Day: July 24, 2021

POPULAR ARAB FOOD YOU MUST TRY!

Arab food is definitely something you would have an idea of. From Hummus to kunafeh Arab food and sweets are not just delicious but are dipped in tradition. The Arab food is influenced by the highly refined culture of the Persian Empire, which has also impacted the food traditions of India. Much of the Mughal-based court cuisines in the Subcontinent are a direct result of the combination of ideas and ingredients, as things like the pulao, kofte, kebab ,and indeed the sambusak/samosa came in contact with Indian spices and inventiveness.

If you even happen to plan a trip to the middle east, then here are the dishes you need to try!

SHAWARMA

Shawarma is a Levantine Arab meat preparation, where lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, veal, or mixed meats are placed on a spit and may be grilled for as long as a day. Inside the pita/khubz, foods like hummus, tahini, pickles, vegetables, and even french fries are added.

Meat grill
Shawarma roll

HUMMAS

Starting with probably the best known Middle Eastern food, it is a dip, spread, or savory dish made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. It is usually eaten as a dip, with pita bread or also known as khubz in arab.

FALAFEL

Falafel is the second most known Arab dish after hummus. It is a fried ball made of chickpeas, onions, and spices. It is served both as an appetizer on a mezze platter or as the protein in a vegetarian meal. Tastes even better when eaten as a sandwich with khubz.

KHUBZ

 This is the Arabic flatbread, just like the pita that you will find throughout the region. A thick and traditionally baked in a tannur  that you can eat it with hummus and grilled meats.

KEFTA

The kefta is simply a grilled dish of ground meat like lamb or beef. It is seasoned with paprika, parsley and sometimes onions and grilled like a seekh kebab. Unlike the Indian kofte, you wont find a gravy.

LABNEH

The labneh is a creamier version of yogurt with the water drained out. You get various flavors and is consumed very commonly by all. Olives are a basic garnish.

KUNAFEH

It is a dessert made with shredded filo pastry, or alternatively fine semolina dough, soaked in sweet, sugar-based syrup, and typically layered with cheese, or with other ingredients such as clotted cream or nuts, depending on the region.

BAKLAWA

Baklava is a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. This dessert is time-consuming to prepare, but tastes just marvelous. It is also one of the most popular sweet pastries of Arab.

ARAB TEA

The Arab tea has a lot of varieties and flavors and is usually served with dates. It is known for its additional medicinal advantages and is consumed as a health drink as well .It is commonly served to guests and business partners at meetings and social events, and has been drunk by Arab people for centuries. For Arabs tea denotes hospitality.

Article by : Haniah Mirza

POPULAR ARAB FOOD YOU MUST TRY!

Arab food is definitely something you would have an idea of. From Hummus to kunafeh Arab food and sweets are not just delicious but are dipped in tradition. The Arab food is influenced by the highly refined culture of the Persian Empire, which has also impacted the food traditions of India. Much of the Mughal-based court cuisines in the Subcontinent are a direct result of the combination of ideas and ingredients, as things like the pulao, kofte, kebab ,and indeed the sambusak/samosa came in contact with Indian spices and inventiveness.

If you even happen to plan a trip to the middle east, then here are the dishes you need to try!

SHAWARMA

Shawarma is a Levantine Arab meat preparation, where lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, veal, or mixed meats are placed on a spit and may be grilled for as long as a day. Inside the pita/khubz, foods like hummus, tahini, pickles, vegetables, and even french fries are added.

Meat grill
Shawarma roll

HUMMAS

Starting with probably the best known Middle Eastern food, it is a dip, spread, or savory dish made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. It is usually eaten as a dip, with pita bread or also known as khubz in arab.

FALAFEL

Falafel is the second most known Arab dish after hummus. It is a fried ball made of chickpeas, onions, and spices. It is served both as an appetizer on a mezze platter or as the protein in a vegetarian meal. Tastes even better when eaten as a sandwich with khubz.

KHUBZ

 This is the Arabic flatbread, just like the pita that you will find throughout the region. A thick and traditionally baked in a tannur  that you can eat it with hummus and grilled meats.

KEFTA

The kefta is simply a grilled dish of ground meat like lamb or beef. It is seasoned with paprika, parsley and sometimes onions and grilled like a seekh kebab. Unlike the Indian kofte, you wont find a gravy.

LABNEH

The labneh is a creamier version of yogurt with the water drained out. You get various flavors and is consumed very commonly by all. Olives are a basic garnish.

KUNAFEH

It is a dessert made with shredded filo pastry, or alternatively fine semolina dough, soaked in sweet, sugar-based syrup, and typically layered with cheese, or with other ingredients such as clotted cream or nuts, depending on the region.

BAKLAWA

Baklava is a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. This dessert is time-consuming to prepare, but tastes just marvelous. It is also one of the most popular sweet pastries of Arab.

ARAB TEA

The Arab tea has a lot of varieties and flavors and is usually served with dates. It is known for its additional medicinal advantages and is consumed as a health drink as well .It is commonly served to guests and business partners at meetings and social events, and has been drunk by Arab people for centuries. For Arabs tea denotes hospitality.

Article by : Haniah Mirza

Nutritious Mango:

Mango is the king of all fruits. It is widely famous fruit in world. It is a very mouth watering ,flavorful and nutritious fruit. Mangifera indica is the scientific species name of mango. Its origin was initially southern east Asia, but now mango is available in every corner of world.

Some famous variety of mango:

In India:

i.             Alphonso Hapoos mangoes from Maharashtra.

Alphonso Hapoos mangoes

ii.            Kesar mangoes from Gujarat.

iii.           Himsagar from West Bengal.

Himsagar Mangoes

iv.           Badami mangoes from Karnataka.

v.            Bombay green mangoes from Punjab.

vi.           Bangnapalli from Andhra Pradesh.

Bangnapalli Mangoes

In the Whole World:

i.             Alphonso from Maharashtra, India.

ii.            Carabao or Manila mangoes from Philippines.

