Bharatham is a union of States, A balanced growth in all States is essential to overall development of a Strong Bharatham !

Ref : Prime Minister wish to lead and develop Bharatham a world No.1. Nation, this dream cannot be possible until unless  states become strong and developed!

All Members,

Respected family members of this great holy Nation.

Federalism in Indian Constitution : -

Art. I of the Indian constitution calls “India that is Bharat” “a union of states.” The term federation is absent in this description.

1. Federalism :-

Federalism is a system of government in which the power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units of the country. Usually, a federation has two levels of government. One is the government for the entire country that is usually responsible for a few subjects of common national interest. The others are governments at the level of provinces or states that look after much of the day-to-day administering of their state. Both these levels of governments enjoy their power independent of the other.

2. The Indian Federation :-

The word ‘federation’ has not been used in the constitution of India, but the Indian Union was formed on the basis of federalism.

The Constitution originally provided for a two-tier system of government. The Union Government or Central Government represents the Union of India and the State governments represent the provinces. Later, a third tier was added in the federation; with the formation of Panchayats and Municipalities.

3. Key Features of Federalism :-

Different tiers of government govern the same citizens, but each tier has its own jurisdiction in specific matters of legislation, taxation and administration.
The jurisdictions of the respective levels or tiers of government are specified in the constitution. So the existence and authority of each tier of government is constitutionally guaranteed.

The fundamental provisions of the constitution cannot be unilaterally changed by one level of government. Such changes require the consent of both the levels of government.

Courts have the power to interpret the constitution and the powers of different levels of government. The highest court acts as an umpire if disputes arise between different levels of government in the exercise of their respective powers.

Sources of revenue for each level of government are clearly specified to ensure its financial autonomy.

The federal system thus has dual objectives: to safeguard and promote unity of the country, while at the same time accommodate regional diversity.

Therefore, two aspects are crucial for the institutions and practice of federalism. Governments at different levels should agree to some rules of power sharing. They should also trust that each would abide by its part of the agreement. An ideal federal system has both aspects: mutual trust and agreement to live together.

4. Balance of Power :-

The exact balance of power between the central and the state government varies from one federation to another. This balance depends mainly on the historical context in which the federation was formed.

There are two kinds of routes through which federations have been formed; which are as follows:

Coming together federations :- This type of federation exists in the USA, Switzerland and Australia. Independent states came together on their own to form a bigger unit so that they could increase their security; while maintaining their sovereignty. In this type of federation, the constituent states have equal power and are stronger vis-à-vis the central government.

Holding together federation :- This type of federation exists in India, Spain, Belgium, etc. In this case, power is shared among various social groups to accommodate a huge diversity. In this type of federation, the central government is more powerful than the state government. Different constituents of the federation may have unequal powers. Some units are granted special powers, e.g. the case of Jammu & Kashmir in India.

5. List of Jurisdiction :-

a). Union List: Union List includes subjects of national importance; such as defence of the country, foreign affairs, banking, communications and currency. They are included in this list because we need a uniform policy on these matters throughout the country. The Union Government alone can make laws relating to the subjects mentioned in the Union List.

b). State List :- State List contains subjects of State and local importance such as police, trade, commerce, agriculture and irrigation. The State Governments alone can make laws relating to the subjects mentioned in the State List.

d. Residuary List :- Anything out of purview of above mentioned list is taken as residuary subject. Union Government has the power to legislate on these subjects.

e). Special Status :- Jammu and Kashmir has its own Constitution. Many provisions of the Indian Constitution are not applicable to this State without the approval of the State Assembly. Indians who are not permanent residents of this State cannot buy land or house here. Similar special provisions exist for some other States of India as well.

f). Union Territories :- There are some units of the Indian Union which enjoy very little power. These are areas which are too small to become an independent State but which could not be merged with any of the existing States. These areas, like Chandigarh, or Lakshadweep or the capital city of Delhi, are called Union Territories. These territories do not have the powers of a State. The Central Government has special powers in running these areas.

g). This sharing of power between the Union Government and the State governments is basic to the structure of the Constitution. It is not easy to make changes to this power sharing arrangement. The Parliament cannot on its own change this arrangement. Any change to it has to be first passed by both the Houses of Parliament with at least two-thirds majority. Then it has to be ratified by the legislatures of at least half of the total States.

6. Reasons for Success of Federalism in India : -

a). Linguistic States: The creation of Linguistic States was the first and a major test for democratic politics in our country. This was done to ensure that people who spoke the same language lived in the same State. Some States were created not on the basis of language but to recognise the differences based on culture, ethnicity or geography, e.g. Nagaland, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand.

b). Language policy: A second test for Indian federation is the language policy. Our Constitution did not give the status of national language to any one language. Hindi was identified as the official language. But Hindi is the mother tongue of only about 40 per cent of Indians. Therefore, there were many safeguards to protect other languages. Besides Hindi, there are 21 other languages recognised as Scheduled Languages by the Constitution. Hindi was not imposed on non-Hindi areas for most of the period after the independence.

c). Centre-State relations: Restructuring the Centre-State relations is one more way in which federalism has been strengthened in practice.

7. Situation during Congress Monopoly :-

For a major period; after independence; same party was in power in both centre and states in most parts of the country. Those were the days of Congress monopoly in India. In those days, the central government often undermined the rights of the state governments. Many states were brought under President’s rule at slight pretext of assertiveness from the state government.

8. Situation in the Era of Coalition Government :-

After 1989, the pattern has shifted to multi-party coalition government at the centre. As a result a new culture of power sharing and respect for the autonomy of State Governments has developed. It can be said that now the federalism is more developed in India.

9. Linguistic diversity of India : -

As per the latest Census Report, 1991 of India held in 1991 there are 1500 distinct languages. These languages were grouped together under some major languages. For example languages like Bhojpuri, Magadhi, Bundelkhandi, Chhattisgarhi, Rajasthani, Bhil and many others were grouped together under ‘Hindi’. Even after this grouping, the Census found 114 major languages. Of these 22 languages are now included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and are therefore called ‘Scheduled Languages’. Others are called ‘non- Scheduled Languages’. In terms of languages, India is perhaps the most diverse country in the world.

10. Decentralisation in India : -

A vast country like India cannot be run only through two-tiers of government as discussed above. Some of the Indian states are bigger than independent countries of Europe. The population of Uttar Pradesh is more than that of Russia. These states are internally very diverse in terms of variety of dialects, eating habits and culture.

Hence, a need for creating a third tier of government was always being felt. There are many local issues which can only be solved by a local governing body. It is also possible to ensure direct participation of people in such a governing body.

A major step towards decentralisation was taken in 1992. The Constitution was amended to make the third-tier of democracy more powerful and effective. The local governing bodies were given constitutional status.

Now it is constitutionally mandatory to hold regular elections to local government bodies.

Seats are reserved in the elected bodies and the executive heads of these institutions for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

At least one-third of all positions are reserved for women.

An independent institution called the State Election Commission has been created in each State to conduct panchayat and municipal elections.

The State governments are required to share some powers and revenue with local government bodies. The nature of sharing varies from State to State. Rural local government is popularly known by the name panchayati raj.

Each village, or a group of villages in some States, has a gram panchayat. This is a council consisting of several ward members, often called panch. The president of the panchayat is called sarpanch.

Members of a panchayat are directly elected by the all the adults who are living in the panchayat.

The local government structure goes right up to the district level. A few gram panchayats are grouped together to form what is usually called a panchayat samiti or block or mandal. The members of this representative body are elected by all the panchayat members in that area. All the panchayat samitis or mandals in a district together constitute the zilla (district) parishad. Most members of the zilla parishad are elected. Members of the Lok Sabha and MLAs of that district and some other officials of other district level bodies are also its members. Zilla parishad chairperson is the political head of the zilla parishad.

Similarly, local government bodies exist for urban areas as well. Municipalities are set up in towns. Big cities are constituted into municipal corporations. Both municipalities and municipal corporations are controlled by elected bodies consisting of people’s representatives. Municipal chairperson is the political head of the municipality. In a municipal corporation such an officer is called the mayor.

1. Uniform and simultaneous balanced developments programmes,

2. Dedicated following  of  centre instructions, by all  states,

3. Greater cooperation in centre and state relations,

4. On the whole Prime minister alone cannot implement,

5. States should take up the cause and  effect by outstanding  implementation  of  all  programmes, to make Bharatham Smart.

My viewpoints :-

1. At present states are lethargic, very slow in actions,

2. All  states play politics, and manipulate politically, to dump the programmes in waste bin.

3. States always look the center politically  as big enemy, and try to defeat the aim itself, which is the self goal, and the states not aware, because of ignorance,

4. Politics should not be mixed, as the Congress, Communists, and all  regional parties do,

5. Mainly leaders like, Sonia, Rahul, Kejriwal, Mamata, Yechury, Lalu, Mulayam, Jayalalitha, and all  other  matchstick party heads, block  all important decisions, to defeat the centre politically, and say something contradicting things to the public.

