naturally present in foods. Folic acid is the term used for supplements and fortified foods.Folate is well-known for preventing neural-tube birth defects like spinal bifida.It may also help:reduce the risk of some cancersaddress memory loss due to aging, although more research is neededWhen it comes to cancer, folate may be a double-edged sword.According to a closer look at studies on the vitamin published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, folate may offer protection in early cancers and in people with a folate deficiency. However, vitamin B-9 in high doses, such as excessive supplementation, may stimulate or worsen later-stage cancers.

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe melon makes a refreshing snack in the summer, and it contains nutrients that can benefit a person’s health.Popular with children and adults, cantaloupe can make a refreshing, healthful, and easy summer dessert, while their high water content helps prevent dehydration.This type of fruit also contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.Other names for cantaloupe include muskmelon, mush melon, rock melon, and Persian melon. They are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, along with honeydew melons, watermelons, and cucumbers.

The water, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in cantaloupe can provide a variety of health benefits.Antioxidants, for example, can help prevent cell damage that can lead to cancer and other health conditions.During metabolism, the body produces unstable molecules called free radicals, which can collect in the body and damage cells. This damage is known as oxidative stress. Antioxidants help remove free radicals from the body and prevent oxidative stress.Canteloupe contains a range of antioxidants, includingTrusted Source:seleniumbeta carotenevitamin CluteinzeaxanthincholineIt is worth noting that, while the nutrients in food are essential for maintaining a healthy body, scientific investigations into the effects of these nutrients often deal with supplements, rather than dietary sources, and the results may be somewhat different.

Health benefits of oranges

Human and animal studies indicate that regular consumption of oranges is beneficial for health.

Heart health

Heart disease is currently the world’s most common cause of premature death.Flavonoids — especially hesperidin — in oranges may have protective effects against heart disease (11Trusted Source, 16).Clinical studies in humans note that daily intake of orange juice for four weeks has a blood-thinning effect and may reduce blood pressure significantly (11Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).Fibers also seem to play a role. Intake of isolated fibers from citrus fruits has been shown to decrease blood cholesterol levels (8).Taken together, it is likely that regular consumption of oranges may help lower your risk of heart disease.

Kidney stone prevention

Oranges are a good source of citric acid and citrates, which are believed to help prevent kidney stone formation.Potassium citrate is often prescribed to patients with kidney stones. Citrates in oranges seem to have similar effects (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

Anemia prevention

Anemia is a condition characterized by low level of red blood cells or hemoglobin, decreasing its ability to carry oxygen. It is often caused by iron deficiency.Although oranges are not a good source of iron, they are an excellent source of organic acids, such as vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and citric acid.Both vitamin C and citric acid can increase your body’s absorption of iron from the digestive tract (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).When eaten with iron-rich food, oranges may help prevent anemia.

paper making

Chemical pulping

Main articles: kraft process, sulfite process, and soda pulpingTo make pulp from wood, a chemical pulping process separates lignin from cellulose fibre. A cooking liquor is used to dissolve the lignin, which is then washed from the cellulose; this preserves the length of the cellulose fibres. Paper made from chemical pulps are also known as wood-free papers (not to be confused with tree-free paper); this is because they do not contain lignin, which deteriorates over time. The pulp can also be bleached to produce white paper, but this consumes 5% of the fibres. Chemical pulping processes are not used to make paper made from cotton, which is already 90% cellulose.

Mechanical pulping

There are two major mechanical pulps: thermomechanical pulp (TMP) and groundwood pulp (GW). In the TMP process, wood is chipped and then fed into steam-heated refiners, where the chips are squeezed and converted to fibres between two steel discs. In the groundwood process, debarked logs are fed into grinders where they are pressed against rotating stones to be made into fibres. Mechanical pulping does not remove the lignin, so the yield is very high, > 95%; however, lignin causes the paper thus produced to turn yellow and become brittle over time. Mechanical pulps have rather short fibres, thus producing weak paper. Although large amounts of electrical energy are required to produce mechanical pulp, it costs less than the chemical kind.

De-inked pulp

Paper recycling processes can use either Chemically or mechanically produced pulp; by mixing it with water and applying mechanical action the hydrogen bonds in the paper can be broken and fibres separated again. Most recycled paper contains a proportion of virgin fibre for the sake of quality; generally speaking, de-inked pulp is of the same quality or lower than the collected paper it was made from.

Additives

Besides the fibres, pulps may contain fillers such as chalk or china clay,[12] which improve its characteristics for printing or writing.[13] Additives for sizing purposes may be mixed with it or applied to the paper web later in the manufacturing process; the purpose of such sizing is to establish the correct level of surface absorbency to suit ink or paint.

Producing paper

Paper mill in Mänttä-Vilppula, FinlandThe pulp is fed to a paper machine, where it is formed as a paper web and the water is removed from it by pressing and drying.Pressing the sheet removes the water by force. Once the water is forced from the sheet, a special kind of felt, which is not to be confused with the traditional one, is used to collect the water. When making paper by hand, a blotter sheet is used instead.
Finishing

The paper may then undergo sizing to alter its physical properties for use in various applications.Paper at this point is uncoated. Coated paper has a thin layer of material such as calcium carbonate or china clay applied to one or both sides in order to create a surface more suitable for high-resolution halftone screens. (Uncoated papers are rarely suitable for screens above 150 lpi.) Coated or uncoated papers may have their surfaces polished by calendering. Coated papers are divided into matte, semi-matte or silk, and gloss. Gloss papers give the highest optical density in the printed image.The paper is then fed onto reels if it is to be used on web printing presses, or cut into sheets for other printing processes or other purposes. The fibres in the paper basically run in the machine direction. Sheets are usually cut “long-grain”, i.e. with the grain parallel to the longer dimension of the sheet. Continuous form paper (or continuous stationery) is cut to width with holes punched at the edges, and folded into stacks.

Paper grain

All paper produced by paper machines as the Fourdrinier Machine are wove paper, i.e. the wire mesh that transports the web leaves a pattern that has the same density along the paper grain and across the grain. Textured finishes, watermarks and wire patterns imitating hand-made laid paper can be created by the use of appropriate rollers in the later stages of the machine.

Rose And Uses Of Rose

Roses are best known as ornamental plants grown for their flowers in the garden and sometimes indoors. They have been also used for commercial perfumery and commercial cut flower crops. Some are used as landscape plants, for hedging and for other utilitarian purposes such as game cover and slope stabilization.

Ornamental plants

The majority of ornamental roses are hybrids that were bred for their flowers. A few, mostly species roses are grown for attractive or scented foliage (such as Rosa glauca and Rosa rubiginosa), ornamental thorns (such as Rosa sericea) or for their showy fruit (such as Rosa moyesii).Ornamental roses have been cultivated for millennia, with the earliest known cultivation known to date from at least 500 BC in Mediterranean countries, Persia, and China.It is estimated that 30 to 35 thousand rose hybrids and cultivars have been bred and selected for garden use as flowering plants.Most are double-flowered with many or all of the stamens having morphed into additional petals.
Cut flowers

Cut flowersBouquet of pink rosesRoses are a popular crop for both domestic and commercial cut flowers. Generally they are harvested and cut when in bud, and held in refrigerated conditions until ready for display at their point of sale.In temperate climates, cut roses are often grown in greenhouses, and in warmer countries they may also be grown under cover in order to ensure that the flowers are not damaged by weather and that pest and disease control can be carried out effectively. Significant quantities are grown in some tropical countries, and these are shipped by air to markets across the world.

Cut flowers

Main article: Cut flowersBouquet of pink roses

Roses are a popular crop for both domestic and commercial cut flowers. Generally they are harvested and cut when in bud, and held in refrigerated conditions until ready for display at their point of sale.

In temperate climates, cut roses are often grown in greenhouses, and in warmer countries they may also be grown under cover in order to ensure that the flowers are not damaged by weather and that pest and disease control can be carried out effectively. Significant quantities are grown in some tropical countries, and these are shipped by air to markets across the world.

