The books one reads in childhood create in one’s mind a sort of false map of the world, a series of fabulous countries into which one can retreat at odd moments throughout the rest of life, and which in some cases can even survive a visit to the real countries which they are supposed to represent. The pampas, the Amazon, the coral islands of the Pacific, Russia, land of birch-tree and samovar, Transylvania with its boyars and vampires, the China of Guy Boothby, the Paris of du Maurier one could continue the list for a long time. But one other imaginary country that I acquired early in life was called America. If I pause on the word America, and deliberately put aside the existing reality, I can call up my childhood vision of it.

Examine the recently laid egg of some common animal, such as a salamander or newt. It is a minute spheroid an apparently structure less sac, enclosing a fluid, holding granules in suspension. But let a moderate supply of warmth reach its watery cradle, and the plastic matter undergoes changes so rapid, yet so steady and purposeful in their succession, that one can only compare them to those operated by a skilled modeler upon a formless lump of clay. As with an invisible trowel, the mass is divided and subdivided into smaller and smaller portions. And, then, it is as if a delicate finger traced out the line to be occupied by the spinal column, and molded the contour of the body; pinching up the head at one end, the tail at the other, and fashioning flank and limb into due proportions, in so artistic a way, that, after watching the process hour by hour, one is almost involuntarily possessed by the notion, that some more subtle aid to vision than a microscope, would show the hidden artist, with his plan before him, striving with skillful manipulation to perfect his work.

Much of what goes by the name of pleasure is simply an effort to destroy consciousness. If one started by asking, what is man? what are his needs? how can he best express himself?one would discover that merely having the power to avoid work and live ones life from birth to death in electric light and to the tune of tinned music is not a reason for doing so. Man needs warmth, society, leisure, comfort and security: he also needs solitude, creative work and the sense of wonder. If he recognized this he could use the products of science and industrialism eclectically, applying always the same test:does this make me more human or less human? He would then learn that the highest happiness does not lie in relaxing,resting, playing poker, drinking and making love simultaneously.

Reviving the practice of using elements of popular music in classical composition, an approach that had been in hibernation in the United States during the 1960s, composer Philip Glass (born 1937) embraced the ethos of popular music in his compositions. Glass based two symphonies on music by rock musicians David Bowie and Brian Eno, but the symphonies’ sound is distinctively his. Popular elements do not appear out of place in Glass’s classical music, which from its early days has shared certain harmonies and rhythms with rock music. Yet this use of popular elements has not made Glass a composer of popular music. His music is not a version of popular music packaged to attract classical listeners; it is high art for listeners steeped in rock rather than the classics

E–mailing has become one of the most popular means of communication. Every year almost 4 – 5 trillion e–mails are sent globally from almost 600 million electronic mail boxes. The stats have shot up since 1995. A survey shows almost six fold increase in e–mailing between employers and employees during this period. And since e-mailing is a form of formal text messaging, it has not interfered much with informal face to face communication. It is highly beneficial in organized communication. Most of the working people prefer e–mail and face to face communication over telephone conversation or written memos. Candidates can e–mail their resumes, contact on internet and give interviews through video conferencing. Even business tycoons prefer transferring their business reports through e–mail.

As the earth rotates, a sequence of two high tides, separated by two low tides, is produced each day. Twice in each lunar month, when the sun, moon, and earth are directly aligned, with the moon between the earth and the sun (at new moon) or on the opposite side of the earth from the sun (at full moon), the sun and the moon exert their gravitational force in an additive fashion. Higher high tides and lower low tides are produced. These are called spring tides. At two positions 90 degrees in between, the gravitational forces of the moon and sun tend to counteract each other. These are called neap tides.

It is generally believed that the Second World War began on September 1, 1939, with the invasion of Poland by Germany.  Some historians link it to the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on July 7, 1937. According to AJP Taylor, two wars were fought simultaneously; the Sino-Japanese War in East Asia and a Second European War in Europe and her colonies.  These two wars merged in 1941 resulting in a single global armed conflict that continued till 1945. There is not a single universally agreed upon date of the end of the Second World War either.  It is believed that the conflict ended with the armistice of August 14, 1945, popularly known as the Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day), a few days before the formal surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945.  According to some European Historians, it ended as early as on  May 8, 1945, known as the Victory in Europe Day (VE Day).

Despite the fact that too much fat can be harmful, moderate fat intake is actually essential to the maintenance of good health. At least two teaspoons of fat per day is needed in order for the digestive system to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are fat soluble. Some types of fat actually help to reduce harmful cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fats such as corn, soybean, and sesame oil, and monounsaturated fats like chicken fat and olive oil, seem to lower blood cholesterol, while saturated fats-those found in red meat, dairy products, and tropical oils – seem to raise the level of the kind of cholesterol that accumulates as plaque on arterial walls

There is indeed no such thing as “the” scientific method. A scientist uses a very great variety of exploratory stratagems, and although a scientist has a certain address to his problems- a certain way of going about things that is more likely to bring success than the groping of an amateur- he uses no procedure of discovery that can be logically scripted. According to Popper’s methodology, every recognition of a truth is preceded by an imaginative preconception of what the truth might be – by hypotheses such as William Whewell first called “happy guesses.”

Civilization is not inimical to health and long life. In fact, the contrary is true, for as the people advance they learn to master the forces of nature and with these forces under control they are able to lead better, healthier lives; but if they become too soft and luxurious, there is decay of moral and physical fiber. Civilization is favorable to long life so long as the people are moderate and live simply, but when it degenerates to sensuous softness, individual and racial deterioration ensue. Too generous a supply of food, too little physical activity and packed food are some of the luxuries which are generally introduced with civilization