Love is..

...when I have to stop thinking about you so that my heart doesn’t burst with joy at the thought of you!

...experiencing that 'the bottom of the heart' is not just an expression but actually, truly, physically the bottom of the heart.

First Day of School Tomorrow!

It’s the first day of school tomorrow. School, as in, work for me. I love teaching. I love school, actually. I hope you know the difference. I can feel it, can’t verbalize it. I also like the other things that come with teaching. Presenting, collaborating, sharing and sometimes partying.

Well, but right now, I’m thinking of none of those wonderful things. All I am thinking about is the kids. The kids who are being tucked in bed right now, so that they can make it on time tomorrow. Kids who will come tomorrow and be very quiet in anticipation of what is to come, taking their own time to open up. In a few days, it will be hard to tell that it was these same kids. Cannot help thinking about my first day of school as a kid each year. I was always quiet and shy, looking forward to seeing the familiar faces of my friends and some of my teachers. I loved school even as a student.

But, why am I so jittery? I have had butterflies in my stomach every now and then. At 9:00 in the night, my husband decided I should have chocolate and a glass of milk. It tasted yummy! But besides the calories, I don’t think it changed much on the inside of me. I also tried watching a movie to take my mind off it, but it turned out to be about a kid and his school experiences. I had to turn it off. It plunged me straight into work.

Okay, I will try going to sleep and dream about those kids. Have a sound sleep, kids. School is ready for you. And for me too!

Nature's Splendour

Sitting on the sunny, open waiting deck of the Snack Bar at Gull Lake Park in Gravenhurst, Muskoka! Two Butterscotch Ripple ice-cream cones are on their way. Right behind, is a sloped terrain going down into the water.

What I can see with my eyes, no camera can really record. It is the soothing sensation that is the catch of the day – the breeze caressing my skin and blowing wisps of my hair onto my face, a feeling of divine joy as I behold the pine trees so tall that the neck strains looking at the treetops.

I remember my favourite computer wallpaper that has an image of old, majestic trees with orange and red leaves, heavily lining a walking trail that is covered with fallen leaves. The picture seemed to gesture to the viewers to step on the path, crunching the leaves underneath and enjoying the shade and protection offered by the big trees on either side. Although autumn is not yet here – it is still August – and so I cannot see the colours of the image in this live vision in front of me, yet I am reminded of the splendour of nature once again.

The sky peeking out of the spaces between the tree trunks leaves no room for suspense. It is as if the natural surroundings are encouraging mortals to carry on, inspiring them with visions that make everything seem possible. The lake has an area marked for swimming, which I intend to explore one day. My fresh beginnings in the water are no longer disappointing, but are still far from being good. However, I am persisting and hope one day to be called somewhat of a swimmer.

A few minutes ago, I tried feeling the sand-and-gravel-bottomed water on the lakeshore with my feet. The coolness and texture was quite refreshing. When I was down there, I looked up to see my family waving at me, looking royal sitting at a height. A few kids are around with their families. A few elderly are sitting on the benches overlooking the waterfront at an inclined plane. The lake stretches horizontally and tapers into broad rivulets going behind thick bushes on either side. Width-wise, the lake is not too large. At the back, we do not see endless water. The border at the back is breathtaking with rocks and trees. These natural place-marks give a feel of an artificially created movie set – perfectly coloured, perfectly textured, perfectly organized and outlined – green, brown, grey, orange, beige; rocky, floral, lush, coarse and barren all at the same time; the animate and the inanimate providing a striking contrast and a wondrous effect.

Speechless

Here I am, sitting on a green wooden railing – very low and surprisingly very comfortable. It borders the parking area of the Muskoka Bay Park in Gravenhurst, Ontario. There is a big, old-fashioned bell in a little grey shed surrounded by flower beds on all sides. The white and red maple leaf flag towers over it resplendently making Canada proud. Right from where I sit, I see six houses on the other side of the road. The road is quite busy actually. In the last two minutes or so, there was only spell of ten seconds with no vehicle on the road. The houses are in the midst of canopies of luxurious trees and remind me of ‘Shimla’ – the popular summer vacation ‘hill station’ destination of Northern India. It is shocking to find this spot of glorious beauty in the middle of everything. True, everything about this town is very picturesque as it is, but this! This is like a pristine gem, untouched, uncontaminated, serene and simply gorgeous.