7. PM put maximum efforts to be friendly  and cooperating  mood  with  the  states,

8. But somehow, this so called opposing  mentality, do not sense the PM good intention,

9. This will  be the self goal, and stop this nonsense.

10. Today 67th republic day, keeping aside  all physical rituals of the  celebration, sincerely build up our federalism stronger,

because   “India that is Bharat” “a union of states.”

Thank you for reading

Next with another topic.

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The Architecture of Electricity is Evolving: What does this mean for investors?

We have talked about how technology is disrupting the power industry through distributed generation and in this article we’ll explore how advances in technology are creating profitable opportunities to invest in energy storage and how the smart grid will change the power industry as we know it.

Energy storage is a set of technologies capable of storing previously generated electricity and releasing that energy at a later time. This is useful for a number of reasons:

  • A disruption in one section of the grid would affect a smaller portion of users and an alternative supply source would be available to limit power interruptions.
  • Renewable energy such as solar and wind could be stored for later use, providing backup support in the event of a power failure and helping to optimize transmission and distribution systems. In addition, stored energy would help stabilize throughput, keeping the grid efficient through both peak and off-peak periods, (see chart below).

Kensington believes there are profitable investment opportunities developing in energy storage and will continue to look at opportunities in this developing area.

Source: Alberta Electric System Operator, (March 16, 2015)

Smart electricity grids are also changing the power industry in that they are more stable, increase efficiency and will allow machine-to-machine communication. Similar communication already exists on a smaller scale, but smart grids would connect more devices, allowing a more effective integration of transmission and distribution systems.

Distributed generation, a more decentralized model, is one method whose value increases immensely with machine-to-machine communication. The concept envisions much of the grid’s power generation capacity as smaller in scale but located closer to consumption centres.

As technology continues to disrupt the power industry, Kensington is seeing more opportunities for investors to get involved in a stable and growing industry that is becoming more and more reliant on private sector investments.

As the smart electricity grids become a reality and energy storage becomes profitable, Kensington will be at the forefront of smart alternative opportunities.


UNSC and sanctions: A balanced role ( GS paper 2 ,Gateway House )

The sanctions against Iran impacted the country’s oil, banking, aviation, and other sectors, and had a major humanitarian impact. But neither is armed attack a more suitable method in most instances to address allegedly recalcitrant states. What then is the middle ground? And can the UNSC assume a more proactive role in this context?
The E3 +3 countries[1] and Iran, on 14 June 2015, powered through the diplomatic impasse on Iran’s nuclear programme and signed the landmark Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The JCPOA allows Iran to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty, while curtailing its ability to develop nuclear weapons.
The JCPOA covered only sanctions imposed by UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. But the European Union and the U.S. had also imposed unilateral sanctions against Iran. In the spirit of the JCPOA, these too are being dismantled.
Sanctions have become an important tool of state diplomacy in the post-Cold War era. Though considered a relatively passive way of dealing with recalcitrant states, sanctions can have devastating consequences for the local population, on a scale similar to an armed attack. On the other hand, countries must indeed be able to take pre-emptive measures against modern military technology. What, then, is the middle ground that can protect the citizens of both sides?
The sanctions against Iran were debilitating, and impacted the country’s nuclear energy, oil and petroleum, banking, finance, aviation, and other sectors. The U.S. sanctions were the most far-reaching, including penalties on foreign companies that invested more than $20 million[2] in Iran’s petroleum sector; Iran’s state-owned or state-affiliated banks were prevented from using the U.S.’s financial system even indirectly, limiting the amount of funds that could be remitted or transferred to and by Iranian entities. The sanctions even included restrictions on the business that certain non-U.S. companies could have with Iran.
The sanctions purportedly targeted the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. The Guards rose to prominence after the 1979 revolution to protect Iran from internal and external enemies and eventually positioned themselves at the helm of major industries, including Iran’s nuclear programme. But this removed all industry competition, and introduced Guards-dominated monopolies, market distortion, and higher prices at the expense of consumers.
Since sanctions were imposed, low growth, high unemployment, 20% inflation[3], widening income inequality, energy shortages, and a falling stock market have characterised the Iranian economy.
The humanitarian impact of sanctions was evident in Iraq too in the 1990s: a lack of basic goods and services, over 1 million malnourished children, and a 70% prevalence of anaemia among women[4]. Similarly, in 2013, 50% of the Iranians surveyed by Gallup reported that within the preceding 12 months they could not afford food, shelter, or housing; 34% said that their standard of living had deteriorated[5]. Life-saving western medication became unavailable and locally produced medication became expensive.
When Israel attacked Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981 to arrest Iraq’s nuclear capability, 11 people were killed[6]. The UNSC condemned this attack. However, despite having a larger humanitarian impact, the sanctions against Iran have not been condemned, even though they were applied for the same reason as the attack on Osirak: to deter the development of nuclear weapons.
Sanctions were imposed against Iran despite a lack of concrete evidence. Iran has consistently denied developing a nuclear bomb. The International Atomic Energy Agency, after years of investigation, did not have evidence of an Iranian nuclear bomb. But the agency still concluded that it could not be sure there were no undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran.
This, however, does not imply that there should be no preventive action at all. “Nuclear hedging” or developing a nuclear weapon that stops just short of actual weaponisation (thereby staying within the confines of international law), is a risk against which pre-emptive action may be required.
An equal threat is that the nuclear material may reach terrorist organisations like the Islamic State. Under Muammar Gaddafi, Libya was rumoured to have been developing a nuclear bomb. Given the present situation in Libya, a nuclear arsenal in the hands of any of the warring factions would be catastrophic. In such a context, preventive action, including sanctions, was indeed required.
Unlike sanctions, under international law force as “self-defence” can only be used if a threat is reasonably perceived to be imminent. Without such a threat, there can be no right to pre-emptive self-defence. Going by these guidelines, no state could have attacked Iran without UN approval, since there was no imminent threat. Sanctions, thus, was the preferred route.
Separately, in December 2011, the UN General Assembly reaffirmed on the 1970 Declaration on Friendly Relations, which urges states to refrain from unilateral economic and trade sanctions that are not in accordance with international law or the UN Charter. The Doha Mandate at the 13th UNCTAD session in April 2012 echoed this principle.
But then should force be used instead of sanctions? In 2004, a UN High-level Panel of Experts addressed the issue of “not imminent but… real (risks)” like a state “with (an) allegedly hostile intent of nuclear weapons-making capability”[7] and stated that such unilateral pre-emptive self-defence does not exist. However, recognising that in some cases pre-emptive strikes may be needed, the panel said that such action must be sanctioned by the UNSC case-specifically.
This is a practical view that can be extended to sanctions as well. As a multistate body, the UN can decide on sanctions in a more balanced manner, since different states are likely to be concerned with different facets of the sanctions. The UNSC has the option of amending sanctions or voting against them, acting as a mediating factor, and helping reach the middle ground.

Source: New feed

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Chrome’s requestAutocomplete()

Another Google I/O, and another raft of awesome products. One announced API that I’m particularly excited about is requestAutocomplete(), a feature which is landing in Chrome Canary for Windows and Mobile (with OSX support coming shortly). What this API does, in a nutshell, is give you programatic access to autocomplete (or autofill) data.

Autocomplete was originally designed to make it quicker to fill out forms, but what if we could remove the forms altogether! Back in June I proposed just such an API - a way to programmatically retrieve autofill data stored in the browser. The proposal has evolved, improved, and is now going to be baked into future versions of Chrome.

What does it look like? Essentially it involves calling requestAutocomplete() on a form element. The form doesn’t necessarily need to be shown to the user, but the browser uses it to detect which input types to autocomplete.

<button id="checkout">Checkout</button>

<form id="payment" hidden>
  <input autocomplete="cc-name" name="myname">
  <input autocomplete="cc-number" name="ccnumber">
  <input autocomplete="cc-exp" name="ccexp">

    var form = document.getElementById('payment');
    var button = document.getElementById('checkout');

    if (!("requestAutocomplete" in form)) return;

    button.addEventListener('click', function(){

    form.addEventListener('autocomplete', function(){
      // The form contains the data. We could either submit it, or read the data

Once requestAutocomplete() has been called, a permissions info dialog will be displayed by Chrome, prompting the user to share their information with the page.

What does this mean in practice? It means that we can replace most forms with two-click signups and two-click payments, dramatically improving usability and conversion rates.

The fact that most people already have autofill data already in Chrome, and that Chrome is an evergreen browser automatically updating itself, should mean adoption of this API will be swift. Once businesses see improved conversion rate data (something we’re working on demonstrating), then integrating with this API should be a no brainer. My hope is that other browser vendors will follow suit and also implement support.

You can find the preliminary API docs on chromium.org.

Now read this

I’ve been working on a project called Monocle these past few weeks, and it’s time to show it to the world. Monocle is an experiment in creating a friendly and intelligent community around sharing quality content with a focus on... Continue →


Aamir Khan’s New TV AD Is Going Viral For All The Right Reasons

Aamir Khan and director Nitesh Tiwari broke gender stereotype with ‘Dangal,’ which became the highest grosser, entering the 385 crore club. The film encouraged and highlighted women empowerment and has received the positive response from the critics as well as the cine-goers.