Carabao or Manila mangoes

iii.           Diamond Solitaire mango from Myanmar.

iv.           Hayden from USA.

Hayden or Haden Mango

v.            Julie from cab bean.

‘Julie’ mango

vi.           Kensington Pride from Australia.

they are not the only variety in the world. There are many more.

How to eat Mango: Mango can be eaten raw and ripe. Raw mango is originally sour and crunchy but some types of raw mango  can be sweet. Ripe mango can be sweet sour, creamy and soft. Ripe Mango juice is very good for our health apart from juice, various dishes like chutney, desert, sweets and other dishes can be made from raw and ripe mango.

Raw mango & Chutney
Mango Pickle

Nutrition value: Mango is one of the nutritious fruits. Let’s see the nutritional value of mango

a)            100-gram mango contains –

i.             13.7 gm of Sugars.

ii.            1.6 G of dietary fibre.

iii.           0.82 gram of protein.

iv.           0.38 gram of Fat.

v.            mango contains various vitamins –

a.    54 micrograms of Vitamin A.

b.    640 microgram of Beta carotene.

c.    0.02 mg of Vitamin B10 thiamine.

d.    0.03 mg of Vitamin B2 or riboflavin.

e.    0.67 mg of vitamin B3 or niacin.

f.     0.2 mg of vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid.

g.    0.12 mg of Vitamin B6.

h.    43 microgram of Vitamin B9 or folate.

i.     4.2 microgram of vitamin K.

j.     7.6 mg of choline.

k.    0.9 mg of Vitamin E.

l.     36 mg of Vitamin C

vi.           various minerals are also present –

a.    11 mg of calcium (Ca).

b.    0.1 mg of copper (Cu).

c.    1 mg of sodium (Na).

d.    14 mg of phosphorus (P).

e.    10 mg of magnesium (Mg).

f.     168 mg of potassium(K).

g.    0.06 mg of manganese (Mn).

h.    0.09 mg of zinc (Zn).

vii.          Mango contains lot of water. Almost 83.5 gm water is available from 100 gm mango.

viii.         We can get almost 250 kilojoule or 60 kcal energy from 100-gram Mango.

ix.           Mango contains high number of polyphenols which is an antioxidant.

x.            Amylases and some digestive enzymes.

Mango Juice

Health benefit:

i.  Mango contains various types of antioxidants or polyphenol specially mangiferin (which is also called super antioxidant). These antioxidants prevent the free radical from damaging our body cell which fight against aging and chronical disease

ii. By a research of 2014 in Japan mango can reduce the risk chance of colon cancer as mango contain lot of amount beta carotenoid, beta carotene also prevents skin cancer.

iii. Magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) are important minerals for blood vessels pulse and blood pressure level and these two minerals present in mango. Mangiferin is also supervise the heart health. Mango helps to decrease the high blood pressure level.

iv. According to research study in 2014 and the mouse study in 2019 frozen dried mango helps to reduce blood sugar level for obesity and diabetic patients.

v. Vitamin A is important for body tissue growth in Skin, hair and in other part of our body. Vitamin C provide to develop collagen, which is important for hair and skin. Vitamin A and Vitamin C are present in mango in huge amount.

vi. Mango contains amylases and some other digestive enzymes which improves the digestive system of our body by breaking down the large molecules.

vii. Vitamin A which is exist mango fends off the infection risk. Vitamin K, some of Vitamin B also helps to boost immunity.

viii. Mango have lutein and zeaxanthin antioxidants, which is important for our retina and macula. So, mango is very good for our vision health and eyes.

Nutritious Mango:

Mango is the king of all fruits. It is widely famous fruit in world. It is a very mouth watering ,flavorful and nutritious fruit. Mangifera indica is the scientific species name of mango. Its origin was initially southern east Asia, but now mango is available in every corner of world.

Some famous variety of mango:

In India:

i.             Alphonso Hapoos mangoes from Maharashtra.

Alphonso Hapoos mangoes

ii.            Kesar mangoes from Gujarat.

iii.           Himsagar from West Bengal.

Himsagar Mangoes

iv.           Badami mangoes from Karnataka.

v.            Bombay green mangoes from Punjab.

vi.           Bangnapalli from Andhra Pradesh.

Bangnapalli Mangoes

In the Whole World:

i.             Alphonso from Maharashtra, India.

ii.            Carabao or Manila mangoes from Philippines.

Carabao or Manila mangoes

iii.           Diamond Solitaire mango from Myanmar.

iv.           Hayden from USA.

Hayden or Haden Mango

v.            Julie from cab bean.

‘Julie’ mango

vi.           Kensington Pride from Australia.

they are not the only variety in the world. There are many more.

How to eat Mango: Mango can be eaten raw and ripe. Raw mango is originally sour and crunchy but some types of raw mango  can be sweet. Ripe mango can be sweet sour, creamy and soft. Ripe Mango juice is very good for our health apart from juice, various dishes like chutney, desert, sweets and other dishes can be made from raw and ripe mango.

Raw mango & Chutney
Mango Pickle

Nutrition value: Mango is one of the nutritious fruits. Let’s see the nutritional value of mango

a)            100-gram mango contains –

i.             13.7 gm of Sugars.

ii.            1.6 G of dietary fibre.

iii.           0.82 gram of protein.

iv.           0.38 gram of Fat.

v.            mango contains various vitamins –

a.    54 micrograms of Vitamin A.

b.    640 microgram of Beta carotene.

c.    0.02 mg of Vitamin B10 thiamine.

d.    0.03 mg of Vitamin B2 or riboflavin.

e.    0.67 mg of vitamin B3 or niacin.

f.     0.2 mg of vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid.

g.    0.12 mg of Vitamin B6.

h.    43 microgram of Vitamin B9 or folate.

i.     4.2 microgram of vitamin K.

j.     7.6 mg of choline.

k.    0.9 mg of Vitamin E.

l.     36 mg of Vitamin C

vi.           various minerals are also present –

a.    11 mg of calcium (Ca).

b.    0.1 mg of copper (Cu).

c.    1 mg of sodium (Na).

d.    14 mg of phosphorus (P).

e.    10 mg of magnesium (Mg).

f.     168 mg of potassium(K).

g.    0.06 mg of manganese (Mn).

h.    0.09 mg of zinc (Zn).

vii.          Mango contains lot of water. Almost 83.5 gm water is available from 100 gm mango.

viii.         We can get almost 250 kilojoule or 60 kcal energy from 100-gram Mango.

ix.           Mango contains high number of polyphenols which is an antioxidant.

x.            Amylases and some digestive enzymes.

