Indian-origin scientist behind password-less future

Researchers, led by an Indian-origin scientist, are developing an easy-to-use, secure login protection that eliminates the need to use a password

WASHINGTON: Researchers, led by an Indian-origin scientist, are developing an easy-to-use, secure login protection that eliminates the need to use a password.

Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham are working on a secure login protection known as zero-interaction authentication.

Zero-interaction authentication enables a user to access a terminal, such as a laptop or a car, without interacting with the device.

It eliminates the need for a password and diminishes the security risks that accompany them. A common example of such authentication is a keyless entry and start system that unlocks a car door or starts the car engine based on the token's proximity to the car.

However, existing zero-interaction authentication schemes are vulnerable to relay attacks, commonly referred to as ghost-and-leech attacks, in which a hacker, or ghost, succeeds in authenticating to the terminal on behalf of the user by colluding with another hacker, or leech, who is close to the user at another location.

"The goal of our research is to examine the existing security measures that zero-interaction authentication systems employ and improve them," said Nitesh Saxena, associate professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences and co-leader of the Center for Information Assurance and Joint Forensics Research.

"We want to identify a mechanism that will provide increased security against relay attacks and maintain the ease of use," said Saxena, who led the research.

The researchers examined two types of sensor modalities that could protect zero-interaction systems against relay attacks without affecting usability.

First, they examined four sensor modalities that are commonly present on devices: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and audio. Second, they looked at the capabilities of using ambient physical sensors as a proximity-detection mechanism and focused on four: ambient temperature, precision gas, humidity and altitude.

Each of these modalities helps the authentication system verify that the two devices attempting to connect to each other are in the same location and thwart a ghost-and-leech attack.

The research, done in collaboration with the University of Helsinki and Aalto University in Finland, showed that sensor modalities, used in combination, provide added security.

"Users will be able to use an app on their phones to lock and unlock their laptops, desktops or even their cars, without passwords and without having to worry about relay attacks," said Babins Shrestha, a UAB doctoral student and co-author on the study.

Source:  http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-06-05/news/50358984_1_authentication-modalities-car-key

Food for weight loss #1: Cinammon or dalchini

Cinnamon is one of those magical ingredients that can help heal a cough and cold as well as accelerate weight loss.

You may have believed that dalchini or cinnamon is simply added to a pulav or biryani to spice up their taste but that’s not the only things these little barks do. Cinnamon is one of those magical ingredients that helps you to heal from cough and cold and also lose weight!

Cinnamon does this by activating insulin receptors and stimulating various enzyme systems involved in the carbohydrate metabolism in your body, eventually regulating the level of blood sugar and increasing metabolism. It also helps to delay the passing of food from stomach to the intestines which keeps you satiated for a longer period of time and eventually reduces your food intakes.

How to add cinnamon in your diet


Tip#1: Include about one teaspoon of cinnamon in your daily diet by sprinkling cinnamon powder on food you eat – breakfast cereal, tea and coffee, fruits such as apples and pears or curds.

Tip#2: Combine cinnamon with honey in the form of a tea by mixing one tablespoon of each in half a cup of hot water. This tea should be drunk about 30 minutes before breakfast every day to see a noticeable weight loss.

Source: https://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/food-weight-loss-1-cinammon-084019856.html

The Maharajas' Express: Great Train Journeys

Our series will help you tackle the world's greatest train journeys. This week: the Maharajas' Express in India

Overview

One of five luxury trains operating in India, the 19-car Maharajas’ Express provides an unrivalled way of seeing some of the best-known sights in the north and west in comfort and style. The balance between eating on and off the train, daytime train travel and excursions – by Mercedes coach – is well judged. The train moves on each night, so the earplugs in the bedside drawer are necessary. The numerous staff are generally excellent and the train is kept looking immaculate.

Route

Routes vary; see below under “Time”. I followed the “Indian Panorama” itinerary.

The first tour begins in Jaipur, the only city in India laid out on a geometric grid pattern and famous for its pink buildings. Among pale hills enlivened by the occasional explosion of mauve bougainvillea is what was the old capital before Jai Singh II created Jaipur from 1727; Amber Palace is a fusion of Mogul and Rajput architecture with hardly a surface unadorned by carving, mirrors, precious stones or painted decoration.

