Happy Holi

(Courtesy: Internet)

Holi is the time to develop understanding and love for each other. Wishing all my readers all over the world and their families a very happy and colourful Holi. May God spray colors of joy and success over you. Enjoy the colours, the water balloons and the delicious dishes at home... 

Happy HOLI to everyone out there!

Doomsday theories!

Is Doomsday really going to happen? Will the world end in 2012? Will Planet X Nibiru going to collide with Earth in 2012? Will world war III happen in 2012? Will Nostradamus sea turn black? 

So many questions are doing the rounds over the internet. They say that the world is going to end on December 21st, 2012 and they have ample of theories as to how Nostradamus will prove himself right in the coming few months. But sometimes I seriously feel like applauding these maniacs who come up with such strong creative ideologies to back their theories. The most popular sms doing the rounds is 

The U.S. lost many lives on 09-11-01 and Japan lost even more on 03-10-11. If you add all the numbers, you get 12-21-12 and so the world is indeed going to end!

So I tried to find out all the theories that are being stated by many 'experts'. Here are a few...

1. The Mayan Calendar 

So what exactly is the Mayan Calendar? Everyone seems to be worried about the recent prediction that the world will end in 2012. Some doomsday writers are using the Mayan calendar to support their claims.

The Mayas studied astronomy and had a complicated mathematical system, but they were not able to predict the future. If they had that ability, they would have taken measures to prevent the collapse of their own civilization before the post-classic period. By the 1000 A.D., the Great Maya system had collapsed, and peoples migrated outside the city centers. Historians, anthropologists and archeologists still debate over the cause. Some claim it was a result of warfare, while others believe it was a direct result of environmental changes and land overuse.

The Mayas used several different calendars, not just one. The Tzolk'in calendar is based on a cycle of 260 days. One interesting theory is that it is based on the female gestation period, if it is counted from the first missed menstrual cycle to the birth. The days in the cycle are numbered from one to thirteen, starting over again at one. This calendar tracked religious ceremonies.

The Haab' calendar is a solar calendar based on a cycle of 365 days. Although, inaccurate over time, the calendar attempted to track the agrarian year.

The Long Count calendar is the one used by doomsday prophets. The calendar begins with the first day of Maya creation. The Long Count was created to keep track of events over long periods of time. Just as our modern calendar rolls back to January 1st every year, so will the Long Count calendar.

2. Geomagnetic Reversal

Also referred to as polar shift, is said to be triggered by a massive solar flare, one with energy equal to 100 billion atomic bombs! They say that the Earth's magnetic field is weakening, which would reverse the polarity of the magnetic field of the Earth. But the fact remains that the planet's magnetic fields are caused and regulated by the spinning of the solid inner core inside the molten outer core, and so cannot be influenced by something external to the planet. A solar maximum would be mostly notable for its effects on satellite and cellular phone communications. At the most it can cause some damage to the satellites revolving high up in the orbit.

3. Planet X/Nibiru

Some theories also point to some planet called Planet X or Nibiru which is set to collide with or pass by Earth in 2012. This idea, which has appeared in various forms within New Age circles since 1995, initially slated the event for 2003 but abandoned that date after it passed without incident. It originated from claims of channeling of alien beings and has been widely ridiculed. Astronomers calculate that such an object so close to Earth would be visible to anyone looking up at the night sky.

4. Alien invasion

In late 2009, rumours began circulating in UFO forums on the internet that SETI (Search for extraterrestrial Intelligence) had detected several city-sized spacecraft headed towards Earth, often citing a particular image from the Digitized Sky Survey as evidence. In December 2010, an article appeared in examiner.com, again citing the photograph, and stating that a high-ranking SETI researcher named "Craig Kasnov" had reported that three "flying saucers", each tens of kilometres long, would arrive in Earth orbit by December, 2012. This article was referenced in a number of mainstream news outlets, including the English language version of Pravda. Later it was found that the supposed UFO photograph bore more resemblance to a bit of grit or a defect in the photographic plate.