 

As I turn my back towards the road, I am faced with the amazing quietness of the lake, softly wrinkled in the breeze and beckoning onlookers to stay, to behold, to be calm. The sun is shining brightly on my notepad, making me see the shadow of my writing hand on the white paper. The green stretch of grassy area that separates my present perch on the railing from the lake is spangled here and there with some trees, swings, a slide, a covered sitting area and a couple of black iron benches. It is bordered by tall, lush trees on either side. The white cloudy tufts floating on the blue sky make the scene as if it were out of a painting.

 

My dad, visiting me these days from thousands of miles, is resting on a beach mat a few feet away from me, enjoying the sound of the rustling leaves and rippling waves. My husband is talking to some friends on a bench overlooking the water. I have tried sitting, lying, standing, walking in different parts of this small area, but am unable to get myself to speak. I am speechless. It seems as if I by speaking, I will break a rule – an unspoken, unmentioned rule – the rule of sanctity.

Swimming? Oh Man!

My first swimming lesson ever! Got this wonderful, full-sleeved, shocking pink swimming outfit, after a lot of search. Went in for the lesson with some apprehension but found a lot of others who were asking questions similar to mine. “Is this the first swim lesson of your life?” or “It’s about time for us, right?” Well, taking some courage by this fact, I went in enthusiastically. Prashant, my husband, was there too, learning with me.

Truthfully, I love water. I feel one with it. I am a Cancer. It is a water sign. I mean, who will swim if not me? I should feel like fish in the water – just as if it were my natural habitat. Except, that it turns out that I was the only one among the fifteen or so learners, who bombed the practice. I could not even get away from the wall while others were gliding and floating and kicking! I mean, it was the very first class. How could these people do all these things? How could the coaches even teach this Level thirteen-type stuff already?

Okay, so the hardest part for me is to actually get my feet back down once I have lifted (or tried at least) my legs to float in the water. I tried to get back down and was swayed in all different directions, almost twisted my ankle, trying to find foothold and opened my mouth in the process, which made me swallow this water. The darn water (which I love, I feel one with it) went to the wrong pipe inside my body and I started coughing, almost choking. The lifeguard stayed by me, trying to help, but soon waded away to more promising prospects.

So, I decided very firmly that I was going to stick to the wall area of the pool and learn how to stay under water for five seconds. And lo and behold, I was going down on my belly and lifting my legs as well! Except that my husband told me that I had lifted them only about half an inch above the ground. Infuriated, I decided to kick my legs while lifting them so they could all see, but hit my toes on the ground. They are still hurting. So, maybe I really was very close to the ground.

Anyway, I got used to this ‘wall’-end of the pool today at least. Next time, hopefully I’ll test different waters (hah, notice the expression!). My question for now is – how do you go down in the water, lift your legs and not feel like you’re going to hit the bottom? I asked my husband but he said he’ll answer tomorrow. He’s too tired today and has gone to sleep. Huh, acting like a pro already?

Gorgeous.

The rain was beating down the window panes hard and loudly just a few minutes ago. It is drizzly right now. Sitting on the dry side of this window, I am surrounded by the smell of coffee, baked goods and people. People of different kinds. People who are gazing out at the mundane beauty of the city, just like this philosophi​cal-looking couple next to me. People who are engrossed in their laptops or tablets, like this young Asian man in his blue t-shirt and jeans peering at his screen without batting an eyelid. People immersed in conversati​ons, like this duo of chatty girls - one blonde, one brunette - in their tanktops and shorts, and like this Oriental woman in a beige jacket speaking into the earpiece of her phone constantly and animatedly​.

The street that I see from my perch directly opposite a large french window is never empty for more than a few moments. The constant barrage of cars of all kinds and colors makes it a happening place. The sidewalks are buzzing with pedestrian​s who are all worthy of being given their own individual stories. But I am not going to think of what their stories might be, as I want to focus on my own. My present moment. My moment of observatio​n. Of consciousn​ess. Of expression​.

Across from the street are tall buildings that were not here three years ago when I started coming out to this particular cafe. I was looking into getting into the Masters program at the adjoining University of Toronto at that time. Who knew then that I would be sitting here one day, sipping French Vanilla flavoured coffee and working on my thesis? From this corner of the cafe I can see the artistical​ly architectu​red building of the Royal Ontario Museum. And to my right is a view of the varsity arena overlooked by the majestic CN Tower and a faint skyline of that part of the city. Gorgeous!

LOVE IS

Love is...

