Hotel offers free meal to guests who are willing to generate electricity

The Crown Plaza Hotel in Copenhagen , Denmark , is offering a free meal to any guest who is able to produce electricity for the hotel on an exercise bike attached to a generator. Guests will have to produce at least 10 watt hours of electricity - roughly 15 minutes of cycling for someone of average fitness. They will then be given meal vouchers worth $36 (26 euros).

Disco pub gets electricity produced by people dancing at specially modified dance floor

All the flashing strobes and pounding speakers at the dance club are massive consumers of electrical power. So Bar Surya, in London, re-outfitted its floor with springs that, when compressed by dancers, could produce electrical current that would be stored in batteries and used to offset some of the club's electrical burden. The club's owner, Andrew Charalambous, said the dance floor can now power 60 percent of the club's energy needs.

Company creates a desktop printer that doesn't use ink nor paper

Who says printers only use paper to print documents? It's time for you to meet the PrePeat Printer then. Different from conventional printers, PrePeat adopts a thermal head to print on specially-made plastic sheets. These plastic sheets are not merely water-proof, but could be easily erased, just feed the sheets through the printer again, and a different temperature will erase everything or just write over it. Also claimed by the manufacturer, such one sheet could be used up to 1,000 times so that you'll reduce your expenses on paper for sure.

University constructs a green roof as a gathering place

Green design is an enormously popular trend in modern architecture, just take a look at this amazing green roof at the School of Art , Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore . This 5-story facility sweeps a wooded corner of the campus with an organic, vegetated form that blends landscape and structure, nature and high-tech and symbolizes the creativity it houses. The roofs serve as informal gathering spaces challenging linear ideas and stirring perception. The roofs create open space, insulate the building, cool the surrounding air and harvest rainwater for landscaping irrigation. Planted grasses mix with native greenery to colonize the building and bond it to the setting.

Designer creates a sink that uses wasted water to grow a plant

Made of polished stained concrete, the Zen Garden Sink has a channel that allows the water used while washing your hands to water a plant. Created by young Montreal designer Jean-Michel Gauvreau the sink comes in single or double basin model. The sink is designed in a way you won't get your plants all soapy. There is a main drain at the bottom of the basin for soapy grime. Your little plant friend just gets whatever you choose to dole out.

Designer creates a shower that forces you to leave when you've wasted too much water

20% of our total domestic energy usage is from hot water for showering and bathing. That's over 6 times the energy usage of domestic lighting. So designer Tommaso Colia came up with his eco-friendly shower design that will force you to get out when you take too long and waste much water. The eco_drop shower features beautiful concentric circles that will rise to force you to stop showering when you take too long, and accordingly save water.

Designer creates light-switch that changes colors to teach children how to save energy

Teaching the importance of energy conservation is the goal of this design from Tim Holley. He calls it Tio, and it's a ghost-shaped light switch that gives kids a visual reminder of how much energy they've used by leaving lights on. Tio starts out green and smiling. If the light is left on for more than four hours, he turns yellow and looks shocked. And if you dare to leave that light on for more than eight hours, sweet little Tio turns into a raging red hulk, complete with frowny mouth and angry eyes. But he won't just visually remind your kids about their energy habits; information from the light switch is sent to Tio's computer program so the entire family can see how they're doing. In a brilliant piece of visual positive reinforcement, Holley's program lets kids grow a “virtual tree†which gets bigger and healthier the more energy they save.

Environmental company creates a staple-free stapler to avoid staple pollution

Staples are supposed to be so bad to the environment that a company decided to create a staple-free stapler. This product promises to make collation eco-friendly. Instead of using those thin metal planet-killers, the staple-free stapler "cuts out tiny strips of paper and uses the strips to stitch up to five pieces of paper together." You can even order them customized with your corporate logo so you can, you know, brag about what your company is doing to stop the staple epidemic.

Designer creates an iPhone charger powered by a hand grip

Every Action has an equal and an opposite reaction. Similarly, every proverb has an equal and an opposite proverb! There always exist two sides of the same coin!

Contrary Proverbs

Here comes the another feature of new orkut which I think would be very useful to Bloggers. Like Share on Twitter buttons which i explained last week, Orkut too released its API and now you can have share on orkut button on any blogging platform like WordPress and Blogger aka Blogspot Blogs.

Let’s get started with How to add Share on Orkut button in your blogpost, at the end of blog posts.