With Women’s Day approaching, the duo has come together once again to lend their support towards strengthening the position of women and celebrating them.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Aamir features in a new Star Plus ad where he subtly communicates the importance of a “Nayi Soch” which puts the spotlight on one of the nation’s biggest social issues of gender inequality and takes it head on.

He expresses how the credit of the success of his business goes to his daughters who came up with innovative ideas to promote the business.

The ad has a lasting impression on the minds of the audience and takes them back to ‘Dangal’ The advertisement reemphasizes the line from the film, “Maari chhoriyaan chhoron se kam hai ke?” which had caught everyone’s attention.


Mokele-Mbembe: Living Dinosaurs of the Congo

13792864_f520Within central Africa is a territory known as Congo Basin, a sprawling tapestry of dense jungles, flowing streams, flooded bogs and vast savannas. Over ten-thousand varieties of tropical plants cover the land, thirty percent of which are unique to this area. Inhabiting these five hundred million acres are a plethora of endangered wildlife including gorillas, elephants and chimpanzees. A total of four-hundred varieties of mammals call the region home. According to many indigenous people there is another elusive species that roams the deep Congo, a creature known as Mokele-mbembe.

In the Lingala language this name translates to “one who stops the flow of rivers”. Based on eye-witness accounts, the semi-aquatic monster is described as closely resembling a sauropod. It possesses a long snake-like neck which is supported by a round grayish-colored body. They can reach heights of over thirty feet and frequently pluck leaves from tall trees. Some allege there is a spike atop the ancient being’s head. Natives both revere and fear this enigmatic and territorial beast. Some claim Mokele-mbembe is supernatural in nature and should be avoided at all costs.

map_of_democratic-republic-of-congoWesterners first began catching wind of the unaccounted herbivore over two hundred years ago, a time when dinosaurs remained undiscovered. Explorers who traveled to the distant landmass heard legends from nearby citizens regarding an unidentified forest-dwelling animal. One early account occurred in 1776 when French missionaries discovered huge footprints in a rural location. These tracks were similar to the size of an elephant’s, about three feet in circumference, with long claw-marks present. Each church member was perplexed as to what could have created such bizarre impressions. An escorting priest then shared he previously encountered the source firsthand. According to the man of god, he observed a prehistoric-looking brute feasting on vegetation.

During the early nineteen hundreds a German Captain, Ludwig Freiherr von Stein, was visiting the remote district. Trusted Congolese leaders warned von Stein of an enormous reptile that lived nearby. Independent sources all recounted an identical character adding further validity to such grandiose declarations. Despite extensively searching the surrounding wilderness the respected commander was unable to find hard evidence of Mokele-mbembe. Von Stein interviewed many tribesmen and chronicled his findings. In 1959 science writer Willy Ley published this section of von Stein’s report:

“The animal is said to be of a brownish-gray color with a smooth skin, its size is approximately that of an elephant; at least that of a hippopotamus. It is said to have a long and very flexible neck and only one tooth but a very long one; some say it is a horn. A fews18spoke about a long, muscular tail like that of an alligator. Canoes coming near it are said to be doomed; the animal is said to attack the vessels at once and to kill the crews but without eating the bodies.The creature is said to live in the caves that have been washed out by the river in the clay of its shores at sharp bends. It is said to climb the shores even at daytime in search of food; its diet is said to be entirely vegetable. This feature disagrees with a possible explanation as a myth. The preferred plant was shown to me, it is a kind of liana with large white blossoms, with a milky sap and applelike fruits. At the Ssombo River I was shown a path said to have been made by this animal in order to get at its food. The path was fresh and there were plants of the described type nearby. But since there were too many tracks of elephants, hippos, and other large mammals it was impossible to make out a particular spoor with any amount of certainty.”

By 1932 news of the alleged saurian was spreading throughout Europe and the Americas. One British naturalist toured Likouala in hopes of catching a glimpse of the obscure giant. While traveling by canoe he began hearing intense and frightening sounds. These bellowing roars were completely different from any organism he had previously encountered. Although a lengthy investigation was conducted the thunderous source was never identified and the researcher returned home empty-handed.

canoe-krabi-landscape-1031798That same year Ivan T. Anderson, famed zoologist and biologist, embarked on a journey to the mysterious land. As he and his endemic friends leisurely paddled down a river they began hearing haunting noises, comparable to loud rumbles produced by an earthquake. Suddenly the water beneath burst into an eruption of bubbles and a gargantuan shape emerged. Anderson said its head alone was the size of a hippopotamus and resembled something that should have gone extinct thousands of centuries ago. His aboriginal companions were familiar with this primitive entity. They informed their traumatized companion that the mythical breed goes by the name Mokele-mbembe.

Less than two decades after this bizarre incident an equally intriguing sighting took place. One warm summer day a group of English soldiers went swimming at Lake Barombi in Northern Cameroon. As the men were cooling off in the picturesque oasis an enormous figure surfaced nearby. Terrified, the troop frantically swam towards land. Once safely on shore they watched in horror as a pair of massive reptiles emerged from the murky abyss. Each possessed scaly skin and long necks with the larger specimen bearing a horn. Observers were utterly perplexed as to what these strange amphibious habitants might be.

mokelerebAnother fascinating case involves a reverend named Eugene Thomas. Since the 1950s he had journeyed to Congo Basin repeatedly on various mission excursions. Over time the clergy built a sincere relationship with local residents. Twenty years into his frequent trips one group of pygmies recounted a disturbing tale. Apparently, not long ago,  abominable reptilian  beasts began to intrude on their territory. Fishing, a vital source of sustenance, became increasingly difficult with creatures’ constant interference. In order to protect themselves they made the decision to erect a spiked fence around their waterside settlement.

Soon after, a rogue vertebrate broke through the defensive barrier. Alarmed tribal members began to throw spears and fatal wounds were inflicted. Dozens of victorious warriors harvested its colossal carcass succeeding the slaying. That night a feast ensued and many men, women and children consumed its meat. Those who ate the flesh quickly perished of a terribly agonizing sickness. Remaining pygmies who had not ingested the tainted fare were horror-stricken and utterly terrified. Following this tragedy, frightened survivors drew the conclusions that Mokele-mbembe was a paranormal spirit. Interestingly, during the early 1980s, remains of a sharpened fence were found surrounding the village.

57c39dba4d22dca525cc4aad3bcfffa2Japanese trailblazers trekked to the exotic continent in 1988. Their goal was to capture footage of the fabled Congo inhabitant. Jose Bourges, a renown environmental official, led the expedition. While filming areal footage over Lake Tele, a videographer noticed something anomalous beneath the plane. He examined the strong wake and attempted to focus on whatever was creating this disturbance. Unfortunately, in his eager and excitable state, the cameraman did not initially remove the lens cap. Ultimately only fifteen-seconds of footage was captured. Viewers of the brief clip are torn: some believe it’s merely an elephant, others feel something entirely different was recorded.

Writer Rory Nugent visited Africa to study the world’s largest swamp. In December of 1985 he spotted a peculiar form moving across the lagoon. Closer inspection revealed it was in fact the legendary critter. Nugent moved his boat to get a better view and watched in fascination while taking several photographs. Before he could get closer look accompanying Congolese guides demanded him to stop at gunpoint. Back at camp they instructed him to destroy all the film which had been shot. Due to superstitious beliefs, locals felt that keeping the pictures would anger Mokele-mbembe and put them in great danger.

beautiful-cascade-creek-460621Doctor Roy Mackal, biochemist and evolutionist, dedicated his life to the pursuit of cryptozoology. Mackal was determined to prove the existence of supposed African dinosaurs. Interviews were conducted with tribes throughout multiple nations. These groups had no communication with each other nor the outside world. However, each person shared identical descriptions of the creature ranging from physical appearance to behavioral traits. During another excursion he presented flashcard illustrations to dozens of residents. Some were familiar, such as hippos, others like American black bears were completely foreign. They recognized domestic inhabitants but could not identify overseas varieties. Shockingly, when shown a rendering depicting a brontosaurus, they positively identified the sketch as Mokele-mbembe.

Science teacher Peter Beach was determined to uncover tangible proof of the shy vegetarian. Whilst exploring a muddy shoreline in 2006 he stumbled upon abnormally large footprints with prominent claws present. Surrounding canopies with abundant foliage had been completely stripped at heights in excess of eighteen feet. Giraffes, the only reasonable culprit, do not occupy this part of the country. Perplexed, Beach took snapshots to document his peculiar findings. Plaster castings were made from the unique impressions. Further analysis of the tracks has brought forward more questions than answers.

images.jpegBy 2009 researchers once again undertook the quest for Mokele-mbembe. Credible informants relay that during dry seasons the cryptid hides in natural caves. Air passages are dug along the riverside and eventually dry out becoming similar to concrete. Such structures ensure they have ample air supply to last through lengthy hibernative states. Investigative parties located several of these formations along the muddy embankment. Implementation of a fish finder provided further fascinating discoveries. Numerous serpentine figures moved below the dismal depths. Experts were extremely baffled by the specimens’ astonishing size. Unfortunately, severe thunderstorms forced the team to abruptly abort their mission before definitive data could be obtained.

