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விண்ணில் செயற்கைக்கோள்களை இஸ்ரோ ஏவும் நோக்கம்-ISRO is on the track

2014-08-16T08:01:00.001+05:30

"திங்கறதுக்கே சோறு இல்லையாம்… இதுல இவனுக ராக்கெட் விடுறானுகலாம்… ராக்கெட்டு…" இதுதான் ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் ராக்கெட் விண்ணில் ஏவப்படும்போது டீக்கடை விமர்சகர்களின் கருத்தாக இருக்கும். அவர்களின் வாயை அடக்கும் விதமாகவும், ராக்கெட் ஏவுவதினால் இந்திய விண்வெளி ஆய்வுக் கழகமான இஸ்ரோவிற்கு கணிசமான வருமானம் கிடைக்கிறது என்பதை உணர்த்தும் விதமாகவும், 5 வெளிநாட்டு செயற்கைக்கோள்களை இஸ்ரோ 30/06/2014 விண்ணில் ஏவியது . அந்தத் திட்டத்தின் முக்கியத்துவம் மற்றும், அதன் செயல்பாடுகள் குறித்து பார்க்கலாம்.

நோக்கம்:

சுயமாக ஒரு செயற்கைக்கோளை கட்டமைத்து, அதனை நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்ட சுற்றுப்பாதையில் நிலை நிறுத்தும் திறன் படைத்த நாடுகளின் தர வரிசைப்பட்டியலில் இந்தியா 5 வது இடத்தில் உள்ளது. இதனை மீண்டும் உறுதிப்படுத்தும் முயற்சியாக, பல்வேறு நாடுகளைச் சேர்ந்த செயற்கைக்கோள்களை வெற்றிகரமாக விண்ணில் ஏவியுள்ள இஸ்ரோ, பிரான்ஸ், ஜெர்மனி, கனடா, சிங்கப்பூர், ஆகிய 4 நாடுகளைச் சேர்ந்த 5 செயற்கைக்கோள்களை விண்ணில் ஏவவுள்ளது. இந்த திட்டத்தின் மூலம் இஸ்ரோவிற்கு கணிசமான வருமானம் கிடைக்கவுள்ளது.

தொடர் வெற்றியில் PSLV:

இந்தியாவைப் பொறுத்தளவில் செயற்கைக்கோள்களை விண்ணில் செலுத்துவதற்கு இரண்டு வகையான ஏவூர்திகளை பயன்படுத்தி வருகிறோம். அவை GSLV, PSLV இவற்றில் PSLV யைப் பொறுத்தளவில் இது 27 வது முயற்சி… இதில் ஏற்கெனவே 26 வெற்றிகளைப் பெற்றுள்ள இந்தியா, சமீபகாலமாக PSLV யின் நவீன ரகமான PSLV "XL" வகை ஏவூர்திகளை பயன்படுத்தி வருகிறது. குறிப்பாக PSLV C-11 ஐ பயன்படுத்தி சந்திரனுக்கு சந்திராயனையும், PSLV C-25 ஐ பயன்படுத்தி செவ்வாய் கிரகத்திற்கு மங்கள்யானையும், செலுத்திய இஸ்ரோ, மற்ற தகவல் தொடர்பு பயன்பாட்டிற்கான செயற்கைக்கோள்களையும் அனுப்பியுள்ளது.

இந்த தொடர் வெற்றிகளின் அடுத்த கட்டமாக தற்போது விண்ணில் பாயவுள்ள PSLV C-23 ஏவூர்தி 230 டன் எடையும் 44.4 மீட்டர் உயரமும் கொண்டது. 4 அடுக்குகளைக் கொண்ட இந்த ஏவூர்தியில் திட மற்றும் திரவ எரிபொருட்கள் பயன்படுத்தப்படுகின்றன. மேலும் இந்த ஏவூர்தியில் வைத்து அனுப்பப்படும் செயற்கைக்கோளின் எடை குறைவு என்பதால், ஏவூர்தியின் வெளிப்புறத்தில் பொருத்தப்பட்டிருக்கும் திட எரிபொருளில் இயங்கும் உந்துவிகள் இணைக்கப்படவில்லை. இவ்வாறு செலுத்தப்படும் 10 வது ஏவூர்தி இதுவாகும்.

செயற்கைக்கோள்களும் அதன் பயன்பாடுகளும்:

1. SPOT-7 - பிரான்ஸ்: பூமியைப் பற்றிய ஆய்விற்காக.

2. AISAT - ஜெர்மனி: கப்பல் போக்குவரத்து, வழித்தடம் குறித்த பயன்பாட்டிற்காக செலுத்தப்படுகிறது. நானோ செயற்கைக்கோள்களில் முதல் DLR செயற்கைக்கோள்.

3. NLS7.1 (Can-X4) - கனடா: துல்லியமான அளவீடுகளுக்காக பயன்படவுள்ளது.

4. NLS7.2 (Can-X5) - கனடா: துல்லியமான அளவீடுகளுக்காக பயன்படவுள்ளது.

5.VELOX-1 - சிங்கப்பூர்: கட்டிட வரை படம் தயாரிக்க பயன்படும்.

எவ்வாறு ஏவப்படுகிறது ?

5 வெளிநாட்டு செயற்கைக்கோளை விண்ணில் நிலைநிறுத்தப் பயன்படும் ஏவூர்தியான PSLV C-23 ஏற்கனவே ஷ்ரிஹரிகோட்டாவில் உள்ள முதலாவது ஏவுதளத்தில் கட்டமைக்கப்பட்டு, செயற்கைக் கோளும் பொருத்தப்பட்டு தயாராக இருக்கிறது. இந்த ஏவுதளத்தைப் பொறுத்தளவில் முழுக்க முழுக்க உள்நாட்டிலேயே உருவாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. மிகப்பெரிய 5 மாடி கட்டிடம் உயரம் கொண்ட இந்த ஏவுதளம், நகரும் வகையிலும், பேரிடர் காலங்களில் பாதிக்கப்படா வண்ணமும் அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இந்த ராக்கெட்டை ஏவுவதற்கான கவுண்டவுன் நேரத்தில் ராக்கெட்டிற்கு தேவையான எரிபொருட்களை நிரப்புதல், ராக்கெட் செல்லும் பாதையை கண்காணித்தல் உள்ளிட்ட பணிகளும், ராக்கெட்டை ஏவுவதற்கான ஆயத்தப்பணிகள் என அனைத்துப் பணிகளும் ஷ்ரிஹரிகோட்டாவில் உள்ள முதன்மை கட்டுப்பாட்டு அறையில்தான் நடைபெறும்.

கவுண்டவுன் நிறைவடைந்ததும், விண்ணில் சீறிப்பாயும் ராக்கெட்டின் முதல் தளம் 110.6 வது நொடியிலும், இரண்டாவது தளம், 262.2 வது வது நொடியிலும், மூன்றாவது தளம், 521.2 வது நொடியிலும், பிரிந்துவிடும், இறுதியாக 4 வது தளத்தில் இருந்து ராக்கெட் ஏவப்பட்ட 1073.4 வது நொடியில் பிரான்ஸின் SPOT-7 செயற்கைக் கோள் தனியாக பிரிந்து பூமியை சுற்ற ஆரம்பித்துவிடும், அதேபோல், ஜெர்மனியின் AISAT செயற்கைக்கோள் 1113.7 நொடியிலும், கனடாவின் NLS7.1 செயற்கைக்கோள் 1143.7 நொடியிலும், NLS7.1 1173.7 நொடியிலும் , சிங்கப்பூரின் VELOX-1 செயற்கைக்கோள் 1198.7 வது நொடியிலும் பிரிந்து அதனதன் சுற்றுப்பாதையில் நிலை நிறுத்தப்படும். இதற்கான கட்டளைகள் அனைத்தும், ஷ்ரிஹரிகோட்டாவில் உள்ள முதன்மை கட்டுப்பாட்டு அறையில் இருந்தே பிறப்பிக்கப்படும், இதனையடுத்து அந்தந்த நாடுகளில் உள்ள செயற்கைக் கோள் கட்டுப்பாட்டு மையத்தின் கட்டுப்பாட்டிற்கு வந்துவிடும்.

இதனால் என்ன பயன் ?

1. ஒரு வெளிநாட்டு செயற்கைக்கோளை ஏவுவதின் மூலம் ரூ.5 கோடி முதல் ரூ.100 கோடி வரை இஸ்ரோவிற்கு வருமானம் கிடைக்கும், இந்த வருமானத்தின் மூலம், இஸ்ரோ தனது மற்ற திட்டங்களுக்கு மத்திய அரசை நம்பியிருக்கத் தேவையில்லை.

2. மற்ற நாடுகளின் செயற்கைக்கோளை நாம் விண்ணில் நிலை நிறுத்தித்தருவதின் மூலம், உலக நாடுகளோடு நல்லுறவு மேம்பட அடித்தளமாக இருக்கும்.

3. ஏற்கெனவே 35 வெளிநாட்டு செயற்கைக்கோள்களை விண்ணில் நிலை நிறுத்தியுள்ள இஸ்ரோ, மேலும் 5 செயற்கைக்கோள்களை PSLV C-23 மூலம் கொண்டு செல்வதின் மூலம் அதன் எண்ணிக்கை 40 ஆக உயர்கிறது. இதனால் பல்வேறு நாடுகள் இஸ்ரோவுடன் வர்த்தக ரீதியான உறவு வைத்துக்கொள்ள விரும்பும்.

