GUWAHATI: Children of Asom Jatiya Vidyalaya, a high school in the city, had a brush with the history on Wednesday when they got the unique opportunity to engage in telephonic conversation with US astronaut Edward Michael (Mike) Finke now stationed abroad International Space Station (ISS) that is positioned 350 kilometers above the earth's surface.
A colonel in the US Air Force, Mike, who now commands the Expedition 18 mission in the ISS that is being built since 1998 by 16 nations including the US at the cost of 100 billion US dollars, took 14 very intelligent questions from 14 different students including seven girls of the school during a 10-minute conversation coordinated through the NASA ground station in Northern California.
An organisation called 'Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters' (FASS) has done the spade work to make the telephonic conversation between the school children and the astronaut Mike a reality much to the glee over thousands students and their parents gathered at the school fore court this afternoon.
The telephonic conversation that began precisely at 1331 hours Indian Standard Time passed off in a whisker with the students keeping Mike busy with crisp and intelligent questions during which the astronaut tried to give an fair idea about the life-style and research work out their in the ISS in a zero gravity environment.
The high-point of the conversation was when Mike , married to an Assamese lady Renita Saikia, an employee of NASA station at Houston, in response to question of a student named Dhrubajyoti said "Moi alap alap Asomiya Kobo paro (I can speak little bit of Assamese)". Mike is utilizing his free time in the space in learning Assamese, the mother tongue of his in laws, with the help of Flash Cards.
Following is the excerpts of the conversation:--
Q 1. Mridusmita: What is the difference in environment between inside and outside the Space Station?
Mike: It is vacuum outside and very cold and dark while inside it's is very comfortable with the temperature at 24 degree Celsius.
Q 2. Sweta: How the quality of water is maintained inside the space ship?
Mike: We take great care keep the air very good inside. We do manufacture oxygen and re-cycle carbon dioxide.
Q3. Priyanka: What type of food do you normally eat in the Space Craft? Can you heat or cook food there?
Mike: We take normal food like hamburger, sausages, fresh fruits etc. We take only packaged food as there no provision for cooking food inside the space station.
Q 4. Prajna: Can you sleep normally inside the Space Ship? How do you set your sleeping and waking time?
Mike: Yes, we can sleep normally. We set out working and sleeping time in a 24 hour cycle and we follow the GMT. Accordingly we go to bed at 10 at night and wake up at 6 in the morning.
Q 5. Mahendra: How do you manage water in the space ship?
Mike: Water is as like back in the earth. We manage water through recycling as much as possible though sometimes we manufacture too. We even recycle urine to extract water.
Q6. Abhrakash: How do you take bath? Is it possible to shower inside the space station?
Mike: It is not possible to shower due to scarcity of water. So we use wet towels.
Q7. Anamita: Do you lose sense of direction in zero gravity? How do you adjust?
Mike: Sometimes we do lose sense of gravity. But the space station is designed so that it is difficult to lose direction?
Q 8. Nirvan: Can you see any seasonal change on earth? Can you see man-made or natural structures on earth?
Mike: Yes, we see changes in seasons on earth. We can see winter in Northern Hemisphere and summer in Southern Hemisphere at the same time. We can large man-made and natural objects on the earth like the Great Wall of China.
Q 9. Tridip: What type of scientific experiments are you doing at present in the ISS?
Mike: We are doing around 120 to 30 very important experiments so far. One of the important areas of experiments is fluid physics and effect of gravity on human body.
Q 10. Vaishali: What would be the one most significant achievement of this expedition?
Mike: We are trying to make space for six people on the ISS which now can house only three people.
Q 11. Chiranjib: What do you do in your spare time inside the spacecraft? Can you watch TV or listen to radio?
Mike: We do need to relax. We relax pretty well inside the ISS reading electronic books, watching TV and movies.
Q 12. Gitartha: How many sunrises and sun shines you see a day?
Mike: We see 16 sun rises and 16 sun sets a day as we are moving at a speed of over 26,000 kilometer per hour thereby orbiting around the earth once in every 90 minute.
