Editor’s Page: Visitors from Pakistan Welcome to ‘Discover Life’

It was at 4:30am today, in India, when I opened my site Discover life and found 4 visitors from our neighboring country Pakistan. It was quite exciting for me, as a neighboring nation’s citizen, as well as an internet writer, when I found the number of Pakistani visitors exceeding those from my own country India within a short span of four and a half hours.


The details of the visitors from Pakistan are as follows:

1. A visitor from Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan: Viewed "Discover Life: Bigg Boss Season-5 (India): TV review Housemates" 1 hour 4 mins ago
2. A visitor from Islamabad, Pakistan: Viewed "Discover Life: Bigg Boss Season-5 (India): TV review Housemates" 3 hours 34 mins ago
3. A visitor from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan: Viewed "Discover Life: Bigg Boss Season-5 (India): TV review Housemates" 3 hours 58 mins ago
4. A visitor from Karachi, Sindh: viewed "Discover Life: TV Review... Laagi Tujhse Lagan:" 4 hours 19 mins ago

It is relevant to mention here that India and Pakistan are not friendly countries in spite of being bifurcated from the British India 62 years back. Both the countries fought many wars on various ‘border issues’ after independence from the British rule. 


Politicians of both the countries kept committing blunders after blunders that resulted into widening rifts between the people of both the countries. They, in fact, laid the foundation of hatred between these countries by agreeing to the division of British India into three parts that are India, West Pakistan and East Pakistan (currently Bangladesh). This division was based on religious bias and linguistic discrimination that could be considered as primitive in any angles of views. 


In fact the people of both these countries (and of course those of Bangladesh) are the original natives of ancient India. They lived together for hundreds of centuries on this soil. They have common languages, common race and common ancestry. 


I recall our recent trip to the US when we visited a Pakistani friend’s place on a lovely dinner and enjoyed exotic Pakistani Sindhi cuisines like Biriyani and Kabab in addition to many others mouthwatering delicacies. Having been addressed as ‘uncle’ and ‘aunty’ we felt at home with them at their place. We finally returned to India carrying many sweet memories of our Pakistani friends and of course the lovely gifts presented by them. 


I welcome my Pakistani friends to my site ‘Discover Life’ and appeal them to post their messages and comments under the articles, for registering their presence. This is really a matter of pride and rejoices for me on finding my distant cousins, from across the frontiers, just by the side of me.


Thanks indeed,


Harish Jharia 
Discover Life
30 November 2011


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Thanksgiving Day Celebrations in the United States:

- Harish Jharia 

The 4th Friday of November every year is celebrated as Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Thanksgiving celebration in United States is considered as the most important event after Charismas and New Year Day. 

Photo clicked by Harish Jharia on Nokia N8 12MPix Mobile Phone


These celebrations are also associated with extended holidays. The Friday after the Thanksgiving Day that is also called the ‘Black Friday’, is usually declared holiday in some states and by some offices also.  As such the four day vacation becomes a grand occasion for the people of the United States for getting together, shopping and partying.

During the Civil War in the year 1863, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th US President proclaimed the Thanksgiving Day a national holiday on Thursday, November 26, 1863. Since then the Thanksgiving Day is observed on the fourth Thursdays of November month every year. 

Ancient History of Thanksgiving Day:


The modern Thanksgiving Day may also be traced back to a 1621 celebration at the Plymouth Plantation, where the Plymouth settlers held a harvest feast after a successful crop. This was continued in later years, first as an unofficial religious observance, and later it continued as a social tradition.
   

Squanto, a Patuxent Native American who lived with Wampanoag tribe, taught a group of Pilgrims the expertise for catching eel fish and growing corn. He also worked for them as their interpreter. The Wampanoag leader Massasoit donated food stock to the upcoming colony during the first winter when supplies brought from England were exhausted. Eventually, The Pilgrims then set apart a day for celebrating a ‘thanksgiving day’ at Plymouth immediately after their first harvest, in 1621.


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Crazy Ideas: How to Identify Cosmetics, Without Glasses, While Taking Shower

        Photo clicked on Nokia N8, 12 MPix Mobile

People with glasses usually do not have problems in their day-to-day chores and activities as long as they keep their glasses on. But we have to remove our glasses in our bathrooms while taking bath, especially when we shampoo our hair and apply conditioner. 


Conditioners and shampoos usually have identical tubes and are hard to be identified without spectacles. If you use glasses and are not able to differentiate between shampoo and conditioner, then just write ‘S’ for Shampoo and ‘C’ for Conditioner, on the tube, in  big bold letters with the help of a permanent marker pen.