இதுபோன்ற திட்டங்கள் நமக்கு உத்வேகத்தை அளிப்பதோடு, அறிவியல் மீதான ஆர்வத்தை இன்றைய மாணவர்களுக்கு ஏற்படுத்த அடித்தளமாக இருக்கும்.

10 Most Violent Cities in The World

2014-06-21T08:30:00.001+05:30

10. Karachi, Pakistan

There is a high threat from terrorism and sectarian violence throughout Pakistan, with several attacks taking place in Karachi in 2011-12. Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan. It’s also its largest seaport and financial hub. Although Karachi is home to between 14-21 million people, it has also become wracked with lawlessness and crime. This former capital of Pakistan has been overrun by political violence, gang shootings, and even suicide bombings.
While it’s per Capita murder rate is low compared to some of the other “murder capitals” on this list, Karachi is the most dangerous of the world’s mega-cities, with a murder rate of 12.3 per 100,000 residents (Al Jazeera). None of the world’s 13 largest cities come within 25% of Karachi’s exceptional murder rate.
Amongst the political in-fighting and lawlessness, Karachi has become especially famous for its motorbike riding assassins, known as “target killers”. For $700-$1000, these target killers will assassinate police, protesters, businessmen, and political opponents.

9. Belem, Brazil

Belém is a natural gateway for cocaine streaming in from the surrounding countries of Columbia, Bolivia, and Peru. The dense amazonian jungle surrounding this city makes it perfect for smuggling in drugs, where they can be exported all over Brazil and around the world. The rise in cocaine use in the country has surely contributed to Belém’s place as one of the most dangerous cities in the world
The violence isn’t limited to drug killings; people are even murdered for trying to protect the Amazon rainforest. Cattle barons have been known to hire professional assassins to take out activists, land reform advocates, and smaller farmers who refuse to give into extortion and strong arm tactics. Crime stats are
Homicides: 1639
Inhabitants: 2,100,319
Murder rate: 78.04

8. Cape Town, South Africa

One of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Cape Town is also a city that is battling extremely high crime rates. Prone to mugging, it is one of the most unsafe cities at night, especially for women. The high level of crime is attributed to the disparity between socioeconomic classes.

7. Nairobi, Kenya

There is a severe threat of terrorism in Nairobi, with frequent attacks being carried out. Westerners are also warned of all but essential travel to low-income areas of the city, which experience high crime levels. Also, incidences of street crime are very high in the city. Night time travel in the city is very unsafe with mugging and looting being a routine affair.

6. Sana’a, Yemen

Since the Mercer Survey in December, the security situation in Yemen has rapidly deteriorated, due to uprisings against the government and instability opening a door for terrorism. Both the State Department and the British Foreign Office are advising against all travel to Yemen and urging their citizens to leave while some commercial carriers are still flying there.

5. Caracas, Venezuela

Venezuelan capital Caracas is a drug trafficking haven. Robbery and petty crimes are commonplace with police having very little say or will to control the situation.
Crime stats aree
Homicides: 3164
Inhabitants: 3,205,463
Murder rate: 98.71

4. Baghdad, Iraq

After being the world’s most dangerous place for years immediately after the US invasion, Baghdad has calmed down, just a bit. After the withdrawal of military forces from Iraq, Baghdad suffers from a very unstable political climate. Years of bombings and counter bombings have destroyed most of the city’s infrastructure. Intermittent suicide bombings, random gunfire and roadside bombs continue to wreak havoc on the hapless citizens of the city by the Tigris.

3. Mogadishu, Somalia

Until recently, Somalia’s capital Mogadishu was undisputedly the world’s most dangerous city. The UN and embassies had pulled out in the 1990s, following the collapse of the last fully functioning government in 1991. Al Qaeda linked militants held sway over much of the city from 2007 until last August when African Union fighters pushed out al-Shabab, ending the daily grind of war.

2. Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Mexico is a drug haven and the city of Ciudad Juarez is its unofficial capital. Drug traffickers are notoriously violent and do pretty much whatever they want. With police mostly corrupt, Ciudad Juarez is known as one of the most violent places in the world outside of war zones. The crime statistics is
Homicides: 1974
Inhabitants: 1,335,890
Murder rate: 147.77

1. San Pedro Sula, Honduras

San Pedro Sula, Honduras — This is a city besieged by crime in all its forms: gang violence, drug cartel killings and rampant extortion compounded by a fear of authorities. Honduras is now among the most dangerous places on Earth. No other country matches its rate of crime. The crime statistics is
Homicides: 1,143
Inhabitants: 719,447
Murder rate: 158.87

Top 5 badminton players in india

2014-04-08T10:36:00.000+05:30

5. Aparna Popat

She is a former Indian Badminton player who is a senior National Champion and has a world record of nine times between 1997 and 2006. She is a winner two commonwealth games, one Silver medal in 1998 at Kuala Lumpur and another Bronze medal in 2002 at Manchester. She has won Silver medal in 1996 Silkeborg for World Junior Championships. Aparna Popat departed the game in 2006 after giving 17 years to this profession because of her wrist injury. She pulled herself out of the game as the number one player in India and making our proud.

4. Chetan Anand

Chetan Anand Buradagunta is a four time National Badminton Champion in the year 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2010. He has tremendous success in badminton which made him win the most eminent Indian Arjuna Award. He has been one of the very consistent and diligent player who brought laurels to India.

3. Saina Nehwal

Saina is a new face of badminton and ever since she joined the ground she made only success stories. She attained the world ranking of 2 in December 2010. The list is long of her distinctly brilliant graph. She was the first Indian to win a Bronze medal in badminton for Olympics in 2012 held in London. She is the first Indian to win a Gold medal in World Junior Championships in 2008 held in Pune as well as the first Indian to win a Super Series Tournament on 21^st June 2009. Saina is truly an iconic and one of the most inspirational badminton player that India has ever produced with 8 as her current world ranking in 2014 January. She also has in her bag the most prestigious awards as Arjuna Award in 2009, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2010 and Padma Shri in 2010 respectively.

2. Pullela Gopichand

Gopichand is a former legendary player of badminton after Prakash Padukone. He has won a Gold medal for All England Championship held in Birmingham in 2001. And he has also been a Bronze medal holder at Commonwealth Games in 1998 at Kuala Lumpur. His world ranking was 5 in 2001. Gopichand has been awarded with India’s most designated awards as Arjuna Award in 1999, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2001, Padma Shri in 2005, Dronacharya Award in 2009 and Padma Bhushan in 2014 for the outstanding contribution in badminton.

1. Prakash Padukone

Prakash is a recipient of Padam Shri in 1982. His father persuaded him to be in this game and as we all know the rest is history. His first international achievement was for Commonwealth Games in 1978 at Canada where he won a Gold Medal. Prakash was the first Indian to win a Gold medal for the All England Championships in 1980 at London. And in 1981 he won a Gold medal for World Cup held at Kuala Lumpur. Later in 1983 he won a Bronze medal for World Championships held at Copenhagen. Prakash Padukone has also won a National title for 7 years. There is a biography as ‘Touch Play’ by Dev S Sukumar which is the second biography of any badminton player till yet.

Top 10 traditional Dresses of India

2014-04-08T10:35:00.004+05:30

We are one country which has the wealth of diverse traditions and culture. With uniqueness in the form of languages, food and attire, we are the nation that can boast of unity in diversity with pride. Let us have a look at some of our traditional dresses of India which have become popular globally as well.

10. Kurta-Pyjama

Worn by men, the kurta-pyjama is worn across India. Be it a festive occasion or tradition ceremonies, the kurta is worn along with either the pyjama or churidaar. The other variety of this attire is the pathani suit (most commonly seen in Srinagar), which has become the fashion trend lately.

9. Lungi

This traditional attire of India is most commonly worn in South India. They are made of silk or cotton and are a good respite from the summer heat. Most traditional ceremonies see men dressed up in lungis, not to forget the famous bhangra dance where the dancers look spellbinding in the lungi.

8. Dhoti

Dhoti is mainly worn by villagers of India. However we nowadays see men wearing dhoti in combination with sherwani during wedding ceremonies as well. One can see men wearing dhoti across India.

7. Pheran

This traditional dress of Kashmir is a full length gown which is mostly worn during winter and is popular form of dressing amongst both men and women.

6. Puanchei

This traditional dress of Mizoram is worn by women during festive occasions or marriage ceremonies. It is worn along with kawrechi, blouse for the girls, while performing the famous Bamboo dance.

5. Sharara

A replacement of the ghagra is sharara or gharara which is a loose pleated embroidered trouser. It is worn commonly along with a long kameez and a dupatta. It is the traditional Lucknowi attire which originated during the era of the Nawabs.

4. Sherwani

Sherwani is a coat like attire worn by men. It is traditionally worn on formal occasions by men primarily of Northern descent. Another variation of it is the Achkan, a knee length jacket.