When I am comforted at night by your presence next to my side and fall asleep ever so gently... and then you stop talking and start laughing because I was too busy sleeping and did not hear a word of what you said.

Calm Water

This image has been created using a wonderful program called Voicethreads!

Shades of the World

Do I have the time to see
The Falling red leaves
ready to be gathered
The boy with his broken toy
Who wished to be heard
The cascading blue river
Where peacefully sang a bird
Can I hear amidst all this
The unsaid word?

Do I have the time to enjoy
The snow-clad mountains
With white clouds on their brow
The curved trail in the woods
Alive with fresh snow
The green spreadseet and canopies
Where the cool breezes blow
Can I feel God's creation,
Nature's splendid show?

Do I have the time to understand
The agony of the woman
Who has no food for her child
The pain of the honest man
When sentenced, who smiled
And the misery of the millionaire
Who is restless with troubles so mild
Can I see the shades of the world
So true, yet so beguiled!

MAD RUSH

Far away, there was a place. A place of promise! A life that assured joy, contentment and wealth… The people were happy, occupied and hard-working. They understood the meaning of commitment and lived up to their word. They fulfilled promises they made to others because they wanted to keep friends. They were fast-paced and left no stone unturned for success.

Success! It meant a lot to them. It meant everything. It meant money. Then one day, it started to mean more money. And more! All they ever did now was for some more money.
Only some of these people knew what the money was for. The rest didn’t know and didn’t care to know. They thought that if they stopped to care, they would lose out on time to earn.

The others knew, however. They knew that the money was for a lavish life with all facilities to make them comfortable...
It was for an extra piece of their favourite cake which they would never have time to relish. It was for a vacation with their children who hardly would ever get time for a heart-to-heart conversation with them, leave alone a vacation. It was to buy the best diamond present for their wives, who wanted their love more than the jewels. It was for getting their husbands their favourite BMWs, who would forever hope to stroll down the road hand in hand with their wives some day to have an ice-cream together. It was to re-live their childhood memories in their country-houses and villages where they would never be able to go because their cash-minting jobs required them to show their commitment (towards money?). It was to pay off the mortgage of their large, new house that longed to hear laughter and see caring smiles and feel the love and trust among its inhabitants.

They were earning all that money for the ultimate happiness that they had thought they would find in their wealth and luxury, but it was too late before they found out that was far from the truth. If they wanted, they could still get a hold of themselves and think. They needed to act really fast because their ability to think clearly was being fast shadowed over by materialistic and financial issues. In every situation that sprang up, they first thought about their own gain and personal comfort. Something certainly needed a change.

It shouldn’t be hard to figure out, because the place is our own world and the people are we!

SATISFACTION

What is satisfaction

To be able to sleep cozy and well,
Even when things are going all pell-mell,
To be able to say “time will tell”,
Although the day ahead seems like a job from hell ,
To count my blessings and never to rebel,
If boggling things want me to yell,
To be able to curl up and smile in my shell

Who decides my level of satisfaction

I and I alone have a right
To decide the peace of my day and my night
Others want to take over and guide my sight
But when life drives endurance to its height
They’re there alright, only to watch my plight
I'm learning to hold on to myself tight
It’s my own journey, my soul’s personal flight!

This life is not for complaint, but for satisfaction.

- Henry David Thoreau

THE NOBLE SOULS

Accolades to teachers,

they’ve never had trouble choosing

The sacrificing disposition to light the way for others;
A great role they have performed

indeed, in producing
Worthy intellectuals, outstanding friends,

fine mothers;

Kindling the unknown glory within the soul
Finding ways to make us successful and at peace;
This and much more, teachers endeavour

to do on the whole
Preparing us to face the rough storms with ease;

The Creator created us all potentially complete
In our own little ways we were meant to contribute;
Then inspired some to be teachers and set their feet
In the direction of “giving”; about “taking”

they didn’t give a hoot;

Leading from ignorance to knowledge,

from darkness to light
Teachers have performed wonders with minds;
Thanks to them, the world has reached

an unfathomable height
Greatly noble are these people, one of the kindest kinds;

I was taught numbers, alphabets and sounds
They taught me literature, biotechnology and math;
But more than that my teachers

taught me what counts
On the long-winding road,

on life’s most meaningful path.

Thank you God for inspiring me to be a teacher!

- Nivedita

DIFFERENCES GALORE

I have always believed that all students can learn. Despite their differences! As educators, we need to enable each child to succeed.

