ORBIS - FLYING EYE HOSPITAL

ORBIS INTERNATIONAL a New York based non-profit humanitarian organisation is dedicated to providing eye care and preventing avoidable blindness.  ORBIS is providing the eye sight to thousands of poor people across the world.  They innovated the idea of a "flying hospital" in 1982 in order to provide the high class medical facility to visually impaired people, who cannot afford the same.  The Flying Eye Hospital is one of the greatest innovations in the medical field and over the last 30 years this aircraft has traveled to 88 countries and provided eye care to more than 15 million people.  In addition to providing the medical treatement to visually impaired people the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital has also provided the much needed training to the local doctors in these countries.  More than 288,000 eye care personnel have benefited from the training provided by Orbis.

This flying eye hospital is fully equipped with Operating Theatre, Recovery Room, Substerile Room, Laser Room, Audiovisual studio and Training Room.  The Flying Eye Hospital was started with a DC - 8 aircraft which was retired in 1994 and donated to the Datangshan Museum near Beijing.  The Opthalmic hospital and teaching facility is housed in a DC - 10 jet aircraft since 1994.  Orbis volunteer pilots fly the plane and the international medical team around the world to teach the sight-saving skills.   There are 22 staff members on board the flying eye hospital which includes opthalmologists, nurses, anaesthesiologists and flight mechanics.  There are 400 medical professionals in 20 countries voluntarily supporting the hospital's activities by providing training and consultations to medical staff in developing countries.



ORBIS alongwith the World Health Organisation has launched the "Vision 2020: The right to sight" initiative to eradicate avoidable blindness by year 2020.

The flying eye hospital is currently at Abu Dhabi to raise awareness and to invite partnerships from medical professionals.

This is truly a fantastic initiative and I wish the Orbis Team all the very best for realising thier Vision 2020.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
29th September 2012

DYNAMO - MAGICIAN IMPOSSIBLE

I have always been fascinated by these magicians and wonder how they so these disappearances and special appearances.  I have watched David Copperfield live in Las Vegas last year and it was a fabulous show.  How these magicians are able to suddenly disappear and also re-appear is truly bewildering to watch.

Steve Frayne is a british magician who has done lot of TV shows and has been performing magic shows for over 10 years now.  He has walked on River Thames,  he has walked through the glass partition on the street side showroom and has put a mobile phone into a bottle.  It is amazing to see how he does all this with such ease.  I watched the video where he does all these three acts and was rewinding the video a few times as it was truly awesome.  I am sharing that video here:



T.P.Anand
28th September 2012
Dubai, U.A.E.

AIRTEL SUPER SINGER JUNIOR 3

Airtel Super Singer Junior 3 has now reached the Finals and today out of 4 contestents only three were selected for Finals.  The three singers who have entered the finals are Gautham, Sukanya and Pragathi.

GAUTHAM:

Gautham has had a tough road so far and has really excelled in various genres though at the beginning he gave an impression that he can sing only folk songs.  The greatest highlight of his performance so far has been the rendering of song from the epic film "Karnan" - Ullathil nalla ullam urangaathenbadu.  I saw this performance on TV and had tears in my eyes.  Today when i looked at the youtube video of this song again my eyes were filled with tears.  This is truly extraordinary performance full of emotions and it is unbelievable that a boy of 13 is able to bring such emotions that too in front of a large audience which included legends like Sudha Raghunathan, Bombay Sisters, Aruna Sairam, UnniKrishnan, Rajkumar Bharathi and Nithyashree

.

SUKANYA:

Sukanya has learnt carnatic music and has improved a lot over the last few months.  She is very comfortable in all the genres.  The best thing I like about her is her ability to take up tough songs and do full justice.  She is one of the best singers produced by Airtel Super Singer Junior 3 and she has been giving a very tough competition to the other contenders through her performance.  She has been constantly raising the bar and is an incredible singer.  Her best performance was "Ezhu swarangalukkul ethanai paadal":



PRAGATHI:

Pragathi is the most popular singer in the Airtel Super Singer Junior 3.  She has improved by leaps and bounds over the last few months.  Initially she showed promise only on western genre but slowly improved on other facets and today is capable of singing all the genres with ease.