3. Ghagra Choli

Ghagra or Lehenga Choli is commonly worn by people from Gujarat and Rajasthan. There are different forms of this attire that are worn; one is the embroidered version which is worn during wedding ceremonies and the other is mirror embellished ghagra worn during the festive time of Navratri. Donned with the odhni this attire becomes more graceful.

2. Salwar or Churidar and Kameez

In the list of famous traditional dresses of India, this is the famous dressing combination well adapted across the nation. Some might replace the salwar with churidar and the kameez length can vary from short kurti’s to ankle length anarkali suits. This was primarily the traditional dress of people from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.

1. Sari

Saris have seen an evolution with the diverse styles it offers. The most popular types are banarasi sari, kanjivaram sari, silk sari, pochampalli sari, patola sari etc. The draping style varies across the country; some drape it with the pallu on front and some with the pallu on back. This attire gives woman an elegant touch.

10 Ways Babies Are Better and Smarter Than Adults

2014-04-08T10:23:00.003+05:30

What’s there to know about babies? They’re cute, they scream, and sometimes they sound like Bruce Willis. They’re also really smart. Sure, every parent thinks their baby is a genius, but truthfully, human infants genuinely are pretty intelligent. They can distinguish emotions, make logical deductions, and even grasp abstract concepts. In a lot of ways, they’re not so different from adults. Except they’re a lot smaller.

10Babies Can Understand Other People’s Thoughts

Before we get started, we need to establish how scientists “interview” babies. As you might’ve noticed, infants are a little lacking in the conversational department, so scientists rely on other methods to interpret baby behavior. When conducting experiments, researchers pay close attention to how long babies look at an object. If a baby encounters something surprising or confusing, the child will stare at that object for a very long time. Keep that in mind as we work through this list.
Now, it’s long been common knowledge that babies don’t understand that other people have different ideas and emotions from their own. However, with new discoveries in the field of babyology happening every day, researchers are starting to have a new appreciation for infants’ ability to understand the thought processes of others.
Agnes Kovacs of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest ran an experiment on 56 kids, all seven months old. The children watched cartoons in which a character who looked like a Smurf observed a ball rolling on a table. Occasionally, the ball would stop behind a rectangle. However, after the character wandered off, the mischievous ball would move off-screen. The babies knew the ball was gone, but the character didn’t.
When Papa Smurf came back and discovered the ball was gone (via a dramatic removal of the rectangle), the babies acted surprised. They stared at the screen even though they knew the ball had rolled away. Researchers theorize their display of disbelief was because they were relating to the character onscreen. They were reacting to his reaction. They understood what he felt.
Kovacs isn’t some rogue psychologist bent on bucking the system. A similar test in 2011 by University of Missouri associate professor Yuyan Luo showed similar results, as did studies in 2005 and 2007. So perhaps we’ve been too critical of babies. Maybe they really do know what we’re thinking . . . which means these monsters know exactly what they’re doing when they start screaming in the middle of the night. Jerks.

9Babies Can Separate Speech From Gibberish

Unless you’re Matt Smith, chances are pretty good you can’t speak “baby.” And since most infants aren’t voiced by Seth McFarlane, they have to jabber nonsensically while the rest of the world laughs at their adorableness. However, while babies can’t speak for themselves, they can definitely differentiate between actual speech and made-up gibberish.
Athena Vouloumanos of New York University played a series of recordings for a group of nine-month-old babies. The recordings included a wide array of noises, all of which could be divided into four sections. First, babies heard a female voice saying words like “truck” and “dinner.” Second, they heard a parrot mimicking human speech. Third and fourth, the kids heard human non-speech (throat clearing, whistling) and parrot sounds. While they focused on this eclectic mix tape, the babies were shown pictures of checkerboards, human faces, and a cup (basically, this was an avant-garde art show).
By noting how long babies stared at the images, scientists could tell if the kids comprehended what they were hearing. For example, when babies heard words spoken by a human, they stared at the pictures for a long time. They didn’t have a problem identifying the sound of a real person. As for the human sound effects, when the babies heard coughs and hacks, they didn’t pay any attention to the images on screen. They could easily tell the difference between language and gibberish.
However, things got trickier when the parrot started talking. If babies heard the bird say words like “two” or “bread” while staring at pictures of a face or a cup, they knew they were hearing speech, even if it wasn’t a human. But if the more human images were replaced with the more abstract checkerboard, the babies couldn’t tell the difference between the parrot mimicry and the parrot whistles. So basically, if you want to play mind games with your baby, buy a bird.

8Babies Know Animals Need Organs

Animals have guts. Anybody driving down a highway in the American South can attest to that. But when do humans first realize all creatures great and small are packed full of intestines? Is it something we discover for ourselves, or is it something we just know? According to researchers at the University of Illinois, it’s hardwired into our brains. Just ask a baby.
Professor Renee Baillargeon and graduate student Peipei Setoh believe babies understand basic physical and psychological facts. For example, if an infant sees something moving around by itself and responding to its environment, then the baby assumes the object is alive. Wondering if babies also understand basic biology, they gave toys to a group of eight-month-olds and then broke the toys in half. If the toy seemed self-propelled and agentive (making noises), the babies were perplexed. They would stare at the hollow insides for a long time, puzzled as how to moving, noisy objects could lack organs.
In a second test, babies were given items covered in fur. It’s believed that by eight months, most kids know that “fur” indicates “animal,” so the researchers wrapped cans in beaver pelts and rolled them past the babies. However, when the cans were revealed to be empty, the infants stared and stared. Where was all the squishy stuff? On the other hand, they weren’t surprised the stationary cans were hollow.
Aside from being a cute experiment, Baillargeon and Setoh’s project shed an interesting light on our history as a species. Humans probably developed an inherent understanding of animal organs in order to stay alive. When you’re a hunter-gatherer, it helps to know the difference between living creatures and inanimate objects. For example, if you know a deer has a heart, then you can spear it and eat it. If you club a wolf in the brain, you can save yourself from becoming dinner. However, in today’s less primitive world, the experiment can still come in useful if you’re a bored parent looking to torture your children.

7Babies Can Sense If Their Parents Are Angry

When you’re married with kids, things can get a bit tense. However, the next time you need to have a heated “discussion” with your spouse, you might want to step outside. It turns out babies—even sleeping babies—can sense if their parents are angry, and mad moms and dads might damage their psychological development.
In 2013, researchers from the University of Oregon had a group of mothers answer questions about how often they fought with their significant others. After the survey, the moms put their babies to sleep, and then the tykes were placed in an fMRI. As the machine whirred and banged, the babies napped while wearing headphones. While the kids snoozed, scientists played recordings of a male voice speaking gibberish. However, sometimes the voice was happy, sometimes it was neutral, and sometimes it was ticked off. All the while, scientists observed the baby’s brain activity based on their blood flow.
When the study was finished, scientists determined babies from “vocal” families responded quite differently to the angry voice than infants from more peaceful homes. Infants whose parents fought frequently had a much stronger reaction to the enraged recording, especially in areas of the brain related to stress and emotion regulation. Even though they were asleep, the babies could still sense hostility, and their brains responded negatively.
Though they’re not sure, psychologists worry that children exposed to parental arguing at an early age might grow up more anxious and stressed-out than other kids. So remember, parents, the next time you need to exercise your vocal cords, the baby is listening.

6Babies Can Learn Songs Before They’re Born

You’ve probably seen moms who put headphones on their bellies so they can blast Mozart at their pre-borns. While their musical experiment might not create a wunderkind along the lines of Amadeus, there is some proof that listening to music is beneficial during prenatal development. According to researchers from the University of Helsinki, music can aid in key areas like speech development. Even more fascinating, the researchers discovered babies have a natural ear for music and can remember songs they heard in utero.
In 2013, the Helsinki scientists had 12 mothers play “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” for their fetuses five times a week, while a control group of 12 expectant mothers skipped the daily music sessions. After delivery, the moms brought the babies back for testing, and using an EEG, scientists measured the infants’ brain activity while they listened to the lullaby. Scientists found that babies who’d listened to Mozart’s melody in the womb still recognized the song after birth. In fact, the babies continued to recognize the song for up to four months.
It just goes to show the human brain is an amazing organ. It also proves you should be careful what you play for your kids, or they’ll have that awful voice stuck in their head for a long time.

5Babies Can Show Sympathy

Psychopaths aside, sympathy is one of the most basic human emotions. Defined as “feeling of concern for others,” sympathy helps us relate to those in pain. It drives every (legitimate) charity on the planet. And according to researchers at Kyoto University, it’s something we start feeling at a very young age.
In 2013, a team led by Shoji Itakura separated 40 babies into two groups and then turned on some rather zany movies. The first group saw a film where a malicious blue ball chased a yellow cube around the room. Despite the cube’s attempts to escape, the ball repeatedly hit the poor cube before smashing it against a wall. In the second group, babies watched a similar show, only this time, the shapes never interacted with each other.
Afterward, the babies were presented with toys, a blue ball and a yellow cube. In the second group that watched the violence-free program, babies showed no preference for either toy. However, in the first group that watched the vicious murder, 9 out of 10 babies chose the victimized cube. But were the children showing sympathy for the bullied shape? Or were they showing disdain for the bad guy?
To find out, researchers ran a second experiment. Twenty-four additional babies watched a show where a bully shape beat up a wimpy shape. Only this time, there was an extra character, a red cylinder that just stood there. After the show, two groups were offered two different sets of toys. The first group was given the villain shape and the neutral red cylinder. The second group was offered the victim and the red bystander. In the first group, babies overwhelmingly chose the cylinder. However, in the second group, almost all the kids chose the victim. Basically, even when the baddie wasn’t around, kids wanted to play with the bullied toy. They were showing sympathy for the victim. As for the rogue kids who chose the villains, well, they might end up in a future Listverse article on serial killers.

