Based in Norfolk, Virginia (USA), Operation Smile is a non-profit medical charity NGO with branches in more than 50 countries, including India, providing remedial surgeries to children with cleft lips and cleft palates. Established in 1982 by Dr William Magee and Kathleen S Magee, Operation Smile organizes international volunteer missions, coordinates training for physicians and helps host countries in treating …

It’s a smoke screen. When threatened, an octopus discharges a thick blackish or brownish inky fluid, which is stored in its body. The ejected ink doesn’t dissolve quickly. It floats in the water in a cloud shaped somewhat like an Octopus. The idea is to confuse its enemies and cover its escape – and it works.

Navaratri is a very special time of honoring the Divine Mother. Navaratri means nine nights. Navaratri happens in Spring and in Autumn of every year. It begins on a New Moon in the month of Ashwini and Chaitra. Both sets of nine days are also connected to Lord Rama. The chaitra shula navaratri is known as Ram navami. I will …

It’s a concept introduced by Vladimir Lenin, who wrote that when capitalism becomes imperialistic, it is moribund capitalism. He describes the height of imperialist capitalism as “ripe and rottenripe capitalism” which will eventually collapse and make way for socialism. The concept was mentioned in his 1916 book, Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism.

Mooching refers to aimlessly wandering around, begging or sponging off others. Due to market crises all over the world, families in the US have taken to mooching others as a means to cut costs on a daily basis. This includes bumming rides from friends more frequently than before, asking your colleague if you need your wallet when going out for …

A spring chicken is a young bird bred for the table. Earlier, chicks would not survive the cold winter months, so a chicken in spring was prized for its flavour. New England chicken farmers discovered that chickens born in spring fetched a better price than the old ones who had weathered the winters. When farmers tried selling the older ones …

‘Ceteris paribus’ is a Latin phrase literally translated as “with other things the same”. Ceteris paribus clauses are most widely used in economics to simplify the formulation and description of economic outcomes. When using ceteris paribus in economics, assume all other variables, except those under immediate consideration, are held constant. Sir Alfred Marshall characterized this phrase. It is mainly used …

Maundy Thursday is the Thursday of Holy Week. It represents the day that the Jewish Passover was celebrated in the Bible Story of Easter. On that day, Jesus had his last meal with his friends and followers before he was killed. This meal is now know as ‘The Last Supper’. At the meal, Jesus and his friends would have followed …

Eid-e-Milad is also called Maulid, since it is Prophet Muhammed’s Eid and the song sung in praise of the Prophet’s birth is called a Maulud. From the Middle Ages, it was believed that, listening to the recitation of Maulud has not only worldly but heavenly rewards too. Maulid or Meelad is the expression of individual gratitude, collective awareness and communal …

Maniole is a place in Zaire, currently called the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The average annual temperature here is about 250 degrees Celsius. From 1967, its currency is Zaore.