Fruit for Thoughts

“ Think carefully about your children and your family.” “Your life is a precious rgift from your parents.” These are some common signs one will encounter as soon as one reaches the outskirts of Aokigahara Forest in Japan – very often referred as suicide forest across the globe.     Location: The forest is located at coordinates 35 O .28’ 12” N, 138 O .37’ 11” E on the northwest flank of Japan’s Mount Fuji. It is spread over 30 KM 2 (12 sq mi) covering the hardened laid down by the last major eruption of Mount Fuji in 864. Little about the forest Historically this forest has been reputed as home of yurei: ghosts of death as per Japanese mythology. This dense forest is spread over volcanic rock, making it a perfect place for those who seeking solitude. The rocks on which the forest is, are porous and absorbs the sound. As the forest is very dense, trackers, hikers and tourist exploring this forest, use plastic tap to track their paths, so they don’t get lost. Designated...

  The Bicycle in the Picture The picture is of a bicycle - Herrenrad Victoria with spring wheels, used by Germany Army in WW1. To be more precise this is actually 1905 – Herrenrad Victoria – Model 12, having frame measuring 24”, wheels measuring 28”, running on beaded edge tire and had a Lohmann saddle. Why springs were used? There are different claims in regard to the way the wheels were designed, some says it was designed in this way to make it a multi-terrine bike, it can be used in any terrine, without the hustle of maintaining the tiers. The other theory says springs were used as there was a shortage of rubber. Bicycles in Military Roles The history of bicycles and military can be traced back to 1870 when bicycles were used in the Franco – Prussian war. Later bicycles were used in the year 1894 and 1908 as well in different military campaigns.   During WW-1, Germans put every available bicycle in the country in military use i.e. to mobilize its large troops. Ger...

  Criticism – an act not liked by most of us when it’s done to us, but when we get an opportunity to do this – we not only love doing this, most of the time we blow this out of proportion as well. Why so? If this has to be expressed in a few words – one becomes the best advocate for his / her mistake and gets transformed into a top-notch judge when we are at fault. Criticism is very often done in a very narrow manner, thereby not only losing its real meaning & intent but also does more damage the doing anything constrictive. Almost all of us must have come across people claiming, “ I am open to criticism .” But are they really up for criticism, in most of the cases they really are not, most of us say this just for the sake of saying or posing ourselves as cool. Shall we not ask some questions to ourselves – shall we not take a pose and do an introspection & think are we really up for Criticism? How positively do we Take Criticism? How do we react if we are criticiz...