The Significance of Computers

We are living in the age of computers. The computer may be called a mechanical brain. It is capable of storing thousands of instructions and information. In a second, it can carry out millions of operations and calculations. When we need, these data can be traced and retrieved. Speed and accuracy are the main factors of a computer. Today the computers are used in a number of fields. Nowadays, banking and business operations are almost computerized. In industries, computers operate machines. In railway stations and airports, the booking of tickets is done with the help of computers. Computers are useful in space travel, weather study and communication satellites. Today, printing of newspapers by photo type setting is carried out with the help of computers. In constructing bridges and buildings also, computers are used.

In the field of education, computers have come to play a vital role. Now teaching and learning of lesions are made very easy with the help of computers. Personal computers are available for domestic accounting, playing and learning.

But, there are some disadvantages in introducing computers in all fields. Working people are afraid of loosing their opportunities with more and more use of computers. It is true that a single computer can do the job of many people. But it cannot completely replace men from their work because computer is also operated by man. It is hoped that the ushering in of computers will create new job opportunities and so man can spend his time and energy in productive work. So, we can welcome this wonderful machine.

Google Chrome OS

This is Google company's dream project and it is expected to be released in 2013. It is expected that Chrome OS is going to be very light in size and expect that will dominate all other OS. There is no concrete news so far, but it is supposed to be built upon Linux OS and the Chrome OS is going to be added layer to the Linux. Open source movement has caught up with Google because it offers the power of independent developers and many other platforms. It is not clear, that the target machines are going to notebooks or servers. There are many such small OS available in the market currently. But none of them is very widely popular or accepted by the industry. Google may be able to achieve their success with user community as you can observe that Chrome browser doesn't be able to catch the user’s attention so far. Google’s vision for new OS is far away. And if it is able to release it before time, the Operating System market might heat up. Google still has to run many campaigns promoting its existing tools. New Chrome OS might be offered free of cost for the users.

Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards

The corollary of industrialization is pollution. The invention in steam, power, textile, iron and steel industry turned the civilized world from agricultural society into an industrial one. Factory system brought forth large industrial town. The factories and their labors are daily burning large amount of coal and petrol daily. Tons and tons of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and other gases are daily churned into the atmosphere. Thus the air is polluted more and more.

As the science advances, a man invents more machines. Millions of cars and buses run on the road emitting fumes of diesel and petrol. Air pollution increases at even faster rate. Factories have to get rid to their industrial waste. It is cheap to ump these into nearby sea or river. More and more towns are coming up all over the world and the sewage is passing into the rivers and lakes. Pressure of population forces man to increase the food output. To protect crops from insects he sprays insecticides. When rains come, most of these harmful materials are washed into the tanks, ponds and rivers. Water is polluted. The incidence of cancer, diphtheria, asthma and other allied diseases have been increasing at a rapid rate all over the world.

Trees purify the air by drawing carbon dioxide, but man is felling hundreds of trees daily. The discovery of nuclear energy has darkened the situation much more. Environmental protection agencies are trying hard to find out a clean and inexpensive fuel. Only god knows when they are going to succeed.

Ancient Chinese Invention

The Chinese were the first to make gunpowder, invent the magnetic compass and give to the world the art of making paper. About 2000 years ago, the Chinese made gunpowder by mixing sulphur and saltpeter. The mixture exploded when set on fire. The Chinese were the first to find out the fact that a narrow magnet floating in a bowl of water would always point to the North. This discovery led to the invention of the magnetic compass. This device helped the sailors to find out the direction when they were out of sight of land on high seas. Soon the device reached the Arabs and the Europeans. Using this compass, great explorers like Columbus, Magellan and Vasco da Gama made their historic discoveries. The Chinese invented the art of making paper during the second century. Soon the art of making paper using vegetable pulp reached Arabia, Spain and Europe. In course of time, paper factories came into existence. The fourth invention of the Chinese was the art of printing. Before this invention, books were written by hand. The Chinese invented the art of printing with moveable types. With this invention reading and learning became open to ordinary people as they were able to print the books in large numbers.

Science and Culture

We live in the age of science and technology. Science plays an important role in our lives today. In fact, science has revolutionized every field such as medicine, agriculture, education, warfare, space and many more. The great invention of science has made our life very comfortable and enjoyable. At the same time, there is also the negative side of its effects. The missiles, the Atomic weapons and the like make us think that science is a curse to humanity. It will ruin the world and its culture, civilization etc if not properly used. But, it is a fact that science by itself is harmless. It is only when it is misused for destruction we have to think so. The application of science therefore depends upon the just or unjust aims man has in view.

