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The Genius of da Vinci- 3

Leonardo and Science                                                                       

Leonardo’s genius went beyond art and paintings, he shared just as much of a connection with science as he did with his art if not more. His contribution to science and scientific inventions were most probably a result of his artistic abilities.             

Leonardo studied anatomy, botany, light, chemistry, astronomy, mathematics, to name a few without receiving any sort of formal education.                                                    

Leonardo kept a log of his ideas, observations, and scientific drawings. According to him science and art shared a resemblance with each other which is quite evident from his journals that seem to blend art and science together.

FACTOID  Leonardo sometimes wrote from right to left because he was a lefty. Therefore most of his writing is in mirror image.

Leonardo learned the basics of anatomy and the human body when he was working for Verrocchio. Leonardo dissected about 30 human corpses in his lifetime. The hospitals in Italy let him continue his studies for research purposes after he established himself as a great artist.

In his dissection studies, he would pull on different muscles to see the effect it would have on the movement of other muscles. His anatomy research also included his studies of facial features. He studied the changes that different emotions caused in the facial features and those of people with a facial deformity or a sickness as well. He studied the human skeleton and pointed out that the sacrum (a bony structure in the vertebral column) is a fusion of 5 bones, which now holds to be true. He did all of this back then, when relatively close to no resources existed.

He studied the human heart and figured out how the valves of the heart work but couldn’t figure out the whole circulation system. In 2005, a heart surgeon in The UK took aid from Leonardo’s journals of the human heart. His studies are being used by top surgeons in the 21st century, over 500 years later.

Leonardo da Vinci was granted the permission to perform his experiments and do all this research after establishing himself as a profound artist during that time. The hospital gave him corpses to dissect and so he did.

Leonardo’s journals contain drawings of some flying machines that he was working on at that time. One such machine had wings that resembled the wings of a bat. Though his drawings were not fully correct and would not have worked in practicality, it is still exceptional that a man like him without major resources could do so much. 

His journals contain much more than whatever has been mentioned so far and will probably remain alien to the world or even if someone is able to somehow get their hands on said journal will also need the intellect to understand it.

Leonardo was much more than an artist but sadly that’s exactly what most people know him as. His ability to blend art and science made him extremely special. Imagine the things he could have achieved if he were born in today’s time. We would know so much more about the things unknown to mankind. He was an artist ahead of his time and needs to be recognized not just for his art but his true genius.

The Genius of da Vinci – 2

Adoration of the Magi 

One of the many paintings that Leonardo left unfinished, that is a skill all artists possess. The painting portrays the Virgin Mary with her chid and the Magi (the three wise men who paid homage to Jesus as the king of Jews) kneeling in adoration in front of them. Behind them, some ruins along with a few horsemen that appear to be fighting and a palm tree which holds a significance in the Bible.

This unfinished masterpiece now resides at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.

The Last Supper                                                                               

The Last Supper is a mural painting that depicts Jesus having his last supper (the last meal of Jesus with his disciples in Jerusalem before he was arrested and crucified). In the painting, Jesus’ Apostles can be seen reacting to him saying “one of you will betray me”, “one of you”, referring to one of his apostles.                                                          This was painted by Leonardo in the late 15th century and started to deteriorate quite quickly, due to humidity and the painting techniques used by the artist. It took a long time to restore this painting with the final restoration being done in 1999 and was then returned back to where it belongs- Convent of Santa Maria Delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.

Salvator Mundi                                                                                    

In this painting, Leonardo shows Jesus wearing a robe, with the fingers of his right hand forming a cross pointing upwards while holding a crystal ball in his left.                        

This painting was sold for $450 million to Badr Bin Abdullah, a Saudi minister, in 2017.   What makes it worth $450 million?                                                                                

Well, you see no piece of art is only famous for its artistic grandeur, most pieces of art involved in some sort of controversy have a tendency to embark themselves in textbooks. Salvator Mundi went through it’s fair share of controversies. There were multiple times since the birth of this painting when it was thought to be destroyed. The painting vanished from the public eye in the year 1763 and was found in the 1900s in a rather impaired condition. Then in 2005, a group of individuals bought this painting for about $10,000 and was densely overpainted which made it look like a knock-off. Dianne Dwyer Modestini was given the job to restore this painting and the process came to an end around 2010.                                                                                                       

Even now, theories exist about the whereabouts of this piece which adds to the fascination.

Mona Lisa                                                                                          

One of the greatest paintings to ever be painted. Mona Lisa is a portrait painting of an Italian woman Lisa Gherardini painted in the early 1500s. The painting shows the woman looking directly at the observer. The woman in the painting possesses a certain amount of poise and grace. The landscape shown by Leonardo looks very surreal making the painting all the more captivating. The lady’s smile has been a subject of discussion among art lovers but a 2003 study suggested that the smile vanishes when you look directly at her mouth and reappears when you observe the face as a whole.  Leonardo used a technique called ‘sfumato’ with this one which is a technique involving the blending of colors into one another making the transition between different tones easier and giving life to the painting.                           Mona Lisa is housed by the Louvre museum in France

UNDERSTANDING SUICIDE

Reasearch says, about 7 lac people die of suicide annually, with approximately 132 suicides daily. An alarming rate, isn’t it? At times, we as humans may fail to understand what another individual might be facing. For every death by suicide, there are many more people who attempt it. Globally, ingestion of toxic substances, hanging and firearms are the most common methods of committing a suicide.

Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist and scholar, identified four different types of Suicides. Durkheim stated that, there are no societies in this world, where suicides do not occur. It includes, Egoistic Suicide, Altruistic Suicide, Anomic Suicide and Fatalistic Suicide. We can understand the core of these four forms of suicide, with further expansion of each term.