Mango Juice

Health benefit:

i.  Mango contains various types of antioxidants or polyphenol specially mangiferin (which is also called super antioxidant). These antioxidants prevent the free radical from damaging our body cell which fight against aging and chronical disease

ii. By a research of 2014 in Japan mango can reduce the risk chance of colon cancer as mango contain lot of amount beta carotenoid, beta carotene also prevents skin cancer.

iii. Magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) are important minerals for blood vessels pulse and blood pressure level and these two minerals present in mango. Mangiferin is also supervise the heart health. Mango helps to decrease the high blood pressure level.

iv. According to research study in 2014 and the mouse study in 2019 frozen dried mango helps to reduce blood sugar level for obesity and diabetic patients.

v. Vitamin A is important for body tissue growth in Skin, hair and in other part of our body. Vitamin C provide to develop collagen, which is important for hair and skin. Vitamin A and Vitamin C are present in mango in huge amount.

vi. Mango contains amylases and some other digestive enzymes which improves the digestive system of our body by breaking down the large molecules.

vii. Vitamin A which is exist mango fends off the infection risk. Vitamin K, some of Vitamin B also helps to boost immunity.

viii. Mango have lutein and zeaxanthin antioxidants, which is important for our retina and macula. So, mango is very good for our vision health and eyes.

The Sopranos – A Timeless Classic

The Sopranos is an American television drama series considered to be masterpiece by critics and audiences alike. Created and written by David Chase, The Sopranos aired for six seasons (1999–2007) on Home Box Office (HBO) and earned an international following as a result of its excellence. The Sopranos is said to have set the standard for what a crime drama series should be; full of suspense, thrill and excitement. It is impossible to overstate The Sopranos’ influence on television across the globe. Many famous and successful shows that followed The Sopranos in years to come like Breaking Bad and Peaky Blinders seem to have traces of inspiration and borrow certain elements from this legendary show.

Synopsis

Set in New Jersey, The Sopranos follows Mafia boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) through regular sessions with a psychiatrist (Lorraine Bracco) to whom he goes for help after experiencing panic attacks that cause him to black out. His infidelity and the violent nature of a life in organized crime form the backdrop for the dysfunctional relationship he has with his own family. Beset by enemies and family difficulties, he struggles to come to terms with power, morality, and death.

Christopher (Michael Imperioli), Paulie (Tony Sirico), and Silvio (Steve Van Zandt) form Tony’s most trusted inner circle, while many others enter and leave the circle as the series progresses. The themes of identity, guilt, and denial are highlighted by the selective acknowledgment of the harsh realities of Tony’s crime world by his wife, Carmela (Edie Falco), and the Sopranos children, Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) and Anthony Jr. (Robert Iler).

Popularity

The Sopranos is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time. It won a multitude of awards, including Peabody Awards for its first two seasons, 21 Primetime Emmy Awards, and 5 Golden Globe Awards. It has been the subject of critical analysis, controversy, and parody, and it has spawned books, a video game, soundtrack albums, and assorted merchandise. Several members of the show’s cast and crew were largely unknown to the public but have since had successful careers. In 2013, the Writers Guild of America named The Sopranos the best-written TV series of all time, and many sites have ranked it the best television series of all time.

The main reason for the show’s success has to be James Gandolfini and his portrayal of Tony Soprano. The masterful complexity of Gandolfini’s portrayal of Tony Soprano and the uneasy juxtaposition of brutality and sensitivity on display challenge the viewer to step inside Tony’s world and examine his choices from an intimate and personal perspective. Gandolfini plays Tony as a rough and tough guy, but doesn’t neglect the gentle fragility guarded within him. Not good, not bad, just human. It was also so famous because of how it explored so many important themes that really reflected modern America’s existential preoccupations. The show highlights things like mental health, homosexuality, family relations, sexual harassment, etc. It was a raw and real show that didn’t pull any punches. Hence, it is not just a mob drama, but also a social satire, a domestic drama and a statement of the rise in Western consumerism. The Sopranos rightly got a lot of praise for nearly all of this, but one thing is often overlooked; it was also a really funny show. It was funny not because the script was full of jokes and punchlines, but because it created very funny situations and circumstances in a very natural manner. All of these aspects and elements made it not only a show well worth watching, but also one that set the benchmark and is revered to this day.  

Conclusion

The influence of The Sopranos cannot be quantified, and it was the foundation upon which HBO became a cultural force. Sex and the City premiered on HBO six months before The Sopranos, breaking ground for women in television and comedy and becoming an influential trend factory. But while Sex and the City gave HBO glitz, The Sopranos gave it gravitas. Due to this show, the network became synonymous with quality drama, the great TV-making seal of approval.

Many contend that till today, The Sopranos remains the best TV series in the world. Though this is subjective, there seems to be overwhelming support from audiences and critics alike that this show is one of the best, if not best crime drama ever made. Regardless, if you have not seen it yet, you should definitely give it a try and you may notice how this show laid the groundwork for many other great shows in years to come.

