MATERIAL SPECIAL................. Super Materials: The Future is Here

Super Materials: The Future is Here

We often hear of new technological improvements - robots, gadgets, phones, vehicles, medicine and more. But these are just part of the picture of scientific achievement. No less important is the field of chemical engineering, which has invented some amazing materials in recent years, materials that may forever change our lives. These are 7 of the most fascinating and powerful materials science has come up with in recent years.

1. Aerogel

Aerogel is the proud holder of 15 mentions in the Guinness Book of Records, which is more than any material has ever had. Also known as the 'frozen smoke', a nickname resulting looking like solid smoke, aerogel is actually 99.8% empty space, which explains its semi-transparent look. This material is a terrific insulator. With a shield made from aerogel, you could challenge any flamethrower without danger - it will take it without you feeling a thing. It does the same with cold. With enough of it, you could build a comfortable house on the moon. Another amazing factoid - an inch of aerogel could have an internal structure so complex that an inch long piece could have a surface area as long as football field.

2. Carbon nanotubes

Imagine long chains of carbon, these super-structures are bonded together by the greatest power in all of the chemical world, the sp2 bond. These carbon nanotubes have been constructed with length-to-diameter ratio of up to 132,000,000:1, significantly larger than for any other material. This means they are exceptionally strong, and in fact, may be the only material humanity will be able to use to construct the 'space elevator' that will cart people and cargo up and down from space stations hovering above the earth. Carbon nanotubes are 300 times stronger than steel, meaning you could potentially build towers hundreds of kilometers tall (or thousands of feet).

3. Metamaterials

Metamaterials are artificial materials engineered to have properties that may not be found in nature. They are assemblies of multiple individual elements fashioned from conventional microscopic materials such as metals or plastics, but the materials are usually arranged in periodic patterns. Metamaterials gain their properties not from their composition, but from their exactingly-designed structures. Their precise shape, geometry, size, orientation and arrangement can affect the waves of light or sound in an unconventional manner, creating material properties which are unachievable with conventional materials. These metamaterials achieve desired effects by incorporating structural elements of sub-wavelength sizes, i.e. features that are actually smaller than the wavelength of the waves they affect. The primary research in metamaterials investigates materials with negative refractive index. Negative refractive index materials appear to permit the creation of superlenses which can have a spatial resolution below that of the wavelength. In other words - it makes invisibility cloaks.

4. Nano-Diamond

Nanodiamond was convincingly demonstrated to be produced by compression of graphite in 2003 and in the same work found to be much harder than bulk diamond, which makes it the hardest known material, while also being incredibly strong, light and made of the most common element you can find - carbon. It is an amazing heat conductor and has the highest melting point of all materials. Machines built with this material would be lighter, stronger and more powerful than anything we have today.

5. Amorphous metal

By cooling molten metal quickly before it has time to re-align its particles in a solid shape, we can created amorphous metals - metals that have a disorganized atomic structure. Due to this structure anomaly, they are twice as strong as steel, and a few armies are considering using them for shields. In addition to their strength, amorphous metals have improved electricity conductivity and can improve the efficiency of a power grid by up to 40%, saving a huge amount of energy and the burning of fossil fuels.

6. Transparent Alumina

This material is 3 times as strong as steel, while being transparent. There are so many applications for this that the mind boggles. Imagine buildings made of transparent, stronger steel. It will reduce visual pollution in the cities. Many structures that stand alone could be invisible (with just a little opaqueness so we know they are there of course).

7. E-textiles

In about 10 years, you and everyone you know will probably know all about E-textiles. In fact, you'll be covered with them. Why carry our cellphones around when we can just wear them? Clothes in the future will be embedded with these tiny E-Textiles (already existing today) that can monitor our health, project videos, make phone calls and bring up information from the internet when we need it. The possibilities are endless.

FINANCE SPECIAL......................... Taking a joint home loan with your spouse? Here's how you can save more tax

Taking a joint home loan with your spouse? Here's how you can save more tax

With the ever-spiralling property prices, obtaining a loan from a bank is almost inevitable. In double-income urban families it is now common to share the financial burden as well and apply for joint home loans. Taking a joint housing loan along with your spouse (assuming the other is an earning member) can increase your repayment capacity and also enhances the loan eligibility amount.

