[Crazy Dubai] 'moving' skyscraper

BBC Report : Dubai plans 'moving' skyscraper

The world's first moving building, a 80-storey tower with revolving floors giving an shifting shape, will be built in Dubai, its architect says.

"It's the first building that rotates, moves, and changes shape," said architect David Fisher, who is Italian, at a news conference in New York.

"This building never looks the same, not once in a lifetime," he added.

The apartments, which will take between one and three hours to make a complete rotation, will cost from $3.7m to $36m.

The skyscraper will cost an estimated $700m to build and should be up and running in Dubai in 2010.

Some other crazy things : Dubai Architecture 

Positive side of Ambani

nytimes article : Meet Mukesh Ambani - India’s Richest Man

MANY other Indian business families have been rich for generations, and their scions don finely cut suits and flaunt fussy tastes. Ratan Tata cruises down Marine Drive on Sundays in fast cars and favors Hermès ties with matching handkerchiefs. Vijay Mallya is said to be trailed in his home by a butler holding a silver tray with a cigar and a Scotch. Adi and Parmeshwar Godrej are famous for soirées that attract Hollywood stars.

Mr. Ambani comports himself quite differently. Among family members, he prefers speaking Gujarati to English, friends say. He may ask colleagues to stop at the temple with him during business trips to partake in a ritual Hindu prayer. He loathes Western suits, preferring a white short-sleeved shirt, black trousers and black shoes that resemble sneakers cross-bred with office wingtips.

read on 

[African Proverb] Race of Life

 

 

 

Hyundai's new 3-D TV

CNN Reports : Japan debuts 3-D TV

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Badminton matches look so real playing on Hyundai's new 3-D TV that you may reflexively dodge the virtual shuttlecock.


Kim Pyeng-joong, senior manager of Hyundai Japan, wears special glasses to watch Hyundai's new 3-D TV.

A polar bear pawing the glass of his tank may seem to be inside the TV pushing on the screen.

Hyundai is offering -- in Japan only -- the first product for watching the 3-D programs that cable stations in Japan now broadcast about four times a day.

There are a few catches:

The 46-inch liquid-crystal display requires 3-D glasses; it's expensive -- $3,960, including two pairs of glasses, or about 25 percent more than a comparable regular LCD TV; and the only programs available so far include just a few minutes of video from Japan's northern island of Hokkaido -- shots from the zoo, motorcycle races and other short scenes.

Seen on regular TVs, 3D programs split the screen vertically so the same image appears in both the left and right halves. Conversely, wearing the 3-D glasses while watching regular programming on the Hyundai 3-D TV produces a slight 3-D effect.

The TV uses stereoscopic technology called TriDef from DDD Group Plc in Santa Monica, California, which works by sending the same image separately for the left eye and the right eye.

Ryo Saito of BS 11, the cable channel that runs the 3-D shows, says more content is needed for the technology to catch on, and other manufacturers need to start making 3-D televisions.

"People are showing interest in 3-D programs, but most homes don't have the special TVs," he said.

Samsung already sells 3-D rear projection TVs in the U.S., but there are no 3-D TV broadcasts in the United States. The technology is also available on desktop monitors and for video games.

Hyundai IT is hoping to boost its image by gaining a niche audience in Japan, where the TV market is dominated by Sony Corp. and Sharp Corp. The South Korean electronics maker's 3-D TV went on sale in April, but unit sales numbers weren't available.

There is no plan to sell the TV overseas, said senior manager Kim Pyeng-joong.

Robot girlfriend for lonely men - from Japan

Reuters reports : Japan makes robot girlfriend for lonely men

TOKYO (Reuters Life!) - She is big-busted, petite, very friendly, and she runs on batteries.

A Japanese firm has produced a 38 cm (15 inch) tall robotic girlfriend that kisses on command, to go on sale in September for around $175, with a target market of lonely adult men.

Using her infrared sensors and battery power, the diminutive damsel named "EMA" puckers up for nearby human heads, entering what designers call its "love mode".

"Strong, tough and battle-ready are some of the words often associated with robots, but we wanted to break that stereotype and provide a robot that's sweet and interactive," said Minako Sakanoue, a spokeswoman for the maker, Sega Toys.

"She's very lovable and though she's not a human, she can act like a real girlfriend."