Have a look at the big bold ‘S’ and ‘C’ in the illustration that can be easily resolved without glasses.


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Senior Citizens: Old Age Bone Disorder ‘Postmenopausal Osteoporosis’

© Harish Jharia

Postmenopausal Osteoporosis is a bone disorder that develops in women after 50 years of their age when they enter in menopause. This disorder drastically reduces bone-mass in women in their fifties and above, rendering them vulnerable to fractures even with minor injuries.

In addition to the women in their advanced age, this bone disorder (Osteoporosis) may affect others also irrespective to their age and gender. Therefore, the symptoms of this disease, its treatment and precautionary measures would be same.  

Many women and men develop hunchback and hump on their backs in advanced ages due to this ailment. Fractures also occur due to osteoporosis at hip joints, ankle joints, knee joints, elbow joints and wrist joints or at any other joint or portion of bones that is subjected to injuries.  


                           Porous material

The term ‘Osteoporosis’ has emerged out of the word ‘porous’ that describes any material or body that, unlike solids, contains pores and may allow infiltration of liquids or air across itself. By turning porous, human bones also lose their density, strength and elasticity and eventually become weak and brittle. The porous, brittle and thinned bones become susceptible to cracks and breakage even with minor injuries or accidents.  

The process of weakening of bones occurs silently and progressively. In almost all the cases, no symptoms are notices until the first fracture is inflicted. Therefore, the policy of running for a fire-extinguisher after noticing a fire, would not suit for human beings. There are many precautionary medications that can effectively stop deterioration in human bones.  

Women after the age of 45 and above are required to be regularly examined by doctors. They should take nutritious diet rich in proteins, minerals and calcium.  Their bone health requirements should be met with calcium supplements as advised by their doctors. Doctors usually prescribe daily intake of 800 mg of Calcium, vitamin D and Folic acid for women in their advanced age. 

In addition to intake of supplements, women should also do regular exercise or workout and keep their muscles tuned-up that will support the weak bones. 

There are medicines for women identified as Osteoporosis patients for treatment of this disorder. Following is one of the latest medicines that is prescribed for the patients of Osteoporosis by doctors:

• Name of medicine: Fosavance***, 70mg / 5600IU
• Salt: Alendronate Sodium Trihydrate 70mg and Colecalciferol 5600IU
• Manufacturers: Merck Sharp & Dohme, Australia; Merck & Co, Inc., USA  
• Classification: Schedule H drug, to be administered only on prescription of a Doctor

*** To be administered under supervision of a Doctor

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What is menopause? Click here to know the answer...
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Disclaimer:
This article is written based on my personal observations and on the information collected from the media. My intention for publishing the same is to provide healthy reading and intellectual entertainment and not for educating the visitors. No literature or authentic books have been referred for writing the contents of this article. The visitors are advised not to refer the contents of this article for any research or testimony on academic or legal purposes. The visitors are further advised to consult relevant experts before adapting any information from this article. The author or the website are not responsible for any errors, mistakes, or omissions there in. 
- Harish Jharia
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Fall Colors in Ashburn, Virginia, USA: Difference between 'Before'... 'During' and 'after' Fall Color Seasons

© Harish Jharia 


Look at the difference between a maple tree 'before'... 'during' and 'after' fall color seasons. Here are the freshly clicked pictures:

Please click on the images for magnifying to full screen view:  

   Maple Tree Before Fall Color Season:

              Maple Tree During Fall Color Season:

Maple Tree 10 days after Fall Color Photo:

            Maple Leaves Before Fall Color Season:

             Maple Leaves During Fall Color Season:

Maple Leaves During Fall Color Season: In brilliant Color

The above Photographs have been taken by Harish Jharia, with Nokia N8, 12 MPx mobile phone...

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Senior Citizens: Age Is a Crucial Factor That Affects Human Life The Most

11.11.11; Ashburn, Virginia, USA

© Harish Jharia  


Today is 11.11.11, a magic figure that will repeat again only in the year 2111 that is exactly after 100 years from now. 100 year period is quite a huge era that covers nearly 4 to 5 generations and a life span that very few human beings survive.  There might be many people surviving 100 years of age in the world, nevertheless, I have not seen or heard about any such centurion or super-centurion in my life.

As far as I know, very few people can survive beyond the age of 90 in India, as this is an age far more than the average longevity. The life expectancy or the average longevity of Indians, as evolved out of the statistics collected in the year 2000 census was about 60 to 61 years.  However, this is a statistical figure and is not applicable directly and individually to us and to the people around us.  


We all know that life expectancy in rural India is quite low because the people out there have to live harder lives under rampant poverty, starvation and have hardly any medical facilities in their villages. Whereas, the average longevity of the people in urban India is better because they are well off, as far as nutrition for their health and medical facilities for protecting their lives is concerned. 