So Myths are abound and seem to be fuelling even movie storylines. It also highlights the hype that can be stirred, lighting up religious, scientific and not-so-scientific ideas that the world is doomed. There is so much evidence against these things happening in 2012, it’s shocking just how much of a following they have generated. Just because the Mayan calendar turns 13.0.0.0.0. it doesn't mean that the world is going to end! We celebrate 31st December every year not as a doomsday but a new beginning to a new year ahead...
(The above blog post has inputs from the internet and wikipedia)

Fathers - the unsung heroes!

"आई हे घराचे मांगल्य, तर वडील अस्तित्व असतात"- सिंधूताई सपकाळ

 This is one of the famous lines said by Sindhutai Sapkal which signifies the role of a father in a family. It says that if a mother denotes the heart and the beauty of a home, then the father denotes its 'existence'. Often in literature, the role of a father is never spoken of. Saints and poets have always been seen lauding their mothers and their importance in their life. Writers and various authors have written in their biographies and literature about how their mother influenced their life so much. But hardly few texts have mentioned the importance of a father in a family. If ever a father is mentioned, he is often portrayed as an arrogant, stubborn or a negative figure. But barring a handful of them falling in this category, what about the many others who deserve equal recognition and respect from their offspring.

A mother may take support of her tears. When in difficult times, she ventilates herself with tears, but a father is not expected to cry, rather he is expected to be strong and support her and the family however hard he breaks down. No one understands the pain he goes through during such situations. He is like the lamp which has to bear more heat than the flame itself. But almost every time it is the flame that gets the credit of showing the light and not the lamp. We remember our mother who takes care of us day in and day out, but we easily forget the father who has toiled hard to connect each dots of our life for us to live a happy future. A mother may cry and let her feelings come out, but it is the father who suppresses his emotions in front of others, till he goes to bed and vents out his feelings between the pillows.

When we say Jijabai influenced Shivaji Maharaj to become a successful ruler in Indian history, we should not forget the hardships that Shahaji Raje went through while carving a gem out of Maharaj. Devki and Yashoda are hailed for their role in Lord Krishna's life, but at the same time, how much importance is given in mentioning Vasudeva who carried the little Krishna on his head when he himself had completely drowned in the flooded Yamuna.

These fathers will never see beyond the happiness of their families. Every month or so, he will buy a new gown for his daughter, or a new jeans for his son, but will himself show no reluctance in wearing the same trousers for years. A son may not think before spending money to get a trendy hairstyle, nor would the daughter while going to a beauty parlour, but this father will use his old shaving kit for months to save money to meet his children's needs. When he falls ill, he will never agree to go to a doctor... not because he is afraid of the illness but because he is afraid of the possibility that the doctor might advice him a month long bed-rest. He is afraid of the lack of income if he stays at home. Who will take care of the household needs then?

You will seldom see a father say, "I love you" to his children. Though the feeling is always there, he has his own ways of expressing his love towards them. His love may not be visible immediately in hugs or kisses but it does become apparent in months and years in the secure future that he keeps planning for his children.

What I feel is that though both mother and father play a crucial role in the development of their child, the mother is more associated with the softer side of a child like love, affection and sharing of inner feelings to which children easily connect to. A mother’s love is boundless and is imperative in the development of a child, more so in the moral and psychological perspective. But a father is more associated with the harder side of the child’s development; he who guides them to be a stronger person in mind, who guides them on their education and career and show them the outer sphere of the world. A father provides physical protection of a child while a child finds more secure with mother.

So this is how it is. Right from our birth, there is always this bias for us towards our mother. Fathers have nothing to do with it. Even if they love their children, the creator has so programmed it that, it is difficult to prove a father's love and so it needs an extra effort. Perhaps they have to speak love and get love back in return in a fashion of their own... 

(This post is not about 'mother v/s father' and hence preferably dont give a sensitive angle to it. The views should not be generalized.)

Why one should donate blood?

Trypanophobia - is the extreme fear of medical procedures involving injections or hypodermic needles. And it is one of the main reason why many people, though willing to take part in blood donation drives, don't gather enough courage to do so. Blood Donation is essentially a voluntary act where one allows one's blood to be taken out from his/her body for any medical purpose. It is widely promoted by the Red Cross. There are various blood donation centers in almost all the cities in India. There are many types of blood donation, as whole blood donation, blood plasma donation, etc. When I asked many of my friends and relatives about their views on blood donation, I came across many misconceptions and myths that are prevalent in the society about the procedure and it's benefits or side-effects. So here I am writing this post to help you understand that there are many benefits of blood donation as compared to an almost blank list of disadvantages of doing so.

