Wednesday, March 18, 2015
How to Make a Crossbow Out of Wood
In making of this crossbow it is best to use maple for the stock, but if this wood cannot be procured, good straight-grained pine will do. The material must be 1-1/2 in. thick, 6 in. wide and a trifle over 3 ft. long.
The bow is made from straight-grained oak, ash, or hickory, 5/8 in. thick, 1 in. wide and 3 ft. long. A piece of oak, 3/8 in. thick, 1-1/2 in. wide and 6 ft. long, will be sufficient to make the trigger, spring and arrows. A piece of tin, some nails and a good cord will complete the materials necessary to make the crossbow.
Details of the Bow-Gun and Arrow Sling
The piece of maple or pine selected for the stock must be planed and sandpapered on both sides, and then marked and cut as shown in Fig. 1. A groove is cut for the arrows in the top straight edge 3/8 in. wide and 3/8 in. deep. The tin is bent and fastened on the wood at the back end of the groove where the cord slips out of the notch; this is to keep the edges from splitting.
A mortise is cut for the bow at a point 9-1/2 in. from the end of the stock, and one for the trigger 12 in. from the opposite end, which should be slanting a little as shown by the dotted lines. A spring, Fig. 2, is made from a good piece of oak and fastened to the stock with two screws. The trigger, Fig. 3, which is 1/4 in. thick, is inserted in the mortise in the position when pulled back, and adjusted so as to raise the spring to the proper height, and then a pin is put through both stock and trigger, having the latter swing quite freely. When the trigger is pulled, it lifts the spring up, which in turn lifts the cord off the tin notch.
The stick for the bow, Fig. 4, is dressed down from a point 3/4 in. on each side of the center line to 1/2 in. wide at each end. Notches are cut in the ends for the cord. The bow is not fastened in the stock, it is wrapped with a piece of canvas 1-1/2 in. wide on the center line to make a tight fit in the mortise. A stout cord is now tied in the notches cut in the ends of the bow making the cord taut when the wood is straight.
The design of the arrows is shown in Fig. 5 and they are made with the blades much thinner than the round part.
To shoot the crossbow, pull the cord back and down in the notch as shown in Fig. 6, place the arrow in the groove, sight and pull the trigger as in shooting an ordinary gun.
The arrow sling is made from a branch of ash about 1/2 in. in diameter, the bark removed and a notch cut in one end, as shown in Fig. 7. A stout cord about 2-1/2 ft. long is tied in the notch and a large knot made in the other or loose end. The arrows are practically the same as those used on the crossbow, with the exception of a small notch which is cut in them as shown in Fig. 8.
To throw the arrow, insert the cord near the knot in the notch of the arrow, then grasping the stick with the right hand and holding the wing of the arrow with the left, as shown in Fig. 9, throw the arrow with a quick slinging motion. The arrow may be thrown several hundred feet after a little practice.
—Contributed by O. E. Trownes, Wilmette, Ill.
Excerpt from the book:
THE BOY MECHANIC
VOLUME I
700 THINGS FOR BOYS TO DO
WITH 800 ILLUSTRATIONS
1913, BY H. H. WINDSOR CHICAGO
POPULAR MECHANICS CO. PUBLISHERS
Read more »
The bow is made from straight-grained oak, ash, or hickory, 5/8 in. thick, 1 in. wide and 3 ft. long. A piece of oak, 3/8 in. thick, 1-1/2 in. wide and 6 ft. long, will be sufficient to make the trigger, spring and arrows. A piece of tin, some nails and a good cord will complete the materials necessary to make the crossbow.
Details of the Bow-Gun and Arrow Sling
The piece of maple or pine selected for the stock must be planed and sandpapered on both sides, and then marked and cut as shown in Fig. 1. A groove is cut for the arrows in the top straight edge 3/8 in. wide and 3/8 in. deep. The tin is bent and fastened on the wood at the back end of the groove where the cord slips out of the notch; this is to keep the edges from splitting.
A mortise is cut for the bow at a point 9-1/2 in. from the end of the stock, and one for the trigger 12 in. from the opposite end, which should be slanting a little as shown by the dotted lines. A spring, Fig. 2, is made from a good piece of oak and fastened to the stock with two screws. The trigger, Fig. 3, which is 1/4 in. thick, is inserted in the mortise in the position when pulled back, and adjusted so as to raise the spring to the proper height, and then a pin is put through both stock and trigger, having the latter swing quite freely. When the trigger is pulled, it lifts the spring up, which in turn lifts the cord off the tin notch.
The stick for the bow, Fig. 4, is dressed down from a point 3/4 in. on each side of the center line to 1/2 in. wide at each end. Notches are cut in the ends for the cord. The bow is not fastened in the stock, it is wrapped with a piece of canvas 1-1/2 in. wide on the center line to make a tight fit in the mortise. A stout cord is now tied in the notches cut in the ends of the bow making the cord taut when the wood is straight.
The design of the arrows is shown in Fig. 5 and they are made with the blades much thinner than the round part.
To shoot the crossbow, pull the cord back and down in the notch as shown in Fig. 6, place the arrow in the groove, sight and pull the trigger as in shooting an ordinary gun.
The arrow sling is made from a branch of ash about 1/2 in. in diameter, the bark removed and a notch cut in one end, as shown in Fig. 7. A stout cord about 2-1/2 ft. long is tied in the notch and a large knot made in the other or loose end. The arrows are practically the same as those used on the crossbow, with the exception of a small notch which is cut in them as shown in Fig. 8.
To throw the arrow, insert the cord near the knot in the notch of the arrow, then grasping the stick with the right hand and holding the wing of the arrow with the left, as shown in Fig. 9, throw the arrow with a quick slinging motion. The arrow may be thrown several hundred feet after a little practice.
—Contributed by O. E. Trownes, Wilmette, Ill.
Excerpt from the book:
THE BOY MECHANIC
VOLUME I
700 THINGS FOR BOYS TO DO
WITH 800 ILLUSTRATIONS
1913, BY H. H. WINDSOR CHICAGO
POPULAR MECHANICS CO. PUBLISHERS
The Monkey and the Crocodile Jataka tales in English
A Monkey lived in a great tree on a river bank.
In the river there were many Crocodiles.
A Crocodile watched the Monkeys for a long time, and one day she said to her son:
"My son, get one of those Monkeys for me. I want the heart of a Monkey to eat."
"How am I to catch a Monkey?" asked the little Crocodile.
"I do not travel on land, and the Monkey does not go into the water."
"Put your wits to work, and youll find a way," said the mother.
And the little Crocodile thought and thought.
At last he said to himself:
"I know what Ill do.
Ill get that Monkey that lives in a big tree on the river bank.
He will wish to go across the river to the island where the fruit is so ripe."
So the Crocodile swam to the tree where the Monkey lived.
But he was a stupid Crocodile.
"Oh, Monkey," he called, "come with me over to the island where the fruit is so ripe."
"How can I go with you?" asked the Monkey.
"I do not swim."
"No—but I do. I will take you over on my back," said the Crocodile.
The Monkey was greedy, and wanted the ripe fruit, so he jumped down on the Crocodiles back.
"Off we go!" said the Crocodile.
"This is a fine ride you are giving me!" said the Monkey.
"Do you think so? Well, how do you like this?" asked the Crocodile, diving.
"Oh, dont!" cried the Monkey, as he went under the water.
He was afraid to let go, and he did not know what to do under the water.
When the Crocodile came up, the Monkey sputtered and choked.
"Why did you take me underwater, Crocodile?" he asked.
"I am going to kill you by keeping you underwater," answered the Crocodile.
"My mother wants the heart of a Monkey to eat, and Im going to take yours to her."
"I wish you had told me you wanted my heart," said the Monkey, "then I might have brought it with me."
"How queer!" said the stupid Crocodile.
"Do you mean to say that you left your heart back there in the tree?"
