[silk] Five stages of drunkenness
http://www.bbc.co.uk/lincolnshire/student_life/beer_clever.shtml -- * Madhu Menon Shiok Far-eastern Cuisine Indiranagar, Bangalore Visit us @ http://www.shiokfood.com Phone: (080) 4116 1800
Re: [silk] Geographic spread
Done. http://www.frappr.com/silklistlocations Currently in Bombay. Leaving for New Haven on Friday for a sojourn at Yale's School of Management. I've put my my little marker on the map, and as far as I can see I'm the only silklister in the US! -yazad
[silk] Choosing where to die
From: Manish Jethani [EMAIL PROTECTED] Want to die in: Bombay (Bandra, to be specific, preferably in the Linking Road-Hill Road-Pali Hill area) I know a friend who has a family burial plot in the St. Andrew's churchyard (end of Hill Road, just before bandstand). You can see the sea from there. But it's a bit creepy when a 20 something shows you her final resting place! On another note, JRD Tata always wanted to die abroad (all the Chairmen of Tata Sons had died abroad) so that there would be less hassle in India. He got his wish when he was in Switzerland in 1993. (Source: Beyond the Last Blue Mountain, R. M. Lala) -yazad
Re: [silk] Choosing where to die
On 07-Aug-06, at 1:53 PM, Yazad Jal wrote: I know a friend who has a family burial plot in the St. Andrew's churchyard (end of Hill Road, just before bandstand). You can see the sea from there. But it's a bit creepy when a 20 something shows you her final resting place! Heh heh. She showed it to me too. The kicker was when she explained this plot belonged to her mother's side of the family. The father's side's plot was in Colaba, but they were going to use this one because it was just around the corner from where they lived. Much lesser hassle getting the body here. Needless to say, I was gaping. -- Kiran Jonnalagadda http://jace.seacrow.com/
Re: [silk] Choosing where to die
On 8/7/06, Kiran Jonnalagadda [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Needless to say, I was gaping.Actually, this kind of an arrangement is/was fairly common among many of the christian families in Kerala/Goa/Bombay/... It's quite practical when you consider that land, for any purpose, comes at a premium these days. These days, I think, most churches only rent out space now especially in cities. *Prefers donating organs**Doesn't have a family burial place*-gabin-- Measure with a micrometer. Mark with a chalk. Cut with an axe!
Re: [silk] Choosing where to die
gabin kattukaran wrote: *Prefers donating organs* *Doesn't have a family burial place* I am going to outlive you all, but just in case I don't, and one of you is around when I kick the bucket, please put me down for organ donation too. I have excellent eyesight. Then I am to be cremated without any ceremony and disposed off in an eco-friendly way. And if you have nice things to say about me when I've died, I would prefer you said them while I'm alive. Corpses don't hear too well. ;) M -- * Madhu Menon Shiok Far-eastern Cuisine Indiranagar, Bangalore Visit us @ http://www.shiokfood.com Phone: (080) 4116 1800
[silk] Can't tell them apart
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5241774.stm Strange 'twin' new worlds found The planemo twins: Two peculiar planet-like worlds A pair of strange new worlds that blur the boundaries between planets and stars have been discovered beyond our Solar System. A few dozen such objects have been identified in recent years but this is the first set of twins. Dubbed planemos, they circle each other rather than orbiting a star. Their existence challenges current theories about the formation of planets and stars, astronomers report in the journal Science. This is a truly remarkable pair of twins - each having only about 1% the mass of our Sun, said Ray Jayawardhana of the University of Toronto, co-author of the Science paper. Its mere existence is a surprise, and its origin and fate a bit of a mystery. 'Double planet' The pair belongs to what some astronomers believe is a new class of planet-like objects floating through space; so-called planetary mass objects, or planemos, which are not bound to stars. Now we're curious to find out whether such pairs are common or rare. The answer could shed light on how free-floating planetary-mass objects form Valentin Ivanov They appear to have been forged from a contracting gas cloud, in a similar way to stars, but are much too cool to be true stars. And while they have similar masses to many of the giant planets discovered beyond our Solar System (the larger weighs in at 14 times the mass of Jupiter and the other is about seven times more massive), they are not thought to be true planets either. We are resisting the temptation to call it a 'double planet' because this pair probably didn't form the way that planets in our Solar System did, said co-researcher Valentin Ivanov of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Santiago, Chile. 'Amazing diversity' The two objects have similar spectra and colours, suggesting that they formed at the same time about a million years ago. They are separated by about six times the distance between the Sun and Pluto, and can be found in the Ophiuchus star-forming region some 400 light years away. They go under the official name Oph 162225-240515, or Oph 1622 for short. Recent discoveries have revealed an amazing diversity of worlds out there, said Dr Jayawardhana. Still, the Oph 1622 pair stands out as one of the most intriguing, if not peculiar. His colleague, Dr Ivanov, said they were curious to find out whether such pairs are common or rare. The answer could shed light on how free-floating planetary-mass objects form, he added. Oph 1622 was discovered using the ESO's New Technology Telescope at La Silla, Chile. Follow-up studies were conducted with the ESO's Very Large Telescope. -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