On the polo field of Jaipur’s sprawling City Palace, created by the Maharajas of Jaipur, the train’s passengers are invited to try a few chukkas of elephant polo. On my trip, an alliance of Brazil, Australia and Britain was defeated by the Russians.

Next morning, cocooned in rugs against the early chill, guests leave the train at 6.30 in open-topped land cruisers, which whip through the quiet streets to Ranthambore National Park. The park was once the hunting ground of the Maharaja of Jaipur, and its lightly forested hills and lakes form an area of great natural beauty. It has 55 tigers, which is an upper limit because each needs a huge territory. Though we left without a glimpse of one, the spotted deer, monkeys, peacocks and pigs were entertainment enough.

The journey on to Fatehpur Sikri allowed time for watching scenes that so enthral foreign travellers in Indian railways. From lush green fields women emerge with bundles of grass perched on their heads, making for a cluster of rudimentary dwellings. Close by are discs of dung, painstakingly arranged in herringbone fashion to form a beehive-shaped pile to dry in the sun. Herds of long-eared goats are looked after by children too young for school, and camels hauling carts wait at level crossings, their head and necks in a haughty posture as though expressing their disdain for such humble work.

Can there be a more grandiloquent white elephant than Fatehpur Sikri? This vast architectural marvel was commissioned by Akbar, the third Mogul ruler, and work began in 1571. It was completed in the mid-1580s, but within 15 years had to be abandoned when the water supply gave out and the capital was moved to Agra. We wandered the ornate halls, courtyards and gardens and gave silent thanks to Lord Curzon, who put restoration work in hand in 1905.

Another dawn start, but no one minded because the reason was to see in the soft light the world’s greatest monument to love, the Taj Mahal. This sublime creation by the heartbroken Shah Jehan is incomparable, made the more poignant by his last years incarcerated by his ruthless third son, Aurangzeb. From his prison window Shah Jehan was at least able to see the huge white tomb built for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

We continued our appreciation of the Taj Mahal from nearby gardens, sipping champagne with breakfast in a marquee overlooking the trees and gardens surrounding the great dome; it was hard to imagine the two-mile ramp built to enable elephants to drag the Makrana marble to its upper levels.

At Gwalior, south of Agra, a procession of Jains, the men naked and the women in white saris, wound its way through the streets as we approached theformidable fortress, rising from the top of sheer cliffs above the city. After roving the warren of passages and small courtyards in the 500-year-old sandstone palace, we descended to the vast Jai Vilas Palace, designed by Lt Col Sir Michael Filose. The Maharaja of Gwalior’s 400-room palace was ready to receive Edward, Prince of Wales during his 17-week tour of India in 1875–6.

After sunset the huge square of gardens within the four white wings of the palace made an enchanting setting for dinner under the stars, with changing coloured lights illuminating the dozens of jets playing into the middle of the fountain at the centre of the garden.

Perhaps the least well-known site visited during the week was the medieval fort palace of Orchha. In the Raj Mahal are some vividly coloured 17th-century murals of religious subjects and court life, an insight into the activities that once filled the palaces. Narrow-entranced camel stables stand beside another palace still decorated with cobalt and turquoise tiles. Returning to Orchha station, we swapped our coach for three-wheeled tuk-tuks – thankfully running these days on compressed natural gas.

An unseasonal thunderstorm created a dramatic sky for our visit to the temples at Khajuraho, famous for their erotic sculptures. In fact the improbably nubile couplings on the Hindu and Jain temples built by the Chandela kings between 950 and 1150 make up less than a tenth of the fantastically intricate and well-preserved carvings, most depicting elephants, horses and battle scenes.

Varanasi may be the religious capital of India as one of Hindus’ seven holy cities and the place where the founder of Buddhism, Siddartha, preached his first sermon around 528 BC, but its chaotic public realm makes it a disturbing place. Nonetheless, the evening boat journey on the Ganges to witness the evening puja ceremony is unforgettable: Brahmin priests chant and make offerings, watched by thousands gathered on the steps overlooking the theatrical display of fire-waving and bell- ringing.

Our final day was spent in Lucknow, where a strong presence of army and air force has helped preserve the cantonment area of large bungalows in generous and well-kept grounds. Admirably, the most famous memorial to the Indian Mutiny/First War of Independence has been well cared for post-independence; the Residency was besieged for 87 days, and fewer than a thousand of the original 2,994 incarcerated troops, sepoys and civilians survived. Among the ruined, roofless buildings forming the Residency is St Mary’s church and cemetery where one of the heroic defendants, Sir Henry Lawrence, lies with a simple epitaph: “Here lies Henry Lawrence who tried to do his duty.”