AAJITH:

Apart from the three singers who have entered the finals there is Wild Card Round and my favourite singer in the wild card is Aajith.

Aajit is so young and small but his ability to mix emotions in the song is exemplary.  It is amazing how at this young age he is able to remember the lyrics, emotion and is able to perform so well.  One of his best performance was "Uyire" which he sang with ease as duet along with the legendary National Award Winner Singer Chitra.


Let us wait for the finals and see who ultimately becomes the "Super Singer Junior 3".  All the best to the finalists and let the best singer win.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
26th September 2012

THIMMAKKA - THE TREE MOTHER

This is Saalumarada Thimmakka a great achiever from Karnataka in India who has planted 284 banyan trees and grown then tirelessly over the past several decades.  She treats these banyan trees as her children and looks after them on a daily basis with care, attention and passion.  She does not have any children and hence treats these trees as her own children.

Thimmakka is a native of Hulikal village in the Magadi Taluk of Bangalore Rural district in Karnataka State.  Banyan trees were aplenty near Thimmakka's village.  Thimmakka and her husband started grafting saplings from these trees.  Ten saplings were grafted in the first year and they were planted along a distance of 4 kilometres near the neighbouring village of Kudoor. Fifteen saplings were planted in the second year and 20 in the third year.  She used her own meager resources for planting these trees.  The couple used to carry four pails of water for a distance of four kilometres to water the saplings. They were also protected from grazing cattle by fencing them with thorny shrubs.  

There are thousands of trees and plants which were given birth by Thimmakka who is a proud Tree Mother.   She has received several awards and accolades from both Central as well as the State Government.  She has even been given a house in Bangalore by the State Government and she says she has not even seen that house.  She wants the Government to build a good hospital in her village.  She only wants the Government to do welfare measures for her village and is not interested in any other benefits or personal grants.  



She is 80 years old and has been relentlessly working for more than six decades to grow trees.  She says she derives greatest satisfaction and happiness when her sapplings grow into a big tree.  We all jointly spoil the environment so much and people like Thimmakka are sending the right message across the globe reminding us of our duty towards the environment.  We continue to get good rains because of people like Thimmakka.  I salute her for her extraordinary contribution over the last several decades.  Long Live Thimmakka - the Tree Mother.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
25th September 2012

ENDEAVOUR FERRY

NASA's retired spacecraft Space Shuttle Endeavour will take a final tour across the US from Florida to the California Science Center in Los Angeles piggybacking a modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA).  The flight, which was scheduled to begin today 17th September, has now been postponed until tomorrow September 18th due to inclement weather.

Despite the delay, NASA still aims to transport Endeavour to LA International Airport by September 20.  The SCA will conduct low-level flyovers of about 1,500 feet above many locations along the scheduled flight route. The exact timing of these flyovers will vary depending on weather conditions and operational constraints. Some scheduled flyovers could still be delayed or cancelled.

On Tuesday, Sept. 18, the SCA will carry Endeavour over various areas of Florida’s Space Coast, including the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base.  After visiting key areas in Florida, SCA will then carry on towards Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.  As it arrives over the Texas Gulf Coast, it will perform flyovers above Houston and Clear Lake before landing at Ellington Field near NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

On Wednesday, Sept. 19, the SCA will depart Houston, refuel at Biggs Army Airfield in El Paso, Texas, and continue on with flyovers above White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico and NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California, before landing at Dryden about midday.

On September 20, the SCA will take off from Dryden and perform flyovers above NASA’s Ames Research Center and various landmarks in several cities before reaching its final destination at Los Angeles Airport, after which Endeavour will be removed from the SCA and spend a few weeks at a United Airlines hangar undergoing transport preparations for its 12 mile journey down city streets through Inglewood and LA to the California Science Center.