Q. 13: Adnan: How do you maintain your health in space? Can you exercise in zero gravity?
Mike: We have to exercise at least two hours every day through various means like cycling. The doctor is just a phone call away on the earth.
Q 14. Dhrubajyoti: We have learnt that you are learning Assamese in Space through the Assamese Flash Cards. 'Apuni Asomiya k obo pareneki (Can you speak Assamese)?
Mike: Laughs aloud. Good question. " Moi Alap Alap Asomiya kobo paro (Yes I can speak little bit of Assamese)".
18 held for Jan 1 Assam serial blasts
Guwahati: Pursuing speedy investigations into the New Year's Day serial blasts in the state capital, Assam police has so far arrested 18 people, including the person who carried and planted the bomb at Bhootnath, besides zeroing in on the identity of another prime accused and also releasing his photo.
''So far, 18 people have been arrested in connection with the January 1 blasts. Among them, six have been held for the Bhootnath blasts, two for Bhangagarh blast and 11 for Birubari blast,'' additional superintendent of police Debojit Deuri said. (UNI)
e-cards for NREGS cardholders in Tripura
From Our Correspondent
Agartala: Dukli block in West Tripura district will be the first block in the country to introduce Smart Cards for the people enrolled for NREGS schemes replacing the paper cards.
Deputy District Magistrate of West Tripura R M Malakar said, "This will be the pilot project not only for Tripura but for the country also and if the plan proves successful the centre will go ahead with the project in other parts of the country. Initially 2000 Smart Cards would be prepared for distribution to the job cardholders he added.
Giving details about the proposed Smart Card project, Malakar said that it would be like a driving license.
A photograph of the head of the family will be affixed in the front side of the card while another photo of the family members will be pasted on the other side of the card, he said.
Malakar said, there will be a ‘chip’ containing all relevant information of a job cardholder.
"Details of a card holders like employment and payment status will be stored in the chip so that this could be verified through the computer", he said.
"Scan report of job cardholders will also be stored in the chips so that it could be trace out in case of theft or missing", Mr Malakar said.
The Union Government has sanctioned Rs 518 crore for 2008-2009 financial year and an allocation of Rs 234 crore has already been released to the state. Offical sources said, the number of job cardholders in Tripura is 5.17 lakh and all the four districts of the state have been brought under the national scheme.
BSF recovers ‘peace’ note from KLNLF camp
Guwahati: Security personnel on Wednesday recovered a message for peace from Karbi militant group KLNLF camp days after the outfit declared unilateral ceasefire.
BSF personnel busted a Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front camp at Sokihula along Golaghta-Karbi Anglong district border, though the militants managed to escape before the arrival of the personnel. A paper was recovered from the camp with the message, "We want peace, no self-rule no rest, long live KLNLF," BSF sources said.
The KLNLF had declared a unilateral ceasefire in the last week of December. (UNI)
Mizoram gets new Chief Secretary
Aizawl: In a major development after the Assembly polls, Vanhela Pachuau on Wednesday replaced Haukhum Hauzel as Mizoram Chief Secretary.
Mr Pachuau took charge of office as the outgoing Chief Secretary would shortly join his new post as Secretary under the Central Government.
Official sources said Mr Hauzel had been promoted in retrospect to Secretary in December last.
A few months back, Mr Pachuau, former Principal Secretary under the state government, had been appointed Goa Chief Secretary. Incidentally, the Congress had alleged that Mr Hauzel and a few other senior officials campaigned for the Mizo National Front for the recently concluded Assembly polls. (UNI)
Former rebels observe fast in Manipur
Imphal: Taking shelter under a temporary shed made of bamboos and covered with plastics, ten surrendered militants have gone on an indefinite hunger strike from Wednesday in Imphal in protest against the alleged failure of the State Government to provide basic needs to the surrendered militants under the Surrendered Policy of the Government.
Talking to media persons one of the former militants informed that in 2005, eighty-four militants were recruited to the state force out of which only forty-seven were given regular posts while the remaining thirty-seven were left as ‘followers’ and not given any regular jobs till date. The surrendered militants also informed that the shelters of the ten families at the dog squad of the Manipur police commando complex, Ragailong in Imphal East were also demolished by the Government recently.
