Mecon March 2017 newsletter

Newsletter - 1st Edition - January to March 2017 Club: #9639, Division: E, District: 92

Expressions 1

Table of Contents From the President’s Desk 3 VP PR’s Note 4 The Toastmasters Club Mission

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Mecon Communication Club 6 Committee Members 7 Our Club Achievements 8 Just Happiness - An Illusion

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Those 22 Minutes! 10 Trouble in Paradise 12 Mentor moment 14 Mother - my best Tom 15 Glimpses of Our Meetings 17 DOOZIE experience at your finger tips

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Our PR Team! 22 Personality test 23 Welcome New Members 26

WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE 2

From the President’s Desk TM Shylaja Sampath, President

TOASTMASTERS –“WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE”. It was this tag line that enticed me to attend one of the meetings at IIMB Orators TM Club as a guest. It was a great experience and I was eager to join. I am sure all of you will agree that, the essence of toastmasters is all about team effort and team spirit and mutually supportive ambience. It is this essence that attracted me to toastmasters all the more! Subsequently I got the opportunity to be a guest at Mecon Communication Club (MCC), and I decided to join it. That is the best thing that could have happened to me. It has been five years now and I have enjoyed every bit of my journey so far.

Our club MCC is in its 19th year, in the last leg of its teens! And has a wonderful mix of youth and experience. Jan 16th 2017 was a special day in our club calendar. It was the installation ceremony of the new team that day. I was going to be installed as the president of this prestigious club. The feeling I had was, “Oh My God! Will I be able to do justice to the position?” But I thought to myself and said instead of “Will I be able to do anything?” Should it not be” We will do everything”. ” YES! TOGETHER WE CAN.” That is what toastmasters is all about.

Our team is privileged to lead such a regarded club in TM fraternity. It is an opportunity for us to serve, and also to bring out our latent leadership skills into action. Here, we are extremely grateful to our long term members, with whose guidance and support the club is on track and has stayed on course, on the path of excellence!

In this context it is important to remember the contribution of the immediate past club officers’ team, who have secured 7 DCP points .We have now reached 8 points with the officers’ training programme. With this we need to gather two more points to complete the goal of 10 points to become a president’s distinguished club (PDC). TOGETHER WE WILL. The plan to achieve this is to systematically have every member give at least one speech per month or at least one every two months. This we propose to do by following my mentor, DTM Prabhakara’s 3M model of Mentoring, Managing and Motivating.

Theatre and storytelling are an extension of public speaking for me, which involves body language and voice modulation. We know how important and significant they are for a speech. Hence we plan to have educational sessions for the same to benefit our members, so that they integrate that knowledge to deliver effective speeches.

Finally, we will strive to continue to keep our club meetings as innovative and exciting as possible, to take our club to greater heights, with our members blossoming into confident speakers.

TOGETHER WE CAN! WE WILL!

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VP PR’s Note TM Anusha Ranganth, VP PR

Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.

Illusion is something so relatable to everything we do and we wish to be done. Generally we form cages and stop ourselves from doing a lot of things that we are capable of. All that it takes is a self push towards it and make sure we get done with it. We live in an illusion that is created by us and we change it according to how we want it to appear for us. Caging ourselves in such inhibitions or illusion isn’t a fair thing to do.

When this task of VP PR (Vice President of Public Relations) began it was a roller coaster ride. Started off with putting up posters before the meeting to handling the newsletter to getting in articles. And not just ensuring everything falls into place and also there were a lot of things did come in but was dealt right there. I had my own fears and doubts in my mind, if I could do a considerable job in handling this in the right way, would I be able to finalize on one theme that would fit in right? Would I be able to even get ample articles?

At the end it was all about pushing boundaries and giving my best to just make it happen.

With the help of my wonderful PR team we bring in this newsletter themed “ILLUSION”. We hope every reader would think about breaking through their mental cages and making a difference.