Perfume

Rose oil and Rose waterGeraniol (C10H18O)Rose perfumes are made from rose oil (also called attar of roses), which is a mixture of volatile essential oils obtained by steam distilling the crushed petals of roses. An associated product is rose water which is used for cooking, cosmetics, medicine and religious practices. The production technique originated in Persia and then spread through Arabia and India, and more recently into eastern Europe. In Bulgaria, Iran and Germany, damask roses (Rosa × damascena ‘Trigintipetala’) are used. In other parts of the world Rosa × centifolia is commonly used. The oil is transparent pale yellow or yellow-grey in colour. ‘Rose Absolute’ is solvent-extracted with hexane and produces a darker oil, dark yellow to orange in colour. The weight of oil extracted is about one three-thousandth to one six-thousandth of the weight of the flowers; for example, about two thousand flowers are required to produce one gram of oil.

sunflower

Origin

EditSunflowers originate in the Americas. They were first domesticated in what is now Mexico and the Southern United States.Domestic sunflower seeds have been found in Mexico, dating to 2100 BCE. Native American people grew sunflowers as a crop from Mexico to Southern Canada. In the 16th century the first crop breeds were brought from America to Europe by explorers.

History

Sunflowers are thought to have been domesticated 3000–5000 years ago by Native Americans who would use them primarily as a source for edible seeds. They were then introduced to Europe in the early 16th century and made their way to Russia. In Russia, where oilseed cultivators were located, these flowers were developed and grown on an industrial scale. Russia then reintroduced this oilseed cultivation process to North America in the mid-20th century; North America began their commercial era of sunflower production and breeding.New breeds of the Helianthus spp. began to become more prominent in new geographical areas.

Benefits of pomegranate

Antioxidants

Pomegranates have been eaten throughout history for their health benefits. Nowadays, the juice of this fruit is a popular part of healthy diets.Pomegranate seeds get their vibrant red hue from polyphenols. These chemicals are powerful antioxidants.Pomegranate juice contains higher levels of antioxidants than most other fruit juices. It also has three times more antioxidants than red wine and green tea.

xidants in pomegranate juice can help remove free radicals, protect cells from damage, and reduce inflammation.

Vitamin C

The juice of a single pomegranate has more than 40 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C. Vitamin C can be broken down when pasteurized, so opt for homemade or fresh pomegranate juice to get the most of the nutrient.

Alzheimer’s disease protection

The antioxidants in the juice and their high concentration are believed to stall the progress of Alzheimer disease and protect memory.

Digestion

Pomegranate juice can reduce inflammation in the gut and improve digestion. It may be beneficial for people with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other inflammatory bowel diseases.While there are conflicting beliefs and research on whether pomegranate juice helps or worsens diarrhea, most doctors recommend avoiding it until you are feeling better and your symptoms have subsided

Cancer prevention

Pomegranate juice recently made a splash when researchers found that it may help stop the growth of prostate cancer cells. Despite multiple studies on the effects of the juice on prostate cancer, results are still preliminary.While there haven’t been long-term studies with humans that prove that pomegranate juice prevents cancer or reduces the risk, adding it to your diet certainly can’t hurt. There have been encouraging results in studies so far, and bigger studies are now being doneTrusted Source.

pomegranate

Pomegranate is a tree. Various parts of the tree and fruit are used to make medicine.People use pomegranate for high blood pressure, athletic performance, heart disease, diabetes, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.Pomegranate has been used for thousands of years. It is in Greek, Hebrew, Buddhist, Islamic, and Christian mythology and writings. It is described in records dating from around 1500 BCE as a treatment for tapeworm and other parasites.Many cultures use pomegranate as a folk medicine. Pomegranate is native to Iran. It is primarily cultivated in Mediterranean counties, parts of the United States, Afghanistan, Russia, India, China, and Japan. You’ll see pomegranate in some royal and medical coats of arms.

Uses of pineapple

Pineapple is more than just a delicious tropical fruit — it offers significant health benefits as well. In fact, it’s been used in folk medicine since ancient times, according to a study published in September 2016 in Biomedical Reports. It’s native to the Americas and is also grown in tropical climates around the world, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).“Pineapple is a great source of vitamin C, B vitamins, fiber, and minerals like manganese,” says Julie Andrews, RDN, a chef based in Appleton, Wisconsin.You’ll find pineapple offered fresh, frozen, and canned, making it a year-round option for those living in the United States. Canned pineapple is convenient, but be sure to look for an option that’s packed in its own juices, not syrup, says Allison Knott, RDN, a dietitian in New York City. “Fruit naturally contains sugar in the form of fructose, so even the canned fruit in its own juice will have grams of sugar listed on the label,” she says. “However, the syrup is considered added sugar and will increase the total grams of sugar while contributing to added sugar intake for the day.”REL

uses of apple

All parts of the fruit, including the skin, except for the seeds, are suitable for human consumption. The core, from stem to bottom, containing the seeds, is usually not eaten and is discarded.Apples can be consumed various ways: juice, raw in salads, baked in pies, cooked into sauces and spreads like apple butter, and other baked dishes.Apples are sometimes used as an ingredient in savory foods, such as sausage and stuffing.Several techniques are used to preserve apples and apple products. Apples can be canned, dried or frozen.Canned or frozen apples are eventually baked into pies or other cooked dishes. Apple juice or cider is also bottled. Apple juice is often concentrated and frozen.Apples are an important ingredient in many desserts, such as apple pie, apple crumble, apple crisp and apple cake. When cooked, some apple cultivars easily form a puree known as apple sauce. Apples are also made into apple butter and apple jelly. They are often baked or stewed and are also (cooked) in some meat dishes. Dried apples can be eaten or reconstituted (soaked in water, alcohol or some other liquid).Apples are milled or pressed to produce apple juice, which may be drunk unfiltered (called apple cider in North America), or filtered. Filtered juice is often concentrated and frozen, then reconstituted later and consumed. Apple juice can be fermented to make cider (called hard cider in North America), ciderkin, and vinegar. Through distillation, various alcoholic beverages can be produced, such as applejack, Calvados, and apfelwein

Apple

An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (Malus domestica). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus Malus. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, Malus sieversii, is still found today. Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe and were brought to North America by European colonists. Apples have religious and mythological significance in many cultures, including NorseGreek, and European Christian tradition.

Apples grown from seed tend to be very different from those of the parents, and the resultant fruit frequently lack desired characteristics. Generally then, apple cultivars are propagated by clonal grafting onto rootstocks. Apple trees grown without rootstocks tend to be large and much slower to fruit after planting. Rootstocks are used to control speed of growth and the size of the resulting tree allowing for easier harvesting.There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples. Different cultivars are bred for various tastes and use, including cooking, eating raw and cider production. Trees and fruit are prone to a number of fungal, bacterial and pest problems, which can be controlled by a number of organic and non-organic means. In 2010, the fruit’s genome was sequenced as part of research on disease control and selective breeding in apple production.Worldwide production of apples in 2018 was 86 million tonnes, with China accounting for nearly half of the total.

Life of Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani

Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani was born on 19 April 1957 in the British Crown colony of Aden (present-day Yemen) to Dhirubhai Ambani and Kokilaben Ambani. He has a younger brother Anil Ambani and two sisters, Nina Bhadrashyam Kothari and Dipti Dattaraj Salgaonkar.Ambani lived only briefly in Yemen, because his father decided to move back to India in 1958[7] to start a trading business that focused on spices and textiles. The latter was originally named “Vimal” but later changed to “Only Vimal”.[8][9] His family lived in a modest two-bedroom apartment in Bhuleshwar, Mumbai until the 1970s.[10] The family’s financial status slightly improved when they moved to India but Ambani still lived in a communal society, used public transportation, and never received an allowance Dhirubhai later purchased a 14-floor apartment block called ‘Sea Wind’ in Colaba, where, until recently, Ambani and his brother lived with their families on different floors.

Education

Ambani attended the Hill Grange High School at Peddar Road, Mumbai, along with his brother and Anand Jain, who later became his close associate After his secondary schooling, he studied at the St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.He then received a BE degree in chemical engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology.Ambani later enrolled for an MBA at Stanford University, but withdrew in 1980 to help his father build Reliance, which at the time was still a small but fast-growing enterprise.[15] His father felt that real-life skills were harnessed through experiences and not by sitting in a classroom, so he called his son back to India from Stanford to take command of a yarn manufacturing project in his company.

Ambani has been quoted as saying that he was influenced by his teachers William F. Sharpe and Man Mohan Sharma because they are “the kind of professors who made you think out of the box.

Sister Nivedita

Sister Nivedita (Bengali pronunciation: [bhågini: niːbediːtaː] About this soundlisten born Margaret Elizabeth Noble; 28 October 1867 – 13 October 1911)[1][2] was an Irish teacher, author, social activist, school founder and disciple of Swami Vivekananda.[3][4] She spent her childhood and early youth in Ireland. She was engaged to marry a Welsh youth, but he died soon after their engagement.

