A HAPPY NEW YEAR UNIVERSE

Orion's belt


A close-up of the Crab Nebula



The Horse Head Nebula in Orion (can be seen in tiny perspective in the first pic)


An amazing look at a sunspot on our own little sun!


and Uranus who sports two new belts and moons...









take a look at the title link, click on "interactive" and be amazed...

EVOLUTION

I have been a bit hesitant to jump into the fray on the evolution debate as this issue can become a very emotive one, especially for many of my close friends.

Questions about creation and evolution are rather fundamental and how we handle them does have repurcussions for our worldviews and for our daily lives too. So, all hesitations aside, here we go.

A bit to my sorrow, I have found that it was my assumptions that caused most of my heartache. The first one was that I knew what my bible teaches about how God created. it took me far too long to realise that while the effect of God's creative action is clear enough, the how is conspicuously absent.

Second wrong assumption was to take the latest findings and theories of science as a static thing. Science is in such a fluctuant state that it is foolish to take its findings as fixed.

Third wrong un was to assume that I could convince my friends that this debate is largely misplaced.

The Pennsylvania Federal Court's ruling and rather acerbic comments will serve only to further polarize a debate which is already heading to Mars. In the final analysis, since science tries to figure out the 'hows' while religion seeks answers to 'whys' there is very little likelihood that they will tread the same path.

thanks to lifewithalacrity.com for the pic

Start the CADENZA

"... play my concerto unrehearsed from the score. I myself believed this was impossible. Liszt, however, obviously did not share my view. And so he began to play. After his accomplishment, I must add that further perfection is inconceivable; he played the Cadenza, which technically is exceedingly difficult, perfectly! Afterwards, he handed me the score and said: 'Just stay your course. I tell you truly, you have the ability needed - let nothing frighten you!' I cannot express the importance of his words. It was as though he initiated me. Many times when disappointments or bitterness are about to overwhelm me, my thoughts return to what he told me then, and my remembrance of that moment enables me to keep up my courage." (Grieg, Rome, 9 April 1870)

Saturday was the first day of production for our new medical transcription firm "Cadenza". We did well with our files in spite of a few initial scares due to a missing codec, a slow-to-arrive broadband, and some bobbles with the FTP.

It is exhilerating to start something new and do well right from day one. Good preparation, TEAMWORK, and a fast reaction time are some of the key ingredients. Many thanks to our MT Guru - Shankarji and for the efforts of Ramesh and our 'surprise' editor Pugazh. We will stay the course...

MOONS OF MYSTERY

Dione, Rhea, Enceladus and Lapetus are just four of Saturn's many moons that have been closely studied by the space explorer Cassini in recent close fly-bys.


And here is a rare alignment viewed from within Saturn's rings: