NASA announces discovery of earth-size planet

NASA announces discovery of earth-size planet 

According to the official website of the NASA, the discovery of Kepler-186f confirms that planet the size of Earth exists in the habitable zone of stars other than our sun

The astronomers have discovered the first Earth-size planet orbiting a star in the "habitable zone" -- the range of distance from a star where liquid water might pool on the surface of an orbiting planet.

According to the official website of the NASA, the discovery of Kepler-186f confirms that planet the size of Earth exists in the habitable zone of stars other than our sun. While planets have previously been found in the habitable zone, they are all at least 40 percent larger in size than Earth and understanding their makeup is challenging. Kepler-186f is more reminiscent of Earth.

NASA's Astrophysics Division Director at the agency's headquarters in Washington Paul Hertz said: "The discovery of Kepler-186f is a significant step toward finding worlds like our planet Earth. Future NASA missions, like the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and the James Webb Space Telescope, will discover the nearest rocky exoplanets and determine their composition and atmospheric conditions, continuing humankind's quest to find truly Earth-like worlds."

"We know of just one planet where life exists -- Earth. When we search for life outside our solar system we focus on finding planets with characteristics that mimic that of Earth," said Elisa Quintana, research scientist at the SETI Institute at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., and lead author of the paper published in the journal Science. "Finding a habitable zone planet comparable to Earth in size is a major step forward."

Kepler-186f resides in the Kepler-186 system, about 500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. The system is also home to four companion planets, which orbit a star half the size and mass of our sun. The star is classified as an M dwarf, or red dwarf, a class of stars that makes up 70 percent of the stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

"M dwarfs are the most numerous stars," said Quintana. "The first signs of other life in the galaxy may well come from planets orbiting an M dwarf.

Kepler-186f orbits its star once every 130-days and receives one-third the energy from its star that Earth gets from the sun, placing it nearer the outer edge of the habitable zone. On the surface of Kepler-186f, the brightness of its star at high noon is only as bright as our sun appears to us about an hour before sunset.

"Being in the habitable zone does not mean we know this planet is habitable. The temperature on the planet is strongly dependent on what kind of atmosphere the planet has," said Thomas Barclay, research scientist at the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute at Ames, and co-author of the paper. "Kepler-186f can be thought of as an Earth-cousin rather than an Earth-twin. It has many properties that resemble Earth."

The four companion planets, Kepler-186b, Kepler-186c, Kepler-186d, and Kepler-186e, whiz around their sun every four, seven, 13, and 22 days, respectively, making them too hot for life as we know it. These four inner planets all measure less than 1.5 times the size of Earth.

The next steps in the search for distant life include looking for true Earth-twins -- Earth-size planets orbiting within the habitable zone of a sun-like star -- and measuring the their chemical compositions. The Kepler Space Telescope, which simultaneously and continuously measured the brightness of more than 150,000 stars, is NASA's first mission capable of detecting Earth-size planets around stars like our sun.

Ames is responsible for Kepler's ground system development, mission operations, and science data analysis. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., managed Kepler mission development. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. in Boulder, Colo., developed the Kepler flight system and supports mission operations with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore archives, hosts and distributes Kepler science data. Kepler is NASA's 10th Discovery Mission and was funded by the agency's Science Mission Directorate.

The SETI Institute is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research, education and public outreach.  The mission of the SETI Institute is to explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe.

- See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/science/2014/apr/18/nasa-announces-discovery-earth-size-planet#sthash.ZNvmq4IS.dpuf

Read More

First aid for burns

First aid for burns

About 11 million people seek medical treatment, and 300,000 die from burns each year

•   

To distinguish a minor burn from a serious burn, the first step is to determine the extent of damage to body tissues. The three burn classifications of first-degree burn, second-degree burn and third-degree burn will help you determine whether you need emergency care.

1st-degree burn

The least serious burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned, but not all the way through. In first-degree burns:

·         The skin is usually red

·         Often there is swelling

·         Pain sometimes is present

Treat a first-degree burn as a minor burn unless it involves substantial portions of the hands, feet, face, groin or buttocks, or a major joint, which requires emergency medical attention.

2nd-degree burn

When the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin (dermis) is also burned, the injury is called a second-degree burn. In second-degree burns:

·         Blisters develop

·         Skin takes on an intensely reddened, splotchy appearance

·         There is severe pain and swelling.

