Open Access Explained!

Here's an interesting video on open access journals. It is hilarious and raises some interesting questions on this practice of journals drawing rather expensive research material at no cost from the authors while charging exorbitant subscription fees. The original video is from http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php? comicid=153.  Have a look and draw your own conclusions.

Barack Obama Re-elected As The President Of The United States

Game over! Here's the latest on the US elections. Several leading news channels around the world including "The Big Picture" project Barack Obama's re-election as the  President of the United States. Contrary to predictions, all the talk of a tie, and prolonged election night; even before midnight, it's game over for Mitt Romney.

On Writing Styles

I find this interesting vimeo of an interview with Steven Pinker on writing, wherein he talks about where to begin, style, and the importance of knowing your audience; very informative, analytical, and helpful for all those upcoming writers out there. Steven is Harvard College Professor and Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University and this vimeo is from:  http://www.cambridgenights.com. Here's another Link to his hour-long lecture given at MIT on "Communicating Science and Technology in the 21st Century". Take a look!

Hurricane Sandy Batters U.S. East Coast

Hurricane Sandy moves along the U.S. East Coast and into the Mid-Atlantic and northeastern U.S.(right). Predicted storm surge probabilities in percentages across the cities in the East Coast (left). Courtesy: NASA/NOAA.

Hurricane Sandy slams densely populated East Coast of the United States virtually disrupting the life of nearly 75 million people in its path from North Carolina to New England.  Total shut down is reported in almost eight states including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.  Millions of people are without power. Atlantic City, New Jersey is the hardest hit as most of the city inundated with 3-5 ft flood water per latest reports.  New York City, the city that never sleeps, is completely shut down as nearly 8 million New Yorkers have been ordered to stay home and do nothing.  No local and international flights are going in and out of the city and so do train or bus services.  President Barak Obama cut short his scheduled presidential campaign and returns to White House to oversee the emergency operations.  President later signs the emergency disaster declaration for the eight affected states. Wall street will be shut down for Monday and Tuesday as the financial losses due to hurricane Sandy is estimated at $17.2b with most of the losses are expected from damages due to flooding and storm water inundation of the cities and boroughs across the coastline.

Endeavour's Final Journey

WOW! Here's an amazingly shot video, The Final Journey of Space Shuttle Endeavour from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to the California Science Center through the streets and alleyways of the City of Angels. Dubbed as Mission 26: The Big Endeavour, the space shuttle completed 123 million miles in space since it entered into service twenty years ago. The 75-tonne space shuttle was transported on a 160-wheel carrier traveling at a speed of 2 mph, took two days to cover the 12 miles from LAX to its final resting place as the people swarmed the city to witness the historic moment. Take a look!

Father Of Innovation Steve Jobs Dies At 56

Father of modern technology/innovation, a visionary, a marketing genius, and a co-founder and former C.E.O of Apple Computers Steven P. Jobs dies at the age of 56 after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer.  Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family.  The man who made the word "Apple" more synonymous with "computer" than the fruit that Adam and Eve supposedly shared in the Garden of Eden to create this humanity or the one that fell on Newton's head which unraveled the principle of gravity; is no doubt a great innovator and a visionary of modern era.  This is the man who transformed our lives with his innovative digital devices like iPod, iPhone, and iPad, which literally transformed the way we conduct our lives be it mobile communication, listening to music, or the industries of both mobile phones and music.

It's Official-Cell Phone Radiation Is A Possible Carcinogen!

Yes indeed!  The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the branch of the World Health Organization (WHO) that specializes in cancer research has declared that cell phone radiation is a possible carcinogen.  After reviewing data from previous studies to determine links between radiation and cancer when using mobile devices like cell phones, IARC released a statement on Tuesday from Lyon, France after a week-long conference with international experts for the IARC stating that cell phone radiation is a possible carcinogen and that cell phones are possible carcinogenic towards humans.  This will surely have a far reaching implications as majority of legal decisions pertaining to the siting or dismantling of cell phone towers especially on health grounds have been hampered by the ambiguity in  the position of UN's august health body so far.  Now that WHO has taken a clear stance on this and has come out with a statement, more and more judges could now rule in favour of  the real victims of cell tower radiation i.e. the residents of the tower locality rather than cell tower companies.                                                                                                                       IARC Press Release

Bin Laden's Killing-A Trump Card Of Prime Importance!

The mastermind of 9/11 attacks and the chief of al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden has been killed in a mansion near Pakistani capital of Islamabad along with some of his family members in a high-precision surgical strike carried out by US Navy seals after an actionable US intelligence, according to CIA sources. This was later disclosed by the US President Barak Obama in his nationally televised address. The President said, "Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body."  It is still unclear who else were killed in the operation and the fate of No. 2 in al-Qaeda Ayman  al-Zawahiri is not known. Soon after this new broke out, celebrations erupt across the American cities.  This surely gives a great sense of relief and closure to all Americans and especially to the families of those who were killed in the 9/11 attacks masterminded by the al-Qaeda chief. At least 2,752 people from more than 90 countries were killed in this attack. This surely will boost the prospects of Obama's re-election as the President of the United States and bin Laden's death is going to be Obama's trump card of prime importance in Campaign 2012.

New York City's World Trade Center on fire, September 11, 2001. As many as 2,752 people from more than 90 countries were killed in this world's most gruesome terrorist attack on US soil masterminded by the late al-Qaeda chief.

The New Royal Couple, Kisses, and Ratings!

This is on the lighter side of the Royal Wedding though, of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.  To be honest, I am one of those so called republicans who question the very continuance of monarchy in this day and age whether in Britain or elsewhere and yet drawn to the occassion perhaps due to the very nature of it and the unfolding of history before your eyes, decided to watch the event, albeit intermittently on live television.  What caught my attention invariably was the  detailed analysis of some of the commentators  conveniently rating those flushes and kisses of the newly wedded couple.  "Prince William and Catherine apparently indulged in two kisses which blew over nearly two billion people that are watching the event on live television," says one analyst.  All the superlatives have been thrown into it such as, "one of the greatest kisses of all times," or "one of the most famous kisses of all times."  While CNN's Anderson Cooper rates the first at 6 and second at 8 out of 10; British-born Piers Morgan is more liberal towards the royal couple rating the first at 8 and the second at 10.  Uh! how do you rate a kiss though, especially when you are not a party to it?  Wait a minute, the first one scored a mere six, which means just pass or a fail per Royal Standards?  What does this mean to the royal couple?  Well, if Sheril Kirshenbaum of University of Texas is to be believed, fifty-nine percent of men and 66 percent of women say they have ended a budding relationship because of a bad kiss. Let's not jump to any conclusions just yet!

A "Gambhir-India" Lifts Cricket World Cup

Mission Accomplished!

Kudos to team India!! The gem of an innings played by Gautham Gambhir (meaning 'serious' in Sanskrit) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni drove home the hosts in lifting the most coveted possession of the cricketing world, ICC cricket world cup beating Sri Lanka by six wickets in the finals. After 28 years of title drought, Indian cricket fans celebrated this win out in the streets with much pomp and joy.  Kudos to Indians who have once again proved they are the Number One in the world and the Champions of World Cricket. The true class of world's most pwerful batting lineup was in full display as nearly two billion people across the globe watched the event on live television. The hosts put up a near clinical performance while chasing a not-so-easy total of 274 in a crunch game like this one, the final of the world cup and in the process they not only smashed few bats as the ball is smacked over the rope, but also proved most illustrious of the 'cricket pundits' wrong, the so called orthodox Australian pundits whose gut feelings always sided with Sri Lanka.