RAM NAVAMI

source : midday newspaper 4.4.2013

Gul ne gulshan se gulfam bheja hai,
Sitaro ne aasman se salaam bheja hai,
Mubaraq ho aapko holi ka tyohar,
Humne dil se yeh paigam bheja hai

 

 

 

Knowledge is not power until it is applied

AEMA eLIBRARY  LOOK

Anhoni ko honi karde
Honi ko anhoni
Ek jaga jab jama ho teeno
Rajni, Ghajni aur Dhoni.....

Happy Holi to all. Enjoy the colours of real life

Video Clip --- Japan Hit by Earthquake and Tsunami

Dear All

Please watch following Links of Japan Hit by Earthquake and Tsunami

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvbbp_Qcsx4&feature=player_embedded#t=69s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbMBFtFue60&feature=player_embedded#t=0s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKh-QaeT6rc&feature=player_embedded#t=0s

Eight Clues to Happiness

Eight Clues to Happiness

... By Khushwant Singh

Having lived a reasonably contented life, I was musing over what a person should strive for to achieve happiness. I drew up a list of a few essentials which I put forward for the readers' appraisal.

1. First and foremost is GOOD HEALTH. If you do not enjoy good health you can never be happy. Any ailment, however trivial, will deduct from your happiness.

2. Second, A HEALTHY BANK BALANCE. It need not run into millions but should be enough to provide for creature comforts and something to spare for recreation, like eating out, going to the pictures, travelling or going on holidays on the hills or by the sea. Shortage of money can be only demoralizing. Living on credit or borrowing is demeaning and lowers one in one's own eyes.

3. Third, A HOME OF YOUR OWN. Rented premises can never give you the snug feeling of a nest which is yours for keeps that a home provides: if it has a garden space, all the better. Plant your own trees and flowers, see them grow and blossom, cultivate a sense of kinship with them.

4. Fourth, AN UNDERSTANDING COMPANION, be it your spouse or a friend. If there are too many misunderstandings, they will rob you of your peace of mind. It is better to be divorced than to bicker all the time.

5. Fifth, LACK OF ENVY towards those who have done better than you in life; risen higher, made more money, or earned more fame. Envy can be very corroding; avoid comparing yourself with others.

6. Sixth, DO NOT ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE to descend on you for gossip. By the time you get rid of them, you will feel exhausted and poisoned by their gossip-mongering.

7. Seventh, CULTIVATE SOME HOBBIES which can bring you a sense of fulfillment, such as gardening, reading, writing, painting, playing or listening to music. Going to clubs or parties to get free drinks or to meet celebrities is criminal waste of time.

8. Eighth, every morning and evening, devote 15 minutes to INTROSPECTION. In the morning, 10 minutes should be spent on stilling the mind and then five in listing things you have to do that day. In the evening, five minutes to still the mind again, and ten to go over what you had undertaken to do.

lectures on your smartphone

IIT-B experts develop APP which can transform distance Education programmes.
Soon, watch lectures on your smartphone by Yogita Rao, Mumbai

Source: DNA Last Updated 08:22(10/02/11) http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MAH-MUM-soon-watch-lectures-on-your-smartphone-1837064.html
Mumbai: Attending lectures in the classroom or via videoconferencing will be a thing of the past. Students can now watch lectures 'live' on their smartphones. Experts at the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) have developed an automated application, which will allow students to watch lectures on their cellphones.
What distinguishes the application from other ones is the display. The application will allow students to focus on any part of the video with a clear resolution.
Called lec-to-mobile, the application has the potential to reform distance education programmes in the country. The application, developed by a professor and students of the electrical engineering department of the institute, will soon be patented. The project will be officially launched on a public domain in the days to come.
"Lec-to-mobile is completely automated. It allows students to download any lecture. It could be a lecture going on or an earlier one. The students will be able to 'attend' the lecture as per the required resolution. The cursor will automatically move on the writing board and will also zoom in and out whenever required. They will be able to experience a live classroom on their cellphones," professor Subhasis Chaudhuri, the inventor of the application, told DNA.
At present, the application can be used on Android phones. However, it would soon be made available on windows application on cellphones as well. The beta version would be available for free initially, said Chaudhuri. "Distance education itself is a big sector now. Accessing lectures on the phone can help the sector in several ways," he said.
Lec-to-mobile will offer lectures only by those professors who are willing to upload them. The application would also provide lectures by companies who are providers of such sessions.
"It is the same format used by television channels. The shows are created and developed by a production house and then are taken by the channels. Lecture companies or institutes can exploit the application in many ways," Chaudhuri said.
"The idea is to make use of the limited amount of space that we have on cellphones," explained Rangan Banerjee, dean, research and development, IIT-B. "The team from the electrical engineering department has worked on the aspect of video resolution of the lectures. They are planning to put up the demo version on the public domain soon. The professor also has some patents on his name already."