If the second-degree burn is no larger than 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in diameter, treat it as a minor burn. If the burned area is larger or if the burn is on the hands, feet, face, groin or buttocks, or over a major joint, treat it as a major burn and get medical help immediately.

How to manage minor burns?

For minor burns, including first-degree burns and second-degree burns limited to an area no larger than 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in diameter, take the following steps:

·         Cool the burn: Hold the burned area under cool (not cold) running water for 10 or 15 minutes or until the pain subsides. If this is impractical, immerse the burn in cool water or cool it with a cold compress. Cooling the burn reduces swelling by conducting heat away from the skin. Don’t put ice on the burn.

·         Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage:  Don’t use fluffy cotton, or other material that may get lint in the wound. Wrap the gauze loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the burn, reduces pain and protects blistered skin.

·         Take an over-the-counter pain reliever: These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, among others), naproxen (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol or equivalent). Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 2, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

Minor burns usually heal without further treatment. They may heal with pigment changes, meaning the healed area may be a different color from the surrounding skin. Watch for signs of infection, such as increased pain, redness, fever, swelling or oozing. If infection develops, seek medical help. Avoid re-injuring or tanning if the burns are less than a year old — doing so may cause more extensive pigmentation changes. Use sunscreen on the area for at least a year.

Cautions

Don’t use ice. Putting ice directly on a burn can cause a person’s body to become too cold and cause further damage to the wound.

·         Don’t apply egg whites, butter or ointments to the burn. This could cause infection.

·         Don’t break blisters. Broken blisters are more vulnerable to infection.

3rd-degree burn

The most serious burns involve all layers of the skin and cause permanent tissue damage. Fat, muscle and even bone may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear dry and white. Difficulty inhaling and exhaling, carbon monoxide poisoning, or other toxic effects may occur if smoke inhalation accompanies the burn.

For major burns

Seek emergency medical help. Until an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:

·         Don’t remove burned clothing: However, do make sure the victim is no longer in contact with smoldering materials or exposed to smoke or heat.

·         Don’t immerse large severe burns in cold water: Doing so could cause a drop in body temperature (hypothermia) and deterioration of blood pressure and circulation (shock).

·         Check for signs of circulation (breathing, coughing or movement): If there is no breathing or other sign of circulation, apply CPR.

·         Elevate the burned body part or parts: Raise above heart level, when possible.

·         Cover the area of the burn: Use a cool, moist, sterile bandage; clean, moist cloth; or moist cloth towels.

Get a tetanus shot: Burns are susceptible to tetanus. Doctors recommend you get a tetanus shot every 10 years. If your last shot was more than five years ago, your doctor may recommend a tetanus shot booster. 

Read More

How to Ace the Interview Print page Print Page

Most people freely admit their dislike for job interviewing. Fortunately, job interviewing amounts to only a very

small amount of time in any career. Unfortunately, the job interview is the threshold to any job. Without some ability to be interviewed well, a candidate cannot cross that threshold. Even the best trademark professionals must therefore have a minimum of job interviewing skills.

After getting the job, any candidate can point to the reasons why the interview was a success. The mystery is determining what works and what does not work before and during the interview. Candidates may be relieved to find out that this may be as much a mystery to those conducting the interviews as to the job candidates. To help solve the mystery, several trademark professionals with significant experience conducting job interviews, offer their perspective on what they look for during the interview.

A “good fit” seems to be the primary criterion on which job interviewers base their hiring decisions. What makes an applicant a good fit for any particular job, however, seems to be as big a mystery to the people conducting the interview as to those being interviewed.

Show Enthusiasm and Be Yourself

Trademark recruiter Judy Simon of Sage Legal Search admits that “fit” is the intangible that everyone wants. She has a guideline for determining whether there is a “fit” based on what is discussed during the interview. “If you are not beyond discussing the substantive aspects of the job for at least 50 percent of the interview, it may not be a good fit,” she advised.

Judy also emphasized that a candidate is looking for a place where the candidate can work happily. After all, the “fit” must also be good for the candidate. The 50 percent guideline can be used to gauge how well both the interviewer and the candidate communicate with and feel about each other. According to Judy, the only way to do this is to speak honestly.

Judy’s advice to candidates is, “show enthusiasm and be yourself.”