A joint housing loan can also bring tax benefits and this has been a big draw with many working couples. The Income Tax Act, 1961 (Act) allows both principal repayment (under Section 80C of the Act) and interest payments (under Section 24(b) of the Act) as deductions from your income. Thus, for the principal payment an individual can claim up to Rs 1.5 lakh per annum and on interest payment (on construction / purchase of self -occupied house property) up to Rs 2 lakh per annum.
So, you can save up to Rs 3.5 lakh per annum. This limit doubles in the case of a joint-loan.

Here's is a comparison of the tax benefits between a single housing loan and a joint one:

 Assumptions: Principal repayment during a financial year (FY) - Rs 5 lakh per annum and interest payment (assuming on self -occupied house property) during a FY - Rs 7 lakh per annum.

If this property is rented, then the rental income will also be taxable for the spouses in proportion of their share. Also, the entire interest of Rs 7 lakh can be claimed by the spouses in the proportion of their share of payment. Here's an example:

Assuming that the rental income earned during a financial year is Rs 20 lakh and the principal repayment during a financial year is Rs 5 lakh while the interest paid (assuming on self -occupied house property) during a year is Rs 7 lakh. Here's how your taxable income will be calculated. 

Also, from a wealth tax perspective, share of each spouse on the house can be claimed by them as exempt from wealth tax; as one house is exempt from wealth tax.

By Parizad Sirwalla 12 Dec, 2014

APP SPECIAL ....................14 Best iPad apps of 2014

14 Best iPad apps of 2014

At the end of every year, Apple releases a list of the best iPad apps. It's every app developer's dream to be featured in Apple's collection, and this year's list has a nice mixture of everything.

1. Pixelmator

This is a powerful image editor that won Apple's 'Best iPad App of the Year' award. Whether you're looking to touch up a photo, design a poster, or paint something from scratch, Pixelmator is more than capable. It even plays nicely with Adobe Photoshop too. 
Price: Rs 630 approx 
2. Hanx Writer 
It is a text editor created by Tom Hanks, who loves typewriters so much he made an app that lets you type on a virtual one. It has a polished design, satisfying clicks and clacks from the keyboard, and multiple typewriters to choose from. 
Price: Free 
3. Yahoo News Digest 

One of the best looking news apps out there. It sends you two curated digests of seven to ten articles each day: once in the morning and once in the evening. The articles pull from multiple sources, including essential factual nuggets called 'atoms' that give you all you need to know in a beautiful format. 
Price: Free 
4. Storehouse
It makes it easy to snap pictures and format them into a beautiful and smart layout that lets you tell a story. There's also some fantastic curated content, making it a great place to discover picture-based narratives from talented photographers.
Price: Free

5. Microsoft Word for iPad

A fantastic and familiar document editor, it was designed solely with the tablet in mind. You can create and edit Word documents for free, but you'll need Office 365 subscription to unlock everything.
Price: Free

6. NYT Cooking

It has over 15,000 recipes and the app makes it easy to search The New York Times' vault of recipes. There's step-by-step instructions, and it's perfect for the holidays with its themed recipe collection. 

Price: Free

7. Makr

If you want to design something that needs to be printed, Makr is your best bet. This app will professionally print your invitations, announcements, accessories, and clothing, and lets you customise everything from templates to textures.
Price: Free

8. 1Password

It securely stores your login details and passwords for your email, credit cards, and favourite websites. Using your iPad's fi ngerprint sensor, you can then quickly fi ll in online forms and login credentials.
Price: Free

9. Yahoo Weather

It is a weather app with unparalleled design. It might just be the most beautiful weather app available, combining stunning photos from Flickr with an elegant design that keeps you informed with hourly, fi ve-day, and ten-day forecasts.
Price: Free