The way a child, or any individual for that matter, learns, depends on their genetic make-up, their upbringing, their past experiences and their physiology. The way my brain operates is probably very different from the way yours does because I have perhaps been exposed to an entirely different set of factors than you. The nerve connections that have been established in my body depend a lot on the way I use them and perhaps to some extent, on what I inherited.

How we use the brain is actually more important than what we use it for, because that is what establishes the neural connections which become a part of us forever. A lot of our decisions and actions are based on those nerve networks. The manifestation is the emergence of our abilities, strengths and talents as also our weaknesses - all of these commonly referred to as multiple intelligences. It leads to phrases like “a natural gift” and “not my cup of tea”.

Why this knowledge is important for teachers is because it helps them reach out to a child who has “a natural gift” for aliens by giving her experiences related to her interest – whether it be writing journal entries on that, reading fiction and non-fiction texts about it or even customizing word problems in Math to include mention about aliens.

Similarly, those who think silent reading in their chairs is “not their cup of tea” could be given a chance to fidget with a sponge ball while reading or sit around in the carpet area to read to provide for a more facile bodily movement during that time.

It’s all about opening the gates of opportunities for each child so that no matter how he learns, he is able to find a hook in those opportunities that make him a success in life.

Teachers' Magic Wand

Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself

– goes a Chinese proverb.

Is it possible to be an effective teacher in practicality without compromising on the standards of teaching? The answer is a resounding Yes!

As teachers, if we could base our teaching strategies around the standards and principles of teaching, we have hit the nail right on the head. Here are some of the things I learnt and would like to share for the benefit of ready-to-start teachers:

"Give me everything": There has to be a balance between time spent in actual teaching and the time required to be given in assimilating the taught matter. Talking of balance, it is also important that all aspects of a program be included in the time allotted to it. For example, a literacy program needs to include reading, writing, speaking and listening and work around modeling of these components by the teacher, guided work, shared work and finally, independent work.

"Tell me again": Students won’t remember if you don’t remind them. Tucking their chairs in, putting away their books in the right place, not to interrupt when two people are talking – these are some of the things that the students need to be told constantly.

"I see you": I was reading the book Chicken Soup for the Teacher’s Soul the other day and was particularly struck by the following paragraph:
A mother once asked Gandhi to get her son to stop eating sugar. Gandhi told the child to come back in two weeks. Two weeks later the mother brought the child before Gandhi. Gandhi said to the boy, “Stop eating sugar.” Puzzled, the woman replied, “Thank you, but I must ask why you didn’t tell him that two weeks ago.” Gandhi replied, “Two weeks ago I was eating sugar.”
Teacher is the model that the students have. Modeling behaviour, modeling language, modeling activities and even modeling attitude – all this is the teacher’s work.

"We are different": Students have different needs. In a Math program, for instance, one might not even be able to count up properly while the other might be done with 25 sums of ‘subtraction by borrowing’. Manipulatives need to be handy for the former while peer tutoring opportunity should be available to the latter. The lesson taught has to be customized to benefit every single child in the classroom.

"Put us together": Mixed-ability groups have to be created so that students can teach and learn together. Not only does this provide wholesome learning experiences, but also helps in better classroom management.

"Best step forward": Opportunities have to be provided to all students to come forward by creating situations that enable all of them to participate individually or in groups. Students who perform better than others should be encouraged even more and those who are not able to really come up should be motivated. Extra time can also be devoted to them during the independent working time.

"Let's remember": Rules have to be created and applied firmly. The things that a particular classroom needs in specific can be implemented throught rules that are created by every memeber of the classroom community which should be put up in a visible place in the classroom. Review the rules as a whole group in a suitable frequency.

"Cast the spell": The magic of education lies not simply in curriculum teaching but in actual transformation. How you bring about that transformation is entirely a personal perspective. Every teacher can develop his or her own methods with the course of time which best suit his/her own personality and based on the specific classroom dynamics.

Remember, when you walk into the classroom, you mean the world to someone!

Science Time - Molecules and Models

The Magic of Molecular Modeling

"All Art is but imitation of nature." - Seneca
The same seems to be happening in scientific laboratories today.

Life is nothing but a few molecules put together in a certain order. The order is as important as the molecules are. Years and decades of research have brought us the knowledge about these molecules and researchers nowadays are busy determining the order of their arrangement. This has given rise to an extremely important field called molecular modeling.

Molecular modeling is the branch of study that revolves around prediction of structures and functions of various biological molecules by means of models developed on computers.

