Today is the 20th anniversary of UN’s Convention on Rights of the Child and various ceremonies are being held all over the world to mark the event. This Convention on Rights of the Child (CRC) was signed in 1989 and it endorses and guarantees basic right of all children to life, education, play and protection from abuse. This landmark human rights treaty it seems was ratified by record 193 countries with noteworthy intriguing omission of two nations -US and Somalia.

Has this Convention on Rights of the Child made any difference to the state of children around the world? There are record high number of children dying every day due to disease, lack of proper nutrition and conflicts. Overflowing orphanages, abandoned children, school drop-outs and child labor still exist. Gun totting child soldiers in Congo and other parts of the world are a reality. Scores of children are getting killed, maimed and injured due to continuing conflicts and wars all over the world. Many more are getting abused in the comforts of homes and school.

The only difference is modern world acknowledges child rights and there are various organizations which create awareness for its implementation, legalities to protect children are in place too but we are very far from creating a safe world for our children.

Via Guardian

As expected, today launched the newest version of Ubuntu, possibly the Linux distribution most beloved today. And this for a very good reason: Ubuntu, besides a great look, it’s easy, fast and safe (this last one is something that Windows isn’t enough).
Karmic codenamed Koala, version 9.10 promises to bring lower boot times, improved User interface and programming tools that facilitate software development. In my home computer it took 18 seconds to initialize the system.

The new Ubuntu is being offered with a variety of desktop environments that are part of everyday applications such as instant messaging software, browser, document viewer and media players. The options offered include the popular Gnome, KDE and XFCE.

The version 9.10 also includes a new “Ubuntu Software Center, through which users can easily add and remove programs. The system also fixes several bugs in previous versions of Ubuntu and brings more drivers to extend the hardware support, even for webcams.

Another highlight of the new version is the service associated with “Ubuntu One,” which provides for easy backup and file sharing across the 2 GB of online storage available for free by Canonical – and who need more storage capacity can choose a paid plan.

Ubuntu can be downloaded from the downloads page of the system. For free, of course.

Image Credit.

Via: Tecno.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula based on Vlad the Impaler is well known to every fan of vampires but slightly less known is the legend of the Vlamescu tribe created by writer John Saul. Saul depicts vampires, led by Romanian born Anton Vlamescu, as daywalkers who suck the living juices or energy from humans for their survival. This allows them to stay forever young and also makes them extremely attractive to humans whilst also invoking fear in the mortal souls.

Whether you believe in the Stoker, Saul, or some other version of what vampires are, the creatures remain shrouded in mystery making them a fascination, especially for those who attempt at delivering entertainment. The use of allegory to tell stories of a sensitive nature is not new in art forms and the film, Lesbian Vampire Killers, reeks of it to the point of contempt. The comedy horror film tells the story of two male ‘losers’ who, while on a trekking camp, try to save a group of young girls from lesbian vampires bent on making the girls their meals.

The lesbian vampires want nothing more than to get rid of the guys and transform the pretty girls into vampires. It’s interesting to note that the movie, which has already been released in a few countries, depicts the vampires as sex-hungry and violent, wishing only to enslave the girls to fulfil their carnal desires. Vampires are believed to evoke fear and even respect, not disgust. Could it be possibly that they have been shown this way only because the movie tells the story of homosexual vampires? No wonder the film has angered lesbians already.

Lesbian Vampire Killers also shows how the women are saved, in part, by the power of the Church (that no doubt invoked the power of the Father and the Holy Ghost) to safely deliver the girls into the arms of the waiting men. The implication that the girls are safe only with straight men (even complete losers) is unsavoury, to say the least, and downright unacceptable when the men enjoyed watching the vampires making out. This mimics what one usually sees in real life; it is strange how most straight people who rant about the unnaturalness of homosexuality have no problem watching two people of the opposite sex making out. Those who wish to see some nude bodies and get excited by cheap thrills would enjoy the movie; it has been deemed extremely funny by the groups of males whose ultimate sexual fantasy is watching girls making out. If you are looking for a true horror with a good story line (or one that doesn’t insult any minority group) then this isn’t for you; you would most probably find it offensive.

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Via: TÊTU

When asked by BBC to outline a simple idea that can improve lives and make the world a better place, Neuroscientist Gregory Berns has put his faith on music.  No, he simply isn’t suggesting listening to music he stresses that everyone should learn to play music.

Music plays an important role in our life. But we often ignore its immense power in moulding our personality and creative abilities. In the modern digital age listening has become more important than actual learning and making music. We can really sing and dance away our blues.