The Sopranos – A Timeless Classic

The Sopranos is an American television drama series considered to be masterpiece by critics and audiences alike. Created and written by David Chase, The Sopranos aired for six seasons (1999–2007) on Home Box Office (HBO) and earned an international following as a result of its excellence. The Sopranos is said to have set the standard for what a crime drama series should be; full of suspense, thrill and excitement. It is impossible to overstate The Sopranos’ influence on television across the globe. Many famous and successful shows that followed The Sopranos in years to come like Breaking Bad and Peaky Blinders seem to have traces of inspiration and borrow certain elements from this legendary show.

Synopsis

Set in New Jersey, The Sopranos follows Mafia boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) through regular sessions with a psychiatrist (Lorraine Bracco) to whom he goes for help after experiencing panic attacks that cause him to black out. His infidelity and the violent nature of a life in organized crime form the backdrop for the dysfunctional relationship he has with his own family. Beset by enemies and family difficulties, he struggles to come to terms with power, morality, and death.

Christopher (Michael Imperioli), Paulie (Tony Sirico), and Silvio (Steve Van Zandt) form Tony’s most trusted inner circle, while many others enter and leave the circle as the series progresses. The themes of identity, guilt, and denial are highlighted by the selective acknowledgment of the harsh realities of Tony’s crime world by his wife, Carmela (Edie Falco), and the Sopranos children, Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) and Anthony Jr. (Robert Iler).

Popularity

The Sopranos is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time. It won a multitude of awards, including Peabody Awards for its first two seasons, 21 Primetime Emmy Awards, and 5 Golden Globe Awards. It has been the subject of critical analysis, controversy, and parody, and it has spawned books, a video game, soundtrack albums, and assorted merchandise. Several members of the show’s cast and crew were largely unknown to the public but have since had successful careers. In 2013, the Writers Guild of America named The Sopranos the best-written TV series of all time, and many sites have ranked it the best television series of all time.

The main reason for the show’s success has to be James Gandolfini and his portrayal of Tony Soprano. The masterful complexity of Gandolfini’s portrayal of Tony Soprano and the uneasy juxtaposition of brutality and sensitivity on display challenge the viewer to step inside Tony’s world and examine his choices from an intimate and personal perspective. Gandolfini plays Tony as a rough and tough guy, but doesn’t neglect the gentle fragility guarded within him. Not good, not bad, just human. It was also so famous because of how it explored so many important themes that really reflected modern America’s existential preoccupations. The show highlights things like mental health, homosexuality, family relations, sexual harassment, etc. It was a raw and real show that didn’t pull any punches. Hence, it is not just a mob drama, but also a social satire, a domestic drama and a statement of the rise in Western consumerism. The Sopranos rightly got a lot of praise for nearly all of this, but one thing is often overlooked; it was also a really funny show. It was funny not because the script was full of jokes and punchlines, but because it created very funny situations and circumstances in a very natural manner. All of these aspects and elements made it not only a show well worth watching, but also one that set the benchmark and is revered to this day.  

Conclusion

The influence of The Sopranos cannot be quantified, and it was the foundation upon which HBO became a cultural force. Sex and the City premiered on HBO six months before The Sopranos, breaking ground for women in television and comedy and becoming an influential trend factory. But while Sex and the City gave HBO glitz, The Sopranos gave it gravitas. Due to this show, the network became synonymous with quality drama, the great TV-making seal of approval.

Many contend that till today, The Sopranos remains the best TV series in the world. Though this is subjective, there seems to be overwhelming support from audiences and critics alike that this show is one of the best, if not best crime drama ever made. Regardless, if you have not seen it yet, you should definitely give it a try and you may notice how this show laid the groundwork for many other great shows in years to come.

Sedentary Lifestyle : A boon or a bane?

Have you ever wondered that by just not doing anything
we are moving towards the path of self-destruction? Shocking right?


Often our parents advise us not to look into our phones
and do something productive instead, such as reading or working towards
improving our personality or building our communication skills either by
socializing or watching English movies or by watching educational videos on
YouTube. However, they fail to recognize that sitting still and reading or
watching beneficial programs are also a part of sedentary lifestyle.

 


Often we observe that our parents while working, sit in
the same position and whenever they are asked to do any physical activity they
lack the required stamina to do it. 

About Sedentary lifestyle

 Advancements in technology  indeed make us a “couch potato” due to which most of us
consciously and subconsciously live an unhealthy lifestyle known as sedentary
lifestyle.

Sedentary Lifestyle means when we all live our lives in
such a way that we are nothing but a bunch of couch potatoes. Our lifestyle
involves no activity or physical work. If we continue to live this lifestyle it
would contribute significantly to ill health.

Harmful Impacts of Sedentary Lifestyle

 There are many
direct and indirect effects of sedentary lifestyle. This kind of lifestyle
leads to obesity or increased BMI (Body Mass Index).  Health risk is more
in people who sit still for more than 5 hours a day. Indirect effects of this
lifestyle include anxiety, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, migraine,
depression, diabetes, osteoporosis, scoliosis, and even mortality in adults.

Tips to avoid Sedentary Lifestyle

 So, people are
becoming more and more aware of the harmful effects of this lifestyle,
especially at schools, colleges, and offices where people generally sit for
hours and work. In schools and colleges, subjects like physical fitness or
physical education are introduced where the students are encouraged to exercise
more. 


They are also taught about the importance of eating healthy food which
can boost their immunity. In organizations, usage of stairs is encouraged more
and in some organizations instead of sitting on the chair and doing work,
employees are encouraged to stand and work so that there is some
movement or activity.

 Some other
simple measures that the people can adopt are to walk, jog or do yoga. Our
phones have an app set which can calculate the number of steps walked in a time
period. We can set our targets and just walk! 

Even if one adopts to just cycle
and get the groceries instead of driving one’s car, it will contribute in keeping a
person healthy. Walking around in your house while listening to music will also
save you from living a sedentary lifestyle. A person needs to exercise at least
four hours per week, to be more healthy and fit.


