Eyecatchers-96: IIT-Madras Celebrates Golden Jubilee!

The prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, is planning to have year-long celebrations in commemoration of its Golden Jubilee.

IIT-M, as it is popularly known, was established in July 1959 under Indo-German Cooperation.

Its Alumni of nearly 32,000 spread all over the world are occupying top positions in industry and academia.

Source: The Hindu, Madurai, July 31, 2008.

Wikipedia article on IIT-Madras:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Institute_of_Technology_Madras

Grateful thanks to The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Eyecatchers-95: "Man Booker Prize for this year"

Two first-time novelists from the subcontinent – Aravind Adiga, an Indian journalist, and Mohammed Hanif, a London-based Pakistani broadcaster – will compete with Salman Rushdie and Amitav Ghosh for this year’s Man Booker Prize, giving it a heavy India-Pakistan flavour.

Adiga’s ‘The White Tiger’ takes a hard look at the underbelly of India’s economic boom. Hanif’s blistering political satire, ‘A Case of Exploding Mangoes’ is about the mysterious air crash that killed Zia-ul-Haq. They are up against Rushdie’s ‘The Enchantress of Florence’ and Ghosh’s ‘Sea of Poppies’.

The 13-strong longlist, picked from among 112 entries, will be whittled down to six. These finalists’ names will be announced in September. The winner of the £50,000 prize will be declared in October.

Excerpt from “Subcontinent looms over Man Booker longlist” by Hasan Suroor in The Hindu, Madurai, July 31, 2008.

Wikipedia article on “Man Booker Prize”:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Booker_Prize

Grateful thanks to Hasan Suroor, The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Eyecatchers-94: "22nd World Congress on Philosophy"

Thousands of philosophers from around the globe gathered at Seoul on Wednesday (July 30, 2008) for their first world congress to be held in Asia, to discuss ways to enhance dialogue between different countries.

The 22nd World Congress on Philosophy, being held under the theme of “Rethinking Philosophy Today”, has drawn more than 3000 prominent philosophers from some 150 countries – AFP.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, July 31, 2008.

Wikipedia article on “World Congress on Philosophy”:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Congress_of_Philosophy

Grateful thanks to AFP, The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Eyecatchers-93: "Ban on Fastfood"

Los Angeles officials have approved a one-year ban on fast-food chains opening in a poor neighborhood of the city battling higher-than-average obesity.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, July 31, 2008(“Newscape”).

Wikipedia article on “Childhood Obesity” and “Fastfood”:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood_obesity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastfood

Grateful thanks to The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Facts & Figures-37: "Costliest Street in the UK!"

Steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal resides in Britain’s most expensive street – Kensington Palace Gardens – with an average house price £ 41.4 million.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, July 31, 2008.

Article on “Lakshmi Mittal” from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmi_Mittal

Grateful thanks to The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Dotcom World-9: Apple releases a new version of iTunes

Apple has released its latest version of iTunes, namely iTunes 7.7.1. It can be downloaded from Apple’s ‘Download iTunes’.

http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

All about iTunes from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes

Grateful thanks to Apple and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

How To-75: "How to Prepare Yourself for a Healthy Pregnancy"

How to Prepare Yourself for a Healthy Pregnancy at 35 Years Old

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Thirty-five seems to be the turning point for an increase in fertility issues, miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth, placenta previa (placenta covering the cervix), birth defects, high blood pressure, diabetes, as well as complications during labor in an expectant mother. There are ways to reduce the risks. A healthier you is a greater guarantee for a healthy baby.