Sister Nivedita met Swami Vivekananda in 1895 in London and travelled to Calcutta (present-day Kolkata), India in 1898. Swami Vivekananda gave her the name Nivedita (meaning “Dedicated to God”) when he initiated her into the vow of Brahmacharya on 25 March 1898. In November 1898, she opened a girls’ school in the Bagbazar area of Calcutta. She wanted to educate girls who were deprived of even basic education. During the plague epidemic in Calcutta in 1899, Nivedita nursed and took care of the poor patients. Nivedita had close associations with the newly established Ramakrishna Mission. Because of her active contribution in the field of Indian Nationalism, she had to publicly dissociate herself from the activities of the Ramakrishna Mission under the then president, Swami Brahmananda. She was very close to Sarada Devi, the spiritual consort of Ramakrishna and one of the major influences behind Ramakrishna Mission, and also with all brother disciples of Swami Vivekananda. She died on 13 October 1911 in Darjeeling. Her epitaph reads, “Here lies Sister Nivedita who gave her all to India”.[5]

Bhuvaneswari Devi

Bhuvaneshwari Devi (19th century AD) was the mother of Swami Vivekananda and she lived a pious and a noble life, and contains very good qualities. At her younger age, she got married to a noble person Sri Vishwanath Datta, who was a barrister by profession. She gave birth to Swami Vivekananda in the year 1863 at Kolkata, and during that time, she got a dream that the powers of Lord Shiva was entering in her womb. After her husband’s death, she went to her mother’s house and lived along with Vivekananda, and at that time she was very poor. And in course of time, her daughter was also died and Swami Vivekananda has also become a saint.Even then, Mata Bhuvaneshwari Devi remained calm, and maintained her strength, and concentrated her entire attention towards worshipping Shiva-Parvati. Swami Vivekananda was very affectionate with his mother, and visits his mother’s home, once in a month, and used to help her.She spent most of her days by observing fasting and doing meditation, and gained more spiritual energy through that. After leading a spiritual and a noble life for several years, she died, and attained SALVATION.Let us worship the holy mother and be blessed.

Bhupendranath Datta

Bhupendranath Datta (4 September 1880 – 25 December 1961)[1] was an Indian revolutionary and later a noted sociologist and anthropologist. He associated Rishi Aurobindo in his political works. In his youth, he was closely associated with the Jugantar movement, serving as the editor of Jugantar Patrika till his arrest and imprisonment in 1907. In his later revolutionary career, he was privy to the Indo-German Conspiracy. His elder brother was Swami Vivekananda. The Asiatic Society today holds the Dr. Bhupendranath Datta memorial lecture in his honour

Datta was a writer too. He wrote several books on Indian culture and society. He wrote a book named “Swami Vivekananda, Patriot-prophet”.

Life of Sarada Devi

Saradamani Devi was born of Brahmin parents as the eldest daughter on 22 December 1853, in the quiet village of Jayrambati in present-day West Bengal, India.[2] Her parents, Ramachandra Mukhopadhyay and Shyama Sundari Devi,[3] were poor. Her father Ramchandra earned his living as a farmer and through the performance of priestly duties. According to traditional accounts, Ramachandra and Syama Sundari had visions and supernatural events foretelling the birth of a divine being as their daughter.[2][4]Sarada lived the simple life of an Indian village girl. As a child, Sarada—then known as Saradamani—was fascinated by traditional Hindu folklore and narratives. As in the case of most girls of rural upbringing, she did not receive any formal education but learned to serve others as she helped her mother run a large household and looked after her younger brothers.[5][6] During the terrible famine of 1864, Sarada worked ceaselessly as her family served food to hungry people.[7] She was interested in the clay models of goddesses Kali and Lakshmi, which she worshiped regularly. She is said to have started meditating from her childhood, and traditional accounts recount her mystic visions and experiences.[2] According to Sarada Devi, she used to see a bevy of eight girls of her age coming from an unknown place and escorting her in her chores during her childhood.[6]The mother and brother of Ramakrishna thought that a marriage would be a good steadying effect on him, by diverting his attention away from spiritual austerities and visions.[8] It is reported that Ramakrishna himself indicated Saradamani as the bride.[9] In May 1859, Sarada was betrothed to Ramakrishna. Sarada was 5 years old and Ramakrishna was 23; the age difference was typical for 19th century rural Bengal.[10][11]After the betrothal, Sarada was left to the care of her parents and Ramakrishna returned to Dakshineswar.[9] Sarada next met Ramakrishna when she was fourteen years old, and she spent three months with him at Kamarpukur. There, Ramakrishna imparted to Sarada instructions on meditation and spiritual life.[12] Ramakrishna’s frequent bhava samadhi (ecstasy)[13] and unorthodox ways of worship led some onlookers to doubt his mental stability, while others regarded him as a great saint.[14] Sarada joined Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar in 1872 on her own accord when she was eighteen, after hearing these rumours about his mental health. She found Ramakrishna to be a kind and caring person.[11]

Sarada Devi was born in Joyrambati, a village in present-day Bankura District in the state of West Bengal, India. She was married to Ramakrishna in 1859[citation needed] when she was only six years old while Ramakrishna was 23 years old. After the marriage, Sarada mostly stayed at Jayrambati and joined Ramakrishna in Dakshineswar Kali temple at the age of eighteen. According to her biographers, both lived “lives of unbroken continence, showing the ideals of a householder and of the monastic ways of life”. After Ramakrishna’s death, Sarada Devi stayed most of the time either at Joyrambati or at the Udbodhan office, Calcutta. The disciples of Ramakrishna regarded her as their own mother, and after their guru’s death looked to her for advice and encouragement. The followers of the Ramakrishna movement and a large section of devotees across the world worship Sarada Devi as an incarnation of the Adi Parashakti or the Divine Mother.

PETS – A BOON TO HUMAN RACE

Domesticated animals or birds kept with oneself for companionship are called as pets. These animals are not made to work forcibly and are not tamed for consumption purpose. According to the history of tamed species, dogs are the most likely to be kept as pet animals. A person must be committed enough to nurture the animal lifelong. There is a plethora of pet animals which can be opted as companions but with appropriate research, one can opt a pet suitable to his/her lifestyle, without causing any harm to the pet. Research proves how beneficial pets are to humankind. Let us have a look at why a pet is said to be a boon to humans.

HELPS ONE TO MAINTAIN FITNESS

Nurturing a pet includes a lot of physical activity. Regular walks and playtime with a four legged will ensure that the owner steps out of his/her house. Pets increase the chances of a better exercise routine for the owner. Indulging in physical activity with the pet helps decrease cholestrol, cut down on extra calories and maintain a proper BMI. Walking lowers the risk of diseases related to the heart, hence increases life expectancy.

STATS – Dog owners on an average walk 22 minutes more per day compared to people without dogs.

SOCIALIZING

Pets are ice-breakers to socializing. Psychologically, the human community feels more secured to be around people who own pets. They can serve as great conversation starters. While taking a furry friend for a walk, several pet lovers approach to spend time with the pet. This does improve interaction with people from the neighborhood and friends. Companion animals keep the atmosphere calm and hep build social relations.

STATS – Pet owners are 60% more likely to interact with others than those who do not own pets.

PSYCHOLOGICAL MERITS

Pet help keep loneliness at bay. They act as great stress boosters due to their lively nature. They unsurprisingly increase dopamine (feel good hormone) levels in the body and alleviate cortisol (stress hormone). Furry friends help you deal with negativity and stress causing disorders such as Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, etc. Recovering from adversities is slightly easier with pets alongside than otherwise. They help in lifting up spirits and causing happiness. Hospitals and psychological clinics appoint Therapy Pets to soothe patients during the course of their treatment.

STATS – Research says, 9/10 people experience psychological well-being in presence of their pet.

DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN

While children grow with pets at their home, they tend to learn about the ‘trust’ factor. Children often look out for their pets when in need of emotional support. Animals at home unintentionally teach children about compassion, responsibility and non-verbal communication. All this leads to higher self esteem and confidence among these children. Such children generally tend to grow up as responsible adults. Children with ADHD and Autism feel immensely supported by their pets.

STATS – According to a questionnaire presented to 1600 households, children from dog owning houses, had 30% less chances to engage in anti-social behaviours and 34% more likely to engage in considerate behaviours.