10. 120 Sports

This app gives you expert commentary on trending sports topics. It is a great way to see what's buzzing in the sports world. The app features real-time highlights, commentary from in-house experts, and there's over 10 hours of live programming each day. 
Price: Free 
11. Replay Video Editor
This is a speedy way to edit your videos and is great for when you just want to quickly throw together a video and set it to music. There's 21 video styles to choose from — slo-mo, music syncing, and no delay so you can watch what you create instantly.
Price: Free

12. Star Walk Kids

It is a great way to get kids excited about astronomy. To help kids learn more about the stars, constellations, and planets, Star Walk Kids lets children hold their iPad or iPhone up to the sky and see what is located in the far reaches of space above them.
Price: Rs 190 approx

13. Auxy

A minimalistic music app for creating your own beats, Auxy lets you craft your own electronic and hip hop beats using a loopbased sequencer. The best part is the app automatically keeps your music in sync, which is great for beginners.
Price: Free

14. OmniFocus 2

It is a powerful to-do list organiser designed for iPad that brings order to your hectic schedule with its in-depth task management features like fl exible viewing options, fast task entry, location-awareness, and the ability to sort and track tasks.
Price: Rs 1,900 approx 

By Business Insider | 17 Dec, 2014

RETAIL SPECIAL ..................In with the New Products, and the Old Ones Too

 In with the New Products, and    the Old Ones Too

Bottom Line: By selling a mix of novel and existing products, retailers can optimize their profits; to do so, however, managers must use their salespeople in the right way.

Retail managers face an inherent dilemma: How can they push their newest products while also ensuring that established products continue to sell? The answer weighs heavily on their supply chain partners; after all, manufacturers and marketers want to see their new products gain a foothold, and they often incentivize retailers to boost sales of their latest models. Customers are also willing to pay higher prices for products right when they come out, providing retail managers with a strong temptation to devote more attention to new merchandise.

On the other hand, salespeople might have a natural tendency to promote proven sellers over novel, uncertain propositions. And retail managers can’t just let their inventory pile up: Their profit margins will decline, their storage costs will rise, and the value of older merchandise will dip sharply even as it takes up valuable shelf space. For example, a 2011 report found that the prices of some digital cameras—even during the height of their popularity—fell almost 60 percent between their launch and their discontinuation a year later.

Clearly, retailers have to strike a delicate balance. The obvious solution would be to adopt an “ambidextrous selling” orientation, wherein managers urge their sales force to advocate for both types of products. But according to a new study—the first to empirically examine this particular retail catch-22—adopting a dual-outlook approach doesn’t completely solve the problem. Managers must also provide the right blend of autonomy and performance feedback to their employees, and carefully consider their sales members’ age and experience as they craft their strategy.

The authors analyzed data from a large European consumer electronics retailer, which has posted significant sales growth in recent years. Each of the company’s sales reps handles a wide portfolio of products and operates individually, providing an ideal setting in which to explore how salespeople’s selling patterns affect a firm’s bottom line. The authors focused on three high-selling categories: mobile phones, headphones, and laptops. They defined new products as those that had been introduced within the past six months, and existing products as those that had been launched more than a year before.

The authors surveyed employees for information on managers’ selling orientations (whether they championed new products, existing stock, or both), the level of autonomy afforded to sales reps, and the type of feedback salespeople received from supervisors. They also used company records to obtain data on each sales rep’s age and education level, and calculated how much net profit they brought in across the three product categories for six months after the survey.

First, the analysis revealed that managers who gauge sales reps’ performance strictly on the number of products they move form only a partial—and potentially inaccurate—appraisal of their input to the bottom line. Salespeople might shine in their peddling of well-established products, but they could actually be dragging down the bottom line if too many of the items sell for lower prices and distract customers from purchasing newer, more expensive goods. Indeed, managers who predominantly advocated the sale of existing products posted low or even negative profits, the authors found.

Second, the study found that managers can improve the bottom line by using the ambidextrous strategy, but only if they pay close attention to their interactions with frontline salespeople. If they don’t, the focus on selling both new and existing products can actually backfire because employees are unsure about their true priorities. To succeed with the dual-pronged approach, managers should encourage their employees to sell existing items by providing them with high levels of performance feedback, carefully defining their roles and goals using the products’ sales history.