Others seem to agree that credentials are not always what interest people during the interview. “The best person (I interviewed recently) was very open, genuine and believable. Those things sometimes sell better than your credentials,” said Jay Hines, partner at Baker & Hostetler in Washington D.C. He acknowledged that “you don’t know what you are getting until after they work for you. You must determine how they are going to perform based on the feeling you get from the way they conduct themselves. This can be as important as what they put on their resume.”

Jay’s advice to candidates is, “have your story and be confident about yourself.”

Listen Carefully

Microsoft Corporation in Redmond Washington recently hired Fran Jagla as its senior attorney. Only after landing the job did Fran learn about the “Microsoft Competencies” used in the interview process. A spokesperson for Microsoft explained what those competencies are:

“We use a set of specific core competencies and skills to evaluate candidates, such as Drive for Results, Communication Skills, Teamwork and Passion for Technology. We have specific behavioral-type questions. How candidates answer these questions give us a strong indication of whether or not they have the core competencies needed to be successful at the specific job, and at Microsoft as a whole.”

The existence of these core competencies is not necessarily kept a secret from applicants before or during the interview, but specific competency documentation is not shared with candidates ahead of time.

Advice to the candidate in a structured interview is, “listen carefully. The nature of the questions may provide hints as to what the employer is looking for.”

Do Enough to Know You Like It

Knowledge of the job can also make a big difference in the interview. “When people understand the job and demonstrate that they want this particular job, this makes the applicant much more desirable,” said a hiring attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This experienced interviewer acknowledged that often people seeking employment with the government are more interested in a “government job” than working as a Trademark Examining Attorney. Knowing the job and wanting it specifically can make a big difference in this case because the Trademark Office sees countless people who are looking to work for the government, and only a rare few who want to practice trademark law specifically.

Judy Simon echoes this for entry-level and young associate-level candidates. “You need to have done enough to know you like it. Let them know this during the interview,” she said.

Judy’s advice to candidates between 1 and 3 years of experience is “show enthusiasm and interest.”

Don't Allow Little Things to Rattle You

Linda Heban, Vice President and Chief Trademark Counsel of H-D Michigan, Inc., was recently impressed by a candidate who showed poise when the weather caused a setback. Moments before the interview, this candidate was caught in a sudden downpour of rain. She was unable to do anything about her wet clothes. So, she acknowledged her imperfect appearance, and then proceeded with the rest of the interview without embarrassment. She did not allow her wet clothes to wreck her performance.

Linda’s advice to candidates is, “don’t allow little things to rattle you.”

Risk Tolerance is Important

For candidates looking specifically for a job in-house, “risk tolerance is important,” according to Judy Simon. However, she admits that an applicant’s risk tolerance may not be as inflexible as the risk tolerance of the company. Perhaps communicating the ability to be flexible and meet the standards of the company rather than imposing one’s own expectations is the winning strategy when discussing risk tolerance.

Avoid Mistakes

There are also those mistakes a job applicant does not want to make. One of our sources met a person who produced a BLACKBERRY and responded to an email in the middle of the interview. This cost the applicant the job, and while it might seem like a warning that does not need to be communicated, cell phones and other portable communication devices should be turned off during the interview.

Another mistake to avoid in the interview is to be the first to discuss compensation. The company or firm doing the interviewing should always be allowed to broach this subject. If asked about current salary, an applicant can include bonuses and other benefits in the salary calculation. One job applicant we heard about computed salary, bonus and benefits that included the value of the subsidized meals in the company cafeteria. While this might seem excessive, the applicant got the job. This may be a result of the fact that salary is often one of the last things discussed in job negotiations. By the time salary is discussed, both parties may be dedicated to closing the deal.

The job interview should be a learning experience for the applicant. Not every job is right for every applicant. While it often seems like the job marketplace is the boss’ market, the job candidate should keep in mind that just as important as it is for them to like you, it is important that you like them.

Read More

The sooner the better

The sooner the better 

Regular self examination helps to identify many diseases at its very early stages and thus may be life-saving

•   

 Diagnosing a disease at its early stage always gives a better result. Regular self examination helps  to identify many diseases at its very early stages and thus may be life-saving.

These 10 safe and painless health checks could save your life.

1. Know your breasts: Look at your breasts in the mirror and feel them with soapy hands while you’re in the shower. Check for changes (lump, nipple retraction, discharging nipple etc.) at least once a month. This may help diagnose breast cancer at an early and treatable stage.