EMA, which stands for Eternal Maiden Actualization, can also hand out business cards, sing and dance, with Sega hoping to sell 10,000 in the first year.
Japan, home to almost half the world's 800,000 industrial robots, envisions a $10-billion market for artificial intelligence in a decade.

Anticipatory divorce petitions, at the time of marriage!!!

CNN IBN reports : Hindu Marriage Act is a home-breaker: SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed concern over the increasing number of divorce cases and also blamed the Hindu Marriage Act, saying it had harmed the family system than strengthening it.

“The Hindu Marriage Act has broken more homes than uniting," a vacation bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and G S Singhvi observed.

The apex court regretted that the growing number of divorce cases was having a disastrous effect on the children of families broken up in such a manner.

Enacted in 1955, the Hindu Marriage Act, had undergone several amendments till 2003. It contains various provisions for validity of a Hindu marriage.

"Even at the time of marriage, anticipatory divorce petitions are being filed," the bench remarked sarcastically.

The apex court made the observation while dealing with a petition filed by a divorcee seeking his child's custody.

“Ego should get dissolved for the sake of the child," the bench remarked even as the separated parents tried to air their views.

The apex court told the separated couple that it was more concerned about the welfare of the child, rather than the recrimination between the couple.

“Ultimately the child suffers. If it is a girl, the trauma is more, particularly at the time of the marriage of such children," Justice Pasayat, speaking for the bench observed.

Car that runs on water -- from Japan

reuters reports : Water-fuel car unveiled in Japan





Article in engadget.com


We've seen plenty of promises about water-powered cars (among other things), but it looks like Japan's Genepax has now made some real progress on that front, with it recently taking the wraps off its Water Energy System fuel cell prototype. The key to that system, it seems, is its membrane electrode assembly (or MEA), which contains a material that's capable of breaking down water into hydrogen and oxygen through a chemical reaction. Not surprisingly, the company isn't getting much more specific than that, with it only saying that it's adopted a "well-known process to produce hydrogen from water to the MEA." Currently, that system costs on the order of ¥2,000,000 (or about $18,700 -- not including the car), but company says that if it can get it into mass production that could be cut to ¥500,000 or less (or just under $5,000). Head on past the break for a video of car in action courtesy of Reuters.

New Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Complex designed by German Architects

german-info.com Reports : German Architects design Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Complex

German architect GMP has won the provincial government of Tamil Nadu’s international invitation to tender for the design of the new state parliament building in Chennai. The project is due to be completed by 2010.

GMP is a united venture of Meinhard von Gerkan and Volkwin Marg, who have planned and realized buildings in almost all major cities in Germany. The duo is famous worldwide for their magnificent designs in countries like Russia and China.

The design of the parliament building takes account of the state's cultural traditions as well as the urban context of the city of Chennai. With its highly visible dome, the design echoes the structural features of Dravidian temple complexes in south India.

The geometry of the complex’s structure is derived from the traditional, round chakra or mandala motif, consisting of circles of various sizes inscribed in 36 isosceles triangles. These basic shapes make up the geometrical structure of the entire design in both ground plan and elevation.

The internal plan features courtyard architecture with five round interior courts that are functionally differentiated, creating public, semi-public and also secure internal areas.

The spacious Citizens' Forum on the south side of the building is created by the largest circle in the mandala. It is both the opening towards the city and the entrance area, with public functional areas.

The three other round courtyards in the interior of the building house the Assembly Hall, the Legislative Assembly Chamber and the Convention Hall.

The state parliament rests on a battered plinth and is landscaped all round. The glass dome over the Assembly Hall marks the seat of the Tamil parliament.

Also See : The Details of current TN legislative assembly complex - THE FORT ST. GEORGE

Teenagers 'stressed out' by mobile phones

The Press Association report :

Frequent mobile phone use may be associated with teenage stress, restlessness and sleep problems, a study has found.

The scientists found that the teenagers who used their mobile phones often were more restless than infrequent users. They also had more "careless" lifestyles, consumed more stimulating beverages, suffered from disrupted sleep or insomnia, and were more susceptible to stress and fatigue.

Study leader Dr Gaby Badre, from Sahigren's Academy in Gothenburg, said: "Addiction to cellphones is becoming common. Youngsters feel a group pressure to remain interconnected and reachable round the clock.

"Children start to use mobile phones at an early stage of their life. There seems to be a connection between intensive use of cellphones and health compromising behaviour such as smoking, snuffing and use of alcohol.

