NARA'S NOTEPAD

VOLUME 5

OCTOBER 2009

NUMBER 10

SUPPORTED BY

READERS

LIKE YOU

PROMISE LESS

AND

DELIVER MORE

MEMO FROM NARA ...

Although I live with my family, I am still an individual with my own talents and skills which cannot be robbed by anyone else. Like the others I spend a peaceful life without causing or thinking harm to fellow human beings. Living together in a society has many untold small or big problems. Crossing over these problems is an individual’s duty. I too try to solve these silly problems with my possible ability. I am successful in some cases whereas I am not in others. Still I go forward with confidence and self-determination. Once I feel not well, I enter into a serious thought without informing anyone. Each one has such problems. Some people make a fuss about them and find fault with the family members. I do not think it is fair. No one can bear our problems, but they can only show their sympathy and help to an extent only; we cannot expect more than that. Taking care of oneself is the most important duty one has to keep in mind and adopt. Although we graduate from schools and colleges and work in various fields, we need to look after ourselves. Minor help can be expected from the dear ones when we are unable to do things. Not more than that. We have to undergo all hardships and happiness in life. ‘How to lead a happy and healthy life?’ is the question for which we have to find answers and follow in our life. Many people consider themselves as superior to all others. But I think everyone in this world has talents and skills special to him or her. We need to respect that greatness. Others have untold amount of qualities which have to be identified and appreciated. When we do it we establish a relationship which is very much essential for our health and happiness. In fact, I realized it very late in my life. Skill is the one that differ from person to person. The skill we have may not be with others and vice versa. In order to acquire the skill, one has to learn and practice for a long time. That ends up in experience which is essential to build up our society which is constituted by individuals like me and you.

THEY SAY...

THERE ARE TWO ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. – Albert Einstein

IF YOUR ACTION inspires others to do more, to learn more, to dream more or to become more, you are a leader. – John Quincy Adams

MASTERY IS NOT perfection, it is journey and the true master must be willing to try and fail and try again. – George Leonard

JUST TO LAUGH...

THE FATHER of a boy who is choking after accidentally swallowing a 50-paisa coin screams for help. A woman sipping her coffee outside a nearby coffee bar looks up, puts down her newspaper and cup, and strolls over to the boy. She squeezes him with amazing strength until the coin pops out. Deftly catching it, she hands it to the father and returns to her table. The relieved father follows her, gushing words of thanks. “That was fantastic!” he says, “Are you a doctor?” “No,” replies the woman, “I work for the income tax department.

“IT’S YOUR golden wedding anniversary soon. What are you going to give your wife?”
“As I remember, I took her to Kashmir for our silver wedding anniversary. May be I should go and fetch her back?”

A MILLION DOLLAR LESSON

Be prepared at all times to write down passing thoughts, ideas and concept. This tip is so deceptively simple, yet so incredibly powerful, that most people mistakenly brush it aside. Yet this humble little tip is responsible for creating so much more wealth and worldly magnificence than all other success ’secrets’ …combined. Capturing Ideas - Your Secret Weapon to Unlimited Wealth. Write everything down. When you have an idea, write it down. When you meet someone new, write down everything you know about them. That way you will know how much time they are worth. When you hear something interesting, write it down. Writing it down will make you act upon it. If you don’t write it down you will forget it. THAT is a million dollar lesson they don’t teach you in business school!"

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL...

We can not control many of the things and events in our lives, including the sun and the tilt of the earth. In life, there are many things over which we have no control. Fortunately, however there are many things we can influence and few wonderful things we can arrange as we see fit. Highly successful people understand this and spend their time and energy where they can make a difference. Our fear is not that were powerless, but that in fact we are powerful beyond measure. We can influence more than we think. Given enough time, courage and determination, we can modify impact, transform and re-invent almost everything in our lives. Every year will last twelve months. You will have 52 weeks in which to choose your priorities. You will have 365 days to decide where to focus your time, you attention and your effort. You will have thousands of opportunities to choose, to try, and to learn. Twelve months is a huge amount of time! In twelve months you can achieve miracles. In the twelve months the sun will move, the earth will tilt, the seasons will change. You can not control these things. But you can control what time you get up in the morning. You can choose your attitude, your friends, your reading material, your diet, your focus and your goals. You can, to a remarkable degree, create the life you want.
-Dr. Philip E. Humbert