"That is what I mean," said the Monkey.
"If you want my heart, we must go back to the tree and get it.
But we are so near the island where the ripe fruit is, please take me there first."
"No, Monkey," said the Crocodile, "Ill take you straight back to your tree.
Never mind the ripe fruit.
Get your heart and bring it to me at once. Then well see about going to the island."
"Very well," said the Monkey.
But no sooner had he jumped onto the bank of the river than—whisk! up he ran into the tree.
From the topmost branches he called down to the Crocodile in the water below:
"My heart is way up here! If you want it, come for it, come for it!"
Read more »
In the river there were many Crocodiles.
A Crocodile watched the Monkeys for a long time, and one day she said to her son:
"My son, get one of those Monkeys for me. I want the heart of a Monkey to eat."
"How am I to catch a Monkey?" asked the little Crocodile.
"I do not travel on land, and the Monkey does not go into the water."
"Put your wits to work, and youll find a way," said the mother.
And the little Crocodile thought and thought.
At last he said to himself:
"I know what Ill do.
Ill get that Monkey that lives in a big tree on the river bank.
He will wish to go across the river to the island where the fruit is so ripe."
So the Crocodile swam to the tree where the Monkey lived.
But he was a stupid Crocodile.
"Oh, Monkey," he called, "come with me over to the island where the fruit is so ripe."
"How can I go with you?" asked the Monkey.
"I do not swim."
"No—but I do. I will take you over on my back," said the Crocodile.
The Monkey was greedy, and wanted the ripe fruit, so he jumped down on the Crocodiles back.
"Off we go!" said the Crocodile.
"This is a fine ride you are giving me!" said the Monkey.
"Do you think so? Well, how do you like this?" asked the Crocodile, diving.
"Oh, dont!" cried the Monkey, as he went under the water.
He was afraid to let go, and he did not know what to do under the water.
When the Crocodile came up, the Monkey sputtered and choked.
"Why did you take me underwater, Crocodile?" he asked.
"I am going to kill you by keeping you underwater," answered the Crocodile.
"My mother wants the heart of a Monkey to eat, and Im going to take yours to her."
"I wish you had told me you wanted my heart," said the Monkey, "then I might have brought it with me."
"How queer!" said the stupid Crocodile.
"Do you mean to say that you left your heart back there in the tree?"
"That is what I mean," said the Monkey.
"If you want my heart, we must go back to the tree and get it.
But we are so near the island where the ripe fruit is, please take me there first."
"No, Monkey," said the Crocodile, "Ill take you straight back to your tree.
Never mind the ripe fruit.
Get your heart and bring it to me at once. Then well see about going to the island."
"Very well," said the Monkey.
But no sooner had he jumped onto the bank of the river than—whisk! up he ran into the tree.
From the topmost branches he called down to the Crocodile in the water below:
"My heart is way up here! If you want it, come for it, come for it!"
High density Housing for Bryozoans
This beautifully geometric piece of natural architecture is produced by the animal commonly called the sea-mat and scientifically known as a bryozoan (which means moss-animal). This particular species is Membranipora membranacea and I picked it up yesterday, in a rock-pool on the seashore at Seaburn, near Sunderland.
Membranipora forms extensive, fast-growing colonies resembling a lacy mat, that spread over the surface of kelp fronds. Its common on all coasts around Britain and has been introduced into shallow seas in other parts of the world where there is some concern that its rapid rate of growth could suppress the reproduction of some marine algae.
Each calcareous compartment, secreted by the animal inside, contains an individual animal (zooid) that extends a feeding arm called a lophophore, for filtering out plankton.
The zooids retract into a tube within their walled enclosure at the slighest hint of danger but when theyre all extended they resemble a garden of transparent flowers, gently waving their arms..
Each walled enclosure has a small tower at the junction with its neighbours walls and ......
....there are often gaps in the walls, which give the colony a degree of flexibility as the supporting kelp frond bends in the sea currents. The gaps tend to be most conspicuous in older sections of the colony.
There are at least two kinds of zooid - the flower-shaped feeding lophophores and these translucent cylindrical forms.
Im not sure what their function is but my guess is that they provide additional surface area for oxygen uptake or maybe waste disposal.
You can find out more about bryozoans here or take a look for yourself - these are low-power micrographs (maximum magnification x50) but you can see the living zooids with a hand lens if you put a piece of the colony in a shallow dish of seawater. You can find them all year-round and fine specimens are often attached to kelps that are washed up on beaches after storms.
Daedalus and Icarus Myth Greek Mythology Legends
Daedalus, a descendant of Erechtheus, was an Athenian architect, sculptor, and mechanician. He was the first to introduce the art of sculpture in its higher development, for before his time statues were merely rude representations, having the limbs altogether undefined.
But great as was his genius, still greater was his vanity, and he could brook no rival. Now his nephew and pupil, Talus, exhibited great talent, having invented both the saw and the compass, and Dædalus, fearing lest he might overshadow his own fame, secretly killed him by throwing him down from the citadel of Pallas-Athene. The murder being discovered, Dædalus was summoned before the court of the Areopagus and condemned to death; but he made his escape to the island of Crete, where he was received by king Minos in a manner worthy of his great reputation.
Dædalus constructed for the king the world-renowned labyrinth, which was an immense building, full of intricate passages, intersecting each other in such a manner, that even Dædalus himself is said, upon one occasion, to have nearly lost his way in it; and it was in this building the king placed the Minotaur, a monster with the head and shoulders of a bull and the body of a man.
In the course of time the great artist became weary of his long exile, more especially as the king, under the guise of friendship, kept him almost a prisoner. He therefore resolved to make his escape, and for this purpose ingeniously contrived wings for himself and his young son Icarus, whom he diligently trained how to use them. Having awaited a favourable opportunity, father and son commenced their flight, and were well on their way when Icarus, pleased with the novel sensation, forgot altogether his fathers oft-repeated injunction not to approach too near the sun. The consequence was that the wax, by means of which his wings were attached, melted, and he fell into the sea and was drowned. The body of the unfortunate Icarus was washed up by the tide, and was buried by the bereaved father on an island which he called after his son, Icaria.
After this sad event, Dædalus winged his flight to the island of Sicily, where he met with a kind welcome from king Cocalus, for whom he constructed several important public works. But no sooner did Minos receive the intelligence that his great architect had found an asylum with Cocalus than he sailed over to Sicily with a large army, and sent messengers to the Sicilian king demanding the surrender of his guest. Cocalus feigned compliance and invited Minos to his palace, where he was treacherously put to death in a warm bath. The body of their king was brought to Agrigent by the Cretans, where it was buried with great pomp, and over his tomb a temple to Aphrodite was erected.
Dædalus passed the remainder of his life tranquilly in the island of Sicily, where he occupied himself in the construction of various beautiful works of art.
Text:
Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome
Author: E.M. Berens
Published: 1880
The Project Gutenberg E-Book
Produced by Alicia Williams, Keith Edkins and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Read more »
But great as was his genius, still greater was his vanity, and he could brook no rival. Now his nephew and pupil, Talus, exhibited great talent, having invented both the saw and the compass, and Dædalus, fearing lest he might overshadow his own fame, secretly killed him by throwing him down from the citadel of Pallas-Athene. The murder being discovered, Dædalus was summoned before the court of the Areopagus and condemned to death; but he made his escape to the island of Crete, where he was received by king Minos in a manner worthy of his great reputation.
Dædalus constructed for the king the world-renowned labyrinth, which was an immense building, full of intricate passages, intersecting each other in such a manner, that even Dædalus himself is said, upon one occasion, to have nearly lost his way in it; and it was in this building the king placed the Minotaur, a monster with the head and shoulders of a bull and the body of a man.