Whatever might be the average life expectancy, the fact of life remains that death is inevitable and so are the stages of our lives that is childhood, youth and old age.  


Age plays peculiar role in our lives and is looked at by us with different angles of view in different stages of our lives.  When we were small children we wanted to become big like our parents. Boys wanted to shave their beards whereas the girls always longed to grow up and wear makeup and contemporary outfits.  We used to feel offended when we were treated as babies and addressed as kids. We used to claim that we were big and not babies anymore.  


Nevertheless, the desire for growing bigger diminishes successively, on reaching our thirties when we miss the freedom and carefree lives of our childhood. We also miss the love, care and compassion of our parents as we grow older and older. We develop instinctive hesitation in declaring our real age and the growing age prompts us to light one single candle on our birthday cakes, thereafter. 


The cycling and recycling of the visualization of our age keeps changing until we grow real old. Our status changed from offspring to siblings. Then we graduated from being siblings to parents. The final status we have acquired now is of grandparents after having superannuated of our day-to-day liabilities. 


After crossing the age of 60 the same feeling of our childhood reappears when we do not want to be called as small. We would like to declare ourselves as a bit much older than our real age. Eventually, the cycle of visualization of our age completes and we are recognized as senior citizens. 


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Editors Page: Opening Senior Citizens and Old Age Section on “Discover Life” on 11.11.11

       The dusk of life Courtesy HelpAge India
      http://www.helpageindia.org/index.php

© Harish Jharia

My trip to US in 2011 has been quite memorable as I came across many good incidents and enjoyed happy moments. One of the memorable incidents was my meeting with a neighbors’ parent. We exchanged pleasantries and shared thoughts with each other for an hour and felt comfortable on knowing that both of us belonged to the same intellectual level. 


As it happens with most of the elderly people, we too enquired about each other’s health especially BP, diabetes and conditions of our hearts. Then we discussed the day-to-day problems related to retired professionals and eventually came to the conclusive question that is “How old are you?” My new friend declared proudly that he was senior by fifteen years to me. He felt yet more enchanted when I commented that he did not look that old. 


That was the point when we switched over to talks about old-age, old-age-homes and the global concern about the lives and problems of senior citizens. My friend expressed pleasure on knowing that I were a blogger and wrote articles, stories and novels for my site. He looked at me for a moment and shot a straight question whether I wrote articles for and about senior citizens. I could watch an expression of appreciation on his face when I assured him that I had written many articles on old age, especially about women in their advanced age. 


My friend extended his hand for a hand-shake and asked me to write more and more on senior citizens. He also sought copies of such articles for him and for his NGOs. 


Now, as a tribute to my new friend and for honoring the senior citizens world over, “Discover Life” is going to open a new section titled as ‘Senior Citizens’ on this site on 11.11.11. We promise to publish more and more articles on the previous generations without that we would not have been here today.


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Madame Tussauds Museum Washington DC:

We visited Madame Tussauds Museum, this month, in Washingtom DC. Here are some photographs taken with the wax statues and sets.

Please click on the images to see enlarged views on full screen:

    Statue of a young Madame Tussauds herself 

    

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Noise Pollution: Acoustic Noise Barriers for Residential Areas along High Traffic Roads in the USA

                    Click on image to magnify 

© Harish Jharia

The above photo was clicked while going on-road from Ashburn to Denville in September 2011.  This is a photograph of one of the acoustic walls constructed along the high traffic roads for protecting residents against noise pollution.

                    Click on the image to magnify 

What are Acoustic Noise Barriers?

Noise barriers are solid obstructions built between the roads and the residential houses along highways. They do not completely block noises; nevertheless, they reduce overall noise levels. Ideal noise barriers may reduce noise levels by 5 to 10 decibels (dB), reducing the loudness of traffic noise by almost half. For example, a barrier designed for a 10-dB reduction can reduce sound level of a typical tractor trailer equivalent to an automobile like car or SUV.

Acoustic noise barriers are made of different materials viz cement, wood or specific synthetic materials. Their thickness (usually 6-8 in) and height (usually 15 ft) are designed according to the traffic and geo-environmental conditions.

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Solar Eclipse: How the Sun Turns Dark Under Eclipse

       Click on this image for enlarged view on full screen


© Harish Jharia


What is solar eclipse?


Solar eclipse is a celestial constellation in which we are not able to see the sun partially and in another case the view of the sun is completely blocked. These eclipses are called ‘partial eclipse’ and ‘total eclipse’ respectively.  Let us discuss solar eclipse in common man’s language, without using scientific or astronomical terminologies.    