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Photo Credits: http://www.illusionworks.com/

The Toastmasters Club Mission The mission of a Toastmasters Club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth. Â

The Mission of Toastmasters International Toastmasters International is the leading movement devoted to making effective oral communication a worldwide reality. Through its member Clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking - vital skills that promote self-actualization, enhance leadership potential, foster human understanding, and contribute to the betterment of mankind. It is basic to this mission that Toastmasters International continually expand its worldwide network of member clubs, thereby offering ever-greater numbers of people the opportunity to benefit from its program. Â

The Vision of Toastmasters Toastmasters International empowers people to achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. Through our member Clubs, people throughout the world can improve their communication and leadership skills, and find the courage to change.

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Mecon Communication Club

Club Details Club Number Area Divison District Timings Editorial Team Charter Date Meeting Venue

#9639 E3 E 92 Every Monday at 5:45PM to 7:45PM TM Anusha, TM Ashwin, TM Akshay, TM Balaji, TM Jahanvi May 1st 1999 Mecon LIMITED, 6th Floor, South End Circle, opposite Surana College, Bangalore

Club Activities 1. Education session by District 98 Director DTM Chandrashekar on 6th February 2017 “Ace the races, contest days are here�

2. Joint meeting on the 4.03.2017 at Uttishtha toastmasters club 3. CC4 marathon held on the 20.02.2017 4. Club contest held on 13th march 2017 5. TM Shylaja Sampath, TM Veerabadrappa, TM Balaji, TM Gaurav Murali to represent our club at the Area level contest 6. Area level contest to be held on the 16th April 2016 6

Committee Members

Position

Name

Contact Details

President

SHYLAJA SAMPATH

E: shylaja.sampath@gmail.com P: 9916445641

Vice president Education

AKSHAY HARISH

E: akshay477@gmail.com P: 9538287599

Vice president Membership

PRIYA V

E: priyalatha.1994@gmail.com P: 9886638726

Vice president Public relations

ANUSHA RANGANATH

E: cranusha@gmail.com P: 9972420436

Treasurer

SANDEEP BALIARSING

E: baliarsingh14@gmail.com P: 9449060881

Secretary

SHREEDEVI NAYAK

E: shreedevi_nayak@hotmail.com P: 9740756009

Sergeant-at-arms

LALANA MURTHY

E: lalanamurthy@yahoo.com P: 9880844757

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Our Club Achievements SL.NO GOALS TO ACHIEVE

GOAL

TO DATE

STATUS

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Competent communication (CC) awards

2

2

Done

2

More Competent Communicator(CC) awards

2

0

2 CC’s needed

3

Advanced Communicator (ACB,ACS,ACG) awards

1

1

Done

4

More Advanced Communicator (ACB,ACS,ACG) awards

1

0

1 AC needed

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Leadership Awards (CL,ALB,ALS) or Distinguished Toastmaster awards

1

1

6

More CL,ALB,ALS, or DTM award

1

1

Done

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New Members

4

4

Done

8

More new members

4

11

Done

4

6

Club officers trained 9

June - August

Done

Club officers trained

4

6

Membership renewal dues on time.

Y

1

Club officers list on time

Y

December - February

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Done

Done 2

“For who you no longer posses it, freedom is everything, for us who do, it is merely an illusion.”

-Emile M Cioran

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Just Happiness - An Illusion Every day you live, will be a happy day?

Every place you go, will be a happy place?

Every person you meet, will be happy person?

Everything you eat, will be as sweet as the nectar?

And Every sight you see makes you feel spectacular?

What really is happiness?

Can there be just happiness? Happiness by itself is an illusion.

An illusion, created by the other emotions.

The bitter experiences of fear, sadness and regret, Is really what makes the feeling of happiness, worthy.

Haven’t we all valued something only after losing it?

Haven’t we felt ecstatic on triumph, only after several attempts to get there?

Haven’t we appreciated peace, after a very disturbing day!

Nature, with all its beauty, will be valued for what it truly is, when The damage we’ve done gets to us one day.

A world, with the single emotion of joy, Is just an illusion.

Love, Laughter, Life is only esteemed when there’s Pain, suffering and disappointments.