1. EGOISTIC SUICIDE

Durkheim states, when a man becomes socially isolated or feels that he has no place in society, he destroys himself. It is committed by people in order to find a route of escape from loneliness and introversion. Such individuals are devoid of proper care and empathy from the people in their lives. They are not socialists, hence they find it difficult to mingle in groups. This leads them to feel unhappy, alone and helpless in this world. Cutting off from the mainstream is the main cause of suicide in this case.

EXAMPLE – Person A, is an employee of a firm and is working most of the time in his day. He does not mingle with his relatives and friends or attend any social functions. Due to this, the ties with his family members are getting estranged day after day. His spouse argues with him regarding the same complaints. He now begins to feel alone. Ultimately, there arrives a day when he’s fed up with all the querulous complaints and fights, thus takes his own life.

2. ALTRUISTIC SUICIDE

Durkheim states, it is a sacrifice of one’s life to save or benefit others, for the betterment of society. It is quite an opposite of Egoistic Suicide. An over integration with society may lead to extreme benevolence in an individual. The individual regards suicide as a sacrifice that he/she is making for the good of a group or society as a whole. People committing suicide due to such a reason may consider their act as courageous and selfless.

Example – In the olden times, Indian women used to lay themselves on the funeral pyre of their husbands in order to follow the cultural rituals.

3. ANOMIC SUICIDE

Durkheim states, a moral confusion within an individual and inability to comprehend social direction may cause an upheaval in the life of an individual. An individual feels bewildered about the position that he holds in society and goes through a lack of self regulation. A sudden change in societal dimensions or ups and downs in a person’s personal life, may contribute to disappointment in his/her life.

Example – A once wealthy businessman, invests in a venture, but the venture fails miserably, he suffers a tremendous loss and goes bankrupt. Unable to deal with the sudden change in status and overall situation, he plans to end his life.

4. FATALISTIC SUICIDE

Durkheim states, Fatalistic suicide is caused from excessive regulation, that of persons with futures, pitilessly blocked and passions violently choked by oppressive discipline. Burden of mental and physical oppression by other people on oneself may lead to a constant feeling of hopelessness. Finding oneself under strict norms, rules, high civil expectations and regulations may lead to depression in oneself, eventually causing the person to end his/her life.

Example – A famous singer feels extremely conscious about her image in the society. She experiences a burden from society’s expectations from her and thus fears failure and poor performance. She fails to handle this undue pressure and has thoughts about ending her life.

In my opinion, suicides do have societal roots. The reason for any person to commit suicide does not solely lie with him, but with the society as well. We are all directly or indirectly dependent on each other for materialistic and emotional needs. Materialistic needs can be fulfilled in some or the other way but emotional needs rarely come to the forefront. Rightly approaching those experiencing stressful situations, intervening and empathizing can greatly contribute in prevention. Suicides are preventable, with individual, community and national support.

The genius of da Vinci 1

Leonardo da Vinci, a Renaissance man born in Italy in 1452, considered as one of the greatest painters the world has ever witnessed, was not just a painter but a man of great intellect. His scientific journals and studies way ahead of their time are to this date used by scientists to get a better understanding of them . In addition to being a painter, a sculptor, he was an anatomist and was well known in the field of engineering, architecture and astronomy as well. da Vinci was unmatched, the only artist who was able to get close to his art was the sculptor of the statue David Michelangelo. The fascinating thing is that he was able to do all this without being exposed to a speck of formal education or training in any field except in painting. He was taught how to read and do basic mathematics all the rest was his own creation.

Leonardo was a genius to say the least, he possessed curiosity ever so great. Maybe, this is what made him so great, his desire for knowledge.                                                                   

His scientific evaluations and anatomic studies are very much evident in his paintings. He used his scientific knowledge to better himself as an artist, and so he did.                                     

Here, we are going to take a look at a few of his paintings and some of his contributions in the milieu of science.

Leonardo da Vinci was born in a town in Vinci, Florence. His father was a Florence based legal notary and his mother belonged to a lower class. Not much is known about his family.

PAINTINGS

Leonardo is undoubtedly one of the greatest artists to have ever lived, but where did he start his artistic journey from?

Leonardo worked as an apprentice under Andrea del Verrocchio, an Italian painter, and sculptor of the 15th century. Leonardo first got introduced to Verrocchio at one of his workshops. He learned a plethora of skills by working for Verrocchio and later also collaborated with him for a painting called The Baptism of Christ around 1475.

Baptism of Christ was a collaborative effort of Andrea del Verrocchio and his student Leonardo da Vinci. This painting depicts Jesus being baptized (the Christian act of sprinkling water on someone, symbolizing purification), with two angels beside him, kneeling. The one performing Jesus’ baptism is John the Baptist, who can be seen with a golden cross and a halo over his head. The pair of hands shown above Jesus’ head is God’s representing approval and acceptance. A dove can also be seen above Jesus’ head as well, symbolizing the Holy Spirit.

Saint Jerome in the Wilderness Another unfinished yet wonderful piece by da Vinci portrays Saint Jerome, a Latin priest in the Christian Church, in the middle of the desert, kneeling, looking fixedly upwards with his arm extending outwards. A lion can be seen resting on the ground looking at the Saint. The lion’s presence can be accounted for by the fact that Saint Jerome helped a lion that entered the monastery where he stayed once, by removing a thorn from the lion’s paw.                                                                                                              

Leonardo used a method called tempera for this painting, which involves mixing of painting pigments with water-soluble emulsions, along with classic oil painting techniques.                                                                                     

This painting is currently present at the Vatican museum in Rome.

The beginning of Art: Visual arts history

Expressing oneself through art seems a universal human impulse, while the style of that expression is one of the distinguishing marks of a culture. As difficult as it to define, art typically involves a skilled, imaginative creator, whose creation is pleasing to the senses and often symbolically significant or useful. Art can be verbal, as in poetry, storytelling or literature or can take the form of music and dance. The oldest stories, passed down orally may be lost to us now, but thanks to writing, tales such as the epic of Gilgamesh or the Lliad entered the record and still hold meaning today. Visual art dates back 30,000 years, when Paleolithic humans decorated themselves with beads and shells. Then as now, skilled artisans often mixed aesthetic effect with symbolic meaning.

