POTPOURRI

Steve Jobs' greatest speech:

2011-10-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html

This is one of the finest legacies left by Steve Jobs. It describes the destiny factor that often is important to shape our lives and ends with the role of death as a finality, a certainty as necessary as life. This is the mind of Steve Jobs, at its best.

African Safari- from a friend's sojourn through Kenya

2011-08-15T03:26:00.000-07:00

A starling- in wild colors

The African wild buffalo- those horns are deadly

More buffaloes...

A king fisher (above).. resting on a rock

An African lion caught unaware....

The plains of Kenya

A pelican in flight....

A rhino grazing....

Dr. Ravi in action.....
You view the full album at : African safari

These wild-life snaps were taken near lake Nakuru, by Dr. Ravi Kadasne, radiologist and wild life enthusiast, who works in the UAE.

The black drongo- an elusive bird of Kerala

2011-01-19T00:57:00.000-08:00

The "black drongo" is a name that is new to me. I did quite a bit of internet search to find the name of this cute looking bird. ALso called the "king crow", it looks like the crow, but is smaller and has a split tail (bifurcated tail). I took a video of this rather elusive bird from my balcony, yesterday morning.

I tried my hand at capturing this bird- with an odd name (who would call this little black bird a- black drongo?)

Some good 3D videos- this is really good:

2011-01-15T20:35:00.000-08:00

3D videos are now available on youtube.....And the effects are perhaps better than the one I saw when I watched AVATAR.. the 3D movie. Watch this amateur video made a guy....you have to wear read and cyan (blue) 3D glasses to view the 3D effects. But man, this is really good....How come this did not get publicity from google. Enjoy and view on......

Hands on 3D video of the Nintendo 3DS game machine

2011-01-15T20:18:00.000-08:00

Nintendo has launched a 3D gaming machine with a 3D digital camera built into the game console. So one can supposedly use this Nintendo 3DS gaming console as a 3D digital camera also. This you tube video is in 3D and to get a 3D view you would need 3D glasses.....However the actual Nintendo 3DS gaming console does NOT need 3 D goggles to use it.
See the video below:

Visit to the hills of Vagamon

2011-01-02T18:57:00.001-08:00

A video of the Indian pond heron:

2010-12-14T19:29:00.000-08:00

I found this Indian pond heron foraging for food in the marsh near our home. A not uncommon bird, that flies around ponds and marshes.
I took this 2nd video clip of the pond heron flying away:

MP3 Xmas carols and songs- free:

2010-12-10T05:46:00.000-08:00

http://songsofpraise.org/christmas.htm
I've visited a number of web sites on google search for free MP3 Xmas songs. But most of them including amazon's so called free mp3 downloads have hiccups or demand a credit card before the downloads. The link above actually offers mp3 songs with both lyrics and music. An I could not only download it, the songs worked beautifully. There may be other sites out there.. will add them to this blog as I find where these "gems" are hidden.

Video of Helicopter aerial display

2010-12-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

Managed to grab this video from my Western balcony. Fun to watch.. enjoy.

Apathy, indifference and today's world:

2010-12-01T18:21:00.000-08:00

We are already there- this is the brave new world of Aldous Huxley. In this world, especially in secular, democratic countries like India, thinking the wrong thought could become a crime. There is not much or rather, no thought working in anyone's minds. The thinking process has come to a standstill- full stop. A devastating road traffic accident, or other misfortune, and nobody has the time to think, to ask the inconvenient questions- what was the cause of this road traffic accident? Did the police do anything to prevent it? Was every step taken to prevent it? Will we, as citizens and the keepers of the law take steps to prevent these incidents from happening again? The degree of negativism with respect to any or every event is amazing. The typical attitude is -firstly one of indifference. If there has been a bomb blast- it is not in my city, so who cares! Or this road traffic accident occurred on that road, not mine.. or worse.. the victim was not one of us.
The police are seen as indifferent or worse....and since nothing more is expected of them...they dont seem to care one bit. The municipal (city) corporations are considered as a means of acquiring wealth quickly, for the scheming no goods, the scum of society.. "who else would want to work there?"
The result is obvious- you can find in my own city (Cochin)- telephone poles bending precariously, waiting for the next wind, to fall onto the road or onto somebody. High voltage fuses and wires and contact points are left open, on roadside posts, waiting to zap the next unsuspecting passerby. A friend of mine, a college student, had the misfortune of stepping on a protruding spike of iron from a roadside slab - the result was serious foot injury. But who is complaining? Who is there to listen to complaints? Is the government listening? Does the government have funds to maintain roads, make life less dangerous for the common man? Where do the massive funds allocated to maintain our cities, go? Is anyone answerable for all that goes on in the name of government.
Again, does anyone think? Is thinking about these things one of those no no areas in today's society? I believe social decay starts with the mind. A dead mind leads to a dead, decaying society... no I am not referring to the USA.. it is very true of modern day cities in India. Without the process of feeling, thinking and expression of thought, society undergoes the same thing that the individual experiences, .. it is called a "death wish". (to be continued)......