As the species, we have been made as, With a stubborn brain, a sensitive heart, We still choose to live in an illusion.

- TM Shreedevi Nayak

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Those 22 Minutes!

- Priya V

The streets were crowded and noisy as Julius it, I laid my concentration outside, gazing at the Caesar returned from battle after defeating city.

Pompey’s sons. Citizens were celebrating his victory by lightening up the streets and people dancing in small groups. Right, I was in Rome for my school summer vacation and I could totally

In no time I was pulled by my arm to get off the bus and here starts those 22 minutes of my life which never leaves my memory.

picturize the whole Julius Caesar play which I I was awestruck gazing at the ruins of The Forum and Colosseium which I was eagerly waiting had just read in school.

I was excited when my parents told me that we would be touring Rome for the vacation to break the mundane. But to the contrary my mom continued to wear her archaic mundane saree even in Rome.

to see. I was dumbfounded and wrapped in a bubble of Rome’s nostalgic past so much so that I forgot the present. Suddenly I snapped out of it and realized that there were no familiar faces.

I looked around and there were no traces of my parents, brother, the guide nor any other person

It was the first day of sight seeing. With all the from the group. excitement, I made my way into the bus just to see my mother in her same old blue saree attire whom I thought I had convinced to wear a chudhidar.

All of a sudden, the picture of a very colorful familiar Rome in my mind tore apart to become unknown and mysterious. An unsettling feeling began welling inside me. My heart started to

As the bus moved into city of Rome, I could hear pound at an increasingly rapid pace. With a the old era symphonic music with the whole confused face, I ran around in search of them. play of Julius Caesar being enacted in my mind, just for one obstruction, that is, the guides nonstop shrieky voice giving instructions. Ignoring

Me: Excuse me, Did you see my mamma? Or my father? I am from India. Do you know English?

Ingalis?

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classes which would have got me out of this

She: No..ingalis! Tu sabes espanol?

situation. Negative thoughts kept hitting my

Me: No Spanish, only Englsih!

mind like waves on rocks. I started projecting

There was another elderly person standing near my feelings into the future. Am I going to die a street pole who looked like an Englishmen here alone? and I approached him.

But suddenly I saw something… looked a like

Me: Sir, English?

ray of hope.. a blue ray… a blue cloth.. a saree… the very blue saree I had earlier criticized earlier

Him: Espanol espanol!

and that should be my mom. With a huge surge

I just realized that I was surrounded by a of joy I ran towards my mom. I ran quickly but bunch of people who didn’t know English but even before I could hug her, she again pulled Spanish. I was drawn back to my middle school me by my arm and made me stand before the days when my parents were forcing me to join Colloseum for a picture even without realizing Spanish classes along with my brother because that I was just lost and found. they were fed up seeing me glued to the TV. Yes, my parents didn’t know I was missing. They But I didn’t go because I was more willing to thought I was with my friends and my friends accompany my granny in watching saas bahu thought I was with my parents. So overall no serials. one cared!

I was helpless. I ran around the place in search Those 22 minutes have taught me a lot of lessons of them screaming out their names. But I found and one is ‘Never say no to learn something new’. none. Tears were all set to make its way out. Oh You never know when they might be useful. If I no, wait! I remember the guide mentioning that had joined those Spanish classes and learnt the they would visit the Forum after touring the language without thinking that it would be of Colloseum. So I quickly made my way to the no use, I would have been able to manage the Forum hoping for a little miracle. I searched for situation in a better way. them inside and outside the Forum and found none. I ran back to the Colloseum and found As the proverb says, ‘better late than never’, myself surrounded by an eerie atmosphere. I the first thing I did once I landed in India was was all alone! No sooner I saw a gigantic figure to enroll for those Spanish classes. Never miss approaching me, a huge bearded man wearing an opportunity to learn. To know is a great a red cloak who looked like he just woke up from advantage in this world. The more we know, the his grave. Petrified by him I just kneeled down more we succeed. and clung my face. As the tears were drying out, Learn as if you were to live forever – Mohandas my hopes were also drying out too.

