Archive for August, 2010

British scientists have decoded the genetic sequence of wheat and this is the most significant breakthrough in agricultural science since the “Green Revolution.” This will help to grow faster and disease resistant crops which will help to meet the growing world food shortage. This will lead to greater food security and lower food prices. The farmers are expected to start producing higher yields of disease resistant crops within five years.
The researchers are now working to analyse the sequence to highlight natural genetic variation between wheat types, which will help significantly speed up current breeding programmes. Scientists also said that it would now be possible to identify genes which controlled important agricultural characteristics. Using the new DNA data they will be able to identify variation in gene networks involved in important agricultural traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance and yield. A version of the data will be placed online so that farmers around the world could have immediate access to it. And it will help to accelerate the speed and accuracy of plant-breeding. While the genomes of rice and maize had already been sequenced, contributing to vastly improved breeding, wheat had so far proved harder to sequence because its genome was vast and highly complex. The new advance would help to produce crops that could thrive in challenging conditions at a time when the world was facing the prospect of food shortages.

Astronomers have discovered what they claim is a vast solar system of seven planets, orbiting a sun-like star, 127 light years away from Earth. An international team has confirmed the presence of the five planets and have tantalising evidence of two more in the planetary system which is believed to be the largest ever detected beyond the sun. The distance of the planets from their parent star follow a regular pattern, similar to that seen in our own solar system.
The astronomers have said “We have found what is most likely the system with the most planets yet discovered. This remarkable discovery also highlights the fact that we are now entering a new era in exoplanet research: the study of complex planetary systems and not just of individual planets. Studies of planetary motions in the new system reveal complex gravitational interactions between the planets and give us insights into the long- term evolution of the system.”
The parent star known as HD 10180, lies in the southern constellation of Hydrus 127 light years away. The astronomers patiently studied it for six years using a planet finding instrument called the HARPS spectrograph.

Popeye is the hero for most of the children watching the Popeye shows. Children are so fascinated by the Popeye character that my son wanted to dress like Popeye for the fancy dress show in his school. Popeye Costumes are available in the stores with all the necessary accessories. There is no need to go in search of all the accessories needed, everything is available as a set. The costumes make the children look like the real character. My son was so fascinated by the dress that he refused to take off the dress even after the show and wanted to sleep in it. He also started eating spinach as he wanted to be strong like Popeye. He imagines himself to be Popeye and wants to save Olive. As the Popeye character is quiet harmless we let him live in his imaginary world as long as he is playing. He jumps from chairs and tables shouting like Popeye. He imagines the other characters and talks with them tirelessly. Children once if they like a character it is difficult to change them. So we let him live like Popeye and this will continue only till he finds another character that fascinates him.

There are contradictory claims over the electronic voting machines, whether they are tamper-proof. Indian EVMs are fully tamper-proof when used under complete administrative safeguards prescribed by the ECI. But the EVMs are vulnerable to the so-called “dishonest display” attack whereby a microcontroller and a Bluetooth radio chip could be smuggled into the device using a genuine-looking display board. Through the use of these devices, which can be assembled at the cost of a few dollars, the attacker could then signal which candidates should receive stolen votes via a Bluetooth smart phone.
The EVM was also susceptible to attack through the use of an electronic chip, which attached directly to the EVM chips could rewrite the votes stored there. Not only could the votes be changed through this “electronic form of booth capture,” but the secrecy of election data could also be violated as the clip would allow the attacker to copy out the votes stored. But the uniqueness of the EVM was that it has no operating system, cannot be networked and no input was possible except from ballot unit of the machine.
Claims regarding EVM vulnerability were exaggerated, as the machine has new security features. These include dynamic code hopping with encryption, an interconnected cable that was crimped and moulded and a digital signature in the control unit.

The study of accountancy is gaining popularity after the study of medicine and engineering. The cparequirements vary from state to state but the basic requirement is a bachelor’s degree and completion of a minimum number of hours in business and accounting. My niece decided to study for the CPA. It is very difficult to study by yourself for the exams. She found it easier to study when she joined a CPA preparatory class. She told me that she was able to understand the subject better when she was taught in the class. She was able to clear the entrance exams as she was doing her graduation. Then she worked in a accountancy firm where she got her experience in business and accounting. She cleared all the four sections of the CPT exam in the first attempt and we all know that it is very difficult to get through so easily. This was made possible by her teachers and the proper mentoring she got from them. There are very good courses available which help students to get through the tough exams easily. The net is an important source to know about these courses.