BOOST YOUR MORALE

Problems of morale are very likely to develop when what you do at work every day is not emotionally stimulating enough and does not reward you with a sense of accomplishment. Dwindling morale ruins your productivity like nothing else. Here is what you can do:

Renew Enthusiasm: Too much work pressure can lead to fear of failure and gradual decline of enthusiasm to accomplish tasks on hand.
Set Daily Goals: To experience high spirits you must reward yourself with feelings of accomplishment. Issues of morale need to be addressed on a daily basis. So prepare a short list of goals for the next 24h. When you succeed at achieving them your confidence levels automatically shoot up.
Take A Break: A brief repose from your workload gives your spirits a boost by temporarily taking the load off you. Whenever you feel too overburdened force yourself to take a break. Go for a stroll and breathe some fresh air.
Think Beyond Work: Engage your brain in activities other than work from time to time. For instance read different kinds of book, listen to uplifting music or cultivate a new hobby.
Go Physical: Physical fitness has a direct bearing on your confidence levels. Exercise on a regular basis and get into shape as soon as you can.
Organize Work: By carefully planning, organizing and scheduling your work you improve your efficiency by leaps.
Help Others: The most effective means of overcoming low morale is to help someone in need.
Confidence in your abilities is what you need most to ride over difficulties.
- N. Purnima Srikrishna

SUPER CRITICAL FLUID (SCF)

Substance above its critical temperature and critical pressure is defined as SCF. Critical points represent the maximum temperature and pressure at which vapor and liquid co-exist. This is known since 1822 which Baron Cogniard de Latour demonstrated the existence of the critical point using an equipment. There are few features, which make SCF different from usual fluids. It moves like a gas but dissolves things like a liquid. High penetrating capability with almost no surface tension makes it miscible at highest extent with respect to conventional fluids. The SCF technology is used in food and agriculture, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and environmental sectors. The applications are wide. Decaffeination of coffee beans was the first successful technological application of super critical carbon dioxide.

LINES I LIKED...

§ Genius rarely comes without strings attached, and the ends of those strings are in the hands of the gods.
§ If you do not believe in yourself, who else will believe in you?
§ Do not worry about others as no one will be worried about you.
§ Defeat has a dignity that noisy victory does not have.
§ Why does man hate man? Why do wars often fail to teach peace? Who decides who is at wrong?
§ An inordinate devotion to work is what keep me ticking.
§ People will judge you by what you do and certainly not by what you boast.
§ When optimism erodes, anger explodes.

FLUID INTELLIGENCE

Fluid intelligence is the ability to find meaning in confusion and to solve new problems, independent of acquired knowledge. Fluid intelligence doesn’t look much like the capacity to memorize and recite facts, the skills that people have traditionally associated with brain power. [But] the information sea isn’t going to dry up, and relying on cognitive habits evolved and perfected in an era of limited information flow – and limited information access – is futile. Strengthening our fluid intelligence is the only visible approach to navigating the age of constant connectivity.
– Andrew Brown

Writing is a process of reflective thinking or self-observation!

Meet you next month – NOVEMBER, 2009

Prof. A. Narayanan, Ph. D., FISPP
# 19, PHASE 5, MAHARANI AVENUE, VADAVALLI, COIMBATORE – 641 041, TAMIL NADU

E-mail: arumugakannu@gmail.com

Ph : 0422 2423017 Mobile : 98422 42301
http://www.nara.tumblr.com/ (NARA’S DIGEST)
http://www.nara1.vox.com/ (NARA’S POSTCARD)
http://www.nara2007.blogspot.com/ (NARA’S NOTEPAD)
http://www.nsdigest.blogspot.com/ (NARA’S SCIENCE DIGEST)

NARA'S NOTEPAD

VOLUME 5

SEPTEMBER 2009

NUMBER 9

NARA'S NOTEPAD

IS SUPPORTED BY READERS

LIKE YOU

GIVING UP

IS

NOT

AN OPTION

MEMO FROM NARA...