Steps

Before Pregnancy

1. Get a thorough blood, urine, blood pressure, diabetes test done.
2. Have a thorough gynecological exam done and talk to your ob/gyn that you are planning to conceive.
3. Have a family history ready for your doctor. If miscarriages have taken place in the past, then share this information with your doctor. Ditto with seizures, high blood pressure, diabetes, or any chronic medical conditions. Also provide a list of all medication (short-term and long-term), vitamins, and ‘natural’ or ‘health’ herbs, pills, drinks, etc.
4. Take vitamins your doctor prescribes for 3 months before you plan on conceiving. These contain, among other things, folic acid, which is critical for the development for the fetus.
5. Stop drinking alcohol, smoking, and/or drugs, if you use any of these intoxicants. Ditto for your significant other, whose sperm quality is affected by these habits. There is no such thing as ‘moderate’ smoking or drugs. Planning for pregnancy calls for complete cessation of these activities before, during, and after pregnancy.
6. Get on a regular routine for sleeping, eating, exercising, and relaxing. Stress works against getting pregnant and maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Once the baby is out, routine is out of the question for the next 18 years or so.
7. If overweight (have the doctor tell you what normal is, with body fat measurements, charts, etc.), focus on losing weight first by dieting and exercising, both in moderation. Excess weight may lead to increased chances for gestational diabetes as well as difficult labor. To make your plan foolproof, consult with a dietician to ensure you are getting the very best of nutrients in the right portions.
8. Attend yoga classes two to three times a week for both mind and body, i.e., flexibility, strength, breath control, relaxation, and focus. Get regular massages to relax further.

During Pregnancy

1. Stick to your doctor’s appointments and treat them as sacrosanct. Review with the doctor blood test results taken during pregnancy, especially the tests that cover the likelihood of specific birth defects.
2. Stick to your doctor’s prescribed list of prenatal screening tests. Being over 35, amniocentensis will most likely be recommended. To get more information on the
3. Listen to your instinct. If something feels wrong, go to your doctor’s or to the hospital.
4. Keep your visits to beauty salons to a minimum. Avoid all chemical fumes. Avoid getting your hair colored or chemically treated. Minimize the manicure/pedicure time. Request for a well-ventilated area.
5. Maintain your diet to prevent gestational diabetes, under strict supervision from a dietician. Gestational diabetes can be a precursor to diabetes later on in life, and results in bigger babies with their own health problems, not to mention a riskier labor. A dietician will also avoid which foods to avoid or reduce, e.g., fish that carries higher risk for mercury, etc.
6. Make regular appointments with a masseuse who specializes in pre-natal massage. Regular massage, especially Swedish, Shiatsu, Deep Tissue, and Reflexology are out of the question.
7. Stick to a regular routine for sleeping, eating, exercising, and relaxing.
8. Enroll in pre-natal yoga classes two to three times a week. Take moderate walks up to 30 mins. a day.
9. The first trimester is immensely taxing. Listen to your body, slow down, and get extra sleep (learn to sleep on your side, not back). Weekend afternoon naps are de rigeur. You may or may not experience morning sickness or nausea. Keep nausea at bay by sticking to a 6 times a day diet in small quantities and by avoiding strong smells and greasy, fried foods. Ditch the high heels and switch to flats and supportive sneakers, preferably. Get used to getting bigger shoes to accommodate for the ‘swelling’. Avoid getting into stressful situations, if possible. Your body is slowly increasing its internal heat. Plan your wardrobe accordingly, even in winter.
10. The second trimester is the golden trimester. Keep up the routine.
11. The third trimester is again very taxing, especially the last 4 weeks. If working, and if the doctor advises that yours is a high risk pregnancy, then take off from work earlier than scheduled, as per the doctor’s instructions. Keep up the yoga, sleep, diet, light exercise.

Tips

• Don’t be shy to ask people to give up their seats in a bus, train, or subway car. Point to your belly and request politely for a seat.
• At work, have an emergency plan ready for number 1 and 2 colleagues who would stay with you throughout the trip to the hospital should you go into labor while at work. Include doctor’s name, number, hospital name, number, address, map, directions, personal contacts’ information.

Warnings

• Any thing that just feels wrong, e.g., baby not moving when he/she regularly does so.
• Sudden, sharp pain anywhere.
• Lightheadness, fainting, sudden sweating, hot flashes.
• Bleeding.
• Anybody/anything ‘bumping’ into your pregnant belly or your back. Must be avoided at all costs. This means using both arms even in a crowded subway to guard your belly and asking people for space.
• Avoid any situation that may result in your falling (even on your butt). Attempting to ‘waddle’ on icy sidewalks and on stairs is a no-no.
• If you fall or are bumped into, go to the doctor or the hospital.