How to add Share on Orkut button on Blogger / Blogspot Blogs

Go to Edit HTML tab under Layout of Blogger — Expand Widget Templates

Press CTRL+F and find </head> Now, just above or before this paste the following code.

<!--orkut share starts here-->
 <script src='http://www.google.com/jsapi' type='text/javascript'/>
 <script type='text/javascript'>
 google.load(&#39;orkut.share&#39;, &#39;1&#39;);
 google.setOnLoadCallback(function() {
 var params = {};
 params[google.orkut.share.Field.TITLE] = &#39;<data:blog.pageName/>&#39;;
 params[google.orkut.share.Field.DESTINATION_URL] = &#39;<data:blog.url/>&#39;;
 var connection = new google.orkut.share.Connection(params);
 document.getElementById(&#39;orkut-share&#39;).onclick =
 function(e) { connection.send(&#39;orkut.com&#39;, {}); };
 }, true);
 </script>
<!--orkut share end-->

Now find <div class=’post-footer-line post-footer-line-1′> and add this code immediately after it

<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'>
 <span id="orkut-share" style="cursor:pointer; border:1px solid black">
 <img src="http://code.google.com/apis/orkut/docs/images/share.gif"/>
 </span>
</b:if>

You have successfully added share on orkut button blogger, Thanks to bloggerstop who shared this tip.

Now you can see orkut share button below each post.

How to add Share on Orkut button on WordPress blog

Comparing to Blogger, its somewhat easier to add share on orkut button on self hosted WordPress Blogs.

There is a Share on Orkut WordPress plugin which makes it very easy to do it but why add a plugin for such a small thing and increase load on webpage when you can do it simply by adding a code.

   1: <a href="http://promote.orkut.com/preview?nt=orkut.com&amp;tt=&lt;?php the_title(); ?>&du=<?php the_permalink() ?>">

   2: <img src="http://code.google.com/apis/orkut/docs/images/share.gif"> </a>

Done!

You can see its live demo below this post and do you mind sharing it on orkut? This is made simple using GET Method of Orkut API. You will see share button like this and when you click on it- another page opens similar to screenshot below:

Very Good Article on Late sitting -

Height of Frustration: 

He sent this mail to the Board of Directors of Infosys and cc to N.Murthy...   (And got fired..obviously)  It resembles the Infosys jobs ad in newspapers

 What Jain Says:

I couldn’t verify the information but there is a wide spread rumor about a guy like this.. Any way, it spreads smile!!!

Finally, Onam has arrived and am running to my native to celebrate it with my family. My celebration will not be complete if i don't share my joy with you guys out there. Well to begin with let me explain what really is ONAM.

The legend says..

Once Kerala (southern state in India) was ruled by mighty asura (demon) king named Mahabali. During this period Kerala witnessed its golden era. Every body in the state was happy and prosperous and king was highly regarded by his subjects.

As per Hindu mythology, Mahabali conqured the 3 worlds by defeating the Devas (the gods).The Devas were very annoyed and approached Vishnu (the protector of world) and asked for his help. Vishnu decided to test Mahabali. In the meantime, Mahabali was performing the sacrificial rite of the  on the banks of Narmada River. He also declared that he would give anything that anyone sought from him during this rite. Taking advantage of the Yagam and Mahabali's declaration, Vishnu appeared before Mahabali disguised as a Brahmin and said: "You need not give me anything great. It is enough if you give me that extend of land covered by three footsteps of mine".

Mahabali was a king who would never go back on his word, considering it sinful to do so. Even after his Guru’s (teacher) advice that it was not a ordinary brahmin mahabali accepted the request and asked Vamana to measure the desired three feet of land. Suddenly, Vamana grew in size until he towered above the heavens. With one footstep, he measured all of the earth. With the second, he claimed all of heaven. There was still one foot of territory that Mahabali owed him. Mahabali requested Vamana to place the final step on his head as the third step of land, for he had no other left. Vamana did so and in doing so, pushed him down to Patala, the underworld (the kingdom beneath the earth).

Since Mahabali was a righteous king and moreover a devotee of lord Vishnu himself. the Lord granted him permission to visit his subjects once a year. It is this visit of Mahabali that is celebrated as Onam every year. People make all efforts to celebrate the festival in a grand way and impress upon their dear King that they are happy and wish him well. The most notable feature of Onam is that it is celebrated by every keralite irrespective of the religion even though the celebration came from Hindu mythology.

The Ten Days of Celebration

There is a saying in Malayalam that "Kanam Vittum Onam Unnanam" which means "We should have the Thiruvonam lunch even if we have to sell all our properties" which shows the importance of the Onam celebrations.

