I wish I had taken advance math in school/college. Can’t say what would have happened to my math skills, but I am sure my doodling would have improved. See what Vi Hart, a self-claimed recreational mathemusician is up to – doodling in the math class.
Visit her site
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1 minute read | 48 words
For about a month now I have been using a cycle as my primary mode of transport (as opposed to a car). Thinking to myself that it is good for me, good for the environment and a political statement too… And then I come across this article by Derrick Jensen. You should read the whole thing, but among other things he is arguing that personal actions, such as living simply, composting, biking and not consuming, are ineffective.
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2 minute read | 381 words
Many of us buy our children cycling helmets, make sure they stay belted in the cars, buy best quality non-toxic stationary and toys… now if someone accuses us slow poisoning our children, we will of course be offended. But sadly it is true. Indian Council of Medial Research and National Institute of Occupational Hazard reports confirm that indiscriminate use of pesticide is poising our children. Well, assuming of course that your family eats some fruits and vegetables, and that they are procured locally and not imported from some organic farm in Europe.
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1 minute read | 102 words
After spending a whole day diligently wishing everybody ‘Happy Diwali’, a thought just crossed my mind: what are we so happy about? Maybe it is the noise, or the pungent burning smell, or maybe it is hypoxia but the question did cross my mind; momentarily though. Very quickly I banished it. Don’t be pessimistic, think positive…
I succeeded. Therefore after much deliberation I have come up with a list of things we should be happy about this Diwali.
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3 minute read | 464 words
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) started an online petition to put pressure of governments to end hunger. The petition will be presented to governments at an event taking place in Rome, Italy on 29 November 2010.
You can sign the petition and put pressure on politicians to end hunger. And you can help put even more pressure on politicians by asking family, friends and colleagues to sign the petition.
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1 minute read | 77 words
For sometime now I have held this belief that we need to market healthy food to kids as if it were junk food. I sometimes ‘joke’ that if we were to stop our children from eating spinach and carrots along with chips they just might find the former two a little more attractive.
I have actually noticed that kids who are not at all happy to eat vegetable will often happily eat a baked dish loaded with vegetables.
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2 minute read | 215 words
The mantra “world’s-second fastest-growing-economy” is often thrown at every problem this country faces as if it were a solution. It reminds me of the ‘mere pas ma hai’ dialogue from ‘Deewar'. I must admit that if you are wealthy and live in an upmarket area of a metropolis, it is easy to miss the big picture. We are swamped by air-conditioned malls, multiplexes, BMWs, fancy toll-roads, huge corporate hospitals, swanky airports; clearly we must be making rapid progress, right?
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5 minute read | 932 words
affluenza, n. a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more…
An epidemic of stress, overwork, waste and indebtedness caused by the relentless desire for more material success and economic growth.
PBS has a diagnostic quiz. Take the Quizto find out if you suffer from this condition.
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1 minute read | 57 words
The International League of Conservation Photographers, a fellowship of the top professional conservation photographers working today, was recruited to nominate nature photographs that the member photographers considered to be ‘the best,’ in whatever way they chose to define it, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day
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1 minute read | 47 words
Can anything possibily change in the Indian education system. A comparison between a survey done in 1996 and another done in 2006 seems to suggest that nothing much has changed in our education system. Read this brilliant report from Frontline here.
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1 minute read | 41 words
Here is some news for the academic minded parents and schools: “…brain activity and brain development are enhanced by physical exercise. It now appears that exercise can help kids learn at school.” Listen to the NPR story…
According to study presented to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) “students benefit both physically and academically from time devoted during the school day to physical activity”. Read this story…
Need more evidence?
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1 minute read | 123 words
A study in the US has found that “TV ratings don’t accurately reflect the aggressive content found in shows popular among children – even cartoons”.
And what do you say to parents who take their 10-year-olds, 3-year-olds and even 9-month-olds to adult cinema? Not so long ago I left a late-night movie half-way because I found it disturbing/horrific… perhaps a little scary. But mothers with babies stuck to their bosoms stayed on…
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1 minute read | 162 words
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