Much of the Congo remains unseen by human eyes. Earth’s final frontier is filled with dangerous predators, deadly insects, armed militias and extreme weather. Such factors cause much hindrance on further exploration of this rugged terrain. It was not until 1998 that the four-thousand pound Javan rhino was recognized. Only five years ago, in 2013, a quarter-ton pygmy tapir was positively identified. It’s entirely plausible that an unknown species is avoiding detection within the depths of Africa. However, until hard evidence surfaces we can only theorize and evaluate spectators’ testimonies. For now Mokele-mbembe will remain one of the world’s greatest mysteries.

Do you think it’s possible that dinosaurs still exist? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Living Among Bigfoot: An Interview with Tom Lyons

Throughout my entire life I have been drawn to all things Sasquatch-related. Watching the infamous Patterson-Gimlin Film as a young child filled me with both horror and intense intrigue. When most of my peers pursued typical teenage endeavors, I was listening to the Sierra Sounds or researching native ‘wild man’ legends. Over the last two decades I have watched countless documentaries, seen dozens of TV shows and read a myriad of Bigfoot books. By far the most compelling story I have come across in my lengthy investigation is a firsthand account recounted by Tom Lyons.

This week I am honored to be sharing an interview with Mr. Lyons, a Kindle Bestseller and author of the riveting series Living Among Bigfoot. Ten years ago he moved from Wisconsin to the vast wilderness of Idyllwild, California in hopes of living more healthfully. After settling into his quaint countryside cottage several terrifying events suddenly occurred. At first the former skeptic believed someone was messing with him. All of this would change once he came face to face with a creature which he never thought existed. Tom’s previously normal life would soon be turned upside down. Living Among Bigfoot chronicles the repeated Sasquatch encounters which he has experienced.

DTCH: Can you tell me a little bit about what your life was like in Wisconsin?

TL: Well, my life was certainly nothing out of the ordinary. I worked at a grocery store chain called “Piggly Wiggly” for years after high school while developing various business ideas. Once the internet became prevalent, one of those ideas ultimately evolved into an online business. I’m not going to give too much away on the business (as I eventually sold it), but I will say that anti-virus software was the initial product upon which the business was built.

DTCH: Why did you decide to move to that specific part of California? Had you visited the town before?

TL: I know it sounds sorta silly, but no, I hadn’t visited Idyllwild prior to my move. I had read great things about it and it was at a time in my life where I was enthusiastic about taking a shot in the dark so to speak. The major advantage of making your income from the web is that you can work from virtually anywhere.

DTCH: Why have you now decided to share your story with the world?

TL: I’ve listened to quite a few podcasts where people courageously share their encounters and in some cases the government has even warned them not to. They inspired me to share mine but I’d still prefer to maintain my private life, hence the pen-name. I’m quite the introvert.

DTCH: What do you feel the motivation is for officials who continue to conceal information from the general public?

TL: I get into all of that later in the series, but either way I don’t feel it’s possible to answer that in short form.

DTCH: Do you think full disclosure on this topic would be a good thing? How would society handle such news?

TL: This is something that I still feel very torn on. A large part of me doesn’t appreciate the deception, but another part of me believes certain things are better left alone by certain people, if you catch my drift.

DTCH: Can you describe the physical appearance of Bigfoot? Is the Patterson-Gimlin Film an accurate representation?

TL: All I can really tell you right now is that multiple types do exist, some of which look quite different than others. However, I will say that ‘Patty’ reminds me of what I came across in Idyllwild in terms of looks, but the movement was really quite different (that’s not to say that the one I saw isn’t capable of such motion), and I’m certainly not trying to discredit that video footage as it is obviously very impressive.

DTCH: On the topic of Patterson-Gimlin, do you feel that footage is legitimate?

TL: I do feel it’s legitimate.

DTCH: Do you have an estimated number of what the North American Bigfoot population might be?

TL: That’s a question that still baffles me to this day, but if I had to take a stab at it, I’d say many thousands if you were to include all members of each species.

DTCH: Was there a strong odor that the creature produced?

TL: I’ve come across many strange and even grotesque odors while outdoors, but in Idyllwild I was never able to indisputably isolate the creatures as being the source of the strong odor. As for other regions, you’ll have to read on!

DTCH: Would you say Bigfoot is more human-like, more ape-like, or a 50/50 combination?

TL: To put it simply, I think it’s something else entirely, but I’ll get more into that later in the series.

DTCH: Cultures around the world all have their own legends and versions of Sasquatch: Skunk Ape, Yeti, Yowie, etc. Do you think other parts of the country or world also have Bigfoot?

TL: They absolutely do. 100%.

DTCH: Do you still live in that area? If so, do you continue to encounter the creature?

TL: I no longer live in that area. I skipped around for quite a few years after leaving the region.

DTCH: What are your thoughts on the theory that Bigfoot produces infrasound?

TL: Other creatures possess similar abilities, so why can’t a creature such as this? They are insanely impressive in a multitude of ways.

DTCH: With today’s available technologies why don’t we have more evidence such as photos and videos?

TL: I’m begging for someone to find the courage to whip out an iPhone and aim it at one of these things when close enough to even attempt a quality shot. Believe me, if you see one of them that close in person, you’ll know EXACTLY what I’m talking about. I believe someone out there does indeed have the necessary composure for such a task, however the time frame they’d have to do such a thing is incredibly small and with how terrifying it is to be in that situation it doesn’t surprise me that no one has any footage of the things.

The fourth installment, Living Among Bigfoot: Unexpected Visitors, will be released on April 15th and can be purchased on Amazon. For those with any interest in cryptozoology, the outdoors, or a love of suspenseful mysteries, these books will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. I would like to thank Mr. Lyons for sharing his insight and answering my questions. You can find him on Instagram and Twitter for more information about the series.

Bigfoot: a Global Phenomenon

Aboriginal cave paintings in Australia depict an unknown creature.

Chimiset/ Nandi Bear

Skunk Ape

Almas illustrations are found in a Tibetan medicinal book.

A statue in China depicts a Yeren mother and her young.

Orang Pendek

El Chupacabra: Science Fiction or Undiscovered Species?

Chupacabra sightings occur throughout South America.

Madelyne Tolentino’s sketch of what she witnessed outside her window.

Are Chupacabras related to extraterrestrials?

Many supposed sightings are misidentified dogs, raccoons or coyotes.

Missing 411: Hundreds of Strange Disappearances in our National Parks

Author of the Missing 411 book series, David Paulides.

  • Weather-related phenomenon. Shortly after the individual goes missing the forecast takes a drastic turn. Torrential rain, lightning, fog, sand storms or blizzards occur which delay search parties.
  • Extreme ends of the intellectual scale. On one side there are well educated people such doctors, psychiatrists and physicists. Others have disabilities such as autism or Down Syndrome.

Owl-Witches & Werewolves of the Everglades

Covering nearly 2,000 square miles of southern Florida is a freshwater marsh known as the Everglades. There are tales that this area is home to a number of mysterious cryptids. Supposed inhabitants include Skunk Apes and anacondas so large that they can swallow alligators whole. Indigenous tribes speak of some lesser-known creatures. According to the Seminole, ominous owl-witches and werewolves roam the swampy land.

Stigini, also called Ishtikini or Stikini, are sinister shape-shifters which usually resemble a massive great horned owl with dark menacing eyes. During the day they appear as ordinary people but once the sun sets they transform into a nine-foot tall feathered being. The metamorphosis occurs through vomiting their souls and internal organs each evening. By night they hunt for victims so that they can eat mortal’s hearts to take on their appearance. These entities are essentially zombies whose sole existence is the consumption of human flesh.

Although the translation of Stigini means horned owl, they can also take on the appearance of other animals. On rare occasions they resemble bear, wolves or coyotes. Certain Seminole groups warn that speaking their name aloud puts you at risk for turning into one. In certain cases only revered tribal elders are permitted to tell these stories. Other communities treat the mysterious lore more casually and even use the fable to frighten children into behaving.

Similar myths are shared by various cultures around the world. In Mexican folklore the Lechuza is a large and magical bird who seeks revenge on those that have wronged her. West Virginia has legends of Mothman, a mysterious winged humanoid who is said to be an omen of impending doom. Greek mythology spoke of Strige, a wicked vampiric screech owl forced to live in an upside-down world. Other Native Americans believed that Thunderbirds had supernatural strength and powers.

Hatcko-tcapko, also referred to as Long Ears, is a werewolf-like beast. They wander the desolate marshlands by moonlight. Eyewitnesses accounts state that these beings are donkey to ox-sized and has a fusion of both deer and wolf features. As the name may imply, its ears are enormous and pointed. Long thin legs support their oversized hooked paws. At the end of Long Ear’s grey fur covered body is a bushy horse tail.

