ARE YOU A JANEITE?

No, not "Jainite" but "Janeite". For those who are not familiar with the term, "Janeite" refers to a person who is a ardent fan and devotee of the incredible Jane Austen whose works are amongst the most popular in English Literature and has earned her a place amongst the famous novelists of our times, alongside Dickens, Tolstoy and many others. For those who have never heard of Austen, I will just say that you have missed out on some of the most popular novels and works of our times. Her most famous works, namely, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility and Emma are still wildly popular even after nearly 200 years of her death and have earned a reputation as one of the best English Classics. Set in the Georgian Era in the late 18th century England, her novels explore the social and cultural fabric of the Era and also try to examine the morals and ethics with which the people, then, ordered their lives. Chiefly, she examines the position of women in a male dominated society and dependence of women on the institution of marriage to secure their lives.

All of her major novels have had movie adaptations and her work set up the foundation for romantic novels for generations to come. Several world famous authors right from J.K Rowling(author of the Harry Potter series) to Stephenie Meyer(author of the Twilight series) have admitted that they are fans of Austen and some of their works are inspired by her. The realism in her works, her biting social commentary, her wit, her burlesque and irony make her novels very enjoyable indeed. Everyone from teenage girls to World War I soldiers have declared themselves Janeites. All this, coming from an author whose name was never published on any of her works due to a male chauvinist society. Austen is also a cult figure in modern feminism and venerated by feminists and liberals for being a woman way ahead of her times. So go on, set down your mobile phones and ipods and pick up an Austen novel and discover the magic that has enthralled generations of readers. Trust me, you will not be dissapointed. I recommend you begin with Pride and Prejudice as it is perhaps the most famous work. There are a series of her minor works as well: Persuasion, Northanger Abbey, Lady Susan, Sandition.... They are a lighter read than the others and are much shorter so they may suit the inexperienced reader. I discovered the magic of Austen's works and am a proud Janeite. Are You?

If you want to know more about Jane Austen and her life, visit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen.

Happy Reading!! Dont let those lazy, sultry summer holidays slip away just like that: They could well be the last ones we may have!

Yours sincerely,

Shreyas.

KARNATAKA CET 2010 KEYS right HERE !!!

hey friends here's a link to review your cet 2010 answers !!

http://engg.entrancecorner.com/admission-area/exams-details/1017-kcet-2010-answer-key-karnataka-cet-2010-answer-key.html

All the best,

--Infowalls

JUSTICE AT LAST

It gives me a great sense of hope for the Indian Judicial System and indeed for all people struggling against the corrupt politicians of our country when I found that there was closure at last to the Jessica Lal murder case. The Supreme Court has upheld the decision for life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court to Manu Sharma who shot and killed Ms.Lal in cold blood when she denied him a drink at a bar where she worked as a celebrity barmaid. The murder happened in 1999 and it has taken a long time to get justice. It has been a long and arduous journey for her family and supporters and a relentless crusade by the media. Manu Sharma, the son of an influential politician, did not manage to evade justice and finally received his comeuppance. The court has also upheld the convictions and four year sentences of two other people accused in connection with the killing, Amardeep Singh Gill and Vikas Yadav. There is light at the end of the tunnel at last; let us all pray that Ms. Lal rests in peace

FACING THE TRUTH

I have been pondering about posting about this for a while, partly because I know it will certainly raise some eyebrows and ruffle some conservative feathers. Nevertheless, I feel that most of our readers are adults( or nearly) and, hence, are mature enough to understand the gravity of the subject I will be writing about. I am talking about, of course, homosexuality and its wider implications in our society.

Many of us feel very uncomfortable and even offended when the subject is bought up. The reasons for this are many: The social stigma associated with it, which is the product of our own prudishness and Victorian morality imposed upon us by the British, vestiges of which still remain. The fact is that in our supposedly "liberal" society, more and more people are coming out with the truth. Obviously, in a country like India, where just word 'sex' tends to raise the hackles of the moral police, this is a very delicate and consequential decision to be taken. The economic rise of India and the rise of the educated middle class has further hastened this process. Even so, in such an orthodox country as ours, homosexuality raises ambivalent feelings.

For example: The Delhi High Court verdict overturning the IPC section 377 attracted both greetings and brickbats. The surprising matter is that some of the criticism came, not from religious circles, but from the upper educated crust. Even while human rights organizations were celebrating, there were deep concerns elsewhere.