Converting waste plastic to oil- a novel invention:

2010-11-18T00:21:00.001-08:00

If anyone or anyone you know has used this machine please comment here...We would like to hear more about this machine.
I managed to get hold of their email id and website:
Blest Co., Ltd.
      Sales Manager : Minoru Aoyama
      7-3-1, Shinomiya, Hiratsuka-City, Kanagawa-Pref.,
      Japan 254-0014

Tel:81-463-51-5604   Fax:81-463-51-5607
E-mail:aoyama@blest.co.jp
URL: http://www.blest.co.jp

Slideshow of the visit to Thommankuth falls:

2010-09-05T09:50:00.001-07:00

Thommankuth water falls:

Visit to to Thommankuth water falls:

2010-09-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

A video clip of the waterfall at Thomankuth in Thodupuzha, Kerala. I managed to capture this video from up close. I reached these falls after a 20 minute trek through the forest from the entrance gate.

This was the view at the entrance to the falls.

And this Jamie's new, improvised air boat:

2010-08-07T21:53:00.000-07:00

The air boat doing its thing in the bath tub.

Another creation from my son Jamie's labs:

2010-08-07T21:45:00.000-07:00

Jamie managed to create this toy motor boat from a few junk items obtained from old toys. Video shows the motor boat with submerged propeller speeding in the bath tub.

Online auto insurance comparison

2010-04-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

Auto insurance:

Online comparison of auto insurance companies is the new buzzword when selecting an insurance policy for your car. I found this site ideal for auto insurance comparison-

http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/compare/ It has a very short video presentation which tells you the plus and minus points of comparing various auto insurance companies.

Selecting auto insurance can be a headache, what with scores of policies from dozens of auto insurance companies. However, with this site, a few clicks and strokes of the keyboard, takes you through a number of leading insurance companies, to help you compare the pros and cons of each policy right on your own desktop. Just enter your zip code in a box and you get to compare the auto insurance from a number of companies. Among the details covered on this page are- prices, service, reliability and financial strength of the company etc. Additional benefits are that this process is absolutely free with no obligations at all. For auto insurance comparison, this web page: http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/compare/ gives a very good option.

Of wounded "Tigers" and Presidents

2010-04-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

The story is all too familiar - a big shot is the all American hero...and suddenly he is made out to be the bad guy, just because of some dirt under the carpet. I am referring to the Tiger Woods episode and Bill Clinton of yesteryear. There is a lot of hypocrisy in both these stories and a lot of slime that is smeared not on the so called "culprits" but on a whole system that revels in edification of a hero, one moment, and ready to tear him down the next.
Despite all the so called modernization and liberal values that countries like the US profess, the basic culture smacks of a lot of conservatism and a familiar repeat of the mob culture. Why does a country like the States, fear or condemn a person like Clinton or Tiger Woods when the vast majority of the population have accepted teenage pregnancy and loss of virginity in an unwed woman is considered a virtue. Interesting and definitely worth thinking about. After all, the women involved were not minors but consenting adult females. Surely, the leaders in today's society will only reflect the culture that surrounds them!

Amphibious vehicle in action:

2010-03-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

This was my son's test of the toy air car converted into an air boat.. in action in the old water tank on the terrace. He made the device from the motor of another toy and coupled it with a powerful battery pack of his own design.

Air car of the future:

2010-03-03T18:28:00.000-08:00

Jamie built a toy air car...using the motor of an old toy copter..connected to a battery pack.
The video is a bit grainy as it was taken in the night. Enjoy.

Some natural art:

2010-01-09T19:07:00.000-08:00

This is one of the best rainbows I have seen.. and it lasted more than 40 minutes in the early morning sky..
Managed to catch a crow flying against it.