4Babies Can Reason

Babies aren’t interested in philosophy. Most can’t even author a basic paper on the difference between Plato and Aristotle. However, despite their lackadaisical approach to the study of knowledge, Josh Tenenbaum of MIT believes babies are actually quite skilled at reasoning. In fact, he claims one-year-old infants are adept at making logical assumptions about how the world works. They even show surprise when things don’t match up with their expectations.
In his experiment, Tenebaum played a video for a group of one-year-olds that involved a container full of brightly colored balls. Three were blue, one was red, and they were happily bouncing around when suddenly the scientist covered the screen. While the babies’ vision was blocked, an object was removed from the can. When the scientist stepped away, voila—an object had disappeared.
What’s fascinating is that the babies reacted differently depending on what vanished and how long the TV had been covered. If the screen was blocked for 0.4 seconds and the object furthest from the can’s opening disappeared, the babies were baffled. How on earth did the ball at the back fall out first? However, if scientists covered the TV for two seconds, babies weren’t surprised at all if that same object disappeared. After all, there was plenty of time for it to roll out. The only exception was if the missing item was the red ball because, after all, it was different from the others.
So it seems that babies as young as one have a firm grasp on logic. It probably won’t be long before they’re reading “Discourse on the Method,” but let’s not put Descartes before the horse.

3Babies Understand Numbers

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who like math, and those who hate it (this author despises it). But regardless of personal opinion, math is a vital part of everyday life, and our understanding of numbers separates us from every other being on the planet. While animals can count (monkeys can even add dots together), only humans use symbols to represent numbers (like “two” or “2”). However, that poses an interesting question. Is this something we learn from our teachers, or is it knowledge we’re born with?
In 2009, Veronique Izard of Harvard decided to answer that question by experimenting on 16 newborns, and by newborns, we’re talking babies only 7 to 100 hours old. The test started with Izard playing recordings of spoken syllables. For example, the babies might hear the sound “raaaa” five times and then hear “ra” 10 times. Afterward, babies listened to the recording while looking pictures of geometrical shapes. The cards might show five circles or 10 triangles. Shockingly, the majority of babies stared longer at cards displaying the same number of shapes as syllables on the recordings. If they heard four “ras,” they’d look at the picture with four objects and so on.
Izard’s study proves that infants have an innate sense of numbers. They can count before they even develop the ability to speak. However, not all babies are created equal. Some kids are better at distinguishing numbers than others, and chances are good those intelligent infants will grow up with better math skills. Your author was not one of those babies.

2Babies Are Self-Aware

Unless afflicted with a disorder, humans are aware of their own body in the space around them. We understand where we are in relation to other objects and how we interact with the things around us. But what about babies? Are they self-aware? Do they understand the difference between themselves and the people around them?
Hoping to find an answer, Maria Laura Filippetti of the University of London worked with 40 newborns, ranging in age from 12 hours to four days. Their experiment involved a TV screen, a paintbrush, and a spin on a famous trick. Known as the rubber hand illusion, it involves stroking a person’s hand while hiding it from view. At the same time, you have to stroke a visible rubber hand. The simultaneous stroking tricks the subject into thinking the rubber hand is their own. While it’s great trick for boring parties (if you happen to have a spare prosthetic limb lying around), Filippetti decided to tweak the illusion for her younger audience.
Filippetti had babies watch a short film where an infant’s face was rubbed with a paintbrush. As the kids watched the tickle torture session on screen, Filipetti brushed the actual babies’ face as well. Sometimes the strokes were timed to match the action onscreen, while at other times, the strokes were delayed a few seconds. When all was said and done, Filippetti discovered the babies were fooled when stroked in tandem with the action on-screen.
However, when the strokes came late or when the movie was flipped upside down, the babies knew the difference between themselves and the kids onscreen. While the study was successful, here’s hoping the babies don’t develop an irrational fear of paintbrushes.

1Babies Can Tell The Difference Between Angry And Friendly Dogs

Since time immemorial, there’s been an epic war between dogs and babies. The babies mercilessly pull dog tails and ears, and the pooches respond with mouths full of sharp teeth. However, infants might have the upper hand in this deadly game of kid vs. canine. Not only have they got backup (i.e., parents), but babies are extremely good at picking up on mutt emotions, a key tool in preventing preemptive dog attacks.
Led by Ross Florn, researchers at Brigham Young University ran an experiment on 128 infants, ranging in age from 6 to 24 months old. These kids, who’d previously had little or no exposure to dogs, were plopped in front of two very different photos. One was a picture of a friendly dog, all tongue and wagging tail, and the other was a hound from hell with razor fangs bared. While the babies didn’t show preference for either image at first, they perked up a bit when scientists played dog sound effects, one happy bark and one angry bark. Each time they heard a growl or a yap, the babies reacted correctly, staring at the image of the corresponding dog.
What’s really interesting is that babies responded differently according to age. For example, when scientists played an angry sound, the six-month-olds stared at the mad mutt for a long time. On the other hand, 24-month-olds simply looked at the correct picture for a few seconds before moving on to something more interesting. For the older babies, it was almost like the conclusion was so obvious that it wasn’t worth their time. Hopefully, they’ll pay more attention if they encounter a real canine.

Top 10 oldest sports in the world

2013-10-14T11:09:00.001+05:30

Sports have been part of the human civilization since times immemorial. In fact depiction of numerous ritual games finds mention in scriptures from the Bronze Age. While some of these sports have got lost in the oblivion, the remaining evolved substantially to come out in the present form. Here, we will be discussing about some oldest sports that are still highly relevant in today’s world.

10. Hockey:

A game where players from two opponent teams try to maneuver the ball and push it into each other’s goal post with the help of long stock with curved hooked ending is called hockey. The first ever recorded use of word ‘hockey’ can be found in a proclamation by Edward III of England in 1363. The game also finds a mention in some of the paintings from Ancient Greece that dat back to 600 BC.

9. Horse Riding:

Equestrianism or horse riding is another ancient sport that has lived the tests of times and found itself a prominent place amongst modern sports. It was first to be included in the modern Olympic Games in 1900. The sport also holds its individual World Championships every year.

8. Boxing:

Boxing is a combat sport that tests speed, stamina and strength of two fighters who throw punches with gloved hands against each other. The sport finds its origin in Greece and dates back to early 687 BC. Subsequently, it evolved in the Great Britain in the later 16^th to 18^th century. The game is played in bouts (on to three minute intervals) and a referee supervises the contest.

7. Gymnastics:

The game requires physical strength, agility, flexibility, coordination, balance and stamina. The game is known to evolve from Greeks who practiced similar kinds of acrobatics to mount or dismount from a horse. The game was included in the modern Olympics Games in 1896.

6. Polo:

Polo is considered to be one of the most majestic of all ancient games. Here the participants ride on horseback and score by pushing a small white wooden ball in the opponent’s goal using a long-handled mallet. Professionally played in 16 countries, the game is considered to have taken birth in Iran, China and India. There are some evidences of the game being played in the 4^th century in the Sassanid dynasty. Since 1936, it’s not a part of Olympic Games.

5. Discuss Throw:

A popular track and field event, athlete throws a heavy disc (called discuss) to a father distance than his competitor. The sport’s origin dates can be traced back to the fifth century BC. It was one of the events of the ancient pentathlon (708 BC). The game was prominently advertised in the fundraising events of the modern Olympic Games as well.

4. Javelin Throw:

Javelin throw is a track and field athletics event where a javelin (spear shaped) is thrown by a participant as far as possible, from the take off mark. Finland enjoys the record of holding the most number of medals in the sport since the beginning of modern Olympics. During the time of Mycenaean and Romans, much lighter javelins were used.

3. Long Jump:

Formerly known as broad jump, long jump is a sport in which athletes contest for supremacy by attempting to leap farther distances from the take off point. This highly popular game has been part of the Ancient Olympics and even the very first modern Olympics Games in 1896. This is the only known jumping event in the Ancient Greece’s original Olympics’ pentathlon events. The game also finds its faint mention in Ancient Olympics of 656 BC.

2. Wrestling:

Wrestling involves grappling techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns to name a few, employed by one competitor on the other in order to gain supremacy. It is one of the oldest forms of combat that was included in the ancient Olympics as well. Its origins can be dated back to 15,000 years in the French cave paintings. It features in some popular literary references, among which the most famous is Homer’s Iliad (12^th or 13^th century BC).

1. Running:

One of the most popular sporting events in Athletics, running is considered to be a very old sport. During the Greek era there were four kinds of running events that were organized. The stadion was the oldest form of running. Runners sprinted for 1, 2 to 24 stades. A stade was equal to the length of the stadium. Records of competitive racing dates back to 776 BC, the first recorded Olympic Games.