2. Be aware of constipation: Check for blood in stool– it can signal bowel disease – and the colour of your urine. The darker it is, the more dehydrated you are. Take adequate fibre in diet & drink at least 2 litres of water daily.

3. Bone up: A bone density test can assess the status, and taking calcium can help prevent, or at least slow, the progression of osteoporosis.

4. Calculate body mass index (BMI): Calculate your body mass index (BMI)  by dividing the weight in Kg by the height in square metres: A score between 25 and 30,  is an alarming sign for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke etc, so to avoid these lifethreatening diseases one needs to lose weight.

5. Open your mouth and inspect it regularly: White or red patches or painless ulcers could mean oral cancer, and swollen, bleeding, or inflamed gums can be an early warning sign of gingivitis. Regular checks are best done by a dentist.

6. Eye test: An eye test every two years may help detect any serious health disorders like diabetes, thyroid disorders, glaucoma, and high blood pressure.

7. Fight smear fear: Women between 20 and 64 should have a Pap smear done every two years. This will help identify cervical cancer at an early stage.

 8. Check blood pressure regularly:  High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. However, it can be controlled with medication and lifestyle changes, such as reducing salt and alcohol intake.

9. Skin Changes: Look for unusual changes in skin’s texture or colour, and seek doctor’s help immediately if a mole bleeds, itches, or becomes ragged at the edges, or if any sore fails to heal. These may be an early sign of skin cancer. Wear sun block of SPF15+, and choose make-up that contains sunscreen.

10. Check your Thyroid profile: In case of unusual tiredness, fatigability, body ache, weight gain etc, this may help diagnose hypothyroidism at a clinical or subclinical stage and thus help avoid various life-threatening complications.l

Read More

Passive smoking increases risk of heart attacks or strokes for kids

Passive smoking increases risk of heart attacks or strokes for kids

Second-hand smoke is a danger to everyone, but children, pregnant women are most vulnerable

•   
  Photo- Bigstock

Passive smoking means breathing in other people’s exhaled tobacco smoke. According to a recent large scale international study, exposure to second-hand smoke in childhood causes irreversible damage to children’s arteries increasing their risk of heart attacks or strokes when they grow up. The research, which lends weight to campaigns for smoking to be banned in private cars and homes, found passive smoking leads to a thickening of children’s artery walls, adding some 3.3 years to the age of blood vessels by adulthood.

“Exposure to passive smoke in childhood causes direct and irreversible damage to the structure of the arteries,” said Seana Gall, a researcher in cardiovascular epidemiology who led the study at the University of Tasmania.

She said, parents or even those thinking about becoming parents, should quit smoking both to aid their own health and protect the health of their to be born children.

Smoking causes lung cancer, which is often fatal, and is the world’s biggest cause of premature death from chronic conditions like heart disease, stroke,  and high blood pressure.

On top of the 6 million people a year killed by their own smoking, the World Health Organisation (WHO)

says another 600,000 die a year as a result of exposure to other peoples’ smoke the so-called second-hand or passive smoking.

Of the more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, at least 250 are known to be harmful and more than 50 are known to cause cancer, the WHO says and creating 100% smoke-free environments is the only way to protect people fully.

About 40 percent of all children are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke at home, and almost a third of the deaths attributable to second-hand smoke are in children.

Artery Walls

This latest study, published in the European Heart Journal, was the first to follow children through to adulthood to look at links between exposure to parents’ smoking and thickness of the innermost two layers of the arterial wall, known as carotid intima-media thickness (IMT).

Researchers from Finland and Australia looked at data from 2,401 people in Finland 1,375 people in Australia who were asked about their parents’ smoking habits. The scientists used ultrasound to measure the thickness of the children’s artery walls once they had reached adulthood.

The results showed that carotid IMT in adulthood was 0.015 millimetres thicker in those exposed to both parents smoking than in those whose parents did not smoke.

Gall said that while this was a “modest” increase, it was nonetheless an important extra and irreversible risk for suffering heart attacks or strokes later in life.

Since children of parents who smoke are also more likely to grow up to be smokers themselves, and more likely to be overweight, their heart health risks are often already raised, she said, and the second-hand smoke adds yet more risk.

The researchers said the findings showed reducing children’s exposure to smoke is a public health priority.