A masterpiece of Johannes Vermeer, 1665 –“Girl with a Pearl Earring”.

In an existence that centered on hunting, ancient Australians carved animal and bird tracks into their rocks. Early cave artists in Lascaux, France, painted or engraved more than 2,000 real and mythical animals. Ancient Africans created stirring masks, highly stylized depictions of animals and spirits that allow the wearer to embody the spiritual power of those beings. Even when creating tools or kitchen items, people seem unable to resist decorating or shaping them for beauty. Ancient hunters carved the ivory handles of their knives. Ming dynasty ceramists embellished plates with graceful dragons. Modern pueblo Indians incorporates traditional motifs in to their carved and painted pots. The western fine arts tradition values beauty and message. Once heavily influenced by Christianity and classical mythology, painting and sculptures has more recently moved toward personal expression and abstraction.

Humans have probably been molding clay- one of the most widely available materials in the world- since the earliest times. The era of ceramics began, however, only after the discovery of that very high heat renders clay hard enough to be impervious to water. As societies grew more complex and settled, the need for ways to store water, food, and other commodities increased. In Japan, the Jomon people were making ceramics as early as 11,000 B.C. by about the seventh millennium B.C.; kilns were in use in the Middle East and china, achieving temperatures above 1832°F. Mesopotamians were the first to develop true glazes, through the art of glazing arguably reached its highest expression in the celadon and three color glazes of the medieval china. In the new world, although potters never reached the heights of technology seen elsewhere, Moche, Maya, Aztec, and Puebloan artists created a diversity of expressive figurines and glazed vessels.

The prehistoric cave paintings of El Castillo, Spain were almost 40,800 years old 

When Spanish nobleman Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola described the paintings he discovered in a cave in Altamira, contemporizes declared the whole thing a modern fraud. Subsequent finds confirmed the validity of his claims and proved that Paleolithic people were skilled artists. Early artists used stone tools to engrave shapes into walls. They used pigments from hematite, manganese dioxide, and evergreens to achieve red, yelled, brown, and black colors. Brushes were made from feathers, leaves, and animal hair. Artists also used blowpipes to spray paint around hands and stencils.

“History is remembered by its art, not its war machines” –James Rosenquist

Social Evils

By – Supriya

The social evils and superstitions that dominated the society over the centuries made social reforms imperative for the development of the society and the masses.In the 19th century, the newly educated increasingly revolted against the rigid social conventions and outdated customs.They could no longer tolerate irrational and de – humanizing social practices. Moreover, the backward features of Indian society, such as the caste system or inequality of the sexes had religious sanctions in the past . Therefore, it was necessary to reform religious practices as well. The condition of women was pathetic . The various religions practised in India as well as the personal laws based on them consigned women to a status inferior to that of men. Polygamy , Purdah system , Sati, ban on widow remarriage , no education for female child , female infanticide and child marriage were some of the evils that had a strong grip over the society. It thus became necessary to take women out of this degraded position and help her to realise her true potential. The problems of female foeticide , sexual harassment at work place and their lack of education are still prevalent , which are responsible for marginalized status of women in the society. Futile glorification of Sati practice and role of women confined to the four walls of the house , should be checked combat evils like dowry system, female foeticide, decline in sex ratio, harrassment of women etc. This can be achieved by educating women and making them financially independent. Rajasthan has been in the news recently and for all the wrong reasons. Firstly, due to disappearing tigers , then for a guidebook that referred to sati – sites as tourist destinations , and finally for promoting child marriages for political reasons. The legal age for marriage in India is 18 years for women and 21 years for men. Marriage of a person younger than this is banned in India under the Child Marriage Prevention Act of 1929. But child marriages still take place in India, particularly around the Hindu holy day of Akshay Tritiya (also knows as Akha Teej) . It is a religious tradition in many places in India and therefore, difficult to change. People feel that traditions are valuable and should not be changed, especially religious traditions, since changing these would put forth a challenge to their existing beliefs.
Dowry in India, the practice of endowing gifts to the groom by the bride’s family, is a tradition which changed its meaning from willingly offering gifts to demanding astronomical amounts. It not only puts immense pressure on parents but also brings them under the burden of huge debt. The inhumane circumstances created by groom’s family push many girls to suicide or murder. The moral and ethical code of conduct of eminent personalities concerns our society as their behaviour is keenly watched by the people. The present cause of concern is the decline of values in public figures. In such a situation , the representative of the people have to set high standards of behaviour in public life. Members of Parliament not only represent the society but also lead it. Therefore, they have to function as a role models and this naturally casts on them a heavy responsibility . Our freedom fighters and national leaders had set high ethical and moral standards in public life and they scrupulously followed those principles . This tendency , it is painfully observed , is now on decline. There has been a wide and critical collapse of moral values in all walks of life which is adversely affecting our global , political and trade relations and national economy. Increasing development has also increased discontent , corruption , unemployment, violence , communal and racial discord and has added to human distress, destruction and disillusionment. Barring this, the caste system , is another curse  in society . Though not so rigid in urban areas, it is still practised in rural areas with the same degree of rigidness. Caste decides man’s marriage , social circle and profession. The untouchables suffer from numerous disabilities and restrictions . Their dress , food , place of residence , all are in degraded state. Not only is it humiliating and inhuman and against the democratic principle of equality by birth , it is also a cause of social disintegration. Thus, it has to be fought against. Another problem that our society faces is the rapid criminalization of the polity, this could be the result of the fact that criminals have understood  the mechanics of the electoral process and have themselves become contenders for power. Earlier , politicians patronized criminals and provided them protection from the law – enforcement agencies in exchange for the use of their muscle power during elections. And now it is the opposite , with the criminals themselves taking over the reigns of power to meet their selfish ends and patronizing the politicians and their parties. Of late, there has been an increasing exposure of the criminals in the governing system of the country, to the extent that it alienates the common people from power.
The criminalization of politics is a reflection of , and a factor that aggregates the crisis of the political system. Only a qualitative change that transforms the system from its very roots can resolve this problem for the betterment of people. In the rural economy, both unemployment and under employment exist side by side and the distinction between them is by no means sharp. In rural areas, increasing population implies an increasing pressure on land . This pressure on land has resulted in an increase in the number of agriculturists , and this has largely contributed to the problem of unutilized labour or disguised unemployment in the agricultural sector. A large labour force accumulates around primary occupations . A general inelasticity of occupational structure prevents any large movement to other occupations in periods of slack demand. This also leads to seasonal unemployment . In short, the major feature of rural unemployment is the existence of unemployment in the form of disguised unemployment and seasonal unemployment rather than open unemployment that exists in the urban areas

