Blissperience

Experience Bliss

An Enchanting Experience at the Gym

As Dino visits the gym and notices the members tirelessly working out on the treadmill, cross trainer, and rowing machines, he often wonders if all this energy accumulated could be recycled one way or another. It may not be to power up the building, but at least the water-fountain or the workout machine itself.

Surprisingly, Dino came across an article about the Human-Powered River Gymnasium, which takes this idea of recycling wasted energy to a whole new level.

Quoted from the website – “The River Gym concept is a human-powered floating gym that will provide the user with the one experience that no other gym can provide: floating your workout around Manhattan. Designed by architect Mitchell Joachim and personal trainer Douglas Joachim, this project could bring inspiration to both the morning commute and workout.”

“The River Gyms are, in essence, floating gyms designed to provide health amenities while floating along the Hudson and East rivers. Each gym is programmed with a specific path set on a 15 minute loop moving from one point to the next. This means that each one of these devices can function both as a gym with a view and as a transportation system.”

Check out the image below. It’s quite an interesting concept, but will it actually kick-off?



An Organic Pair of Jeans…

While Dino was searching for some stylish clothing to enhance his wardrobe, he came across a pair of jeans that is not only environmentally friendly, but even offers healing properties.

The ‘Ayurveda Herbal Organic Fabric Jeans’ designed by Make Your Own Jeans, uses an ancient technique of dyeing textiles in medicinal herbs as a means of practicing Ayurvedic medicine.

Ayurveda originated in Kerala(India) some 5000 years ago and has been used to treat various illnesses. Ayur is Sanskrit and roughly translates to “health,” while veda means “wisdom” or "knowledge" this infused into fabrics thus literally means “health fabrics.”

Ayurveda treated fabrics exposes medicinal herbs to the body through the skin, the body’s largest organ. In contact with clothing, the skin absorbs the medicinal qualities of the herbs. Depending on which herbs are used in the dyes, Ayurveda treated fabric may treat a broad range of medical conditions including skin ailments, diabetes, arthritis, and high blood pressure. Each dye may contain up to 50 different herbs.

A few of the benefits that can be noticed are treated skin infections, weight loss, improved diabetes, immune system boost, eczema, energy boost, psoriasis, mood enhancement, hypertension, overall well-being, improved blood pressure, calm feeling, asthma, blood purification and cooling, improved digestion, relief from insomnia, arthritis, rheumatism and general body aches

Dino is going to grab one for himself to complement his cooling t-shirt and blood-pressure monitoring under-pants. Get your own pair now and proudly flaunt your all-natural style!

Are You Still Searching for a Parking Spot?

Not sure about you, but Dino clearly remembers the days when he used to circle the city or large parking lots for a spot close to his destination. At every turn into a new lane, he would pray “Please God, may there be a parking spot here…” Eventually, his good karma would kick-in and he would find a spot.

Thanks to high-tech, finding a parking spot is going to get a lot easier. According to a recent article in the NYTimes, “This fall, San Francisco will test 6,000 of its 24,000 metered parking spaces in the nation’s most ambitious trial of a wireless sensor network that will announce which of the spaces are free at any moment.”

A 4x4” inch sensor, called a “Bump” is glued to the ground and senses once a car has arrived and departed. It then sends a signal to a central database that notifies drivers through the web or a smartphone about empty spots in the area. The “Bump” is battery operated and expected to last from 5 to 10 years without service – assuming that it has been run-over more than a hundred times by the cars trying to park.

The technology behind this innovation is called ‘Smart Dust’. Basically, it’s a tiny, low-powered wireless sensor that detects other sensors within its distribution network, and sends the data back to the centralized server for analysis. Smart Dust can detect motion, humidity, light, CO2 levels, or anything thing else worth sensing. Imagine the possibilities of this – detection of bio-hazards, forest fires, parking spots, or even detecting your vital signs such as your temperature, heart-beat or blood pressure.

Fascinating? Yes, and this is just the beginning!

2000 Gallons of Water to produce 1 Gallon of Milk

There has been quite a bit of talk about the environment recently and the word ‘green’ seems to be everywhere. You’ll find advertisements for an environmentally-friendly car, refrigerator, air-conditioner, computer, light bulb and anything else you can imagine. Companies are even promoting their products by claiming that recycled materials and RoHS certified components were used in the design.