A personal review of AVATAR -the movie

2009-12-26T18:31:00.000-08:00

Just managed to see the movie AVATAR in 3-D in Sridar theater in Cochin. I must say it was a good piece of work with the animations (the aliens) and real people (the humans) merging well into the movie. I expected fantastic 3-D effects..but that part (3-D effects) were a a bit of a disappointment. I have seen 3-D movies before, in Kerala..like the Malayalam film " My dear Kuttichathan" more than 2 decades ago, and the effects in that comparatively primitive local movie were fabulous. There were fireballs and missiles hurtling at the audience which made us sit at the edge of our seats.
But AVATAR with its massive budget could have done better for its 3-D effects. Agreed, the storyline was original and in tune with contemporary themes like the "war on terror" and the problems between indigenous peoples and exploitation of natural resources. But again, that could have been made more simplified.
One more thing, this is possibly one film (in Cochin) where most of the tickets (balcony) were sold out in advance , mostly online. See http://shenoys.in/
Overall, the movie was expensive priced at Rs. 115/- per ticket (including the 3-D glasses).
But I might purchase the 3-D DVD version if got the chance.
Out of a total of 10 points, I would rate the movie avatar- at +7
3-D effects I would rate the movie at + 6 out of 10.

2012: -- The movie and the facts

2009-11-13T21:58:00.000-08:00

The movie 2012 - and its doomsday scenario is based on a lot many "facts" accumulated over the years by various researchers from across the globe. How real is the threat of a doomsday even in December 2012? The frightening part of the whole theme is the fact that this prophecy is now entering mainstream thinking. Watch this youtube video (a part of a series of 6 video clips), recorded from a documentary on History channel.
That a major TV channel considered a serious study of the Doomsday predictions of prehistoric man, from the ancient Mayan and Chinese calendars and finds common ground in such a possibility with Einstein's theories on Polar shifts of the earth, shows that the whole theme deserves more than scorn.
But, didn't the doomsday prophets predict the end with the Y2K bug (year 2000 bug) in computers and its disastrous consequences?
Joe.

Russian seaplane at work:

2009-10-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this neat video...

Intelligent design versus evolution:

2009-08-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

Did the world in general and life on earth in particular, just happen by chance as the evolutionists would have us believe. New thinking originating on the campuses of USA (mind you -these are serious scientists, not some junkies), says that evolution of life (on earth) is not very likely given the glaring contradictions of evolution theories. I saw a video documentary, consisting of discussions among leading biochemists and genetic scientists which says the possibility of life evolving from a "chemical soup" in the ancient oceans is nearly impossible. It describes the example of a unicellular organism like the paramecium and the flagella it uses to move. The single flagella it uses has been shown to be too complex a system to have evolved in bits and pieces. Consisting of nano motors and parts, (on electron microscopy), this organism's parts are at the forefront of new thinking. Why would the (flagellum's) motor first evolve and then be followed by part after part.. ?
So who put the most advanced life form on earth.. namely man, on this planet. Einstein tried to find the grand unification theory that could explain everything from life to chemistry and astronomy. I think today new thinkers might yet find answers in my lifetime.
Joe.

See this you tube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irVqVKdiohE

A short of video of the children's school dance

2009-04-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

It was difficult to spot my daughter in this display of music and color.
She is one of those swaying to the notes of music playing out for the school annual day function.

Visit to a small dam in rural Kerala

2009-04-25T23:57:00.000-07:00

We were a small group, my cousin and his kids with my family. The dam and its surroundings are a beautiful tourist spot in Kerala. This is the Malampuzha dam in Thodupuzha.
Enjoyed it.

Xmas celebrations 2007

2007-12-25T19:27:00.000-08:00

Hi all,
Sending a link to Christmas celebrations this Dec 2007.
http://picasaweb.google.com/drjoea/Xmas2007
My daughter made a nice card on this occassion. Son, Jamie celebrated his birthday too.
Joe.

A vacation in Portola:

2007-12-15T01:43:00.001-08:00

pine forests

Davis Lake

Salmon Lake

Boat dock

RENO AND PORTOLA VACATION September 17 – 22, 2007

PORTOLA :

Along the highway the scenery quickly changed from high desert to forests of pine and cypress.

Portola is a beautiful park located in Orange County in California.
The pictures above were taken by Marveen during her vacation there.

How the kids celebrated last Diwali:

2007-09-09T02:04:00.000-07:00

A short video of the kids having fun during last Diwali:

Fireworks adding a spark to life:

A must see video- how to fold a shirt:

2007-09-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

This video shows a simple and easy method to fold a shirt in a few steps:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4776825453418327083

Snaps of the visit of the Queen Mary 2 to Cochin:

2007-03-07T21:45:00.000-08:00

The Queen of the high seas, the largest passenger liner in the world, the Queen Mary 2, docked at Cochin port on 7th March 2007. This was an opportunity that I would not miss. I hired a boat and sailed right up to the Queen. A very pretty sight.
Click on this link to view the album:

Queen Mary in Cochin

Watch this Japanese magician at work:

2007-01-31T21:10:00.000-08:00

http://images2.jokaroo.net/videos/grandpajapan.wmv
Click the link above to watch this Japanese magician at work. He's really good.