THANKYOU !

10 Foods That Help Reduce Joint Pain

Ben Franklin was right when he said: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” We agree, so our orthopedic specialists encourage patients to adopt dietary and exercise habits that support strong bones and joints.

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids / Fish Oils

Cold-water fish are a terrific source of Omega-3s fatty acids, which are essential nutrients for human health. These important nutrients are also sometimes referred to as polyunsaturated fatty acids. Not only are they proven to reduce inflammatory proteins in the body, but they also improve brain function and lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses.

Omega-3 can be found in cold-water fish such as tuna, salmon, trout, halibut and sardines. Taking a daily fish oil supplement is another way to absorb Omega-3s.

2. Nuts and Seeds

There’s good news for the vegans and vegetarians among us. Omega-3s can also be found in a variety of nuts and seeds. A small daily portion of walnuts, almonds, flax seeds, chia seeds or pine nuts can help reduce inflammation in the joints and connective tissue.

3. Brassica Vegetables

What are those, you might ask. Also known as cruciferous vegetables, brassicas are commonly associated with the mustard and cabbage family. Leafy greens like mustard greens, arugula, kale and purple cabbage are in the brassica family. Several other popular (and tasty!) vegetables make the list, including broccoli, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts.

This particular subset of the vegetable population has been known to block an enzyme that causes swelling in the joints. Plus, they’re chocked full of fiber, vitamins and nutrients for overall health and well-being.

4. Colorful Fruits

Fruits sometimes get a bad rap because of their high sugar content, but many are excellent antioxidants. Just like with vegetables, certain fruits are more effective than others in reducing inflammation in the body.

We’re particularly partial to blueberries, which are high in anthocyanins – one of the most powerful flavonoids. These help “turn off” inflammatory responses in the body.

Apples are another fiber-rich, anti-inflammatory fruit, and they deliver added benefits for gut health.

Pineapple is also on our short list for its bromelain content, a nutrient that has shown to reduce joint pain caused by osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. However, most of the bromelain is found in the stem and core of the pineapple, so blend the core into a smoothie to get the maximum benefit.

5. Olive Oil

Toss out your vegetable oil, sunflower oil and peanut oil – all of which can increase inflammation. Instead, opt for a few tablespoons of olive oil for cooking and making salad dressings. Better yet, go with the extra virgin variety that is less processed. Often associated with a Mediterranean diet, olive oil is an unsaturated “healthy” fat. And guess what … it’s another source of Omega-3!

6. Lentils and Beans

Beans and lentils are known for their health benefits. They’re an excellent source of protein, fiber and essential minerals. They also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Black beans, lentils, chickpeas, pinto beans and soybeans are all great sources of anthocyanins – that magical flavonoid that reduces inflammation.

7. Garlic and Root Vegetables

Garlic, onions, ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties. Various studies have shown that these pungent root vegetables can be useful in treating symptoms of arthritis and other joint pain. Incorporate these vegetables into meals for added flavor. Plus, they’re all available in a supplement.

8. Whole Grains

Research suggests that proteins found in refined grains (such as white bread, white rice and regular pasta) may trigger an inflammatory response in the body. However, high-fiber whole grains help produce fatty acids that are thought to counteract inflammation. Therefore, stick with the whole grains.

9. Bone Broth

Glucosamine, chondroitin and amino acids are well documented to help maintain healthy joints, while calcium is essential for bone density. Bone broth contains all of these. The gelatin-like substance that comes from cooking bones mimics collagen that occurs naturally in our joints, tendons and ligaments. Whether or not bone broth can actually stimulate regrowth of cartilage is a fiercely debated topic in the medical filed. But taken regularly as an oral supplement, it has been known to reduce joint pain and increase function for people with arthritis.

10. Dark Chocolate

Now we’re talking! Indeed, chocolate has anti-inflammatory properties. Cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, contains antioxidants that can counteract genetic predisposition to insulin resistance and inflammation. The higher the percentage of cocoa in the chocolate, the higher its anti-inflammatory effect.

But remember, chocolate can be high in sugar and fat, so enjoy it in moderation. If you’re going to indulge, choose chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa.

10 SELF-MADE WOMEN OF INDIA

Vandana Luthra (VLCC)

Vandana Luthra is an Indian businesswoman, philanthropy and chairperson of the beauty and wellness sector skill council(B&WSSC). In 1989, she started the company called VLCC as a beauty and slimming service centre.

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (Biocon Limited)

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is known as India’s wealthiest self-made women entrepreneur who found a biopharamaceutical firm in 1978. This firm has entered in US biosimilars market ad is getting the attention of investors.

Priya Paul(Park Hotel)

Priya Paul is an Indian woman entrepreneur who is chairperson of Apeejay Surrendra park hotels. After finishing her studies from Wellesley College(US), she startred working under her father as a marketing manager.