Conclusion

In conclusion if we look at this problem,
unfortunately, there are no methods which could act as a long-term cure for this ” bane” or ” curse”.
This problem should be taken seriously as it has a detrimental effect on the
health of every individual. Necessary steps however small need to be taken to
ensure good health. All of us should actively work together to live a healthy
lifestyle not only for ourselves but also for the sake of our families as
“Precaution is better than cure.”


USAIN “The Lightning” BOLT.

Full name – Usain St Leo Bolt
Nickname(s)- Lightning Bolt
Nationality – Jamaican
Born – 21 August 1986 (age 34),Sherwood Content, Jamaica
Height – 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight – 94 kg (207 lb)
Sport – Track and field
Event(s) – Sprints
Club – Racers Track Club
Coached by – Glen Mills
Retired – 2017
Awards And Honors: Olympic Games.

About Usain Bolt:

The world’s fastest man has adopted the world’s fastest animal. As part of an effort to help protect this ‘endangered species’ in Kenya, Bolt formally adopted a three-month-old cheetah cub in Nairobi. Bolt bestowed one of his own nicknames upon the cub, naming him ‘Lightning Bolt’. Symbolic indeed!

One cheetah at a Cincinnati Zoo ran the 100 metres in just over 6 seconds, about 3.5 seconds faster than Bolt’s human world record of 9.58 seconds. Some scientists are trying to apply the physics of a cheetah’s running style in order to maximize the ability of human runners. Well, do not be surprised if Bolt does land another ‘bolt from the blue’ by equalling the cheetah’s feat.

Sportsmen like Bolt are like the Halley’s Comet, they come once in 76 years, nay, a hundred years. Bolt, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, distinguished himself with a 200 metres gold medal at the 2002 World Junior Championships, making him the competition’s youngest ever gold medalist. In 2004, at the CARIFTA Games, he became the first junior sprinter to run the 200 metre in under 20 seconds with a time of 19.93 seconds, breaking Roy Martin’s world junior record by two-tenths of a second.

He turned professional in 2004, missing most of his first two seasons due to injuries. But he competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics.In his childhood, he loved to play Cricket and Football in the streets of Jamaica with his brother. In his school, he was the fastest runner in the 100-meter race. His primary coach, McNeil was sometimes got frustrated by his penchant jokes. At the 2001 IAAF World Youth Championships in Hungary, he made his first appearance at an international event. Bolt is one of only nine athletes in the world to win World Championships at the youth, junior, and senior levels.Bolt’s first sports choice was Cricket. He is a big fan of Football.

About his Life:

In 2007, he beat Don Quarrie’s 200 metres Jamaican national record with a run of 19.75 seconds. In May 2008, Bolt set his first 100 metres world record with a timing of 9.72 seconds. He set world records in both the 100 metres and 200 metres events at the Beijing Summer Olympics, recording 9.69 seconds in the former event. With a timing of 19.30 seconds in the 200 metres, he broke the previous record of 19.32 seconds by Michael Johnson at the 1996 Summer Olympics at Atlanta. A year after the Beijing Olympics, he lowered his 100 metres and 200 metres world records to 9.58 seconds and 19.19 seconds respectively at the 2009 World Championships. His record-breaking margin in the 100 metres is the highest since the start of digital time instruments. As a result of Bolt’s success in athletics, he was named the Laurens World Sportsman of the Year for 2009.

• He is an 11-time World Champion.– In Track and Field, he is considered the highest-paid athlete ever. – He has been with a number of honors and awards, including Track and Field Athlete of the Year, World Athlete of the Year, and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (3 times). – He has collaborated with the Soul Electronics and has launched 2-types of Bolt edition in-ear headphones- Run-Free.

Bolt loves dancing and is a great admirer of Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar, West Indian Opener Chris Gayle, and Australian opener Mathew Hayden. He is a football fan too, and supports Manchester United. What we can learn from a man like Bolt is the level to which one can reach if one works hard. Hours of hard and laborious training have gone into the making of this rare legend on the track, and countries with a billion strong population which cannot produce a single sensation on the track can do well to learn certain lessons from him.

USAIN "The Lightning" BOLT.

Full name – Usain St Leo Bolt
Nickname(s)- Lightning Bolt
Nationality – Jamaican
Born – 21 August 1986 (age 34),Sherwood Content, Jamaica
Height – 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight – 94 kg (207 lb)
Sport – Track and field
Event(s) – Sprints
Club – Racers Track Club
Coached by – Glen Mills
Retired – 2017
Awards And Honors: Olympic Games.

About Usain Bolt:

The world’s fastest man has adopted the world’s fastest animal. As part of an effort to help protect this ‘endangered species’ in Kenya, Bolt formally adopted a three-month-old cheetah cub in Nairobi. Bolt bestowed one of his own nicknames upon the cub, naming him ‘Lightning Bolt’. Symbolic indeed!

One cheetah at a Cincinnati Zoo ran the 100 metres in just over 6 seconds, about 3.5 seconds faster than Bolt’s human world record of 9.58 seconds. Some scientists are trying to apply the physics of a cheetah’s running style in order to maximize the ability of human runners. Well, do not be surprised if Bolt does land another ‘bolt from the blue’ by equalling the cheetah’s feat.

Sportsmen like Bolt are like the Halley’s Comet, they come once in 76 years, nay, a hundred years. Bolt, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, distinguished himself with a 200 metres gold medal at the 2002 World Junior Championships, making him the competition’s youngest ever gold medalist. In 2004, at the CARIFTA Games, he became the first junior sprinter to run the 200 metre in under 20 seconds with a time of 19.93 seconds, breaking Roy Martin’s world junior record by two-tenths of a second.

He turned professional in 2004, missing most of his first two seasons due to injuries. But he competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics.In his childhood, he loved to play Cricket and Football in the streets of Jamaica with his brother. In his school, he was the fastest runner in the 100-meter race. His primary coach, McNeil was sometimes got frustrated by his penchant jokes. At the 2001 IAAF World Youth Championships in Hungary, he made his first appearance at an international event. Bolt is one of only nine athletes in the world to win World Championships at the youth, junior, and senior levels.Bolt’s first sports choice was Cricket. He is a big fan of Football.