Who is not happy with appreciation? Everyone is interested to get appreciated for his or her achievements which vary considrably depending on the field. Mostly achievements come from our service to the society. They may be in the field of entertainment, medicine, agriculture, social service or the like. Even passing an examination or facing a difficulty is an achievement. In fact, achievements are attained by hard work with sincerity and devotion to duty. Among us there are outstanding people who have helped the humanity to continue comfortably its existence on earth. Actually everyone is achieving something in one’s life time. May be great or not so great. Still they are achievements that warrant appreciation. Appreciations are offered in few words or by organizing felicitation functions. Recently the first men landed in moon were felicitated all over the world because of their great achievement. Small scale felicitations or big scale functions are organised everyday on earth for those who contributed their might to the welfare of human beings. There is always a desire in everyone’s mind to achieve something in one’s life and everyone of us is trying to apply intelligence and efforts to achieve something to get appreciation. Friends and relatives are happy to see someone among them who has done something outstanding which others have attempted and achieved. The achievements of our army men and women who are safeguarding our borders are being highly appreciated by everyone of us. To mark the achievements, we offer money, medals, mementoes and many other things. Achievements in sports and games are appreciated by offering huge sums of money nowadays along with beautiful gold, silver or bronze medals. Similarly, achievements in various fields are being appreciated appropriately in order to encourage the people who wish to achieve great things in life. Life is to achieve and to get appreciation which brings happiness not only in the minds of the achievers but also to the related people.

THEY SAY...

If you can’t explain it to six year old, you don’t understand it yourself. – Albert Einstein

If winter comes, can spring be far behind? – Percy Bysshe Shelley

Trust men and they will be true to you, treat them greatly and they will show themselves great. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Give to the world the best you have and the best will come back to you. – Madeline Bridges

Let us go singing as far as we go; the road will be less tedious - Virgil

BLAME GAME...

If something goes wrong do not blame others blindly.

If you commit a mistake do not hesitate to accept it.

As Gautham Buddha said, there three things we can’t hide for long: the sun, earth and the truth.

Accepting mistake gracefully will make you look like a true professional and give you the satisfaction of not cheating.

JUST TO LAUGH...

An Australian newspaper reports that one morning not long ago a man called a taxi company and complained that a cab he ordered to take him to the Kingsford Smith Airport had not arrived. The girl who took the call apologized. ‘I’m very sorry the cab isn’t there yet, sir,’ she said. ‘But don’t worry. The plane is always late.’ ‘Well, it certainly will be this monrning,’ the caller said sharply, ‘I happen to be the pilot.’

The crisis arising from the world population increase was the subject of sociologist’s lecture to a women’s club. ‘Do you realize that somewhere in the world a woman is giving birth to a child every minute, day and night? What are we going to do about it?’
A woman in the back row raised her hand, ‘I think the first thing we should do is find that woman’ she said ‘and stop her!’

A woman was mailing the family Bible to her brother in distant city. The postal clerk examined the heavy package carefully and inquired if it contained anything breakable. ‘Nothing but the Ten Commandments,’ was the quick reply.

Man to friend: ‘ My brother leaps out of bed as soon as the first ray of sun touches his window. Of course, his bedroom faces west.

BE ADAPTABLE...

We live in a world where things are always changing. The seasons come and go, the tide comes in and out, inflation goes up and down, people get hired and fired. You would think we would learn that the underlying law of the Univers is change! Instead we get angry. In high school biology, we study the law of natural selection – adapting to change. The law is brutal- ‘Adapt or Disappear.’ What is true today may not be true tomorrow. What works today may not work tomorrow. The only constant we have is change. If you leave home for 3 months you’ll find your kids have changed. Suddenly your baby is calling you “Daddy.” It is not a question of fair or unfair. Every thing is moving.

GOLDEN RULES FOR A LOVELY LIFE...