Those who encounter this creature describe smelling a foul odor when they are within close proximity. Similar to many reported Bigfoot encounters, this putrid scent is a frequent sign of its presence. Seminole were cautious to never get too close to Long Ears because of his ability to infect people with deadly diseases. Despite Hatcko-tcapko’s horrifying appearance and dangerous nature, he is not believed to be malicious.

Florida’s monsters of yesterday have been replaced with viral modern day alternatives: cannibals, zombies and living dinosaurs. Indigenous people could have merely been describing their own bizarre encounters in an era before the internet or cable TV. Roughly 200 species are going extinct each day on Earth. It’s entirely plausible that unknown animals lived in the Everglades centuries ago. What’s even more intriguing is the possibility that some may have survived.

If you’re ever had any strange encounters in rural Southern Florida feel free to share your experiences. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Mothman: Legitimate Cryptid or Urban Legend?

Initial Encounters

The Silver Bridge Tragedy

Untimely Deaths

Possible Explanations

Bigfoot: the Most Compelling Evidence

Patterson/ Gimlin Film

Sierra Sounds

Hair Samples & Castings


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198 Threads found on edaboard.com: 12v 24v
finding it difficult to design clean 24v DC to 12v DC converter for 12v LCD TV's in big cars
if your input is 12v, and output is 24v, 20A...then your peak input current in the inductor could be as low as 45A or so. ILL SEND YOU BOOST SIM AND YOU CAN GET INTO IT. (sorry about capitals) - - - Updated - - - here, not your spec but youll get into it. iTS FRee ltspice sim - - -
I have a transformer of an old UPS Implying it steps up 12v (24v) to mains ACV. A clever designer might (for all we know) install more windings to step down mains AC to charge the battery pack. It will require a lot of testing, if you wish to figure out step up/down ratios, etc. Take ohm readings. Make a list of all
It does not seem likely that the unit would have a single 6V battery, delivering 750W. That's over 125 Amperes. When I opened up my UPS, I saw four 6V gel cells, in series. 24v total. Perhaps yours is similar? Can you open the cabinet and see whether you could hook up your 12v battery? Or perhaps it needs two. You may need to attach custom t
Hello, I would like to build a small symmetric PSU (<3A) for my projects. Space is limited so I am thinking of using a 24v laptop smpsu and connect at it's output this circuit to have a +/-12v symetric PSU. 1. In this configuration, will the opamp output ground be
It might be difficult finding a commercial power module with a wide enough input voltage range. Most are nominally 12v or 24v input, and probably will not reach far enough. 4:1 input range, specifically 9-36 V is a kind of industry standard. Tracopower TEN 6-2413WIN e.g. fits exactly the OP's specification.
It is called power inverter. You can find a lot of options for automotive applications, with 12v or 24v.
To get this circuit to work yo need to connect the pullup resistor to 24v(not 12v), and add a resistor between Q11 collector and Q10 gate. This will create a voltage divider that will keep the Gate Vgs <20V. 10k should do the trick. The current circuit will be activated all the time, regardless of the Q11's state. This is if the 12v and (...)
This thread discusses a similar topic. Start with a single 24v supply, obtain +12 -12v split supply with virtual ground. It has a possible solution: two stacked capacitors similar to your C1-C2. Each one is charged alternately by a half-bridge. If you wish, add a single inductor in the center, to create a dual-purpose buck converter. https://w
With a 24v supply, the relay coil will have 12v across it and the series resistor with the same resistance as the relay coil will also have 12v across it.
THe current for Fans starts at a fairly constant current and then rises slowly to perhaps double the current from 12 to 24v as more work is done pushing air. Typical 4" muffin fans take about 5W and you would get perhaps 20% of the RPM at 12v. Adding resistors would only reduce the fan speed and dissipate more power in the series R's and be ineff
Hi friends I am having 24v 200ma power supply i have to convert it into 12v 3amps supply how can i convert it if i am giving input of 24v 200ma to lm350 regulator it will convert 12v 3amps is this correct or what will be the best method to decrease the volt into 12v and increase current into (...)
you must not connect a 12v inverter to a 24v battery, you will blow its fuse and if it did work for a few seconds it would produce twice the mains voltage that would burn out your PC and lights. The best you can do is to split the batteries into pairs and feed each pair (12v) into the inverter one pair at a time, but you must try and use (...)
Depends greatly on your heatsink thermal resistance how much current and heat rise to say 70'C I succesfully use 4S on 12v on AWG18 with 30AWG drops for Rs equalization of 0.1Ohm or 6S on 18 or 19V or 8S on 24v or 24S on 48V. So no loss on regulator and adjust supply drop with long wire suitable guage for 100% voltage matched between supply an
Are you sure that the flyback converter is regulated for secondary voltage of 12v? The waveform rather looks like 24v secondary voltage with the given turns ratio.
i need to make a power supply that generates +24v, +12v, -12v, +5V, +3.3V DC from 110/230VAC. I Have 0 experience in power supply design. Lets put questions one by one. 1. what type of supply i should go for? smps or linear power supply? and why?
Hello, What is the accepted standard commercial & industrial voltage bus level for solar panel outputs? Is it 12v or 24v, or something else? (That is, considering that that an 220VAC inverter is not used.)
There should be a comparator that works with nominal uC voltage ( 5V ) for each PLC output.Comparators can be programmed in according with output levels-for instance- 20V for 24v output, 10V for 12v output so on.. Finally the comparator outputs will always be 0 or 5V when the signals levels' exceed the programmed value..
Hi, I am following the circuit here I am using 12v instead of 24v. 115245 I have not connected a pic to pin A and B yet. Instead I am using a potentiometer. I ground pin A and then drive B with the pot for one direction and then alternate for another direction. T
Hi! I am converting 24v to 12v using a R-7812-0.5 converter, but I have some current sensitive components connected to the 12v circuit. So my question is will this converter always send 500mA, or is that dependent on the current consumption in the circuit? Maybe it?s a stupid question, but I am a software guy working on a school project, (...)


Tampere Ambassador: Aleksandr Fedorov

Where are you from?
I'm from Russia, Saint-Petersburg.

What would you like to tell about yourself?
I'm a software engineer and PhD student, passioned about art, music and Computer Science. I can play a little on a saxophone and draw anything, love to read a lot of books at the same time.

What makes Tampere special for you?
Tampere is the first city outside the Russia, where I spent more than one week. Wonderful 6 months via exchange program! I think this journey boosted my career and love for Computer Science. And people, so many students from different countries, so many activities!

Tell about your professional activities?
Working hard as Software Engineer in different areas, trying to create my own companies.

What is your involvement in international activities?
I want to participate in International activities, for now it's limited by conferences and publications in scientific journals.

What is your mission as a Tampere Ambassador?
As a Tampere ambassador I will invite as many people as I can in Saint-Petersburg to visit, work and study in Tampere, because it's a great place to start something new. I will learn from other ambassadors their goals and missions and I hope I will help them too.

What potential do you see for Tampere in the future?
Tampere could be a very good center of startups and place for studying, creating new things. Beautiful nature and good community can help to make it smoothly.

Aleksandr Fedorov


We decided to share some stories from entrepreneurs requesting and receiving Kiva loans. This is where your loans go!

Meet Gulnora, an experienced farmer from a small town in Northern Tajikastan. She is 50 years old and a widowed mother of six. Losing her husband and raising her children alone has been very difficult, but Gulnora is hardworking, goal-oriented, and knows how to succeed in crop-agriculture. She is a wise woman and a permanent client of Kiva’s regional partner organization, IMON, and she has a good credit history.

She is seeking a loan to buy fertilizer, natural chemicals, seeds, etc. for making the land productive. This would improve her harvest season next year, she will use the extra earnings to provide food and clothing for her family.

(Story and picture provided by Kiva).


Trust is the building block of all organisations, if not everything in life, and is the single factor that makes or breaks business success. According to the 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer Report (as shown in figure one), we are facing a global trust crisis with the constant cases of manipulating (and fake) news on social media and the fallen state of the Government, and a decline in leadership credibility. Businesses are struggling to reduce the turnover rate as a result of a damaged belief system. The consequences can be way worse than that if we don’t tackle the trust issue appropriately.

Figure 1. Most trusted spokesperson (Source:

As shown in the report, an alarming 40 percent of the surveyed Malaysian employees shows distrust in their CEOs as compared to the global rate at 37 percent. It indicates that today’s employees, the majority of whom are millennials, are more self-oriented than their older generations. They simply believe that one has to follow exactly what their bosses ask them to. In fact, trust is instilled more evidently in peers, with 60 percent of the respondents agree that ‘a person like yourself’ is the most credible source of information. That being said, the issues with trust often happen between an employee and his or her supervisor or manager, rather than peer-to-peer.

Why do people lose trust?