[silk] the power of stupidity
a. The human mind trumps all other known mechanisms as a means of survival. This is why human beings are the dominant life form on this planet. To go just a little further on these lines, the basic strategy of the bacterium runs as follows: a) if things are getting better or going ok: keep on swimming b) if things are getting worse: pick a new direction, and keep on swimming. You'll notice it's an awfully short-sighted algorithm. The fancy term for this situation is that the control loop lacks an integral term; the result is that bacteria are good at finding local optima, but aren't so good at hitting them exactly -- like genetic populations, they're doomed by the mathematics of random walks to circling about their summum bonum* (should by chance any achieve it, it's only a transitory condition). Before we get too enamored of our own intelligence, perhaps we should run a cost-benefit analysis to see if the 20 watt burn rate for our grey matter is producing sufficiently better results when compared with the very roughly 0,2 picowatt burn rate for the bacterium. -Dave * suffering among the unicellular might be said to consist of generically being delta away from that which they desire.
Re: [silk] Poison in the Seas
On Mon August 7 2006 1:54 pm, ashok wrote: i dont think we are evolvingas a species we are probably in the downward slope of the sine wave Problem is - we don't have too much of a choice. We cannot stop evolution that we do not know about. Humans tweak what we can see and detect genetically and if something is not broke we don't fix it. Evolution is often changes in stuff that is not broke - but those changes manifest at some unpredictable time down the line and those manifestations may not require fixing and may not be fixed even if we notice them - so evolution goes on despite what we think we are capable of doing. shiv
Re: [silk] Poison in the Seas
maybe i am wrongbut i was always under the impression that significant natural evolution requires small isolated communities / populations of the said organism, where the isolation is at least a period of measurement in terms of centuries rather than years... (in the case of larger organisms like mammals...), clearly there are no such isolated human communities anymore... sastry wrote on 08/07/2006 02:42:10 PM: On Mon August 7 2006 1:54 pm, ashok wrote: i dont think we are evolvingas a species we are probably in the downward slope of the sine wave Problem is - we don't have too much of a choice. We cannot stop evolution that we do not know about. Humans tweak what we can see and detect genetically and if something is not broke we don't fix it. Evolution is often changes in stuff that is not broke - but those changes manifest at some unpredictable time down the line and those manifestations may not require fixing and may not be fixed even if we notice them - so evolution goes on despite what we think we are capable of doing. shiv
Re: [silk] Poison in the Seas
At 2006-08-07 14:54:18 +0300, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: maybe i am wrongbut i was always under the impression that significant natural evolution requires small isolated communities / populations of the said organism, where the isolation is at least a period of measurement in terms of centuries rather than years... Certainly not. Perhaps you're thinking of speciation (whereby an isolated population of a single species evolves differently from the rest, and thus becomes a new species). -- ams
Re: [silk] the power of stupidity
On 7 Aug 2006, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: like genetic populations, they're doomed by the mathematics of random walks to circling about their summum bonum* (should by chance any achieve it, it's only a transitory condition). An argument could be made that the local optima themselves exhibit chaotic behaviour in which case the 'jitters' could be the sign of a healthy, responsive system. -- Alok If you want divine justice, die. -- Nick Seldon
[silk] Mutations/evolution - Poison in the Seas
On Mon August 7 2006 5:24 pm, ashok wrote: maybe i am wrongbut i was always under the impression that significant natural evolution requires small isolated communities / populations of the said organ No. Evolution is changes in genes. genes can be as small as a single DNA code for one body protein, or they can be a large functional combination of DNA units that work together to produce some characteristic - like a bulbous nose with hairs sticking out (or an even more critical characteristic). Some gene changes make no difference. Some may make a difference later. Let me build a hypothetical scenario to show how humans may be evolving. I forget the actual statistic but a large number of pregnancies do not occur at all despite fertilisation, but the fertilised embryo just dies because of a fatal mutation/genetic defect and comes out as the next period. Less immediately fatal mutations last for a while and result in abortions later in pregnancy. Some mutations are born as kids with no head/no limbs. They die early and do not have children. Some mutations produce early severe diabetes or defective chambered hearts. Medical science keeps these people alive till they have children and any gene they carry is being propagated among humans. But let me hypothesise on mutations that may be useful to man that we do not know about. For example - environmental poisons can harm us - and the unborn fetus more so than adults. These fetuses would be aborted early. Now supposing there was random genetic mutation that allowed fetuses to survive higher levels of toxins. This fetus would survive and in the absence of any other indicator would grow up to be a normal human who would pass his genes on. Over the course of many generations this mutation, by allowing children to be born despite high levels of toxins would serve as a genetic advantage - with children carrying these genes more likely to survive than other normal genes that we carry. This would be an example of human evolution in progress. shiv