Onam comes in the month of "Chingam" which is the first month according to the Malayalam Calendar. The celebrations of Onam start on Atham day, 10 days before onam. Earthen mounds, which look somewhat like square pyramids, representing Mahabali and Vamanan are placed in the dung-plastered courtyards in front of the house and beautifully decorated with flowers. People put flower mats in front of their houses,  known as ‘Onapookkalam’,to welcome King Mahabali. it is a carpet made out of the gathered blossoms with one or two varieties of foliage of differing tints pinched up into little pieces to serve the decorator's purpose.

On the 10th day of celebration “Thiruvonam day”, King Mahabali is believed to visit every home. Grand feast called Onasadya is prepared in every household. It is a nine course meal consisting of 11 to 13 essential dishes. Onasadya is served on banana leaves and people sit on a mat laid on the floor to have the meal. The eldest member of each family presents clothes to all the members of the family. Even the poorest of the poor manage to find something for himself to celebrate the national festival in his own humble way.

Onam Pookkalam is considered as a symbol for secularism. Various kinds of flowers combine together to form a great-looking pookkalam. So, it shall reflect those old good days during King Mahabali. It's a great pleasure for people in Kerala to make Pookkalam from Atham to Thiruvonam, especially for children.

Another enchanting feature of Onam is Vallamkali, the Snake Boat Race. It is a colourful sight to watch the  decorated boat oared by hundreds of boatmen amidst chanting of songs and cheering by spectators.
There is also a tradition to play games, collectively called Onakalikal, on Onam. While Women indulge in cultural activities like dancing, Men go in for rigorous sports like Talappanthukali (played with ball), Ambeyyal (Archery) and other combats.

Well, I think its time for Sadya (My stomach is crying..). I really recommend you to visit Kerala during an Onam. (but be prepared for a humid climate, it not the Mahabali’s rule now.:-) ).

Wish you all a Wonderful OnaM..

Okhil Babu’s letter to the Railway Department (early 1900’s )

Dear Sir,

       I am arrive by passenger train at Ahmedpore station and my

     belly is too much swelling with jack fruit. I am therefore went

     to privy. Just I doing the nuisance, that guard making whistle

     blow for train to go off and I am running with lotah in one hand

     and Dhotie in the next when I am fall over and expose all my

     shookings to man, female, women on platform. I am get leaved at

     Ahmedpore station.

       This too much bad, if passenger go to make dung, that dam guard

     no wait five minutes for him. I am therefore pray your honour to

     make big fine on that guard for public sake. Otherwise I am

     making big report to papers.

     

Yours faithful servant,

  OKHIL CH. SEN

Okhil Chandra Sen wrote this letter to the Sahibganj divisional railway office in 1909. It is on display at the Railway Museum in New Delhi. It was also reproduced under the caption “Travellers’ Tales” in the Far Eastern Economic Review.

Any guesses why this letter is of historic value?

It led to the introduction of TOILETS in trains!!!!!!!!!

In the city of Santa Fé, in New Mexico, USA a mystery of over 130 years old exist. It attracts around 250 thousand visitors every year.

Point of attention : Loretto Chapel

The construction of the chapel was commisoned towards the end 19th century by Jean-Baptiste Lamy, the Bishop of the Santa Fe Archdiocese. The convent chapel was to be named Our Lady of Light Chapel, which would be in the care of the Sisters of Loretto. The chapel was designed by French architect Antoine Mouly in the Gothic Revival style, complete with spires, buttresses, and stained glass windows imported from France. Although it was built on a much smaller scale, the chapel bears an obvious resemblance to the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris.

No!. This is not the mystery..

What makes this chapel different from all others is that the subject of the supposed miracle that took place in it is a Staircase. When the chappel was ready, the nuns found that there was no staircase built to take them to the choir loft. The architect died suddenly and due to the chapel's small size, building a standard staircase would have been too large for the chapel..

The reputed story continues as follows..

The nuns prayed for St. Joseph's intercession for nine straight days. On the day after their novena ended a shabby looking stranger appeared at their door. He told the nuns he would build them a staircase but that he needed total privacy and locked himself in the chapel for three months. He used a small number of primitive tools including a square, a saw and some warm water and constructed a spiral staircase entirely of non-native wood. The identity of the carpenter is not known for as soon as the staircase was finally finished he was gone. Many witnesses, upon seeing the staircase, feel it was a miraculous occurrence.