In reference to saving the planet and conserving its resources, an interesting article has been published in Natural News regarding the amount of water needed to produce milk – 2000 gallons of water for 1 gallon of milk.

The cow needs water to perform basic biological functions from day to day, and only a fraction of the water the cow consumes is actually converted into milk. The fact that it takes so much water to produce cow's milk means that anytime you or any consumer chooses to drink milk, the burden you place on the natural environment is a thousand times greater than if you were to consume water itself. Drinking one gallon of milk is like pouring 1,999 gallons of fresh water down the drain.

Besides this, there are several health and ethical reasons to avoid consuming milk. Look out for a future post on this topic. Meanwhile, you may consider browsing through Dino’s previous posts about the environment.

Almost 3 months – A Reflection…

Dino’s Words of Wisdom blog has been up and running for almost 3 months now. When it was created, Dino had planned to post one entry every single day. This goal seemed a bit far fetched at the time; however, his enthusiasm overpowered his limitation.

The first entry was posted on March 16, followed by almost one post for each day. As April came along, so did laziness and procrastination, which led to one post every other day. This month couldn’t be worse – 6 posts, including this one.

Why does this matter? Why does this blog even exist? To answer the latter question first, the purpose of this blog was, and still is, to share Dino’s perspective on anything and everything that strikes his interest and triggers his curiosity. There were posts on empowerment, appreciation, health, alternative medicine, technology, environment, wisdom, or an odd story that caught his attention.

Now, to answer the former question – Why does this matter? It doesn’t.

Yeah, right. Of course it does. In order to have meaning and value in our life, we need to constantly strive for something. Dino hasn’t reached a point in his life yet where nothing matters any more. Therefore, the reason this matters is that if the number of posts decrease, so will the number of readers; but besides that, Dino will once again get lost in the illusions of the outer-world and not have a chance to internally reflect (and share) what is being portrayed. In addition, this also helps Dino become more disciplined.

The goal for the next three months is to post an entry every other day, however, quality does matter over quantity, so if you don’t see a post for a while, just keep checking, and eventually there will be one.

Thanks for reading and your comments!

Boxers or Briefs?

Have you tried out one of those automatic blood pressure monitoring machines? The ones in which you insert you entire arm and it starts squeezing until your hand goes numb. Well, it seems as though the life of those machines will soon come to an end.

Philips has just applied for a patent to develop blood-pressure sensing underpants – yes, you read that correctly, underpants!

The underpants come equipped with sensors that measure the electrical impedance of the tissue beneath it. A pair of such sensors can calculate the speed of the pulse wave by timing how long it takes to travel from one sensor to the other.

Dino wasn’t able to obtain too much information about this, but assumes that the sensors will also include a wireless feature that would allow you to transfer the readings to an online log (for monitoring and analysis) or directly to your doctor, keeping you safe at all times. It may even have an alarm that sounds if your blood pressure rises too rapidly.

It’s quite an odd invention – Dino wonders if Philips would collaborate with a garment company such as CK to distribute this, and the different colors that would be available. What about laundry, would the sensors be water resistant? Would it be safe to have a wireless transmitter so close to your…you know what.

Dino will keep you posted once more information is available. Meanwhile, you may want to check out a previous post about an ice shirt that helps you cool down in the summer.


Polly Want a Cracker?

Have you heard the story of Yosuke the parrot?

Apparently, Yosuke flew out of his cage and got lost in a city near Tokyo. He was then rescued by the cops and spent the night in the police station. The next day he was taken to the vet, while police searched for clues.

Yosuke kept quiet while he was with the cops, (guess he was taught not to say anything until his lawyer arrived) however, after a few days with the vet, he revealed his full name and address. “I’m Mr. Yosuke Nakamura and I live at #5 XYZ Street”.

The cops checked out the address and found out that indeed the Nakamura family lived there. Yosuke was returned in good health and the Nakamura family lived happily ever after.

Until Yosuke decides to fly out again…

Boost your brain power

If the procedure in the previous post freaked you out, then I’m sure you’ll be very glad to read this. As promised, Dino has decided to share a few natural techniques to boost your brain power.

Breath deep. Breath through your nose and you'll notice that you use your diaphragm more, drawing air deeper into your lungs. Several deep breaths can also help to relax you, which is conducive to clearer thinking.