Related wikiHows

• How to Get Pregnant
• How to Find out the Effects of Smoking During Pregnancy
• How to Deal With Teen Pregnancy
• How to Estimate Date of Conception
• How to Take Care of Your Twins Pregnancy

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Prepare Yourself for a Healthy Pregnancy at 35 Years Old. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Prepare for an Oral Report

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

An editor has suggested that this article be merged with: “How to Do an Oral Speech on Time“ Per the merge policy, if these topics are determined to be similar but distinct, then the articles will remain separate. Please comment on the discussion page. Notice added on 2008-04-30.

Spending long hours working on an oral report can be tedious. We have to research for accuracy, plan the layout, memorize what we are going to say. This might be worth it, but then when it does not turn out as good as you expected, is very disappointing.

Steps

1. Research your topic. If your topic is quite boring, search for some interesting facts about it that will wow your classmates.
2. Take notes. Don’t be afraid to jot down details. Be sure to use better words than “nice” or “big.” Rather opt for words such as “gigantic” or “fantastic.”
3. Add a little something to it. Why not add pictures or make a life size model from the topic. Drawing a time line, especially if it’s a history report, can also work.
4. Look over your written report, Add details where needed and exchanging words with those that would fit the report better.
5. Practice! Practice! Practice! Look at yourself in the mirror and talk as if you’re in front of people. Make sure that you’re not leaning or fumbling around when you talk. With a bit more practice, you will be able to ace that report and look good at the same time.

Tips

• Try not to act too enthusiastic about the topic. This makes you look cheesy.
• Ask your crowd if they have any questions, and always be prepared to answer them!
• Make sure that what you brought in as a demonstration, is colorful and eye-catching.

Warnings

• When you take notes, be 100% sure that you aren’t plagiarizing, copying word for word as written.
• Make the speech short and to the point. Long drawn out reports are marked as boring and are similar to listening to lectures. Keep it short and simple.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Prepare for an Oral Report. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-74: "How to Sidestep Depression During the Holidays"

How to Sidestep Depression During the Holidays

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The season of light can be very dark for many people. The holidays represent a stressful time for most. Expectations are high, commitments are many, and time seems more scarce than ever. With a few helpful tips and some planning, many of these issues can be avoided.

Steps

1. Start early. As the adage “The early bird catches the worm” counsels, getting a head start on your holiday preparations can save you a lot of headaches later on. Gather your family members and quiz them on their favorite foods. Compile a list of your favorite meals, then select the ones that combine the best. Who ever said you can’t have spaghetti for a holiday meal? Do what works for yourself and your family. Reaching a compromise and an agreement early on takes the stress out of last-minute meal planning.
2. Shop ahead. If you have a mile-long list of people to gift this year, consider buying in bulk. Forget buying an individual gift for all your child’s preschool pals. Go to a warehouse which sells things in large quantities and earmark those items for larger groups.
3. Remember the reason for the season. If you come from a Christian background, remind your children that Christmas is not about Santa Claus alone, but about celebrating Jesus’s birthday. We give and receive gifts as a reminder of his importance in our lives.
4. Manage your children’s expectations. It will help prevent an embarrassing outburst on Christmas morning in front of Aunt Sarah when your child fails to get his favorite toy.
5. Make a mailing list. Use your Excel computer application, if you have one, to manage your addresses. Have your children help dig through old Christmas cards to find addresses of long lost friends and relatives. Allow your children to cut up the old Christmas cards to make new ones of their own.
6. Use an advent calendar. Advent is a neat time of year in Germany. It is comprised of the last four Sundays before Christmas. We use an advent calendar with the 25 days up to Christmas to help our children deal with the anxiety of waiting for the big day. You can make your own by wrapping 25 little treats to be opened each day. Or get a regular calendar and place a special sticker on each day as it begins.
7. Get exercise. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, light is a precious commodity. Be sure to get out during your lunch break for a bit of sun exposure. Even on cloudy days, it can revive your spirit and give you the oxygen you require. Shovel snow if it applies to you.
8. Get enough sleep. Have you noticed that when the days are shorter your need for sleep increases? It is a natural response. In a way, our bodies shut down. Honoring your need for rest is as important as ever.
9. Eat vitamin-enriched food. If the sun is weaker in your area, your daily dose of vitamins needs to come from your food intake. Take vitamins and drink fruit tea and lemon to stave off the common cold.
10. Communicate with your partner. Oftentimes, admitting you feel blue is all you need to reach acceptance that things aren’t always perfect.
11. Take time to celebrate with friends, or catch up with people you may not see often. A phone call to distant relatives or friends will brighten both your days.
12. Volunteer in your neighborhood. Helping others often gives a boost to your own spirit, and is a good way to meet new people and build new friendships. Is there a canned food drive? What about gift wrapping for a charity? Maybe a soup kitchen?
13. Celebrate the winter solstice. Mark off the days on your calendar to encourage yourself that a new beginning is right around the corner. Gather with friends to honor this age-old rite of passage into the season of renewal.
14. The winter solstice also marks the fewest number of daylight hours, and that can make getting out of bed difficult in the mornings. To create your own artificial “sunrise” in an otherwise dark bedroom, use a multi-light lamp hooked up to timer. There are other ways to Brighten-up-a-Dark-Room too.