However, with no shelter, they informed that ten of the surrendered militants were taking shelter under a temporary shed made of bamboos and covered with plastic sheets at the demolished site.
"Ten surrendered millitants are currently taking shelter at the demolished quarters site as we cannot go to our respective residents.
However, our wives and children left the place," they stated.
They also revealed that ever since they gave up arms in the year 2000 following the invitation and assurance of the Government to bring them into the mainstream they have hardly received any benefits under any policy.
While informing that the agitation will continue until their demands were fulfilled, the have warned the Government to address their grievances within three days time failing which they will consider themselves as rejected by the Government. (NNN)
ONGC staff’s stir may cause fuel crisis in Tripura
Agartala: Tripura is going to face fuel crisis if the agitation of the employees of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) continues for the next few days.
The employees of ONGC in Tripura started resorting to cease-work strike demanding from the Union government to improve their pay structure and provide facilities which they deserve to enjoy.
On the first day of the strike on Wednesday, the oil pumps in Agartala managed to provide required fuel to the general public.
However, since the supply of fuel to power-plants in the state has been curtailed considerably, the duration power-cut has doubled this evening.
President of the state unit of the Association of Scientific and Technology Officers, Dr Ranjan Deb Barma said that more than 500 officers of ONGC in the state joined the agitation demanding better salary structure and other facilities.
He said, "As we are in cease-work strike the supply of usual 1.6 billion cubic meters of gas a day to different power plants in the state has gone down to half today. If our demands remain unattended by the Union government, the supply will be decreased more by Thursday." (NNN)
Miscreants loot Rs 33 lakh in AP
Itanagar: Close on the heels of the Rs 15 crore burglary incident at Anini Treasury office in Dibang Valley district, a miscreant looted Rs 33 lakh in broad daylight from a bank official at gun-point at Tadar Tang Marg here on Wednesday.
Papum Pare Superintendent of Police (SP) Hibu Tamang told UNI that when the official, along with a security guard, was taking the money to deposit at the ATM machine located at Legi Market here, five armed miscrents waylaid him and looted the booty.
They fled with the vehicle owned by the bank, Mr Tamang added.
The dacoits also wounded the guard and took away his AK 47 rifle, along with a few rounds of live ammunition.
However, they abandoned the vehicle near Doordarshan Colony here, which was later recovered by the police. (UNI)
Assamese sound artiste basks in Ghajini glory
From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: A young sound artiste from Upper Assam’s tea town of Jorhat who has braved the days of extreme struggle in Mumbai film industry, has cut his teeth as a sound designer in Amir Khan starrer block buster Ghajini whose overwhelming success in the box office seems to have banished fears of a recession in the world?s largest film factory.
The young sound artiste, Amrit Pritam Dutta who graduated from Jyoti Chitrabon Film Studio here in the year 2000, set sail for Mumbai filmdom on 2002 year with financial assistance of Rs 15,000 from three of his friends.
Before getting the opportunity to work for ?Ghajini?, Amrit Pritam had worked with several other big names in Bollywood as sound editor. He has so far worked in over 24 films, but ?Ghajini? has turned out to be the biggest landmark for his career.
"It was wonderful experience working in Ghajini which we had to complete within a very short span of time. I had to spend 25 days in the film studio at a stretch towards the end of the project to meet the deadline," the young sound designer with dreams in his eyes said here on Tuesday. He remembered with gratitude financial assistance provided by three of his roommates to help him to go to Mumbai to build his career in the film world. "I was feeling suffocated in Assam after graduating as a sound artiste from the film studio here.
One day I disclosed by intention to go to Bollywood to explore avenues out there before my three friends and requested them to help me out as I didn’t want to bother my parents. They agreed readily and provided me Rs 15, 000," he said.
Now, after having carved niche for himself in Bollywood, the young sound designer looks forward to work in some worthy ventures in Assamese film industry too. "Sound designing is comparatively new concept in India cinema.