Happy Valentine’s Day

Dear All,
Wish you a very Happy Valentine’s Day!

Regards,

MARINER’S SONG

The last of man's great unchained beasts lies lapping at my door
The last of man's great unchained beasts lies lapping at my door
I would give it what it wants, but I do know,
It would just ask for more

I search for you with every crest I ride
In every trough I travel through
I search for you in every trough I travel through

I didn't mean to leave you,
I unfurled my sail and the wind did blow
I didn't mean to leave you, darling,
I unfurled my sail and the wind did blow
Why why why why why, oh why I did not drop my anchor,
Oh lord, I will never know

I search for you with every crest I ride
In every trough I travel through
I search for you in every trough I travel through
On the lee of the island I hear your voice deep inside the calm
On the lee of the island I hear your voice deep inside the calm
Whispering baby, I'll be your delight, if you promise
To be my red sky tonight

I search for you with every crest I ride
In every trough I travel through
I search for you in every trough I travel through

In the storm you are my destination, in the port you are my storm
In the storm you are my destination, in the port you are my storm
But I would weather you my love, if you would be my guide,
If you would be my stars in the sky tonight

I search for you with every crest I ride
In every trough I travel through
I search for you in every trough I travel through

SEA SUPERSTITIONs

SEA SUPERSTITIONs

It is unlucky to start a cruise on Friday.This is the day Christ was crucified on.

Never start a voyage on the first Monday in April. This is the day that Cain slew Able.

Don't start a voyage on the second Monday in August. This is the day sondom & gommrrah was destroyed.

Starting a cruise on Dec. 31 is bad. This is the day Judas Iscariat hanged himself.

Black traveling bags are bad luck for a seaman.

Avoid people with red hair when going to the ship to begin a journey.Red heads bring bad luck to a ship, which can be averted if you speak to the red-head before they speak to you.

Avoid Flat-footed people when beginning a trip. They, like red heads, are bad luck.

The danger can be avoided by speaking to them before they speak to you.

A stolen piece of wood mortised into the keel will make a ship sail faster.

A silver coin placed under the masthead ensures a successful voyage.

Disaster will follow if you step onto a boat with your Left Foot first.

Pouring wine on the deck will bring good luck on a long voyage. A libation to the gods.

Throwing stones into the sea will cause great waves and storms.

A stone thrown over a vessel that is putting out to sea ensures she will never return.

Flowers are unlucky onboard a ship. They could later be used to make a funural wreath for the dead.

Priests are not lucky to have on a ship. They dress in black and perform funural services.

Women on board a ship make the sea angery.

A naked woman on board will calm the sea.
This is the reason for naked figureheads.

Don't look back once your ship has left port as this can bring bad luck.

A dog seen near fishing tackle is bad luck.

Black cats are considered good luck and will bring a sailor home from the sea.

Swallows seen at sea are a good sign.

Sighting a curlew at sea is considered bad luck.

A comorant sighted at sea is bad luck.

Dolphin swimming with the ship are a sign of good luck. Killing one will bring bad luck.

It is unlucky to kill an albatross.

It is unlucky to kill a gull.

They contain the souls of sailors lost at sea.

Handing a flag thru the rungs of a ladder is bad luck.

Looseing a mop or bucket overboard is a sign of bad luck.

Repairing a flag on the quarterdeck will bring bad luck.

Turning over a hatch will cause the hold to fill with seawater.

Cutting your hair or nails at sea is bad luck. These were used as offerings to
Proserpina, and Neptune will become jealous if these offerings are made while in his kingdom.

Church Bells heard at sea mean someone on the ship will die.