As famine-relief projects go, Lucknow’s Great Imambara must take some beating: this immense late- 18th-century building for mourning has one of the largest vaulted halls in the world: 163 feet long and 49 feet high. Above the hall is an extraordinary maze of narrow passageways on two levels, accessed by 489 identical doorways, with a flat roof above giving panoramic views across the city.

Saris and kurta pajamas were given to all passengers to wear at the final dinner, hosted by the Raja of Jehangirabad and his wife at their city palace in Lucknow. Watercolours of English landscapes jostled on the walls with Victorian prints of scenes from The Pickwick Papers, Indian miniature paintings and photographs of a visit by Jackie Kennedy. Our entire party could be seated on settees and armchairs in one of the two side-by-side double-cube reception rooms for a performance of Indian classical dances before a buffet dinner. The Raja sounded very like country-house owners in Britain as he talked of the need to make his palaces pay, and his country palace has become a largely educational institution.

As we returned to the capital, it was extraordinary to think that, in the time of our circuit, 210 million journeys had been made on the the trains of Indian Railways, the world’s largest employer with more than a million staff. My previous travels on Indian railways had been in every class from 1st AC to 2nd 3-tier sleepers, and all of them relished, but as I stepped on to the red carpet for the last time I had a feeling I would miss it.

Highlights

Even Edward, Prince of Wales on his visit to the Maharaja of Gwalior’s palace in 1876 must have been astonished by the Durbar Hall, lit by two 3½-ton chandeliers – then the heaviest in the world – whose weight on the roof structure had caused such anxiety that it was tested by 10 elephants using a specially built 1¼-mile long ramp. But Edward would not have seen one of the palace’s most famous objects, the silver train carrying decanters and cigars around the long dining-table, which stops when a decanter or container is lifted; the train was supplied in 1906 by Armstrong Whitworth of Newcastle, with an override for the maharaja to omit a stop if he felt someone had had enough.

Booking

For booking in Britain: Luxury Train Club (01249 890205; luxurytrainclub.com).

Time

Itineraries are for three or seven nights.

Indian Panorama (three): Delhi–Jaipur–Ranthambore–Fatehpur Sikri–Agra–Gwalior–Orchha–Khajuraho–Varanasi–Lucknow–Delhi.

The Heritage of India (seven): Mumbai–Ajanta–Udaipur–Jodhpur–Bikaner–Jaipur–Ranthambore–Fatehpur Sikri– Agra–Delhi

Gems of India (three): Delhi–Agra–Ranthambore–Jaipur–Delhi.

Treasures of India (three): Delhi–Agra–Jaipur–Delhi.

Indian Splendour (seven): Delhi–Agra–Ranthambore–Jaipur–Bikaner–Jodpur–Udaipur–Balsinor–Mumbai.

Cost

Treasures of India and Gems of India: $3,850; the seven-night Heritage of India: $6,840, Indian Panorama and Indian Splendour: both $5,980.

On board

Sleeping cars have a maximum of four cabins per carriage, making them unusually spacious, helped by the wide Indian track gauge. You can even have a whole carriage to yourself, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms (one with a bath) and a lounge. All have been thoughtfully designed, with good lighting, en suite shower and lavatory and enough wardrobe and drawer space for a week. There is a television and DVD player, and a good Wi-Fi signal was available for about three quarters of the 1,440 miles.

Meals are taken in one of the two 42-seat dining-cars, one decorated in red and cream, the other in green, blue and gold, while two lounge/bar cars form the social hubs, with plenty of reading material and games. Anyone expecting to dine to the standard of the Orient-Express may be disappointed, but the cooking of Western and Indian dishes is more than adequate.

Tips

Packing

Hat, mosquito repellent, binoculars.

What to read

Monisha Rajesh, born in Britain, gives a candid and witty view of the country today in Around India in 80 Trains (Nicholas Brealey Publishing). Penetrating insights into the country can be found in three books by people who have lived and worked there: James Cameron’s An Indian Summer; John Keay’s Into India; and Mark Tully’s No Full Stops in India. For ripping yarns, try the novels of John Masters, and for fictional portrayals of post-partition India, the work of R K Narayan, Vikram Seth and Amitav Ghosh.