The study is limited not only to visualizing the structures of molecules, but can range from performing complex calculations related to the behaviour of the molecule to prediction of the functions of the molecule.

Molecular modeling has perhaps been best explored in case of proteins. The vast expanse of the biological world harbours countless proteins. Our hair, skin, stomach, muscles, tears, sweat, diet - everything contains proteins and that too of varied kinds. A detailed knowledge about the arrangement, nature and working of these proteins would definitely be helpful in understanding biological systems.

This ingenious technique allows us to see the desired molecule on a huge computer and further enables us to see its various configurations in static as well as dynamic states just by the click of a mouse. This further helps in predicting the binding sites of the molecule and thus gives an idea about its interaction with other molecules.

This is particularly helpful in drug designing when we are developing pharmaceuticals targeted against some specific molecules inside the body. Reaction mechanisms can be foreseen. Moreover, with the human genome decoded, there has arisen the scope for studying innumerable molecules that could find immense use in molecular biology, immunology or pharmacology.

Molecular modeling is thus basically a computer tool, which also requires a working knowledge of mathematics as molecular structuring on the computer involves handling geometrical figures and toying with them in various dimensions.

Indeed, techniques like this reflect not only the zenith of technology but also a greater understanding of a few pages of the book of life.

-Nivedita M Shori

That's YOU !!

If only you could hit upon that key to unlock the tremendous potential and talents hidden deep within you! How valuable that key must be, isn’t it? Oh, to discover what lies behind this appearance, what you are capable of achieving, what is the reason you are unable to get just that ‘extra’ which someone else whisked away!

Just by a fortuitous chance, that key happened to fall in your own pocket! Rejoice, for all the secrets of the coveted life you always wanted to live can be uncovered by you. Here’s how to use that key-

- Be your own master: More often than not, we are happy or sad because somebody said or did something good or bad. Our emotions should not be subservient to others’ will. If I want to be happy, I will! Smile big, smile with confidence. Right now. Always.

- Self-introspection: All of us need time to wonder, contemplate, speculate. Sit back and think what interests you the most. Give a serious thought to what suits you the best and where is it that you lag behind in perfection.

- Focus on strengths: We all have something in our personality that can safely take us through. That 'something' has to be discovered. We are the best judges of the wealth we possess. It is our own duty to foster our positive points in order to keep at pace with what life expects of us.

- Be thyself: It’s imperative that we cease to be blind followers. Mass mentality is conspicuous but not befitting to all. Have your own style of doing things and be confident enough to abide by it. Who knows, the leader of the next mass movement could be you. So, just get out of that aimless crowd.

- Update yourself: Be a regular taker of the changes that arise in the world. Plunge into all that there is. Don’t let the fear of experimentation or hesitation towards technology grip you. Dive right ahead into anything that can add value to life — economic, mental or personal.

- Don’t bury the inquisitiveness: A child is immensely curious. Over the years, his quest to know more gets ebbed. Never extenuate your inquisitiveness. If there’s something new, catch up with it. Don’t sit there waiting for things to come to you of their own accord.

- Self- acceptance: If you don’t love yourself, nobody else can love you. Figure this — you meet a friend who is continuously cribbing about something, say his car. He keeps considering each one of his car’s features abominable, one more than the other. When you depart, will you carry back a good impression of the car? Some is the case when one keeps dwelling on one’s negative features and keeps hating oneself for the same. Others catch your vibes and start hating you too.

So don't let anything hold you back. Go ahead. Put on that winsome smile and unlock the real “you”.

- Nivedita

Science Time

The Journey of Technology

The first seed of technology sprouted when the cave man invented the wheel. Had there been media in those times, searching the archives today would probably give us an idea that 'Man Invents Wheel' was as important a landmark as 'Man decodes Human Genome'.

Development of technology has been synonymous with the development of man. In whatever phase man has been, there has also been a corresponding state of technology. If the man of 5500 years ago invented the wheel, Bill Gates has given us Microsoft. In 1769, Nicholas Cugnot designed the first car with a steam-powered engine and by 1932, JRD Tata had established Tata Aviation Service in India. From the 'difference engine machine' of Charles Babbage, popularly known as the 'Father of Computer', in 1822, we now have approached the so-called Fourth Generation Computers. In fact, only with the help of computational science can we make sense of the plethora of data that the computers themselves have enabled us to collect.