When it comes to newer items, however, managers who give their salespeople too much advice appear to hold them back and thwart their attempts to craft a successful sales pitch. Indeed, the autonomy afforded to salespeople is particularly important when they’re undertaking unique or challenging tasks—such as selling novel products—because they can improve their sales strategy by incorporating new information they’ve gleaned from their interactions with consumers.

This is especially true for older employees, the authors found, who make up an increasingly large proportion of the sales force. When they have little freedom to do their job, and can’t bring their wealth of experience and insights to the decision-making process, older workers may feel slighted by their supervisors and less driven to make the sale. Any benefits they’ve gained from interacting freely with customers is negated by having to fall in line with company policy. For this reason, managers pursuing an ambidextrous model should hold back from criticizing or directing older employees, and give them the ability to trade off between their peddling of new and existing products.

Younger workers, on the other hand, seem naturally compelled to push newer products but they need close supervision to do the bet job, the authors found. This means managers should aim for a setup that focuses younger salespeople on selling new merchandise and provides them with plenty of feedback on their performance, at an early stage in their professional development when they’re more receptive to training sessions and new ideas.

Source: Do Retailers Really Profit from Ambidextrous Managers? The Impact of Frontline Mechanisms on New and Existing Product Selling Performance, by Michel van der Borgh and Jeroen J.L. Schepers (both from Eindhoven University of Technology), Journal of Product Innovation Management, Jul. 2014, vol. 31, no. 4

Matt Palmquist is a freelance business journalist based in Oakland, Calif.

http://www.strategy-business.com/blog/In-with-the-New-and-the-Old-Too?gko=0c7af&bt_alias=eyJ1c2VySWQiOiIyODc4MzM4NiJ9

ECO SPECIAL............................ This Home-Grown Fungi Will Eat Your Plastic Trash and...

This Home-Grown Fungi Will Eat

 Your Plastic Trash (And Then 

You Can Eat The Fungi)

Mushroom roots eat through your recycling and turn it into a (possibly?) safe snack.

Here's one way to get rid of plastic waste: Eat it. A new tabletop farm is designed to use mushrooms to break down plastic and turn it into a safe and even tasty snack.

"We wanted to work with material that has not been considered as food so far," says designer Katharina Unger, who worked with Julia Kaisinger and biology researchers at Utretcht University on the project.

The Fungi Mutarium's speculative design is a response to two global challenges. First, the world produces 280 million tons of plastic waste per year, and, at the same time, many regions are struggling to produce enough food for quickly growing populations.

"Farmers are increasingly dealing with extreme environmental conditions to produce food," Unger says. "Fungi Mutarium is a projection of how new biotechnologies might be applied to grow edible material on so far harmful or even toxic waste material."

The system sterilizes plastic trash with UV light, which helps start the degradation process. Next, the tiny pieces of plastic are placed in cups made of a jelly-like edible substance called agar. A few drops of fungi sprouts are piped in the cup and start to grow, digesting the plastic along the way. Eventually, the plastic is gone and the fungi-filled cup is ready for lunch.

"It's ready to eat when there is no more visible plastic material inside," says Unger. "At that point it is overgrown with fluffy white mycelium."

The result tastes, unsurprisingly, like mushrooms, although the designers have also created recipes to flavor the agar cups. One version is inspired by Japanese food, another is a sweet-and-sour mango and carrot combination, and a dessert version uses chocolate and peach puree. Specially designed utensils let diners scrape the fungi from the cup, slice it up, and suck it through a straw.

Though ordinary plastic is obviously inedible, the design is based on research that shows how different types of mushrooms can fully digest plastic. In their prototype, the designers worked with two types of fungi, the oyster mushroom and the "split gill," which remain edible even as their root-like mycelium suck up plastic.

"The fungi digests the plastic without accumulating the compounds," explains Unger. Unlike metals, which the mushroom would store—making it dangerous to eat—plastics are degraded. Still, the designers admit that more research needs to happen before it's clear that something like this would be safe to eat.

For now, the design is just a concept, showing how the modular glass domes used to process the plastic could be used in small factories or on farms. The designers hope to provoke new ideas—and push forward the idea that mushrooms can help us deal with waste.