“Legislation can reduce passive smoke exposure, with restriction of smoking in public places reducing hospitalisations for cardiovascular and respiratory disease,” they wrote, adding that banning smoking in cars with children in them would also have a significant positive effect.

The United States, Australia and Canada have already banned smoking in cars carrying children, and Britain said last month that it too would be introducing a ban soon. 

Read More

Smart phones can be health informers!

Smart phones can be health informers! 

The health tracker is called Wello. It consists of a number of sensors that are embedded into a case that fits onto a smartphone

It is no surprise that now a days billions of people worldwide use smartphones. The devices are so much more than a phone they are just like a world of knowledge right in the palms of our hands. And now, they can even monitor our health. Technology company Azoi has launched a smartphone case that can measure key vital signs.

The health tracker is called Wello. It consists of a number of sensors that are embedded into a case that fits onto a smartphone. When held up with both hands, the sensors can measure a series of vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature and blood oxygen. It also comes with an add-on device that can measure lung function. The data is then sent to a Wello app that can be downloaded onto the smartphone. This allows users to have quick access to their health information and even track trends that may indicate they are becoming ill.

Wello can also connect with other health and fitness devices, such as pedometers and sleep monitors. Furthermore, it has remote access, meaning it can monitor and track the vital signs of family members.  By regularly monitoring vital signs Wello can allow earlier detection of a major health problem like heart disease as well as other health problems. By using this novel smartphone our too often health problems may be detected before they are too late to address. In addition, the device could help ease the growing burden on health care s

Read More

Drink water in empty stomach

Drink water in empty stomach 

Drinking water on an empty stomach helps flush out any toxins in one's colon

Drinking a few glasses of water immediately after waking up is good for the health. Drinking water on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning, helps flush out any toxins in your colon.

In a way, your colon is ready to take in all the good nutrients you plan to feed your body for the day. Water also boosts metabolism. Drink 2 cups of cold water in the morning and you are ready to go.

In Japan, drinking water immediately after waking up has become a popular habit due to many benefits proven by many scientific tests.

From old and serious diseases to modern illnesses, curing them by drinking water has seen many successes. Drinking water in the empty stomach dilutes these all valuable acids and chemical compositions moreover it deactivates the fermentation process in the stomach which leads to indigestion. 

Read More

Special Feature

ALL THAT IS GOLD DOES NOT glitter

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

The narrow alleys of Tanti Bazaar in Old Dhaka are adorned with small jewellery shops. Gold jewellery of Tanti Bazaar was once a booming and glorious trade since the golden days of the eighteenth century.
The spine of this business is the goldsmiths, who with mere hands and minimal use of machinery have brought fame and fortune to the trade, creating a rich heritage.
Fifty-year-old Sujit Das (all names have been changed to protect privacy), one such goldsmith, eased his aged spine a little bit, wearily stretching his arms and legs. A few brief hours of sleep had left him drowsy. But the necklace he had been working on late last night needed to be completed. Still bare-chested and like his colleagues not caring to put a shirt on in this hot weather, he sat behind one of the low wooden tables to begin the day.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

“The 'mohajon' had brought an order for a necklace from a jewellery shop down the street,” he said, opening the drawer and bringing out the laminated piece of paper that displayed the design. “The whole process of making jewellery can take anywhere from five days to a month.”
Jewellery making in Tanti Bazaar is a traditional and old-fashioned process. When you enter a workshop, you will see several individual desks, quite small in breadth and indeed very low in height, about knee-height. Each worker sits behind the table on the floor or a small tool or a cushion to work.
The role of machinery, although vital, is minimal. Sujit pointed out to the hammer and a robust and bulky block lying on the floor.
“We beat gold to break and mould and bring out the shape and size we require,” he informed.
Fire is a necessary element of the workshops. A pipe with a small handle-type outlet is incorporated into every desk. “Fire is used in many stages, be it for melting gold or wielding gold,” Sujit informed.
To illustrate, he turned on the burner. The flame rapidly spurted out. However, the flame was too large for Sujit's purpose. He therefore took a thin blow-pipe and pressed it between his lips. “As you puff out air near the flame that's coming from the burner, the blow-pipe helps manipulate the big flame to reproduce a laser-thin one, which I will apply to the precise location I want to target,” he explained.
Another device -- typically red in colour, mobile and small enough to be held in one's palm -- is used to bring out flames.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Precision is the key to craftsmanship. Tiny stones need to be placed and fixed in position, and even half an inch here and there can mark the failure of the task.
The process of making jewellery comprises of several processes, with division of labour and specialisation quite evident in the industry.
Simple tools like tweezers/forceps come to aid. Even plasters are used at some stages. To pick up an object which is, say, as small as a tiny globule of gold, and then putting it in a precise position on a jewellery set cannot be done with mere hands. A pair of tweezers, on the contrary, can pick up and handle things tiny and fragile.   
Therefore, as you can easily understand, the job of the craftsman requires immense patience, stable hands and a very meticulous and thorough approach towards work. A goldsmith even has to handle acid. “After all the processing, you need to bring out the golden colour of the metal. This you do by applying acid,” Sujit told.
This level of craftsmanship doesn't come easy. It takes years of practice. You usually start out as an apprentice.
The master, fondly called 'Ustad', employs the novice worker, taking care of his food, shelter and other expenses. In return, the apprentice provides his labour whilst learning the trade. “It takes at least three to four years to learn the craft,” Sujit informed. During that time, the master will prepare his apprentice, so that after 'graduation', he'll be ready to face the world on his own.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