Use dead time. This is time that is otherwise wasted or just under-utilized. Driving time, time spent in waiting rooms, or even time spent raking your yard can be included in this. Pick up an iPod/MP3 player and start listening to audio books.

Learn a language. Learning a new language has been shown to halt the age-related decline in brain function. It also introduces your mind to new concepts and new ways of looking at things.

Write. Writing is good for your mind in a number of ways. It is a way to tell your memory what is important, so you'll recall things more easily in the future. It is a way to clarify your thinking.

Listen to Mozart. In a study at the University of California, researchers found that children who studied piano and sang daily in chorus, were much better at solving puzzles, and when tested, scored 80% higher in spatial intelligence than the non-musical group.

Exercise. Research shows that cognitive function is improved immediately after just ten minutes of aerobic exercise.

Consume alcohol in moderation. In a study at the University of Indiana School of Medicine, elderly light drinkers (fewer than 4 drinks per week) scored higher on tests of thinking abilities than non-drinkers. Those who drank 10 or more drinks per week scored lower. It is known that alcohol can kill brain cells, so moderation seems to be the key.

Click here for more.

Just whistle while you work...

A new study published in the journal of neurology suggests that the length of our arms and legs raise the risk of memory loss.

According to the report, the women with the shortest arm spans were 50 percent more likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's disease than women with longer arm spans. And the longer a woman's leg from floor to knee, the lower her risk for dementia. While in men, only a shorter arm span was linked with higher dementia risk.

If your body type does fall into this category, fear not. Another experiment that implants electrodes in your brain has been proven to reverse memory loss.

The electrodes are implanted under local anaesthesia while the patient is awake. Before the operation, the neurosurgeon performs an MRI scan and establishes the target location for the electrodes. He then carries out a craniotomy – lifting a section of the skull – and inserts the electrodes and leads.

During the experiment, the patient recalled a scene from 30 years earlier. More tests showed his ability to learn was dramatically improved when the current was switched on and his brain stimulated.

Just in case this procedure sounds too invasive for you, stay tuned for Dino’s next post, as he shares a few natural techniques on boosting your brain power.

It’s gettin' Hot in here...

If the summer heat is getting to you and you can’t shed off any more clothes, then the ice shirt is perfect for you. It circulates cold water within its pipes to cool down your body. These shirts are usually worn by racers in extreme conditions so that they can maintain their body temperature.

The temperature in Singapore is getting extremely hot, so Dino has decided to pick up the ice shirt for himself. Now, he won’t just feel cool, but be cool.

Would you like one?

Would you like to have Dinner in the Sky?

If you’re afraid heights, I suggest you stop reading right here!

So, you’ve decided to continue? OK, hold on…This is right off their website

Dinner in the Sky is a unique event meant for anyone who wishes to transform an ordinary meal or meeting into a magical moment that will leave a lasting impression on their guests. Breakfast in the sky, lunch in the sky, cocktails in the sky, meeting in the sky, internet café in the sky… there is no limit to your imagination. It is hosted at a table suspended at a height of 50 metres by a team of professionals. It accommodates 22 people around the table at every session with three staff in the middle (chef, waiter, entertainer…).

This may be fun for a few minutes at the most, but why would you want to sit up there for an hour and enjoy a three course meal? It would be a little freaky to see your feet dangling about. And what if the cord snaps or you need to use the restroom? Or what if someone is choking?

Visit the website here and definitely watch a few minutes of the Dubai Video if you have a chance, the music is a bit annoying though.




Going Greener..

Now that we’re on the topic of going “Green”, why not take this a step further?
Are you ready for this? Do you know what Emerson, Thoreau, Newton, Gandhi, Van Gogh, George Bernard Shaw, Leo Tolstoy, Mark Twain, H.G. Wells, Leonardo Da Vinci, Darwin, Edison, Einstein, Plutarch, and Pythagoras had in common?

They were all vegetarian. Dino has also been following a vegetarian diet since the past few years for ethical reasons and health benefits, and here are a few reasons for you to do so.