[silk] Toothless goats
Makes for an alarming parallel to the poison seas thread. Cheeni http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/5252256.stm Killer weed hits Kenyan herders By Anne Mawathe BBC News, Kenya A toothless goat is not a common sight in Kenyan courtrooms. But the appearance of the animal before Nairobi judges in July was a sign of how desperate some Kenyans have become in their battle against the invasive mathenge plant, known by its scientific name of prosopis juliflora. When the plant was introduced to Kenya 20 years ago, it was supposed to stop the deserts in their track. But 20 years later, it has become a nightmare for residents of Kenya's dry lands, who say the weed has overgrown the local landscape and continues to spread at an alarming rate. Baringo residents say that the plant is not only poisonous but also hazardous to their livestock. Residents say the mathenge seeds of the plant stick in the gums of their animals, eventually causing their teeth to fall out. Mistake Since they survive by raising livestock, any threat to their animals is unwelcome, but their attempts to sue the government were unsuccessful. The goat squatted calmly in the unfamiliar surroundings of the courtroom, but the judge threw out the case. Yet environmentalists still believe the goat is a victim of a fatal mistake made by the government in conjunction with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation 20 years ago, when it introduced the plant with an aim of stopping the spread of deserts. A cool breeze welcomes you to Ng'ambo division in Baringo district with the last rays of the setting sun penetrating through a canopy of shady trees. But that shade is something that the residents of Baringo would rather do without, and some of them blame themselves for having taken part in the whole project. There was a time when they welcomed the new species, toiling in their dry lands planting this tree in a food-for-work project. They had been told that they were saying goodbye to the searing heat which sometimes reaches 40C. We are now feeling let down by the government, says Joseph Taparkwe. It should have tested the species before it introduced it to this area. How could they allow the introduction of this tree without knowing the repercussions or the side effects? Mr Taparkwe was among those who tirelessly planted the highly invasive species. Little did he know that 20 years on, he would be advocating the removal of the mathenge. Hoofless and toothless His neighbour, Edward Tamar, shows a goat whose hooves have been cut off. The thorns of the plant are said to be poisonous and so once an animal is pricked, the solution is to cut off the affected area. He also says he has lost about 50 goats that have been left toothless from eating the pods of prosopis juliflora. The pods are very sweet to the mouth of the goats and as they continue to chew them the seeds go in between their teeth then they cause the teeth to rot. With time they fall off and they are unable to graze. Can you imagine goats unable to graze? Eventually they die.'' And that has been the story of many pastoralists who live in Baringo district. Residents argue that the government should eliminate the plant that is causing havoc in their home area. Some have even had to move home, as the mathenge roots have destroyed their houses. Roselyn Nabwori, the wife of a paramount chief, who is now living in the town centre, regrets the loss of her house. We built it as our family home. I never thought I would be living in a rented house in town, whereas I have a good home, she says. Threat The plant is also blamed for making the soil loose and unable to sustain water. The twice-yearly rains have not been yielding much as flooding is now a common phenomenon in this area. The government admits that mathenge is a threat to the ecosystem. Although the plant has successfully curbed desertification in some areas, the plans backfired in Kenya because there were no natural enemies to control its spread. It will cover our grazing lands so it excludes our animals and since they can't feed on it, because of the thorns and its size, there is a big threat, says Muusya Mwinzi, Director General of the National Environmental Management Authority. Not even an elephant can penetrate through a field of prosopis juliflora. It is threatening our range lands especially those near water sources. The government has already formed a ministerial task force to look into the menace. The plant does have its advantages: With proper management, the pods can be processed to provide commercial livestock feeds, provide, wood fuel, timber, construction posts as well as wood for carving. However, it may take time before a long lasting solution is found to rescue the residents of the affected areas from the jaws of the killer weed.