Scissor lifts,Boom lifts needs in india

2013-10-14T11:08:00.001+05:30

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Important 10 rules for muscle building

2013-07-12T11:10:00.000+05:30

RULE #1: Eat at least 6 quality small meals per day. Eating more meals per day increases the body's metabolism, gives you a constant flow of energy and reduces the likelihood of your body storing your food as fat. You need to shift away from the "3 meals a day" mentality - those days are over. You should only feed your body with what it requires, not how much can fit in your stomach.

RULE #2: Eat protein and complex carbohydrates in every meal. You don't have to eat alot, but try to get
about 30 grams or protein and some quality carbs in each meal. Carbs are easy as they are found in bread, rice, potatoes etc. Stick to whole grains, oats, brown rice and wholemeal bread for good carbs. Good sources of protein are chicken, egg whites, tuna, red meat and fish.

RULE #3: Use supplements. Bodybuilding supplements are a great way to get nutrients to the body fast. At a minimum I suggest you use whey protein supplements. Depending on your goals and level of training, creatine and glutamine should also be considered. Best times to consume supplements are first thing in the morning, before/after training and before bed.

RULE #4: Avoid simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are the "sugary" carbohydrates found in sugar, soft drinks and honey. Simple carbohydrates give you an instant pick-me-up but they will drop you right back where you came from after a few minutes. Excessive sugar plays havoc with our insulin metabolism and leads to fatigue and fat storage. Stay away!

RULE #5: Stay away from fats and excessive salts. Some fat is essential for a healthy diet. Good fat is found in olive oil, peanut butter and fish. Bad fat is vegetable oil, animal fats and butter. This pretty much rules out all junk food and fizzy drinks.

RULE #6: Fuel up before your workout. Eat a small meal that contains a good portion or complex carbohydrates and protein about 30-60 minutes before your workout. The complex carbohydrates will give you the sustained energy to train long and hard. And the protein will assist your muscles during your workout as you break them down.

RULE #7: The after workout meal/shake is the most important nutrition boost your body needs. Directly after a workout your muscles are broken down and crying out for nutrients. A good dose of protein is a must (40-50 grams) and carbohydrates also play an important role because they are needed for an insulin spike which will release growth hormone. A supplement shake is the best method to deliver these nutrients to your body followed by a good post workout meal within 60 minutes of training.

RULE #8: Drink water, and lots of it! The most important nutrient in your body is water. The quality of your tissues, their performance and their resistance to injury is dependent on the amount of the water you drink. Sip water constantly throughout the day and make sure you get more than enough water during your workout.

RULE #9: Avoid snacking by planning your diet. Let's face it, most snack foods you're going to be tempted with are going to be unhealthy and full of sugar, salt and other unnatural ingredients. If you plan each meal for the day during the previous day you will find that you will not feel like snacking as you will always feel satisfied.

RULE #10: At the end of the day, if you want to gain weight and pack on muscle you need to eat more calories than your burn throughout the day. If you don't eat enough calories you will not grow any muscle. Never stay hungry. As soon as you begin to feel hungry eat a good meal of carbs and protein. Also get a good serve of carbs and protein before bed, you body will need it for repairing muscle tissue while your sleep.

Spirulina-Nature's best gift(Highest protein containing herb in the world)

2013-03-31T19:41:00.002+05:30

I don’t like using the term superfood, though it could certainly be applied to Spirulina. Though not technically an herb (actually an cyanobacteria), it boasts its fair share of health promoting properties. It is rich in in Chlorophyll, and like plants, gets its energy from the sun.

What is it?

Spirulina is a natural “algae” (cyanbacteria) powder that is incredible high in protein and nutrients. When harvested correctly from non-contaminated ponds and bodies of water, it is one of the most potent nutrient sources available. It is largely made up of protein and essential amino acids, and I typically recommend it to clients who decide to remain vegetarian for its high natural iron content. It is often touted for its high B-12 content, though there is a lot of debate about if this particular form is a complete and absorbable form of B-12 and I don’t recommend it completely in place of animal products.
The high concentration of protein and iron also makes it idea during pregnancy, after surgery or anytime the immune system needs a boost.

Health Properties:

Though it does taste like pond scum, Spirulina has some great health-boosting qualities:

Spirulina is 65% protein and amino acids including the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which has gotten a lot of attention for its anti-inflammatory properties, especially when taken with other quality Omega-3 supplements like Fermented Cod Liver Oil. (I suspect that the benefits of GLA in Spirulina are even more than what the studies have found since these studies often use vegetable oils for their GLA source, and the other inflammatory compounds in vegetable oils can interfere with the anti-inflammatory ability.) It contains all essential amino acids.
Spirulina contains Omega 3-,6 and 9s and is especially high in Omega-3s.
Spirulina is extremely high in Chlorophyll, which helps remove toxins from the blood and boost the immune system.
Spirulina has a very high concentration of bio-available iron and is excellent during pregnancy and for those with anemia and will not cause constipation.
Spirulina is a great source of other nutrients including (according to Wikipedia): “Spirulina contains vitamins B-1(thiamine), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3(nicotinamide), B-6 (pyridoxine), B-9 (folic acid), vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A and vitamin E. It is also a source of potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium and zinc. Spirulina contains many pigments which may be beneficial and bioavailable”
This Spirulina (from Mountain Rose Herbs) was tested be an independent laboratory and found to have an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) of over 24,000 which is 4x the ORAC score of blueberries. The ORAC score is generally used to measure antioxidant ability and concentration in different foods.
Spirulina is also incredibly high in calcium with over 26 times the calcium in milk, making it excellent for children, the elderly and during pregnancy.
Some research has suggested that Spirulina may be helpful in allergies and allergic reactions.
Spirulina’s phosphorus content makes it helpful as part of a tooth remineralization regimen.
Emerging evidence suggests that it binds with radioactive isotopes and may be useful for radioactivity exposure or radiation therapy.
The protein in Spirulina is highly usable and has a net protein utilization rate of between 50-61%
Spirulina can bind with heavy metals in the body and help remove them.
Spirulina can increase fat burning during exercise.

How To Take

When choosing Spirulina, make sure to choose one that is organic, as others can have nitrate compounds as additives. The best one I’ve found is from Mountain Rose Herbs and it is also the cheapest organic Spirulina I’ve seen. It does taste like pond water though, so many people prefer supplements. I’ve tried Now Spirulina and found them to be good quality, though they are more expensive than the plain powder. (I haven’t tried this brand, but it seems to be a great deal for 1,000 500mg capsules for under $30). You can also get Spirulina powder in a 4-pound canister.
I always add Spirulina to my veggie smoothies each day and take extra during pregnancy. It is best to get in about 2 teaspoons per day, and 2 or more tablespoons during illness, after radiation exposure or during pregnancy. It does taste horrible though! You can also mix into water and drink straight, though many people have trouble with this. The phosphorous makes it useful for the tooth remineralizing regimen, and it is best taken with an Omega-3 source like fermented cod liver oil. It’s anti-inflammatory properties have been helpful to some of my clients with joint pain or other types of inflammation.
Those with PKU should consult with a doctor before taking, as it does contain that amino acid. Those on any type of anti-coagulation medicine should consult with a doctor before beginning (or stopping) taking Spirulina.

60th national film awards of india 2013

2013-03-19T11:56:00.000+05:30

Here’s the complete list of winners at this year’s National Awards

BEST FEATURE FILM - Paan Singh Tomar (Hindi)

INDIRA GANDHI AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT FILM OF A DIRECTOR – Bedabrata Pain for Chittagong (Hindi) & Siddhartha Siva for 101 Chodiyangal

BEST POPULAR FILM PROVIDING WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT – Vicky Donor (Hindi) & Ustaad Hotel (Malayalam)

NARGIS DUTT AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE FILM ON NATIONAL INTEGRATION – ThanichallaNjan (Malayalam)

BEST FILM ON SOCIAL ISSUES – Spirit (Malayalam)

BEST FILM ON ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION/PRESERVATION – Black Forest (Malayalam)

BEST CHILDREN’S FILM – Dekh Indian Circus (Hindi)

BEST ANIMATION FILM – Delhi Safari (Hindi)

BEST DIRECTION – Shivaji Lotan Patil for Dhag(Marathi)

BEST ACTOR – Irrfan Khan (Paan Singh Tomar) & Vikram Gokhale (Anumati)

BEST ACTRESS – Usha Jadhav (Dhag)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Annu Kapoor (Vicky Donor)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Dolly Ahluwalia (Vicky Donor) & Kalpana (ThanichallaNjan)

BEST CHILD ARTIST – Virendra Pratap (Dekh Indian Circus) & Minon (101 Chodiyangal)

BEST MALE PLAYBACK SINGER - Shankar Mahadevan for ‘Bolo Na’ (Chittagong)

BEST FEMALE PLAYBACK SINGER – Aarti Anklekar Tikekar for ‘Palakein Naa Moondon’ (Samhita)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – Sudheer Palsane (KO : YAD)

BEST SCREENPLAY (ORIGINAL) – Sujoy Ghosh (Kahaani)

BEST SCREENPLAY (ADAPTED) – Bhavesh Mandalia & Umesh Shukla (Oh My God)