St. Elmo's Fire around a sailors head means he will die within a day.

When the clothes of a dead sailor are worn by another sailor during the same voyage, misfortune will befall the entire ship.

If the rim of a glass rings stop it quickly or there will be a shipwreck.

Never say the word Drowned at sea.

The caul of the head of a new-born child is protection against drowning and will bring the owner good luck.

The feather of a wren slain on New Years Day, will protect a sailor from dying by shipwreck.

A ships bell will always ring when it is wrecked.

A shark following the ship is a sign of inevitable death.Sharks were believed to be able to sense those near death.

A sailor who died from violence or being lost at sea was said to go to "Davy Jone's Locker".

A sailor with over 50 years of service was said to go to "Fiddler's Green" when he died.

First-aid for Burns - Have a safe Diwali

First-aid for Burns - Have a safe Diwali

Here is wishing you a safe Diwali. India sees the maximum number of burn accidents during Diwali. Here is a ready reckoner just in case there is an accident near you. Your quick action can save lives and alleviate suffering for people around you. Remember to keep a bucket of water close by when lighting crackers.

Burns destroy skin, which controls the amount of heat our bodies retain or release, holds in fluids, and protects us from infection. While minor burns on fingers and hands are usually not dangerous, burns injuring even relatively small areas of skin can develop serious complications. If you think a burn of any type is significant, do not hesitate to call an ambulance immediately.

Here are the first aid steps for treating a burn. read more here

First aid burn treatment

First aid for burns and scalds
•STAY SAFE! Do not let the rescuer get burned trying to save the victim.
•Cool the burned area with cool running water for several minutes. DO NOT overcool the casualty; this may dangerously lower the body temperature.
•DO NOT remove anything sticking to the burn; this may cause further damage and cause infection.
•DO NOT touch or interfere with the injured area. DO NOT burst blisters.
•DO NOT apply lotions, ointment, or fat to the injury.
•Gently remove any rings, watches, belts, shoes, or smouldering clothing from the injured area, before it starts to swell. Carefully remove burned clothing unless it is sticking to the burn.
•Cover the injury with a sterile burns sheet or other suitable non-fluffy material, to protect from infection. A clean plastic bag or kitchen film may be used. Burns to the face should be cooled with water, not covered.
•Ensure that the emergency service is on its way. While waiting, treat the casualty for shock. Monitor and record breathing and pulse, and resuscitate, if necessary.

source = www.vitaminuk.com

Indian navy neutralises pirate attack in the gulf of aden

Indian navy neutralised a pirate attack planned on merchant vessels passing through the gulf of aden on sunday. indian naval ship ins delhi, a guided missile destroyer, has been deployed in the gulf of aden since july to escort and thwart pirate attacks on merchant vessels.
ins delhi was escorting 12 merchant vessels, including an indian flagged merchant vessel jag ratan, when a small-sized, corridor boat named bareeda was detected 180 kilometres off the somalian coast. the boat was moving towards the merchant vessels at very high speed.
ins delhi tried to alert the boat on the mercantile marine radio, but there was no response despite repeated calls.
suspecting that it could be a pirate boat trying to launch an attack on the merchant vessels, marine commandos on ins delhi headed towards bareeda in interceptor boats. a helicopter from ins delhi was also launched for aerial support.
after successfully intercepting the boat, marine commandos found eight people onboard seven of whom were somali nationals, while one was a yemeni. marine commandos also recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition and excess fuel reserves onboard.
navy officials said the eight were disarmed and were left with sufficient fuel to sail back to their harbour.

source : DNA : 7/9/2010

Kristina Regina- The Last Voyage

The Kristina Regina approaching Naantali on August 29 during her probably last voyage in open sea.
Retired after 50 years of service. The passenger vessel Kristina Regina has most likely done her last longer sea journey and is after a docking to
be permanently moored in Turku as a floating hotel, restaurant and museum. The vessel arrived at Naantali on August 29,
where she during the second half of September will be docked at Turku Repair Yard. During the refit she will be painted
in her original Bore-livery and get her old name back. The vessel was delivered in 1960 by Oskarshamn’s Varv in
Sweden to the Finnish shipping company Bore as the Bore. Kristina Cruises has replaced the Kristina Regina with the
newer cruise vessel Kristina Katarina, which started her maiden voyage the same day as the Kristina Regina left the
fleet after having been handed over to her new owners.