The main cause of this failed belief in leadership is greatly due to the following factors:

  • Lack of transparency. ‘Closed-door’ policies, such as top-down communication or limited information on the company growth, often do harm to the employee-employer relationships. When the employees are not provided with sufficient information related to their work, they would automatically have doubts in the management. Trust is a two-way street; you get what you put out there.
  • Lack of communication. Trust is built upon credibility and credibility is conveyed through effective communication. When employees have a vehicle to express their thoughts and managers are able to address all the workplace issues with clarity, the organisation will also become more trusting. Vice versa, a lack of communication will create unnecessary conflicts, which may lead to further rumours and tension among the employees.
  • Lack of managerial acumen. Naturally, a subordinate often expects his or her manager to be able to make informed decisions as and when problems arise. Failure to do so will put the managers through the risks of losing credibility to their direct reports. Gen Y employees are eager to prove themselves at work, hence they perceive the manager’s’ inability to make certain decisions as a barrier to their advancement in the organisation.
  • Lack of integrity. The biggest driver of trust is integrity, regardless of the organisation structure and hierarchy system. As for the higher-up, it has everything to do with ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone and to the employees, the same level of integrity is expected when it comes to work ownership and loyalty.
  • Lack of competence. In order to establish trust in their team, leaders must first focus on developing their competence. The more knowledgeable a manager can prove him or herself to be, the better he or she will understand the subordinates’ roles and responsibilities. It also reflects a person’s attitudes in the workplace and complemented by a respective level of trust (reliability) that other people have in them.

Related ArticleHR Best Practices from Fortune’s Top 10 Companies 2017

Building trust in the workplace: It’s everyone’s job

Trusting and being trustworthy are inseparable in all relationships. You can’t enforce trust without showing the same level of trustworthiness. Therefore, it requires both employers and employees to work together to build trust, and it takes almost the same disciplines for both sides to achieve the desired change in the workplace.

Let’s first identify the existing or potential problems that affect employee sentiment toward trust. We can measure the behavioural attributes to manage one’s trust issue, which consists of engagement, collaboration, and loyalty.

Employees tend to slack off from work when they fail to realise the purpose of their jobs. Sadly, without a shared goal that glues the leaders and their team together, it’s impossible to build trust. As an individual contributor, one must learn to understand the bigger picture and that their works have a substantial impact on the team, no matter how minor or major the assignment is. That mindset is a trust enabler, firstly in one’s self and secondly, in the leader’s vision.

As mentioned in the beginning of the article, a person is more likely to trust in his or her peers than in the management. With that said, collaboration comes off as the second most influential attribute of trust. While collaboration or teamwork is rather subjective, it can tell a lot about a person’s trustworthiness. In the business context, most people rely on a written agenda to work together as a team, which does very little to help gain authentic trust. In order to achieve a more genuine collaboration, it’s imperative to improve one’s skills and competence and in turn, gain a certain level of credibility in front of other colleagues.

Loyalty in today’s workplace is a debatable concept since most people switch jobs to accelerate their career trajectory. Although job-hopping is not a negative thing as long as it makes progressive sense; it does, however, influence how people measure trust in an organisation. Disloyalty has less to do with the organisation’s performance but more about the individual’s mindset. People who are devoted to their companies because they genuinely enjoy the work will find it easier to trust in their growth with said companies. On the other hand, those who are determined to stay for a fixed period of time only to move on more quickly indeed don’t have trust in the organisation.

On the other side of the table, business leaders can refer to the trust equation, developed by Trusted Advisor’s Founder Charles H. Green, to understand more about trusting and being trustworthy. It comprises of four variables: credibility, reliability, intimacy, and self-orientation.

To put things into perspective, we’ll explain the qualities of trust based on the following behaviours:

  • Credibility. Constantly develop leadership competencies to ensure effective management styles and profound knowledge of every task. People naturally expect their managers to be the source of information through which they can benefit from in terms of professional development. Not only that, a good leader must also be able to convince his or her staffs to follow their direction and trust in their actions.
  • Reliability. Trust is best tested in challenging times as gold is tested by fire. One of the many ways for managers to build trust is through the ways they handle conflicts, which is to take the blame and give credits (never the other way around). This gesture helps employees feel safe to raise their concerns whenever things go wrong and to contribute without fear of failure. In return, the leaders will be able to foster a culture of open communication and to connect with everyone more personally.
  • Intimacy. This value stems from the manager’s relationships with his or her team, referring to not just the formal collaboration at work but also the emotional attachment when it comes to every individual’s struggles. So in order to build trust, a leader must treat the information that reaches them as confidential, yet sensitive enough to address certain issues to help their employees maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Combining all the factors in the numerator, it’s clear that to increase trustworthiness is to create a workplace in which the manager’s role is less of a commander and more of the role model for the employees.

Last but not least, while keeping the numerator values upward, one must pay attention to the dominator ‘self-orientation’ as well. Because the only way to build trust in others is to put their best interests in mind above personal desires. This factor indicates the manager’s personal bias when it comes to workplace management. It’s as simple as avoid playing favourites and ensuring equal opportunities for all.


If you're hoping to look like a toned goddess in time for your beach holiday this summer, never fear - personal trainer Brian Keane is here to help.

The former fitness model has shared his top tips for getting a 'bikini body' in just a few weeks.

"It depends on your starting point, but provided you're not massively overweight, anybody can get into pretty decent shape within a six week period," he told RSVP Live.

"It's just cleaning up your nutrition and adding a bit of extra cardio. You should be working out between three and five times a week.

"Nutrition is the most important thing - you're better off doing just three 20 minute, high intensity workouts with a good diet than seven workouts with a bad diet.

"Use the holiday as a motivation tool."

And what about visible abs - have we any hope of achieving them?

Brian also shared his number one health and fitness tip.

"You can massively reduce the amount of body fat you have by eating more real food and whole foods as opposed to processed, packaged foods," he said.

"For energy, sleep, fat loss, muscle building, that one change could change your entire life."


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Why is there a crew working on my street?

26 Mar 2018

There are a variety of reasons why a UGI crew might be working on your street, including infrastructure/main replacement, installation of gas services and leak checks. Crews will have identification on them. If you have questions, please ask to speak to the crew foreman.


Hyperproof: Logical Reasoning with Diagrams

Jon Barwise and J. Etchemendy

Hyperproof is a Macintosh program designed to help students learn how to reason logically, using either sentenccs of first-order logic, or diagrams, or both.


Tuesday, November 16, 2010

what is love?

Someone commented on an earlier post where I lamented about love. "Perhaps you can write what you think/want true love to be," Anonymous suggested.

I don't think I'm ready to think about this right now, really, but someday I hope to find a sense of home with someone.

I mean that intangible thing that happens when you're so comfortable you can be talking or quiet and still feel a connection. When you can throw your head back and laugh and totally lose yourself or be writing quietly and silently share a bowl of grapes. Where it just feels right to curl into each other as if love had blurred the boundary between. Joy at the simple sight of one another.

I also think lovers should be best friends.

I thrive on close connections. I am not satisfied with superficialities. When I ask someone how they are, I *want* to know. An honest and open dialogue is important.

I like a lot of down time too and so space is also key. I can be skittish if my reserves are low and if someone seems clingy or intense, it can trigger something in me which tends to make me close off (which sounds hypocritical given that I myself can be intense). So maybe it's a matter of being able to read each other.

Qualities that are valuable to me? Sense of humor, kindness, understanding, chemistry, intelligence. Feeling special. It also comforts me to see people take good care of themselves both physically and mentally. I like to see people doing what makes them happy: indulging in hobbies or whatever they find restorative and fun. The joyful and content make good company.

I'm not so unrealistic that I don't see the strain that a tough schedule or burdensome demands can place on a relationship. There's a lot of muck to everyday living. Laundry and bills and cat vomit are not hot (at least not in my house) and so it seems important to make time for fun, both together and apart.

What is love to you?

  1. <obligatory Haddaway reference>

  2. This is Nu and I asked that broad and complicated question. I used to write a lot more when I was trying to find a sense of self and love for self. I asked that question because we are ingrained with what "true Love" is supposed to be, yet never question enough what we seek in Love or what it means to us as we grow. Although Love and Relationships are connected, and most viewed it as one and the same, they should be examined separately. Love and Relationships can exist without each other; people do it all the time out of convenience, but the big question is always, what do _you_ want? To help answer that question, it may help to understand what Love means to you.

    According to Taoism, there are 5 types of Love. I wrote about them a while ago here. Maybe it will help to clarify: http://nofcna.livejournal.com/33659.html

    To me, Love in essence is a very strong and powerful emotion. It's a facilitator for many things, but an emotion alone can not change the world or create better relationships. Relationships based solely on Love can also lead to other emotions like anger and frustration. Strong relationships are built not with just Love but also Communication, Trust and Understanding.

    "Being in love," is the tangibility of Love. Being leads to doing, so being in love is the act of loving. What you described in your post to me, is loving _in a Relationship_. That's what Doug and I do everyday, loving each other. But that intangible connection is build through communication. Lots of communication, especially in the beginning, which in turns build Trust and Understanding, strengthening our values more. It helps though when you share similar values to begin with, and well, physical attraction ;). Having a tough schedule or re-prioritizing certain things in life is a lot easier when your Relationship already has a strong foundation. Without communication, things get unrealistic before you know it.