Read her piece "Around India in 80 trains" for Telegraph Travel here

What to listen to

Downloads/CDs of sitar music by Ravi Shankar or compositions by the master of the sarod, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan

.

What to watch

Like his The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson’s film about three brothers travelling by train across India, The Darjeeling Limited, is idiosyncratic. The BBC series Bombay Railway conveyed the way the railway is woven into the fabric of Indian life. The 1956 film of John Master’s novel Bhowani Junction, starring Ava Gardner and Stewart Granger, was shot in Lahore, Pakistan, but captures the atmosphere of Indian railways in the months before independence.

India's Maharajas' Express rail journey

Step aboard a brand-new Indian luxury train from Bombay to Delhi and you’ll be transported into a world of red carpets, high teas with maharajas and elephant polo. Michael Kerr reports.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/journeysbyrail/great-train-journeys/10792418/The-Maharajas-Express-Great-Train-Journeys.html

The future of air travel

Airlines will become hotels in the sky by offering a growing array of comforts

The Business Class Studio of the new A380 aircraft of Etihad Airlines. Photograph: Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images

A text message will tell you what gate you’re departing from, and another one later will tell you when that gate is open, allowing you more time for some last-minute shopping, reflection in the thinkpod or a few extra downward dogs in the yoga studio, depending on your mood. During your flight, you’ll stream movies on your tablet and use the same device to do some online supermarket shopping so that when you arrive home from your two-week holiday you’ll have a bag of fresh groceries waiting for you.

By 2020, the in-flight experience will be tech-savvy and highly customised; gone will be the the current largely homogenised affair, as airlines learn to tailor their offerings to take account of passenger preferences and tastes, much like the hotel industry does today. The airline industry has traditionally lagged behind other tourism sectors when it comes to creating customer profiles to anticipate their needs, but Trevor Buckley of the Irish Aviation Research Institute believes that airlines will increasingly benchmark against trends in the hotel sector in order to meet customer expectations.

Ryanair marketing director Kenny Jacobs believes that the next few years will see an overlapping of the in-flight experience with a host of other consumer experiences such as retail, dining and hospitality. Jacobs predicts that passengers will be able to pick from a selection of themed flights: for instance, gourmet fans might opt for a “fly ‘n’ food” trip, where freshly prepared sushi is available on a conveyor belt in the aisles; or board the transatlantic steakhouse, where on-board chefs serve made-to-order cuts of the finest Wagyu beef. There will be flights themed for families, ones for shoppers, and for sports fans there’ll be retired sports stars telling anecdotes and hosting Q&As. For the airlines, it’ll all about customising the experience so that flying becomes less of an ordeal to endure and more of an experience to enjoy.

What looks unlikely to change is airline policy on the use of mobile phones. It’s been proven they’re perfectly safe, but the US Federal Communications Commission has said it will maintain its ban on them on privacy and comfort grounds as poll findings reveal that passengers would prefer not to share a one-sided phone conversation with a stranger. It’s expected that other authorities will follow suit.

We may not be on our phones but we’ll spend a lot of our time online. Superfast broadband connectivity will be standard on all airlines, allowing passengers to download content directly on their mobile devices. Those screens on the back of the seats will disappear as airlines work to create lighter seats, which will significantly reduce the weight of the plane and the fuel burn that accounts for 40 per cent of an airline’s total costs.

The biggest changes will take place in the front-end seats as the world’s airlines scramble for position in the intensifying race for loyalty in front of the curtain.

Earlier this month, Etihad took the lead with its flashy new first and business class cabin designs – the three-room Residence was particularly impressive – getting the jump on rivals Emirates, and Singapore Airlines who describe their first class suite as “a private sanctuary in the sky”.

First class grabs the column inches, but the real battleground is in business class as airlines fight for the custom of the business frequent flyer. Raymond Kollau, founder of airlinetrends.com, thinks business class will just keep getting better. “It will become something in between business and first class,” he says.

When launching the new design, Etihad chief executive James Hogan spoke of the importance of the “halo effect”. This is echoed by Timothy Miller, programme manager at aircraft cabin design consultancy Teague, who believes that an airline’s reputation for pampering and extravagance will go a long way toward fostering upper-middle-class awareness and desire to be part of that experience, even if it’s in economy class which, in the case of premium airlines, is still likely to be better than the average carrier.