We have simplified the cumbersome process of bill payments, banking and other financial dealings. Automated systems finish things within half of the earlier time. Book hunting in libraries is no longer tiring with the advent of electronic cataloguing. Kilos of paper have transformed to bytes and megabytes of diskette space.

The sentience of distance is no more, thanks to the technology of electronic postage. And with the advent of the Internet, there's no topic under the sun that remains out of the reach of man. With the help of search engines, we can find almost any word hidden somewhere in the huge information labyrinth.

To beat Graham Bell's invention of the telephone that mockery of distances, there came the mobile phones. Spirited brains are racking to usher the world's first lip-reading cellphone. All you have to do is move your lips silently and the technology will decipher the electrical signals being sent out around the muscles of your mouth .

Cybernetics in Biology has appeared with the name of Bioinformatics combining the tools of Mathematics, Computer Science and Biology. Medical technology has come up like a growing plant extending its branches near and far and coming out with the ingenious Gene therapy that encompasses a broad range of technologies that may eventually be applied not only to cancer but also to a diverse group of other genetic disorders. Laboratory wonders reflect the zenith of technology.

We have gone and explored the rest of the universe. In fact, George Stephen's train of 1825 is being dressed up for a journey to the Moon. Technology is definitely soaring. The higher we go, we realize there is scope for still high. For here, sky is not the limit!

NO TIME FOR ... STRESS !

It's all in your mind. If you want to forget it, you can! If you think you can't, you won't. That is the basis of stress.

Very often we think we can't afford to disregard a particular situation or issue. We insist on not changing our mind and on continuing to torture ourselves with the agony of it. Writer and author, Natalie Goldberg quoted the realistic words in O Magazine (Oct 2002), "Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency. Nothing is that important."

When we refuse to digress from a heated subject, we succumb to stress. We allow tension to grip us. And before we know, it spreads its roots far and wide.

Certainly, some things are important. But nothing in the whole world could be more important than your own life! Even the worst troubles of men have been known to have passed. "Why should something as alien as stress claim my peace of mind?"

Those questions of "Should I", "Shouldn't I", "Will it", "Won't it", "What now", "What if"... just let them alone for a while! Of course, if they're important you'll come back to them again. But not right now! Let them linger on a bit. Give everything a chance. Nature has a wonderful capacity of sorting itself out to the last fibre, only if wise humans care not to interfere.

Even if you don't have answers to the troubling questions that had been boggling you, when you let things loosen up a bit, at least the mind becomes more capable of resolving complex matters in a more facile manner.

Did you know your stress isn't a part of you? First thing, it isn't yours ! So, it doesn't have to necessarily stay with you. You won't appear any less influential in its absence! Shut the door in its face and it might be so upset with you that it doesn't show up again.
What else could one want?

- Nivedita

Science time: Radiation talk

Electromagnetic pollution - a biohazard

Is the air really as calm as we see it or does it hold some invisible demon in its folds?

The environment in which we live and the pace with which we are advancing our technology ensures our constant interaction with electromagnetic radiation. Since it is inevitable to be out of its path, it would be beneficial to be aware of the biological effects of exposure to such radiation.

Physically, there are two types of eelectromagnetic radiation - Ionizing (X-rays, g-rays, neutrons, b-rays and a-rays) and Non-Ionizing (extremely low frequency, radiofrequency and microwaves). It is the latter type that we encounter in our daily lives.

Until about a century ago, the sole source of human exposure to electromagnetic radiation was atmospheric electricity and geomagnetism. Various human activities involving the use of electromagnetic fields have now led to widespread presence of fields of low frequency in the environment - the main sources being electricity distribution systems, household electrical appliances, radiofrequency heaters, television broadcasting waves, radars and portable radio-transmitters.

Now since the living body is electrochemical in nature, any force that alters the normal electrochemical phenomena occurring in humans will affect the physiology of the body. The effects depend on the age, sex and pre-existing stress conditions of the exposed individual, besides the srength and duration of the exposure.

Exposure from high voltage power lines can cause lymphoma and leukemia. Electrical workers, in addition, are also prone to pancreatic cancer too. The tumor promotion action is attributed to the alteration in the immune defence system as well as in the enzymatic functioning in the body.
Prolonged exposure to extremely low frequency fields can cause hormonal imbalances, due to which growth might be affected.

Secondary effects: Stress, inflammatory responses, heating of the tissues on the surface or deep within the body, production of new, unwanted proteins or change in protein quantity.
Effects of chronic or occupational exposure: Reduced metabolic heat production, lowered skin temperature, altered vasomotor thresholds and augmented sweating rates.