I am not trying to debate the 'right' or 'wrong' nature of homosexuality. That differs from individual to individual, from one culture to an other. I am, merely, trying to open up the stigma of the subject so that more people talk and debate about it- something that is vastly important in our society. Breaking the ice is only the first step. Here are some of the facts about the subject. Chew on it and let us know your thoughts( Be warned, we strictly do not entertain comments containing abusive and foul language)

• Same-sex sexual attractions, behavior, and orientations per se are normal and positive variants of human sexuality; in other words, they are not indicators of mental or developmental disorders.
• Homosexuality and bisexuality are stigmatized, and this stigma can have a variety of negative consequences (e.g., minority stress) throughout the life span (D’Augelli & Patterson, 1995; DiPlacido, 1998; Herek & Garnets, 2007; Meyer, 1995, 2003).
• Same-sex sexual attractions and behavior can occur in the context of a variety of sexual orientations and sexual orientation identities (Diamond, 2006; Hoburg et al., 2004; Rust, 1996; Savin-Williams, 2005).
• Gay men, lesbians, and bisexual individuals can live satisfying lives as well as form stable, committed relationships and families that are equivalent to heterosexual relationships in essential respects (APA, 2005c; Kurdek, 2001, 2003, 2004; Peplau & Fingerhut, 2007).
• There are no empirical studies or peer-reviewed research that support theories attributing same-sex sexual orientation to family dysfunction or trauma (Bell et al., 1981; Bene, 1965; Freund & Blanchard, 1983; Freund & Pinkava, 1961; Hooker, 1969; McCord et al., 1962; D. K. Peters & Cantrell, 1991; Siegelman, 1974, 1981; Townes et al., 1976)

The American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, and National Association of Social Workers stated in 2006:

“

Currently, there is no scientific consensus about the specific factors that cause an individual to become heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual — including possible biological, psychological, or social effects of the parents’ sexual orientation. However, the available evidence indicates that the vast majority of lesbian and gay adults were raised by heterosexual parents and the vast majority of children raised by lesbian and gay parents eventually grow up to be heterosexual.

”

The Royal College of Psychiatrists stated in 2007:

“

Despite almost a century of psychoanalytic and psychological speculation, there is no substantive evidence to support the suggestion that the nature of parenting or early childhood experiences play any role in the formation of a person’s fundamental heterosexual or homosexual orientation. It would appear that sexual orientation is biological in nature, determined by a complex interplay of genetic factors and the early uterine environment. Sexual orientation is therefore not a choice.

”

Source: Wikipedia

I do hope that the above information goes some way in clearing the myths and misinformation. I also hope that our readers take this in the right spirit. I realize that this, being a sensitive topic, may offend or hurt certain people. To all of them, I offer my humble apologies.

Yours sincerely,

Shreyas

Liquid crystals, A new dimension !!

The liquid crystal technology has made its way into every possible industry.

The applications of liquid crystals are innumerable. Some of the well known applications are liquid crystal displays, liquid crystal thermometers, optical imaging, and many more.

I would like to give a surface overview on the physics behind the liquid crystals in LC displays.

Liquid crystals , its the new dimension today.We have liquid crystals being used in almost all the display devices that we use today.

The liquid crystal displays rely on the optical properties of certain liquid crystalline substances in the presence or absence of an electric field.A liquid crystal layer(approx. 10 micro metres in thickness) is oriented between two polarizers at an angle 90° to one another.Initially the liquid crystal layer is transparent but when an electric field is applied over the LC layer,the device loses transparency with increasing voltage and finally becomes opaque.In colour LCD systems,colour filters are used to generate red,blue and green pixels.

This forms the base of the liquid crystal technology in LCD display devices.

The basic physics behind it is just the simple concept of polarization and electrostatics.

streak texture on the LCD screen

of a psp viewed through a circular polarizer.

streak texture of a liquid crystal nematic phase.

Liked this post? If yes then please leave a comment by clicking "Post a comment" below this this post.

An amazing display of liquid crystals :

AVATARIZE YOURSELF

TEMPORARILY INACTIVE !!

Dear readers,
Due to the upcoming exams, the team is currently inactive.
We regret for the same.

The blog shall be active after march 31st.
So please bear with us and visit again in a short time.

Regards
--The infowalls team.

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart.

im not here to talk about my views or how to make this world a better place,
(i leave that to the rest of the gang) , im just here to say i think i'l miss you guys.