In the course of time the great artist became weary of his long exile, more especially as the king, under the guise of friendship, kept him almost a prisoner. He therefore resolved to make his escape, and for this purpose ingeniously contrived wings for himself and his young son Icarus, whom he diligently trained how to use them. Having awaited a favourable opportunity, father and son commenced their flight, and were well on their way when Icarus, pleased with the novel sensation, forgot altogether his fathers oft-repeated injunction not to approach too near the sun. The consequence was that the wax, by means of which his wings were attached, melted, and he fell into the sea and was drowned. The body of the unfortunate Icarus was washed up by the tide, and was buried by the bereaved father on an island which he called after his son, Icaria.
After this sad event, Dædalus winged his flight to the island of Sicily, where he met with a kind welcome from king Cocalus, for whom he constructed several important public works. But no sooner did Minos receive the intelligence that his great architect had found an asylum with Cocalus than he sailed over to Sicily with a large army, and sent messengers to the Sicilian king demanding the surrender of his guest. Cocalus feigned compliance and invited Minos to his palace, where he was treacherously put to death in a warm bath. The body of their king was brought to Agrigent by the Cretans, where it was buried with great pomp, and over his tomb a temple to Aphrodite was erected.
Dædalus passed the remainder of his life tranquilly in the island of Sicily, where he occupied himself in the construction of various beautiful works of art.
Text:
Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome
Author: E.M. Berens
Published: 1880
The Project Gutenberg E-Book
Produced by Alicia Williams, Keith Edkins and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
SUDDAHAM CHORU PODUM CLEANLINESS IS GODLINESS
SUDDAHAM CHORU PODUM
Dear friends
The reason for selecting the topic is there is a saying "suddham choru podum" which I feel 100% correct. If we are neat, we will get fed. Neatness brings a gracious look to our homes.
I could always see an Old lady staying near our house doing some cleaning, mostly with brooms. She is a widower for the past more than 2 decades and living alone though she has well settled children and grandchildren. Gardening too makes the premises neat. I try to use my spare times for maximum possible cleaning and gardening. It is a cultivated habit. Let me go in to cleaning.
1. Coconut brooms
The earliest cleaning equipment is broom made out of coconut leaves. The central stem of the healthy and long leaves is used to make the broom. Mostly while coconuts are plucked thandan will cut 3 or 4 outer matals also from the tree from which the leaves are taken. Removing the leaves from the stem is an art. The stem is called Eerkil in Malayalam. Broom is called "Chool" and in Tamil " Thudappam.
After getting sufficient stems, which could well hold with in Hand, arranged for length, bottom is trimmed and tied firmly with a string. The other end is also trimmed.
These coconut brooms could not be replaced with any other substitute so far. All houses irrespective of its posh ness require one broom with in house. With all granite, marble, and fine tiles, to kill insects like Pazhuthara (Pooran), Cockroach etc which make sudden appearance, every body search for coconut brooms rather than for cleaning!!!
Lengthy Coconut brooms were once the cleaning equipment inside. Now too in houses with cement flooring coconut broom is used for cleaning. When it gets somewhere and tear after a months use it is used to clean out side and when 30% worn out it is called Kutti chool. This is used for cleaning compound and out side.
Today the kuttichool find its application in cleaning compounds, water tank, and sumps in the house.
Builders for all there use the fresh coconut brooms with a good trimming cleaning works. In practice 70% of the coconut workers use brooms and now if we require a coconut broom, we have to go to Hardware shop mostly.
2. Flower broom (Poomthudappam)
These types of brooms are made from the flowers with long stems of a variety of Palmirah type tree. It has its origin in Maharashtra and widely available in Chennai. It comes with convenient length, and best suited for polished floors like Granite and Marble and tiles.
This broom sweeps away the tiny dusts too. However the lacuna is it cannot be used for outside compound cleaning or street cleaning or even more wastes areas like a marriage hall. The flower broom will simply break. The life period is approximately three months. Once used it has to be thrown away.
The broom is available in different forms. The one fixed with wooden handle and flowers stitched to bottom fitting is more suitable for offices, shops, hospitals etc.
3. Fibre brooms
For toilet cleaning an experimented model of fibre brooms are available. It looks neat and tidy but suitable only for bathroom. It is lengthy and only about 2 feet in length.
4. Chooral brooms
The brooms made by using split choral for cleaning fitted with long handle and stitched to bottom of a handle and spreaded for above one foot is mostly used by Muncipal workers to remove rough objects from the streets put as waste from our houses. Though costly, it is convenient and some times available in shops also.
5. Fibre brooms with long handle for cleaning
In markets now a day available fibre brooms with long handle, fibre fitted in a similar fashion like choral broom. I have purchased this for use, but found not as good as choral broom.
6. Fibre and Nylon brushed brooms
In markets now a day available fibre and Nylon bushed brooms with long handle, Brush made to size of 8"x 2" is fitted to a long handle. I have purchased this for use, and found excellent for granite, marble and tiled floorings. When lady servant is not available I make use of it. But it can be used only for cleaning floor. Not for lofts or cupboards.
7. Universal coconut broom
Like universal port and adapter of my laptop, coconut broom find application every where. Good quality coconut brooms can be used in granite flooring also.
8. What broom used before sage Viswamithra
I have read coconut tree is the invention of sage Viswamithra. Before him generations were there. I get a doubt what was the material used earlier to him.
9. Keeping brooms
Though broom is doing all cleaning, still broom is a favour of Alakshmi. Alakshmi is the elder sister of Lakshmi. Lakshmi appeared along with nectar. Alakshmi appeared along with Kalakooda poison. Keeping brooms in the front of house is felt inauspicious. Normally brooms are kept by the inner side of door in work area for inside use and at the back side for outside use.
Some keep broom inside a shelf below wash basin.
10. Alakshmi in House
Whatever it is one good quality coconut broom will be available in a convenient access position. There is saying there is no Lekshmi with out Alekshmi. Suddham is there if asuddham is cleared. Darkness getting cleared is light. We have to make some provision for Alekshmi also every where.
11. Cobweb stick
Cobweb stick is a close cousin of broom. To remove the cobweb it is essential and no house can be with out having co web. Earlier cobweb stick was sold through streets. It is normally made out of coconut fibre fitted to top of a bamboo stick. Now a day fibre has changed to nylon and stick has changed to aluminum with flexibility of adjusting length. This is more handy and nice looking comparing to old model. But it is more fragile.
12. Muram
Muram is an essential item. However it is of two types One for spreading things for drying. Normally chillies, dhalls, etc for drying are kept on it. This type of muram square in shape and made of cut Panambu or chooral is made use by sasthrikals too. For many samskaras this type of muram is essential.
It is the other type, smaller and one side slope is used for cleaning. Now a day this type of muram is available in plastic, fibre and metal. The metal ones made steel are the best. Next come fibre type. The waste cleaned with brooms has to be taken in Muram for taking to out side. Hence Muram is an essential companion with broom. One special broom and muram has to be kept, inside, best being in our new houses in the cabin below wash basin.
13. Sakunam and direction
Both Muram and broom are bad omen. There is a saying brooms should not be grouped. Quarrels will be there in the house. Muram also should not be kept slanting.
But irrespective of position of Muram and broom, quarrels do occur in a family. It is because of Alekshmi. These aggravate the quarrels. So it is preferable to keep them separate and not slanting the muram.
14. Dust bin and mop.
In olden days the dustbin idea was not there. Moping was done with cloth. Now ready made mops are available in shops. Dust bins of different models also. We make now day rooms neat by keeping waste things in waste box. The municipality collects waste and dispose, in Chennai. Every day they come in morning, collect wastes and they are given a monthly charge.
15. Keeping cleaning items
Now a day with flat system and neat houses, where to keep these things is and make an asthetic look is a problem. Bed rooms, dining rooms, Halls are barred to keep these. The only area is work area, which too now our women want to keep neat to look. The mop, cobweb stick, outside cleaning and tank cleaning coconut brooms… If outside has to look neat, then where to keep these cleaning items? ….