Keeping in mind the hazards of continuous exposure, certain safety standards have been prescribed in terms of the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), restrictive limits being the human resonance frequency of 30-300 MegaHertz.

Some specialists think it is high time we shelled out large sums on making major changes in the designs, operation and use of electric systems. Efforts are on to investigate more vigorously the multidimensional aspects of electromagnetic pollutants and find ways to strike a balance between minimizing of radiation and technological progress. Devices like Trifield meters have been introduced to measure the levels in houses.

Nevertheless, as long as radiation cannot be out of our way, we have to be careful not to fall into the arms of its hazards by indiscriminate and ignorant use of technology.

- Nivedita M Shori

LOSS

As a little child when, I used to lose my pencil

Panic would overcome me,

with despair my heart would fill

I wouldn't rest till I found it and in case I did not

I couldn't concentrate on a thing,

unless I got it or (in the rare case) forgot!

I remember that feeling of emergency but I also remember

that the true emotion of loss,

the episode did never usher

Things go harmlessly, some never to be found again

For who knows if that pencil was

in the flowing stream or on rough terrain.

Harmless absence of little things

would've perhaps been my closest encounter

With the meaning of loss, until it was time for destiny to flounder!

When I had moved from school to university,

and from crayons to pens

When I had got myself a career and graduated from dolls to friends

Lightning struck and the clouds were overcast,

the truth of loss I was to find

My shelter and haven, the epitome of wonder, only one of a kind

A mother so great, a woman so gentle,

my friend so close - that's what she was

Away she was taken never to be returned to teach me what was loss!

Things are created in all their glory to be savoured to the last drop

But once they're gone, you've got to move on,

even if you want to, you can't stop.

Yes, the memory comes back to you, brings with it the tears of ache,

Yet if you would realize - it's a test by heaven,

to see how much you can take!

Everything teaches something and my loss taught me how to lose

For winners are they who take their losses

just the way they choose

I did lose a jacket two days ago but now I know what loss meant

Greater things had been taken from me,

several others will continue to be sent!

I won't despair, I won't panic,

the greatest lamenting brings no fruit

My loving Creator watches me, sends bountiful joys for me to loot

In the vast scheme of things, my own loss is but a miniscule

I appreciate His presence and

understand now there's no time to drool.

With a heavy heart I remember my loss, with a glad one I thank it

What it taught me is a comfort when it's hot,

in the cold my blanket.

Things will come and things will go, never be fluttered O soul

The journey must continue unabated, I must reach my goal!

Yes the journey must carry on, I must reach my goal!

- Nivedita

Science Time - From Laboratory to Office

BIO-INFORMATICS – Cybernetics in Biology

Powerful data management tools are now required more than ever to store, share, study and compare the burgeoning library of biological information. Bioinformatics combines the tools of mathematics, computer science and biology and serves as a platform for all aspects of the acquisition, processing, storage, distribution, analysis, interpretation and display of biological information.

Once primarily a word processor and graphics aid, the computer has evolved into an all-purpose scientific tool. It is essential for collecting and analyzing data, for reading and searching the scientific literature and for sharing and discussing the data with colleagues around the globe. Studying the processes of various biomolecular interactions is difficult and time consuming. Computation simplifies this through ingenious modalities like the chip-based ‘Surface Plasmon Resonance Technology’ which claims to reveal significant information about molecular dynamics.

People working in the field of bioinformatics in most cases have a training in either biology or computer sciences. As a consequence of the large amount of data produced in the field of molecular biology, most of the current bioinformatics projects deal with structural and functional aspects of genes and proteins. The major investigatory topics include sequence alignment, biological database design, geometric analysis of protein structure and macromolecular simulation.

First, the data produced by thousands of research teams all over the world is collected and organized in databases specialized for particular subjects. The basic idea is that these databases should enable the scientific user to get a quick idea about the current knowledge that has been gathered about a particular subject. In the next step, computational tools are needed to analyze the collected data in the most efficient manner.

Thus, we are trying to bring simplicity to the complexity that is being continuously discovered. Areas particularly beneficial to this field are pharmaceutical research wherein the display of the entire protein pattern facilitates better drug designing, analyses of sequences of DNA and proteins, listing of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) on all chromosomes, bacterial/viral classification, forensic investigations and analysis of complex inter-relationships in gene expression data. Moreover, features like data mining and navigation guidance provide ease of information access from among a variety of heterogenous databases.