Tips

• In some women, depression may be caused (or worsened) by low hormone levels, most commonly progesterone…and progesterone levels drop in times of stress (such as the holidays). Progesterone helps keep serotonin levels from dropping too low, and low serotonin can cause depression. Doctors can test for low progesterone and prescribe it (though many doctors are unaware of the link with depression); it is even available without prescription, which gives you an idea how safe it is when used according to directions. Indications that a depression may be progesterone related are: symptoms get worse in the two weeks before menses, during perimenopause/menopause, or after giving birth. Anxiety-depression is most commonly seen, sometimes accompanied by severe mood swings and insomnia; some women may get more headaches/migraines. NOTE: synthetic progestins such as Provera, medroxyprogesterone, DepoProvera, and birth control pills can make these symptoms worse instead of better; we’re talking about progesterone specifically, not its “substitutes”. Progesterone is available as Progest cream (a good brand) without prescription, and as Prometrium capsules with prescription; compounding pharmacies also make various dose forms (such as Progesterone 50 mg/ml Lotion, compounded).

Warnings

• Many people get stressed and feel down during the winter holiday season, but if you’re really feeling depressed, see a therapist or a doctor. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real type of seasonal depression that may require medication or light box therapy.

Sources and Citations

• For more tips, go to <a class=”external free” title=”http://www.diaryofamother.com/“ rel=”nofollow”>http://www.diaryofamother.com
• For additional information on seasonal affective disorder, try this site or do a google search: <a class=”external free” title=”http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195“ rel=”nofollow”>http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Sidestep Depression During the Holidays. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-73: "How to Deal With Your Period"

How to Deal With Your Period

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Have a hard time when that time of the month comes? Here are some tips to help you become less stressed when your “friend” comes!

Steps

1. Always keep a pad/tampon/etc. with you. Even if it’s not that time of the month, you should still carry it with you just in case.
2. Try plain ibuprofen first, if you have cramps. If ibuprofen doesn’t work, try Pamprin, Midol, next time. If it still doesn’t work, put a heating pad or hot water bottle on the painful spots, take a bath, or exercise. It might help to cut down on the amount of sugar and salt you eat. Also, you can try lying on your back on the floor with your legs elevated on the couch – it forces your uterine muscles to relax and is a natural pain reliever after ten or fifteen minutes.
3. Try to keep track of how long you have your period, when it started and ends, how heavy it is, etc. If your period lasts longer than 1 week to 10 days, consult your gynecologist.
4. Take a day off! Relieve all that stress.
5. Get plenty of rest and eat healthy. It will keep your body in balance, and you won’t feel as bad. Be careful not to change your diet completely, as it will create more complications.
6. Warn people you are close to ahead of time, if you are moody so they can prepare and take caution. Part of maturing into womanhood, though, is learning to manage your moods. If you experience severe mood swings, tell your doctor -you may need some help with an imbalance.
7. Wear comfortable clothes. Most women would prefer not to wear uncomfortable clothing while having their period. Wear some sweat pants and a sweatshirt or anything else that feels comfortable, but don’t make it too obvious. You can just wear black pants and keep a jacket around in case you stain your pants. When that happens, you can just tie it around your waist.
8. Try not to stress out! Stress can affect your flow and/or your cycle. Relax for a little bit and don’t worry about it. Other women have to go through the same thing, so you’re not the only one!
9. If you have to change for gym in school, wear red, black or brown underwear. People will be less likely to notice you have your period. Also, try changing your pad before gym and try to wear pads without wings. It will be much harder for girls to tell that you have your period if you’re wearing a pad without wings. Try changing your pants or shorts wearing a long t-shirt, if you prefer.