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

sincerely raghuram

THE ROAD AHEAD

In a few short weeks we will probably be attempting the biggest examination, yet, in our lives. The stakes, as all of you are aware of, are quite high- the entrance into proffesional studies and that what would probably decide our careers for the rest of our lives- There is no denying that! Be it the field of medicine, engineering, commerce, the arts... whatever may be the field- the test which lies before us will dictate what path we take. Naturally, stress levels among students is shooting through the roof and many are about to press the panic button about the huge pile of work before them.

For all those who are disheartened- It is not too late, It is never too late. A schedule of well planned revision can still the save the day. For those who have been lamenting that they have been fooling around all year- Here is a fact: We are all fools, but we still have time to mend our folly. Also, keep in mind the much larger picture- that these examinations are just one in the many hundreds we will be taking in our lives- some of them will not be in a neat hall, they will be out in the big, bad, world where you will have to watch your back and survive from back stabbers and throat slitters. My friends, that will be the real examination- To see if we can survive outside in the real world where there are no teachers or parents to show the way and sometimes no friends to walk along with you on the road. There is also the case of a spate of suicides following the revelation of the exam results. Just remember that NOTHING in this world is worth losing your life for. Just to be alive every day and watch the sun dawn over this beautiful world is the most wonderful gift we have got. Make sure you use it wisely.

Yours sincerely,

Shreyas

Alcohol-Fun,Pain and U!!

Alcoholism is practiced in various ways, by the people around us..
For the teens of this century,its just mere fun,
peer pressure,or a sign of being ultra-cool!
For the old,its just an act to forget their pains and problems...
These reasons are few of the many..
Basically I want to talk about the youth of today who end up spoiling life because of a drink in hand..
Youngsters of today booze for fun and flaunt their boozing as being super cool..
They would just be too immature of thinking about the consequences..
Peer pressure is another thought which flies up to my mind when i think about alcohol affecting youngsters..
People at this age,who are mentally weak,get influenced by friends and they wouldn't bother
to have a thought of their own and finally they fall prey to alcoholism...
Drinking at a young age makes a person loose himself on the verge of getting the so called 'HIGH' feeling.
The consequences which hold by after being a bit too careless,are nightmares for a youngster to face at tat moment..
Though immature,people are influenced by their friends and because of peer pressure,
the consequences are met by the person who follows it..
So before surrendering yourself to the evil 'ALCOHOL',just remember one point-


'U WOULD END UP LOOSING YOURSELF WITHIN YOU'


This is an insight of a true experience..
I hope i could change a few young minds wit this small write up..

CHEERS!

Nishan Thimmaiah..

FADING STRIPES

Fading stripes- two words that are a rather sad reminder of the fate of the Indian Tiger, whose very existence is looking bleak. Latest figures show that a there are just about 1,141 of these beautiful animals left in India- from 3,700 in 2002. Every other day, a small article crops up in the newspaper that a tiger has been found dead in a reserve. For those of you who have been living under a rock for about five years or so, tiger populations in wildlife reserves are declining and we might be close to witnessing another Sariska. What is really happening to these magnificent animals? I have tried to put together some things that you should know about the sad state of Panthera tigris tigris- our national animal, something we can sport on the logo of our Commonwealth Games but are inept in protecting and cherishing:

• The Royal Bengal Tiger is subspecies of tiger found in most parts of the Indian Subcontinent
• According to WWF there are about 2,100 Royal Bengal tigers in the wild today, including 1,411 in India, 450 in Bangladesh, 150 in Nepal, 100 in Bhutan, as well as a number in Burma and China.
• It is the second largest subspecies of tigers after the Siberian Tiger.
• Poaching is the major cause for decline in their numbers. Tiger hides, bones and other body parts sell for huge amounts of money in China and Tibet where it is used in traditional medicines. Tiger meat is also a delicacy albeit illegal and the Chinese government is blatantly turning a blind eye towards this injustice, This pressurizes us even more to protect the animal.
• Another major cause is habitat destruction- Humans moving ever closer and right into tiger territories. Every day, forests are being cleared for human development thus cutting into tiger habitats. This clears their natural prey sources and brings them into conflicts with humans - tigers hunting livestock as a substitute for their diminishing prey and enraged farmers either shooting them or deliberately poisoning carcasses.

I implore upon all our readers to take this issue seriously as we are on the verge of losing our national animal. There may be little you can do to help them sitting before your computer but that "little" can go a long away. For more information on how you can help, please visit:

http://www.savethetigerfund.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home1.

You can find more links on my previous post titled "ATTENTION NATURE LOVERS"

Yours sincerely

Shreyas

P.S: Hurry! the clock is ticking

Careers in media !!

Anyone out there interested in media studies such as photography,film design,animation, or journalism?
Then you should choose the best college !
Here's a small list which would be useful for you.