"It is necessary to increase the awareness among youngsters of the negative effects of excessive mobile phone use on their sleep-wake patterns, with serious health risks as well as attention and cognitive problems."

Indian school names monkey god chairman

Enna Koduma SIR ithu!!!!!

CNN Reports : Indian school names monkey god chairman

Hanuman, the popular god known for his strength and valor, has been named official chairman of the recently opened Sardar Bhagat Singh College of Technology and Management in northern India, a school official said Saturday.

The position comes with an incense-filled office, a desk and a laptop computer. Four chairs will be placed facing the empty seat reserved for the chairman and all visitors must enter the office barefoot, said Vivek Kangdi, the school's vice chairman.

Few tips to help you quit 'somking'

WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY - 31ST MAY 2008

This year’s theme for World No Tobacco Day, 31st May 2008, was "Tobacco-free Youth". Tobacco use kills 5.4 million people a year - an average of one person every six seconds - and accounts for one in 10 adult deaths worldwide. It is a risk factor for six of the eight leading causes of deaths in the world.

Here are a few tips to help you quit:

1. Think about your reasons for smoking and find less harmful ways of fulfilling that need.

2. Weigh the "pros" and "cons" of quitting smoking and decide what is really important to you, the benefits of smoking or the benefits of quitting.

3. Prepare to quit smoking by Looking at your past quit attempts and assessing what made you fail Setting a stop date. Keeping a smoking diary.

4. Quit smoking by using the 4 Ds when cravings hit:
a) Do something else
b) Delay
c) Deep breathing
d) Drink water

5. Be active. Walking is a great way to move and it's a quick fix for the urge to smoke.

6. Eat a healthy diet and limit caffeine and alcohol.

Keyword Optimize Your Resume

A nice article in webworkerdaily.com

Copy of that post

Applying for a job without knowing somebody at the company first often feels like a quixotic mission. You throw your resume into the faceless online job site grinder and hope a human being somewhere along the way recognizes your obvious talents and relevant life and work experience. Good luck with that, Don!

Here’s how to put keyword optimization to work getting your resume discovered.

Use “preferable” terms. This one comes from Pinny Cohen. Recruiters and HR people are bound to search on the most obvious or common terms when seeking out candidates to forward to a hiring manager. So how do you figure out what terms people might be looking for? Cohen mentions a page updated weekly by job site TheLadders.com, which lists the 100 top recruiter search words. Using these instead of more creative phrasing will help those recruiters find you.

Include a keyword summary. CareerPerfect advises that you add this at the beginning of a resume even if you’ve used keywords throughout for three reasons:

• It lets you offer up variations on the keyword that may not fit elsewhere in the file.
• The more keywords you have, the greater the keyword density, which can help your ranking.
• You’re more likely to cover alternative keywords that might be used by the searcher.

The site advises separating keywords with commas or periods.

Integrate the keywords in a “Qualification Summary.” Pat Kendall of Advanced Resume Concepts says that search engines for job sites are becoming sophisticated enough to read keywords in context, and therefore they can figure out if your keywords are legitimate based on the text that surrounds them. Therefore, just providing a laundry list of keywords won’t necessarily be as effective as a summary statement that provides the human element.

She offers two examples. Here’s a sample of a non-”keyword loaded” summary:

Achievement-oriented with 15 years of successful experience and proven ability to meet objectives, communicate with clients, and quickly excel in new industries.

Here’s a “keyword-heavy” sample:

Achievement-oriented sales professional with 15 years of success in international trade and global marketing. Skilled in developing marketing programs, coordinating new product introductions and providing customer support. Proven track record in cold calling, new business development and key account management.

Use keywords inconsistently. As job-hunt.org reminds us, you don’t know if the recruiter will type in MA, Mass or Massachusetts, so cover all bases if that’s where you’re looking for work.

Get the top keywords into titles. As “Pimp Your Work” points out, the location of keywords within your resume is important. “For example, if the keyword is in your title, you’ll have a better chance of ranking high rather than if it were just in your profile body.”

Get keyword hints from the job listing itself. According to Monster.com “resume expert” Kim Isaacs, if you study the particular job listing, “you’ll be able to get into the mind of employers who literally spell out what they’re looking for.”

Here’s an example she provides:

Requirements: The qualified candidate will have a minimum of five years of human resource experience in a fast-paced environment with strong knowledge of benefits administration including medical, dental, life, 401(k) and COBRA. Proficiency in MS Office programs is required. Bachelor’s degree preferred.