Karamchand Gandhi I hoped I had heeded to the guides instructions But the most important life lesson is –‘Never in the bus. I so hoped I had taken those Spanish criticize your mom for wearing a saree abroad’

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Trouble in Paradise - TM Lalana Murthy

It was the Spring of 1990. My husband in sheets of snow was compelling, captivating asked me if I wanted to go to Manali with him. I and charming. We had planned to stay there said – ‘Yes, of course’ Who wouldn’t jump at the for 5 days and had also booked our return tickets. The hotel had several activities on offer

chance to visit Manali.

It was a dream come true for me & I was looking forward to this relaxing vacation in the Valley of the Gods.

including sports such as go-karting. Skiing, etc.

Although I would have loved to try my hand at these sports, I could not do so as I was in the family way and expecting my first child.

My husband had been working on a defence project in Manali and had been frequenting the place often. We had to take a flight from Delhi to Kulu. Then, it was a couple of hours drive from the Airport to Manali. We could feel it getting chillier and colder as we approached our destination .

The next day, we decided to go out on our own and explore the place. We went around the quaint market place and shopped for some woolen shawls and sweaters to take as gifts for people back home, like any other tourists.. We also relished the popular Chinese food in the local restaurant.

We had made bookings in a Himachal Tourism Hotel. It was situated in a picturesque location and the view of the landscapes covered

On the third day, We went to see the Hidimba Temple which is an ancient Temple dedicated to Goddess Hidimba. The temple

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was surrounded by tall Pine Trees with a track plight. We decided to get together and hire a taxi for nature walks. We continued our sightseeing to take us to Delhi. As we set out, the weather with a visit to Nehru Kund which used to be had deteriorated so badly that we experienced Jawaharlal Nehru’s favourite place! And when several landslides on the way. We had to wait we went there, I could see why. The

pure till the boulders and stones stopped falling and

water gushing out of the rocks was as clear as then proceed further. At one point, the road crystal which is also known to have medicinal was completely blocked due to the landslides.

We had to get off and walk on a narrow stretch

properties.

We had two more days left and planned to take it easy. We woke up to an overcast sky and it started snowing heavily around our hotel.

Oh…what a lovely sight it was. My dream to experience snowfall was fulfilled and I felt our vacation was complete. It was getting colder by the minute as the freezing winds hit our faces.

We decided to stay indoors did not venture out.

for about 4 km with our luggage. It was the scariest moment of my life! The landslide and falling debris on one side and the furiously flowing Ravi-Beas river on the other side. I really don’t know how I made it. One wrong step, and I would have been swallowed by the river. After crossing over, we got on to another taxi and continued our journey.

The nightmare did not end as we had to

The same weather continued the next day as

drive through Chandigarh and Punjab to reach

well.

Then it was time to leave and we took a taxi to reach the Airport in Kulu. When we reached the airport, we came to know that the flight had been cancelled due to bad weather.

We had to come back to Manali again and this time we were having difficulty in getting hotel accommodation due to the cancellation of flights. For the next three days we were going back and forth to the airport with no sign of the flight taking off. By now the taxi and hotel

Delhi. In Those days the Punjab insurgency was at its peak. And there we were, driving in the middle of the night! The newspapers had reported several instances of vehicles being stopped by terrorists and passengers being shot dead. The driver of the taxi kept telling us about all these incidents and scared us further.

Somehow, with our hearts in our mouth, we managed to reach Delhi in the wee hours of the next morning.

What started out as a romantic holiday

operators had started charging exhorbitantly

because of the huge demand. We were left in turned out to be the most exciting, exhilarating, the lurch as we were running out of money. We and enlivening trip I ever went on. I was glad had planned the trip for only 5 days and it was to be alive to tell the tale. To quote Jawaharlal already 10 days now. Back then, there were no Nehru – “We live in a wonderful world that is credit cards and online transfer facilities unlike full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if we only

today.