How does solar eclipse occur?


Eclipse of sun commonly known as solar eclipse takes place only on the new moon days that means on the days when the moon moves to the side of the earth  where there is day-time rather than appearing at night as usual. 


During solar eclipse, similar to the new-moon’s situation, moon comes in between sun and earth in a straight line. In this situation moon obstructs sunrays falling on the earth and eventually forms two types of shadows on the earth’s surface. 


The Umbra:
One of the shadows is the dark circular shadow called ‘umbra’ which is formed due to complete obstruction of sunrays by the moon. This is the area on the earth’s surface from where the view of the sun is completely blocked by moon, resulting into total eclipse. That means total eclipse would be visible from this area of dark circular shadow (Umbra). 


The Penumbra:
The other shadow is a lighter circular shadow called ‘Penumbra’ which spreads outside and concentric to the dark circular shadow (Umbra). This is the area, outside the periphery of dark shadow on the earth’s surface, from where partially blocked view of the sun is visible, resulting into partial eclipse. That means partial eclipse is visible from the lighter circular shadow (Penumbra). 


You may refer the above illustration in which the sun, moon and earth are shown in a straight line. The paths of sunbeams are also shown emerging from the sun and obstructed by the moon, before falling on the earth. You may clearly see a dark triangular portion, like a tunnel, behind the moon where sunrays are not penetrating. This dark tunnel forms a dark circular shadow (Umbra) on the earth’s surface. You may also notice the lighter circular shadow (Penumbra) around the dark shadow. 


Exclusive views of ‘total eclipse’, ‘partial eclipse’ and that of the earth with shadows of moon ‘umbra’ and ‘penumbra’ formed on the earth’s surface are also provided at the bottom of the illustration. 


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Moon Phases: How they Differ From Lunar Eclipse?

        Click on the image to see enlarged view

© Harish Jharia

There is a celestial phenomenon called ‘the phases of moon’, in which the moon successively changes its shape, every day, from ‘full moon’ to ‘new moon’ in a fortnight and from ‘new moon’ to ‘full moon’ in the following fortnight. We are going to discuss phases of moon in this article in a common man’s language, without using scientific and astronomical terminologies. 

What are phases of moon?
As you know that the moon does not have its own glow and it would be visible to us only when sunrays fall on its surface. Sunrays illuminate half of the moon that is visible to us and the other half of it left dark and apparently remains invisible to us. This is so because moon is a spherical body. This half lit and half dark moon moves around our earth at different angles on different days. In these successively changing situations, the illuminated portion of moon looks to us in different shapes on different days.  

Full Moon (पूर्णिमा): 
Moon does not glow on its own and is only visible to us when sunrays fall on its surface. Full moon would be visible to us, in its full glow, when earth positions itself in-between sun and moon in a straight line.

New Moon (अमावस्या):
New-moon could be better caller as ‘no-moon’ because moon is not visible on new moon day. This situation arises when the moon positions itself between sun and earth and the dark half of the moon faces towards the earth in its day time. Resultantly, in day time the new moon remains invisible to us.

Phases of moon (चंद्र कलाएँ): 
Whereas, the new-moon remains invisible and full-moon shines in its full glow, the moon takes 15 days for growing from new-moon to full moon, successively increasing in its size day-by-day. From the very next day after new-moon and full-moon the changing sizes of the illuminated moon starts appearing in early mornings and late evenings.

You may refer the above illustration wherein various positions of moon vis-à-vis earth are shown receiving parallel sunrays from their left side. Apparently, the left halves of earth and moon are illuminated with sunlight (day time) and the right halves of those are left dark (night time). The shapes and views of moon (as visible from earth) in three different situations, that is- New-moon, full-moon and half-moon are also illustrated at the bottom of the sketch.

Please also read "Lunar Eclipse: How It Differs From Moon Fazes" to know the difference between Lunar eclipse and lunar phases.

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Lunar Eclipse: How It Differs From Moon Fazes

                 Click on the image to see enlarged view

© Harish Jharia

Lunar eclipse is a celestial constellation in which we are not able to see full view of the circular bright moon. The bright portion of the moon is partly visible and the remaining portion of the circular view remains dark. 

There is another phenomenon that is called ‘the phases of moon’, in which the moon successively changes its shape, every day, from ‘full moon’ to ‘new moon’ in a fortnight and from ‘new moon’ to ‘full moon’ in the following fortnight. We are not going to discuss phases of moon in this article and will talk about it in another post on Discover Life. 