I have made a cup board in the 1st floor below a stair case. It has partially solved the problem. But it is inconvenient every time to go , open and take and specially keep back.
Dear friends
The reason for selecting the topic is there is a saying "suddham choru podum" which I feel 100% correct. If we are neat, we will get fed. Neatness brings a gracious look to our homes.
I could always see an Old lady staying near our house doing some cleaning, mostly with brooms. She is a widower for the past more than 2 decades and living alone though she has well settled children and grandchildren. Gardening too makes the premises neat. I try to use my spare times for maximum possible cleaning and gardening. It is a cultivated habit. Let me go in to cleaning.
1. Coconut brooms
The earliest cleaning equipment is broom made out of coconut leaves. The central stem of the healthy and long leaves is used to make the broom. Mostly while coconuts are plucked thandan will cut 3 or 4 outer matals also from the tree from which the leaves are taken. Removing the leaves from the stem is an art. The stem is called Eerkil in Malayalam. Broom is called "Chool" and in Tamil " Thudappam.
After getting sufficient stems, which could well hold with in Hand, arranged for length, bottom is trimmed and tied firmly with a string. The other end is also trimmed.
These coconut brooms could not be replaced with any other substitute so far. All houses irrespective of its posh ness require one broom with in house. With all granite, marble, and fine tiles, to kill insects like Pazhuthara (Pooran), Cockroach etc which make sudden appearance, every body search for coconut brooms rather than for cleaning!!!
Lengthy Coconut brooms were once the cleaning equipment inside. Now too in houses with cement flooring coconut broom is used for cleaning. When it gets somewhere and tear after a months use it is used to clean out side and when 30% worn out it is called Kutti chool. This is used for cleaning compound and out side.
Today the kuttichool find its application in cleaning compounds, water tank, and sumps in the house.
Builders for all there use the fresh coconut brooms with a good trimming cleaning works. In practice 70% of the coconut workers use brooms and now if we require a coconut broom, we have to go to Hardware shop mostly.
2. Flower broom (Poomthudappam)
These types of brooms are made from the flowers with long stems of a variety of Palmirah type tree. It has its origin in Maharashtra and widely available in Chennai. It comes with convenient length, and best suited for polished floors like Granite and Marble and tiles.
This broom sweeps away the tiny dusts too. However the lacuna is it cannot be used for outside compound cleaning or street cleaning or even more wastes areas like a marriage hall. The flower broom will simply break. The life period is approximately three months. Once used it has to be thrown away.
The broom is available in different forms. The one fixed with wooden handle and flowers stitched to bottom fitting is more suitable for offices, shops, hospitals etc.
3. Fibre brooms
For toilet cleaning an experimented model of fibre brooms are available. It looks neat and tidy but suitable only for bathroom. It is lengthy and only about 2 feet in length.
4. Chooral brooms
The brooms made by using split choral for cleaning fitted with long handle and stitched to bottom of a handle and spreaded for above one foot is mostly used by Muncipal workers to remove rough objects from the streets put as waste from our houses. Though costly, it is convenient and some times available in shops also.
5. Fibre brooms with long handle for cleaning
In markets now a day available fibre brooms with long handle, fibre fitted in a similar fashion like choral broom. I have purchased this for use, but found not as good as choral broom.
6. Fibre and Nylon brushed brooms
In markets now a day available fibre and Nylon bushed brooms with long handle, Brush made to size of 8"x 2" is fitted to a long handle. I have purchased this for use, and found excellent for granite, marble and tiled floorings. When lady servant is not available I make use of it. But it can be used only for cleaning floor. Not for lofts or cupboards.
7. Universal coconut broom
Like universal port and adapter of my laptop, coconut broom find application every where. Good quality coconut brooms can be used in granite flooring also.
8. What broom used before sage Viswamithra
I have read coconut tree is the invention of sage Viswamithra. Before him generations were there. I get a doubt what was the material used earlier to him.
9. Keeping brooms
Though broom is doing all cleaning, still broom is a favour of Alakshmi. Alakshmi is the elder sister of Lakshmi. Lakshmi appeared along with nectar. Alakshmi appeared along with Kalakooda poison. Keeping brooms in the front of house is felt inauspicious. Normally brooms are kept by the inner side of door in work area for inside use and at the back side for outside use.
Some keep broom inside a shelf below wash basin.
10. Alakshmi in House
Whatever it is one good quality coconut broom will be available in a convenient access position. There is saying there is no Lekshmi with out Alekshmi. Suddham is there if asuddham is cleared. Darkness getting cleared is light. We have to make some provision for Alekshmi also every where.
11. Cobweb stick
Cobweb stick is a close cousin of broom. To remove the cobweb it is essential and no house can be with out having co web. Earlier cobweb stick was sold through streets. It is normally made out of coconut fibre fitted to top of a bamboo stick. Now a day fibre has changed to nylon and stick has changed to aluminum with flexibility of adjusting length. This is more handy and nice looking comparing to old model. But it is more fragile.
12. Muram
Muram is an essential item. However it is of two types One for spreading things for drying. Normally chillies, dhalls, etc for drying are kept on it. This type of muram square in shape and made of cut Panambu or chooral is made use by sasthrikals too. For many samskaras this type of muram is essential.
It is the other type, smaller and one side slope is used for cleaning. Now a day this type of muram is available in plastic, fibre and metal. The metal ones made steel are the best. Next come fibre type. The waste cleaned with brooms has to be taken in Muram for taking to out side. Hence Muram is an essential companion with broom. One special broom and muram has to be kept, inside, best being in our new houses in the cabin below wash basin.
13. Sakunam and direction
Both Muram and broom are bad omen. There is a saying brooms should not be grouped. Quarrels will be there in the house. Muram also should not be kept slanting.
But irrespective of position of Muram and broom, quarrels do occur in a family. It is because of Alekshmi. These aggravate the quarrels. So it is preferable to keep them separate and not slanting the muram.
14. Dust bin and mop.
In olden days the dustbin idea was not there. Moping was done with cloth. Now ready made mops are available in shops. Dust bins of different models also. We make now day rooms neat by keeping waste things in waste box. The municipality collects waste and dispose, in Chennai. Every day they come in morning, collect wastes and they are given a monthly charge.
15. Keeping cleaning items
Now a day with flat system and neat houses, where to keep these things is and make an asthetic look is a problem. Bed rooms, dining rooms, Halls are barred to keep these. The only area is work area, which too now our women want to keep neat to look. The mop, cobweb stick, outside cleaning and tank cleaning coconut brooms… If outside has to look neat, then where to keep these cleaning items? ….
I have made a cup board in the 1st floor below a stair case. It has partially solved the problem. But it is inconvenient every time to go , open and take and specially keep back.
Cerebrospinal fluid definition
Cerebrospinal fluid is a clear, watery substance that flows around the brain and spinal cord, protecting and insulating these structures.
Cerebrospinal fluid assists the supply of nutrients to the brain, and it assists in the disposal of waste substances.
A blockage in cerebrospinal fluid flow, as may occur with a blood clot, congenital structural abnormalities, or certain infections, can result in serious complications, such as hydrocephalus.
Read more »
Cerebrospinal fluid assists the supply of nutrients to the brain, and it assists in the disposal of waste substances.
A blockage in cerebrospinal fluid flow, as may occur with a blood clot, congenital structural abnormalities, or certain infections, can result in serious complications, such as hydrocephalus.
The Big Move
This week, I was graciously invited to join the Southern Fried Science blog network. I accepted, and so will be relocating to www.cephalove.southernfriedscience.com . All of the old posts have been copied to that site, and no new posts will show up here. Im sorry if this is a hassle for all of you generous souls who link to me, but please continue to link to me at my new and improved location!