First and business class passengers will enjoy the benefits of improved check-in systems and upgraded lounges, and, most importantly, loyalty programmes where points are accrued by money spent rather than miles flown. Since the cost of a basic coach ticket will continue to remain fairly low, the majority of economy class passengers will not be able to get enough points to justify membership.

In five years’ time, luggage allowances will be roughly the same, but new technology will reduce long check-in queues at airports and the loss of bags in transit. Permanent electronic baggage tags will be the norm; all a passenger will have to do is update them via their mobile, scan the tag and deposit their bag on a conveyor. They’ll also use their mobile devices to keep track of their luggage via a GPS-enabled app.

Our mobile devices will be the most important piece of our travel kit, playing a part in every aspect of a journey. We already use them as boarding cards but in the future we’ll be checking them for details of our gate, departure times and final calls – passengers waylaid in the airport will receive a text telling them their gate is about to close.

Within the next few years, the x-ray security bottleneck will be relieved through innovative lane configurations and the widespread rollout of high-tech scanners. “Self-select” lanes where passengers are filtered according to type (expert, casual and family passengers) are currently being trialled in 51 airports in the US in an effort to find the ideal system to speed-up the flow through security.

New scanners that detect and identify concealed objects will cut down on passenger inconvenience, reduce the need for intrusive searches and allow for laptops and tablets to stay in their bags.

Finally, there’s the question of cost. Industry experts all agree that the price of an airline ticket will remain relatively steady for the foreseeable future, with the airlines committed to ensuring that the entry-level charge to the flying experience of the future remains affordable. Everything else, however, will be subject to a charge which will put the final cost of the flight very much in passengers’ hands.

The next five years will see both subtle and dramatic changes aimed at reducing the monotony of the flying experience and making it more fun. The airlines talk of creating hotels in the sky where passengers can be pampered, distracted and entertained. That might sound a little optimistic – a cabin on an airliner remains a restricted space, no matter how good the food or how soft the blankets – but it’ll be much easier to pretend.

Source:   http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/the-future-of-air-travel-1.1805161

7 ways to trick your brain to exercise regularly

Aditya Prasad

This article is intended to be read by those who think of starting to exercise everyday but then they usually find a perfect excuse to start it from tomorrow.

Sadly, that tomorrow never comes.

But that's only bad; worse is that you keep doing it day after day after day.

So what's the solution? BE GREEDY!

Yes, I am asking you to be greedy. Guess what, it works!

I could have given you divine sermon on how to be effective, how to motivate yourself, how to push your limits and all the 2000 reasons on how exercising helps. But I am not writing this article to tell you the obvious.

You are smart enough to know that there are thousands (if not lakhs) of self help and motivational books/materials/ videos etc. out there on this topic. I bet you have even read/watched a few of them and exercised a few days! But then the fizz fizzles, like always.

What I am telling you here is real, personal and practical. I have tried all of these tricks to move my body out of home.

TRICK YOUR BRAIN: Look forward to the exercise activity as an outcome of something that you love doing. Call it a 'by-product', if you may.

Here's an explanation to how that can be achieved.

1. Look forward to listening to music

I am yet to find a person who does not love listening to music. It could be your mobile, laptop, TV, music system, car audio whatever, but you do like listening to music.

Get the top ten songs you love the most into your mobile and go out for a stroll only to listen to music, while walking.

As I said, let your brain think you are out only for great music, walking (to start with) becomes secondary (or so your brain thinks).

Go for exercise to listen to music, in comfort with cool breeze hitting your face. Pleasant. Try late evenings or early morning.

2. Buy expensive shoes

Out of guilt feeling you will go out to do some exercise. Start with walking around in your colony/ society/ apartment complex etc.

This guilt feeling will keep you motivated to do something with those shoes before it catches dust. At least for few days this will keep you going. Then...

3. Spend a lot on good exercise clothes

Now this is interesting. Spend some good amount of money on shorts, t-shirts etc. made especially for exercising purpose.

Ensure these clothes are of such bright colours that you become hesitant to wear them for social gatherings or going out anywhere else.

You should end up doing something with these clothes and exercising should be the best option. Of course you can end up using them as night dress but in that case reading further is a useless activity, you have given up already.