The modern world seems to be hesitant to embrace and include compulsive music lessons in school and college curriculum. The academic syllabus is more about collecting information than about imbibing knowledge and skills. Learning to play a perfect melody can hone our skills in more than one area. Unfortunately role of music is restricted to the realm of entertainment alone.

Music is inherent part of some cultures. In fact, in most oppressed regions of Africa music is part of everyday life, dancing to rhythms is almost a ritual. Music has made people resilient there. But yet it is one continent where there is no peace or progress.

Music can make us better person but will it make the modern materialistic world a better place? Can it lessen human hatred and greed?

This shop is different. A group of philosophers and thinkers behind this concept shop claim that here one can brainstorm and hunt for ideas to live by and browse through different philosophic approaches to life for a healthy and creative future.

The ‘chemist shop for the mind’, School of Life, opened its door in London sometime in September. They sell books, artworks, courses, holidays and therapeutic services to heal the ailing soul by injecting easy cultural solutions. The response has been good so far, even from the Press.  

The concept is not bad. Materialistic world trends have nothing for the soul. Spirituality has been in vogue for precisely the same reason. After Nature Spas and books like Chicken Soup for the soul series this is next step where you can buy complete package of ideas to lives by. But will it work? Can one really sell food for the soul in such one-stop shops?

Only positive aspect of such schools (or shops) is that they enable real life networking by conducting workshops and make it easier to find real people in similar sinking boats of personal angst and agony. This can be best treatment for loneliness, alienation and insecurity, all important byproducts of modern fast life. And if they can do mind healing without bringing religion in, then three cheers for these mind shops!!

Via The Inspiration Room Daily

The company BrickArms caused controversy by producing a Lego doll of a terrorist, with heavy weapons and face covered, reports the British newspaper “Telegraph” this Thursday.

According to the daily, the doll portraying the leader of terrorist network Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, and cost 9.5 pounds (about U.S. $ 34.6). The BrickArms, which produces weapons in the form of dolls and toy Lego, says the character is called “Mr. White”, the bandit.

Religious leaders criticized the new toy.

Mohammed Shaffiq, the Ramadan Foundation, told the newspaper “The Sun” that the doll is “absolutely disgusting”.

“You are encouraging terrorism – its producers should be ashamed,” he said. “We should be in uniting against terrorism, how is it possible that children are playing with toys like that?”

Edie Friedman, director of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality, the classified as “tasteless”.

The company Lego opposed, saying not to be related to the production of the toy, which was created without his knowledge or permission.

“The Lego UK is committed to the development of toys that enrich the child to encourage imaginative play and creative – and do not support products that do not fit into his philosophy,” said a spokesman of the company quoted by the “Telegraph” .

Via: Telegraph.

This perhaps would be the most unique Thanksgiving in the history of America. The nation has gone through such economic turmoil recently that people have been finding it hard to have celebrations of any kind. When Guideposts.com conducted a survey recently, it was surprised to find out that only 11% of the population said they wouldn’t be celebrating thanksgiving. The rest of them however have decided to meet friends and family, donate to charity and of course feed the hungry.

Perhaps, the economic downturn has helped Americans realize that it is very important to be thankful to what we have right now, and count our blessings than cursing our fate and not showing gratitude to fellow citizens who have contributed to the society however negligible the contribution could be. Another interesting facet of this year’s Thanksgiving is that there have been heartwarming stories all over the net about saying that magical word ‘Thanks’.

Most Americans have lived by the policy of showing gratitude and share their fortunes with others. Some of these stories can be found online at websites like GuidePostsMag. In any case, this Thanksgiving, make sure you count your blessings, share your joy and fortune with friends, family and strangers and express gratitude, which is the soul of Thanksgiving Day.

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Via: PRWeb

Green Architecture is the direction towards which every architect and designer is heading and it is no surprise that many of the modern cities of the world are now becoming sandboxes for these green architects to experiment and express themselves. Eco-friendly construction is reaching new heights that are in fact becoming structures far more attractive and ergonomic compared to the traditional form of construction. Here is a collection of 10 such skyscrapers that r\are defying convention and defining green norms. From the marvelous to the incredulous, from the crazy to the sensational; they sport it all…

1. MAD Green Creation with Webstar:

MAD is a design firm that often lives up to its acronym and there creations are often perceived as green architecture that is a touch eccentric. But the design of Webstar is really a revolutionary concept for future green cities. This giant floating star can camp above any city in the world and can house a perfect green city of 15,000 people. With its own ability to produce power, utilize resources by recycling them and even a digital cemetery, the Webstar seems too good and green to be real. Simple sensational indeed!