"Avoiding the production of overloads of plastic waste is certainly the most important matter," Unger says. "There is no single solution to get rid of these materials in our environment. Fungi can, however, play a very important role."

http://www.fastcoexist.com/3039801/this-home-grown-fungi-will-eat-your-leftover-plastic-and-then-you-can-eat-the-fungi

PERSONAL SPECIAL .....................4 Steps to Diffuse an Argument Before It Even Starts

4 Steps to Diffuse an 

Argument Before It Even 

Starts

A few weeks ago on a Friday evening I wasn't feeling the greatest. I was really busy, stressed, and, to top all that off, sick with a head cold.

That evening, my boyfriend and I had gone out to get some takeout. During the trip I began sharing some of my recent thoughts and frustrations. One thing led to another and pretty soon I found him getting angry and us nearly getting into a full-fledged argument.

The key here is that I said nearly got into an argument. It was weird because we didn't really end up actually arguing. Him getting a bit angry was as far as things went. In fact, things diffused so quickly that by the time we got home we were hugging and exchanging "I love yous."

How did I do it? Well here are steps to follow to help you diffuse any argument before it actually starts:

Step 1: Remain calm. 

Whenever the conversation starts to get a bit heated and different views and opinions are conflicting, we tend to get very angry. As a result, we can end up saying things that we didn't really want to say or saying things that we later regret. When this happens, we are caught up in our ego (aka our fear-based mind) rather than our true love-based selves.

When in this ego-driven mode of being, we can tend to really hurt other people and, most importantly, ourselves. So one way to get out of our fixation on our ego is to get calm. Bring your focus back to your body and to your breath. Take deep breaths and check-in on how your feel in your body and overall being -- both physically and emotionally.

Simply making the effort to get and be calm alone can be an incredibly powerful tool, as it prevents us from saying anything that we don't really mean or anything that we will regret later on.

Step 2: Let go of need to be "right" or heard. 

The second thing that we often do when we find ourselves getting into an argument is that we experience this strong need to be heard and to be "right." This need to be "right" is also an ego-driven response.

Though seems completely contradictory, the reality is that when we let go of the desire to be "right," it gives us more strength and power.

So let go of any drive or desire to be heard or right in the argument and allow things to simply be as it is. To simply let it be, is to choose love rather than fear.

Step 3: Listen. 

Whenever there is some kind of conflict or problem, many of us start feeling like we need to say something in order to make things better. However, I must say that the older and older I get the more I realize that the opposite is true.

Let me be clear: We don't always need to verbally talk about things to "clear the air" and make things better. Many times, all that needs to happen is for someone to really truly listen. When someone is really truly heard and another person really truly listens, this is where true healing can actually take place.

But Jen, whenever I do that I feel like a doormat! Oh trust me -- I totally feel you there! That was like the story of my life for several years, but here's the thing: We will only feel like a doormat when our underlying motivation is fear rather than love. We will never feel like a doormat whenever we are in a place of inner strength and love.

So if you ever do feel like a "doormat" then sit back and ask yourself: Am I calm? Have I fully let go of a need to be "right"? If not, then take the time to do so.

It is when we truly wish to serve that we come from a place of absolute inner strength and love. It is in those moments when we have truly disengaged from our ego and have chosen love instead.

Step 4: Wait patiently.

 Once you have made the conscious decision for yourself in the previous steps to choose love over fear, now the only thing left to do is wait. Simply allow things to be and allow the other person to process whatever they need to process.

During this time continue to hold this space of love and strength for yourself. Also, if you did happen to say some words that you regret in anyway, then you may feel that now is a good time to apologize.

Remember to be open and receptive. Don't necessarily expect an apology or a reconciliation right away, as that will take you out of a place of love and back into ego. But simply remember to be open and ready to receive so that if it does happen naturally then you are ready to receive it.

Take action now!

Think of an argument that you have been in recently. How have these steps may have changed the outcome? Is there any step that you feel may be more difficult for you to do rather than the others? How will you handle your next potential argument?