4. Dress up

Even if you don't feel like going out to exercise, just dress up, wear those expensive clothes and shoes and sit down.


Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert) suggested this in his latest book 'How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big' and I have personally tried it on myself. Guess what? It works!

5. Energy drinks and healthy food

There's a lot of awesome food that we can hog on other than the weekend biryani!

Our brain is tuned to eat the regular stuff; trick your brain to get to new and exciting food items, but only when you exercise as much.

Award yourself with some exotic food items only the week you exercise, explore more, eat new things, different flavours of energy drinks etc.


Don't stop your regular tea/coffee but add more variety when your body does more. Body will automatically start looking forward to such occasions.

6. If you're watching TV, stand up

Yes, this is the least you can do. Instead of lying like a dead man on your sofa, hogging on to that biscuits or Haldiram snacks, you stand up and watch your TV.

Even when people hardly watch TV, I know majority of Indians just love sitting and swapping channels.


Trick your brain to do the same thing (watching TV) still exercising. If you could do this for 15 minutes for 6 days continuously, you are already a winner. Continue doing it every second day, if not everyday.

7. Start with walking only

I know of many who sign up for a gym membership for three months or even for an year and still end up going there only for a month, at best.

After a couple of months the guilt feeling kicks in and you repeat the same. I have a simple solution for you.

Just walk.

You do not need any sophisticated equipments, it's free and can be done anytime anywhere. To ensure that your body gets all that you would have given in the gym, regularly change your walking pattern.

Slow, fast, run sometimes, mix and match.

I walk daily and now I do not need to trick my brain at all; it got accustomed to my schedule. It has reached such a level that it generates the guilt feeling when I do not walk.

Changing any habit is tough, super irritating and big time painful. Research shows that it takes 21 days for anything to get into a habit.

I have a more practical suggestion since I know you will not exercise for 21 days continuously just because I said so or your read my article.

I suggest you start doing things few days a week and continue doing that for a few weeks.

Do not push yourself too much.

Source:  http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-health-7-ways-to-trick-your-brain-to-exercise-regularly/20140529.htm#6

10 natural cough remedies

The next time you have an annoying cough, take your grandmother's advice and try one of these natural remedies.

Coughing happens when viruses, bacteria, dust, pollen or other substances irritate the nerve endings in the airways between the throat and lungs. A cough is the body’s way of trying to clear the passages, and what a valiant effort the body makes in this endeavor. We can cough at speeds up to 60 miles per hour, and the average cough produces enough air to fill a two-liter soda bottle about three-fourths full. The air of a cough sprays out several feet, and is accompanied by some 3,000 tiny droplets of saliva.

While chronic coughs can be a sign of a serious illness, most people consider the common cough to be more of an annoyance than a health issue. Although side effects like chest pain, exhaustion, and incontinence can accompany a cough, the more vexing complaints often have to do with a cough’s ability to interfere with your (and your household’s) sleep and the propensity to be annoying in otherwise quiet places. Coupled with the germ-spreading factor, it certainly seems like treating your cough is the kindest thing to do.

While many people reach for over-the-counter medicines, experts say that many of them are a waste of money. A report from Harvard University notes, "According to American College of Chest Physicians guidelines, many of the active ingredients in over-the-counter cough remedies are ineffective.”

So, how to quell that cough without resorting to over-the-counter medicines that are possibly ineffective and may offer a host of their own side effects? With natural remedies, of course. Here are some favorite folk ways to relieve a nagging cough.

1. Homemade honey cough “syrup”

There is scientific evidence that honey can be effective in treating coughs and sore throats. You can take it straight, or mix honey with coconut oil and lemon juice for extra benefits. You can also try many a grandmother's old standby before bedtime: a shot of bourbon mixed with honey.

2. Thyme tea

In Germany, thyme is an officially approved treatment for coughs, upper respiratory infections, bronchitis and whooping cough. The herb’s little leaves pack a potent punch of cough-calming compounds that work to relax tracheal and ileal muscles, and reduce inflammation. You can make a thyme tea by steeping two teaspoons of crushed thyme leaves in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes, then strain. Adding honey and lemon rounds out the flavor and adds extra soothing power as well.