Endeavour is scheduled to arrive at the California Science Center on the evening of October 13.  Endeavour will be displayed at the center’s Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion beginning October 30. The display will commemorate Endeavour’s achievements as part of the Space Shuttle program. Endeavour completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles.  What an achievement and what a way to retire.

T.P.Anand, Dubai, U.A.E.

17th September 2012

SUPER FOODS

Food is something that everyone loves.  All of us are fond of food and we enjoy every bit of it.  Sometimes we enjoy food so much that we do not know what we are eating and how much.

Super Foods are the top 10 food items that can keep you healthier.  Eating these super foods will help you to stay healthy.  Make a sincere attempt to include them in your daily diet.  The fruits and vegetables which are high on antioxidants, fibre, etc., are the ones that are included in the "Super Food".

Now let's get into the list of 10 Super Foods:

Avacado:  This is an amazing fruit which helps to reduce the blood cholesterol levels.  It is rich on potassium and can regulate blood pressure and blood sugar.

Berries: Berries are an excellent source of Vitamin C, manganese and fibre.  They are naturally sweet and are high on antioxidant properties.

Garlic: Garlic may not ward off vampires, but it is believed to guard against real dangers such as colorectal, prostate, breast, liver, skin, and digestive tract cancers by inhibiting the growth of tumors and stimulating the immune system. It reduces cholesterol levels and is a natural antiobiotic and antiviral agent.

Ginger: Ginger is very good for fighting heart diseases.  It can also help people suffering from joint pains and arthritis.

Mango: My favourite fruit is rich in pro-biotic dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidant compounds.  It is also a rich source of potassium which helps control heart rate and blood pressure.

Mushrooms: It has anti-bacterial and anti-cancerous properties.  Mushrooms also contain protein and iron. The vitamins found in Mushrooms helps build the immune system.

Oats: Traditionally known as a horse food but the recent discovery of the healthy cholesterol-lowering properties has led to wider appreciation of oats as human food.

Peaches: Fresh peaches are low on calories and rich on Vitamin C, Iron and Potassium.  This fruit helps your immune system and can improve digestion as it has a gentle laxative effect.

Pumpkin: This is an extremely low calorie vegetable and does not contain saturated fats or cholesterol.  It helps you to control blood cholesterol levels and also weight.  It is very rich in minerals, vitamins, fibres and antioxidants.

Walnuts:  Walnuts boosts the immune system and can prevent cardiovascular diseases.  They are rich in vitamins and minerals and can help people like me who suffer from high-lipid profile (high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels).

Enjoy your food and ensure you stay healthy.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
13th September 2012

NEW TITANIC

Australian Mining Magnate Mr.Clive Palmer has a unique maritime vision of the future.  He wants to cruise into New York Harbour in Titanic II.  Palmer made money by doing real estate business and selling his mining rights to Chinese investors.  He has now started a shipping company which has engaged a Chinese Shipbuilder to build the Titanic II.  Palmer's shipping company is Blue Star Line and it is worth recalling the the RMS Titanic was operated by White Star Line 100 years ago.  RMS Titanic sank on 12th April 1912 killing 1,517 persons.

The new ship being built in China will have the same dimensions as the old version and will have 840 rooms and nine decks.  If all goes well the ship Titanic II will sail from Southampton, England to Manhattan in four years from now, yes by 2016. The concept of a replica of the RMS Titanic has been explored several times, especially following the resurgence of interest in the Titanic following the release of the film Titanic in 1997.

I hope they would build the vessel with all the modern safety features.  Let us hope she sails smoothly and continues to sail for several decades.  I wish Mr.Palmer all the very best as he has embarked on a very expensive and highly ambitious project.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, 10th September 2012.

AL HOOTA CAVES - OMAN

Estimated to be over 2 million years old, Al Hoota Cave is located at the foot of Jabal Shams, in Al Hamra district. The cave was first opened to receive tourist on the in November 2006 during 17th National Day, after setting walkways, stairs and a light system to make the cave an enjoyable and safe experience for visitors.  It is the first and only show cave in the Gulf area, which is accessible to the general public.