2. Rotating Wind Towers of Dubai:

By now everyone in the world and even beyond knows about the spectacular wind-powered rotating skyscraper designed by Dr. David Fisher. The structure twirls around and uses wind and solar energy to produce power that is sufficient to power another 5 skyscrapers along with power to supports its own residents’ energy needs. This is almost like a giant swiveling structure on a beam at center. To say that this is amazing would be an understatement.

3. Sky Village by MVRDV Architects:

This new and unique structure is a model that can be considered as a blueprint for many eco-structures in the future. Created to perfection by MVRDV Architects, it takes the shape of many blocks called ‘pixels’ being put together like green hubs. The best part of the design is that the building can expand strategically without occupying too much space at the base. Green parks put up in the sky, a concept that could do great for every edifice in future.

4. Precinct 4 by Putrajaya Waterfront:

The Precinct 4 Project by Putrajaya Waterfront in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is more like a city of delightful eco-friendly structures that stand like beacons of green architecture and amazing design. The design is special with green features like terraces, sunshades, natural ventilation and integrated green space and amazing architectural splendor inspired by marine life.

5. Fog Tower:

There is no green structure that in sheer concepts stands singularly alone as this Fog Tower does on the edge of the Atacama Desert. While just a concept for now, this gigantic tower in pristine while aims to harvest land that is barren in the desert by tapping into the fog on the land. The giant screw design progressively collects and condenses fog into water and supplies it down for irrigation. Alberto Fernandez and Susana Ortega have designed a magical white-green tower!

6. Fusionopolis:

Fusionopolis will be Singapore’s most eco-friendly building, what makes it so green is a vertical spine of planting that rises up through the 15-storey building. The building overcomes with its design the challenges that come with growing a fabulous green landscape at that level along with water and irrigation issues. The structure that is to take shape in Singapore will add a new green tinge to the already fabulous skyline of the city.

7. Sinosteel International Plaza:

Once again a project that is designed by MAD Architects, the Sinosteel International Plaza is a project that is far more real, yet as green as the Webstar created by the same designers. The design is modern, eccentric and still green with ample ventilation and sustainable features that are integrated fashionably into the design and form. Construction is underway in Tinajin, China and its impeccable design makes sure that there is no extra energy wasted on insulation.

8. Carbon Neutral Pyramid of Dubai:

A merger in architecture of Ancient Egyptian pyramids and Middle Eastern ziggurats along with modern green features makes these Carbon Neutral Pyramids that are to take shape in Dubai, one of the best green structures in the world. The pyramid shaped structures run on solar power and are completely carbon neutral. They can sustain an entire community of a million people in them and all with nothing but green energy! If the prototype works, then they could well be the cities of the future.

9. Bahrain World Trade Center with Integrated Turbines:

Being the world’s first skyscraper to go for integrated wind turbines, the Bahrain World Trade Center makes on to the list for being the pioneer in green technology and energy. The integrated giant turbines are expected to generate 11 to 15 percent of the whole structure’s power. The three 29m-diameter turbine blades on Bahrain’s iconic landmark are expected to operate approximately 50% of the time. One must never forget the roots of the revolution and for green architecture, this was a big beginning.

10. Municipal Pool Cover Soto del Real in Madrid:

This giant Carbon Neutral green-structure was built in the heart of Madrid to give a sustainable ecosystem to the growing urban community. Designed by Lorenzo Alonso Architects, this green facility is filled with plants and acts as a community center as it purifies air and provides meeting space.

Green architecture is about the judicious blend of form with function and hopefully we have done the same with our list of ten. Every one has a different favorite, but irrespective of personal tastes, each and every one of the buildings in this list and many more that silently spread the green wave and eco-friendly revolution go a long way in making our planet a better place both for us and the future generations!

A happy little fact for all you lovers of beer: researchers are working on a beer that could actually reduce the risk of cancer. Six very ambitious undergraduates (possibly beer drinkers themselves) at Rice University are currently experimenting to genetically graft resveratrol so that it can be added to the ingredients that make beer. This substance in reference by the way is an antibiotic that is found naturally in grapes.

Earlier too, expenriments have indicated that reserveratol would give red wine qualities to fight age and cancer. But the students at Rice feels that if a beer is manufactured using reserveratol, the concentration could be higher thereby, the drink will have better preventative ability.

I’m sure time isn’t far when a soda can will be good to fight hair loss or erectile dysfunctions!