The staircase thus built, is an impressive work of carpentry. It ascends twenty feet, making two complete revolutions up to the choir loft without the use of nails or apparent center support. It has been surmised that the central spiral of the staircase is narrow enough to serve as a central beam. Nonetheless there was no attachment unto any wall or pole in the original stairway, although 10 years later a railing was added and the outer spiral was fastened to an adjacent pillar. Instead of metal nails, the staircase was constructed using dowels or wooden pegs. The wood for the staircase cannot be found anywhere in the region.

The stairs had 33 steps, the age of Jesus when he died...

The mystery had never been satisfactorily solved as to who the carpenter was or where he got his lumber, since there were no reports of anyone seeing lumber delivered or even seeing the man come and go while the construction was being done. Since he left before the Mother Superior could pay him, the Sisters of Loretto offered a reward for the identity of the man, but it was never claimed..

For Further Reading.. Title:“Loretto: The Sisters and Their Santa Fe Chapel (2002: Museum of New Mexico Press)

Author: Mary Jean Straw Cook

$22.50

Buy it from Amazon here

Essay "Indian Cow"

You'll forget your English by the time you finish reading this. This is a true essay written by a Bihari candidate (Mahesh Pandey) at the UPSC Examinations. The candidate has written an essay on the Indian cow:

                              INDIAN COW

                              HE IS THE COW. "The cow is a successful animal.

                              Also he is 4 footed, And because he is female, he

                              give milks, [ but will do so when he is got

                              child.] He is same like-God, sacred to Hindus and 

                              useful to man. But he has got four legs together.

                              Two are forward and two are afterwards. His whole

                              body can be utilised for use. More so the milk.

                              Milk comes from 4 taps attached to his basement. [

                              horses dont have any such attachment]

                              What can it do? Various ghee, butter, cream, curd,

                              why and the condensed milk and so forth. Also he

                              is useful to cobbler, watermans and mankind

                              generally. His motion is slow only because he is

                              of lazy species, Also his other motion.. gober] is

                              much useful to trees, plants as well as for making

                              flat cakes[like Pizza] , in hand and drying in the

                              sun.

                              Cow is the only animal that extricates his feeding

                              after eating. Then afterwards she chew with his

                              teeth whom are situated in the inside of the

                              mouth. He is incessantly in the meadows in the

                              grass. His only attacking and defending organ is

                              the horns, specially so when he is got child. This

                              is done by knowing his head whereby he causes the

                              weapons to be paralleled to the ground of the

                              earth and instantly proceed with great velocity

                              forwards. He has got tails also, situated in the

                              backyard, but not like similar animals. It has

                              hairs on the other end of the other side. This is

                              done to frighten away the flies which alight on

                              his cohesive body hereupon he gives hit with it.

                              The palms of his feet are soft unto the touch. So

                              the grasses head is not crushed. At night time

                              have poses by looking down on the ground and he

                              shouts . His eyes and nose are like his other

                              relatives. This is the cow.......

This is a real incident and the “fortunately” the guy had passed the exam (only god knows how!!)

If you are ever forced by a thief or someone to take money out of an ATM machine, enter your pin number reversed...
So if your number is 1254 mark 4521.
The ATM machine will give you your money, but will automatically recognize this as a plea for help and will alert the police unknown to the thief.
This option is in all ATM machines, but not many people know this.
Please pass this information on to others. No harm in keeping this in mind!!

Is this ATM Reverse Pin Alert True?

What JAIN Says :

You might have got one an email of this kind sometime back. Do you remember? Well I hope you are one like me who hates fwd emails. There is not such system installed in any of the ATM (Automatic Teller Machines) anywhere around the world. Have a wild thought, if your password is 1441 how can you reverse the number. Every time you type the pin you should have alerted the police. (It will never happen).

You don’t believe me?

Ok! Just check out this link in Wikipedia.

Please, do contribute to Wikipedia.

1. Enable POP in your email account.
2. Open Outlook.
3. Click the Tools menu, and select Account Settings...

• Email Address: Your full gmail address
• Incoming Mail Server: pop.gmail.com
• Outgoing Mail Server: smtp.gmail.com (Note: If you have problems with sending email you may have to check with your internet provider, as they often require you to send email through their system.
• User Name: Your full gmail email address

• Incoming Server: 995
• Check the box for “This server requires an encrypted connection”
• Outgoing Server (SMTP): 587
• Change the type of encrypted connection to Auto, or use TLS if you have problems.