Though sound designing an ambience is created for the film in tune with the back ground music and backdrop of the cinema," Amrit said while recalling his early days of immense struggle in Mumbai film industry to find a foot hold.
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A colonel in the US Air Force, Mike, who now commands the Expedition 18 mission in the ISS that is being built since 1998 by 16 nations including the US at the cost of 100 billion US dollars, took 14 very intelligent questions from 14 different students including seven girls of the school during a 10-minute conversation coordinated through the NASA ground station in Northern California.
An organisation called 'Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters' (FASS) has done the spade work to make the telephonic conversation between the school children and the astronaut Mike a reality much to the glee over thousands students and their parents gathered at the school fore court this afternoon.
The telephonic conversation that began precisely at 1331 hours Indian Standard Time passed off in a whisker with the students keeping Mike busy with crisp and intelligent questions during which the astronaut tried to give an fair idea about the life-style and research work out their in the ISS in a zero gravity environment.
The high-point of the conversation was when Mike , married to an Assamese lady Renita Saikia, an employee of NASA station at Houston, in response to question of a student named Dhrubajyoti said "Moi alap alap Asomiya Kobo paro (I can speak little bit of Assamese)". Mike is utilizing his free time in the space in learning Assamese, the mother tongue of his in laws, with the help of Flash Cards.
Following is the excerpts of the conversation:--
Q 1. Mridusmita: What is the difference in environment between inside and outside the Space Station?
Mike: It is vacuum outside and very cold and dark while inside it's is very comfortable with the temperature at 24 degree Celsius.
Q 2. Sweta: How the quality of water is maintained inside the space ship?
Mike: We take great care keep the air very good inside. We do manufacture oxygen and re-cycle carbon dioxide.
Q3. Priyanka: What type of food do you normally eat in the Space Craft? Can you heat or cook food there?
Mike: We take normal food like hamburger, sausages, fresh fruits etc. We take only packaged food as there no provision for cooking food inside the space station.
Q 4. Prajna: Can you sleep normally inside the Space Ship? How do you set your sleeping and waking time?
Mike: Yes, we can sleep normally. We set out working and sleeping time in a 24 hour cycle and we follow the GMT. Accordingly we go to bed at 10 at night and wake up at 6 in the morning.
Q 5. Mahendra: How do you manage water in the space ship?
Mike: Water is as like back in the earth. We manage water through recycling as much as possible though sometimes we manufacture too. We even recycle urine to extract water.
Q6. Abhrakash: How do you take bath? Is it possible to shower inside the space station?
Mike: It is not possible to shower due to scarcity of water. So we use wet towels.
Q7. Anamita: Do you lose sense of direction in zero gravity? How do you adjust?
Mike: Sometimes we do lose sense of gravity. But the space station is designed so that it is difficult to lose direction?
Q 8. Nirvan: Can you see any seasonal change on earth? Can you see man-made or natural structures on earth?
Mike: Yes, we see changes in seasons on earth. We can see winter in Northern Hemisphere and summer in Southern Hemisphere at the same time. We can large man-made and natural objects on the earth like the Great Wall of China.
Q 9. Tridip: What type of scientific experiments are you doing at present in the ISS?
Mike: We are doing around 120 to 30 very important experiments so far. One of the important areas of experiments is fluid physics and effect of gravity on human body.
Q 10. Vaishali: What would be the one most significant achievement of this expedition?
Mike: We are trying to make space for six people on the ISS which now can house only three people.
Q 11. Chiranjib: What do you do in your spare time inside the spacecraft? Can you watch TV or listen to radio?
Mike: We do need to relax. We relax pretty well inside the ISS reading electronic books, watching TV and movies.
Q 12. Gitartha: How many sunrises and sun shines you see a day?
Mike: We see 16 sun rises and 16 sun sets a day as we are moving at a speed of over 26,000 kilometer per hour thereby orbiting around the earth once in every 90 minute.
Q. 13: Adnan: How do you maintain your health in space? Can you exercise in zero gravity?
Mike: We have to exercise at least two hours every day through various means like cycling. The doctor is just a phone call away on the earth.