In the meanwhile, we had befriended a couple from Delhi who were also in the same

seek them with our eyes open.” Only, in our case, the adventure came seeking us.`

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Mentor moment - Interviewed by TM Jahnavi of TM Akshay

It is an illusion if we think that the ladder to success is made of metal. Infact each rung in this ladder is formed by the outstretched hands of the mentor.

Mentoring is the hallmark of success in the Toastmasters program. Mentees benefit greatly when mentors pass on their unique brand of ideas, knowledge, feedback and insight.

Our club has been continuing this mentor-mentee relationship since the time of its inception.

One of our members TM Akshay has recently taken up the role as a mentor and here is some his views about it.

Q) Tell us about the new cap that you have dawned as a mentor.

A) It has been wonderful to work with new members who bring in so much of enthusiasm. It does feel a lot special to be wearing this cap. The joy, the pride and the associated responsibility that vests on our shoulders, as mentors, coupled with the energy and the enthusiasm makes this an enjoyable experience.

Q)What was that driving force that made you take up this responsibility with gusto?

A) When the VPE approached me and asked me to be a mentor, I wasn’t sure if I was ready yet. But what pushed me to take up this role was the need for me to give back what I have gained.

Q)What is the one quality about your mentor that you look up to and you want to imbibe?

A) From whatever I have noticed, she always has a humble approach. This made me feel very comfortable to work with her. I also feel that she is a very good listener with a broad mind which why she always has encouraging thoughts for young minds with new ideas.

Q) What qualities do you want to pass on to your mentee/new entrants to ensure that this special mentor- mentee relationship continues?

A) Feedback is one thing that will make this an infinite loop.

Feedback from both ends is absolutely necessary. The more interaction there is between the mentors and mentees, the better it is for both the club and individual members.

Q) What has been your take away from Mecon Communication Club?

A) The first time I walked into Mecon, I was inspired by the professionalism and order that was on display. The same has slowly been imbibed into all aspects of my life and I hope to spread these positive ripples with people around me.

“Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.”

-Michael Jordan

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Mother - my best Tom

- TM Jahanvi

Bernard Meltzer the famous American

radio host, once said “A best friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg even though they know you are slightly cracked.”

“It’s mine give it to me”, my 8 year old cousin said. I said, “no I’m not giving it to you”. “You are having it ever since I came home” I yelled at him.

And my grandma entered the scene wanted to know what all the commotion was about. But what she saw left her in awe….

Suddenly looking at something my brother had stopped fighting with me and he just slept on my lap telling me that I was the best sister ever. Now my granny too looking at it, left her half cooked sambhar as it is and she was keener than my 8 year old cousin and sat next to me.

Now all three of us were agog and impatiently waiting for it to start. Now what was that which kept us glued to the couch?

It is a favourite to people of all ages. It binds my whole family together and if anybody got a clue as to what it is…yes! its none other than those cute little antics of ever warring cat and mouse combination, always trying to outsmart each other…Tom and Jerry…

As kids, we all surely remember that as

soon as we came home we would just throw our school bags, what joy it was to watch Tom and Jerry! with a yummy snack and a glass of warm milk. This cartoon series was like a holy scripture. Even during exams we would take our cheat times during loo breaks and water breaks to watch those two in action .More than being obvious rivals, Tom and Jerry were amazing friends too, who taught us a lot of things, ( ofcourse not to mention the good flirting tips :p) one of which being the value of relationships.

In one of those episodes where both of them have an underwater adventure they constantly take a dig at each other. While Tom gets into trouble with an octopus, Jerry notices this and tries his best to free Tom from the clutches of the octopus and succeeds. Finally both of them are out of water and Tom who is immensely happy about being saved, shakes hands with Jerry...

Its not just Jerry, Tom too is extremely concerned about him. In another episode when the whole house comes crashing due to raging fire both of them nearly escape the casualty. Tom for a moment unable to find Jerry is so worried and he frantically searches for him all around the

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place praying for him to be safe and is willing to do anything to keep Jerry alive. Jerry, the usual mischief monger though kindles Tom at that moment saying he wants a slice of cheese, naah the entire food from the refrigerator and what not, is just touched by his affection for him.