BEST DIALOGUES – Anjali Menon (Ustaad Hotel)

BEST AUDIOGRAPHY (Location Sound Recordist) - Radhakrishnan S. (Annayum Rasoolum)

BEST AUDIOGRAPHY (Sound Designer) – Anirban Sengupta & Dipankar Chaki (Shabdo)

BEST AUDIOGRAPHY (Re-recordist of the final mixed track) - Alok De, Sinoy Joseph & Shreejesh Nair (Gangs of Wasseypur)

BEST EDITING – Namrata Rao (Kahaani)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN - Boontawee ‘Thor’ Taweepasas & Lalgudi Ilayaraja (Vishwaroopam)

BEST COSTUME DESIGNER – Poornima Ramaswamy (Paradesi)

BEST MAKE-UP ARTIST – Raja (Vazhakku En 18/9)

BEST MUSIC DIRECTION (SONGS) – Shailendar Barve (Samhita)

BEST MUSIC DIRECTION (BACKGROUND SCORE) – Biji Bal (Kaliyachan)

BEST LYRICS - Prasoon Joshifor ‘Bolo Na’ (Chittagong)

SPECIAL JURY AWARD – Rituparno Ghosh (Chitrangada), Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur, Dekh India Circus, Talaash)

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS - Makuta VFX (Eega)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – Pandit Birju Maharaj (Vishwaroopam)

BEST ASSAMESE FILM – Baandhon

BEST BENGALI FILM – Shabdo

BEST GUJARATI FILM - The Good Road

BEST HINDI FILM – Filmistan

BEST KANNADA FILM - Bharath Stores

BEST MALAYALAM FILM – Celluloid

BEST MANIPURI FILM – Leipaklei

BEST MARATHI FILM – Investment

BEST PUNJABI FILM – Nabar

BEST TAMIL FILM - Vazhakku En 18/9

BEST TELUGU FILM - Eega

BEST URDU FILM – Harud

BEST ENGLISH FILM - Lessons in Forgetting

BEST MISING FILM - KO : YAD

Vinay in Senthatti Kaalai Sevatha Kaalai Firstlook stills-A saran film

2013-01-17T10:24:00.001+05:30

Karthi in Briyani First look stills-A Venkat prabhu diet

2013-01-17T10:20:00.000+05:30

Udayanithi stalin & Nayanthar in IDHU KATHIRVELAN KADHAL first look

2013-01-15T09:56:00.000+05:30

Ilaya Thalapathi vijay in THALAIVA frstlook-A Film by A.L.Vijay

2013-01-15T09:51:00.000+05:30

Top 10 benefits of involving in extra curricular activities

2013-01-10T09:02:00.001+05:30

“All study and no play makes Jack a dull boy” – a famous proverb well entrenched in our minds since childhood. While teachers often stress upon this, and parents appreciate its value, youngsters rarely get a chance to implement it. It is widely accepted that extracurricular activities are the best way of developing an individual’s personality and trimming down mental stress. A child, youngster or an adult for that matter, can improve their skills and enhance their confidence level. Psychologists also recommend these activities over other monotonous confidence building classes. The top 10 benefits of extracurricular activities are:
10. Improves interpersonal relationships:
They improve interpersonal skills and help in developing broader and confident outlook when dealing with people. The person becomes more outgoing. He/she attains the quality of analyzing people on the basis of their behavior and weighs the pros and cons involved in befriending him/her, accordingly.

Image Credit: http://2.bp.blogspot.com

9. Improves confidence levels:
An introvert child or an adult’s confidence can be enhanced by participating in extracurricular activities. These activities reduce inhibitions in a person and groom his confidence. They provide a total revamp to his introvert personality. As mentioned earlier, these activities are widely recommended by psychologists and result in overall development of a person.

Image Credit: http://timemanagementninja.com

8. Helps in exploring individual interests:
Extracurricular activities provide a chance to children or adults in exploring their area of interest. Most people are unaware about their interests and keep their inner self subdued for most part of their life. Regularly participating in extracurricular activities can help a child or adult to recognize his/her potential. This provides an opportunity to convert interests into a profession. There is no better way to get totally involved in your work than taking up your hobby as profession.

Image Credit: http://robbiebolog.com

7. Helps in better time management:
One of the most important benefits of extracurricular activities is that one develops a sense of scheduling his/her day to day life. He/she gets an opportunity to set priorities right and manage time prudently. A child can learn to arrange his daily proceeding and put his leanings to the best use. This advantage would surely entice his/her parents in supporting these activities.

Image Credit: http://www.stimulbrain.com

6. Relaxes the mind:
These activities work like mind relaxation therapies and reduce the stress associated with one’s busy day to day life. The best part is that the cost of extracurricular activities is almost negligible given their benefits. It is always good to shake a leg or two, paint, sing, write, and indulge in activities that promote individual welfare.

Image Credit: http://www.healthypregnancy.co.za

5. Makes individuals more responsible:
Children learn management and balance responsibilities once they are engaged in such activities. Participation in sports activities particularly can make a child aware of the concept of team building and co-existence. People can better their time, resources and efforts. It is through extracurricular activities that one can learn to face the challenges and overcome them without getting depressed as people in day to day life tend to do!

Image Credit: http://www.fierceinc.com

4. Promotes emotional well being:
Children in particular need proper emotional development in order to counter the problems they might face in future. The world is not cozy as it looks within the hundred meter radius of a child’s home. The world is getting more and more difficult to live in wake of surging social tensions. And, these activities can always help in growth of an emotionally strong individual.

Image Credit: http://www.nydreamhouse.com

3. Encourages social growth:
In the wake of the growing trend of nuclear families and working parents, especially in the cities; most children feel left out in the absence of parental care. This breeds a sense of discontent among children and they only feel safe in aloofness. It results in annihilation of their social life. It is therefore mandatory for working parents to engage their children in such activities so they regain the meaning of socializing.

Image Credit: http://www.gurusoftware.com

2. Helps in channelizing energy:
Alcohol and drugs have become a huge menace to the society. This problem is only becoming huge with each passing day. In order to counter this surging problem in the society we need to ensure that our young generation transfers most of its unchannelised energy towards extracurricular activities. These activities help in building better stamina and a stronger immune system.

Image Credit: http://www.localwin.com

1. Helps Cure Depression:
One of the gravest problems affecting modern society is the increasing number of suicides. In the stressful and competitive environment of today, the only solution left with us is to engage in extracurricular activities as frequently as possible. Studies worldwide have shown that kids and adults taking up these activities are more inclined to stay away from depression and suicidal feelings. These activities are highly recommended for kids and adults suffering from depression.

Image Credit: http://www.redorbit.com

Important 5 health benefits of smoking

2013-01-08T08:55:00.000+05:30

Who says smoking cigarettes is so bad ... well, aside from the World Health Organization, Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and every medical board and association on the face of the Earth?
But should smokers be fortunate enough to dodge all that cancer, heart disease, emphysema and the like, they will be uniquely protected — for reasons unexplained by science — against a handful of diseases and afflictions.
Call it a silver lining in their otherwise blackened lungs. Although long-term smoking is largely a ticket to early death, here are (gulp) five possible benefits from smoking. Breathe deep.