JenniferTwardowski.com

HEALTH SPECIAL...................... HAVE A HEALTHY WINTER

HAVE A HEALTHY WINTER

Fight the flu, keep fit, with yoga asanas, seasonal foods and Ayurvedic remedies

Fitness experts offer solutions from our ancient exercise forms, and traditional foods that will help not just beat the cold but also build immunity to fight the infections that are common in this weather.

“It is all about prevention, and yoga offers several kriyas [practices] that are effective in fighting infections,” says PC Kapoor, director of South Delhi’s Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre.

Cleansing exercises are a good way to begin. Jal neeti kriya, or nasal cleansing, is one of the many practices that can be tried even at home once learnt properly. In this kriya, a clay pot with an outlet is filled with lukewarm salty water, which is inhaled from one nostril and released from the other.

“This clears the nasal passages,” says Kapoor. “In winters, especially in cities like Delhi where there is a lot of air pollution that results in particulate matter getting lodged in the nasal cavity and even the lungs, this kriya cleanses.”

Breathing exercises such as kapalbhati also be used to cleanse the nasal passages and to strengthen the lungs.

Technique and timing, however, are important, since this is not just about inhales and exhaling.

If performed correctly, over time, kapalbhati is known to even cure certain ailments related to the respiratory tract.

Also recommended is the surya namaskar or salutation to the sun, a set of 12 powerful asanas that acts as a good cardiovascular workout. It also strengthens the back and muscles and is helpful in developing a flexible body.

The surya namaskar must be performed for a minimum of 10 minutes daily, with two or three rounds of breathing exercises. One can try jal neeti while brushing one’s teeth. Experts, however, warn against starting these exercises without correct supervision.

“These are easy exercises and can be done at home regularly, but you have to learn them under the guidance of a skilled yoga practitioner,” says Kapoor.

Ayurvedic physicians and experts also vouch for the efficacy of the combination of Ayurvedic medicine and yoga.

In Ayurveda, asthma is known as tamak swash, and is believed to be caused by stomach problems. When food is not digested properly, toxic juices are emitted in the body, hampering the breathing process.

“It cannot be cured with a single therapeutic treatment; the patient is required to follow different therapeutic treatments. Kunjal kriya or stomach wash in the morning, on an empty stomach, with lukewarm salty water is the best method for immediate relief,” says Ayurvedic physician and co-founder of Patanjali Yogpeeth, Acharya Balkrishna.

Diet is important too. Even though a glass of water every two waking hours is needed to meet the minimum requirement of eight glasses a day, nothing can be more comforting in winters than a piping hot bowl of soup.

Add ingredients such as garlic, ginger, black pepper and asparagus, and it will become a healthy way not just to replenish the body’s fluids but also to help prevent and even tackle ailments like the cold and flu, because of the ingredients’ medicinal properties.

“The good thing about winters is the wide range of green vegetables on offer, which can be added to soups prepared at home. These are excellent source of vitamins and minerals and add to the liquid intake,” says Dr Umesh Kapil of the department of nutrition at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Herbal teas with ingredients such as tulsi, chamomile, lemon and cardamom are also beneficial in cold weather.

Some of the items available in winter can do wonders for immunity.

“Amla [Indian gooseberry], for example, which is available for a very short period during winters, is packed with vitamin C and fibre nutrients. Fresh haldi [turmeric], with its anti-inflammatory properties, is good for health since most lifestyle disorders are related to inflammation. Seeds like sunflower, flax and sesame are loaded with antioxidants,” says nutritionist Ishi Khosla.

It is also soothing to the nerves to drink a glass of warm milk mixed with half a teaspoon of freshly ground haldi before bed-time. Methi, or fenugreek leaves and seeds, is another food item that works wonders for the health.

Either consume its leaves or have it in powdered form; it can aid digestion, ease body cramps, especially menstrual cramps, soothe a sore throat and even help tackle a fever. Methi also improves hair quality as hair tends to get brittle and frizzy due to exposure to dry winds in winter.

“These are all functional foods as they have medicinal properties,” says Dr Kapil.

Finally, there is nothing better than a warm bath to beat the gloominess.

HT141228