Via asylum

Over the years there are many moments, times and occasions where we sit around and start pondering over about how good or bad certain things were. While we may not try intentionally to do so, we end up making our own lists of what is the best and the worst in stuff that ranges from sports players and teams to probably stuff that is a lot more personal. Sitcoms have been probably the most important part of my television time along with sports for the past 12 years. I might have not watched all of them, but I was lucky enough to catch most of them. Here are the ten best in my opinion from all those that I had the privilege of taking a look at.

10. Everybody Hates Chris

It did not take much time at all for me to get into this absolutely hilarious narration of Chris Rock about his own early life and the way life seemed to eternally conspire on him. The characters are so real and the comedy is taken a notch up with Chris Rock’s narration. This may never really be super-cool or gain a cult status like the other shows on the list, but just the pathetic ending of each episode is fun to watch. One man’s misery another’s comedy!

09. Full House

This is a show that you can either love or hate as it is based on a very warm and loving family. The show really catches you with a cast that is simple and has nothing beyond the ordinary about it. It can get too warm and snuggly at times, but with Full House, you get used to it over a period of time.

08. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Will Smith rocked with the Fresh Prince and the way the show just caught your attention from the rap to open the show to the closing was really cool. It had a very unique feel to it and showcased the future star that would be Will Smith. Still very popular across the planet, FP surely brought extra hint of cool to college!

07. Different Strokes

“Whatchoo Talkin ‘Bout Willis!”, was probably the most famous line for a long time in television. The expression, the line and the execution of ‘Arnold’ gave it an iconic status. Different strokes was my most loved sitcom growing up and while obviously I was watching reruns, it still was as good as any around in the 90’s. The sad fact being that Gary Coleman and the other stars of the show ended up having disastrous personal lives, which makes you feel all the more caring for the characters when you watch the show today.

06. Three’s Company

“Come and Knock on our door…” the song still just rings in your head. For a generation of ‘Will and Grace’, this might not really seem much, but for its time, Three’s Company was way over the line. While the changed cast and the leaving of Suzanne Somers did take a bit of sheen off of the show, it still is probably the earliest version of Friends and will and Grace put together. Simply too good.

05. Simpsons

This is surely the greatest animated series on the planet when it comes to pure, dry and slapstick humor. There is nothing that matches the Simpsons when it comes to making the stupid look obvious and acceptable. You do not have people laughing for you and pausing to give you space to laugh out loud. With the Simpsons, humor is just obvious.

04. Everybody Loves Raymond

Ray Romano stole the show and took even the critics along with him on a fun-filled ride to what can be only described as one of the best comedies of all time. The show had a little bit of everything and was one of the highest ranked series through its time of airing. If that does not convince you, then the Emmys might. If you haven’t watched it, get a DVD today.

03. Happy Days

This is going back into the good old fifties and the swinging sixties in a way like never before. Fonzie (Fonzarelli) is the first character that comes to mind when you think of Happy Days. The cool and the relaxed leather-wearing style soon became a cult across the US. The ‘Rock around the Clock’ still makes you move your feet around and this simply is the first coo sitcom that paved way to many others. (With all due respect to I Love Lucy)

02. Seinfeld

Even before we discuss ‘Seinfeld’, let me assure you that I was pretty much torn between what would be ‘one’ and what would be ‘two’ on the list. This was after all, ‘The show about nothing’. You just feel that a show about nothing never had a right to be this good. Apart from Seinfeld being the obvious star, it just had the other 3 main roles working so well that very soon ‘Kramer’ stole the show. The more you watched it, the more you could not miss Cosmo Kramer. This simple is top-notch and happened to be at the No.2 spot as the No.1 just was that tad bit more special and personal.

01. F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Six-friends and one life-with twists, turns, tears, failure, success and plenty of laughter. This is quite simple the greatest sitcom of them all because it forced you to care for the characters. You laughed with them, fought with hem and then wept with them. At the end of it all, you went on a magical journey that lasted for 10 years and did not really have a single boring moment. One could associate with the characters and Friends pretty much loosened up prime-time television. This was exactly what the title said- Six friends talking about stuff that normal friends do, but on national television. When it all came to an end, it just looked too soon…

There is the 10. With the many that I did watch and with some that I dint, this was indeed a real hard task to finish. There are indeed some glaring omissions like Will and Grace, Frasier, I Love Lucy and maybe many others. But then, every list of Top 10 is different and that is what makes them so special and fun to put together. You disagree with me? Is there something in the list that is horribly out of place? Then feel free to shout out below. Till I meet you on another Tenth Dimension… Keep Rating!