Tips

• Try different combinations of pads and tampons. For example, try a light tampon and a pantyliner when your flow isn’t so heavy, or try a larger sized tampon with a pantyliner for heavy flows.
• If a certain size of tampon doesn’t fit, don’t force it! Try a different size.
• Don’t change your diet when you are about to have or you do have your period.
• Don’t pig out! You may desperately want to, but high doses of sugar and salt may cause severe cramps.
• Wear darker pants/shorts and panties during your period so if you do happen to leak it won’t be as noticeable.
• Try not wearing skirts or dresses during your period, unless you are absolutely sure your flow is light. You don’t want a leak happening.
• Wear older panties (known as “period panties”) during your period.
• Do shower regularly during your period.
• Carry around a small purse with your tampon/pad. You don’t want to keep them in a pencil case because people are likely to go through them.
• Feminax is a good painkiller.

Warnings

• If you feel nausea, headaches, hot flashes, or fatigue while using a tampon, take the tampon out and replace it with a pad to prevent TSS (toxic shock syndrome) and see your doctor.
• If you don’t change your pad/tampon regularly you might smell an unpleasant odor. Change it regularly.
• Read the labels on any medications you take, even over-the-counter ones, especially if you are sensitive to any medications. Many of those formulated for periods have multiple ingredients in them, so if plain ibuprofen works for you, stick with that.
• If you wear tampons, at least one day of your period should be without one and wear a pad. It’s better for you that way.

Things You’ll Need

• Tampons/Pads/Pantiliners/Menstrual Cup/etc. of your choice
• Ibuprofen, Pamprin, Midol, etc.

Related wikiHows

• How to Swim when You Are on Your Period
  
• How to Tell Your Mom About Your Period
  
• How to Have a Relatively Accident Free Period
  
• How to Celebrate Your Daughter’s First Period
  
• How to Survive Your Period when You Live With All Guys
  
• How to Tell a Friend You Have Started Your Period
  
• How to Stop Your Mom from Telling Everyone You Got Your Period
  
• How to Get Through PMS
  
• How to Reduce Menstrual Cramps
  

Sources and Citations

• Monthly Challenges: Your Period and You from iEmily.com
  
• Getting Your Period from girlshealth.gov

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Deal With Your Period. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Get up from Your Bed Instantly

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Tired of getting late to work? Do you usually wake up and think “why can’t I stay just 5 more minutes in bed?” and 5 minutes later you think the same thing, and this repeats itself over and over until lunchtime and you realized that you have missed your work?Do you feel like your legs don’t obey to your orders?Do you see yourself as a lazy every morning?So where is the answer for your prayers, the ending of your daily suffering and morning fears?

Steps

1. Shut down your mind. Your mind is your worse enemy, block all your thoughts. Any single thought will origin another one. i.e. “I need to get up because I need to go to work” but then you will think “but I’m so tired…resting more 5 minutes will not cause the end of the world”. So don’t think anything! If you’re having difficulties doing this, try thinking of emptiness. (If your idea of emptiness is a “dark screen” don’t think it, think white instead or think in transparency. It may seem hard or even stupid, but visualize a transparent glass in front of your eyes like a layer between your eyes and the rest of the environment you are in.) Also imagine that your cutting off your mind power source. But be careful, these techniques might make you fall asleep. Anyway…try to “Shut up” your mind.
2. Practice. The human mind works by learning and learning requires practice, and practice is based on repeating an action over and over. Keep getting out of bed.
3. Simulate. Turn off the light, shutdown your computer or TV or whatever (or turn it on…in case you usually sleep with your computer turned on) Put everything like the way it is when you’re going to sleep, dress yourself like you do when you’re going to sleep, wear your pajama or put yourself in underwear…you should be exactly dressed the way you dress to sleep. If you do a regular task before going to sleep (like brushing your teeth or something else) do it now. If you watch your favourite show before sleeping, record it…and watch it now.
4. Set your alarm clock for a few minutes later. Close your eyes like if you’re going to sleep and try to fall asleep…it may be difficult. So don’t try too hard, you don’t need really to sleep, that’s optional. When your alarm clock goes on, get up from the bed, It will be easy because you aren’t tired. Try not to get up to fast but not too slow. Start moving yourself right away and don’t stop, you can take some seconds until you get up, but don’t stop moving. You might prefer to sit on your bed instead of getting up right away. Now turn the alarm clock off.
5. Stretch yourself. Stretch like you do when you get up on your normal “getting up routine” or don’t if you do not usually stretch. Just do what you usually do right away after getting up. (no, you don’t need to go to the bathroom, do the breakfast etc! don’t even leave your room). P.S – To do not stretch yourself while you’re still in bed, if you do that on your daily “getting up routine” stop doing it. Stretch after and not during.
6. Return to bed and to it again. Do this a few times at the different hours of the day, do 2-3 sets at each session. And do 2-4 sessions a day. Feel free to raise the number of sets per session and the number of sessions per day with the time (like if you doing a exercise. Like you do at the gym or at home or even if you don’t exercise I’m sure you know what I’m talking about)