Vegetarians live about seven years longer than meat eaters, according to a study from Loma Linda University. Cardiovascular disease is still the number one killer in the United States, and the standard American diet (SAD) that's laden with saturated fat and cholesterol from meat and dairy is largely to blame. The International Journal of Cancer concluded that red meat is strongly associated with breast cancer. Each day, 22 million animals are slaughtered to support the American appetite for meat. The average bone loss for a vegetarian woman at age 65 is 18 percent; for non-vegetarian women, it's double that. Right now, 72 percent of all grain produced in the United States is fed to animals raised for slaughter. It takes 15 pounds of feed to get one pound of meat. But if the grain were given directly to people, there'd be enough food to feed the entire planet.

Go ahead, do your own research and then make a choice to switch. Dino is sure there’s a valid reason why all these celebrities have decided to follow the veggie route. View the entire list here.
And the final word by George Bernard Shaw - "While we ourselves are the living graves of murdered beasts, how can we ever expect ideal conditions on earth?"

How are you contributing towards Earth Day?

Today is a day when we combine our efforts to save the planet or at least reduce our harmful behavior towards it. It’s not really that tough going green, it just requires simple awareness. Dino has decided to implement the following changes into his daily routine to reduce his impact on mother Earth and save a few bucks.

Switching off his computer while he isn’t at home

Re-using any plastic cups, or better yet, using his own mug

Reducing the length of the long hot showers

Using public transportation

Using the hand dryer instead of paper towels

Turning off the air conditioner whenever possible and opening the windows for some fresh air

Printing on both sides of the paper

Paying bills online

Recycling cans and bottles

The changes listed above are not as drastic or inconvenient as planting a tree. Contradictory to what Kermit the frog says – It really is easy being (going) Green!!

WTF? Now, It's Mark T?

Now, this is just plain weird. Dino’s previous post was a tribute to Albert Einstein on his death anniversary and today’s post (April 21st) is a tribute to writer / humorist Mark Twain on his death anniversary. Hopefully, another wise man did not pass away this week. Here’s a little bit of Mark Twain’s witty wisdom to ponder upon.

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.

Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.

Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.

Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them.

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

When a person cannot deceive himself the chances are against his being able to deceive other people.

Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry

We miss you Al' ...

Today is the death anniversary of the great physicist Albert Einstein, and instead of sharing his biography here, Dino has decided to post a few of his quotes. Feel free to spend some time and absorb these thoughts.

Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious.

Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.

When you look at yourself from a universal standpoint, something inside always reminds or informs you that there are bigger and better things to worry about.

Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move in the opposite direction.

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.

There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

Are you free for the next 17 months?

Just in case you don't have anything planned for the next 17 months, it may be quite adventurous to sign up with the European Space Agency for a simulated trip to Mars. Volunteers will be isolated in a space craft (located in Moscow) for 17 months, and the only link to the outside world would be through a radio – with a realistic time delay such as the real astronauts would face.

The goal is to gain insight into human behavior and group dynamics under such conditions. The volunteers would experience weightlessness, radiation, a high workload in cramped conditions, lack of privacy, and limited supplies. Besides that, the volunteers can enjoy a simulated launch, outward journey of up to 250 days, and a return home.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, here are the details: In all, 12 European volunteers will be needed. They must be aged 25-50, be in good health, have "high motivation" and stand up to 185cm tall. Smokers, or those with other addictions, to alcohol or illicit drugs, for example, will be rejected. Knowledge of both English and Russian is required and volunteers will be paid 120 Euros (US$ 158) per day.

Unfortunately, Dino does not qualify, but if you don’t have anything planned for the next 17 months, and enjoy working in cramped environments while being exposed to large amounts of radiation, then go ahead and apply. How could you reject such an offer at 120 Euros a day?

The Golden Rule

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has unveiled a new ‘Golden Rule’ for his country that he says reflects the values of the Sikh community. Simply put, he praised the Sikh community for its values of tolerance, equality, justice, and treating people with fairness. Brown toured the Gurdwara and was honored with an orange robe.
The essence of Sikh teaching is basically the realization of the Truth and truthful living. Sikhism believes in equality of all humans and rejects the caste system.
It’s a pity that he needs to remind the well-educated people of his country about these simple virtues that are the foundation of every religion.
Dino hopes that his message was loud and clear and touches the lives of as many people as possible.

Is ‘Yoga’ Calling?