In conclusion, pets are certainly a boon to mankind. Household pets may include cats, dogs, parakeets, budgies, rabbits, hamster, and so on. Pets help people appreciate true friendships. It is true that, we can judge the heart of a person by his treatment of animals. Welcoming a furry friend at home is not the only act of consideration but taking proper care without abandoning it is also necessary.

NATURE

All that we see around us, directly from the second we venture outside our house is essential for nature. The trees, creatures, scene, blossoms, trees, breeze, daylight, all that makes our environmental elements so lovely and hypnotizing are important for nature. Nature doesn’t emerge immediately however needs forever and a day to sprout and bloom.

Nature has given us such a great amount to contemplate at. It has turned into the focal point of the formation of numerous expressions and thoughts. It is the motivation and directing component for some. All incredible artists on the planet have referenced nature in their compositions as well. There are such countless grand and lovely scenes on earth, for example, the extraordinary valleys, seas, mountains, untamed life, and so on Individuals head out for a significant distance to see a nightfall, investigate a specific normally made spot, partake in the landscape. Everything gives us a feeling of unwinding as one contemplates and loses all sense of direction in the magnificence of nature. It is the Mother Nature who never hurts us yet consistently supports us. By giving us products of the soil, it sustains our body. By giving us water hydrates our body, and by giving oxygen, it scrubs our body. It is normally seen that individuals who live near nature, particularly the locals carry on with a fairly cheerful daily routine when contrasted with individuals experiencing in the midst of the great drifting high rises. Nature gives our ears sweet strong of birds, restores us with outside air, breeze fills our spirit with satisfaction, and rouses to stream like the waterway. Nature gives the unrefined substance to monetary improvement too.

Taking everything into account, nature has an amazing groundbreaking force which is liable for the working of life on the planet. It is fundamental for humanity to prosper so it is our obligation to preserve it for our people in the future. We should stop the childish exercises and make an honest effort to protect the regular assets so life can everlastingly be supported on the planet.

The deepest image of universe ever taken- Hubble Space Telescope

The Hubble space telescope is the most famous telescope in the world. It was named after the famous astronomer Edwin Hubble who changed our understanding of the universe proving the existence of other galaxies. It is an automatic observatory, has discovered millions of new objects in space. It helped us to witness the birth of new stars, found planets outside the solar system and see super massive black holes. Hubble was launched in 1990, and from December 1993 to may 2009, the telescope was repaired and updated four times. Astronauts visited HST five times in order to make repairs and new instruments.

Hubble holds the record for the longest range of observation. The light from the most distant galaxies has taken billions of years to travel across the universe and reach Hubble. By taking this picture, Hubble was literally looking back in time to the very early universe. You can notice on the right side of the image, there is a galaxy very much like the Milky Way that galaxy is about five billion years away, so we are looking back in time by five billion years. In March 4th, 2016, NASA releases a historic image, one that many believed was impossible. It captured the farthest away of all known galaxies; it’s located about 13.4 billion light years away from us. The light from his galaxy has just reached the earth crossing the distance that separates us; hat is now we can observe it as it was 400 million years after the big bang. This galaxy is 25 times smaller than our galaxy, the Milky Way.  It helped to find the age for the universe now known to be 13.8 billion years, roughly three times the age of earth.

This view of nearly 10,000 galaxies is called the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. The snapshot includes galaxies of various ages, sizes, shapes, and colours. The smallest, reddest galaxies, about 100, may be among the most distant known, existing when the universe was just 800 million years old. The nearest galaxies – the larger, brighter, well-defined spirals and ellipticals – thrived about 1 billion years ago, when the cosmos was 13 billion years old. The image required 800 exposures taken over the course of 400 Hubble orbits around Earth. The total amount of exposure time was 11.3 days, taken between Sept. 24, 2003 and Jan. 16, 2004.

With the advanced camera of the NASA’s Hubble space telescope, it discovered a new planet called Fomalhaut b which orbiting is parent star Fomalhaut. Fomalhaut is 2.3 times heavier and 6 times larger than the sun around it is a disc of cosmic dust which creates the resemblance of an ominous eye. Fomalhaut b lies 1.8 billion miles inside the ring’s inner edge and orbits 10.7 billion miles from its star. Astronomers have calculated that Fomalhaut b completes an orbit around its parent star every 872 years. The Fomalhaut system is 25 light years away in the constellation Piscis Australis. But in April 2020, astronomers began doubting its existence; the planet is missing in the new Hubble pictures. Scientists believe that this planet was a cloud of dust and debris formed as a result of a collision of two icy celestial bodies.

Fomalhaut – The the brightest star in the constellation of Piscis Austrinus

In 1994, Hubble captured the most detailed image of the iconic feature called the pillars of creation. The pillars of creation are fascinating but relatively small feature of the entire eagle nebula. The blue color in the image represent oxygen, red is sulfur, and green represents both nitrogen and hydrogen. The nebula was discovered in 1745 by the Swiss astronomer jean Philippe Loys de Cheseaux, is located 7,000 light years from earth in the constellation Serpens. During its work Hubble has presented millions of images but unfortunately NASA has suspended missions to repair and modernize the telescope. It is assumed that in 2021, Hubble will be replaced with the new James Webb space telescope.

OBSESSION

The people of India have a special love for the language of English. With it being one of the official languages of India, people have obsessed over it now for years. It is considered supreme to any other local or regional language, the language of the elites, the language of the educated, the language of the rich, the language of the better, the language of the greater. Why the knowledge of an alien language has been recognised as the mark of standard or class? Why do Indians take pride in celebrating the English language more than any other? Why do the older generations boast about their children being able to speak English so much? Why do Indians being proud about their culture, traditions, ethnicity, customs and festivals are not as proud of their mother tongues as they are of English? These questions pop up every time a non- English speaking person is humiliated or belittled for their poor English speaking skills. But the real question is do we really need this toxicity of humiliating someone just for the sake of a mere language? No, absolutely we do not.

The answers to all these questions go back to the pre independent era. Ever since the British ruled over India they started with the policy of rejecting non-English, non-white, natives so as to establish strong foot of their supremacy. They dented the minds of naive Indians with the theory that only English speaking, white, educated (the western way) people were supreme and had the capability of ruling over others. With decades of humiliation and degradation, the people in pre independent India accepted the superiority of the English language and this made them bound to have inferiority complex about their very own language and mother tongue. The effect was so profound that even after independence, the people educated in English were considered better than those who were equally skilled but not in this supreme language. The Indian population were now interested in educating their children in an English medium school. The liking for the society with English read people enlarged to a level that it lead to the decay and ultimately the end of traditional schools with Indian native languages.

As India’s economy started to grow and new industries and establishments were born, the culture of hiring mostly and after some time only English speaking people grew to an unexpected level. The new businesses wanted English conversing people as they were now associated with better intelligence and know how. When we look back into the history of the relation between English language and the skills or expertise or wisdom we do not find any strong logical evidence to support that. It was merely the supremacy of the language created by the British that Indians starting judging themselves on the basis of the English speaking skills. The interviews were taken only in English language so as to ensure their hold of the language. Students with better grip of this foreign speech were preferred over others. Even this lingo came to be recognised as the symbol of intelligent, sincere and best for any job students.

Society made it very clear with their over likeness towards English that only the privileged, classy, affluent and powerful individuals could afford and were entitled to this learning. This obsession with a foreign tongue was so unhealthy and unwanted that till this day citizens of India have not been able to accept the fact that it is just a language and that the understanding of this speech has nothing to do with intelligence or wisdom. The folks with lesser experience or practice in English are judged too quickly as being the lesser ones. There is a swift shift in people’s attitude after they realize they are conversing with someone with no skills for English language than with the one who is an expert in it. Though with developing nature of the society today, the respect and glory of the local, regional or native language that was lost decades ago is returning back but nevertheless the tilt towards the English language continues, bent enough to stay an obsession.  

Time Management

In our daily life, we’ve got handiest twenty-four hours. Therefore we can’t do everything in one day. This creates obstacles in our ordinary work. In order to manage paintings, social life and sleep, division of time is crucial. In a particular way division of time is the need. This will help the character to finish all his obligations. You ought to write your duties in a schedule.

Time Management refers to the green use of time in order that it is able to be the most useful. The less complicated it seems, the greater difficult it is to observe this method. If you learn how to control the time, then he can attain nearly everything in lifestyles. It is said, “If you cannot control a while, you’ll not be able to set up every other part of your lifestyles”. Therefore, the first step toward success is to control a while effectively. If you master the art of organizing a while, then you may be capable of deal with your paintings higher. Time control will assist you to remove wastage, be organized for conferences, refuse immoderate workloads, screen challenge development, allocate aid (time) appropriate to a undertaking’s importance, ensure that long term initiatives are not unnoticed, plan every day successfully, plan each week efficiently.