About his Life:

In 2007, he beat Don Quarrie’s 200 metres Jamaican national record with a run of 19.75 seconds. In May 2008, Bolt set his first 100 metres world record with a timing of 9.72 seconds. He set world records in both the 100 metres and 200 metres events at the Beijing Summer Olympics, recording 9.69 seconds in the former event. With a timing of 19.30 seconds in the 200 metres, he broke the previous record of 19.32 seconds by Michael Johnson at the 1996 Summer Olympics at Atlanta. A year after the Beijing Olympics, he lowered his 100 metres and 200 metres world records to 9.58 seconds and 19.19 seconds respectively at the 2009 World Championships. His record-breaking margin in the 100 metres is the highest since the start of digital time instruments. As a result of Bolt’s success in athletics, he was named the Laurens World Sportsman of the Year for 2009.

• He is an 11-time World Champion.– In Track and Field, he is considered the highest-paid athlete ever. – He has been with a number of honors and awards, including Track and Field Athlete of the Year, World Athlete of the Year, and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (3 times). – He has collaborated with the Soul Electronics and has launched 2-types of Bolt edition in-ear headphones- Run-Free.

Bolt loves dancing and is a great admirer of Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar, West Indian Opener Chris Gayle, and Australian opener Mathew Hayden. He is a football fan too, and supports Manchester United. What we can learn from a man like Bolt is the level to which one can reach if one works hard. Hours of hard and laborious training have gone into the making of this rare legend on the track, and countries with a billion strong population which cannot produce a single sensation on the track can do well to learn certain lessons from him.

M-Commerce

Mobile commerce popularly known as m-commerce is actually just a subset of e-commerce. The term itself was coined in 1997 by Kevin Duffy. It is essentially a way of carrying thousands and millions of retail shops in your pocket.Very simply put M-commerce entails the e-commerce transactions done with a mobile phone. So M-commerce is the use of mobile phones to conduct any type of business transaction. It takes the help of the e-commerce background and WAP technology.

The use of wireless technology (WAP) to conduct sales of goods, provide services, make payments and other financial transactions, the exchange of information etc. is the basis of mobile commerce.

 

M-commerce is actually a rapidly growing sector of e-commerce. Nearly 70% of the online transactions that occur in India happen from mobile phones. Globally it is a 700 billion dollar industry.

M-commerce is about exploiting new opportunities made available to us thanks to e-commerce. So it involves the advent of new technologies, services, business models and marketing strategies. It differentiates itself in many ways from e-commerce. This is because mobile phones have very different characteristics than desktop computers. And it opens so many windows of opportunities for businesses to exploit.

APPLICATIONS OF M- COMMERCE

Mobile Banking: Using a mobile website or application to perform all your banking functions. It is one step ahead of online banking and has become commonplace these days. For example, in Nigeria, the majority of banking transactions happen on mobile phones.

Mobile Ticketing and Booking: Making bookings and receiving your tickets on the mobile. The digital ticket or boarding pass is sent directly to your phone after you make the payment from it. Even in India now IRTC and other services provide m-ticketing services.

E-bills: This includes mobile vouchers, mobile coupons to be redeemed and even loyalty points or cards system.

Auctions: Online auctions having now been developed to be made available via mobile phones as well.

Stock Market Reports and even stock market trading over mobile applications.

ADVANTAGES OF M-COMMERCE

  • It provides a very convenient and easy to use the system to conduct business transactions.
  • Mobile commerce has a very wide reach. A huge part of the world’s population has a mobile phone in their pocket. So the sheer size of the market is tremendous.
  • M-commerce also helps businesses target customers according to their location, service provider, the type of device they use and various other criteria. This can be a good marketing tool.
  • The costs of the company also reduced. This is due to the streamlined processes, now transaction cost, low carrying cost and low order processing cost as well.

 

DISADVANTAGES OF M-COMMERCE

The existing technology to set up an m-commerce business is very expensive. It has great start-up costs and many complications arise.

In developing countries, the networks and service providers are not reliable. It is not most suitable for data transfer.

Then there is the issue of security. There are many concerns about the safety of the customer’s private information. And the possibility of a data leak is very daunting.

 

 

M-Commerce

Mobile commerce popularly known as m-commerce is actually just a subset of e-commerce. The term itself was coined in 1997 by Kevin Duffy. It is essentially a way of carrying thousands and millions of retail shops in your pocket.Very simply put M-commerce entails the e-commerce transactions done with a mobile phone. So M-commerce is the use of mobile phones to conduct any type of business transaction. It takes the help of the e-commerce background and WAP technology.

The use of wireless technology (WAP) to conduct sales of goods, provide services, make payments and other financial transactions, the exchange of information etc. is the basis of mobile commerce.

 

M-commerce is actually a rapidly growing sector of e-commerce. Nearly 70% of the online transactions that occur in India happen from mobile phones. Globally it is a 700 billion dollar industry.

M-commerce is about exploiting new opportunities made available to us thanks to e-commerce. So it involves the advent of new technologies, services, business models and marketing strategies. It differentiates itself in many ways from e-commerce. This is because mobile phones have very different characteristics than desktop computers. And it opens so many windows of opportunities for businesses to exploit.

APPLICATIONS OF M- COMMERCE

Mobile Banking: Using a mobile website or application to perform all your banking functions. It is one step ahead of online banking and has become commonplace these days. For example, in Nigeria, the majority of banking transactions happen on mobile phones.

Mobile Ticketing and Booking: Making bookings and receiving your tickets on the mobile. The digital ticket or boarding pass is sent directly to your phone after you make the payment from it. Even in India now IRTC and other services provide m-ticketing services.

E-bills: This includes mobile vouchers, mobile coupons to be redeemed and even loyalty points or cards system.