Tips

• Do some sessions of silence meditation to help you shutdown your mind.
• Raise the number of “getting up” sessions per day, or the number of sets of do progressively.
• think of something to look forward to that day. it might get you up.

Warnings

• Do not stretch yourself while you’re still in bed, if you do that on your daily “getting up routine” stop doing it. Stretch AFTER and not WHILE.
• Avoid thoughts like “I will sleep just 5 more minutes”, “Go legs! move!! come on!!”, “It’s so cold outside and so hot and comfortable in here” Better…don’t even think!

Things You’ll Need

• An alarm clock
• A bed
• Some time to practice.
• Willpower
• Patience

Related wikiHows

• How to Wake Someone Up
• How to Find Places to Sleep in the Cold
• How to Control when You Fall Asleep
• How to Sleep for Better Health

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get up from Your Bed Instantly. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Use the Experiential Learning Model

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The Experiential Learning Model, used extensively in 4-H and other groups, is a way to turn ordinary games into learning experiences, primarily with the use of questions. This educational model is a great way to subtly make the most out of a situation.

Steps

1. Do the activity with your group. Before you can use the Experiential Learning Model, you must have something to use it on. After you learn the rest of the steps to the Experiential Learning Model, you will know how to look for good activities to use the model on.
   
2. Reflect on the activity.
   
   • What? What happened in the activity? What were the results? Everyone in the group should share their observations on what was going on. Listen to all observations. Everyone deserves a chance to talk. What did each person do? What was the most difficult thing about this activity?
     
   • Gut. Ask the group what their gut reaction was. If someone was left out, how did they feel being left out? How did it feel to lead? You can link the experience to your target subject matter (if you have one) and the life skills being learned. What problems or issues seemed to occur over and over? How did you feel when a particular thing happened?
     
3. Apply the activity to other experiences.
   
• So what? So what happened? How do we apply this to the situation at hand? Generalize the event to connect it to real-world examples. What did you learn about yourself through this activity? What did you learn about making decisions? How does this activity relate to real life outside of the activity? How did you go about deciding what to do?
  
• Now what? How can you apply what you’ve learned to a similar or different experience? What is another situation in which this skill can be used? How will the issues raised by this activity be useful in the future? How will you act differently in the future as a result of this activity?

Tips

• Remember what, gut, so what, and now what. This sticks well in the mind of youth and covers the basic steps after the activity is done.
  
• You may want to have everyone sit for all steps after Do. This will help them focus. Sitting in a circle is also a good way to help the group share openly, and ensures everyone can hear and make eye contact.
  
• Think of questions ahead of time, but leave room for questions that may arise from unexpected things that happen.
  
• You can apply the Experiential Learning Model to things other than games.
  
• Modify as necessary.

Warnings

• Choose activities appropriate for your group’s age and size, and choose an area accordingly.

Things You’ll Need

• Group of people, any age
  
• Suitable activity
  
• Desire to learn

Related wikiHows

• How to Encourage Your Child to Love Learning
  
• How to Love Learning About Things!
  