With time management skill sets, you may get a deeper understanding of your self. As we develop antique, we lose music of the important matters in our lives. This may be averted to an quantity if you discover what you sincerely want to accomplish. Focus on quick term desires. Maintain a diary to maintain tune of your tasks. You also can put together a chart of your agenda on a paper and stick it in your bulletin board. This will assist you be updated for every mission. Learn to mark deadlines for your calendar. This acts as a consistent reminder if you want to obtain your dreams.

In conclusion, time control is a completely vital ability to be found out and to be mastered so as to have a higher way of life. By coping with nicely time, you will not suffer from strain and your works/tasks may be carried out on time and with exceptional great.

The beginning of covid culture

With the rise of coronavirus (COVID19), In the last few months, individuals, families, and communities in India have been negotiating a new social order. India’s roughly 1.3 billion people went under the first phase of lockdown in March 2020.  

The government had initiated these protocols concerning WHO :

  1. Wearing a mask in public 
  • Make sure your mask covers your nose, mouth, and chin.
  • Clean your hands before you put your mask on, before and after you take it off, and after you touch it at any time.
  • When you take off your mask, store it in a clean plastic bag, and every day either wash it if it’s a fabric mask or dispose of it in a trash bin if it’s a medical mask.
  • Don’t use masks with valves. 

2. Maintaining distance in public places

  • Avoid the 3Cs: spaces that are closed, crowded, or involve close contact.
  • Keeping 6 feet distance or a minimum of 3 feet in public
  • Meet people outside. Outdoor gatherings are safer than indoor ones, particularly if indoor spaces are small and without outdoor air coming in.
  •  Open a window to increase the amount of natural ventilation when indoors.

3. Keep good hygiene 

  • Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with either an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. This eliminates germs that may be on your hands, including viruses.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of the used tissue immediately into a closed bin and wash your hands.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces frequently, especially those which are regularly touched, such as door handles, faucets, and phone screens.

4. Vaccination 

  • Get vaccinated as soon as it’s your turn and follow local guidance on vaccination.
  • Do not believe in any false information about vaccination.
  • The vaccines approved in India are :

          1 Zydus Cadila. ZyCoV-D. 

          2 Moderna. mRNA-1273.

          3 Sputnik V.

          4 Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) 

          5 Oxford/AstraZeneca. AZD1222.

          6 Serum Institute of India. Covishield

          7 Bharat Biotech. Covaxin. 

What to do if we get sick?

  • If you have a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention immediately. Call by telephone first and follow the directions of your local health authority.
  • Do not take any random medicines without the concern of a proper physician. 
  • Know the full range of symptoms of COVID-19. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, tiredness, and loss of taste or smell. Less common symptoms include aches and pains, headache, sore throat, red or irritated eyes, diarrhea, a skin rash, or discoloration of fingers or toes.
  • Stay home and self-isolate for 10 days from symptom onset, plus three days after symptoms cease. Call your health care provider or hotline for advice. Have someone bring you supplies. If you need to leave your house or have someone near you, wear a properly fitted mask to avoid infecting others.
  • Keep up to date on the latest information from trusted sources, such as WHO or your local and national health authorities. Local and national authorities and public health units are best placed to advise on what people in your area should be doing to protect themselves.

Written with reference to WHO and MoHFW (Ministery of health and family welfare Government of India ) 

The unusual North Korean parade

North Korea on Thursday, September 9 held a midnight military parade to mark their 73rd founding anniversary in the capital city of Pyongyang.

This was the 3rd parade that was held in North Korea in under a year following a parade held last October to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the worker’s party of North Korea which saw the display of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) and the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) and one in January after the 8th congress of the worker’s party of North Korea. Contrary to what a myriad of people might believe North Korea does not hold parades as frequently as it did this past year.

This parade was broadcasted on the North Korean state run television on Thursday.

What set this parade apart?

This parade was unlike any other parade held in  North Korea as it did not consist of any display of ballistic missiles, in fact no ballistic missiles were even mentioned. This parade was more of a celebration according to Yang Moo Jin, the vice president of public affairs of North Korea. According to Moo Jin the parade was held to strengthen internal solidarity and it would have been inappropriate to exhibit any sort of missiles. The purpose of this parade was not to intimidate any country but rather to boost the morale of the citizens of North Korea in the midst of a crisis as per some experts.

The event didn’t go on for very long as opposed to the previous military parades that took place this year. This parade lasted only for around 1 hour. In addition to that it was also scaled down.

This parade observed the troops and the emergency disease prevention unit in red hazmat suits and gas masks march past their leader. The hazmat suits and the gas masks represent the prevention of Covid-19 in North Korea as the country reported no Covid-19 cases during the course of the pandemic

The leader Kim Jong-un did not deliver a speech that could cause outrage with the US, South Korea or any other country; he just simply waved at the troops that marched past. In lieu of Kim Jong-un the member of the ruling party Ri Il-Hwan addressed the nation. 

Another change that was observed during the event was Kim Jong-un’s weight loss. The leader looked much healthier and skinnier since his last public appearance. All these events are taking place amidst a food crisis in North Korea. The country is reportedly facing the worst food shortages at the time, which could be attributed to the isolated economy and a trade halt that the country is under.

The state media released photos where people were seen to be enjoying the event that represented solidarity. Paratroopers could be seen jumping off of aircrafts, fireworks filled the midnight sky in Pyongyang and firetrucks filled the Pyongyang soil.

This parade also featured students carrying rifles and farmers marching as well. People were also seen dancing towards the end of the parade.

These events are being held in North Korea amid one of the worst economic and food crises the country has ever witnessed according to the reports.

Fix your browser opening by itself in android

Hey all! technology is an inseparable part of our lives. And when we talk about technology how can we forget about our mobile phones. None of us want any malfunction in these devices we carry in our pockets daily. Android is quite possibly the most well-known working system with regards to mobile phones and is something that numerous clients can’t simply manage their day without. However, nothing comes without problems likewise, with some other gadget, it can have a lot of issues. Android phones are often reported of various problems occurring due to several reasons. We are going to discuss one such prevalent issue and the solution to it. a plethora of android users repine about their web browser opening itself and this causes them an abundance of arduousness in utilizing their device.

Let us begin by discussing what could cause this trouble in your android device. Below are listed few reasons which might be troubling you: –

1)    Visiting any unsafe website: one very prevalent reason for your android browser malfunction could be if you visited any unknown/unsafe website. this could pave a way for sundry viruses to enter your android and cause trouble in its functioning.

2)    Downloading applications from obscure sources: using third-party apps can also be harmful to your device. Downloading apps from unknown sources is another way for malware to enter your android mobile device. Third-party apps are often reported to harm the system’s functioning. So, always avoid downloading applications from an unsafe site.

3)    Android upgrade: you are not to be blamed for this, sometimes the system upgrades instead of improving the functioning of your device cause various problems in it. it’s often reported that users face the issue of their web browser opening on its own after upgrading their device.

4)    Processing resetting your Android phone in the incorrect manner: you might think of resetting your phone as the easiest way to solve any issue but this doesn’t solve always solve your problem, sometimes it might create a new issue. If you reset your android phone in the incorrect manner, it might cause a problem in your web browser.

5)    Pairing your phone with an affected device:  you might have Paired your phone with another phone or PC that is affected by malware which paved way for the malware to enter your device and cause trouble in your browser.

so now you are cognizant of the possible causes of your quandary. you will probably eschew these in the future so that your android works without any trouble.

Let us now discuss the solution to the problem we are facing. One solution cannot fix the same problem for all android users. Below are mentioned some tips to guide you.

1.    Begin by uninstalling any suspicious app: before you initiate this step, stop briefly and ponder when have you begun confronting the issue? Then, uninstall all applications which you had as of late introduced on your Android gadget and check if the program continues to open without anyone else on your Android cell phone. Here’s how you can locate and uninstall the suspicious app. Go to settings application and in the application locate apps, look for the application without any name (usually at the end of the application list) and uninstall it.