What have you figured out about optimizing your resume?

Chennai Airport to be India’s Greenest

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chennai_International_Airport

Chennai Airport to be India’s Greenest^[4]

New terminal

The Airports Authority of India has chosen plans by a team of architects including Frederic Schwartz Architects, Hargreaves Associates, Gensler and Creative Group to expand the Chennai International Airport’s domestic and international terminals. When completed in 2010, the $300 million project will transform Chennai's airport into India’s greenest.

New terminal

The revamped Kamaraj Domestic Terminal will feature what designers describe as a “green gate”: a parking garage with a green roof and rainwater capture systems. Two 1 acre (0.0040 km²) gardens will form a central element within the terminal (top). The terminal’s wing-like curved roof is supported on large, full-height columns. The forward slope of these elements will work with the stiffness of the trusses to resist transverse wind and seismic forces. Along the building’s 984 ft (300 m) length, the V-shaped configuration of support columns will work integrally with a compression truss to create a repetitive series of stable triangulated elements to resist longitudinal forces. Large, arching space-frame trusses will allow for column-free public spaces on both the landside and airside terminal areas. Expansive glass curtain walls will boost the feeling of airiness and spaciousness, as will skylights.

Trust and Relationships

TRUST is a very important factor for all relationships. When trust is broken, it is the end of the relationship. Lack of trust leads to suspicion, suspicion generates anger, anger causes enmity and enmity

may result in separation.

A telephone operator told me that one day she received a phone call. She answered, "Public Utilities Board." There was silence. She repeated, "PUB." There was still no answer. When she was going to cut off the line, she Heard a lady's voice, "Oh, so this is PUB.Sorry, I got the number from my Husband's pocket but I do not know whose number it is."

Without mutual trust, just imagine what will happen to the couple if the telephone operator answered with just "hello" instead of "PUB".

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NO POINTING FINGERS

A man asked his father-in-law, "Many people praised you for a successful marriage. Could you please share with me your secret?" The father-in-law answered in a smile, "Never criticize your wife for her shortcomings or when she does something wrong. Always bear in mind that because of her shortcomings and weaknesses, she could not find a better husband than you."

We all look forward to being loved and respected. Many people are afraid of losing face. Generally, when a person makes a mistake, he would look around to find a scapegoat to point the finger at. This is the start of a war. We should always remember that when we point one finger at a person, the other four fingers are pointing at ourselves.

If we forgive the others, others will ignore our mistake too.

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CREATING PERFECT RELATIONSHIPS?

A person visited the government matchmaker for marriage, SDU, and requested "I am looking for a spouse.. Please help me to find a suitable one." The SDU officer said, "Your requirements, please." "Oh, good looking, polite, humorous , sporty, knowledgeable, good in singing and dancing. Willing to accompany me the whole day at home during my leisure hour, if I don't go out. Telling me interesting stories when I need companion for conversation and be silent when I want to rest." The officer listened carefully and replied, "I understand you need television."

There is a saying that a perfect match can only be found between a blind wife and a deaf husband ,because the blind wife cannot see the faults of the husband and the deaf husband cannot hear the nagging of the wife. Many couples are blind and deaf at the courting stage and dream of perpetual perfect relationship. Unfortunately, when the excitement of love wears off, they wake up and discover that marriage is not a bed of roses. The nightmare begins.

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NO OVERPOWERING

Many relationships fail because one party tries to overpower another,or demands too much. People in love tend to think that love will conquer all and their spouses will change the bad habits after marriage. Actually, this is not the case. There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that "It is easier to reshape a mountain or a river than a person's character."

It is not easy to change. Thus, having high expectation on changing the spouse character will cause disappointment and unpleasantness.

It would be less painful to change ourselves and lower our expectations..

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RIGHT SPEECH

There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that "A speech will either prosper or ruin a nation." Many relationships break off because of wrong speech. When a couple is too close with each other,we always forget mutual respect and courtesy.. We may say anything without considering if it would hurt the other party.

A friend and her millionaire husband visited their construction site. A worker who wore a helmet saw her and shouted,"Hi, Emily! Remember me? We used to date in the secondary school." On the way home, her millionaire husband teased her, "Luckily you married me.Otherwise you will be the wife of a construction worker." She answered ,"You should appreciate that you married me. Otherwise, he will be the millionaire and not you."