1. Smoking lo
1. Smoking lowers risk of knee-replacement surgery
While smokers might go broke buying a pack of cigarettes, they can at least save money by avoiding knee-replacement surgery. Surprising results from a new study have revealed that men who smoke had less risk of undergoing total joint replacement surgery than those who never smoked.
The study, from the University of Adelaide in Australia, appears in the July issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism. What could be the connection? Knee-replacement surgery was more common among joggers and the obese; smokers rarely jog, and they are less likely to be morbidly obese.
After controlling for age, weight and exercise, the researchers were at a loss to explain the apparent, albeit slight protective effects of smoking for osteoporosis. It could be that the nicotine in tobacco helps prevent cartilage and joint deterioration.
2. Smoking lowers risk of Parkinson's disease
Numerous studies have identified the uncanny inverse relationship between smoking and Parkinson's disease. Long-term smokers are somehow protected against Parkinson's, and it's not because smokers die of other things earlier. [10 Easy Paths to Self-Destruction]
The most recent, well-conducted study was published in a March 2010 issue of the journal Neurology. Far from determining a cause for the protective effect, these researchers found that the number of years spent smoking, more so than the number of cigarettes smoked daily, mattered more for a stronger protective effect.
Harvard researchers were among the first to provide convincing evidence that smokers were less likely to develop Parkinson's. In a study published in Neurology in March 2007, these researchers found the protective effect wanes after smokers quit. And they concluded, in their special scientific way, that they didn't have a clue as to why.
3. Smoking lowers risk of obesity
Smoking — and, in particular, the nicotine in tobacco smoke — is an appetite suppressant. This has been known for centuries, dating back to indigenous cultures in America in the pre-Columbus era. Tobacco companies caught on by the 1920s and began targeting women with the lure that smoking would make them thinner.
A study published in the July 2011 issue of the journal Physiology & Behavior, in fact, is one of many stating that the inevitable weight gain upon quitting smoking is a major barrier in getting people to stop, second only to addiction.
The relationship between smoking and weight control is complex: Nicotine itself acts as both a stimulant and appetite suppressant; and the act of smoking triggers behavior modification that prompts smokers to snack less. Smoking also might make food less tasty for some smokers, further curbing appetite. As an appetite suppressant, nicotine appears to act on a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, at least in mice, as revealed in a study by Yale researchers published in the June 10, 2011, issue of the journal Science.
No respectable doctor would recommend smoking for weight control, given the toxic baggage accompanying cigarettes. This recent Yale study, however, does offer an inkling of hope for a safe diet drug to help obese people control their appetites.
4. Smoking lowers risk of death after some heart attacks
Compared with non-smokers, smokers who have had heart attacks seem to have lower mortality rates and more favorable responses to two kinds of therapy to remove plaque from their arteries: fibrinolytic therapy, which is basically medication; and angioplasty, which removes the plaque by inserting balloons or stents into the arteries.
There's a catch, though. The reason why smokers have heart attacks is that smoke scars the arteries, allowing fat and plaque to build up in the first place. So, one theory as to why smokers do better than non-smokers after such therapies is that they are younger, experiencing their first heart attack approximately 10 years before the non-smoker.
A study published in an August 2005 issue of the American Heart Journal, however, states that age alone is not enough to fully explain the survival differences and that "the smoker's paradox is alive and well." No alternative theories have been put forth since.
5. Smoking helps the heart drug clopidogrel work better
Clopidogrel is a drug used to inhibit blood clots for those patients suffering from coronary artery disease and other circulatory diseases leading to strokes and heart attacks. Smoking seems to help clopidogrel do its job better.
A study by Korean researchers in the October 2010 issue of the journal Thrombosis Research builds upon work by Harvard researchers published in 2009 that demonstrates the benefit of smoking at least 10 cigarettes a day. It seems that something in cigarette smoke activates certain proteins called cytochromes, which convert clopidogrel into a more active state.
Again, no respectable doctor is encouraging patients to start smoking to get the most out of clopidogrel. But this and the other four "benefits" of smoking reveal how tobacco — perhaps not unlike other potentially toxic plants — might contain certain chemicals of real therapeutic value.

Gigantic Motorcycles

2013-01-05T14:34:00.002+05:30

10 reasons to go vegeterian

2013-01-05T14:29:00.000+05:30

The New Year is here and if your New Year resolution was something like becoming a vegetarian, you are not going to lose out on much. Initially it was believed that vegetarians have nothing more than cottage cheese and potatoes to eat. But with the ever-expanding variety of vegetarian foods and delicacies being served and cooked, turning vegetarian have become a never ending spree of late. Therefore we have listed below top 10 reasons to go vegetarian.

10. Become a vegetarian, save money:

There are so many ways you’re chalking out to cut on the household expenditure this New Year. Become a vegetarian to save money can also be a worthy resolution this New Year. Being a vegetarian you can considerably reduce on your monthly food bill. And you can do this by consuming more nutrition and vitamins and being healthier than you have ever been. If saving money and being fitter is how you want to go this year, turn vegetarian and hit the nail on its head.

(img source: examiner.com)

9. Avoid bird flu:

Chicken can carry bird flu. Word Heath Organization states that if there is bird flu in some chicken or transmitted to eggs, it can be caught by people by simply eating chicken or eggs. It can also be caught by using the same cutting board used to cook the contaminated chicken. Or even by touching the shell of the infected egg. By quitting on non-vegetarian food you are not only distancing yourself from bird flu, but also many other diseases associated with meat.

(img source: naturalnews.com)

8. Helps save animals:

Choosing to be a vegetarian helps you prevent horrendous crime against animals killed for someone’s eating desires. By turning vegetarian, it is believed that one person saves about 100 odd animals from the horrible slaughter. Being vegetarian opting out from eating meat, eggs and maybe even dairy products, you are really helping the animals live better and minimize so much of unwanted suffering.

(img source: blogs.kqed.org)

7. Live longer, go vegetarian:

Researchers have shown that vegetarians can live longer, healthier lives as compared to non vegetarians. A comparison between meat eater and vegetarians shows that greater the meat consumption, the greater the death rate. It is believed by researchers that vegetarians outlive meat eater by almost six years. This is so because the vegetarian diet is full of vitamins, minerals and fibers and is great at strengthening a person’s immune system.

(img source: b4tea.blogspot.com)

6. Its playing safe being a vegetarian:

Most chronic illnesses, after waterborne diseases are caused by consumption of meat and dairy products. Maximum food-borne diseases are transmitted through meat and dairy products. Yes, fruits and vegetables can carry harmful bacteria too, but meat, poultry and sea food are most likely to cause food-borne disease, which meat eaters cannot avoid unless they turn vegetarian. You can take a step towards better health by turning vegetarian any day.

(img source: inhabitat.com)

5. Being a vegetarian is being more eco-friendly:

According to a report by the United Nations, meat eating is one of the most significant contributions to environmental problems around the globe. Eating meat hurts animals, the people and the environment alike. It takes tons of crops and water to raise farmed animals that are slaughtered for eating. Using this wasted crop for the better of people can help feed the poor and the wasted water can be conserved for the better of the environment.

(img source: scienceblogs.com)

4. Prevent cancer and heart diseases:

Vegetarian diet is low in cholesterol and saturated fat. But it is high in nutrition, minerals and fiber. The Vegetarian diet therefore decreases risk of heart disease. People who avoid meat are also believed to have lesser risk of cancer. Meat diet lacks fiber and other nutrition which can be protective against cancer. Non-vegetarian diet is rich in animal protein and saturated fat is thus more likely to cause heart diseases and cancer in people.

(img source: nytimes.com)

3. Easiest way to lose extra kilos:

Everyone wants to lose weight. Most of us may also have shedding extra pounds on our list of to-dos this New Year. If you are actually planning to lose weight, then shifting onto a vegetarian diet is probably the easiest thing to put the best foot forward. Vegetarians are much lighter and have lesser extra fats on their body as compared with meat eater. Being vegetarian is a healthy way to lose the excess fat from the body.

(img source: active.com)

2. Keep healthy and fit:

A vegetarian diet is certainly the healthiest diet possible. It is proven that vegetarians are less likely to develop chronic health problems like diabetes, heart attack and cancer. Vegetarians are also less likely to have high blood pressure in comparison to meat eaters. Vegetarians are also believed to be more energetic than meat eaters. Unlike the animal meat and saturated animal fat, vegetarian food is more nutritious and healthy.

(img source: sheknows.com)

1. Be vegetarian, be happy:

By turning vegetarian this new year, you’re not only saving the environment and animals, you are also saving yourself. It is enough a reason to be happy. But you can also be happy for the fact that by not consuming meat you are not consuming all the toxins and fat associated with meat products. A person is the happiest when he/she is healthy. And as discussed vegetarian food enhances your health and distances you from diseases. So being vegetarian is your short cut to good health and happiness.

(img source: idiva.com)

Top 5 Tamil albums of december 2012

2012-12-22T14:52:00.002+05:30

5)Alex Pandiyan

Cast :Karthi,Anushka,Santhanam,Nikitha
Music :Devi Sri Prasad
Direction : Suraaj

4)Samar

Cast : Vishal,Trisha,Sunaina,
Music : Yuvan Shankar Raja
Direction :Thiru

4)Kadal

Cast : Gowtham karthik,Thulasi nair,Arjun,Aravind swamy
Music :A.R.Rahman
Direction :Mani Ratnam

3)Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaya

Cast : Power star seenivasan,Santhanam,Sethu,Vishaka

Music : S.Thaman
Direction : K.S.Mani Kandan

2)Moondru per Moondru Kathal

Cast : Action king Arjun,Cheran,vimal,Muktha banu

Music : Yuvan Shankar Raja
Direction: S.M.Vasanth

1)Ethir Neechal

Cast : Siva Karthikeyan,Priya anand,Nandita

Music :Anirudh Ravichandran
Direction Senthil

Most inspirational verses of HOLY BIBLE

2012-12-18T14:22:00.003+05:30

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your GOD goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Philippians 4:13

"I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me."

Acts 1:8

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

1 Corinthians 10:13

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God (is) faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (it).

1 Timothy 4:12

Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love and in purity.

Matthew 28:19

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

1 Corinthians 16:14

"Let all that you do be done in LOVE."

1 Chronicles 22:13

Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Matthew 6:33

Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Ezekiel 22:14

Will your courage endure or your hands be strong in the day I deal with you? I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.

The Effects Your Courage Will Have On Others.

Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

Proverbs 3:6

Seek God's will in all you do, and he will show you the path to take.

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

1 Peter 2:24

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your hear;

don't rely on your own intelligence.

Know him in all your paths,

and he will keep your ways straight.

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning GOD created the Heavens and the Earth.

Psalms 37:7

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act.

Psalms 28:7-9

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your Inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever."

1 Timothy 6:10

For the love of money is the root of all evil: Which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Romans 12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

Romans 8:28

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love GOD: those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 10:9

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Jeremiah 29:11

I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans for good and not disaster, to give you a Future and a Hope.

Christmas 2012 Special-Lights,Home decorations and ideas

2012-12-18T14:19:00.002+05:30

May Christmas lend a special charm

To all you chance to do.

And may the season light your way

To hopes and dreams anew...