What is lunar eclipse?
Let us discuss lunar eclipse in a common man’s language, without using scientific or astronomical terminologies. In lunar eclipse we are able to see the moon only partially and the rest of the portion becomes dark. It appears as if a portion of the moon has been chopped off from its main body.

Full Moon: 
Moon does not glow on its own and is only visible to us when sunrays fall on its surface. Full moon would be visible to us, in its full glow, when earth moves in-between sun and moon in a straight line and the earth does not block sunrays from falling on the moon. 

Eclipse:
Eclipse of moon commonly known as lunar eclipse takes place only on full moon nights. The formation of all the three celestial bodies that is sun, earth and moon remains the same as described under full moon conditions. Nevertheless, there is a little difference that the earth, in addition to being in between sun and moon in a straight line, also obstructs sunlight from falling on the moon surface, either partially or fully. As a result of this obstruction the moon becomes dark and eclipse takes place.

You may refer to the above illustration in which the sun, earth and moon are shown in a straight line. The paths of sunbeams are also shown emerging from the sun and obstructed by the earth. You may clearly see a dark portion behind the earth where sunrays are not penetrating. The illustration shows moon, positioned in the dark triangle behind the earth. This is the ‘full lunar eclipse’ condition when entire moon plunges in the dark tunnel. However when the moon is partially submerged in the dark tunnel, that condition would be called ‘partial lunar eclipse’. 

Please also read "Moon Phases: How they Differ From Lunar Eclipse?" to know the difference between Lunar eclipse and lunar phases. 

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México: National Flag and Basic Data…

Observatory, Chichen Itza, Cancun

Mexico pavilion

Underground Lake in a Cavern

Go to Index... 
URL: http://harishjhariasblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Index%20National%20Flags


Formal Name: United Mexican States
Local Name: México
Local Formal Name: Estados Unidos Mexicanos

Location: North America
Status: UN Member Country
Capital City: Mexico City
Main Cities: Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla
Population: 91,840,000
Area: 1,958,200 km2
Currency: 1 Mexican peso = 100 centavos
Languages: Spanish
Religions: Roman Catholic


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Link to World Flag Database Site: 
URL: http://www.flags.net/GERM.htm#nogo
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Hindi Poem: Kshitij Se Aage (Beyond Horizon)

कविता: क्षितिज से आगे…

© हरीश झारिया 

निकल आया हूँ बहुत ही आगे
मीलों पीछे छूट गया है गाँव मेरा  

कितने ही ठौर आए और छूटते गए

नहीं रुका सिलसिला सफर का 

बड़ा ही लंबा लग रहा है सफ़र अपना

दिख तो रहा है रास्ता दूर तक पीछे का  
दिखता नहीं मगर, वो बसेरा जहाँ रुका था कभी
नहीं दिख रही है वो मिट्टी, जिसे सँवारा था मैंने
रोपे थे पौधे फूलों के, रंग-सुगंध की आस में
और महीनों करता रहा था प्रतीक्षा उनके बढ़ने की 

गुज़र गए हैं वो पल जब मूर्छित हुआ था मैं
फूलों की जगह पाकर कांटों के गुच्छों को  
तेज़ हवा के थपेड़ों में जब डालों ने झूमकर 
कर दिया था लहूलुहान कंटीले गुच्छों से
अदृष्य हो गया है दृष्य मेरे स्वप्न-भंग का
और अपने ही उद्यान से महा पलायन का 

पहुंच गया हूँ आज, जहाँ दिख रहा है अंत धरती का
आ गया है वह अंतिम छोर रुक जाती हैं जहाँ घड़ियाँ 
और पसरा हुआ है असीम, अनन्त ब्रह्माण्ड 
विकट गहरा अंधेरा अंतरिक्ष वीरान 

नहीं बचा है कुछ भी, ना मन में ना जीवन में 
अंततः बढ़ा दिया है वह अंतिम कदम मैंने 
लो छूटती जा रही है धरती पीछे, बहुत पीछे
और गिर नहीं रहा हूं नीचे, उड़ चला हूँ ऊपर की ओर 
ऊपर, और बहुत ऊपर…

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Argentina: National Flag and Basic Data…

     Tennis Star Navratilova 

      Soccer Star Maradona 

        Glaciar Perito Moreno

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URL: http://harishjhariasblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Index%20National%20Flags


Country Name: Argentina
Formal Name: Argentine Republic
Local Formal Name: República Argentina

Continent: South America
Status: UN Member Country
Capital City: Buenos Aires
Main Cities: Córdoba, Rosario, Mendoza, Mar del Plata
Population: 33,875,000
Area: 2,766,890 km2
Currency: 1 peso
Languages: Spanish
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant


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Link to World Flag Database Site: 
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