Your Ad Here

Read this with Chinese eyes:

2007-01-31T02:03:00.000-08:00

Try reading the script on the left. If you can't then pull the outer corner of both your eyes (imitating the Chinese).

You will be amazed at what you can now see.

Source: unknown

What became of "The sound of music" kids:

2007-01-21T03:29:00.000-08:00

The movie “The sound of music” continues to remain an all time favorite. I just it again with my kids and we wanted to know the fate of the Von Trapp family today. I just searched the net and look what I found: a web site that shows snaps of the Von Trapp kids together again, 40 yrs. later (2005): http://www.angela-cartwright.com/som_travels.htm It has a lot of snaps of the “The sound of music” family and interesting links. Angela played the role of one of the kids.

The future of the computer- the Pen PC:

2006-12-20T01:39:00.000-08:00

The future of the PC- the pen PC or P-ISM:
NEC of Japan has come up with a revolutionary new design for the computer, the pen- PC also labeled P-ISM. The PC consists of 5 pen-shaped devices which together form a full PC. The keyboard and the display are projected on to the table or any flat surface on which the pens rest. Read more and see the pictures of this new device at:
http://www.wave-report.com/other-html-files/P-ISM%202.htm

Your Ad Here

An animation that talks:

2006-11-03T08:28:00.000-08:00

Want to have a beautiful lady who speaks everything you write, and that too in a variety of languages from English to French and Japanese. Click the link below:
http://www.oddcast.com/home/demos/tts/frameset.php?frame1=talk
She also follows your mouse cursor with her eyes. Best of all it is free. It needs Flash Player, an easy (free) download.

Your Ad Here

Interesting books-- from Kerala

2006-05-27T03:34:00.000-07:00

BOOKS:
"REFLECTIONS" by LAZAR CHIRIYANKANDATH
I am an avid reader of non fiction.
Today, I introduce LAZAR CHIRIYANKANDATH'S autobiography aptly
titled "REFLECTIONS" now available through LIFELINE PUBLICATIONS, COCHIN.
Let me quote from the prologue to the book. It is the story of an account, straight from the heart, by a simple, honest, god-fearing and conscientious man, of his struggles in life.
It starts from the unjust social milieu of the beginning of the 20th century in rural Kerala.
It proceeds through the struggles he faces as he faces the social inequalities of the day,
the difficulties in striking out of the rifid mould of the then Kerala society.
For the non-Indian, Kerala is a state in the Southern part of India.
To order: please contact me at: drjoea@gmail.com

WATER- THE FUEL OF THE FUTURE (?)
http://digg.com/technology/Water_Fuel_-_HHO_Gas
This is the link to the story of how an American inventor, Denny Klein, has used plain water (H2 O) as fuel to
power his automobile using a technology that convert H2O to HHO gas.
Sounds whacky? I dont understand it either...
The story shows a video from FOX news. The invention is still under review.
Last heard, the inventor has acquired a US patent for this invention.
Read more about his invention on : http://www.hytechapps.com/
about his company Hydrogen Technologies.
Learn more on http://www.americanantigravity.com/articles/544/1/Breakthrough-Hydrogen-Technology

DID YOU KNOW?
1)The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as a substitute for
Blood plasma.
2)No piece of paper can be folded in half
more than seven (7) times.
3)Donkeys kill more people annually
than plane crashes.
3)You burn more calories sleeping
than you do watching television.
4)Oak trees do not produce acorns
until they are fifty (50) years of age or older.
5)The first product to have a bar code
was Wrigley's gum.
6)The King of Hearts is the only king
WITHOUT A MOUSTACHE
7) American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one (1) olive
from each salad served in first-class.
8)Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.
(Since Venus is normally associated with women,
what does this tell you!)
9)Apples, not caffeine,
are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.
10)Most dust particles in your house are made from
DEAD SKIN!

11)The first owner of the Marlboro Company died of lung cancer.
So did the first "Marlboro Man."
12)Walt Disney was afraid OF MICE!
13)PEARLS MELT IN VINEGAR!
14)The three most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca Cola, and Budweiser, in that order.
15)It is possible to lead a cow upstairs...but, not downstairs.
16)A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
17)Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least six (6) feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.
18)And the best for last.....
Turtles can breathe through their butts.