Q 14. Dhrubajyoti: We have learnt that you are learning Assamese in Space through the Assamese Flash Cards. 'Apuni Asomiya k obo pareneki (Can you speak Assamese)?
Mike: Laughs aloud. Good question. " Moi Alap Alap Asomiya kobo paro (Yes I can speak little bit of Assamese)".
18 held for Jan 1 Assam serial blasts
Guwahati: Pursuing speedy investigations into the New Year's Day serial blasts in the state capital, Assam police has so far arrested 18 people, including the person who carried and planted the bomb at Bhootnath, besides zeroing in on the identity of another prime accused and also releasing his photo.
''So far, 18 people have been arrested in connection with the January 1 blasts. Among them, six have been held for the Bhootnath blasts, two for Bhangagarh blast and 11 for Birubari blast,'' additional superintendent of police Debojit Deuri said. (UNI)
e-cards for NREGS cardholders in Tripura
From Our Correspondent
Agartala: Dukli block in West Tripura district will be the first block in the country to introduce Smart Cards for the people enrolled for NREGS schemes replacing the paper cards.
Deputy District Magistrate of West Tripura R M Malakar said, "This will be the pilot project not only for Tripura but for the country also and if the plan proves successful the centre will go ahead with the project in other parts of the country. Initially 2000 Smart Cards would be prepared for distribution to the job cardholders he added.
Giving details about the proposed Smart Card project, Malakar said that it would be like a driving license.
A photograph of the head of the family will be affixed in the front side of the card while another photo of the family members will be pasted on the other side of the card, he said.
Malakar said, there will be a ‘chip’ containing all relevant information of a job cardholder.
"Details of a card holders like employment and payment status will be stored in the chip so that this could be verified through the computer", he said.
"Scan report of job cardholders will also be stored in the chips so that it could be trace out in case of theft or missing", Mr Malakar said.
The Union Government has sanctioned Rs 518 crore for 2008-2009 financial year and an allocation of Rs 234 crore has already been released to the state. Offical sources said, the number of job cardholders in Tripura is 5.17 lakh and all the four districts of the state have been brought under the national scheme.
BSF recovers ‘peace’ note from KLNLF camp
Guwahati: Security personnel on Wednesday recovered a message for peace from Karbi militant group KLNLF camp days after the outfit declared unilateral ceasefire.
BSF personnel busted a Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front camp at Sokihula along Golaghta-Karbi Anglong district border, though the militants managed to escape before the arrival of the personnel. A paper was recovered from the camp with the message, "We want peace, no self-rule no rest, long live KLNLF," BSF sources said.
The KLNLF had declared a unilateral ceasefire in the last week of December. (UNI)
Mizoram gets new Chief Secretary
Aizawl: In a major development after the Assembly polls, Vanhela Pachuau on Wednesday replaced Haukhum Hauzel as Mizoram Chief Secretary.
Mr Pachuau took charge of office as the outgoing Chief Secretary would shortly join his new post as Secretary under the Central Government.
Official sources said Mr Hauzel had been promoted in retrospect to Secretary in December last.
A few months back, Mr Pachuau, former Principal Secretary under the state government, had been appointed Goa Chief Secretary. Incidentally, the Congress had alleged that Mr Hauzel and a few other senior officials campaigned for the Mizo National Front for the recently concluded Assembly polls. (UNI)
Former rebels observe fast in Manipur
Imphal: Taking shelter under a temporary shed made of bamboos and covered with plastics, ten surrendered militants have gone on an indefinite hunger strike from Wednesday in Imphal in protest against the alleged failure of the State Government to provide basic needs to the surrendered militants under the Surrendered Policy of the Government.
Talking to media persons one of the former militants informed that in 2005, eighty-four militants were recruited to the state force out of which only forty-seven were given regular posts while the remaining thirty-seven were left as ‘followers’ and not given any regular jobs till date. The surrendered militants also informed that the shelters of the ten families at the dog squad of the Manipur police commando complex, Ragailong in Imphal East were also demolished by the Government recently.