Stars of heaven, clear and bright,

Shine upon this Christmas light,

Vaster far than midnight skies,

Are its timeless mysteries.

A song was heard at Christmas

To wake the midnight sky:

A savior's birth, and peace on earth,

And praise to God on high.

The angels sang at Christmas

With all the hosts above,

And still we sing the newborn king

His glory and his love.

Carol singing, church bells ringing,
Once more Christmas time is here.
Children laughing, grownups beaming,
Hearts are warm with Christmas cheer.

Children sleeping, snow is softly falling

Dreams are calling like bells in the distance

We were dreamers not so long ago

But one by one we all had to grow up

When it seems the magic's slipped away

We find it all again on Christmas day.

Each sight, each sound of Christmas

And fragrances sublime

Make hearts and faces happy

This glorious Christmas time.

From home to home, and heart to heart,

from one place to another...

The warmth and joy of Christmas,

brings us closer to each other.

Christmas Decoration Ideas

Christmas Indoor Decorations

Beautiful Christmas Decoration Ideas

Christmas Dining Table Decorations

Beautiful Glossy Christmas Ornament

The 7th Day of Christmas

Awesome Christmas Indoor Decorations

Beautiful Christmas Tree Decorations

Christmas Living Room Decorations

Christmas Lighting Decorations

Christmas Outdoor Decorations

Beautiful Christmas Lighting Decoration Ideas

Christmas Indoor Decoration Ideas

Beautiful Purple Christmas Decoration Ideas

Christmas Dining Table Ideas

Ethir Neechal Stills

2012-12-15T12:06:00.000+05:30

Northern Cardinal-Cute brief

2012-12-10T20:49:00.000+05:30

Beauty Of Animal | Northern Cardinal | In the 1800s Cardinals were much-sought-after cage birds highly valued for their color and song. Thousands were trapped in the south in the winter and sent to northern markets, and thousands more were sent to Europe. This trade ceased, fortunately, with the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

The common and familiar Northern Cardinal is a bird whose range has expanded northward in the last 100 years. Originally a bird of the Southeast, the Northern Cardinal's range expanded north and northwest along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. In 1886 this cardinal was found only occasionally north of the Ohio River. By 1895 it had reached the Great Lakes, and by 1910, it was found in southern Ontario.

Since the 1950s, expansion to the northeast has increased whereas dispersal to the northwest has slowed. The first documented Northern Cardinal nesting in Connecticut was in 1943; it reached Massachusetts in 1958, and has since reached the southern Maritime provinces of Canada. The Cardinal is limited in the West to areas where the annual precipitation is at least 16 inches. Nationally, centers of abundance for this cardinal are along the Mississippi River and along the Colorado and Guadalupe Rivers in Texas. Less-dense populations occur in the valleys of the Ohio, Arkansas, Brazos, and Red rivers.

often sung from a high treetop song post. Females will counter sing, duetting with males—usually after the males have established territories and before nesting begins. Local variations and accents have been noted in cardinal songs.

Typical habitats are thickets and brushy areas, edges and clearings, riparian woodlands, parks, and residential areas. Here the nonmigratory cardinals feed on a variety of foods including seeds, leaf buds, flowers, berries, and fruit. Up to one-third of its summer diet can be insects. Its winter diet is 90 percent vegetable matter, especially large seeds. Winter flocks can be very large, up to 60 or 70 individuals in areas of abundance.

Description: Northern Cardinals are a medium-sized songbird (approximately 8.75 inches in length) with short, rounded wings, a long tail, a heavy conical bill, and a crest. Males are nearly all brilliant red; brownish-gray-tinged scapular and back feathers give the upper parts a less colorful appearance. The coral red bill is surrounded by a mask of black that extends to a dark eye and includes the chin and throat. Legs and feet are dark red.

The female is soft grayish brown on the back with variable areas of red on the tail, crest, and wings. The underparts are a warm pinkish brown. Her coral red bill is also surrounded by darker but not black feathers, so her mask is not as distinct as the male's. Females are slightly smaller than males. The juveniles are like females but more brown in color, with shorter crest and a blackish bill. They molt to adult plumage in fall.

The only other similar all-red birds in North America, the Hepatic and Summer Tanagers (Piranga flava and P. rubra), can be distinguished by their lack of crest and black mask and by their much slimmer bills. The related Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus) is a similarly shaped bird with a similar song that may also attend feeders in the Southwest. It is a gray bird with a touch of red on its wings, tail, and the top of its crest. The male has red on its face where the cardinal has black and rose on its breast and belly. Both male and female are distinguished by strongly curved yellow parrot-like bills rather than the straighter and longer coral-red bills of the Northern Cardinal.

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2012-12-10T20:47:00.000+05:30

Top 10 celebrities with extra fingers

2012-12-09T10:24:00.000+05:30

Polydactyly is a congenital physical anomaly of having supernumerary fingers or toes. It is also known as hyperdactyly. But is it really an anomaly or an obstacle? Certainly not for when we look at famous people who have achieved great heights of success in life despite being Polydactyly we realize it is perhaps a blessing in disguise; a sign for success! Here are top 10 famous people with extra fingers or toes.

10. Antonio Alfonseca:

A retired relief pitcher who last pitched for Philadelphia Phillies, Antonio Alfonseca was born with extra digits in both hands and feet. He was nicknamed El Pulpo (“The Octopus”), The Dragonslayer, and Six-Fingers due to his condition which he was very proud of. Florida Marlins (1997-2001, 2005), the Chicago Cubs (2002-2003), the Atlanta Braves (2004) and the Texas Rangers (2006) were some of the other clubs he played for.

(img source: allstarpics.net)

9. “Hound Dog” Taylor:

Theodore Roosevelt “Hound Dog” Taylor was born with six fingers on his left hand; perhaps one of the reasons for him being an excellent American Chicago blues guitarist and singer. ‘Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers’, his debut album which is now a major blues label, catapulted him from oblivion to popularity. It was followed by ‘Natural Boogie’ and from there onwards there was no looking back as it made him an icon for future generation of music lovers.

(img source: tumblr.com)

8. Gemma Arterton:

Arterton is a British actress who was born with an extra finger on each hand, later removed. She has starred in a number of successful projects like BBC’s adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles, James Bond film Quantum of Solace, Clash of the Titans, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Tamara Drewe. Gemma was nominated for a BAFTA in the Rising Star category.

(img source: flickeringmyth.com)

7. Robert Chambers:

He was a Scottish geologist, publisher, evolutionary thinker, author and journal editor who was the author of the controversial ‘Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation- a work of speculative natural history and philosophy’. He was born with six fingers in both hands and six toes in both feet. During his lifetime he published numerous papers and books and was also member of numerous prestigious societies which naturally made him an influential figure in mid-19^th century scientific and political circles.

(img source: juggle.com)

6. Danny Garcia:

He is an undefeated American professional boxer with six toes in right foot. He is of Puerto Rican descent and the ruling Ring Magazine, WBC and WBA (Super) Light Welterweight Champion. In 2005 he won the under 19 championship and from then onwards there was no looking back. He began at a very young age of 10. His desire is to become the next great Puerto Rican fighter.

(img source: thaboxingvoice.com)

5. Henry II the Pious:

He was born with six toes on his left foot and was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław, Duke of Kraków and thus High Duke of all Poland as well as High Duke of Southern Greater Poland from 1238 until his death in 1241. He belonged to the Silesian line of the Piast Dynasty and was an impeccable Christian knight and lord with an equally magnificent career.

(img source: jeremyhush.tumblr.com)

4. Garfield Sobers:

Also known as Gary Sobers, he is a former West Indies Cricketer who debuted in the year 1954 and is touted as one of the game’s greatest all-rounders. A versatile player he was good in all departments of the sport and captained the West Indies from 1965 to1974. Also like many celebrities and famous people on this list, he was born with extra fingers in both hands but had them removed later.

(img source: cricbuzz.com)

3. Halle Berry:

Halle Berry with an extra toe in her left foot is an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG and Academy Award winning Actress who debuted in the year 1991. She began her stint in the glamour business as a model and then worked her way into movies. With movies like X-Men (2000), Die Another Day (2002), The Flintstones (1994), Bulworth (1998) and Cloud Atlas (2012) to her credit she is definitely one of Hollywood’s A-listers.

(img source: blog.zap2it.com)

2. Hrithik Roshan:

Hrithik Roshan has an extra thumb on his right hand. He debuted with the Bollywood Box Office mega success Kaho Na Pyar Hai and went on to become one of the most popular actors of the Indian Cinema Industry. With blockbusters like Koi…Mil Gaya (2003) and its sequel Krrish (2006) and critically acclaimed performances in Guzaarish (2010), Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) and Agneepath (2012) he has indeed carved a niche for himself in Bollywood within years of making his first appearance.

(img source: jilaa.com)

1. Oprah Winfrey:

She is the extremely popular and successful American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist – with six toes on her left foot. Born into extreme poverty to a teenage single mother in Mississippi; molested and raped as a child; pregnant as a teenager; losing an infant child et al; Oprah had seen it all in her life before rising like a Phoenix. The Oprah Winfrey Show ran for 25 seasons and still remains the highest-rated talk show in American television history.

(img source: newsone.com)