Sometimes it's difficult to decipher subtle signs form the universe, but if a message is constantly flashing in your face (or computer screen), then there is definitely a reason behind it. After a well deserved three day break from writing, Dino decided to search for an interesting topic for today’s post. The moment Dino hit the Internet this morning, the word “Yoga” flashed on his RSS feeds almost 3 times in the first 5 minutes. This is clearly a sign, why look further?

After learning about the benefits of Yoga, Dino decided to give it a try. He has been practicing regularly twice a week for almost 6 months now. Although, he wishes that he would have started much earlier, while his body was a bit more flexible and not as stiff as a bamboo, but it’s never too late. The results are noticed after just a few sessions. Click here to view a list of benefits.

To shift attention away from Dino’s results, it would be more realistic to share the findings published by other organizations. First of all, it slows down aging, who doesn’t want to look and feel younger? Several studies have shown that yoga has prevented several lifestyle diseases, which come with ageing — namely cardiac, respiratory and bone diseases, says Dr Subhash Manchanda, former head, cardiology, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and vice chairman, World Academy of Spiritual Sciences. Secondly, it’s a form of activity that thoroughly massages all the internal glands and organs of the body. A Philadelphia report also suggests that elderly women showed measurable improvements in their walking speed and balance after a nine-week yoga program -- and they gained a centimeter in height, on average.

Recently, Yoga centers have been cropping up everywhere and attracting a much younger crowd. As Dino had mentioned earlier, try to get away from your desk at the office, and get some exercise, this will definitely boost creativity and flexibility.

Go ahead, sign up for yoga class in your area and begin stretching, then come back and post your comments on this page.

A few good Punches

Dino has been perfecting his boxing skills for the past two months or so, but there is no way he would enter the ring with Buddhiman Mangar. Apparently, this 68 year old man from some village in Bengal survived a bout with a leopard by punching it several times in the face.

The great Buddhiman was returning home on a Sunday along with his cow, when he was attacked by a leopard. The battle lasted for a good half an hour before the leopard gave up and retreated. Imagine the embarrassment on the leopard’s face when he returned to his pack without the dinner he intended to bring back. Hopefully, his black spots blended in with the blows on his face.

Dino always believed that he was Mr. Incredible, but now that thought has been dropped.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions


Yesterday, Dino considered purchasing the Asus Eee PC . This notebook is incredibly small, with a 7” screen and weighing a mere 0.92kg. Runs linux or WinXP, includes an Ethernet interface, WLAN, up to 1GB of memory, 8GB solid state drive, and a built in camera for about US$ 499.

Today, HP is offering the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC at the same price and includes half the amount of memory and disk capacity as compared to the Asus Eee. However, for $100 more, it can be upgraded to 1GB of memory, a 120GB hard disk, and Windows Vista OS. Oh, and the screen size is almost two inches wider.

Dino is wondering if he should wait a while to see if another company releases something BFC (better, faster, and cheaper) or go ahead and order the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Now, where’s the credit card?

Do you realize how blessed you are?

How much time out of the 86,400 seconds per day do we spend ‘running around’ and doing things as quickly as possible? From the moment we wake up, we’re on the go. Rushing to drop the kids off to school, rushing to the office, rushing to complete the assignments, rushing back to pick up the kids, rushing with the dinner, then the laundry, then some exercise, and on and on. If you feel this way, fear not, you aren’t alone. Dino is facing the same problem on a much more minute scale.

At one point in his life, Dino did complain about the lack of time and the mundane tasks, however, over the years he has realized how blessed he is to actually have tasks to complete and an opportunity to complain. The simple awareness of this fact has changed his perspective of life and he is now grateful for every moment granted to him.

Do you realize how blessed you are? Imagine if we could turn the population of the earth into a small community of 100 people. Keeping the same proportions we have today, it would be something like this: 12 people have a computer and 3 of them have an Internet connection. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes in your closet, a bed to sleep in and a roof over your head, then you are richer than 75% of the world’s population. In addition to that, if you have a bank account, you are one of the 30 wealthiest people in the world.

Now you know how blessed you are. Check out this video.



This 'sounds' amazing

Today is ‘No Honking Day’ in Mumbai; this is the first of its kind to raise awareness of the effects of honking and noise pollution. Mumbai has a population of almost 15 million, 1.5 million vehicles including taxis and rickshaws, which amount to about one vehicle for every ten people. If you’ve ever visited Mumbai, I’m sure you’ve experienced the traffic congestion and insane amount of honking that makes this city so vibrant. Although, after a while it does become quite annoying.