Thanks so much to all of my readers, and those of you who put up with my rambling comments on your own blogs. If there is one reason I have enjoyed blogging, its your feedback and encouragement.
Read more »
Thanks so much to all of my readers, and those of you who put up with my rambling comments on your own blogs. If there is one reason I have enjoyed blogging, its your feedback and encouragement.
Homemade Jar Opener
The accompanying sketch shows a handy device for turning up and unscrewing the covers on glass fruit jars. The loop is slipped over the cover and the handle turned in the direction of the arrow. To unscrew the cover, the tool is turned over and the handle turned in the opposite direction.
The Loop in the Leather Grips the Cap Tightly When the Handle is Turned as the Arrow Indicates
The loop should be just large enough to slip over the cover easily. It is made of leather and fastened to the wood handle with screws.
—Contributed by J. B. Downer, Seattle, Wash.
Excerpt from the book:
THE BOY MECHANIC - BOOK 2
1000 THINGS FOR BOYS TO DO
HOW TO CONSTRUCT DEVICES FOR WINTER SPORTS, MOTION-PICTURE CAMERA, INDOOR GAMES, REED FURNITURE, ELECTRICAL NOVELTIES, BOATS, FISHING RODS, CAMPS AND CAMP APPLIANCES, KITES AND GLIDERS, PUSHMOBILES, ROLLER COASTER, FERRIS WHEEL
AND
HUNDREDS OF OTHER THINGS WHICH DELIGHT EVERY BOY WITH 995 ILLUSTRATIONS
PUBLISHED 1915, BY H. H. WINDSOR CHICAGO
POPULAR MECHANICS CO. PUBLISHERS
Read more »
The Loop in the Leather Grips the Cap Tightly When the Handle is Turned as the Arrow Indicates
The loop should be just large enough to slip over the cover easily. It is made of leather and fastened to the wood handle with screws.
—Contributed by J. B. Downer, Seattle, Wash.
Excerpt from the book:
THE BOY MECHANIC - BOOK 2
1000 THINGS FOR BOYS TO DO
HOW TO CONSTRUCT DEVICES FOR WINTER SPORTS, MOTION-PICTURE CAMERA, INDOOR GAMES, REED FURNITURE, ELECTRICAL NOVELTIES, BOATS, FISHING RODS, CAMPS AND CAMP APPLIANCES, KITES AND GLIDERS, PUSHMOBILES, ROLLER COASTER, FERRIS WHEEL
AND
HUNDREDS OF OTHER THINGS WHICH DELIGHT EVERY BOY WITH 995 ILLUSTRATIONS
PUBLISHED 1915, BY H. H. WINDSOR CHICAGO
POPULAR MECHANICS CO. PUBLISHERS
Strings Attached
Deciding on the prime time to pick a bean pod is s tricky business. Leave it too late and the pod will become tough and stringy - and the reason for that is because as it grows the pod begins to prepare to shed its seeds. Members of the pea family - the leguminosae - carry their seeds in pods that naturally become brittle when they dry and ripen, when tensions developed along the suture between the two pod halves and in the pod wall eventually become so great that the pod splits open violently, hurling out the seeds. Plant breeders have worked hard to breed this trait out of legume crops, but species like runner bean still produce long strands of woody, lignified cells in their pod walls as they ripen. In this fluorescence micrograph, showing a cross section of the upper suture of a developing pod, the bright yellow arcs of cells at the top are the strings that you need to strip out of the pod before you eat and cook it if youve left it too long before harvest. The yellow cells just creeping into the picture at bottom left belong to the parchment layer that develops in the pod wall. Together, these thock-walled cells develop the tensions in the pod as it dries that will eventually split it open along its longitudinal sutures and release the seeds.
Reading Now
Currently,I have been reading Chemical Equations from Chemistry (That is what we have in Syllabus) and the only part it is confusing is the state of the products formed. For eg. MgO (Solid) + H2O(Liquid) = Mg(OH)2 (Solid) whereas CaO(Solid) + H2O(Liquid) = Ca(OH)2 (Aqueous). In Physics,we are having Electricity this time and its good but again,its confusing sometimes about calculating equivalent resistances by looking at the given figures,I mean its sometimes confusing to understand where the Current Path gets divided. In Biology,we have Life Processes (Digestion,Nutrition etc.). In Maths,we have Real Numbers,Polynomials and Linear Equations in Two Variables - The last one has so much and so much of Algebra (Oh so happy about that).And so,let me go and read,the first part of the session is very tough.Ill have to try.
DID YOU KNOW
1. Neither letter b nor c appear anywhere in the spellings of 1 to
999,999,999.
(Letter b comes for the first time in Billion.)
2. Vietnamese currency consists only of paper money; no coins.
3.The pupil of an octopus eye is rectangular.
4.There are 31 billion searches on Google every month.
5.111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987, 654,321.
6. The thing responsible for the most human deaths worldwide is the
mosquito.
7.The " typewriter " is the longest word that can be made using the letters
only on one row of the keyboard.
8. The Vatican is the worlds smallest country, at 0.16 square miles.
9. Unless food is mixed with saliva you cannot taste it.
10. All the planets in the solar system rotate anticlockwise, except Venus.
It is the only planet that rotates clockwise.
11 . Our eyes are always the same size from birth.
12. The tongue of a blue whale is as long as an elephant.
Read more »
999,999,999.
(Letter b comes for the first time in Billion.)
2. Vietnamese currency consists only of paper money; no coins.
3.The pupil of an octopus eye is rectangular.
4.There are 31 billion searches on Google every month.
5.111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987, 654,321.
6. The thing responsible for the most human deaths worldwide is the
mosquito.
7.The " typewriter " is the longest word that can be made using the letters
only on one row of the keyboard.
8. The Vatican is the worlds smallest country, at 0.16 square miles.
9. Unless food is mixed with saliva you cannot taste it.
10. All the planets in the solar system rotate anticlockwise, except Venus.
It is the only planet that rotates clockwise.
11 . Our eyes are always the same size from birth.
12. The tongue of a blue whale is as long as an elephant.
Plant Cuticles
The surface of plants (with a few exceptions, such as those that live submerged under water) is covered with a tough, transparent, waxy layer called the cuticle, composed of cutin secreted by the layer of epidermal cells that it covers. The best way to see the cuticle is to snap the leaf of a drought-adapted succulent plant like Crassula ovata and pull one part of the leaf against the other, peeling away the cuticle, which covers the above ground parts like a wrapping of cling-film.
These cuticular peels, often with a single layer of epidermal cells attached, can be mounted on a microscope slide .....
..... and viewed to reveal the pattern of cells and the .....
...... stomata, which allow carbon dioxide to enter for photosynthesis. The two images above are of cuticular peels of spiderwort Tradescantia virginiana.
In this vertical section of a leaf, stained with fluorescent dyes, the cuticle appears as the bright yellow layer on top of the epidermal cells. In the centre you can see a single stoma in vertical section, with closed guard cells and its adjacent subsidiary cells, with a sub-stomatal cavity below leading to the loosely packed mesophyll cells, where photosynthesis takes place. The cuticle has a dual function - keeping water in and keeping the leaf surface dry.
In plants adapted to arid conditions (xerophytes), like this Aloe variegata , the cuticle is visible as an extremely thick transparent layer that allows very little water to escape from the leaf.
In plants that are subjected to frequent rainfall, like this nasturtium Tropaeolum majus leaf, fine grooves in the cuticle surface trap air below the water droplets, which then round-up under their own surface tension and simply roll off the leaf when it shakes in the wind. This is vital, as a wet leaf surface blocks stomata and prevents carbon dioxide from entering, slowing down photosynthesis. As the water rolls off the leaf it carries away dirt and dust, so the leaf cuticle is effectively a self-cleaning surface - a phenomenon known as the lotus effect, referring to the extremely hydrophobic self-cleaning leaves of sacred lotus. The silvery area under the central water droplet in the image above is caused by minute air bubbles, trapped between the water and the leaf surface.