Source: www.shipgaz.com

Trivia from the sea..

For ones who never got an opportunity to get sealegs



Port and starboard
Port and starboard are shipboard terms for left and right, respectively. Confusing those two could cause a ship wreck. In Old England, the starboard was the steering paddle or rudder, and ships were always steered from the right side on the back of the vessel. Larboard referred to the left side, the side on which the ship was loaded. So how did larboard become port? Shouted over the noise of the wind and the waves, larboard and starboard sounded too much alike. The word port means the opening in the "left" side of the ship from which cargo was unloaded. Sailors eventually started using the term to refer to that side of the ship. Use of the term "port" was officially adopted by the U.S. Navy by General Order, 18 February 1846.

Shows his true colors
Early warships often carried flags from many nations on board in order to elude or deceive the enemy. The rules of civilized warfare called for all ships to hoist their true national ensigns before firing a shot. Someone who finally "shows his true colors" is acting like a man-of-war which hailed another ship flying one flag, but then hoisted their own when they got in firing range.

Smoking lamp
The exact date and origin of the smoking lamp has been lost. However, it probably came into use during the 16th Century when seamen began smoking on board vessels. The smoking lamp was a safety measure. It was devised mainly to keep the fire hazard away from highly combustible woodwork and gunpowder. Most navies established regulations restricting smoking to certain areas. Usually, the lamp was located in the forecastle or the area directly surrounding the galley indicting that smoking was permitted in this area. Even after the invention of matches in the 1830s, the lamp was an item of convenience to the smoker. When particularly hazardous operations or work required that smoking be curtailed, the unlighted lamp relayed the message. "The smoking lamp is lighted" or "the smoking lamp is out' were the expressions indicating that smoking was permitted or forbidden.
The smoking lamp has survived only as a figure of speech. When the officer of the deck says "the smoking lamp is out" before drills, refueling or taking ammunition, that is the Navy's way of saying "cease smoking."

Toe the line
The space between each pair of deck planks in a wooden ship was filled with a packing material called "oakum" and then sealed with a mixture of pitch and tar. The result, from afar, was a series of parallel lines a half-foot or so apart, running the length of the deck. Once a week, as a rule, usually on Sunday, a warship's crew was ordered to fall in at quarters - that is, each group of men into which the crew was divided would line up in formation in a given area of the deck. To insure a neat alignment of each row, the Sailors were directed to stand with their toes just touching a particular seam. Another use for these seams was punitive. The youngsters in a ship, be they ship's boys or student officers, might be required to stand with their toes just touching a designated seam for a length of time as punishment for some minor infraction of discipline, such as talking or fidgeting at the wrong time. A tough captain might require the miscreant to stand there, not talking to anyone, in fair weather or foul, for hours at a time. Hopefully, he would learn it was easier and more pleasant to conduct himself in the required manner rather than suffer the punishment. From these two uses of deck seams comes our cautionary word to obstreperous youngsters to "toe the line."

Flying Dutchman
One superstition has it that any mariner who sees the ghost ship called the Flying Dutchman will die within the day. The tale of the Flying Dutchman trying to round the Cape of Good Hope against strong winds and never succeeding, then trying to make Cape Horn and failing there too, has been the most famous of maritime ghost stories for more 300 years. The cursed spectral ship sailing back and forth on its endless voyage, its ancient white-hair crew crying for help while hauling at her sail, inspired Samuel Taylor Coleridge to write his classic "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," to name but one famous literary work. The real Flying Dutchman is supposed to have set sail in 1660.

Dungarees
The modern Sailor's work clothes. The term is not modern, however, but dates to the 18th century and comes from the Hindi word dungri, for a type of Indian cotton cloth.

Dear All,



Best Wishes on the occasion of Parsi New Year !!

India: Officials Approve Ports Development Projects
August 19 2010, Dredging Today The State Cabinet has approved the proposal to set up Karnataka Maritime Board (KMB) for the overall development of the ports in the state, according to Fisheries and in-charge Minister of Dakshina Kannada Krishna J Palemar. Talking to mediapersons here today, Mr Palemar said the proposal would be sent soon to the Centre for approval.