The Course of Water

The Course of Water

Confirmed by touch
Yet intrigued by its clarity,
Splashing around its coolness,
The infant meets water in total bewilderment.
This physical wonder soon grows
Into an object of endless play,
And with every downpour,
Voyaging on rivulets
By the front doors,
Are empty paper boats
On their self-navigated course.
While mother warns in vain
Of fevers that in the dampness lurk,
Water balloons, water guns, splash and spray
Who cares even if the books would float away.
Placid play then turns
Into furious adventure,
As the rushing white waters beckon.
Crying out madly at every surge,
Whirling and swerving, as though
To be liberated from some unseen fetters,
Until the fog restores quiet to the evening,
And romance invites a walk
Along the whispering shores,
Thoughts of sun-filled lands and waterfalls
Draws one to cruise the oceans of blue
To be met by palm trees and a watery shade,
And sounds of glaciers reaching a tumultuous end.
Now the stillness of frigid air hurts the bones,
The ceaseless murmur of the waves
Echo the loneliness
As faint memories and the distant sunset
Now beckon to merge with the sea.

SR

What is Global Warming?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has reviewed a large volume of historical and globally collected scientific data of changes in surface and air temperatures, rise in sea level, change in the thickness of ice sheets, glacier melting and the decrease snow cover in the northern hemisphere, and the changes in the constituents of the earth’s atmosphere. The IPCC in its Fourth Assessment Report published in 2007 has concluded that a global warming trend is unequivocal. Global mean surface temperatures have risen by 0.74°C ± 0.18°C when estimated by a linear trend over the last 100 years (1906–2005). The rate of warming over the last 50 years is almost double that over the last 100 years (0.13°C ± 0.03°C vs. 0.07°C ± 0.02°C per decade).

Since temperature is causally connected with the wind and water cycles, the slow yet continuous global warming trend has already produced observable climate change. Among some of the noticeable surface and atmospheric changes are the shrinking of Arctic Sea ice cover by about 2.7 ± 0.6% per decade since 1978, increased precipitation in latitudes north of 30^oN, greater incidence of droughts in the tropics, and increased tropical cyclone activity.

The earth’s mean temperature is determined by the energy received from the sun and the properties of the earth’s atmosphere. The atmosphere influences the amount of heat that is reflected off the earth into space. Thus, changes to the constituents of the atmosphere affect the global energy budget. Atmospheric constituents such as carbon dioxide, methane, water and nitrous oxide absorb the energy reflected off the earth’s surface and generate heat, and for this reason are called greenhouse gases (GHG). The concentration of these GHGs has increased significantly in the last 250 years. The concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by 64% compared to pre-industrial times and continues to rise at the rate of approximately 0.5% per year; similarly, the concentration of methane has doubled and that of nitrous oxide has increased by about 18%. Among the factors that less significantly affect the global energy budget but are not well-understood are the effect of aerosol particles in the atmosphere, the contrails from global aviation and human-induced changes to land cover. Based on the scientific data, IPCC has concluded that the changes in the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere as the primary cause of global warming.

Two-thirds of the emissions of carbon dioxide from human activities arise from the use of fossil fuel (coal, oil and natural gas) in the industrial era. The other third of the emissions result from changes in land use such as deforestation. Natural processes of absorption of carbon dioxide by the oceans and the biosphere have removed about only 50% of these emissions, resulting in the observed net increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Effects of methane and nitrous oxide are second only to carbon dioxide.

The actual scenarios for future trends in GHG emissions are governed by variations in demographic, economic and technological factors. Even if concentrations of all GHGs and aerosols are kept constant, a warming trend of 0.1^oC per decade is expected to occur. If the carbon dioxide levels doubled pre-industrial levels, the global average temperature is predicted to rise by 1.5 to 4.5^oC. Global warming if unchecked will increase the intensities of extreme weather conditions and cause sea levels to rise, negatively impacting water resources, human health, agricultural output, industry and social organization. Therefore, limiting carbon emissions is the fundamental to arresting global warming.