Auctions: Online auctions having now been developed to be made available via mobile phones as well.

Stock Market Reports and even stock market trading over mobile applications.

ADVANTAGES OF M-COMMERCE

  • It provides a very convenient and easy to use the system to conduct business transactions.
  • Mobile commerce has a very wide reach. A huge part of the world’s population has a mobile phone in their pocket. So the sheer size of the market is tremendous.
  • M-commerce also helps businesses target customers according to their location, service provider, the type of device they use and various other criteria. This can be a good marketing tool.
  • The costs of the company also reduced. This is due to the streamlined processes, now transaction cost, low carrying cost and low order processing cost as well.

 

DISADVANTAGES OF M-COMMERCE

The existing technology to set up an m-commerce business is very expensive. It has great start-up costs and many complications arise.

In developing countries, the networks and service providers are not reliable. It is not most suitable for data transfer.

Then there is the issue of security. There are many concerns about the safety of the customer’s private information. And the possibility of a data leak is very daunting.

 

 

Ashtanga Yoga

The word “Ashtanga” in Sanskrit is made up of 2 words, “Asht” which means “8” and “Anga” which means “limbs”, thus translating to “8-limbs”, which is a central theory of Yoga Philosophy. Yoga Philosophy has its roots about 5000 years BC as described in Vedic Philosophy and Tantras. Patanjali, a great sage composed this path into a Darshan (Philosophy) in his Book Patanjali Yoga Sutra. In this Sutra, he has also formulated Yoga as an Eight Limbs or Eight-Fold path.

According to Patanjali, the path of internal purification for revealing the Universal Self consists of the following eight spiritual practices:

1. Yama [moral codes]

2. Niyama [self-purification and study]

3. Asana [posture]

4. Pranayama [breath control]

5. Pratyahara [sense control]

6. Dharana [concentration]

7. Dhyana [meditation]

8. Samadhi [absorption into the Universal]

The first two stages are ethical preparations. A Don’ts and Do’s guide. 

1. Yama (restraint) denotes abstinence from causing injury (violence), falsehood, stealing, and lust. 

2. Niyama (discipline) on the other hand denotes moral culture and cultivation of good habits such as the cleanliness of body, contentment, the study of the Vedas, and devotion to God.

The next 2 stages, i.e., Asana and Pranayama are considered to be stages of physical preparations.

3. Asana is the adoption of steady and comfortable postures that are intended to condition the person’s body and make it supple, flexible, and healthy. Asana is accepted to be mastered only if the person is able to hold one of the prescribed postures for a long period of time without involuntary movement or physical distractions.

4. Pranayama or breath-control is regulated inhalation, exhalation, and retention of breath. It aids in stabilizing the rhythm of breathing that encourages complete respiratory relaxation.

5. The fifth stage, Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) involves control, or the ability to withdraw the attention of the senses from outward objects.

Although the first five stages are said to be external aids to Yoga, the remaining three are considered as purely mental or internal aids.

6. Dharana (holding on) refers to the ability to fixing one’s mind to one particular object for a long period of time. For e.g., the tip of the nose or the moon.

7. The seventh stage, Dhyana, which is similar to Dharana in some sense, refers to meditation that is a steady contemplation of an object without any break.

8. The last stage, Samadhi (total self-collectedness) or concentration is that stage in which the contemplative consciousness if lost in the contemplated object and one has no awareness of itself. Thus, the meditator perceives or experiences the object of his meditation and himself as one. This is also the stage where the individual gets released from samsara and attains moksha. 

Although the eight limbs do not rank any order of performance, all 8 limbs are integral and mutually inclusive of one another and are required to be followed strictly in order to gain liberation from suffering and self. 

If you simplify these 8 limbs paths to one that can be easily integrated in your life, your life will become better, healthier and happier. 

Ashtanga Yoga

The word “Ashtanga” in Sanskrit is made up of 2 words, “Asht” which means “8” and “Anga” which means “limbs”, thus translating to “8-limbs”, which is a central theory of Yoga Philosophy. Yoga Philosophy has its roots about 5000 years BC as described in Vedic Philosophy and Tantras. Patanjali, a great sage composed this path into a Darshan (Philosophy) in his Book Patanjali Yoga Sutra. In this Sutra, he has also formulated Yoga as an Eight Limbs or Eight-Fold path.

According to Patanjali, the path of internal purification for revealing the Universal Self consists of the following eight spiritual practices:

1. Yama [moral codes]

2. Niyama [self-purification and study]

3. Asana [posture]

4. Pranayama [breath control]

5. Pratyahara [sense control]

6. Dharana [concentration]

7. Dhyana [meditation]

8. Samadhi [absorption into the Universal]

The first two stages are ethical preparations. A Don’ts and Do’s guide. 

1. Yama (restraint) denotes abstinence from causing injury (violence), falsehood, stealing, and lust. 

2. Niyama (discipline) on the other hand denotes moral culture and cultivation of good habits such as the cleanliness of body, contentment, the study of the Vedas, and devotion to God.

The next 2 stages, i.e., Asana and Pranayama are considered to be stages of physical preparations.

3. Asana is the adoption of steady and comfortable postures that are intended to condition the person’s body and make it supple, flexible, and healthy. Asana is accepted to be mastered only if the person is able to hold one of the prescribed postures for a long period of time without involuntary movement or physical distractions.

4. Pranayama or breath-control is regulated inhalation, exhalation, and retention of breath. It aids in stabilizing the rhythm of breathing that encourages complete respiratory relaxation.

5. The fifth stage, Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) involves control, or the ability to withdraw the attention of the senses from outward objects.

Although the first five stages are said to be external aids to Yoga, the remaining three are considered as purely mental or internal aids.

6. Dharana (holding on) refers to the ability to fixing one’s mind to one particular object for a long period of time. For e.g., the tip of the nose or the moon.