However, with no shelter, they informed that ten of the surrendered militants were taking shelter under a temporary shed made of bamboos and covered with plastic sheets at the demolished site.
"Ten surrendered millitants are currently taking shelter at the demolished quarters site as we cannot go to our respective residents.
However, our wives and children left the place," they stated.
They also revealed that ever since they gave up arms in the year 2000 following the invitation and assurance of the Government to bring them into the mainstream they have hardly received any benefits under any policy.
While informing that the agitation will continue until their demands were fulfilled, the have warned the Government to address their grievances within three days time failing which they will consider themselves as rejected by the Government. (NNN)
ONGC staff’s stir may cause fuel crisis in Tripura
Agartala: Tripura is going to face fuel crisis if the agitation of the employees of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) continues for the next few days.
The employees of ONGC in Tripura started resorting to cease-work strike demanding from the Union government to improve their pay structure and provide facilities which they deserve to enjoy.
On the first day of the strike on Wednesday, the oil pumps in Agartala managed to provide required fuel to the general public.
However, since the supply of fuel to power-plants in the state has been curtailed considerably, the duration power-cut has doubled this evening.
President of the state unit of the Association of Scientific and Technology Officers, Dr Ranjan Deb Barma said that more than 500 officers of ONGC in the state joined the agitation demanding better salary structure and other facilities.
He said, "As we are in cease-work strike the supply of usual 1.6 billion cubic meters of gas a day to different power plants in the state has gone down to half today. If our demands remain unattended by the Union government, the supply will be decreased more by Thursday." (NNN)
Miscreants loot Rs 33 lakh in AP
Itanagar: Close on the heels of the Rs 15 crore burglary incident at Anini Treasury office in Dibang Valley district, a miscreant looted Rs 33 lakh in broad daylight from a bank official at gun-point at Tadar Tang Marg here on Wednesday.
Papum Pare Superintendent of Police (SP) Hibu Tamang told UNI that when the official, along with a security guard, was taking the money to deposit at the ATM machine located at Legi Market here, five armed miscrents waylaid him and looted the booty.
They fled with the vehicle owned by the bank, Mr Tamang added.
The dacoits also wounded the guard and took away his AK 47 rifle, along with a few rounds of live ammunition.
However, they abandoned the vehicle near Doordarshan Colony here, which was later recovered by the police. (UNI)
Assamese sound artiste basks in Ghajini glory
From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: A young sound artiste from Upper Assam’s tea town of Jorhat who has braved the days of extreme struggle in Mumbai film industry, has cut his teeth as a sound designer in Amir Khan starrer block buster Ghajini whose overwhelming success in the box office seems to have banished fears of a recession in the world?s largest film factory.
The young sound artiste, Amrit Pritam Dutta who graduated from Jyoti Chitrabon Film Studio here in the year 2000, set sail for Mumbai filmdom on 2002 year with financial assistance of Rs 15,000 from three of his friends.
Before getting the opportunity to work for ?Ghajini?, Amrit Pritam had worked with several other big names in Bollywood as sound editor. He has so far worked in over 24 films, but ?Ghajini? has turned out to be the biggest landmark for his career.
"It was wonderful experience working in Ghajini which we had to complete within a very short span of time. I had to spend 25 days in the film studio at a stretch towards the end of the project to meet the deadline," the young sound designer with dreams in his eyes said here on Tuesday. He remembered with gratitude financial assistance provided by three of his roommates to help him to go to Mumbai to build his career in the film world. "I was feeling suffocated in Assam after graduating as a sound artiste from the film studio here.
One day I disclosed by intention to go to Bollywood to explore avenues out there before my three friends and requested them to help me out as I didn’t want to bother my parents. They agreed readily and provided me Rs 15, 000," he said.
Now, after having carved niche for himself in Bollywood, the young sound designer looks forward to work in some worthy ventures in Assamese film industry too. "Sound designing is comparatively new concept in India cinema.
Though sound designing an ambience is created for the film in tune with the back ground music and backdrop of the cinema," Amrit said while recalling his early days of immense struggle in Mumbai film industry to find a foot hold.
Source: http://www.theshillongtimes.com/
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