Science is not averse to religion or culture. It has made remarkable contribution to the development of religion and culture in every society. The scientific thinking in the minds of men has developed a rational outlook on matters of religion and culture. Science promotes culture and harnesses it to modern requirements. All modern inventions like the radio, the TV and the rest are freely used to propagate the religious teachings and values of life. In fact, science has universalized culture and religion. Thus science and religion should not be viewed separately. They are not independent of each other. Both should go hand in hand for the healthy growth of the society.

Collective Thinking

At times the situation calls for a speedy and prompt decision on the course of action to be taken or to be avoided; where an individual has the final authority to take decision, he or she can do so without waiting for the views of the members of a collective society or group. Much time is thus saved and in most cases time is the essence of the matter. It makes all the difference.

The concerned individual alone knows the intricacies of a certain situation and the problem may be too personal or secret to be disclosed to others, however friendly they might be. Leakage of secret, especially among women, may do much harm socially. No woman, it is said, can keep a secret.

My Favorite Leader

A leader is one who commands respect. It is involuntary. On seeing him, you adore him as a demi God. It is due to his sterling character, his sacrifices and his selfless service to the community at large. There had been many leaders who have played a great role in getting independence for our country.

My favorite leader is Jawaharlal Nehru. He thought of the problems of poverty and the teeming millions without work and food. He believed that India should be industrialized so that it could generate wealth and it could provide at least a morsel of food for its starving millions. Right from the day India became independent; Nehru worked tirelessly for its industrialization and paved the way for progress by the Five Year Plan. The Five Year Plans were so planned that the national income increased at least by 5% per annum. It was due to Nehru’s untiring efforts that India was raised to its great height in many fields. He set an example to the future young men. He shunned publicity and personal glory. It is the thought of the nation that reigned foremost in his mind. He brought respect to the nation from international forums by his Non aligned policy. I am proud of my leader Jawaharlal Nehru.

Energy Sources

We need use our energy sources wisely and economically, and conserve as much of our energy resources as we can. How can we do this? Firstly, we must reduce our dependence on non-renewable resources. For example, can we design or invent vehicles that do not use petrol or diesel as fuel, not electrically or sunlight? If we can, then we reduce our consumption of petroleum. Many scientists and engineers are working on this idea. Or, can we use water and wind power, rather than diesel or petrol or coal power, to generate electrically?

Secondly, we must look for and use alternative fuels and sources. Rather than using coal, kerosene or cooking gas, can we use animal wastes or plant wastes? We have now learnt to extract energy from animal wastes such as cow dung or plant wastes. One successful method is to ferment animal wastes in closed vessels and produce a gas called biogas, which is just as good as cooking gas. The waste from the biogas plant can be used as manure in fields and plantations. A second example is the use of windmills, where wind is used to turn a paddle wheel and to produce electricity or to lift water.

Thirdly, we must make greater and clever use of the sun. The sun is a perennial source of light and heat for the earth, and it is free! If we could device methods for capturing the heat and/or light from the sun and transforming it into electricity, we would greatly benefit.

Happy is The Man

Happy is the man who acquires the habit of reading when he is young. He has secured a life long source of pleasure, instruction and inspiration. So long as he has his beloved books, he need never feel lonely. He always has a pleasant occupation of leisure moments, so that he need never feel bored. He is the possessor of wealth more precious than gold.

Should Small Scale Industries be Encouraged?

I fully support the stand of those who hold the view that small scale industries promote employment while large scale industrial enterprises tend to reduce employment because of the increasing mechanization processes. Small scale industries help alleviate poverty because they enable the people running such industries to supplement their earnings and enable those who have hardly any income to start having a modest one, the quantum depending upon the labor put in, the facilities for marketing the products and of course the demand of the consumers for the goods thus manufactured. In large scale enterprises there is much exploitation by capitalists; in fact in big industries there are all the evils associated with capitalism.

Cottage industries require only a limited amount, of capital and the units can be set up in small places and even in one’s own home. Of course much depends upon the availability of the requisite raw material. Such industries help to relieve the increasing pressure on land. They also help to combat poverty; establishment of small scale enterprises is recommended as one of the measures to eliminate or alleviate poverty, the establishment of big industries brings about gradual and progressive turning of the human being into a machine. This is not so in small industries but are also independent units in themselves.

Small scale enterprises can prove a great success provided the requisite conditions exist. Enterprising people received loans from official agencies, and after some months the loans have been returned with the low interest charged on them. I know persons who with some assistance started making envelopes, bottle caps, liquids caps, simple gadgets, etc, and were able to feed their families with their labours. They could hold their heads high and were proud of their achievement.

Role of Newspaper

In the modern world, newspapers have become indispensable. In early mornings, we can see paper boys delivering the newspapers at every door and people thronging mews marts and eagerly looking at them. Thus newspapers have become mingled with our life.