What kind of world will the future generation of Tanti Bazaar see? The past was wonderful; the present doesn't look very good for Sujit and his colleagues.
“The demand for jewellery has dropped due to soaring prices,” Kartik Bose, a goldsmith whose table is just beside Sujit's, spoke of the frustration they are going through. “Many goldsmiths have left the trade and took up other professions. Dhaka is not getting any cheaper. The goldsmiths are struggling to meet the minimum standard of living.”
Gold has gone beyond the reach of many people now. “Previously, the middle class family occasionally bought gold jewellery, especially when it came to weddings. And the rich people used to buy gold more frequently.  Nowadays, this trend is declining, and affinity towards gold-plated jewellery or other ornaments is increasing,” Kartik sighed.
If this continues, this trade will one day lose all its glory.  
The grave discussion left all the goldsmiths silent. From an unnoticed corner of the room, a young apprentice yawns as he wakes up from his makeshift bed on the floor, making his presence known. His 'Ustad' Sujit Das indicates to him, with stern eyes, to begin the day's work.
The care-free, young man makes his way behind his table.  The wise master, still studying him, has become very pensive. Perhaps he was thinking what kind of future lay ahead for this young chap. Will the golden days ever return?

Read More

Boishakh special

for a DESHI PALATE

f

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Come Boishakh we renew our pledge in our identity as Bengalis in every sphere of our social and cultural
lives. This week Star Lifestyle goes overboard with everything that defines Boishakh. Cuisine, by all means, forms a big part of it. Selina Parvin shares her kitchen secrets -- sending us her Boishakhi wishes through the means she knows best. While Mannan Mashhur Zarif romances the desi staple, Rice!
Think rice. Think of its various forms served on our tables: there is the ubiquitous steamed rice -- 'bosha' or otherwise – which forms our everyday staple. Yet our love affair takes rice to an even higher level.
In the sweltering summer many feast on 'panta' (rice soaked overnight) with fried hilsa, but even without any curry on the side, 'panta' is as divine as any other dish taken simply with roasted, red chilli and some salt to taste.
On wet, monsoon afternoons we crave sticky khichuri. Served with beef, or simply a spoon of clarified butter, this is one concoction that never disappoints. Some prefer a drier version, the 'bhuna' khichuri, which probably goes best with duck cooked in thick gravy.
On festive occasions like Eid when we want to binge, our culinary focus turns to the long-grained rice,  'kataribhog' or 'basmati' for instance. These bring out the rich flavour of the dishes that are prepared with it. And of course, there is always the pilaf made from 'chini gura', the must-have in any grand, Bengali meal.
It would be a wrong assumption that rice only forms part of our main course; in the Bengali kitchen, rice like the 'binni' is prepared into deserts with milk, sugar or jaggery. Binni rice is also used to prepare a sticky version of rice which goes well with almost all Bengali curries, bhorta et al. Rice is so close to our hearts that we have even turned it into a snack. Take some eggs, rice, oil for frying and toss in some red chilli and voila!  You have the perfect Bengali snack -- bhaja bhaat (fried rice).
Think rice. Think of the many ways we consume rice. And think of the great memories that you can associate with it.
 