The cuticle can also have a secondary defensive role, as seen in this painfully prickly leaf of the hedgehog holly Ilex aquifolium ferox, which is covered in cuticular spines. In general, leaves of evergreens, that survive for several years before they are shed, tend to have thick cuticles that protect the leaf against herbivore attack throughout their extended life.
Snail Eggs
Some of our project students have been working on the feeding habits of garden snails Helix aspersa and one of our postgrads, Chantelle Kerr, drew my attention to the fact that some of their snails had been laying eggs in the tanks where we were keeping them. I was hoping to see some signs of the developing embryos when I took a look at these under the microscope, but the eggs were disappointingly cloudy. But then, on closer examination, the cloudiness turned out to be something rather interesting. Take a look at the eggs on the microscope slide above and you can just about see clusters of white specks inside them (double click for a larger image), especially in the two at the back.
These turned out to be vast numbers of calcium carbonate crystals, embedded in the outer gelatinous egg capsule. The purple background colour is the result of using a colour filter to improve the contrast - not the real colour of the egg interior, which is colourless.
At higher magnification you can see that some crystals are simple cubes, while others are aggregated together. What are they for? Well, a quick search of the web reveals that the embryonic snails use this store of calcium to produce their first shell - the parent snail provides them with a supply of building materials for a shell when it lays the egg. You can read more about the chemistry of snail shells by visiting the excellent Snails Tales blog.
All That Comes To Mind 2
As declared in the blog,I am going to share my personal feelings in a slightly covered up way in All That Comes To Mind series of posts.So,it was quite a hard-working day today and if I am asked to catch up memories of Leisure this weekend,it was yesterday when I watched the animation movie Up (I am going to review this soon.) and I loved it.Though it was purely unscientific almost in every part of it,the emotions were nicely thought of and presented in a truly artistic way.Usually,I stay away from what they call Romantic Movies - the concept turns out a bit irritating to me.Its like,a boy meets a girl and then they suddenly get chased by Martians or gangsters (doesnt matter the former or latter) and they get lost somewhere and have to cling to each other all the time.I like realistic movies,but if I am asked to go psychedelic or fictional,I would readily agree.But this is neither fictional,nor psychedelic - this is STUPID.Coming back to Up, I quite loved the way how the romantic things between Carl and Ellie have been captured.The entire movie was based on their relationship,Carls love for Ellie,their sorrows and smiles and emotions and sharing it all;rather the memories of it all.So,even people who do not like Romantic Movies have to love this.And about FIFA World Cup,I want to see two things - the Referees who conducted the matches between Nigeria and France sent to jail.They kicked Nigerian players,threw them to the ground and whatever wrong things they did,the referee kept observing and did not show the littlest honesty anytime.He did not even show an yellow card to those idiots from the French team.I want them to go to exile and I mean it.The other thing is the Colombian player who hit Neymar. I want that creature in jail. Its raining here quite well and almost everyday and the scenic beauty along with the feeling that comes with the calm,refreshed environment is amazing.Loved to share it all.Thanks for reading the blog.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Dull as ditchwater
Ditches can be surprisingly interesting, on a microscopic scale. This diatom and filament of Spirogyra came from a ditch beside a disused railway line at Romaldkirk in Teesdale this afternoon. In one of the images you can see a diatom dividing.
Lock any folder without using any software
1. Suppose you have a folder named abcd in D:abcd.
2. In the same drive next to the folder create a new notepad file with the exact statementren abcd abcd.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}
3. Now save this text file as loc.bat
4. Create another notepad file and typeren abcd.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} abcd
5. Save this as key.bat
6. Now there are two batch files. Double click loc.bat and your folder will change into Control Panel and its contents cannot be viewed .
7. To open the folder double click key.bat and you get back your original folder.
8. For more safety keep the key.bat in another location . Only for unlocking copy paste to the original location and double click..
Comics Squad Recess!
The eight comic selections veer from the silly to the sillier. The anthology starts with the brilliant Gene Luen Yangs "The Super-Secret Ninja Club," a savvy story about a dweeby kid who aspires to be a member of said club. Dav Pilkey of Captain Underpants fame signs in with a subversive homework assignment from our friends George B. and Harold H. Their assignment is prefaced with a note home from their teacher, who informs the parents: "I have told both boys on numerous occasions that the classroom is no place for creativity." Other contributors include Ursula Vernon, Eric Wight, Dan Santat, Raina Telgemeier, and Dave Roman. All supply hilarious riffs on the ups and downs of recess.
Comics Squad: Recess!
Edited by Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm, Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Random House, 144 pages
Published: July 2014
Neck Pain and Dizziness Part 2
HUMAN BODY SYSTEM DIAGRAM :
In part 1 of the article I wrote entitled "Neck Pain and Dizziness", I asked the question on whether or neck pain and dizziness are related to each other.
Neck Pain and Dizziness Part 2
If indeed they are related, this would help us understand why we often have the two happening at the same time, but more importantly, if we focus on alleviating our neck pain, we can also alleviate our dizziness as well.
This is very important, because if you Google drug treatments for vertigo, you will see a host of pharmaceuticals for this condition, and any time we can avoid taking medication for something we can help naturally, then youve vastly improved your overall health.
Also in part 1 of Neck Pain and Dizziness, we mentioned that the center in the brainstem responsible for balance is called the vestibular nucleus. Four sources for stimulating or sending information to the vestibular nucleus were reviewed: the Inner ear (Labyrinthine), the cerebellum, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and the cervical vertebra C1-3. This type of vertigo is called Cervical Vertigo, or Cervicogenic Vertigo, and this is where we left off.
So lets continue.
CERVICAL VERTIGO:
A relationship between cervical spine trauma and the symptoms of vertigo has been researched and documented. Dr. Linda Luxon notes in her chapter titled "posttraumatic vertigo" (1) that this type of vertigo can be explained by disruption of cervical proprioceptive input.
From the Latin word proprius, meaning "ones own" and perception-is one of the human senses. Hence, ones own human sense functions to sense orientation of ones limbs in space. In the case of the neck or cervical spine, we have proprioceptors throughout the anatomy of the neck. They function in the neck to sense stretch or quick movements, and ultimately tell our brain where we are in space and time.
This information of where our head is in space then gets relayed or sent to the vestibular nulcei, the balance centers in our brain. The major source of cervical spine information gets sent from with the joints and capsules in the neck.
That said, whenever a problem with the upper cervical spinal joints exist, or a problem with the neck in general, altered signals get sent to the vestibular nucleus, sending faulty information of where our head is in time and space.
The result?
Try Dizziness and Vertigo.
So why would our neck have a problem with the joints and capsules in the first place, that would result in the faulty relaying of centers to the balance centers in the brain? Trauma for one. Any motor vehicle accident, or jar that we take to the neck. Better yet, postural stress. Postural stress of being in front of a computer, using our cell phones, sleeping awkwardly, driving for a long duration, and a host of other things that we do on a daily basis.
All in all, this is actually great news. If you suffer with neck pain, vertigo, and dizziness, and have not had any relief, then focusing on correcting the neck problems may actually help not only your neck pain, but your dizziness as well.
So, the question becomes, why dont you know about this?
Not to get too political, but, the drug industry is a Multi Billion dollar industry, and they have a stake at promoting their products. Unfortunately, as well, in general, society is looking for a magic pill. One that we go to bed at night with, and wake up in the morning with whatever we took the pill for fixing the problem. That is the "should be world" and unfortunately, we live in the "is world".
The "is" world when it comes to vertigo, dizziness and neck pain, IS to improve the "mechanical function of these joints", fix the faulty signals being sent to the vertigo centers in the brain, and fix the vertigo, dizziness, and neck problems.