‘No Honking Day’ is a great initiative by the government and even if they can get the public to follow this once a month, it would be a well deserved mental relief. However, Dino still doubts the success of this campaign, it must be seen to be believed, no wait – that would be ‘heard’.

Dino’s planning a trip NASA

Imagine a day when all our electronics are switched off. No access to the Internet, no signal on our cell phones, microwaves, watches, elevators – all powered off. Hard to imagine isn’t it? Do we really appreciate or wonder how much time, effort, and intelligence is poured into developing such electronics that we take for granted everyday?

Dino has already admitted that he is a tiny bit of a geek, and one thing that always fascinates him is Space exploration. Understanding how computers, cell phones, TVs, home appliances, etc are designed is quite simple, but a Space Shuttle?

Take a look at the pictures of a space shuttle being assembled.

Dino is speechless.

It's time to Relax

In reference to Dino’s previous post on simplifying his life and going offline, he came across a few facts that clearly indicate the benefits of doing so. Here’s one tip, reduce long hours at the office. If you do need to be present at the office for endless hours, then try to take frequent breaks. Dino frequently walks out of the office for a few minutes to enjoy the fresh air (away from the smokers) and align his thoughts. Great ideas have poured into his mind during these few minutes (one was the creation of this blog), and once he returns to his desk, the next hour or so is a lot more productive.

All great leaders took time off their daily routines to “reflect”. Philosopher Michel Foucault would only work from 9am to 3pm. Beethoven only worked from sunrise until the early afternoon. No twelve hour days here. Socrates would sometimes simply stop and hold completely still for several minutes. Long periods away from their desks every day gave their minds time to recover and regain its creativity.

Is Dino saying that he is great? Absolutely NOT, but he is on his way to greatness. So, go ahead, relax, exercise, meditate, and please don’t work at the office all day long – no good can come of this.

Simplifying my Life and Goin’ Offline

Dino is a tiny bit of a Geek, there is no doubt about this. This geeky-ness drives his curiosity and passion about pretty much any subject from science, technology, philosophy, to psychology. Dino could spend hours watching the Discovery, History, and National Geographic Channel as well as countless hours online browsing through reviews of the latest gadget or a new psychological discovery.

In this day and age, there is an overflow of information in the media, and it’s impossible to keep up to pace with all that’s being discovered. Trying to stay ahead of all this is truly mind boggling.

Dino has decided to simplify his life by cutting down on everything that is an unnecessary waste of time and energy. Internet activity has been drastically cut down (especially the RSS feeds), and time spent watching TV has been significantly reduced to not more than 1.5 hours per night. Instead, Dino is investing more time outdoors in nature, exercising at the gym, trying out boxing, stretching in a yoga class, connecting with the divine through meditation, and participating in other activities or volunteering. The only Geeky thing Dino will be doing now is studying for the CWSP certification exam, which is his next challenge. Now, go ahead, simplify your life!

Yoga, Reiki, Bio-energy treatment for the Army

According to an article in wired magazine, the US troops returning from war may soon receive treatments through alternative methods such as Yoga, Reiki, or other energy related healing. The Army just unveiled a $4 million program to investigate everything from "spiritual ministry, transcendental meditation, and yoga" to "bioenergies such as Qi gong, Reiki, and distant healing" to mend the psyches of wounded troops.

Cost is one of the reasons that the army is considering alternate means of treatment. Nearly 3,300 troops have suffered traumatic brain injury, and the lifetime costs of treating these ailments could pile up to as much as $35 billion, a Columbia University report guesses.

Dino is glad that the world is finally turning towards alternate medicine as a healing technique. The cost is definitely lower and there aren't any side effects. Such methods will also raise the spiritual awareness of the troops, and thus make this world a more peaceful place.

Do you have Time?

Dino's last post on this blog was on Wednesday. And why is that? Simply because he did not have Time to write. Dino was bogged down with work during the end of the week, and decided to sign up for a Pranic Healing course during the weekend (by the way, that class was absolutely amazing, more details to follow in another post). Due to time constraints last week, Dino thought that it would be nice to reflect on the value of time and using it wisely in the future.