Read More

How to cope with summer heat stress

How to cope with summer heat stress 

Summer calls for a change in diet and other healthy living tips. Over-exposure to heat can cause heat exhaustion or even heat stroke

Babies and small children are particularly susceptible. Children, who are left in a car, even on a day that doesn’t seem excessively hot, are at risk of overheating very quickly.

This can result in heat stroke, which is a medical emergency.

Most people feel comfortable when the air temperature is between 20°C and 27°C and the when relative humidity ranges from 35 to 60%.

When air temperature or humidity is higher, people start to feel uncomfortable. Such situations do not cause harm as long as the body can adjust and cope with the additional heat. Very hot environments can overwhelm the body’s coping mechanisms, leading to a variety of serious and possibly fatal conditions.

Heat stroke

Heat stroke, a severe form of hyperthermia, occurs when the human body absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. This is a serious condition and needs immediate medical attention.

Remedy: It is important to lower the temperature of the body. Move the sick person to a cool, shaded area, soaking their clothes in water. Spraying, sponging, or showering them with water and fanning their body.

You can prevent heat stroke by wearing loose and light clothes, drinking water, and not exerting yourself.

Heat cramps

Heat cramps usually affect people who sweat a lot during strenuous activity. This sweating depletes the body’s salt and moisture levels. Low salt levels in muscles causes painful cramps. Heat cramps may also be a symptom of heat exhaustion.

Home remedies: Rest in a cool place. Drink clear juice or electrolyte-enriched drinks. Do not go back to strenuous activities even after cramps subside since it may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Heat exhaustion

Heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, fainting, muscle cramps, fainting are symptoms  of heat exhaustion

Home remedies: Rest. Have cool non-alcoholic beverages, a cool shower, bath or sponge bath. Wear light clothing.

Dehydration

Dry mouth and eyes, dry skin, a condition where sweating nearly stops, muscle cramps, nausea, heart palpitations and light headedness are symptoms of dehydration.

Prevention: Re-hydration with water, clear broths, and any other water replacements that contain electrolytes, like Gatorade.

Home remedies: Fluid replacement and control through diet and medication. Fever medication.

Rosacea

Rosacea symptoms include  your skin will turning red due to over exposure to the sun. The redness appears as the excess heat causes the blood vessels to dilate.

Remedy: Avoid direct sunlight. Always use a good sunscreen with SPF 30+.

Sunburn

The ultra violet radiation burns the skin when you spend long hours under direct sun. Sunburn symptoms are patches of darkened skin peeling away.

Remedy: It is recommended to stay indoors during 10am to 4pm when sun light is at it peak.

Home remedies: Mix together the juice of six peeled cucumbers, two cups powdered milk and two teaspoons dried lavender flowers. Apply the above paste directly on the affected areas of the skin. One cup of the mixture added to lukewarm water can be used as a skin smoothening balm

Prickly heat

Prickly heat affects everyone; it is a result of sweat and humidity that causes bacterial infection on the skin. 

Remedy: Teking cold showers, wearing loose clothes, putting talcum powder after a bath, applying calamine lotion on the rashes.

Apply medicated talcum powder. Keep the area dry and clean.

Summer diet

One must eat cold foods such as watermelon, yogurt, berries and the like. Such foods are low in calories and require very little energy for digestion. Usually such foods taste better when chilled. Naturally, eating such chilled low calorie foods feels good in the summer months.

Importance of including a variety of foods in your diet: All essential nutrients are required in the summer months, particularly the minerals that are lost in sweat.

It is possible to replenish these micro-nutrients only if the diet includes varied food groups such as fruits, vegetables, milk, cereals, meat, pulse and fats.

Importance of choosing fats carefully: In the summer months, a number of people who want to lose weight switch to a zero fat diet. This is not a health sted trend. The essential fats that the body needs are available through diet alone.  It is therefore sensible to limit the fat intake to just the essential requirement but to avoid any extras.

Drinking very chilled liquids is not advisable: Food consumed at extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold, is not appropriate for the body. The body has to work extra in order to get the temperature close to the body temperature. Drinking warm or cool (as opposed to hot and cold) liquids is best suited for the body. 

Read More

‘Small bite, big threat’

‘Small bite, big threat’ 

‘No one in the 21st century should die from the bite of a mosquito, fly or a tick’

More than half the world’s population is at risk of diseases carried by mosquitoes, flies and other insects, the World Health Organisation says.