However, many scientists complain that it is getting increasingly difficult to find useful data on the web that is becoming more like an ‘information labyrinth’ due to more and more information scattered over wide ranging resources. Software experts are on the lookout for computational tools that integrate the scattered information in new types of web resources.

With the help of search engines, we can find almost any word hidden somewhere in this data labyrinth. Moreover, technologies like ‘supercomputing’ and ‘quantum computers’ are also being contemplated as the ever-smaller computer chips approach a physical limit.

It is certain that bioinformatics will lead us from research laboratories to offices where we can actually explore and understand science. Scientific work is no longer a task of a handful of us but relies on the expertise of specialists from various fields to exploit the actual worth of research.

(Originally published on Oct 21, 2002)

- Nivedita M Shori

SOMEWHERE, SOMETHING OCCURRED...

Somewhere along the way
When life was pulling away
When I was busy being free
When the world seemed so full
When there was nothing to worry me

Somewhere along the road
That went up the way to my abode
When I tried to count the colours in the sun
When gathering flowers in my little basket
Was my heavenly idea of fun

Somewhere along the path
That led to the woods so dark
When I held my mother’s hand
And laughed the perils away
Amidst dangers I had the courage to stand

Somewhere along the years
That were spangled with smiles and tears
When I did not know what it takes
To face the wide world beyond
To hold on when the storm shakes

Somewhere along the way
Somewhere along the road, something occurred
Somewhere along the path
Somewhere along these years, I grew up!

-Nivedita M Shori

Science Time

The Ethics of Human Cloning

The first woman created by God was Eve, says the Bible, and the first woman created by cloning is … Eve again, say scientists! This news, true or not, confirms that science has thoroughly permeated into our routines. Mere speculations have turned to reality. Today, the aspects of human cloning, what human clones actually are, the misconceptions we hold about them and most importantly, its ethics are worth understanding. The debates for and against the technology emphasize that human cloning is something we cannot afford to miss notice of.

Human cloning can be used for both therapeutic and reproductive purposes. Therapeutic cloning is popularly called ‘Stem Cell Therapy’, whereby embryos are created with the purpose of mining out the stem cells. This medical breakthrough of the century will be a boon for a number of disorders and organ transplantation.

There are misconceptions regarding human cloning. People believe that it will become possible to produce hordes of Ladens or Hitlers or retrieve a beloved person who has long been dead. However, scientists wave off this suggestion as purely irrational. They say that cloning requires ‘live DNA’ and it is impossible to produce a clone of the deceased unless the corpse was preserved by some means and some living cells are still available and usable. Moreover, the clone is a unique person with unique talents, nature and intelligence and in some rare instances may not even physically resemble the original cent per cent, as researchers have observed that the genetic expression is influenced by environment and experiences.

The million dollar question is – ‘Is clone an offspring or a sibling?’ Such ambiguities as ‘father or brother?’, ‘mother or sister?’ will embed people in a sea of controversies regarding individuality – the primary characteristic of a human. Dr. Patrick Dixon, a leading expert of the ethics of human cloning says that people are obsessed with their own right to have a clone without any regard to the welfare of the child. Human cloning is ethically unnecessary and immoral and is described as tinkering with nature.

Does this mean we should lock up our cloning laboratories? Not so. The merits are too good to be ignored. Technologies like cloning have to be harnessed for good ends. And if we could balance both sides, we can reap rewards not imagined. It is going to be a boon for science and society.

The world of human cloning lies before us. Only, we should know the rules before stepping in.

(Originally published on Feb 10, 2003)
- Nivedita M Shori

TO LEARN OR TO EARN - That is the question !

The early years of life are the ones most often thought to be meant for studying and learning. After that it is considered to be time to apply all of that learning for earning!

However, I sometimes wonder: Isn't learning in itself a form of earning? The knowledge, experience and wisdom that one gathers through learning is something that has been permanently acquired and that will in fact, be one's asset forever.

Is cash flow the only form of earning that this world wishes to recognize? All that cash might be gone without a moment's notice if, God forbid, calamity strikes! And that is the time when the actual earning that was collected through learning will help one rise over and above the helplessness of time.

Never cease to learn even if it doesn't give you an opportunity to 'earn' in the material sense of the word. As the US philosopher George Santayana puts it: The wisest mind has something yet to learn!