2.Force stop the app: If the above step did not fix your issue or you did not find any suspicious application, so try to force stop the affected browser and clear cache. To do so effectively, go to the settings application on your android device and open apps. select the program that is opening on itself and without any hesitation, force stop it. further clear cache and browser data of the application. After done with this try running the browser again your problem might have been fixed. notwithstanding, If the program synchronizes with Chrome, Mozilla, Firefox, or some other program, ascertain you clear out your Chrome history on your work area withal since they sync. when you will tap on the Clear All information all your application information will be erased, it is prudent that you take a reinforcement of your information, keep a note of your passwords – ideally by utilizing secret word directors, reinforcement data sets, and so on.

3.Try using another web browser: if your browser continues to trouble you it might be a better option to look for an alternative. Either you can switch to a new browser completely or for a short interval of time until you find out what caused trouble in your previous browser.

4.Install an anti-virus application: Download and introduce an alternate internet browser and check if the quandary persists. If your browser still opens by itself, you definitely need an anti-virus on your android device. Install anti-virus software and scan your device, make sure to instantly remove any malware if detected.

5. Switch to safe mode: a ton of clients are ignorant of this component of their gadget yet this can end up being extraordinary assistance. safe mode can be considered as an indicative mode in Android. What it does is that it opens your Android gadget in its easiest structure i.e., with its essential interface. Here you can be liberated from the unsettling influence from most outsider applications. Additionally, in case there is any offender outsider application, you will actually want to seize that application in this mode. To enable this feature long-press the power button just the same way you do to power off your device, just as the option to power off pops up press the power button further for few more seconds. Your android device will restart in safe mode.

6. Factory reset your device: if none of the above options helped you then the only option left is to factory reset the device. ensure you follow the means mentioned to processing factory reset your Android device. Kindly don’t utilize the force button and the volume button to factory reset your telephone to not prompt another issue. Also, make sure to keep a backup of all your files to avoid losing anything important. To effectively perform a factory reset open the settings application and look for the system option. Now tap on the reset option and further tap on factory reset. After confirming the action your device will initiate a factory reset and the indication will be displayed on your screen.

Just remember to go for factory reset only when the other options don’t help, or you will unnecessarily lose your data. Hope these tips help you.

Corruption

Corruption refers to any act achieved through people or a set in lieu of some shape of bribes. Corruption is considered to be a unethical and criminal act. If established, corruption can result in criminal punishments. Often times the act of corruption incorporates the rights and privileges of some. It is very difficult to find a definition that takes under consideration all of the characteristics and factors of corruption.

Today, humans believe that politics is based on corruption. Few politicians are uncovered, and the last ones have a namesake easy chit. One birthday celebration is probably less corrupt than the alternative, but all are corrupt to some extent. People have lost their agree with in the democratic machine, the authorities places of work, and institutes. The prosperity of a state is at stake due to the prevalence of rampant corruption within the machine. The big pile of Non Performing Assets, loss of overseas investments, time and price overruns of infrastructure projects are the unfavourable consequences on our progress. Social inequality is particularly due to corruption. It hits the terrible tough. Not all pays bribes. Moreover, in our network, there are greater projects for pipelines, dams, refineries, but nevertheless, the primary wishes such as faculties, hospitals, and roads aren’t available for every person. The politicians, administrative officers, and personal agencies degrade the surroundings for his or her benefits. The exploitation of herbal assets and non-observance of the guidelines associated with ecological stability result in unexpected consequences.

There isn’t any end of corruption as there is no end of robbery, theft, homicide, rape , bullying and lots of other acts humans are doing to others. Corruption , similar in a manner to theft from government or from an “summary entity” looks extraordinary, however is comparable . You take some thing from others for your very own exact.
Corrupt humans should chased , haunted and punished within the harsher methods to prevent the feeling that exists in some societies that this is the way to make cash and sell your self in society. The higher the corruption, the higher the punishment.

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Writer John Tolkien has rightly expressed, “Not all those who wander are lost.” To travel is to set on a new journey, new experiences and lifetime memories. Life is a book and those who do not travel will just remain reading a single page of that book. People travel for numerous purposes such as to explore other places, to seek education and knowledge, stress reduction, to spend time with near and dear ones, etc. To travel without hindrances, one must have thorough information about what to carry and keep alongside during the journey. This blog will attempt to cover most of the travel essentials required.

Travel Bag

It is quite apparent that one will certainly carry a bag while travelling. The bag that one will carry must depend on the time period of travel and purpose of travel. The bag used must provide comfort in mobility and must not be one which can be easily damaged.

  • Long Vacations – Sturdy rolling luggage bag
  • Treks – Long rucksacks
  • Short Business Travels – Cabin sized wheeled duffel bag
  • Shopping – Tote bag

First Aid Kit

It is a must have commodity while travelling. In case of any small mishap, having a first aid kit along, will help prevent further complications or may even omit trips to a clinic, if acted upon quickly. Accidents are unpredictable, hence being prepared beforehand is necessary. Any first aid kid must include the following items – Band aids, bandages, antibiotic ointments, non latex gloves, aspirin (as one’s doctor suggests), a pair of scissors, thermometer, etc as per the Red Cross.

Diary

Keeping your personal travel journal along will help you to rewind all those lovely memories. Jotting down personal experiences will help you list down all what you have experienced while traveling. One can also pen down important phone numbers which he/she might need in case of an emergency. If travelling solo, one may write down the list of places that one would like to visit during the travel to avoid forgetting about it later on. A soft bound, back pack friendly diary with maps and pens is ideally recommended by avid travellers.

Vitamin tablets and Energy drinks

Events in a tour are uncertain. While one must decide beforehand, about what and where he/she would consume while on the tour, there is a possibility that plans may not work out accordingly. In case of unavailability of food supplies, energy bars, energy drinks and multivitamin tablets according to the doctor’s prescription can be consumed. During in flight travels, food options are scarce, hence the body does not receive the daily needed dose of supplements. Also, while travelling in a public transport, one’s body is prone to germs and infections. To avoid being stuck in such situations, it is always better to carry the needed dose of supplements along.

Seasonal Elements

One must thoroughly research on the weather conditions of the place he/she is travelling to. The climatic conditions in various regions of the world is varied.

Tropical Climate – Carry light coloured outfits to keep yourself cool. White or lightly printed loose tees, shorts and breezy dress are a go to set of clothing. Also, one must remember to carry along, shades, hats and sunscreen.

Cold Climate – Natural fibers such as wool and silk work wonders in preventing feeling cold. Layers of sweatshirts, fleece garments or thermals worn inside an all season leather jacket helps in protection from wind and rainfall. Gloves and socks are also to be carried for better warmth.

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore”

– ANDRE GIDE

One must relentlessly travel and explore the world. We might not understand how flamboyant the people, cultures and landscapes of this world are, unless we travel. In order to travel worry-free and experience serenity, one has to keep in mind the essentials that he/she must carry while embarking on a journey.

Rainforest and its Importance

A rainforest is an area of tall, mostly evergreen trees and a high amount of rainfall.  Rainforests are Earth’s oldest living ecosystems, with some surviving in their present form for at least 70 million years. They are incredibly diverse and complex, home to more than half of the world’s plant and animal species—even though they cover just 6% of Earth’s surface. This makes rainforests astoundingly dense with flora and fauna; a 10-square-kilometer (4-square-mile) patch can contain as many as 1,500 flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds and 150 species of butterflies.  Rainforests thrive on every continent except Antarctica. The largest rainforests on Earth surround the Amazon River in South America and the Congo River in Africa. The tropical islands of Southeast Asia and parts of Australia support dense rainforest habitats. Even the cool evergreen forests of North America’s Pacific Northwest and Northern Europe are a type of rainforest. Rainforests’ rich biodiversity is incredibly important to our well-being and the well-being of our planet. Rainforests help regulate our climate and provide us with everyday products.  Unsustainable industrial and agricultural development, however, has severely degraded the health of the world’s rainforests. Citizens, governments, intergovernmental organizations, and conservation groups are working together to protect these invaluable but fragile ecosystems.