7. The seventh stage, Dhyana, which is similar to Dharana in some sense, refers to meditation that is a steady contemplation of an object without any break.

8. The last stage, Samadhi (total self-collectedness) or concentration is that stage in which the contemplative consciousness if lost in the contemplated object and one has no awareness of itself. Thus, the meditator perceives or experiences the object of his meditation and himself as one. This is also the stage where the individual gets released from samsara and attains moksha. 

Although the eight limbs do not rank any order of performance, all 8 limbs are integral and mutually inclusive of one another and are required to be followed strictly in order to gain liberation from suffering and self. 

If you simplify these 8 limbs paths to one that can be easily integrated in your life, your life will become better, healthier and happier. 

Basics of Cyber-Security

Recently I’ve been getting barged with calls from unknown numbers often ending as a nuisance from the other side. Result? Blocked. 

I wasn’t very aware of all this cyber security stuff because no one ever explained it to me properly. The small tid-bits that I got was often from here and there from the internet itself. And let’s be honest. Even though this whole self-learning thing is the ‘new-trend’ not many of us have the time in hand or patience to sit down and browse through these millions of articles. If you’d ask my opinion about it, I definitely think it’s high-time that cyber-security as a course is introduced in junior grades and everyone is aware of the basic cyber-security laws and procedures. 

Without wasting anymore time, let’s begin this article by asking the “Why?”

Why is it important to know about cyber-security? 

Social media, telegram group chats or any other websites that have your personal information stored is susceptible to threats and leakage of your data. When your personal data is leaked it may cause further problems as a possible danger to your bank accounts, personal life information and any such things that can be maliciously used by some people. It may sound “fine”, but it is indeed a big deal. Doxxing which refers to publishing someone’s private information on the internet typically with malicious intent may cause problems such as incessant callings from unknown numbers, or someone actually knowing details such as your exact location and using it to fulfill any of their evil goals. Therefore, it’s important that you stay safe and share your personal details with caution. 

How Can We Stay Safe? 

  1. Enter your personal details such as Name, age, location, etc only on trusted platforms. Avoid giving out too much information about yourself on Social Media and do not publish your phone number on any site unless it’s an absolute must and the site is safe. Keep your phone number and person details hidden from unknown people if possible. 
  2. To recognize safe sites, look for a 🔒and  https in the URL of the website. A site with ⚠ and just http in it’s URL is usually a site that’s prone to cyber attacks and thus unsafe. 
  3. If you ever need to sign-up on any website for insignificant reasons then do so with a spare email ID that doesn’t reveal much of your credentials and is not associated with any of your bank details or personal secured email IDs.
  4. Do not click on any unknown link sent to you by any unknown number or SMS. It can possibly lead to hacking of your personal details and accounts. 
  5. Do not reply back to unknown numbers that call you incessantly and for no genuine reason. Best way is to report and block them. 
  6. If you ever find yourself a victim of any of the cyber-bullying or such blank or malicious calls, do not hesitate to report them to the cyber security of India. 
  7. To report any such events or seek any further assistance you can contact either an organization called Law Sikho that works pro-bono or report directly to the Cyber Crime Security of India Website. 
  8. Lastly, always be cautious to never share any of your personal details to anyone on the internet unless you trust them 100% and know them personally. 

That’s it for the tips. I hope you’d keep them in mind and browse safely and securely on the internet! 

Basics of Cyber-Security

Recently I’ve been getting barged with calls from unknown numbers often ending as a nuisance from the other side. Result? Blocked. 

I wasn’t very aware of all this cyber security stuff because no one ever explained it to me properly. The small tid-bits that I got was often from here and there from the internet itself. And let’s be honest. Even though this whole self-learning thing is the ‘new-trend’ not many of us have the time in hand or patience to sit down and browse through these millions of articles. If you’d ask my opinion about it, I definitely think it’s high-time that cyber-security as a course is introduced in junior grades and everyone is aware of the basic cyber-security laws and procedures. 

Without wasting anymore time, let’s begin this article by asking the “Why?”

Why is it important to know about cyber-security? 

Social media, telegram group chats or any other websites that have your personal information stored is susceptible to threats and leakage of your data. When your personal data is leaked it may cause further problems as a possible danger to your bank accounts, personal life information and any such things that can be maliciously used by some people. It may sound “fine”, but it is indeed a big deal. Doxxing which refers to publishing someone’s private information on the internet typically with malicious intent may cause problems such as incessant callings from unknown numbers, or someone actually knowing details such as your exact location and using it to fulfill any of their evil goals. Therefore, it’s important that you stay safe and share your personal details with caution. 

How Can We Stay Safe? 

  1. Enter your personal details such as Name, age, location, etc only on trusted platforms. Avoid giving out too much information about yourself on Social Media and do not publish your phone number on any site unless it’s an absolute must and the site is safe. Keep your phone number and person details hidden from unknown people if possible. 
  2. To recognize safe sites, look for a 🔒and  https in the URL of the website. A site with ⚠ and just http in it’s URL is usually a site that’s prone to cyber attacks and thus unsafe. 
  3. If you ever need to sign-up on any website for insignificant reasons then do so with a spare email ID that doesn’t reveal much of your credentials and is not associated with any of your bank details or personal secured email IDs.
  4. Do not click on any unknown link sent to you by any unknown number or SMS. It can possibly lead to hacking of your personal details and accounts. 
  5. Do not reply back to unknown numbers that call you incessantly and for no genuine reason. Best way is to report and block them. 
  6. If you ever find yourself a victim of any of the cyber-bullying or such blank or malicious calls, do not hesitate to report them to the cyber security of India. 
  7. To report any such events or seek any further assistance you can contact either an organization called Law Sikho that works pro-bono or report directly to the Cyber Crime Security of India Website. 
  8. Lastly, always be cautious to never share any of your personal details to anyone on the internet unless you trust them 100% and know them personally. 

That’s it for the tips. I hope you’d keep them in mind and browse safely and securely on the internet!