Newspapers bring news from all over the world. They report various events happening in every nook and corner of the world. They link the government with the public. The merits and demerits of the policies of the government are discussed. They guide the government and the public in right direction. They also publish features of social, economic and political matters and articles on hot issues written by eminent statesmen and scholars. The trend in stocks and shares, bullion rates and rate of important commodities published in newspapers helps the businessmen to stabilize their business. They allot separate pages for sports and games. The daily engagements, train and air timings, position of reservation in trains, and weather reports are features in them. Newspapers are effective medium for the businessmen to advertise their products. The unemployed are benefited by the employment opportunities and situation vacant columns given in them. They also respect the views of the public and publish them in ‘Letters to the Editor Column’. One can improve their language ability through reading them.

Editors carry the great responsibility of molding a healthy public opinion about important issues. Their opinions reflect the views of a country. It is the duty of a citizen to make use of newspapers for his or her betterment and the country’s welfare.

The story of the Google Chrome Logo

Examinations

Examinations are held for testing the knowledge and ability of the students. There are written examinations and oral examinations. Apart from these, there are competitive examinations conducted by service commissions and other recruiting agencies. Their aim is to filter away as many as possible and select only cream of the candidates that would suit their jobs. The examination system has its own defects also. The valuation of answer papers is not done properly. Original answers are never given credit. Moreover, different examiners give different marks to the same question. So, the valuation system is not cent percent fool proof also. So, some people want a ban on examinations.

But in schools and colleges, examinations are the only way to assess the ability and efficiency of the students. From schools, students can write NCERT Talent search and other general knowledge tests to gain efficiency. These will help the students to come out successful in IIT and other entrance examinations for the professional courses. Spirit of competition is necessary to grow strong and good. Steady effort all the year round is necessary for the students to make their mark in the competitive examinations. They will feel proud to get through these competitive examinations.

Effective Measures to Eradicate Corruption from Public Offices

Bribery, corruption, under the table deals and similar malpractices are quite common in public offices in this country. No files move until the palms of the persons concerned are greased in the manner acceptable to them. Since honesty and integrity are lacking in public servants of various categories, they have generally enriched themselves illegitimately, obtained good jobs for their sons and other close relations and have reaped other benefits, there should be a permanent authority to keep a continuous watch over every action of ministers. In this connection the Lok Pal, appointed some years ago, should be made more extensive and his decisions should be made binding.

Politicians and legislators should also be brought under the jurisdiction of all anti-corruption authorities. There is a general belief that politics and democracy bring corruption in this wake. Corruption should not be tolerated as a necessary evil. But so long as there are people who are ready to offer bribes, cash or gifts or various types, in order to get their work don, and so long as there are greedy people ever ready to accept bribes, this evil will not be eradicated. So others of bribes should be tracked and strict action taken.

The major reason for giving bribes is the delay in the disposal of public business. The pity is that, despite all the campaigns for eliminating delays in the disposal of office work, the bureaucracy continues to function is a tardy manner. The resort to speed money should be made unnecessary. The old outdated time-consuming rules and regulations should be streamlined or scrapped. Lengthy and elaborate procedures prescribed by the government for various tasks should be changed without further delay.

The hypocrisy in private and public life should be eliminated. It is necessary to propagate anti-corruption campaigns, and stress the importance of a clean, honest life, right from the school stage. Our people lack character, unless we develop a good moral character, there would be considerable corruption in public offices. The measures suggested above, would, in my view, prove effective because they would tackle the root causes of graft and corruption. Moreover, in inflation and the cost of living are kept under control, the temptations to earn extra money to feed the family would gradually fade away.

Google Still Dominates

Bing is a new search engine developed by Microsoft that has been released. Bing is advertised by Microsoft to be a Decision Engine and it seems like there is a general feel, least enquiry, about bing search constituting serious competition to Google search. I am not big on their claims that we are all suffering a case of search overload. But the commercials are kind of clever in their patronizing way. Microsoft believe that bing will provide more better search result and it will beat Google. They believe their new search engine not as search engine, but it is a decision engine. Bing is the newest update from Microsoft live which almost die in this day. But at last Google still dominates. Google convincingly won everything, and where it counts most, search accuracy the company blew out its competitors, with 90 percent of respondents rating it excellent or good with compare other search engins like bing, yahoo, and more.

Role of Women

Women are very important because they nature the child and make him grow into man. The home is really made a heaven or hell by the woman in that house. A smiling face, sophisticated behavior, calm look and decent language from any woman will put any egoistic man in his proper place. They have the capacity and the charm to read the minds of others. Today many of them are not only mothers but also earning partners. This gives them economic independence. There are harmonious families which run smooth but some problems do creep in now and then. An intelligent and patient woman will find a solution to all these. She is not only doing the duty of looking after the home but also running an office which gives her a personality and a status. The children of such a mother develop self confidence and broadmindedness easily. A woman can make things better but if she wants she can mar it also in her desperation. It is our duty to provide her the right atmosphere to play her role in society.