I know that If I where you, I would be asking right about now "What the heck is mechanical function of the neck joints???" More importantly, "how do I fix the mechanical function of the neck joints"????
Well great question, funny you should ask. I try to explain things in a simple and easy analogies to understand things that we may not be familiar with. So, think about our joints in the neck like a door hinge.
Now I know that this analogy is a bit crude, but, we all understand how a hinge joint works. With a door, the way the hinge joint was designed allows the door to swing open and swing closed. All we have to do is push the door and viola, it swings open.
Two joints in the body that are called hinge joints are the elbow and knee. These joints can swing open and closed, or flex and extend in one direction, like a hinge joint of a door (more or less). But think about when that hinge joint becomes faulty.
Perhaps it is rusty, or not lubricated properly, the joint stops working properly. When that happens, the door may not open up as much, the joint my grind, and then it really becomes difficult to get through the doorway. If we force the door too much, where the hinge is mounted to the framework, that may begin to loosen up as well. Now you have an even bigger problem.
Well the neck joints are similar in the way they breakdown. The joints in the spine or called facet joints (see above diagram for an illustration). In the case of the facet joints in the neck, when we bend our neck to look downwards, the joints open up or separate. When we look up to the sky, the joints bear down on each other and come together. We also have the ability to turn left and right, and laterally flex each ear to the respected shoulder.
This is what we call "normal joint mechanics" or mechanical function of the neck joints.
So how do we fix this mechanical function in the neck? Well, techniques to improve range of motion, in all directions is the first suggestion. In order to do that, we have to first determine what ranges of motion or what direction we are limited in.
As a quick reference, AMA guidelines for spinal motion are as follows
Flexion= 60 degrees
Extension= 75 degrees
Cervical Right Lateral Flexion= 40 degrees
Cervical Left Lateral Flexion= 40 degrees
Cervical Right Rotation = 80 degrees
Cervical Left Rotation = 80 degrees
So step 1. would be to evaluate your own range of motion with the "eyeball method" and determine if you have a) full ranges in all direction b) pain free movement b) symmetry between left and right motions (that is, left motion is as good as right motion and vice versa).
Once you have determined any "dysfunctions with your range of motion, you are ready to go on to step 2. So keep posted for my 3rd and final installment of "Neck Pain and Dizziness" where I continue to give you valuable information to help to improve your mechanical function of your neck and get rid of your vertigo once and for all.
Till next time, watching your back (and neck)
Reference:
Luxon L. "Posttraumatic Vertigo" in Disorder of the Vestibular System, edited by Robert W. Baloh and G. Michael Halmagyi, Oxford University Press, 1996
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Seuss Fans Rejoice!
Even though Theodore Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, died more than twenty years ago, new work of his continues to be published. The latest is a recently discovered "lost" manuscript--with illustrations!--titled What Pet Should I Get? The book features the same brother and sister protagonists who appeared in One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, and was apparently written sometime between 1958 and 1962.
Published by Random House Children’s Books, What Pet Should I Get? will be on bookshelves on July 28th of this year. At least two more books are in the works, all based on materials uncovered in the good doctors home. Mark your calendars, Seussians!
Top Ten Books I Feel As Though Everyone Has Read But Moi
1. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.
Okay, I did read the first one but wasnt inspired to read the others.
2. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Never got around to The Lord of the Rings either.
3. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster.
Just celebrated its 50th year anniversary.
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
50th anniversary was last year.
5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.
And Im a mystery fan.
6. The Giver by Lois Lowry.
Love her other novels, yet never got around to reading her most popular one.
7. The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.
Read Her Fearful Symmetry and didnt care for it.
8. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman.
Ive heard again and again how great this trilogy is. One day.
9. Maus: A Survivors Tale by Art Spiegelman.
Lately Ive been reading--and enjoying-- a lot of graphic novels so I really should read the one that started the trend.
10. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens.
Although Ive read a few of his lesser-known novels, I havent read the big ones, including Great Expectations, Bleak House, etc. I enjoy Dickens, so I should read more of him, but his novels are soooo long.
Make Your Cd Autorun
If you wanna make a autorun file for that CD you are ready to burn just read this...
1) You open notepad
2) now you writ: [autorun]
OPEN=INSTALLSetup_filename.EXE
ICON=INSTALLSetup_filename.EXE
Now save it but not as a .txt file but as a .inf file.
But remember! The "Setup_filename.EXE" MUST be replaced with the name of the setup file. And you also need to rember that it is not all of the setup files there are called .exe but some are called .msi
3) Now burn your CD with the autorun .inf file included.
4) Now set the CD in you CD drive and wait for the autorun to begin or if nothing happens just double-click on the CD drive in "This Computer"
Dogs
Enjoy these fun dog facts that delivera variety of information about interesting
breeds, puppies, guide dogs such as
Labradors and much more. As the
famous saying goes, dogs are man’s
best friend. Whether it’s as reliable
workers, family pets or loyal companions,
dogs are wonderful domestic animals
that offer a number of qualities that
are put to good use by humans.
|
What A Tangled Web We Weave
HUMAN BODY SYSTEM DIAGRAM :
Just like the world wide web, the web of life is an interconnected system. The only difference is that these food chains, and food webs are representations of the predator-prey relationships between species within an ecosystem or habitat.
What A Tangled Web We Weave
Although humans are the most (self-professed) advanced form of life on earth, we are still very much dependent (whether we like it or not) on the web of life for our survival. We may needlessly take our trees for granted, and needlessly clear cut our forests, but they selflessly take our exhaled carbon dioxide and turn it back into breathable oxygen. We also rely on the web for our source of food. Without plants and animals within the web, we would not have enough nutrients for our bodies to survive. Yet here as well, we destroy our food crops by using genetically modified farming, the use of pesticides and by injecting animal food sources with growth hormones and penicillin.
Most of us, at one time or another, have drawn the proverbial food chain diagram at school. You know the one that shows the lion who eats the gazelle, who eats the grass, that gets its nourishment from the soil, that consists of organisms that help replenish the soil, and help decompose animal and plant remains? The purpose of this exercise, was to illustrate how we are all interconnected and dependent on one another. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line, man forgot the importance of these web relationships and began causing human inflicted factors that threaten the web and our very existence.
This being said, sadly enough, the complete list of human causal factors affecting the web of life are far to exhaustive to list here, but here are a few of the top ones: encroaching urbanization, global warming, the use of chemicals, invasive species due to human activities, genetic engineering, nanotechnology and overpopulation.
Today, species are going extinct at an unprecedented rate, and relationships within the web are also being disrupted by human interference at the same unparalleled rate.
Think of the web of life as being like a car or the human body. If there is a breakdown in one part, it may have detrimental effects on the whole. The web of life can compensate for some of the team players going extinct some of the time (as nature adapts), but in some instances like with Keystone species, the absence of their crucial role in the web, (like the absence of a quarterback in a football game), would result in dramatically altering the ecosystem forever.
Just like most environmental problems, there are solutions. The most simple way to make change, is to extend the old adage, "Do onto others as you would want done one to you", except in this instance, we need to extend this passage to reflect all participating members of our ecosystem (both big and small) not to just humans. So next time you pass a by a cow or even an ant, respect them for the part they play in preserving our existence.