Ritu Kumar(Fashion Designer)

Ritu Kumar is an Indian fashion designer who began her Fashion career in Kolkata. Initially, she was making bridal wear and evening clothes. After decades, she entered an international market. She has been operating her business in several different forging cities France and New York.

Suchi Mukherjee(Limeroad)

In 2012, Suchi Mukherjee created online clothing and lifestyle accessories marketplace and named Limeroad. Today this company is known as India’s most stylish online shopping website for men and women.

Indra Nooyi (Amazon)

Indra Nooyi is a former CEO of PepsiCo who has joined Amazon’s board of directors. After completing a master’s degree from Yale School of management, she worked as aproduct manager at Johnson & Johnson.

Aditi Gupta (Menstrupedia)

Aditi Gupta is an author and the co-founder of the Menstrupedia. Aditi and her husband created a comic book to illustrate and educate girkls anout menstruation. Later, they created a website called menstrupedia.com.

Falguni Nayar (Nykaa)

After working 20 years as an investement banker with Kotak Mahindra, she left the job to pursue her own dream. In 2012 she started company Nykaa, which sells online cosmetic and wellness products. Today, the company has become so famous among Indian women.

Vani Kola(Kalaari Capital)

Vani Kola is a venture capitalist and founder an d mangung director of Kalaari Capital. She has done her masters of science degree from Arizona State University. Duribg her 22 years in Silicon Valley, she founded two company Rightwrok and Certus software.

Radhika Ghai (Shopclues)

Equipped with more that 15 years of marketing experience in several industriues such S Fashion & lifestyle, advertising & public relations, and others. She became co-founder of Shopclues.com. In 2011, the company was founded in Silicon Valley.

About that author – Robert Frost 

Robert Frost, most famous among us for his poem The Road not Taken which a lot of us might remember reading in school is one considered as one of the most famous poets in the world.  

Early Life 

Robert Lee Frost was born in 1874, in San Francisco, California and later moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1885 after his father’s death. Frost’s father was a journalist and he died in 1885 due to tuberculosis. Frost’s mother took him and his sibling to their grandparents in Massachusetts.

Frost graduated from high school in 1892 and was at the top of his class. He showed an interest in poetry from an early age which he continued to pursue even after his graduation. 

Robert got into Dartmouth College and in 1894, his first piece of work was published “My Butterfly: An Elegy” in a weekly newsletter named The Independent. Frost dropped out of college in less than a year because the routine was too monotonous for him and he had grown tired of it. In 1895, he married his high school sweetheart Elinor Miriam White who shared the interest of poetry with frost. 

Adult Life 

In 1897, Frost went to Harvard University but was forced to leave 2 years later in 1898 due to illness. Between 1900 and 1909 Frost worked on a farm  near Derry, New Hampshire, which his grandmother had left for him before he died. He also worked as an english teacher in Pinkerton Academy while working on the farm and raising poultry there. During this time Frost wrote a lot of poems which were published later on and later became famous for as well. 

In 1912, Frost and his family set sail for England and settled there. The very next year he published his first book of poetry titled “A Boy’s Will” which included poems such as Storm Fear,“”The Tuft of Flowers”. The next year he published another book of poetry  North of Boston which included  “Mending Wall,” “The Death of the Hired Man,” “Home Burial” and a lot more famous poems of his. 

Publications and Success 

During  World War I the family had to move back to America where an edition of  A Boy’s Will which went on to become the best seller. 

Frost was awarded 4 Pulitzer Prizes throughout his career for  New Hampshire in 1924,  Collected Poems in 1931, A Further Range in 1937 and A Witness Tree in 1943. Frost served as a resident poet in multiple colleges and universities between 1939 and 1963. 

After having an extremely successful career and making a profound impact in the world of poetry he died in 1963 at the age of 88 due to some complications from a surgery. He is survived by his eternal multitude of work. 

Frost’s work revolved around despair that follows existence. His poems are described as poems that are a reflection of common people. He used poetic vocabulary and beautiful metaphors to describe some of the most common yet stark things of human life. He could write about one of the most abject experiences in one of the most beautiful of ways. 

IPL 2021: Proud to leave legacy behind? I haven’t left yet, says MS Dhoni as CSK fans cheer

CSK Vs KKR: Congratulatory Wishes Pour In As Chennai Super Kings Win IPL Final 2021

DUBAI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni in his matchless style kept inquiries on his IPL retirement open-finished yet conceded that a great deal of things will rely upon the sort of maintenance strategy that BCCI sets up for the huge sale one year from now.

Dhoni, who is set to join the Indian group as ‘Coach’ for the T20 World Cup, talked concerning how he might want to make a guide for the following 10 years of IPL that Chennai Super Lords will play.

When inquired as to whether he was glad to have abandoned an inheritance in the 12 seasons for CSK, Dhoni guaranteed his million fans with a wide smile, “Still I haven’t left behind….”

However, he said that he hasn’t chose how he would squeeze into the maintenance plan of things.

“Again I’ve said it previously, it relies upon BCCI. With two new groups coming in……we need to choose what is useful for CSK,” the captain said after his group won the fourth IPL title by beating Kolkata Knight Riders in the last.

“It’s not with regards to me being there in top-three or four. It’s tied in with making a solid center to guarantee the establishment doesn’t endure. The center gathering, we must have a hard hope to see who can contribute for the following 10 years,” he added.

Dhoni was glad that a ton of individual match-champs have CSK to their fourth prize.

“We had match champs coming many more than one game and doing all around well. Each last is uncommon, in the event that you take a gander at details, we might say we’re the most reliable group to lose the last as well. I feel return solid, particularly in the knockouts,” he said.

Dhoni additionally clarified that he isn’t particularly into group gatherings as the normal ability to focus during these gatherings are 20 minutes.