The total length of the cave is around 4.5 Km, of which 500 m is open for tourists, in other words, around 10 % of the entire cave distance is for touristic use. The tour inside the cave is about 45 minutes with the guide, who will stop visitors in different points to share with them on the story, history and formation of the cave.

Al Hoota Cave contains a rich ecosystem that includes two lakes, one is a small northern lake and the other one is the central lake. The underground lake estimates to be holding 30,000 m³ of water. The main lake is 800 m long and 10 m wide, with a maximum depth of 15 m, where you can find rare blind fish “garra barreimiae”.  

The cave is home to over 100 animal species including bats (Rhinopoma Muscatellum), arthropods, mollusks, big sparassid hunter spiders, snails, water beetles (Aglymbus gestroi), and other rare and endemic species. Al-Hoota cave system, like many other caves in Oman, was formed by the dissolution of limestone by acidic water. Caves might be seemingly made of stone, but they are made by water. It all starts when rainwater dissolves carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or soil, producing a dilute carbonic acid that dissolves the limestone, creating room for it, thus forming the cave. 10 mm of water dissolves its way through rock in 1000 years.  The formation of the cave is entirely natural, and consists of stalactites hanging down from the ceiling, and stalagmites reaching up from the floor, forming interesting and sometimes uncanny shapes such as “the lion”. Some of the columns and curtains were formed over millions of years, and all structures are softened due to the flow of water.

The lighting system at the cave is done with remote controls, allowing the guides to turn it off whenever they complete their tour at any specific point.  The cave is kept with no lights when there are no tours taking place in order to avoid disturbing the species at the cave, and to avoid the formation of algae.

I visited Muscat recently and read about the Al Hoota Caves in the inflight magazine.  I am quite excited to go to Oman and see the Al Hoota Caves at the earliest opportunity.

T.P.Anand

Dubai, U.A.E.

9th September 2012

AUTISM AWARENESS

Autism is one of a group of serious developmental problems called Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) that appear in early childhood - usually below the age of 3.  Though symptoms and severity vary, all autism disorders affect a child's ability to communicate and interact with others.  The number of children diagnosed with autism seems to be rising.

One in every eighty eight children are afflicted by Autism.  There have been some very good advancement in the recent past as scientists across the globe are working on this though there is still little understanding and awareness.  The recent research findings show that at least one third of autism looks like a type of inflammatory disease and it begins in the womb.

It starts with what scientists call "immune dysregulation".  The human body needs an optimal balance of pro and anti inflammatory muscle.  If the immune systems fails at this balancing act then inflammatory signals would dominate.  Anti-inflammatory ones are inadequate and a state of chronic activation prevails.  The more skewed towards inflammation, the more acute the autistic symptoms.
Infection during pregnancy increases the risk of autism in the child.  Hospitalisation for a viral infection, like the flu, during the first trimester of pregnancy triples the odd.  Bacterial infection, including the urinary tract, during the second trimester increases chances by 40%.  The mother's attempt to repel invaders - her inflammatory response - seems to be at fault.  Autism in a child is an unintended consequence of self defence during pregnancy.

The prevalence of inflammatory diseases in general has increased significantly in the past half century.  As a group, they include asthma, now estimated to affect 1 in 10 children and autoimmune disorders, which afflict 1 in 20 children.  Both are linked to autism, especially in the mother.  One Danish Study has revealed that mother's rheumatoid arthritis, a degenrative disease of the joints, elevated a child's risk of autism by 80%.  Her celiac disease, an inflammatory disease prompted by proteins in wheat and other grains, increased it by 350%.

The lesson from these recent research studies is: Control inflammation during pregnancy, and it won't interfere with foetal brain development.  A drug that is safe for use during pregnancy may help.

If we stop the maternal dysregulation then we have most likely prevented autism. 

T.P.Anand
3rd September 2012