3. A hot shower

Crank up the hot water, close the windows and turn off the exhaust fan. Steam can be a cough’s worst enemy, and thus, your best friend. Steam works to soothe the airways and loosen sinus congestion and phlegm in your throat and lungs. (Although take note, WebMD warns that steam may exacerbate coughs caused by asthma.)

4. Black pepper and honey tea

For a wet cough, you can try a black pepper and honey remedy that is said to work because the pepper stimulates circulation and mucus flow and the honey is a natural cough reliever. Use one teaspoon of freshly ground pepper and two tablespoon of honey in a mug, and fill with boiling water. Cover and allow to steep for 15 minutes, strain and sip.

5. A lot of liquids

Drinking a lot of liquids, whether any of the teas listed here or even just an increase in your daily water consumption can be helpful for a cough. Fluids help thin out the mucus in postnasal drip and keeps the membranes moist, which can help to reduce the need to cough.

6. Cough drops

Menthol cough drops work to numb the back of the throat, which can help tame the cough reflex.

7. Suck a lemon

Pucker up and suck a lemon? Indeed, this popular remedy calls for sprinkling a section of lemon with salt and pepper and sucking on it. (If nothing else, you will probably be so distracted by having a mouthful of lemon that you may forget to cough.) And if the idea of sucking on a lemon lacks appeal, you can try a hot-buttered lemonade ... and swap the sugar with honey for good measure.

8. Commercial tea blends

Most health food stores have a wide array of teas to suit your home-remedy needs. The Traditional Medicinals brand offers Gypsy Cold Care Tea, an effective remedy that is made from 92 percent organic pharmacopoeial-grade herbs like elder flower, yarrow flower, peppermint leaf, hyssop herb and other organic herbs and flowers.

9. Licorice

If you think licorice has a medicinal taste … two points for you! Licorice root, the flavor from which licorice candy originated, has long been used to treat coughs. Real licorice — or candy made from it — can help soothe inflamed and irritated throats and help to ease coughing. Slice one ounce of candy licorice (that contains real licorice) and steep it for 24 hours with a quart of boiling water; sip as needed.

10. Ginger

Ginger has a lot of secret powers and it has been used for its medicinal properties since antiquity. Practitioners of Eastern medicine commonly prescribe ginger to treat symptoms of colds and flu because of its antihistamine and decongestant capabilities. You can make ginger tea by adding 12 slices of fresh ginger in a pot with three cups water. Allow it to simmer for 20 minutes and remove from heat. Strain, add 1 tablespoon of honey and a squeeze of lemon, and taste; if it’s too spicy, add more water.

Source: http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/10-natural-cough-remedies#

First house on moon could bear your name!

London, June 2 (IANS) How would the first house on the moon look like? It could, if all goes well, be a Swedish cottage painted in red and white.

What is more interesting is that you can get your name printed on this house if you donate for the over $15 million project.

Swedish artist and entrepreneur Mikael Genberg has been planning to place a self-constructing house on the surface of the moon in collaboration with US aerospace company Astrobotic.

The miniature house, just big enough to accommodate a grown human being, is made from specially developed space-cloth stretched over a carbon structure.

It weighs 22 pounds which would translate to 3.75 pounds on the moon.

The house will build itself within minutes after landing on the moon.

"The Moonhouse is more than just an art project. The aim is to inspire people to push through mental barriers and broaden their perception of what we can make possible," a statement on TheMoonHouse website reads.

"The Moonhouse is a democratic art project, where everyone is welcome to participate and create a unique symbol for what people can achieve, together," the statement adds.

Genberg has been working on the project since 2003, according to the website.

The art project lost momentum four years back in the face of economic meltdown, but is complete now up to 75 percent.

Some of Sweden's leading space engineers have invested years of their time and effort to realise the venture.

The US space technology company Astrobotic, whose partners include Nasa, have committed to the challenge of taking the house to the moon.

"The Moonhouse will enable people to make history and a mark on the international scene since it will be the first payload funded by private individuals to land on the moon," John Thornton, CEO of Astrobotic, was quoted as saying.

The launch and lunar landing is scheduled for October 2015. Around $4,000 (Rs.2,36,000) have already been acquired through crowd-funding. The donor's name will be printed on the inside of the house.

Source:  http://www.ianslive.in/index.php?param=news/First_house_on_moon_could_bear_your_name!-426082/SCIENCE%20and%20TECHNOLOGY/36