“To be perfectly honest no visits, we don’t ramble (gatherings). It’s more one-on-one, our training meetings are meeting meetings. The second you get into a group room, it achieves diverse strain. Our training meetings have been acceptable.”

he ‘Thala’ had a directive for the CSK fans.

“I couldn’t want anything more than to thank the fans, any place we’ve played, in any event, when we were in South Africa, we’ve generally had a lot of CSK fans. That is the thing that you want for. On account of every one of them, it seems like we’re playing in Chennai. Ideally we’ll be back in Chennai for the fans.”

He additionally toward the beginning adulated KKR for a fine show as they returned from two focuses in seven games to arrive at the last which is an accomplishment in itself.

“Before I begin discussing CSK, need to discuss KKR. Hard to return and do what they have, if any group had the right to win the IPL, it’s KKR. Colossal credit to the mentors, group and care staff. The break truly helped them.”

Interpretation Of The Poem – MONEY

When I had money, money, O!

I knew no joy till I went poor;

For many a false man as a friend

Came knocking all day at my door.

Then felt I like a child that holds

A trumpet that he must not blow

Because a man is dead; I dared

Not speak to let this false world know.

Much have I thought of life, and seen

How poor men’s hearts are ever light;

And how their wives do hum like bees

About their work from morn till night.

So, when I hear these poor ones laugh,

And see the rich ones coldly frown

Poor men, think I, need not go up

So much as rich men should come down.

When I had money, money, O!

My many friends proved all untrue;

But now I have no money, O!

My friends are real, though very few.

This poem has been penned down by a Welsh poet and writer, William H Davies. He took first hand experience of being a poor man by travelling as a tramp or a hobo and singing on the streets to earn money. The present poem -Money, expresses the joy of being poor.

The poet intends to tell his readers that, when he possessed a lot of money, many friends would come knocking at his door to spend time with him. These were not his true friends as they were only stooped on his wealth and had got nothing to do with his friendship. His so called ‘friends’ would come over to his place, to grab advantage of his possessions and luxury. He did not realise their motive, until he got poor by giving up his affluence.

While he was rich, he would feel bound with social restrictions and unnecessary etiquettes. He used to feel trapped under the burden of mannerisms of the high classed. He described this feeling of his, by writing that, he felt like a child who owns a trumpet, but is disallowed to blow it as a man was dead. The poet does not wish to let his feelings be known by the outer world, because people are already under the influence that money is the sole route to happiness.

He wholeheartedly wishes, that the rich men must try going down to the status of poor men in order to experience real joy of life. According to him, the poor ones need to go up to the level of the rich men, because they are already enjoying the real happiness in life. He has noticed that, the rich men have a very vinegar aspect, they control their laughter and happiness in order to display themselves as composed and well mannered. But, the hearts of poor men are always light, since they express their contentment as they wish to, without the concern of what image they are portraying to the world.

Also, the people who used to visit the poet’s house masked as friends, all vanished after the poet gave up on his money. Hence, he realised that, those friends of his, were all untrue, since they were only interested in his money. After giving up all the wealth, he remained with a very few number of friends but those were all genuine ones.

Through this piece of writing, we can infer that happiness is the ultimate goal of life and money plays a minor role in it. This poem attempts to make us aware about the situations and ways in which one can experience the real happiness in life, apart from materialistic joy.

How Nikola Tesla changed the world? AC power

“I don’t care that they stole my idea, I care that they don’t have any of their own”, said by one of the greatest inventors to have ever lived, the Serbian inventor Nikola Tesla who developed the framework for modern-day electrical engineering. When Nikola Tesla began work at Edison’s DC (direct current) power plant in the United States, his new employer was not interested in his ideas for a new type of power called AC (alternating current). At the time DC was the only electrical supply, but it could only be transmitted across short distances before it lost power. To Edison, AC sounded like competition and he persuaded Tesla to work on improving his DC system by offering him a huge sum of money. But when Tesla had done what he had been asked, Edison reneged on his promise. Tesla resigned and returned to his AC power concepts. DC power is constant and moves in one direction and the resistance in wires causes it to lose power over distance. AC power does not have this problem as it varies in current so the resistance is less, and yet it varies in current so the resistance is less, and yet it delivers the same amount of power.

How AC current works?

In an atom, the negatively charged electrons are bound to the nucleus due to their electromagnetic attraction to the oppositely charged nucleus. But the electrons in the outer most shell called valence shell can sometimes become free due to external forces. These electrons that escape from the valence shell are called free electrons and they can move from one atom to another. This movement is called charge and the flow of electric charge is called electricity. Materials that allows many electrons to move freely are conductors and don’t allow are called insulators. That why copper is a great conductor. Alternating current would flow back and forth 50-60 times per second, this is called the frequency. Even though Thomas Edison one of the famous and powerful men of the 19th century, he tried his best to compete with Tesla. The mathematic formula of the current is P = I×V, with this formula, the same amount of power can be transmitted either at high current and low voltage or low current and high voltage. But when you transmit current through wires, there will be also loss of heat. To overcome this problem, we have to higher the voltage to reduce the heat loss.

In modern electric power grids, electricity is transmitted at hundreds of thousands of volts. But the voltage cannot be this high when it arrives at your home. So a transformer steps down this high voltage to typically between 100 and 240 volts. The step down process of AC current is way easier than the DC current. Transformers require a time varying voltage to function, and since direct current is constant, and only alternating current is time varying, transformers like these only work with AC electricity. In Edison and Tesla’s time, there was no easy way to transform voltage with direct current. And this is the primary reason Tesla’s AC won out over Edison’s DC in the early era of electrical transmission.