Frequently exchanging these remarks plants the seed for a bad relationship. It's like a broken egg - cannot be reversed.

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PERSONAL PERCEPTION

Different people have different perception. One man's meat could be another man's poison. A couple bought a donkey from the market. On the way home,a boy commented, "Very stupid. Why neither of them ride on the donkey?" Upon hearing that, the husband let the wife ride on the donkey. He walked besides them. Later, an old man saw it and commented, "The husband is the head of family. How can the wife ride on the donkey while the husband is on foot?" Hearing this, the wife quickly got down and let the husband ride on the donkey.

Further on the way home, they met an old Lady. She commented, "How can the man ride on the donkey but let the wife walk. He is no gentleman." The husband thus quickly asked the wife to join him on the donkey. Then, they met a young man. He commented, "Poor donkey, how can you hold up the weight of two persons. They are cruel to you." Hearing that, the husband and wife immediately climbed down from the donkey and carried it on their shoulders.

It seems to be the only choice left. Later, on a narrow bridge, the donkey was frightened and struggled. They lost their balance and fell into the river. You can never have everyone praise you, nor will everyone condemn you. Never in the past, not at present, and never will be in the future.

Thus, do not be too bothered by others words if our conscience is clear..

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BE PATIENT

This is a true story which happened in the States. A man came out of his home to admire his new truck. To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint of the truck. The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy's hands into pulp as punishment. When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital.


Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy's hands. When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, " Daddy,I'm sorry about your truck." Then he asked, "but when are my fingers going to grow back?" The father went home & committed suicide.

Think about this story the next time someone steps on your feet or u wish to take revenge. Think first before u lose your patience with someone u love. Trucks can be repaired.. Broken bones & hurt feelings often can't. Too often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and the performance. We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge.

People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.

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(Got this mail from Chandru)

[Chinese Proverb] Speech

"A speech will either prosper or ruin a nation."

[Chinese Proverb] Person's character

"It is easier to reshape a mountain or a river than a person's character."

How to save kids from online predators

A nice article in indiatimes

How to save kids from online predators

June is the Internet safety month. With hundred of millions of teens, pre-teens and adults around the world using social networking sites, there's no better time for parents to be aware of the fun, benefits, powerful attractions, and the potential risks that the popular social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook and others pose to children.

Here are a few tips for parents that can go a long way in ensuring a safe and healthy networking environment for kids.

Show interest

Ask questions about how your child’s preferred social networking site or sites work. Kids are generally happy to demonstrate their knowledge if you show genuine interest.

You can even ask your teen to show you how to set up your own social networking site -- a great way to visit your child's page and see what's been posted there.

Discourage them to add strangers

Kids often can instinctively do the right thing, which makes them their own first defence against those who may take advantage online.

Encourage your children to avoid contact with people they "feel funny about." Tell them not to reveal anything online they would not want a stranger to know. Limit the posting of pictures and remind them that once something is placed online, it can never be taken back.

Know their passwords

If your child changes his or her password suddenly and refuses to share it with you, that's trouble.

Insist on knowing how to access his or her accounts -- then keep their confidence by not sharing the information with their friends or siblings

Set Internet hours

Late nights are the favourite time for predators to seek out their adolescent prey. Set firm limits not only for the time of day, but also the total amount of time, that your children may access social networking sites.

Kids don't have to access their social networks at home. Libraries, friends' houses, even cell phones make the Internet easy to reach today. Keep up with what's happening on your child's social networking page and be aware when changes have been made despite the lack of access from home.

Check for photos

By clicking on the Windows "Start" button, you'll find the "Search" tool. Click on "Pictures, Music or Video," the box next to "Pictures and Photos," and finally "Search".

Ask your child to identify any photos of strangers, or any other pictures that you find questionable.

Install filtering software

PC products like Safe Eyes allow parents to block or record Instant Messenger chats, limit email use to prescribed addresses, block objectionable websites (including peer-to-peer file sharing programmes that often expose kids to inappropriate material), and receive alerts when kids post personal information on social networking sites.

Watch for cyberbullying

Speak to your children regularly. Encourage them to tell you immediately if they are being harassed online. Children also need to know that it is not acceptable to be a party to cyberbullying or to remain silent when they know others are being harassed.

However, don’t lecture your kids. Have a discussion about values and why they are important. Respect your child but be firm.