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day; allows you to keep no cash balance; every night deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do with such an account Draw out every penny, of course!!!

Every one of us has such a 'bank'. Its name is TIME. Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off as lost whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.

Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the records of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against tomorrow. You must live in the present -on today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!

The clock is running. Make the most of today!! And make it a great Day ahead!!

ApriPoko the Robot

Dino is anxiously waiting for ApriPoko to hit the market and then his living room. Developed by Toshiba, this robot is designed to be used as a voice activated universal remote control, thus eliminating the need for pushing any buttons. The most interesting part is the way it learns – it watches your activities by capturing the infrared signals, and then asks you a question like “What did you do?”

Simply say “I turned on the stereo or TV or microwave” and it will store your response, so that the next time you can command it by voice. This product is still in its early stages, but just imagine if you can some how integrate it with Zigbee or another wireless interface to automate the other tedious activities of your life. Dino is confident that Toshiba has already figured that out.

Voicing opinions through your thoughts?

Imagine a phone conversation without actually speaking. Ambient Corporation which developed a device called Audeo recently demonstrated a public voiceless phone call at a conference. It uses a neckband that translates thoughts into speech by relaying signals wirelessly to a computer that converts them into words spoken by a computerized voice.

What if you don’t want to voice exactly what you’re thinking? Well, according to the developer, producing signals for the Audeo to decipher requires "a level above thinking". Users must think specifically about voicing words for them to be picked up by the equipment.

Now there’s no need to fear people eavesdropping in on your phone conversations or being disturbed during a movie or while studying at a library. The overall benefits, however, would be best utilized by patients suffering from a form of neurological or speech impairment.

Check out the full article and video on New Scientist.

A Story of a Frog

Dino received an interesting story in his email this morning that is related to a previous post on dropping or ignoring negative people from your life.

Once upon a time there were bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A large crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began, and honestly, no one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower.

You heard statements such as: "Oh, WAY too difficult!!" "They will NEVER make it to the top." "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"

The tiny frogs began collapsing one at a time, except for a few. The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up.

But ONE continued higher and higher and higher, this one wouldn't give up! At the end every other frog had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one who reached the top!

Everyone naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it. A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal.

It turned out that the winner was deaf.

Moral of the story: pretend to be deaf or ignore the people that harbor constant pessimistic, self-limiting, and negative thoughts.

Dino’s next challenge

Life is too boring when there’s nothing to strive for. A jolt of inspiration struck Dino earlier this month and guided him to create this Blog. So far, Dino has published a short note everyday, and hopefully this will continue.

Dino’s next challenge is to pass the CWSP (Certified Wireless Security Professional) exam. It’s been almost a year since his last certification, the CompTIA Project+, and feels that it’s the right time to add another certification to his list of achievements.

The next 30-40 days will include long hours of focused studying, and without a doubt, this preparation, persistence, and perspiration will lead to the fulfillment of this desire.

Stay tuned for the results!

Clench your fist

Dino tried an interesting experiment today, he clenched his fist. Then he clenched it a little harder, then a little harder, and again a little harder, and he continued a few more times. He realized that there was no end to the squeezing, he could go on forever. What did this mean?

Life is full of situations that push us towards the edge; it could be family, work, health, finances, etc. Everyone has problems, some resolve them very easily, while others struggle and then give up. This experiment teaches us that no matter how hard we try, we can always do better than we think. The next time you consider giving up, just squeeze a little harder and that will be the difference between defeat and success.

What’s so ‘Good” about Friday?

The fact that we get the day off truly makes this a "Good Friday". Besides catching up on sleep, meeting up with friends, and simply enjoying doing nothing, Dino figured it would be nice to appreciate this day and learn the significance of “Good Friday”. After a few minutes of Googling, this is what came up: “Good Friday is acknowledged in Christianity as the Friday during Holy Week, the day that the Church designates as the anniversary of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ”.

Dino decided to spend a few quiet moments in gratitude of the Christ, when suddenly a thought crossed his mind. Why is that we need a special day for gratitude and appreciation? Every moment, every breath is golden, why not pause for a few minutes each day and experience how the miracles of life unfold? As Einstein once said, “There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Dino chooses the latter.