Even though they are always pitted against each other in every single episode, in the end they are the world’s best friends which makes it the only cartoon that is indelible and is close to our hearts even to this day… even the pokemon go fans would agree with this:) As the most famous quote goes “Some relationships are meant to be like Tom and Jerry no matter how much they tease each other, they knock down each other and irritate each other they just unconditionally love each other.” Well in my case the Tom and Jerry relationship is possible with just one person…No matter how many times I irritate or be mad at that person and of course vice versa at the end of the day we unconditionally love each other and make compromises. That one person is my nagging mother. There are several such incidents where I had tussles with her and she with me. Of all these, I would like to share this one incident.

On one of those winter mornings as picturized in the song “Jame Raho” from Tare Zameen Par, the day was very hectic as usual.

I on the other hand was not in a mood to do the daily chores of getting ready and packing my school bag, my mother reprimanded me for it. I was quite mad at her & went to school without breakfast and did not carry my lunch either… I was petulant all day long that it was so insensitive of her to leave me starving and she on the other hand enjoying her meal with her colleagues in the office.

In the afternoon after a session of hi-fis with my friends I was on my way to the corridor where I found all my classmates happily wolfing

up their lunch boxes. Seeing that, when I was about whimper the second time about my hunger, I was suddenly surprised to see someone. She was that same lady with whom I had fought in the morning. She came towards me and I as usual with my pride ignored her.

But she was extremely patient and apologized for her behavior in the morning, she cajoled me to eat my lunch which she had prepared.

Initially I refused but eventually fell for her not because she actually took a day off just to come and feed me, but because she reminded me of Tom who is always concerned about that mischievous little Jerry. So after that incident I actually nicknamed her Tom. Even though we had a fair share of agonies against each other we just made it up and I in turn apologized for my behaviour…. and taa-daaa everything was back to normal.

Over the years I have come to realize that, we fight with our nearest and dearest ones because we feel it is our right. Well, it doesn’t really matter how much or how many times we fight; what matters is do we offer our shoulders when they are in need of us or stand by them when they feel isolated? Do we let them feel the indissoluble bond with them? Do we share our happiness in the wonderland of life? Well I found all these answers in my Tom. My mother is the best friend I could ever ask for, she is the one turning towards me, when my heart is filled with despair, she’s the one that gives me a glimpse of hope. A mother daughter relationship always remains as an illusion difficult to de-mistify....

Its not just that any relationship for that matter shouldnt be take for granted....So don’t wait for an auspicious muhurtam to find out who your tom or jerry is, express, let your loved ones know what they mean to you just the way I tell my Tom that I love her until Tom catches Jerry and has him for dinner.

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Glimpses of Our Meetings

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DOOZIE experience at your finger tips - TM Jahanvi

Augmented Reality is a type of virtual reality that aims to duplicate the world’s environment in a computer. An augmented reality system generates a composite view for the user that is the combination of the real scene viewed by the user and a virtual scene generated by the computer that augments the scene with additional information. The virtual scene generated by the computer is designed to enhance the user’s sensory perception of the virtual world they are seeing or interacting with. The goal of Augmented Reality is to create a system in which the user cannot tell the difference between the real world and the virtual augmentation of it. This new technology, called augmented reality, blurs the line between what’s real and what’s computer-generated by enhancing what we see, hear, feel and smell. Both video games and cell phones are driving the development of augmented reality. Everyone from tourists, to soldiers, to someone looking for the closest subway stop can now benefit from the ability to place computergenerated graphics in their field of vision.

Through mobile devices like smart-phones and tablets, Augmented Reality acts like a magic window; through the viewer you can see holograms and manipulate 3D models. On PC and connected TV players, Augmented Reality works through a web-cam and relayed through the screen. On head mounted displays, glasses, and lenses, Augmented Reality becomes a part of your entire field of view, making for more lifelike Augmented Reality experiences.