Courtesy: AFP

Paralysed man takes a walk in virtual world

AFP Report : Paralysed man takes a walk in virtual world

A paralysed man using only his brain waves has been able to manipulate a virtual Internet character, Japanese researchers said Monday, calling it a world first.

The 41-year-old patient used his imagination to make his character take a walk and chat to another virtual person on the popular Second Life website.

The patient, who has suffered paralysis for more than 30 years, can barely bend his fingers due to a progressive muscle disease so cannot use a mouse or keyboard in the traditional way.

In the experiment, he wore headgear with three electrodes monitoring brain waves related to his hands and legs. Even though he cannot move his legs, he imagined that his character was walking.

Hmmm... these things are only possible in JAPAN.

Hair cloning could provide cure for baldness

Telegraph : Premature baldness could soon be assigned to history after scientists have pioneered a treatment to clone hair.

Trial results presented at a conference of leading hair replacement surgeons in Rome suggested that the cell therapy can increase hair count in at least two thirds of patients after six months, and four out of five if the scalp is stimulated beforehand through gentle abrasions which encourage hair growth.

Great news for me :)

Underwater TV Viewing Mobile Phone

newsline365.com : Fujitsu To Roll Out Underwater TV Viewing Mobile Phone F706i

No more mobile phones are limited with their air-to-air services! Two new tags ‘air-to-water’ and ‘water-to-air’ has been added to the armory of mobile operators recently when Fujitsu, Japan’s leading mobile accessory manufacturer, declared about their first of its kind waterproof mobile phone handset F706i to the world. The sensual phone is likely to be released soon in Japan and then it will be available worldwide, said a recent media report.

Wonder if it would find usage in INDIA!!!

The Qualities that make a good Cricket Captain

CRICNJOY.com News : A Captain must possess the following qualities and characteristics:

• The Skipper of a side has to be really as cool as a cucumber and should be someone who isn’t prone to panic under pressure. After all his team mates would be looking up to him for his support during the pressure cooker situations. With the demands of a fast paced game where fortunes fluctuate between the two sides within the span of few deliveries, a captain having a cool temperament is all the more vital.

• Problems should be thought over logically, both on and off the field.

• A good captain is a good judge of the characters of his players. He needs to know how to get the best out of his mates and how to exploit the feasibilities and shortcomings of his opponents.

• On the field it is of prime importance that the captain is good in assessing a batsman’s strength and weakness. And based on that he can use the bowlers who he thinks can trouble that particular batsman and give him the results. Accordingly he can also rotate his bowlers cleverly.

• As in any battle, there are valid tactical reasons to attack, defend and retreat. Never be afraid to attack the strength of the man at the crease and set him a trap to get him out. The same shot which gives a particular batsman lot of runs can sometimes also turn out to be his downfall! Isn’t it?

• A Captain must know his team foibles and failings, not all players are the same! Each has his own unique personality and each person might have to be dealt in a different manner from the other. Different players react in different ways in the same situation and respond to different treatment by the captain. Some give their best after being hurt by forcibly expressed criticism, while you can nag to get the best out of some players, others might need that gentle encouragement. To sum it up a few harsh words or a few words of expressing confidence and encouragement to the players to get them to their best and yes it depends on the individual whether you go for the harsh words or words of encouragement.

• Having talked about all the above points, it is also important for a captain to have the ability and the wisdom in reading the wicket. Only after reading the wicket properly that he can decide whether to bat first or bowl first and then plan up the strategy of what kind of bowling composition would be suitable on the kind of wicket given. And I tell you people, reading a wicket is not an easy task at all!

• The ideal temperament of a captain is difficult to say, but an extrovert always has an advantage over the introvert. He must be able to mix up with his team mates comfortably and mingle with them in a relaxed environment. The natural loner finds this extremely hard.

Building a Baby Earth!!!

NPR.org Report : Building a Baby Earth to Test Its Magnetic Field

The compass has been around since at least the 12th century, but scientists still don't know exactly how the Earth generates the magnetic field that keeps a compass needle pointing north.

But geophysicist Dan Lathrop is trying to find out — by building his own planet.

His latest effort at the University of Maryland towers over him, a massive stainless steel sphere that looks like a prop from some old science fiction movie. Later this year he plans to fill it with molten metal and set the whole 26-ton ball spinning. At top speed the equator will whirl by at 80 miles an hour.