• How to Be Self Learning
  
• How to Make the Most of Your Learning Style

Sources and Citations

• Wikipedia article on Experiential Learning
  
• Cyfernet article on The Experiential Learning Model
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Use the Experiential Learning Model. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Draw a Flower in Microsoft Paint

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Ever wondered how to draw a flower in Microsoft Paint? This handy How-To guide will teach you the basics and get you on track to make some impressive foliage.

Steps

1. Open up Microsoft Paint from the Accessories folder in your Start Menu.
2. Using the wavy line tool, draw a curved, dark green line of medium-thick thickness in a position like in the picture. In order to curve the line, draw a straight line and then click and drag where you want to curve it. You can curve each line twice.
3. Click the Dark Yellow and right-click the Bright Yellow. Then choose the circle tool and make an appropriately sized oval in the top left corner. Be sure to select the middle option on the sidebar under the main tools, as it will give you a circle with a dark yellow outline and a bright yellow fill.
4. Hit Ctrl-v to paste in another petal.
5. Drag the petal down to the end of the stem.
6. Reselect the other petal using the box tool.
7. Drag the petal down to the left side of the stem. Make sure that the second option is selected on the sidebar under the main tools as it will make sure not to overlap any of your previous work.
8. Hit Ctrl-v to create another petal.
9. Hit Ctrl-r to rotate the selection. Click rotate and choose 90 degrees and hit OK.
10. Hit Ctrl-c to copy the new petal.
11. Move the petal down onto the flower.
12. Hit Ctrl-v to paste the vertical petal.
13. Move the final petal onto the flower, making sure that the second option under the sidebar is selected.
14. Left click the dark yellow color to select it and use the circle tool to create a center. Select the third option under the sidebar so as to create a full, dark yellow circle. Hold Shift while creating the circle to make it perfectly round. # Use the curved line tool to create four curved lines between the petals like so.
15. Click on the bright yellow color to select it and use the paint tool to fill in the petals.
16. Left click the dark green and right click the bright green. Select the polygon tool and click on the second option under the sidebar. Starting at the base of the stem, draw a leaf.
17. Draw another leaf on the other side of the stem.
18. Use the straight line tool to add in some veins and make the leaves look more realistic.
19. Hit Ctrl-s to choose a destination and save your flower.

Tips

• If you make a mistake, press Ctrl-z to undo it.

Related wikiHows

• How to Create Custom Paintbrushes in MS Paint
• How to Color Your Name in MS Paint
• How to Draw a Perfect Circle on Microsoft Paint
• How to Make Stamps in MS Paint

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Draw a Flower in Microsoft Paint. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

My Photo Album-44: "Vinod at Work"

My Photo Album-44: "Vinod at Work"

My Photo Album-43: "Achu looks up!"

My Photo Album-43: "Achu looks up!"

My Photo Album-42: "Achu, a recent photo"

My Photo Album-42: "Achu, a recent photo"

My Photo Album-41: "A Beaming Aravind with hands folded in salutation"

My Photo Album-41: "A Beaming Aravind with hands folded in salutation"

S&T Watch-19: "Fuel cell cars still 15 years away!”

Los Angeles Times of July 18, 2008 reports quoting Reuters as source that Fuel cell cars are still 15 years away at best.

Excerpts from the news item:

Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are still 15 years away from becoming a viable business for automakers even if they overcome remaining technical hurdles and the US govt provides massive subsidies, a government-funded report said Thursday (July 17, 2008).

Under a best-case scenario, automakers will only be able to sell about 2 million electric vehicles powered by fuel cells by 2020, according to the study by the National Research Council. That would mean that less than 1% of the vehicles on US roads by that date would be powered by fuel cells.

Advocates see the still-emerging technology as a way to cut oil use and carbon emissions since fuel cells combined stored hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity. As a result, fuel-cell vehicles emit only water vapor.

Success for fuel-cell technology hinges on building facilities to generate, transport and store hydrogen at filling stations. It will also require automakers to build cheap and durable hydrogen vehicles that consumers want to buy.

For the full article from Los Angeles Times:
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-fuel18-2008jul18,0,2916893.story

Grarteful thanks to Los Angeles Times and Reuters.