Some of the possible application is discussed below Education, Healthcare, military training, aerospace, energy travel and tourism etc

AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY (AR) in EDUCATION Knowledge is a human right AR helps in transformative learning to experiential learning. These solutions actively engage learners resulting in faster learning, better retention. Augmented and Virtual Reality education solutions empower students to learn-by-doing by directly engaging with their subject matter through immersive interactive experiences. Learning transitions from traditional memorization giving students the ability to apply, analyze, evaluate their knowledge improving creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, and communication

AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY HEALTHCARE Augmented and Virtual Reality medical applications provide an ideal platform for advanced medical education, enabling students and specialists to master their field through deliberate practice before engaging with patients. Anatomical functions and structures that are extremely difficult to visualize

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through traditional means can be realistically represented through Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality apps designed for medical studies. Because of the sensory and experiential of VR and AR, learners of all three modalities – kinesthetic, visual, and auditory – benefit from Augmented and Virtual Reality medical solutions and achieve faster learning while developing higher level

AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY IN ENERGY AND AEROSPACE Augmented and Virtual Reality energy solutions have the unique ability to provide experiential training in real-time, data-driven applications. For the energy sector, this improves the efficiency of skills transfer, increases knowledge retention, and better captures enterprise knowledge within an organization.

In most industrial and manufacturing settings, it is difficult to offer hands on training since it is impractical to shut down a production process or individual equipment to offer employees the needed hands on training. Likewise, certain pieces of equipment may be too expensive to duplicate and dedicate solely for training purposes. Dangerous or difficult to replicate scenarios can be safely simulated with Augmented and Virtual Reality energy applications. This allows trainees to repeatedly practice crucial scenarios while preventing damage to equipment and avoiding bodily harm.

AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY TRAVEL AND TOURISM Augmented and Virtual Reality Travel and Tourism applications to preserve historical landmarks, create new attractions that leverage this technology, and to improve marketing for resorts, hotels, and attractions. Virtual Reality lets the visitors truly emotionally experience what a location is all about. Strong engagement through multiple immersive experiences such as the Icube and the Interactive mirror holds the visitor’s attention and creates a one of a kind travel experience. Viewers from all parts of the world can share in the splendor of a particular destination. They can experience what it is like to be standing at a historical site with an expert tour guide while grasping the historical or cultural significance in a beautiful 360-degree Virtual Reality experience.

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AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY SECURITY AND DEFENSE Dangerous or difficult to replicate scenarios can be safely simulated with Augmented and Virtual Reality security and defense applications. This allows trainees to repeatedly practice crucial scenarios while preventing damage to equipment and avoiding bodily harm. Often the most important skills and tasks that need practice are the most dangerous ones. With a few exceptions where expensive simulators can be used, companies cannot effectively train for the wide variety of hazardous situations an employee might face over a career.

AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY RETAIL Augmented and Virtual Reality improves the experience of store-goers and shoppers as well as increase sales . Brands and retailers need new and exciting ways to engage the modern consumer, augmented and virtual reality can heighten the shopping experience and strengthen the emotional connection to a brand or product.

Augmented reality still has some challenges to overcome, such as GPS is only accurate to within 30 feet (9 meters) and doesn’t work as well indoors, although improved image recognition technology may be able to help. People may not want to rely on their cell phones, which have small screens on which to superimpose information. For that reason, wearable devices like Sixth Sense or augmented-reality capable contact lenses and glasses will provide users with more convenient, expansive views of the world around them. Screen real estate will no longer be an issue. In the near future, you may be able to play a real-time strategy game on your computer, or you can invite a friend over, put on your AR glasses, and play on the tabletop in front of you.

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Our PR Team!

TM Anusha Editor-In-Chief

TM Akshay Editor

TM Jahanvi Editor

TM Ashwin Design Lead 22

TM Balaji Editor

Personality test - TM Jahanvi

1) What is the picture?

a) Rabbit b) Duck

c) Both

d) Really?

Duck or rabbit? Which one do you see first? Can you see both animal s— or just one? “Who cares?”’ you ask, “It’s just an optical illusion.” Except, this “optical illusion” actually conceals a hidden truth and can determine a persons creativity, says Richard Wiseman, a psychologist.