Musical Instruments

There are many kinds of musical instruments. They are divided into three main classes according to the way they are played. For example, some instruments are played by blowing air into them. These are called wind instruments. In some of these, the air is made to vibrate inside a wooden tube, and these are said to be of the woodwind family. Examples of woodwind instruments are the flute, the clarinet and the bassoon. Other instruments are made of brass, the trumpet and the horn for example. There are also various other wind instruments such as the mouth organ and the bagpipe.

Some instruments are played by banging or striking them. One obvious example is the drum, of which there are various kinds. Instruments like this are called percussion instruments.

The last big group of musical instruments is the ones which have strings. There are two main kinds of stringed instruments. Those in which the music is made by plucking the strings, and those where the player draws a bow across the strings. Examples of the former are the harp and the guitar. Examples of the latter are the violin and the cello.

Earthquake

There is an enemy beneath our feet. He recognizes no national boundaries, no political parties. Everyone in the world is threatened by him. The enemy is the earth itself. The power of the earthquake is greater than anything man himself can produce. But today, scientists are directing more of their efforts into finding someway of combating earthquakes, and it is possible that at sometime in the near future, mankind will have discovered a means of protecting itself from them. An earthquake strikes without warning. When it does, its power is immense. If it strikes a modern city, the damage it causes is as greater than when it strikes a primitive village. Gas mains burst. Bridges fall. If the quake strikes the sea, huge tidal waves sweep inland. That is tsunami. If it strikes in mountain regions, avalanches and landslides roar down into the valleys.

There are there large regions in the world where earthquakes are most likely to happen. Scientists call them earthquake zones. The first runs along the East Cost of the Asian continent, up through Japan, across Alaska, then down the West Coast of North America, crossing Mexico and ending somewhere in the Caribbean Sea. The second runs down the West Coast of South America. The third runs across the south of Europe and North Africa, through Greece and Turkey, and into the Middle of Asia. If you take a map of the world and mark on it the locations of all the major earthquakes in history, you will see that they have occurred mostly somewhere in these zones. So it is possible to say where they think earthquakes will strike, but they cannot say exactly when.

Eradication of Poverty is Not a Tough Task

To eliminate poverty from this country, I have a few suggestions. The Government, as well as the unofficial agencies, should ensure durable employment to every adult. If everyone in rural and urban areas is provided means of earning one’s livelihood, poverty would decrease substantially. After all, it is the lack of remunerative occupation that accounts for hunger and poverty. So the topmost priority should be given to provision of jobs to unemployed people, both men and women. The Government has from time to time announced schemes for alleviating poverty, but the implementation of these schemes is wholly unsatisfactory. The waste, corruption and inefficiency in this process must be eliminated with the earnest cooperation of all sections of the people. This waste and leakage at various levels must be stopped.

Of all the plans formulated during the past few years at a heavy cost, the minimum needs program is the most promising. Obviously, if the basic needs of the masses are effectively met, the main problem of poverty would be almost wholly solved. Then there is the question of soaring prices which have worsened the plight of the poor. The impact of low incomes of the mass of the people is thus compounded by the continuing fall-in the value if the rupee. High prices of the essential commodities, such as food, clothing and shelter, bring misery to the people.

Exploitation of the poor such as the landless is also a major problem that should be, systematically tackled. Vested interests prevent justice from being done to the poor in distribution of land and of essential commodities. Besides, it is the bureaucratic approach and excess of officialdom that are responsible for the inadequate relief being given to the poor and really needy people. Education can also play an important part in reducing distress. It would adequately equip the people with the requisite training and skills; these would increase their earning capacity.

Types of Fires

Fires are classified as Ground fire, Surface fire, and Crown fire.

Ground fire : It occur in such conditions where organic matter accumulates in heaps over the soil. The accumulation of the organic matter results in catching fire and it smolders appreciably for long periods. Fires of this type occur even under moist conditions and are flameless and subterranean. They kill almost all plants rooted in the burning material. However woody plants may survive under such conditions.

Surface fire : They occur along the ground surface rapidly. The flames burn away little living herbs and shrubs. The leaves of the trees are also scorched. In the absence of much of accumulation of litter under ground organisms and buried seeds may escape serious injury.

Crown fire : Fires of this kind occur in thick woody vegetation and spread from the crown of one plant to another. Such a fire is called crown fire. This types of fire consumes everything from the ground upwards and kills the whole plants. However many subterranean organisms and buried seeds are not destroyed if the ground in moist.