    Sorry I wrote a book. Would love to talk more in person some day.

  3. Dr. Mathochist beat me to it... and I know it's totally inappropriate to the nature of this post... but the first thing I thought was "baby don't hurt me" and bopping my head to the side. *blush*

    Seriously, if I had any idea, not only would I be replying in-depth on this post, I'd be off writing a book and making millions...

  4. Nu, I can't even tell you how much I love the way you think and how I appreciate you sharing your insight and being there for me. I read your livejournal post. I've so much to learn. But I'm looking forward to beginning... xoxoxo

  5. Also, @Dr.Mathochist & @Geekhiker : don't hurt me! (disco ball lowers)


Meters to yards conversion – What is 1009 M in yards?

You can easily convert 1009 meters to yards by following a few simple steps. However, you should first understand the relationship between the two units. While the meter belongs to the International System of Units, SI units, the Yard belongs to both the British imperial and US customary systems of measurement. Following the international treaty on standard units, a yard is equal to 0.9144M. That means that to convert yard measurements you should multiply the figure by 0.9144. Here is a solution for your problem, plus a conversion chart and an easy to use conversion calculator.

How many yards are in 1009 meters?

|=> 1009 M to yards =

1103.45249 yd

Conversion chart for meters to yards

Centimeters (cm), inches (")
1; 0.393701
2; 0.787402
3; 1.181103
4; 1.574804
5; 1.968505
6; 2.362206
7; 2.755907
8; 3.149608
9; 3.543309
10; 3.93701

Millimeters, centimeters, decimeters and meters are standard length units accepted by most countries around the world. On the other hand, yards, inches and feet are imperial units and customary units accepted both in the US and the UK. Although the usage of both systems vary from one place to the other, it is important to understand the relationship them because you will always get a conversion problem.
[raw_html_snippet id=”cm to inches”]


Bicycle Accident Attorney Maineville, Ohio

Bike Accidents – Maineville, OH 45039

Bicycle accidents can lead to major and in some cases deadly injuries. Claims to recover damages for injuries in bicycle accidents with autos involve much of the same issues as any auto mishap claim. Liability for bike mishap injuries typically boils down to negligence– whether the automobile chauffeur’s negligence triggered the cyclist’s injuries, and whether any negligence by the cyclist triggered or contributed to the mishap.

Bike Accident Liability Basics

Bicyclists and chauffeurs are obliged to follow the rules of the road. These guidelines include traffic laws, in addition to the responsibility to work out regular care in regards to one’s own safety and that of others on the highways. Like other vehicle mishap claims, bicycle mishap lawsuits are governed by state law, and often informed by state and local traffic laws.

Negligence and Bike Accidents in Maineville, Ohio

When a bicyclist takes legal action against to recover damages for injuries suffered in an accident with an automobile, the outcome often depends on two concerns:

  • Did negligence (or recklessness) on the part of the chauffeur trigger the accident and resulting injuries to the bicyclist?
  • Did any negligence of the bicyclist cause or add to the mishap?

Chauffeur Negligence or Recklessness

Negligence by a driver can take lots of forms. For example, speeding, running a stop sign, and wandering into a bike lane all constitute driver negligence, or even recklessness if finished with knowing neglect for the security of others.

In a suit declaring negligence by another individual, complainants generally should prove that the offender acted in such a way that breached a task owed to the complainant. In automobile accident cases, this suggests violating the basic responsibility of care owed to everybody else on or near the roadways.

Mishap claims boil down to truths specific to the specific case, and often the capability of the plaintiff to prove negligence through eyewitness statement or other evidence. In automobile mishap cases, however, habits which constitute traffic offenses can make up “negligence per se.” This means that if a driver was cited for an infraction such as speeding at the time of the accident, evidence of the speeding violation counts as proof of negligence. The problem then shifts to the offender to prove that he or she didn’t cause the complainant’s injuries.

Bicyclist Negligence – Maineville, Ohio 45039

Whether a cyclist takes legal action against a chauffeur, or a cyclist is demanded triggering somebody else injury, cyclist negligence can determine the outcome of the suit. Examples of cyclist negligence include riding the wrong way on a one-way street, running a stop indication, and turning quickly into traffic.

Irresponsible cyclists may be unable to recuperate damages for injuries they suffer in mishaps involving cars. Such negligence is called contributing or relative negligence, indicating that the bicyclist’s negligence, a minimum of in part, triggered the mishap to happen, and thus caused a minimum of some of the cyclist’s injuries. If a bicyclist rode negligently, and that negligence caused injury to somebody else, the cyclist might be held accountable for that individual’s injuries.

In mishap cases including kids on bikes, courts hold chauffeurs to a greater standard. See specifics on child bicycle accident liability for more information.

Get Your Legal Claim Evaluated free of charge

Mishaps involving autos and bicycles can include serious injuries and large liabilities. Bicycle accident suits typically come down to whether the motorist or the cyclist negligently caused or added to the mishap. This negligence determination can be a complex and need extensive analysis. If you or a loved one has actually been in a bike accident, you must seek advice from a lawyer to best protect your rights. You can have a knowledgeable law practice evaluate the benefits of your claim free of charge.


Bicycle Accident Attorney Martinsburg, Ohio

Bike Accidents – Martinsburg, OH 43037

Bicycle accidents can result in major and sometimes deadly injuries. Suits to recover damages for injuries in bicycle accidents with autos involve much of the very same issues as any automobile accident lawsuit. Liability for bike accident injuries typically boils down to negligence– whether the car chauffeur’s negligence caused the bicyclist’s injuries, and whether any negligence by the bicyclist caused or contributed to the accident.

Bike Mishap Liability Basics

Bicyclists and drivers are obliged to follow the rules of the road. These guidelines consist of traffic laws, along with the task to exercise normal care in regards to one’s own security which of others on the roadways. Like other automobile accident suits, bike mishap lawsuits are governed by state law, and frequently informed by state and regional traffic laws.

Negligence and Bike Accidents in Martinsburg, Ohio

When a bicyclist takes legal action against to recuperate damages for injuries suffered in a mishap with an auto, the result often depends on 2 concerns:

  • Did negligence (or recklessness) on the part of the chauffeur cause the accident and resulting injuries to the bicyclist?

Chauffeur Negligence or Recklessness

Negligence by a chauffeur can take numerous kinds. For instance, speeding, running a stop indication, and drifting into a bike lane all make up driver negligence, and even recklessness if done with understanding neglect for the security of others.

In a suit declaring negligence by another person, plaintiffs usually must show that the accused acted in a way that broke a responsibility owed to the complainant. In auto mishap cases, this implies breaking the basic responsibility of care owed to everybody else on or near the roadways.

Mishap lawsuits boil down to realities specific to the specific case, and frequently the ability of the complainant to prove negligence through eyewitness testament or other evidence. In vehicle mishap cases, nevertheless, habits which constitute traffic violations can constitute “negligence per se.” This implies that if a chauffeur was mentioned for an offense such as speeding at the time of the mishap, evidence of the speeding offense counts as proof of negligence. The concern then moves to the defendant to prove that she or he didn’t cause the complainant’s injuries.

Cyclist Negligence – Martinsburg, Ohio 43037

Whether a bicyclist takes legal action against a chauffeur, or a bicyclist is demanded causing someone else injury, cyclist negligence can identify the outcome of the claim. Examples of cyclist negligence include riding the wrong way on a one-way street, running a stop sign, and turning suddenly into traffic.

Irresponsible bicyclists may be unable to recover damages for injuries they suffer in accidents involving automobiles. Such negligence is called contributing or comparative negligence, implying that the cyclist’s negligence, at least in part, triggered the accident to happen, and thus triggered at least some of the bicyclist’s injuries. If a bicyclist rode negligently, and that negligence caused injury to somebody else, the bicyclist might be held responsible for that person’s injuries.

In mishap cases involving kids on bikes, courts hold chauffeurs to a greater standard. See specifics on child bike mishap liability for more information.

Get Your Legal Claim Evaluated totally free

Accidents involving vehicles and bicycles can include major injuries and big liabilities. Bicycle accident lawsuits often boil down to whether the chauffeur or the cyclist negligently triggered or added to the mishap. This negligence determination can be a complex and need in-depth analysis. If you or a loved one has actually remained in a bike accident, you ought to consult with an attorney to best safeguard your rights. You can have a skilled law firm evaluate the merits of your claim for free.


Are You Drinking Enough Water?

Happy beautiful young woman drinking water. Smiling caucasian female model holding transparent glass in her hand. Closeup. Focus on the arm

We know it, and you know it, too – drinking sufficient amount of pure water every day is important to your health. Unfortunately, a lot of people still make the mistake of replacing water with other types of drinks which often have additional ingredients that are actually harmful to their health.

Children, in particular, prefer drinking sugary drinks like fruit juice and soda instead of pure water. Teens, too, would rather reach for energy and sports drinks whenever they get thirsty. This seemingly simple issue could actually be reducing the quality of life and the well-being of our youth.