AC current – a scientific breakthrough

This made AC power more cost effective, as fewer power plants were needed. Entrepreneur George Westinghouse saw the potential of Tesla’s AC power and bought his patents for AC motors. Edison began a propaganda war in an attempt to keep DC power on top, but it was inevitable that ac power would win. Almost all electricity is now delivered as Tesla’s AC power. Edison’s place in history as an inventor and electrician is secure. But in many ways Tesla went even further. He envisioned fluorescent lights, technology of the radio, and remote control. Nikola Tesla was one of the most forward thinking, and dynamic visionaries that ever lived.

“If your hate could be turned into electricity, it would light up the whole world”. – Nikola Tesla

The origin of Glass- Why they are transparent?

Archaeological findings suggest that glass was first created during the Bronze Age in the Middle East. To the southeast, in Egypt, glass beads have seen found dating back to about 2500 B.C.E. Glass is made from a mixture of silica sand, calcium oxide, soda, and magnesium, which is melted in a furnace at 2,730°F (1,500°C). Most early furnaces produced insufficient heat to melt the glass properly, so glass was a luxury item that few people could afford. This situation changed in the first century B.C.E. when the blowpipe was discovered. Glass manufacturing spread throughout the Roman Empire in such quantities that glass was no longer a luxury. It flourished in Venice in the fifteenth century, where soda lime glass, known as ‘cristallo’, was developed. Venetian glass objects were said to be the most delicate and graceful in the world.

How glass was made?

It all begins in the earth’s crust, where the two most common elements are silicon and oxygen. These react together to form silicon dioxide, whose molecules arrange themselves into a regular crystalline form known as quartz. Quartz is commonly found in sand, where it often makes up most of the grains and is the main ingredient in most types of glass. You probably noticed that glass isn’t made of multiple tiny bits of quartz and for good reason. The edges of the rigidly formed grains and smaller defects within the crystal structure reflect and disperse light that hits them. But when the quartz is heated high enough, the extra energy makes the molecules vibrate until they break the bonds holding them together and become a flowing liquid, the same way that ice melts into water. Unlike water, though, liquid silicon dioxide does not reform into a crystal solid when it cools. Instead, as the molecules lose energy, they are less and less able to move into an ordered position, and the result is what is called an amorphous solid. A solid material with the chaotic structure of a liquid, which allows the molecules to freely fill in any gaps, this makes the surface of lass uniform on a microscopic level, allowing light to strike it without being scattered in different directions.

How glass is transparent?

Ancient glass materials found in Rome.

Why light is able to pass through glass rather than being absorbed as with most solids? You may know that an atom consists of a nucleus with electrons orbiting around it, but you may not know that an atom has a lot of empty space. So, light passes through these atoms easily without hitting any of these particles. Then why aren’t all materials transparent? This is because, the different energy levels those electrons in an atom can have. Consider an atom of an iron, an electron in it initially assigned to move in a certain orbit. But if it had the enough energy; it could reach the exited state and jump to a closer orbit. So, one of the light photons passing through can provide the needed energy. But there is one thing; the energy from the photon has to be the right amount to get an electron to the next orbit. Otherwise, it will just let the photon pass by, and it just so happens that in glass, the electrons are placed so far from each other, that the photons of visible light can’t provide enough energy for an electron. Photons from ultra violet light give just the right amount of energy, and are absorbed. That’s why you can’t get a suntan through glass. This amazing property of being both solid and transparent has given glass many uses throughout the centuries.

 In the 1950s Sir Alastair Pilkington introduced ‘float glass production”, a revolutionary method still used to make glass. Other developments have included safety glass, heat resistant glass, and fiber optics, where light pulses are sent along thin fibers of glass. Fiber optic devices are used in telecommunications and in medicine for viewing inaccessible parts of the human body.

Impact of Covid-19 on the Corporate Sector in India



The impact of coronavirus pandemic on India has been largely disruptive in terms of economic activity as well as a loss of human lives. Almost all the sectors have been adversely affected as domestic demand and exports sharply plummeted with some notable exceptions where high growth was observed. An attempt is made to analyze the impact and possible solutions for some key sectors.


Food & Agriculture

Since agriculture is the backbone of the country and a part of the government announced essential category, the impact is likely to be low on both primary agricultural production and usage of agro-inputs. Several state governments have already allowed free movement of fruits, vegetables, milk etc. Online food grocery platforms are heavily impacted due to unclear restrictions on movements and stoppage of logistics vehicles. RBI and Finance Minister announced measures will help the industry and the employees in the short term. Insulating the rural food production areas in the coming weeks will hold a great answer to the macro impact of COVID-19 on Indian food sector as well as larger economy.


Aviation & Tourism

The contribution of the Aviation Sector and Tourism to our GDP stands at about 2.4% and 9.2% respectively. The Tourism sector served approximately 43 million people in FY 18-19. Aviation and Tourism were the first industries that were hit significantly by the pandemic. The common consensus seems to be that COVID will hit these industries harder than 9/11 and the Financial Crisis of 2008. These two industries have been dealing with severe cash flow issues since the start of the pandemic and are staring at a potential 38 million lay-offs, which translates to 70 per cent of the total workforce. The impact is going to fall on both, White and Blue collar jobs. According to IATO estimates, these industries may incur losses of about 85 billion Rupees due to travel restrictions. The Pandemic has also brought about a wave of innovation in the fields of contactless boarding and travel technologies.



Telecom

There has been a significant amount of changes in the telecom sector of India even before the Covid-19 due to brief price wars between the service providers. Most essential services and sectors have continued to run during the pandemic thanks to the implementation of the ‘work from home’ due to restrictions. With over 1 billion connections as of 2019, the telecom sector contributes about 6.5 per cent of GDP and employs almost 4 million people. Increased broadband usage had a direct impact and resulted in pressure on the network. Demand has been increased by about 10%. However, the Telco’s are bracing for a sharp drop in adding new subscribers. As a policy recommendation, the government can aid the sector by relaxing the regulatory compliances and provide moratorium for spectrum dues, which can be used for network expansions by the companies.