(Courtesy: Internet)

Being Altruistic : It goes without saying, that the most important benefit of blood donation is the most satisfying feeling of being a reason for saving someones life, in most of the cases you are unaware of who the person is. And this feeling cannot be described unless and until you yourself experience it. Did you know that only 3 teaspoons of blood can save a life of a premature baby in blood crisis?

Free Health check-up : Every time you donate blood, you get to undergo a free health screening! You are subjected to a basic health check up where a doctor, a nurse and a lab technician wont charge you for getting your vitals checked. Your hemoglobin level is also tested. If it is low, then you will not be allowed to donate blood. Besides hemoglobin, your blood pressure, blood group and body weight will also be checked. In addition, your blood will also be subjected to screening for  the presence of five diseases, namely Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphilis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria. If you are not suffering from these diseases, only then you will be allowed to donate your blood.

Iron overloading: Blood donation is one of the most easiest way to get rid of the excess iron accumulated in our body due to over consumption. Excess of iron is not good for health as it is responsible for formation of free radicals which cause damage to the body cells and tissues and are also related to various heart diseases and cancers. Iron oxidizes cholesterol which in turn causes atherosclerotic changes in the blood vessels. Iron overload is also seen in Hemochromatosis which is a genetic disease due to defective iron metabolism causing serious damage to pancreas, adrenal glands, indirectly resulting in diabetes, liver disorders, etc. Thus donating blood on a regular basis will help one to regulate the iron levels in one's circulation, especially in young males, thereby decreasing the risk of heart diseases.

Calories : It is said that one pint of blood which may be around (350-400 ml which is only 7.5% of your total blood volume) on an average burns 650 calories!

Press F5 to refresh : Once you donate blood, the blood cell count in your body decreases. This stimulates your bone marrow to produce new red blood cells so as to replenish the loss. Indirectly, this stimulates the production of new blood cells and thus it refreshes your circulation.

When talking about the disadvantages, the list is almost blank except for the fact that sometimes your blood pressure may drop temporarily or you may experience nausea or dizziness for a few seconds. But at the end the feeling of saving one's life and the free health benefits that come along with it, should certainly motivate one to plan a visit to a blood donation drive, once you end reading this post. Try it once, I assure you... it feels good!

How to annoy someone?

Here is a list of 27 methods to annoy someone. I am quoting this from my college magazine 'Antarnad' by an unknown author. Just read it and have a laugh...

1. Adjust the tint on your TV so that all the people are green and insist to other people that 'you like it that way'

2. Drum on every possible surface.

3. Write the surprise ending of a novel on it's first page. 

4. Learn Morse code and have conversations with your friends in public consisting entirely of the words, 'Beep Bip Bip Beep Bip.'

5. Publicly investigate just how slowly you can make a croaking noise.

6. Change channels five minutes before the end of every show.

7. Decline to be seated at a restaurant and simply eat their complimentary mints by the cash register.

8. Begin all your sentences with 'Ooh la la'.

9. Pay for your dinner in paise.

10. Repeat everything someone says as a question.

11. Leave tips in Bolivian currency.

12. As much as possible, skip rather than walk.

13. Stand over someone's shoulder mumbling as they read.

14. Inform others that they exist only in your imagination.

15. Ask people what gender they belong to.

16. Blow your nose when someone's eating.

17. Declare your apartment as an independent nation and sue your neighbors upstairs for 'violating your how-cool-life-airspace'

18. Chew on pens you have borrowed.

19. Claim that you must always wear bicycle helmets as part of your 'astronaut training.'

20. Forget the punchline to a long joke but assure the listener that it was indeed a good one.

21. Listen to a 33 rpm record at 45 rpm speed and claim that the faster speed is necessary for your 'superior mental processing.'

22. Ask the waiter for an extra seat for your imaginary friend.

23. Never make eye contact. 

24. Never break eye contact.

25. Invite lots of people to other people's parties.

26. Make appointments for the 30th of February. 

27. Send fifty retweets or facebook shares of this list to everyone you know.