Rainforest Structure  Most rainforests are structured in four layers: emergent, canopy, understory, and forest floor. Each layer has unique characteristics based on differing levels of water, sunlight, and air circulation. While each layer is distinct, they exist in an interdependent system: processes and species in one layer influence those in another.  Emergent Layer The top layer of the rainforest is the emergent layer. Here, trees as tall as 60 meters (200 feet) dominate the skyline. Foliage is often sparse on tree trunks, but spreads wide as the trees reach the sunny upper layer, where they photosynthesize the sun’s rays. Small, waxy leaves help trees in the emergent layer retain water during long droughts or dry seasons. Lightweight seeds are carried away from the parent plant by strong winds.  In the Amazon rainforest, the towering trees of the emergent layer include the Brazil nut tree and the kapok tree. The Brazil nut tree, a vulnerable species, can live up to 1,000 years in undisturbed rainforest habitats. Unlike many rainforest species, both the Brazil nut tree and the kapok tree are deciduous—they shed their leaves during the dry season.  Animals often maneuver through the emergent layer’s unstable topmost branches by flying or gliding. Animals that can’t fly or glide are usually quite small—they need to be light enough to be supported by a tree’s slender uppermost layers. The animals living in the emergent layer of the Amazon rainforest include birds, bats, gliders, and butterflies. Large raptors, such as white-tailed hawks and harpy eagles, are its top predators.  In rainforests on the island of New Guinea, pygmy gliders populate the emergent layer. Pygmy gliders are small rodents that get their name from the way flaps of skin between their legs allow them to glide from branch to branch.  Bats are the most diverse mammal species in most tropical rainforests, and they regularly fly throughout the emergent, canopy, and understory layers. One of the world’s largest species of bat, the Madagascan flying fox (found on the African island of Madagascar), for instance, is an important pollinator that mainly feeds on juice from fruit, but will chew flowers for their nectar.  Canopy Layer Beneath the emergent layer is the canopy, a deep layer of vegetation roughly 6 meters (20 feet) thick. The canopy’s dense network of leaves and branches forms a roof over the two remaining layers.  The canopy blocks winds, rainfall, and sunlight, creating a humid, still, and dark environment below. Trees have adapted to this damp environment by producing glossy leaves with pointed tips that repel water.  While trees in the emergent layer rely on wind to scatter their seeds, many canopy plants, lacking wind, encase their seeds in fruit. Sweet fruit entices animals, which eat the fruit and deposit seeds on the forest floor as droppings. Fig trees, common throughout most of the world’s tropical rainforests, may be the most familiar fruit tree in the canopy. With so much food available, more animals live in the canopy than any other layer in the rainforest. The dense vegetation dulls sound, so many—but not all—canopy dwellers are notable for their shrill or frequent vocalizing. In the Amazon rainforest, canopy fruit is snatched up in the large beaks of screeching scarlet macaws and keel-billed toucans, and picked by barking spider and howler monkeys. The silent two-toed sloth chews on the leaves, shoots, and fruit in the canopy.  Thousands and thousands of insect species can also be found in the canopy, from bees to beetles, borers to butterflies. Many of these insects are the principal diet of the canopy’s reptiles, including the “flying” draco lizards of Southeast Asia. Understory Layer Located several meters below the canopy, the understory is an even darker, stiller, and more humid environment. Plants here, such as palms and philodendrons, are much shorter and have larger leaves than plants that dominate the canopy. Understory plants’ large leaves catch the minimal sunlight reaching beyond the dense canopy.  Understory plants often produce flowers that are large and easy to see, such as Heliconia, native to the Americas and the South Pacific. Others have a strong smell, such as orchids. These features attract pollinators even in the understory’s low-light conditions. The fruit and seeds of many understory shrubs in temperate rainforests are edible. The temperate rainforests of North America, for example, bloom with berries.  Animals call the understory home for a variety of reasons. Many take advantage of the dimly lit environment for camouflage. The spots on a jaguar (found in the rainforests of Central and South America) may be mistaken for leaves or flecks of sunlight, for instance. The green mamba, one of the deadliest snakes in the world, blends in with foliage as it slithers up branches in the Congo rainforest. Many bats, birds, and insects prefer the open airspace the understory offers. Amphibians, such as dazzlingly colored tree frogs, thrive in the humidity because it keeps their skin moist.  Central Africa’s tropical rainforest canopies and understories are home to some of the most endangered and familiar rainforest animals—such as forest elephants, pythons, antelopes, and gorillas. Gorillas, a critically endangered species of primate, are crucial for seed dispersal. Gorillas are herbivores that move throughout the dark, dense rainforest as well as more sun-dappled swamps and jungles. Their droppings disperse seeds in these sunny areas where new trees and shrubs can take root. In this way, gorillas are keystone species in many African rainforest ecosystems. Forest Floor Layer The forest floor is the darkest of all rainforest layers, making it extremely difficult for plants to grow. Leaves that fall to the forest floor decay quickly.  Decomposers, such as termites, slugs, scorpions, worms, and fungi, thrive on the forest floor. Organic matter falls from trees and plants, and these organisms break down the decaying material into nutrients. The shallow roots of rainforest trees absorb these nutrients, and dozens of predators consume the decomposers! Animals such as wild pigs, armadillos, and anteaters forage in the decomposing brush for these tasty insects, roots and tubers of the South American rainforest. Even larger predators, including leopards, skulk in the darkness to surprise their prey. Smaller rodents, such as rats and lowland pacas (a type of striped rodent indigenous to Central and South America), hide from predators beneath the shallow roots of trees that dominate the canopy and emergent layer.  Rivers that run through some tropical rainforests create unusual freshwater habitats on the forest floor. The Amazon River, for instance, is home to the boto, or pink river dolphin, one of the few freshwater dolphin species in the world. The Amazon is also home to black caimans, large reptiles related to alligators, while the Congo River is home to the caimans’ crocodilian cousin, the Nile crocodile.

Types of Rainforests Tropical Rainforests Tropical rainforests are mainly located between the latitudes of 23.5°N (the Tropic of Cancer) and 23.5°S (the Tropic of Capricorn)—the tropics. Tropical rainforests are found in Central and South America, western and central Africa, western India, Southeast Asia, the island of New Guinea, and Australia.  Sunlight strikes the tropics almost straight on, producing intense solar energy that keeps temperatures high, between 21° and 30°C (70° and 85°F). High temperatures keep the air warm and wet, with an average humidity of between 77% and 88%. Such humid air produces extreme and frequent rainfall, ranging between 200-1000 centimeters (80-400 inches) per year. Tropical rainforests are so warm and moist that they produce as much as 75% of their own rain through evaporation and transpiration.  Such ample sunlight and moisture are the essential building blocks for tropical rainforests’ diverse flora and fauna. Roughly half of the world’s species can be found here, with an estimated 40 to 100 or more different species of trees present in each hectare.  Tropical rainforests are the most biologically diverse terrestrial ecosystems in the world. The Amazon rainforest is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. It is home to around 40,000 plant species, nearly 1,300 bird species, 3,000 types of fish, 427 species of mammals, and 2.5 million different insects. Red-bellied piranhas and pink river dolphins swim its waters. Jewel-toned parrots squawk and fly through its trees. Poison dart frogs warn off predators with their bright colors. Capuchin and spider monkeys swing and scamper through the branches of the rainforest’s estimated 400 billion trees. Millions of mushrooms and other fungi decompose dead and dying plant material, recycling nutrients to the soil and organisms in the understory. The Amazon rainforest is truly an ecological kaleidoscope, full of colorful sights and sounds. Temperate Rainforests Temperate rainforests are located in the mid-latitudes, where temperatures are much more mild than the tropics. Temperate rainforests are found mostly in coastal, mountainous areas. These geographic conditions help create areas of high rainfall. Temperate rainforests can be found on the coasts of the Pacific Northwest in North America, Chile, the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan, New Zealand, and southern Australia.  As their name implies, temperate rainforests are much cooler than their tropical cousins, averaging between 10° and 21°C (50° and 70°F). They are also much less sunny and rainy, receiving anywhere between 150-500 centimeters (60-200 inches) of rain per year. Rainfall in these forests is produced by warm, moist air coming in from the coast and being trapped by nearby mountains.  Temperate rainforests are not as biologically diverse as tropical rainforests. They are, however, home to an incredible amount of biological productivity, storing up to 500-2000 metric tons of leaves, wood, and other organic matter per hectare (202-809 metric tons per acre). Cooler temperatures and a more stable climate slow down decomposition, allowing more material to accumulate. The old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest, for example, produce three times the biomass (living or once-living material) of tropical rainforests.  This productivity allows many plant species to grow for incredibly long periods of time. Temperate rainforest trees such as the coast redwood in the U.S. state of California and the alerce in Chile are among the oldest and largest tree species in the world.  The animals of the temperate rainforest are mostly made up of large mammals and small birds, insects, and reptiles. These species vary widely between rainforests in different world regions. Bobcats, mountain lions, and black bears are major predators in the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. In Australia, ground dwellers such as wallabies, bandicoots, and potoroos (small marsupials that are among Australia’s most endangered animals) feast on the foods provided by the forest floor. Chile’s rainforests are home to a number of unique birds such as the Magellanic woodpecker and the Juan Fernández firecrown, a hummingbird species that has a crown of color-changing feathers.

