Gulf News bags environment award
By Emmanuelle Landais, Staff Reporter 06 January 2009
Dubai: The “Go Green” campaign has earned Gulf News a prestigious award for its coverage of environmental pollution, events and initiatives in the UAE.
The Outstanding Environmental Publication award will be presented to Gulf News next week as part of the Environment, Health and Safety Awards 2008 organised by the Ports, Customs and Freezone.
The newspaper has been recognised for its continuous efforts to create awareness about environmental issues. It carried articles on the environment and engaged in public outreach and dialogue with readers.
Gulf News Editor-in- Chief Abdul Hamid Ahmad said the award was appreciated and environmental issues here and internationally will continue to be reported on.
Gulf News initiated the “Go Green” campaign on the heels of its “Say No To Plastic Bag” drive, which supported the reduction in use of plastic in daily life.
During eight months of awareness-building within the community, jute bags were distributed to its readers.
Now, ‘Naga chilly’ to scare away wild elephants
Now, ‘Naga chilly’ to scare away wild elephants
5 Jan 2009,PTI
SHILLONG: The world’s hottest chilly, ‘Naga chilly’, or ‘bhoot jolokia’ in Assamese dialect, could be the latest weapon against marauding wild elephants who have wrecked havoc in many parts of Northeast.
‘Bhoot jolokia’, a chilly pepper that grows mostly in Assam, has shot to limelight after the DRDO developed a non-lethal grenade from it that could be used in anti-terrorist operations.
The DRDO and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) are now working on developing the ‘chilly’ into a powder that could be coated on fences and ropes to scare away wild pachyderms.
“Two months back, a WWF experiment observed that the chilly could be a good scaring material. Its’ powder when coated on fences and ropes that are erected on routes of the elephants can scare away the giants,” RP Srivastava, director of the Tezpur laboratory of DRDO said.
He said trials are being proposed on the experiment soon, and the DRDO and WWF are working to come up with an effective substance that can help in mitigating man-elephant conflict.
The ‘bhoot jolokia’ has been branded as the world’s hottest chilly with the pungency of 855000 scoville units, that is nearly double the scale of Mexican chilly.
It is used as a cure for stomach ailments and as a remedy to summer heat, presumably by inducing perspiration.
The DRDO says that the chilly also has qualities that can give physiological impetus, especially to security forces deployed in high altitude areas.
Preeth – A challange is an opportunity
Welcome all,
I have been thinking of a suitable topic to start with my series of activities for Q4music for the year 2009. Youtube seems to have been non-accessible or blocked in this part of the world and so could not upload my regular music/performance/created videos. A few precious minutes of free time in the day to day life is very carefully utilised and relaxation, enjoyment and enhancement of knowledge automatically becomes an integral part of this daily routine. Super Talent reality show currently on in Amrita TV is one venue I visit in the evenings for this. Yesterday I happened to see three performances. Of which, one turned out to be outstanding.
Preeth, from Trivandrum, a student of Prof. Muthukad performed magic with miming capabilities. A young guy who has speech and hearing problem, turned out to be the star of the day. What a performance it turned out to be. Three minutes allotted time seemed to be more for him to express his talents when many others who are competing in the same show still ponder about the lack of available time. Excellent, amazing, captivating, and more I could add on. God bless this Super Talent contestant who proved yesterday that EVERY CHALLENGE IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
Let his performance be an inspiration to all those who are coming out to perform in this show and other shows about what they have and don’t in their hand and how they could improve it and present it to a presentable and appreciable form for the mass.
GOD bless him and may he conquer many more victories in the coming years.
Mind Speaks – Keep your eyes and ears open
The heat is on. CVs are coming in volume from job hunters. It is slowly turning out to be real that several companies around are reducing staff in minimum or maximum. An opportunity which came up yesterday made me consult with some helping hands in the field of recruitment and HR sector. The feedback from them is not at all promising. Currently all major recruitment activities are on hold and everyone is watching and waiting before proceeding for the next step. Banking sector is also in greater caution and this is another major area for many of us who has an attitude to be there when in need. In the coming days/months I am sure you will get to hear many sad stories/tragedies of job loss/life etc directly or indirectly due to the current economic scenario. It is therefore very important to be in touch with your regular friends/loved ones/contacts. Make sure you get to create a communication and feel their pulse. I am sure you will definitely be able to get the feelings across, even if it is a silence or pause in the communication. But to be there at the time in need is the most important gift you can give to a friend or a well wisher of yours.
The reason for writing this here is an interview of actor Dileep shown on TV recently about his latest movie where he did a stunt scene by jumping into the sea. In it he explained what was his feeling before jumping and once in motion down. No control, and life and death was seconds away. Luckily for him there were people to rescue, who were on standby. But a repeat shot had to be taken and he continued, there were no one around and it was really touch and go. An year ago I had mentioned here in one of my write ups about the death of a friend who committed suicide due to a financial fraud by one of his customers. Almost similar time, another friends wife committed suicide due to prolong arthritis ailment. Both took the same aerial route of jumping from the balcony and the narration by Dileep was really touchy and brought back memories several times. If, someone was there to hold them/restrain them back from that crucial decision, life would have been an altogether different thing for their children.
Let the party continue, enjoy life as it happens, Kaliyum chiriyum thamashakalum ellam nadakkatte. But keep an eye and ear open for that precious silence somewhere around. You never know, a chance hello or a short email will make you realise the reason for that precious silence and may give you an opportunity to be the most important person for someone whom you care. God Bless and Keep communicating.
Mind Speaks – Highway Mechanic
During my childhood days, it was a routine that every year we go to some distant place away from our small town. Mostly it is a picnic come pilgrimage mixing major temple/towns in South India. Being the only available mode of comfortable transportation during those times, we gave lot of trust and confidence to our old Ambassador. Whether it is Thirupathi, or Kanyakumari, he is there and we know we will reach back safely. Another convenience is its capacity to carry volume as these trips are a joint family affair and at least we have 5 adults and 4 children in the party. Regularly kept in good condition our car seldom gave us any major trouble during those journeys. However, occasionally, we used to get a fan belt problem, or puncture or dynamo problem, and we used to rely the service of way side or highway workshops. With full party, we reach somehow there and then mostly we get to see an ustad coming down or a chotta mechanic running down and repairing the faults within the shortest possible time. These stoppage times are also an opportunity for the members to explore the place and shop for the locally made specialties. In a few hours time, the car is again ready for the journey and we continue towards our next destination. 100 of 100 times, these garages and mechanics are never seen again as we never come back that way or stop there. However, the service they render has been always excellent quality to keeping our (i.e unknown travelers) safety in mind. I am bringing back these old memories today just to reiterate the fact that my journey through the Amrita TV forum has been a similar one all through out. I see the role of the passengers and the mechanics many times and some times I am lucky when I get to play the part of the mechanic to serve some unknown travelers and assist them to get going when stuck. The journey is to be carried out by the person and the driving safety and well being and progress all depends up on how he/she look at it and carry out his / her role. If there is an opportunity to be of service to any one who genuinely requires it, I will be there. It’s an assurance.
ClicksandWrites 
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