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Ear Diagram
Images gallery of ear diagram
Ear Diagram
Ever wonder how the ear works? How does sound travel through the ear and to your brain? An Ear Diagram will show how the ear works. The ear can be divided into three
Anatomy of the Ear * Otolaryngology Houston
Simplified anatomical diagram of the ear. This page was last updated: April 7, 2012
The Ear Human Anatomy Picture Function Definition Conditions
WebMDs Ear Anatomy Page provides a detailed image and definition of the ear as well as an overview of ear-related health problems. Learn about the ears function in
Diagram of the Ear pm.appstate.edu
Diagram of the Ear . The Outer Ear . The Middle Ear
Ear Anatomy Diagram EnchantedLearning
Ear Anatomy Diagram Printout. EnchantedLearning.com is a user-supported site. As a bonus, site members have access to a banner-ad-free version of the site, with
Human 3D Human ear diagram diagram of the human ear
Human body software for students, medical professionals, curious adults, and teachers: human anatomy diagrams, human skeleton, human muscular system, human ear
A DIAGRAM OF THE EAR SOM State of Michigan
A DIAGRAM OF THE EAR Author: Debra R Keehne Last modified by: Administrator Created Date: 10/19/2011 2:00:00 PM Company: MDCH Other titles: A DIAGRAM OF THE EAR
Diagram of the Ear its Functions Buzzle
Diagram of the Ear and its Functions The ear is another extraordinary organ of the house of wonders, that is, human body. The ear catches sound waves and
Monday, March 16, 2015
High Low frequency sounds
urology books
1.Radical Prostatectomy: From Open to Robotic
2.Nephron-Sparing Surgery
3.Management of BPH
4.Essential Urology: A Guide to Clinical Practice (Current Clinical Urology)
5.Manual Endourology: Training for Residents
6.Endourooncology: New Horizons in Endourology (Recent Advances in Endourology)
7.Smiths General Urology, 17th edition
8.Campbell Walsh Urology 9th ed
Aplastic Anemia
Aplastic anemia is a disorder characterized by the suppression of multipotent myeloid stem cells, with resultant anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia (pancytopenia).
A form of anemia where there is selective suppression of erythroid stem cells reffered to pure red cell aplasia – diamond blackfan syndrome, in which anemia is the only manifestation.
Basic structure of a Glomerulus
The visceral epithelium (podocytes) is an intrinsic part of the capillary wall, whereas the parietal epithelium lines Bowman space
The glomerular capillary wall is the filtration unit and consists of the following
A thin layer of fenestrated endothelial cells
A glomerular basement membrane (GBM) with a thick, electron-dense central layer, the lamina densa, and thinner, electron-lucent peripheral layers, the lamina rara
The visceral epithelial cells (podocytes), structurally complex cells that possess interdigitating processes. Adjacent foot processes are separated by 20- to 30-nm-wide filtration slits
supported by mesangial cells lying between the capillaries, these cells are contractile and are capable of proliferation, of laying down both matrix and collagen, and of secreting a number of biologically active mediators
glomerular barrier function, discriminates among protein molecules depending on their size (the larger, the less permeable), their charge (the more cationic, the more permeable), and their conformation.
Surface markings of the more important thoracic contents Figs 2–4
The Trachea
The trachea commences in the neck at the level of the lower border of the cricoid cartilage (COMPLETE RING OF CARTILAGE AROUND THE TRACHEA (C6)) and runs vertically downwards to end at the level of the sternal angle of Louis (T4/5), just to the right of the mid-line, by dividing to form the right and left main bronchi. In the erect position and in full inspiration the level of bifurcation (THE SPLITTING OF A MAIN BODY INTO TWO PARTS) is at T6.
The Pleura
The cervical pleura can be marked out on the surface by a curved line drawn from the sternoclavicular joint (JOINT BETWEEN THE CLAVICLES AND THE STERNUM) to the junction of the medial and middle thirds of the clavicle; the apex of the pleura is about 2.5cm above the clavicle. This fact is easily explained by the oblique slope of the first rib. It is important because the pleura can be wounded (with consequent pneumothorax) by a stab wound — and this includes the surgeon’s knife and the anaesthetist’s needle—above the clavicle.
The lines of pleural reflexion pass from behind the sternoclavicular joint on each side to meet in the midline at the 2nd costal cartilage (the angle of Louis). The right pleural edge then passes vertically downwards to the 6th costal cartilage and then crosses:
•◊◊the 8th rib in the midclavicular line;
•◊◊the 10th rib in the midaxillary line;
•◊◊the 12th rib at the lateral border of the erector spinae (VERTEBRAL MUSCLES).
On the left side the pleural edge arches laterally at the 4th costal cartilage and descends lateral to the border of the sternum, due, of course, to its lateral displacement by the heart; apart from this, its relationships are those of the right side.
The pleura actually descends just below the 12th rib margin at its medial extremity (LIMIT) — or even below the edge of the 11th rib if the 12th is unusually short; obviously in this situation the pleura may be opened accidentally in making a loin incision to expose the kidney, perform an adrenalectomy or to drain a subphrenic abscess.
The Lungs
The surface projection of the lung is somewhat less extensive than that of the parietal pleura (OUTER LINING OF THE THORAX) as outlined above, and in addition it varies quite considerably with the phase of respiration. The apex of the lung closely follows the line of the cervical pleura (THE DOME-SHAPED LAYER OF PARIETAL PLEURA LINING THE CERVICAL EXTENSION OF THE PLEURAL CAVITY) and the surface marking of the anterior border of the right lung corresponds to that of the right mediastinal pleura (SECTION OF THE PARIETAL PLEURA).
On the left side, however, the anterior border has a distinct notch (the cardiac notch) which passes behind the 5th and 6th costal cartilages. The lower border of the lung has an excursion of as much as 5–8cm in the extremes of respiration, but in the neutral position (MIDWAY BETWEEN INSPIRATION AND EXPIRATION) it lies along a line which crosses the 6th rib in the midclavicular line (VERTICAL LINE CROSSING THROUGH THE CLAVICLE), the 8th rib in the midaxillary line (PERPENDICULAR LINE DRAWN DOWNWARD FROM THE APEX OF THE AXILLA), and reaches the 10th rib adjacent (NEIGHBOURING) to the vertebral column posteriorly (FROM THE BACK).
The oblique fissure, which divides the lung into upper and lower lobes, is indicated on the surface by a line drawn obliquely downwards and outwards from 2.5cm lateral (ADJACENT) to the spine of the 5th thoracic vertebra to the 6th costal cartilage about 4cm from the midline. This can be represented approximately by abducting the shoulder to its full extent; the line of the oblique fissure then corresponds to the position of the medial (IN THE CENTER) border of the scapula.
The surface marking of the transverse fissure (separating the middle and upper lobes of the right lung) is a line drawn horizontally along the 4th costal cartilage and meeting the oblique fissure where the latter crosses the 5 th rib.
The heart
The outline of the heart can be represented on the surface by the irregular quadrangle bounded by the following four points (Fig. 4):
1◊◊the 2nd left costal cartilage 12mm from the edge of the sternum;
2◊◊the 3rd right costal cartilage 12mm from the sternal edge;
3◊◊the 6th right costal cartilage 12mm from the sternum;
4◊◊the 5th left intercostal space 9cm from the midline (corresponding to the apex beat).
The left border of the heart (indicated by the curved line joining points 1 and 4) is formed almost entirely by the left ventricle (the auricular appendage (ADDITION) of the left atrium peeping around this border superiorly), the lower border (the horizontal line joining points 3 and 4) corresponds to the right ventricle and the apical part of the left ventricle; the right border (marked by the line joining points 2 and 3) is formed by the right atrium (see Fig. 24a).
A good guide to the size and position of your own heart is given by placing your clenched right fist palmar surface down immediately inferior (LOWER, UNDER) to the manubriosternal junction.
Note that the heart is about the size of the subject’s fist, lies behind the body of the sternum (therefore anterior to thoracic vertebrae 5–8), and bulges over to the left side. The surface markings of the vessels of the thoracic wall are of importance if these structures are to be avoided in performing aspiration of the chest.
The internal thoracic (internal mammary) vessels run vertically downwards behind the costal cartilages half an inch from the lateral border of the sternum. The intercostal vessels lie immediately below their corresponding ribs (the vein above the artery) so that it is safe to pass a needle immediately above a rib, dangerous to pass it immediately below (see Fig. 8).
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