Your body is made up of around 65% water, and it is much needed for many biochemical reactions and physiological processes including metabolism, blood circulation, body temperature regulation, detoxification and waste removal.

When you get the feeling of thirst, your body is telling you that you have lost one to two percent of its total water content. Unfortunately for most, they are already in the early stages of dehydration by the time their thirst mechanism kicks in. This thirst mechanism is underdeveloped in children and the elderly, so they are more prone to dehydration. Hunger may also be a sign that your body needs water, so it is a good idea to drink a glass of water first when you feel hungry.

Severe dehydration can be fatal, but you should know that even mild dehydration can cause you problems like headaches and even impaired cognition. If you play sports, dehydration can also affect your athletic performance. In fact, two percent dehydration in your body can cause about 10% decrease in your performance.

The general guideline is to have at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, but because one’s need for water highly depends on different factors like weather conditions and physical activities, this rule may be inadequate.

It is not possible to determine a single guideline that would be applicable to everyone every day. One of the best ways to check your own hydration status on a daily basis is to look at the colour of your urine. Dark-coloured urine is an indication that your kidneys are keeping fluids to maintain your body’s functions. You have to drink more water if this is the case. Ideally, your urine should be a light-coloured yellow.

Even when you are not sweating, your body still loses water and you should replenish this loss not with sports drinks, fruit juices, sodas, or coffee, but with pure water. Sugary drinks often contain fructose which is a major cause of obesity and metabolic malfunction. Even just a can of pop per day can contribute up to 15 pounds to your weight over a year. Aside from that, it can also increase your risk of diabetes by about 85%. So if you want to stay hydrated and healthy, go for pure water.

Your body always gives you signals not only when you need to replenish your fluids but also when it is not working as it should. Aside from drinking a sufficient amount of pure water daily, you should also know how to take care of your body the natural way. Reach out to us at Sloan Natural Health Center, and we’ll tell you how you can enjoy a healthy mind and body!


The foods you eat affect your body and ultimately affect your performance in golf. That’s why many golfers are trading in their sugary sports drinks for coconut water and switching from dairy milk to the less inflammatory almond milk. They are realizing that if they want to increase the functionality of their muscles they are going to have to move to a more alkaline diet which will reduce their inflammation.

Fried food doesn’t taste as good as a “birdie.” Reducing acidic foods is just par for the course if you want to stay in the game. Dark green vegetables, cutting back on alcohol, sugar, and processed grains will get you well on the way to a more optimized game and performance.


Correlation Analysis Between Russia TR and OMXVGI

This module allows you to analyze existing cross correlation between Russia TR and OMXVGI. You can compare the effects of market volatilities on Russia TR and OMXVGI and check how they will diversify away market risk if combined in the same portfolio for a given time horizon. You can also utilize pair trading strategies of matching a long position in Russia TR with a short position of OMXVGI. See also your portfolio center. Please also check ongoing floating volatility patterns of Russia TR and OMXVGI.
 Time Horizon     30 Days    Login   to change

Russia TR  vs.  OMXVGI

 Performance (%)

Pair Volatility

Assuming 30 trading days horizon, Russia TR is expected to under-perform the OMXVGI. In addition to that, Russia TR is 5.01 times more volatile than OMXVGI. It trades about -0.13 of its total potential returns per unit of risk. OMXVGI is currently generating about 0.07 per unit of volatility. If you would invest  70,842  in OMXVGI on May 21, 2018 and sell it today you would earn a total of  368.90  from holding OMXVGI or generate 0.52% return on investment over 30 days.

Pair Corralation between Russia TR and OMXVGI

Time Period1 Month [change]
ValuesDaily Returns

Pay attention

Overlapping area represents the amount of risk that can be diversified away by holding Russia TR and OMXVGI in the same portfolio assuming nothing else is changed. The correlation between historical prices or returns on OMXVGI and Russia TR is a relative statistical measure of the degree to which these equity instruments tend to move together. The correlation coefficient measures the extent to which returns on Russia TR are associated (or correlated) with OMXVGI. Values of the correlation coefficient range from -1 to +1, where. The correlation of zero (0) is possible when the price movement of OMXVGI has no effect on the direction of Russia TR i.e. Russia TR and OMXVGI go up and down completely randomly.

Comparative Volatility

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See also your portfolio center. Please also try Correlation Analysis module to reduce portfolio risk simply by holding instruments which are not perfectly correlated.


Sims 3 System Requirements

The Sims 3 system requirements will define what you need to play the game. The Sims 3 is a very popular life simulation game from Electronic Arts, where it allows you to control the life or lives of Sim(s), in terms of their career, family, and daily activities. Follow to learn about the system requirements for Sims 3 if you are considering purchasing the popular game.

Sims 3 system requirements for Windows. For Windows, XP (Service Pack 2), Vista (Service Pack 1), or Windows 7 are the compatiple operating systems. A 2.0 GHz processor for XP, 2.4 GHz processor for Vista and 7 are preferred in terms of the processor. You will need 1.0 GB (XP) or 1.5 GB (Vista/7) or RAM as well. In terms of storage, you will need at least 6.1 GB of space, likely more for additional content. Note that there are varying video graphics requirements (DirectX 9.0c compatible card).

Sims 3 system requirements for Mac. You will need a Mac OS X 10.5.7 Leopard operating system to run Sims 3. An Intel Core Duo Processor is listed with 2 GB of RAM for the program as well. As with the Windows version, 6.1 GB of hard drive space is needed for the game. There are a few graphics options listed for the Mac version as well (ATI X1600/NVDIA 7300 GT with 128 MB RAM or Intel Integrated GMA X3100).

Alternative systems for Sims 3. Sims 3 is also available for other systems as other devices are appearing (smart phones, new handhelds). Android, N-Gage, iOS, webOS, and video game consoles (i.e. Playstation 3, Wii, Nintendo 3DS) are some of the other systems where you can play Sims 3 (note there will be differences between other adaptions of Sims 3 for certain devices).

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Webpages tagged with «photo catalysis»

Teeth inside a mouth, where one of the front teeth is substituted with an empty room and an implant is visible in the gum
Published Jan. 8, 2018 4:37 PM

Molecules that are more often known for their potential to cause cancer may have a new, health-promoting role.  Scientists are now discovering how these «radicals» may be used to prevent infections and promote the long-term success of dental implants.


PMID: 27401781

Precise diagnosis of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in cardiac allograft endomyocardial biopsies (EMBs) remains challenging. This study assessed molecular diagnostics in human EMBs with AMR. A set of 34 endothelial, natural killer cell and inflammatory genes was quantified in 106 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded EMBs classified according to 2013 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) criteria. The gene set expression was compared between ISHLT diagnoses and correlated with donor-specific antibody (DSA), endothelial injury by electron microscopy (EM) and prognosis. Findings were validated in an independent set of 57 EMBs. In the training set (n = 106), AMR cases (n = 70) showed higher gene set expression than acute cellular rejection (ACR; n = 21, p < 0.001) and controls (n = 15, p < 0.0001). Anti-HLA DSA positivity was associated with higher gene set expression (p = 0.01). Endothelial injury by electron microscopy strongly correlated with gene set expression, specifically in AMR cases (r = 0.62, p = 0.002). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for diagnosing AMR showed greater accuracy with gene set expression (area under the curve [AUC] = 79.88) than with DSA (AUC = 70.47) and C4d (AUC = 70.71). In AMR patients (n = 17) with sequential biopsies, increasing gene set expression was associated with inferior prognosis (p = 0.034). These findings were confirmed in the validation set. In conclusion, biopsy-based molecular assessment of antibody-mediated microcirculation injury has the potential to improve diagnosis of AMR in human cardiac transplants.

A propos de Jean-Paul Duong Van-Huyen

Jean-Paul Duong-Van-Huyen, MD, PhD is Professor of Pathology at Paris Descartes University.

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Minimize Future Earth Explorer Missions

Three candidate Earth Explorer Core missions are currently undergoing Feasibility Study (Phase A). One of these missions will eventually be selected for implementation and thus lead to the launch of ESA's seventh Earth Explorer mission around 2016.

Minimize BIOMASS
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Observe global forest biomass to gain a better understanding of the carbon cycle

Mission Objective:

The objective of the BIOMASS Mission is to determine the global distribution of forest biomass by reducing the uncertainty in the calculation of carbon stock and fluxes associated with the terrestrial biosphere.

Minimize CoreH20
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Observe snow and ice to gain a better understanding of the water cycle.

Mission Objective:

The objective of the CoReH2O mission is to fill the gaps in current information on snow, glaciers and surface water. CoReH2O will improve the modelling and prediction of water balance and stream-flow for snow-covered and glacierised basins, the modelling of water and energy cycles at high latitudes, and the forecasting of water supply from snow cover and glaciers, including the relation to climate change and variability.

Minimize PREMIER
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Observe atmospheric composition for a better understanding of chemistry-climate interactions

Mission Objective:

The objective of the PREMIER mission is to quantify the processes controlling global atmospheric composition in the mid/upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (5-25 km height range), which is a region of particular importance for climate change.