1.Loyola college,Chennai : Application dates not yet announced.
2.SRM college,Chennai : Application dates not yet announced.
3.Madras christian college : Applications can be downloaded from " http://mcc.edu.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=91&Itemid=168 "
4.NICC, Bangalore : Applications will be issued from 1/2/2010 " http://www.niccindia.org/ "

These are few good colleges that offer courses in media studies.
All the best.

Regards
--Mayur

ATTENTION, NATURE LOVERS!!

As most of you are undoubtedly aware of, The United Nations General Assembly has voted 2010 as THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF BIODIVERSITY, highlighting the increasing risk faced by the web of life on earth from pollution and climate change caused by human activities. I know that you have heard this too often, but unless we act now, it is very difficult to save our planet's spectacular diversity of life. On account of this, several environmental NGOs such as IUCN, WWF have started their campaigns to make this year a successful one

The most important thing is to spread awareness about this because, shockingly, very few people are aware of this. Try to spread the message to as many people as you can, telling them ways in which they can help- whether by using energy efficient devices such as CFL bulbs, or reduce their usage of water. Get yourself involved by signing up for newsletters from the above mentioned NGOs by visiting their websites. They alert you to the latest ecological news and campaigns which you can join- whether its about saving the nesting sites of the loggerhead turtles or stop the Swedish authorites from culling their wolves. You can visit the following links:

http://www.iucn.org/iyb/

http://www.wwfindia.org/

http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/earth_hour_2010/

Remember our efforts may be small but as they say "Even the mighty river was once a stream"

We are here together !!

Well friends,
So far all my posts contained issues only about public welfare or some kind of factual information.
For the first time i feel like sharing something personal with you all.
This post of mine is just to share my feelings with you.I would be grateful if you could spare some time in reading this post.

Friends,
Today i had my farewell at college..So i think you already got what i shall be talking.
Two glorious years just passed in front of my eyes like an unseen storm.The mass bunks,canteen chats,low cost movies,roadside golguppa,outstanding punishments,empty answer papers,long drives . . . . everything has just come to a standstill right now.It is not that this is the end of the world,but its not the starting either.I'm really sorry if this post of mine is boring, but i just wanted to share it with you all.
I would like to thank all my friends for being with me for these two years.I had strong support from everyone and never did i feel bad in their company.I stand on such slippery grounds that I'm out of words.

"Words unsaid,
Thoughts unspoken,
Affection unseen,
came out from everyone's heart today! " ,
and i am indeed glad that i was a part of it.

" THOUGH OUR COMMUNICATION WANES AT TIMES OF ABSENCE, I'M AWARE OF THE STRENGTH THAT EMANATES IN THE BACKGROUND"

I thank you all for the patient reading.
I dedicate this post to the entire friendship network!

LOVE YOU ALL FRIENDS!!

Regards
--MAYUR & THE INFOWALLS TEAM

THE RING OF FIRE

For those unfortunate souls who missed this spectacular event( On account of a superstition or otherwise), Let us hope they are lucky enough to survive till 3043 to see the next annular solar eclipse. For those who did shed their inhibitions and irrational beliefs and saw the eclipse, let us take our hats off, for the future of science in India rests with these people. For more pictures of this event, visit:

http://in.news.yahoo.com/photos/slideshow/longest-solar-eclipse-of-the-millenium.html

15th january eclipse !!

Dear eclipse enthusiasts,
There are a number of speculations in the air regarding the solar eclipse that is about to take place today.You would have been instructed not to view the eclipse and the reason mentioned is that the rays are very intense today.

Well,all that is nonsense!!
You are totally free to watch this eclipse with a pin hole camera, or even through an image focused on a screen by using normal binoculars.You can also make use of welding glasses of shade number 14 !!
Today's solar eclipse is absolutely safe for viewing with proper precautions.

Who says it's safe for viewing??
Answer: NASA,WIKIPEDIA,BBC !!
So do not miss it! Such a wonderful eclipse takes place once in a lifetime!

here are few methods as to how you can view the eclipse:



























A mirror is used in this setup!




A pin hole is used in the image shown below!
So friends,
Be safe and enjoy the wonders of the sun!

tips for the upcoming examinations.

everybody from our section please
join the group we've setup on google groups...

http://groups.google.com/group/jaincollegepcmbb

or email us at
jaincollegepcmbb@gmail.com
,raghu.srama@gmail.com

infowalls.blogspot.com team wishes everyone a HAPPY AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2010:)

Now that's the infowalls team !