On Humility

At the local Bala Vihar, I have been discussing with 13-year old kids the values enumerated in Chapter 13 of the Bhagvad Gita. "Humility" is the very first in this list of values. Humility is not weakness, but courage; courage to openly accept one's errors and making amends for it, for "nobody stands taller than those willing to stand corrected[1]". Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself, but " It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all[2]". Humility is focusing on doing the right thing and not just pointing to who is right or wrong. Humility is the principle of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you ", for, when we do not follow this golden rule we term it hypocrisy. Humility is unprovoked and calm even in the face of insult and injury. Humility is the ability to " accept being forgotten and disregarded [3]". Humility governs what we say to others, what we think of others and how we react to others. Humility is a unique state of mind. In this state, the ego deflates and evaporates by the awareness of the interconnectedness of everything; every thought, word and action, in harmony, are guided by the constant awareness of "Tat Tvam Asi ( You are That)[4]". Humility is thus a spiritual activity. The song Vaishnava Janato, by Saint Narsi Mehta ( 1414?- 1481? ) stands as an eternal and moving tribute to Humility.
References : 1. William Safire, 2. William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury , 3. Mother Teresa, 4. Chandogya Upanishad

Berea Rocks

Today, after my visit to NASA’s Glenn Research Center, I happened to have dinner at the Cornerstone Brewery in Berea, Ohio, a small suburb of Cleveland. As I strolled around the lake that dominates the town, I stumbled on Berea’s claim to international fame. For over 80 years some of the finest grindstones of the world were exported from Berea. These fine grindstones were cut from the sandstone quarries of Berea. The quarries are now gone and I was standing at the edge of the lake formed by filling one of these quarries. The Rocky River that runs by Berea with flat rocks carelessly strewn across the river bed stands evidence to the monstrous glacial action on the underlying sandstone crust (see picture). As I gazed across the lake, my mind’s eye conjured up images of factory earth performing the immense operations of compaction of the deposits from Lake Erie 300 million years ago to create the gritty sandstone bed on which Berea’s fame was founded.

Saving Humanity from the Scourge of Turmeric Stains

After combing the worldwide web, I was convinced that my commitment to the title cause could alleviate the suffering of numerous “stain-trodden” individuals like myself. The turmeric-stained shirts have been an advertisement of my sloppiness at the dinner table. A section of my wardrobe with stained shirts is now sadly designated for “night time” or “home-use-only”. As for the neckties brilliantly marked with turmeric colored Nike logos, they remain in a state of suspended readiness waiting for an alternate role. After a brand new white shirt took the hit at a recent wedding reception, I was determined to find a solution.

I am happy to report that a simple solution has been found: Hang the stained clothing or article in bright sunlight for a couple of hours and lo and behold the stain disappears with no trace. The UV radiation in sunlight does the work for you; no chemicals are needed ( see photo). Much to my wife’s elation the brand new white shirt was rescued, and a collection of tupperware hidden in the closet with embarrassing stains was emancipated. The world has been saved from the scourge of turmeric stains.

The yellow coloring matter of turmeric is an organic compound named curcumin. The photochemical decomposition (also termed photo-bleaching) of curcumin into colorless compounds is the basis of this magical stain removal process. I am guessing that the light-instability of curcumin could be exploited as an “all –natural” UV blocker. I am wondering if this is indeed the basis of the turmeric-based cosmetic skin creams sold in India. Also, living in Madras several years ago, it was common to see South Indian women “yellow” themselves by smearing turmeric paste on their skin after a bath. Apart from imparting a “glowing” look the yellow coloring probably offers protection from the abundantly present UV light. As the innumerable pharmaceutical benefits of curcumin emerge every day it is clear that the annoying stain, curcumin, is likely to be a much sought after compound for future medicinal preparations.

For those thirsting for the chemistry of photodecomposition of curcumin, here is what I found on curcumin. Curcumin, bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-diene-3,5-dione, absorbs in the UV region of the solar spectrum because of the conjugated double bonds. The compound also exists in its tautomeric enol form (see structural formula in "enol" form). The products ensuing decomposition include benzaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde that are colorless. Interestingly, in another experiment I found that turmeric powder (ground-up dried root) did not decolorize even after exposure to sunlight for many days; however, the yellow extract from curries did decolorize within a few hours. This suggests that curcumin is probably bound as a complex in the turmeric rhizome, and “free” curcumin is extracted into the curries upon cooking.