Re: [silk] Toothless goats
Srini RamaKrishnan wrote: Residents say the mathenge seeds of the plant stick in the gums of their animals, eventually causing their teeth to fall out. Er.. so the seeds are sweet, and they stick in the teeth of livestock, and cause the teeth to rot. If I gave my daughter unlimited amounts of chocolate, my dentist would be the happiest person in the world. They'd need a goat dentist, or maybe see if they can't feed their goats some dental floss .. those beasties will eat anything at all :)
Re: [silk] Toothless goats
At 2006-08-07 15:57:52 +0300, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This plant is ubiquitous in northern kenya Prosopis juliflora is a problem in many parts of Northern India too. -- ams
Re: [silk] Toothless goats
i think the problem is more with the thorn... got poked once...and it is very very painful and causes a sort of nasty infection. (unlike the native 'whistling' acacia, which generally has bulbous and brittle thorns, and shares a symbiotic relationship with stinging ants which live inside the bulbs...so, even if you get a little jab...the ants come swarming out and take care of the rest. even elephants steer clear of these plants...) Suresh Ramasubramanian wrote on 08/07/2006 03:57:50 PM: Residents say the mathenge seeds of the plant stick in the gums of their animals, eventually causing their teeth to fall out. Er.. so the seeds are sweet, and they stick in the teeth of livestock, and cause the teeth to rot. If I gave my daughter unlimited amounts of chocolate, my dentist would be the happiest person in the world. They'd need a goat dentist, or maybe see if they can't feed their goats some dental floss .. those beasties will eat anything at all :)
Re: [silk] Geographic spread
There are quite a few folks in the USA on silklistKamlaNYC Yazad Jal [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Done. http://www.frappr.com/silklistlocationsCurrently in Bombay. Leaving for New Haven on Friday for a sojourn at Yale's School of Management. I've put my my little marker on the map, and as far as I can see I'm the only silklister in the US!-yazad
Re: [silk] Choosing where to die
On 8/7/06, Yazad Jal [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Manish Jethani [EMAIL PROTECTED] Want to die in: Bombay (Bandra, to be specific, preferably in the Linking Road-Hill Road-Pali Hill area) I have Grand plans , I wanna die in Hawai, during Sunset :D I know a friend who has a family burial plot in the St. Andrew's churchyard (end of Hill Road, just before bandstand). You can see the sea from there. But it's a bit creepy when a 20 something shows you her final resting place! On another note, JRD Tata always wanted to die abroad (all the Chairmen of Tata Sons had died abroad) so that there would be less hassle in India. He got his wish when he was in Switzerland in 1993. (Source: Beyond the Last Blue Mountain, R. M. Lala) -yazad -- Ramakrishna Reddy GPG Key ID:31FF0090 Fingerprint = 18D7 3FC1 784B B57F C08F 32B9 4496 B2A1 31FF 0090
Re: [silk] Choosing where to die
At 2006-08-07 13:53:39 +0530, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Manish Jethani [EMAIL PROTECTED] Want to die in: Bombay (Bandra, to be specific, preferably in the Linking Road-Hill Road-Pali Hill area) When I first read this post, my reaction was Let me know when you're visiting, and I'll see what I can do. ;-) -- ams
Re: [silk] Toothless goats
not to trivialize the issue here but somehow this reminds me of the goat in Ashok Jhunjhunwala's powerpoint presentations...the goat in the inaccessible village who was cured by remote medical advice via a webcam enabled information kiosk On 8/7/06, ashok [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: i think the problem is more with the thorn... got poked once...and it is very very painful and causes a sort of nasty infection. (unlike the native 'whistling' acacia, which generally has bulbous and brittle thorns, and shares a symbiotic relationship with stinging ants which live inside the bulbs...so, even if you get a little jab...the ants come swarming out and take care of the rest. even elephants steer clear of these plants...) Suresh Ramasubramanian wrote on 08/07/2006 03:57:50 PM: Residents say the mathenge seeds of the plant stick in the gums of their animals, eventually causing their teeth to fall out. Er.. so the seeds are sweet, and they stick in the teeth of livestock, and cause the teeth to rot. If I gave my daughter unlimited amounts of chocolate, my dentist would be the happiest person in the world. They'd need a goat dentist, or maybe see if they can't feed their goats some dental floss .. those beasties will eat anything at all :) -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -does the frog know it has a latin name?- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