Drop negative people like a bad habit

Is the negativity of other people bringing you down? It could be family, friends, or colleagues; there are too many people in this world who are constantly harboring negative thoughts either towards you or others.

Dino has come across a few of this type lately and is seriously becoming very frustrated due to this closed minded pessimistic attitude. They’re constantly complaining, and instead of taking responsibility and some action towards the situation, they decide to sulk all day, and what’s even worse, bring others down with them. They completely drain the energy out of you.

Dino is not being judgmental, but truly believes that the people you associate with either empower or immobilize you. These people have come into his life for a reason and taught him exactly how he should NOT behave. So as of now, he has dropped them just like another bad habit.

Tall People + Big Noses = Big Bucks?

Dino came across two articles recently about certain human characteristics that enable people to make more money. One is height; apparently, taller people are offered higher salaries and more respect. A university professor calculated that each inch in height corresponds to $789 extra in pay each year. The other attribute is the size of the nose. Physiognomists (face readers) claim that those people with a small tip nose don’t consider money as too important, while those with flared nostrils are big spenders. The perfect nose is deemed to be one-third the length of the face, with an equal distance above and below.

Dino is definitely not very tall nor does he have the perfect nose, but this will not deter him from making the big bucks. After all, Warren Buffet isn’t very tall and Bill Gates doesn’t have the perfect nose.

Dino's cousin wins VJ contest!

Dino is extremely proud and excited for his cousin Rajiv Kripalani from Chennai (center in the picture), who won the SS Music’s VJ Factor 3. Yes, that’s right, first a model, then an actor, and now VJ. What’s next? No clue, but for Rajiv, the sky’s definitely the limit.

Dino received an email from Rajiv’s sister this morning saying “Rajiv has won the SS MUSIC's VJ hunt!!!!! Well, his hard work and perseverance has finally paid off and today he is one of the official VJs of the SS MUSIC channel...just tune in whenever you need to get a glimpse of this Kripalani hero :)”

After winning the contest Rajiv said, “Finally, I can call myself a VJ. I was proud to call myself a model, but now I’ll be prouder to call myself a VJ."

Dino and the entire family wish Rajiv continued success and the very best always! God bless.

Is Dino Addicted to the Internet?


While Dino was browsing through his RSS Feeds this morning, he noticed a post referring to an editorial in the American Journal of Psychiatry claiming that Internet addiction is a common compulsive-impulsive disorder that should be added to psychiatry’s official guidebook of mental disorders.

Dino seriously believed that he was addicted to the Internet and could not survive for more than 24 hours without it (including browsing the web for news, blogs, catching up on the latest technologies, chatting with friends or socializing on Facebook).

Dino decided to take a break from the Internet to see if he could survive and experience a few symptoms of withdrawal. Dino visited Chennai for four days and completely cut himself off form the Internet, TV, and newspapers. He got a chance to experience life “offline”, and guess what; he survived, or more like, thrived! His world continued to function very well even though he was unaware of the latest technology merger/acquisition. Dino is proud to say that he is not suffering from any type of Internet addiction!

Who is Dino?

A simple guy with an average lifestyle and a little talent striving to be an exceptional human being. Dino is in his late 20’s and working as a technical marketing manager for a telecommunications company in South East Asia. After trotting around the world (India, Japan, Africa, Taiwan, Dubai, US, and now Singapore) for school, university, and work, Dino has cultivated great wisdom and experiences from these diverse cultures and especially his unique group of friends. This blog will communicate Dino’s perspective on the most random subjects that provoke his mind through this journey called life.

Dino has invested countless hours, weeks, and months in self-inquiry, and is still searching for the answer to that age old question – “Who am I?” Dino is also the author of the Diabetes Cured blog.

Dino’s First Blog Post

Around lunch time today, Dino was struck by a bolt of inspiration – “Why not start a blog? Almost everyone has one, and most of them seem to share totally useless information. However, if I started one, it would be the complete opposite. I’d share my experiences, wisdom and a few random thoughts here and there that would inspire and motivate every soul in this universe”.

Then Dino said “Let there be a Blog!” and there was a blog. “The blog shall be named ‘Dino’s Words of Wisdom’ and it shall enlighten every soul”. The blog was instantly created and Dino saw that it was good.

This is Dino’s first blog post. Stay tuned!

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