People and the Rainforest Rainforests have been home to thriving, complex communities for thousands of years. For instance, unique rainforest ecosystems have influenced the diet of cultures from Africa to the Pacific Northwest. MbutiThe Mbuti, a community indigenous to the Ituri rainforest in Central Africa, have traditionally been hunter-gatherers. Their diet consists of plants and animals from every layer of the rainforest.  From the forest floor, the Mbuti hunt fish and crabs from the Ituri River (a tributary of the Congo), as well as gather berries from low-lying shrubs. The giant forest hog, a species of wild boar, is also frequently targeted by Mbuti hunters, although this species is hunted for sale more often than food. From the understory, the Mbuti may gather honey from bee hives, or hunt monkeys. From the canopy and emergent layers, Mbuti hunters may set nets or traps for birds.  Although they are a historically nomadic society, agriculture has become a way of life for many Mbuti communities today as they trade and barter with neighboring agricultural groups such as the Bantu for crops such as manioc, nuts, rice, and plantains.  Chimbu The Chimbu people live in the highland rainforest on the island of New Guinea. The Chimbu practice subsistence agriculture through shifting cultivation. This means they have gardens on arable land that has been cleared of vegetation. A portion of the plot may be left fallow for months or years. The plots are never abandoned and are passed on within the family. Crops harvested in Chimbu garden plots include sweet potatoes, bananas, and beans. The Chimbu also maintain livestock, particularly pigs. In addition to their own diet, pigs are valuable economic commodities for trade and sale.  TlingitThe temperate rainforest of the northwest coast of North America is the home of the Tlingit. The Tlingit enjoy a diverse diet, relying on both marine and freshwater species, as well as game from inland forests.  Due to bountiful Pacific inlets, rivers, and streams, the traditional Tlingit diet consists of a wide variety of aquatic life: crab, shrimp, clams, oysters, seals, and fish such as herring, halibut, and, crucially, salmon. Kelps and other seaweeds can be harvested and eaten in soups or dried. One familiar Tlingit saying is “When the tide is out, our table is set.”  In more inland areas, historic Tlingit hunters may have targeted deer, elk, rabbit, and mountain goats. Plants gathered or harvested include berries, nuts, and wild celery.  YanomamiThe Yanomami are a people and culture native to the northern Amazon rainforest, spanning the border between Venezuela and Brazil. Like the Chimbu, the Yanomami practice both hunting and shifting-cultivation agriculture. Game hunted by the Yanomami include deer, tapirs (an animal similar to a pig), monkeys, birds, and armadillos. The Yanomami have hunting dogs to help them search the understory and forest floor for game.  The Yanomami practice slash-and-burn agriculture to clear the land of vegetation prior to farming. Crops grown include cassava, banana, and corn. In addition to food crops, the Yanomami also cultivate cotton, which is used for hammocks, nets, and clothing.

Benefits of Rainforests Ecological Well-Being Rainforests are critically important to the well-being of our planet. Tropical rainforests encompass approximately 1.2 billion hectares (3 billion acres) of vegetation and are sometimes described as the Earth’s thermostat.  Rainforests produce about 20% of our oxygen and store a huge amount of carbon dioxide, drastically reducing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. Massive amounts of solar radiation are absorbed, helping regulate temperatures around the globe. Taken together, these processes help to stabilize Earth’s climate.  Rainforests also help maintain the world’s water cycle. More than 50% of precipitation striking a rainforest is returned to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration, helping regulate healthy rainfall around the planet. Rainforests also store a considerable percentage of the world’s freshwater, with the Amazon Basin alone storing one-fifth.  Human Well-Being Rainforests provide us with many products that we use every day. Tropical woods such as teak, balsa, rosewood, and mahogany are used in flooring, doors, windows, boatbuilding, and cabinetry. Fibers such as raffia, bamboo, kapok, and rattan are used to make furniture, baskets, insulation, and cord. Cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and ginger are just a few spices of the rainforest. The ecosystem supports fruits including bananas, papayas, mangos, cocoa and coffee beans.  Rainforests also provide us with many medicinal products. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, 70% of plants useful in the treatment of cancer are found only in rainforests. Rainforest plants are also used in the creation of muscle relaxants, steroids, and insecticides. They are used to treat asthma, arthritis, malaria, heart disease, and pneumonia. The importance of rainforest species in public health is even more incredible considering that less than one percent of rainforest species have been analyzed for their medicinal value.  Even rainforest fungi can contribute to humanity’s well-being. A mushroom discovered in the tropical rainforest of Ecuador, for example, is capable of consuming polyurethane—a hard, durable type of plastic used in everything from garden hoses to carpets to shoes. The fungi can even consume the plastic in an oxygen-free environment, leading many environmentalists and businesses to invest in research to investigate if the fungi can help reduce waste in urban landfills.

Threats to Rainforests Rainforests are disappearing at an alarmingly fast pace, largely due to human development over the past few centuries. Once covering 14% of land on Earth, rainforests now make up only 6%. Since 1947, the total area of tropical rainforests has probably been reduced by more than half, to about 6.2 to 7.8 million square kilometers (3 million square miles).  Many biologists expect rainforests will lose 5-10% of their species each decade. Rampant deforestation could cause many important rainforest habitats to disappear completely within the next hundred years.  Such rapid habitat loss is due to the fact that 40 hectares (100 acres) of rainforest are cleared every minute for agricultural and industrial development. In the Pacific Northwest’s rainforests, logging companies cut down trees for timber while paper industries use the wood for pulp. In the Amazon rainforest, large-scale agricultural industries, such as cattle ranching, clear huge tracts of forests for arable land. In the Congo rainforest, roads and other infrastructure development have reduced habitat and cut off migration corridors for many rainforest species. Throughout both the Amazon and Congo, mining and logging operations clear-cut to build roads and dig mines. Some rainforests are threatened by massive hydroelectric power projects, where dams flood acres of land. Development is encroaching on rainforest habitats from all sides.  Economic inequalities fuel this rapid deforestation. Many rainforests are located in developing countries with economies based on natural resources. Wealthy nations drive demand for products, and economic development increases energy use. These demands encourage local governments to develop rainforest acreage at a fraction of its value. Impoverished people who live on or near these lands are also motivated to improve their lives by converting forests into subsistence farmland.

Rainforest Conservation Many individuals, communities, governments, intergovernmental organizations, and conservation groups are taking innovative approaches to protect threatened rainforest habitats.  Many countries are supporting businesses and initiatives that promote the sustainable use of their rainforests. Costa Rica is a global pioneer in this field, investing in ecotourism projects that financially contribute to local economies and the forests they depend on. The country also signed an agreement with an American pharmaceutical company, Merck, which sets aside a portion of the proceeds from rainforest-derived pharmaceutical compounds to fund conservation projects.  Intergovernmental groups address rainforest conservation at a global scale. The United Nations’ REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) Program, for example, offers financial incentives for reducing carbon emissions created by deforestation to 58 member countries. The Democratic Republic of the Congo used REDD funds to create an online National Forest Monitoring System that tracks and maps data on logging concessions, deforestation in protected areas, and national forestry sector measures. REDD funds were also used to investigate best practices in solving land disputes in Cambodia, which lacks proper forest zoning and boundary enforcement.  Nonprofit organizations are tackling rainforest conservation through a variety of different approaches. The Rainforest Trust, for example, supports local conservation groups around the world in purchasing and managing critically important habitats. In Ecuador, the Rainforest Trust worked with the Fundación Jocotoco to acquire 495 more hectares (1,222 more acres) for the Río Canandé Reserve, considered to have one of the highest concentrations of endemic and threatened species in the world. Partnering with Burung Indonesia, the Trust created a 8,900-hectare (22,000-acre) reserve on Sangihe Island to protect the highest concentration of threatened bird species in Asia.  The Rainforest Alliance is a nonprofit organization that helps businesses and consumers know that their products conserve rather than degrade rainforests. Products that bear the Rainforest Alliance seal contain ingredients from farms or forests that follow strict guidelines designed to support the sustainable development of rainforests and local communities. The Alliance also allows tourism businesses use of their seal after they complete an education program on efficiency and sustainability. In turn, this seal allows tourists to make ecologically smart vacation plans.