2) Focus on the following picture and give a quick answer: Which stairs will you use to go up and which to go down?

Most people who see this image tend to go up the left stairs and go down the right stairs.This reaction is likely to be influenced by the western way of reading from left to right. While those who read from right to left, like the Arabs, tend to give the opposite answer.

3) There is a man’s head in the picture. Find him

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If you managed to find the man in 3 seconds, then the right part of your brain is more developed than in the average person. If you found him in about 1 minute, the right part of your brain is of the average person. If you needed more than 1 minute to find him, the right part of your brain is slow.

4) Stare at the black dot for about 30seconds. Did the haze disappear?

Stare at the black dot in the centre of this image. The longer you stare, the more the grey haze surrounding the dot will disappear. Our focal point is the dot itself; it is sharply defined against the grey and so we are naturally drawn to it. The grey shades, by contrast, appear to be out of focus, allowing them to recede the longer we stare. Notice that the shades of grey grow darker towards the centre. Our brains focus on this area, allowing the outer circle to practically vanish.

Our eyes detect light, but our brains interpret it differently.

5) Blue or yellow cube?

Look carefully at the cube. Where is the blue side? Is it on the inner back or the outer front of the left side? The more you stare at the image, the more it will alter and switch from back to front.

The perspective changes and suddenly the blue side is projected towards us, at the front, with the yellow receding. The brain simply cannot decide where the blue side of the cube is. This type of cube is called a Necker Cube and is a simple, but effective, optical illusion that keeps working, the more you stare at it.

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6) Sloped or horizontal?

Are the horizontal lines in this image parallel or do they slope down? This is a popular, simple optical illusion that uses black and white effectively to confuse our perceptions of what we are seeing. Because we are trying to rationalise either the black vertical lines or white vertical lines, we cannot make sense of the untidiness of the columns and, to our eyes, the horizontal lines are sloping downwards. Our eyes naturally follow the powerful vertical lines. In fact, the horizontal lines themselves are perfectly straight and measuring them would prove that they do not slope down at all.

7)

The F Illusion: How many Fs do you see in the text below?

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS. Our brains are trained to overlook the word OF. If you saw all 6 Fs right away, you’re a genius.

Most people see only 3 Fs. Some people see 4.

Results If you could figure out answers for 1) 0-3 questions You are one of the rest who does things monotonously.

2) 4 or 5 questions You are above ordinary 3) 6 questions You need a little honing on your creativity skills.

4) All the seven questions You are definitely very unique. You have great creativity skills.

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Welcome New Members Suraj Donthi

I’m pursuing final year telecommunication engineering in BMS College of Engineering. To influence and inspire people through words through this journey at toastmasters.

Ashwin Shroff

I’m working at UI/UX Designer at CADEM Technologies. Read about an entrepreneur who said Toastmasters helped him improving his oration skills by many folds and he strongly suggested to everyone. That’s when I looked up the website and found Mecon Communication club. I always wanted to improve my public speaking skills since I like telling stories to people about current affairs, technology and related topics. Planning to get better at this as, I become a member of this club.

Krishna Chinnappacha

I am an IT professional with 20+ years of experience. I joined Toastmasters to improve communication and leadership skills.

Swathi K

I’m Pursuing Engineering, in Electronics and instrumentation branch, currently in 3rd year. I believe that Good communication skills and leadership skills will help us in all walks of life. I recently learned that I was not very great in soft skills.

Then, there was no looking back. I found out about toastmasters when my uncle suggested it. I wouldn’t have found a better platform than toastmasters for mastering these very skills.

Dr. Uma SR

I’m a Desntist with a MDS and a PGDHHM degree. Currently working as Assistant professor in Government Dental College and Research Institute. The reason to join Toastmasters was to appraise my skills in public speaking, develop leadership qualities and to keep learning. My hobbies are. I love to listen to music, traveling to different places, reading books, a die hard fan of Shah Rukh Khan.

Shakthi

I’m a team leader. Joined to get Improve presentation skills and helping others you wish to get better at this.

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