§ Pursue achievable goals.
§ Keep a genuine smile.
§ Share with others.
§ Help thy neighbours
§ Get along with the rich, the poor,the beautiful and ugly.
§ Keep cool under pressure.
§ Lighten the atmosphere with humour.
§ Forgive the annoyance of others.
§ Have a few pals.
§ Cooperate and reap greater rewards.
§ Treasure every moment with your loved ones.
§ Have high confidence in yourself.
§ Respect the disadvantaged.
§ Indulge yourself occasionally
§ Take calculated risks.
§ Understand ‘money isn’t everything’

NATURAL KILLER CELLS

Scientists have discovered how immune system cells called Natural Killer cells function to destroy diseased cells, while leaving normal cells alone. Natural Killer cells are a type of white blood cell that contain granules with chemicals inside. When they come across a tumor cell or a cell that is infected by a pathogen, they surround and destroy the diseased cell by releasing the chemicals. These chemicals break-down the cell membrane of the diseased cell, ultimately causing it to burst. Using high speed microscopy imaging techniques, the researchers were able to observe how Natural Killer cells distinguish a healthy cell from a diseased one. Receptors on the surface of the killer cell interact with proteins on any cell it comes in contact with. If the cell triggers more of the Natural Killer cell's activator receptors, the killing mechanism will be turned on. If the cell however triggers more inhibitor receptors, the Natural Killer cell will leave the cell alone.

LIVING SKILLS...

Living skills are skills that help you to live your life better. Unfortunately, living skills are often not taught or emphasized in schools. Thus, most people acquire living skills from the “school of hard knocks” – through experiences in life. There are many living skills. Two of the most important and useful skills are mindfulness and letting go.

Mindfulness is effective in noting the arising of our thoughts and in recognising the contents of our thoughts and beliefs. It is particularly useful in changing the self limiting beliefs we have that is preventing us from unlimited possibilities. Since changing these unconscious self limiting beliefs require that we first identify them, mindfulness plays a crucial role in this identification process. Meditation, when done on a regular basis, increases our mindfulness and allow us to gradually peel away layers upon layers of negative mental and emotional imprints, and creating rooms for new positive and life-enhancing beliefs and imprints. This process is often compared to peeling the layers of an onion.

The ability to let go complements mindfulness. Mindfulness allows us to be aware of our negative thoughts, beliefs and feelings. With the awareness and insights we can then let go of them. Since we spend almost every waking hours seeking, acquiring, grasping and clinging on to things, we have the tendency to resist letting go. In fact most people find it extremely difficult to let go of anything and particularly of feelings and beliefs. This is because we have learned to identify our feelings and beliefs as ourselves. We think we are our feelings and beliefs.Thus we fight and struggle to keep these feelings and beliefs in an effort to preserve our SELF, regardless of whether they are useful or harmful to us. – Tim Ong

LINES I LIKED...

§ The future of the country can only be secure when the future of its children is safe.
§ You don’t walk around with grief, but it is always there.
§ I say exactly what I mean, and I mean what I say.
§ People want someone who will represent their fears and frustrations.
§ Men love to see heroes rise but enjoy to see them fall.
§ Where there is no struggle there is no strength.
§ Life’s journey is to understand what we already possess.When the sky is clear of clouds, the ground is

TELEVISION...

Television agitates people and is regular fodder for politicians who think it is more deleterious to the nation’s health than substantial numbers of people doing without clean drinking water or going to bed hungry. That is not surprising, because TV and its excesses are more visible. The deprived do not live in our drawing rooms. But seeing that the nation is turning 62 and all that, I would argue that satellite TV excesses are something we are now grown up enough to digest. Or reject. As the good judges on the High Court division bench said, ‘In this land of Gandhi, it appears that nobody follows Gandhi… Follow the Gandhian principle of see no evil. Why don’t you simply switch off the TV? – Viewpoint of Seventi Ninan, Columnist

All human progress begins with a new decision.
Meet you next month – OCTOBER, 2009

Prof. A. Narayanan, Ph. D., FISPP
# 19, PHASE 5, MAHARANI AVENUE, VADAVALLI, COIMBATORE – 641 041, TAMIL NADU
E-mail: arumugakannu@gmail.com Ph : 0422 2423017 Mobile : 98422 42301

http://www.nara.tumblr.com/ (NARA’S DIGEST)
http://www.nara1.vox.com/ (NARA’S POSTCARD)
http://www.nara2007.blogspot.com/ (NARA’S NOTEPAD)
http://www.nsdigest.blogspot.com/ (NARA’S SCIENCE DIGEST)