Purple Cabbage and Stir-Fry Curry

Apart from its color, purple cabbage exhibits significant differences from the common white or green cabbage. It is very densely packed, and quite crisp when chopped. The leaves are quite thick and fleshy even well inside the cabbage and for this reason purple cabbage is often used in salads (see photo 1). Those of you that do not appreciate the strong aroma that white cabbage exudes after cooking, are bound to find the aroma conspicuously missing in purple cabbage. Upon cooking, unlike the white cabbage, the purple variety stays somewhat firm and crunchy. The purple color does not change much upon cooking and but it may slightly intensify. I made a stir fry curry with purple cabbage, carrots and peas. The dish is quite colorful (see photo 2) and is easy to prepare.
Ingredients: 3 cups of chopped cabbage, 1 cup of sliced carrots, 1 cup of frozen peas, half of a good sized red pepper, canola oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, sambar powder , dried chillies, and salt
Heat a couple of tablespoons of canola oil in a frying pan. Add two teaspoons of mustard seeds and urad dhal (black lentils) and a couple of small dried red chillies. Transfer the chopped cabbage and carrots ( 4 cups) and a teaspoon of cumin seeds in the pan when the mustard begins to pop. Stir with salt and a teaspoon o f sambar powder. Cook at medium-low heat for 10 minutes. After this, stir in a cup of frozen green peas and pepper slices and leave the pan closed on the stove at low heat for another 5 minutes. After this the stir-fry curry is ready to serve.

Bhaingan Bhartha

Bhaingan Bhartha (Spicy Eggplant Curry)
This is a popular Indian dish and often encountered in restaurant menus. Here is a simple-to-execute recipe that I have followed when I prepared this with the Turkish Orange Eggplant, but should work equally well with other kinds of eggplant.
The ingredients are: 1 pound of eggplant, ½ a large onion (white or red), 2 medium size tomatoes, 6 teaspoons of Canola oil, 2 teaspoons of garam masala, 1-2 teaspoons of salt.
The eggplant is washed, wiped and placed in a baking dish ( glass or metal) and sprayed with a little bit of canola oil ( photo 1). The eggplant is then “broiled” for 20 minutes in an oven until it begins to shrivel (Photo 2). I used the GE Advantage Microwave /Convection oven; any oven with a “broil” setting should serve our purpose. Upon cooling, the skin of the eggplant is discarded and the fleshy part is then mashed well ( photos 3, 4 and 5). Have the onions and tomatoes chopped up while the eggplant is broiling ( photo 6). The canola oil is then heated in a pan and when the oil just starts to vaporize, toss in the chopped onions and sautee them for about 5 minutes until they start turning slightly brown (photo 7). Then add the chopped tomatoes and continue sautéing for about 15 minutes with the stove at the “medium-low” setting till the tomato softens and blends with the onions ( photo 8). Then add the garam masala, and let it sit on the stove for another 5 minutes at the “low” stove setting. Then add the mashed eggplant to the sautéed mixture of onion and tomato( photo 9), add the salt, and mix it up in the pan while it is still on the stove. Keep the mixture covered for about 5 minutes on the stove at a “low” stove setting, and then adjust salt levels to taste .The mixture is now ready to be served (photo 10). Enjoy with rice, chapathi, roti, naan or even Lavash bread!

If you enjoyed this dish, I encourage you to make a contribution to the LA Foodbank at http://www.lafoodbank.org

Turkish Eggplant

July 12, 2009

Here are some pictures of a recent harvest of Turkish Eggplant, also called Orange Eggplant. This is my first time growing this type of eggplant. The plant has large leaves and looks really robust. It took 60-70 days before fruits appeared. The fruits look more like tomatoes in size and shape and turn bright orange when fully ripe; it is however an eggplant (see image on right). Fruits are ready for picking when they start to acquire a slight orange tint. The fully bright orange-red ones turn soft on the vine and they are not desirable for cooking. We made a stir fry curry from our first harvest but it tasted quite bitter; some tamarind could have helped annul the bitterness. Then we discovered that the bitterness originates from the skin. If you broil or grill the eggplant and use just use the fleshy part , discarding the skin, it should make a flavorful "babaghanoush" or "baingan bartha".