IT News-2: Software and Services Export from India

Business Standard reports that by 2015, the software and services export could touch $335 billion if it grows at 24% CAGR(Compound Annual Growth Rate), $276 billion if it grows at 21% CAGR and $226 billion if it grows at 18% CAGR.

So those of you in IT and those who are studying with a plan to enter IT, be cheerful.

Grateful thanks to Business Standard for the optimistic and encouraging report.

Gems from Swami Vivekananda-11:

We need to have three things –

The Heart to Feel,
The Brain to Conceive and
The Hand to Work.

IT News-1: Major Exporters of IT Services from India

Currently, TCS, Infosys and Wipro contribute more than 46% of total IT services export from India.

Courtesy: Business Standard

Dotcom World-8: "Damages for Facebook Victim"

A British businessman has won ₤22,000 as damages against an old friend who put libellous and unauthorised information about him on Facebook.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, July 26, 2008 (“Newscape”)

Grateful thanks to The Hindu.

Happy Birthday to Wikipedia!

While surfing vnunet.com, an information-packed website, I came across many interesting news. One is that Wikipedia has completed 7-years of existence on January 16, 2008. I have been regularly using it, almost daily, yet I did not know this. I could have said Happy Birthday on January 16, 2008. Sorry I missed it.

As you all may probably be aware, it is the world’s first open source, free encyclopedia, and one of the top 10 most-visited sites in the Net. It has currently over nine million pages of information written in over 250 languages, covering almost the whole gamut of human knowledge. As of this minute, it has 2,471,741 articles in English alone.

Wikipedia has provoked Google, another favourite of mine, to come up with something to rival it today, namely, KNOL. <

http://knol.google.com/k/knol#>. This type of competition is really healthy and we the users benefit by it the most.

As a lover and frequent user of Wikipedia, I am very glad to say Happy Birthday to Wikipedia! Better late than never, what you say!

Many thanks to vnunet for the information.

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2207293/wikipedia-seven-today

Google launches KNOL!

Knol is Google’s answer to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. But there are differences. Each article in Knol is a Treasury of authoritative articles on specific articles by experts, whose is furnished.

Just to satisfy by curiosity, I clicked ‘Low Back Pain’ and found a useful and authoritative article by Dr.Roger Chou, M.D.,with sub-topics as below:

Introduction
What causes low back pain?
What are risk factors for low back pain?
What is the prognosis of low back pain?
How should low back pain be evaluated?
How should low back pain be treated?
Where to get more information
References

So I feel very happy to welcome Knol. Now we have one more free encyclopedia on the Net besides Wikipedia. Congratulations Google for your user-friendly, endless innovative products!

If you want to access Knol, just click:

http://knol.google.com/k#

Health News-10: "Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg in Anti-smoking Campaign"

Billionaires Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg have jointly pledged $ 500 million for an anti-smoking campaign with special focus on India and China.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, July 25, 2008.

Article on “Smoking” and “Tobacco and Health” from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_tobacco_smoking

“Secondhand Smoke Fact Sheet” from American Lung Association:
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35422#one

“Secondhand Smoke and Children Fact Sheet” from American Lung Association:
http://www.lungusa.org/site/?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=39857

“Global Information System on Tobacco Control (GISTOC)” from World Health Organisation (WHO):
http://www.who.int/tobacco/global_data/en/index.html

“You Can Quit Smoking” from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dept of Health and Human Services, USA:
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/you_can_quit/nicotine.htm

Grateful thanks to The Hindu, American Lung Association, WHO, CDC and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Health Warnings-1: "Soya Risk"

A soya-basd diet is linked to low sperm count, suggests a new study by the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, July 25, 2008 (“Newscape”)

Asthma and Allergic Foundation of America website says soya contains 15 allergenic proteins and it may cause asthma, urticaria, eczema, allergic rhinitis etc. The relevant page from their website:
http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=20&cont=522

For detailed article on Soyabean from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean

For a detailed article on “Soy – One of the nine most common food allergens” from Health Canada:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/allerg/fa-aa/allergen_soy-soja-eng.php

“The dark side of Soy” from AlterNet.org:
http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/56087/

Grateful thanks to The Hindu, Asthma and Allergic Foundation of America, Health Canada, AlterNet.org and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.