This year WHO is highlighting the serious and increasing threat of vector-borne diseases with the slogan “small bite, big threat” for World Health Day 2014.

The day is being observed throughout the world with the slogan “Small bite, big threat.”

“Every year, more than one million people die from vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue and yellow fever,” a press release said.

About 1.5b people in the South-East Asia region are in the risk of malaria, 2.24m of dengue and 147m in threat of Kala-azar, it added.

“A global health agenda that gives higher priority to vector control could save many lives and avert much suffering,” WHO Director General Margaret Chan said.

“No one in the 21st century should die from the bite of a mosquito, a sandfly, a blackfly or a tick,” she added to her message in the presser.

Vector-borne diseases affect the poorest population, particularly where there is a lack of access to adequate housing, safe drinking water and sanitation.

Malnourished people and those with weakened immunity are especially susceptible.

On World Health Day 2014, WHO called for a renewed focus on vector control and better provision of safe water, sanitation and hygene.

Read More

Better than parents!!

Better than parents 

These are lessons that I doubt even my parents could've parlayed to me as effectively

My grandmother died last year after a prolonged bout with various health complications. Imagine my sordid surprise when I realised I wasn’t terribly broken up about her passing away, especially when you take into account that she was the only grandparent I had ever known. An individual who had played a rather large role in my very existence, and is expectedly the centre of many a fond memory of mine.

On February 24, writer-director and occasional actor Harold Ramis passed away. Widely known for his various degrees of involvement in works of comedic art such as Caddyshack, Animal House, and Groundhog Day, Harold Ramis was someone who I’d never met, never seen in real life or even have any reason to acknowledge the passing away of … until it finally dawned on me: The man who played Egon Spengler was gone. 

A fictitious character that’s played a rather significant role in shaping my childhood through a movie (and eventually franchise) that provided potent fuel to a fantasy that still encompasses all ages throughout any generation … or at least I hope it still does.

There is no such thing as an isolated life, you see. You can be the most sheltered, agoraphobic, I’ll-eat-the-moss-from-under-the-rock-I-live-before-I’m-seen-outside introvert, and that statement would still hold true for you. 

In all the literature we read, movies we watch, music we listen to, or indeed any other form of artistic expression we indulge ourselves in, there’s always a part or two of the creators tucked away, parts that work quite directly towards shaping us into the people we become. 

And it’s amazing how, under the right circumstances, those seedlings of various ideologies, from beings either unknown or fictitious, can be so much more influential over our lives than any form of actual human interaction.

It’s a scary thought for sure, just as much as it is beautiful, and most definitely begets further questions into “the artist’s responsibility” for an individual of a higher mental capacity to ruminate over it, but you don’t really need to have an analytical mind to appreciate just how art affects you as an individual.

As a kid, watching Dr Spengler take charge and march on down that narrow library aisle, on the trail of the ghost librarian, with Dr Venkman and Dr Stantz behind him (for once, refreshingly!), taught me how even the quietest, mousiest, most savvy individual can be, for want of a better term, badass; or how watching a young Eddie Vedder thrash around on a stool and scrawl “PRO-CHOICE” on his arm with a felt pen opened entirely new avenues of thinking to me as an impressionable adolescent.

These are lessons that I doubt even the most comprehensive anecdote or lecture from my own parents could’ve parlayed to me as effectively.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that we often take for granted the fact that the people whose artistry we enjoy are human beings themselves, and as such are set to expire at any given moment; and I’ll be honest, Ramis’s death was the one I’d least expected to make me realise that, but then again there’s a certain level of poignancy to that, I suppose.

I wish there was a more concrete or poignant note I could end my thoughts on, but it’s obvious I hadn’t thought this through. So, in lieu of the traditional moral handout I’m going to conclude by thanking a handful of the folks who have had a tremendous impact on my life thus far (yes, it’s going to be quite navel gazing): Thank you members of Pearl Jam for the greatest one-sided conversation I’ve had in the form of No Code; thank you Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the incredible understanding of what it is like to be a kid in a grown up’s world; thank you Ken Levine for BioShock and making me realise that video games can be just as good as any other medium in delivering powerful messages; thank you Amy Hennig, thank you Gabe Newell, and thank you Joshua Homme for just being so darn cool!

For all those mentioned above, I pray gunga galunga ... gunga, gunga-lagunga. 

Read More