Pharmaceuticals

The pharmaceutical industry has been on the rise since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in India, the largest producer of generic drugs globally. With a market size of $55 billion during the beginning of 2020, it has been surging in India, exporting Hydroxychloroquine to the world, esp. to the US, UK, Canada, and the Middle-East.

There has been a recent rise in the prices of raw materials imported from China due to the pandemic. Generic drugs are the most impacted due to heavy reliance on imports, disrupted supply-chain, and labour unavailability in the industry, caused by social distancing. Simultaneously, the pharmaceutical industry is struggling because of the government-imposed bans on the export of critical drugs, equipment, and PPE kits to ensure sufficient quantities for the country. The increasing demand for these drugs, coupled with hindered accessibility is making things harder. Easing the financial stress on the pharmaceutical companies, tax-relaxations, and addressing the labour force shortage could be the differentiating factors in such a desperate time.


Oil and Gas

The Indian Oil & Gas industry is quite significant in the global context – it is the third-largest energy consumer only behind USA and Chine and contributes to 5.2% of the global oil demand. The complete lockdown across the country slowed down the demand of transport fuels (accounting for 2/3rd demand in oil & gas sector) as auto & industrial manufacturing declined and goods & passenger movement (both bulk & personal) fell. Though the crude prices dipped in this period, the government increased the excise and special excise duty to make up for the revenue loss, additionally, road cess was raised too. As a policy recommendation, the government may think of passing on the benefits of decreased crude prices to end consumers at retail outlets to stimulate demand.


Beyond Covid: The new normal

In view of the scale of disruption caused by the pandemic, it is evident that the current downturn is fundamentally different from recessions. The sudden shrinkage in demand & increased unemployment is going to alter the business landscape. Adopting new principles like ‘shift towards localization, cash conservation, supply chain resilience and innovation’ will help businesses in treading a new path in this uncertain environment.

Coronavirus (COVID-19), a virus that grew stealthily has become one of the deadliest viruses that are killing people worldwide. This virus took birth in Wuhan city of China and since then have traveled to more than 160 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Coronavirus as a pandemic. It has become a mass scare and is leading to the deaths of thousands of people in numerous countries including China, Italy, Iran, Spain, the US, and many more. In India, this pandemic started on 30 January 2020 by affecting an individual who had a travel history from Wuhan, China.


The world economy is seeing its greatest fall ever. Coronavirus has largely impacted the growth of almost every country and is responsible for the slump in GDP worldwide. Like other countries, India is also impacted by this virus but not largely. Almost every industry sector has seen a fall in their sales and revenue. India’s GDP growth has fallen to 4.7% in the third quarter of 2020.


Inflation and Affected Industry:

China is one of the largest exporters of many raw materials to India. Shutting down of factories has damaged the supply chain resulting in a drastic surge in the prices of raw materials. Some of the other products that have seen a rise in their prices are gold, masks, sanitizers, smartphones, medicines, consumer durables, etc. The aviation sector and automobile companies are the hardest hit among the rest. With no airplane landings or take-offs globally and restricted travel has brought the aviation and travel industry to a halt.



Slump in Share market:
Share markets that include Sensex and Nifty are on nose dive since the occurrence of this pandemic (COVID-19). Sensex has declined close to 8000 points in a month. As of 12 March 2020, share market investors have lost approximately Rs. 33 lakh crore rupees in a month. This could be the beginning of a recession that the Indian market will never want to witness. Investors are advised to stay safe and invested in this virus-infected stock market. Few industries that can benefit from novel coronavirus during the time of the market crash are pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).




Cash flow Issue:
Due to this outbreak, almost 80% of Indian companies have witnessed cash flow difficulty and over 50% of companies are facing operations issues. As per the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), 53% of companies are impacted by COVID-19. Slow economic activity is resulting in cash flow problems eventually impacting repayments, interest, taxes, etc.


Coronavirus (COVID-19), a virus that grew stealthily has become one of the deadliest viruses that are killing people worldwide. This virus took birth in Wuhan city of China and since then have traveled to more than 160 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Coronavirus as a pandemic. It has become a mass scare and is leading to the deaths of thousands of people in numerous countries including China, Italy, Iran, Spain, the US, and many more. In India, this pandemic started on 30 January 2020 by affecting an individual who had a travel history from Wuhan, China.


The world economy is seeing its greatest fall ever. Coronavirus has largely impacted the growth of almost every country and is responsible for the slump in GDP worldwide. Like other countries, India is also impacted by this virus but not largely. Almost every industry sector has seen a fall in their sales and revenue. India’s GDP growth has fallen to 4.7% in the third quarter of 2020.


Efforts from CII and Govt. of India:
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has suggested the RBI reduce repo rate up to 50 basis points and also asked for a reduction of 50 basis points on the cash reserve ratio. The government is planning to set up an amount to support MSMEs to overcome the crisis during this phase of shut down, cash flow difficulty, and working capital issues.

Written by: Ananya Kaushal

Blast at mosque in Afghan city of Kandahar, atleast seven dead

A large explosion tore through a Shi’ite mosque in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar during Friday prayers, killing at least seven people and wounding 13, officials and provincial leaders said.

Qari Saeed Khosti said authorities were collecting details of the explosion, which took place days after a suicide bomb attack claimed by Islamic State on a Shi’ite mosque in the northern city of Kunduz that killed scores of people.

Photographs posted by journalists on social media showed many people apparently dead or seriously wounded on the floor of the mosque.

Nematullah Wafa, a former member of the provincial council, said the blast occurred at the Imam Bargah mosque and caused heavy casualties but there were no immediate confirmation of the number of dead and wounded.

The blast, coming so soon after the Kunduz attack underlined the increasingly uncertain security in Afghanistan as Islamic State has stepped up operations following the Taliban victory over the Western-backed government in Kabul in August.

Written by : Ananya Kaushal