5 Useful Websites I perused this week

 I have decided to browse the internet to find excellent websites in my areas of interest. So 5 websites I found very useful for this week (18/5-24/5/2026)

1. Flight simulation Website : https://www.geo-fs.com/

In GeoFS, your location choices are entirely global, meaning you can fly anywhere on Earth. The simulator uses real-world satellite imagery and digital elevation data to generate a complete virtual globe. 

 

GeoFS is a free, browser-based multiplayer flight simulator that uses global satellite imagery via CesiumJS, requiring no installation. The platform features over 30 aircraft, a realistic physics engine, and a global multiplayer environment with varying scenery resolution tiers, including a paid HD option. 

Types of aircraft:

The core selection of standard aircraft available directly in the simulator includes:

Commercial Airliners: Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 737-700, Boeing 777-300ER, Concorde, and Antonov An-140.

General Aviation & Propellers: Cessna 152, Cessna 172, Piper J3 Cub, Piper PA-28 161 Warrior II, Bechcraft Baron B55, de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, and Douglas DC-3.

Military Jets & Combat: F-16 Fighting Falcon, Sukhoi Su-35, McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, and Alphajet PAF.

Historical & Vintage: Lockheed P-38 Lightning F-5B and Potez 25.

Light Aircraft & Gliders: Alisport Silent 2 Electro (motor glider), Colomban MC-15 Cri-cri, Evektor Sportstar, and SZD-48-3 Jantar.

Aerobatics & Training: Pilatus PC-7 Mk-I and Zlin Z-50.

Helicopters: Eurocopter EC135 and Hughes 269a/TH-55 Osage.
Novelty & Unconventional: Paraglider, Goat Airchair, Major Tom (Hot Air Balloon), and a Citroën 2CV.

Expanded Airliners: Boeing 747-400, Boeing 787-8/9/10, Airbus A220, Airbus A320neo, Airbus A340-600, ATR 72-600, and the massive Antonov An-225 Mriya.

Military & Stealth Extensions: Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit, Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II, Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, and the experimental North American X-15

Location :
In GeoFS, your location choices are entirely global, meaning you can fly anywhere on Earth. The simulator uses real-world satellite imagery and digital elevation data to generate a complete virtual globe. You can choose your location using several primary navigation options:

Global Search Box: Type any address, city, or coordinates into the search bar.
The simulator instantly teleports you there at an altitude of 1,000 feet. 
Over 40,000 Global Runways Using the in-game navigation map (Nav button or N key), you can select from tens of thousands of referenced airports worldwide:

 Blue Dots: Major international and regional airports with runways longer than 3,000 feet (e.g., LAX, London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol).
Yellow Dots: Smaller general aviation airfields and short rural landing strips.
Spawn Options: Click any dot to instantly Take-off from, Fly by, or place your aircraft on a short Approach to that runway.  

Built-In Scenic Presets
If you want to skip searching, the GeoFS Locations Menu offers quick-teleport presets to famously scenic and challenging zones:Natural Wonders: Mount Everest, the Grand Canyon, Uluru (Ayres Rock), Mount Fuji, and the Namib Desert.
Islands & Coastlines: Bora Bora, the Great Barrier Reef, the Lofoten Islands, and the West Coast of Scotland.
Mountain Ranges: Chamonix (French Alps), Banff National Park, and the Atlas Mountains.
Special Moving Targets: The John C. Stennis aircraft carrier, which lets you practice high-stakes military carrier landings.  

Custom Map Spawning:Open the Navigation Map Overlay.
Right-click any physical point on the global map.
Choose a custom elevation to drop into the sky instantly, with altitude options ranging from ground level up to flight level 350 (35,000 feet). 

2. Learnquest Website: AWS Free Digital Learning Library
The AWS Free Digital Learning Library from LearnQuest offers on-demand, hundreds of self-paced courses spanning over 30 distinct categories, ranging from foundational cloud concepts to advanced artificial intelligence designed to build cloud skills and aid in AWS certification preparation at no cost. As an official AWS Select Training Partner, this library covers various technology domains, including core infrastructure, advanced operations, and AI/ML through short videos and interactive exercises.

Key Course Categories and Examples
The library covers a vast range of topics. Key areas and example courses include: AI/ML: Amazon Bedrock Getting Started, Amazon Q Introduction, and Responsible AI with Guardrails.
App Integration: Amazon EventBridge, SNS, and SQS Getting Started.
Architecture & Essentials: AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials, Technical Essentials, and Resilience Hub.
Amazon Ads: Introduction to Amazon Ads and Sponsored Ads courses.

3. Zooniverse is the world’s largest and most popular platform for people-powered, or "citizen science," research. It connects professional scientists and researchers with millions of global volunteers to analyze massive datasets, making groundbreaking discoveries across various scientific and humanities disciplines.

How It Works People-Powered Research: Volunteers look at images, transcribe documents, or watch video clips to identify patterns, classify objects, or tag features that AI cannot easily process yet.
No Experience Needed: Anyone can participate; no specialized background, training, or degrees are required.

Real Impact: Volunteer classifications regularly result in peer-reviewed scientific publications, new space discoveries, and preserved historical archives. 

Disciplines & Example Projects

The platform offers dozens of active projects across a wide variety of categories: Space & Astronomy: Projects like Galaxy Zoo or The Daily Minor Planet help astronomers classify galaxy shapes, spot black holes, and track near-Earth asteroids.
Nature & Ecology: Volunteers categorize images and videos of animals in the wild (e.g., Chimp&See or Wildlife Recovery Count) to track behaviors and populations.
History & Humanities: Participants transcribe ancient diaries, historical weather records, and medieval texts (e.g., Scribes of the Cairo Geniza) to preserve cultural heritage.
Climate & Science: Volunteers analyze satellite images and atmospheric data (e.g., Cloudspotting on Mars) to study climate change and planetary features.

4. Pixabay.com: 

Pixabay is a highly popular, global repository of royalty-free stock media used by content creators, marketers, and designers. It offers millions of free, high-quality assets, including photographs, vector graphics, illustrations, film footage, music, and sound effects. 
Key Features
Massive Asset Library: Access over 5 million downloadable media files.
No Attribution Required: The vast majority of content falls under the Pixabay License, permitting free use for both personal and commercial purposes without needing to credit the creator.
Rich Search Filtering: Easily browse using targeted keywords and filter results by orientation, media type, category, and color.

5. Canva.com : Nice website for design of whatsapp posts, videos  and editing photos 

Herbs in ayurveda and their properties

 

Key Ayurvedic Herbs and Their Medicinal Properties:

• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): A potent adaptogen that reduces stress, anxiety, and cortisol levels while improving energy and sleep quality.
• Turmeric/Haridra (Curcuma longa): Contains curcumin, providing strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits that support joint health and immunity.
• Amla/Amalaki (Emblica officinalis): Rich in Vitamin C, it enhances immunity, improves hair and skin health, and acts as a potent antioxidant.
• Tulsi/Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum): Known for immunity-boosting, anti-inflammatory, and stress-reducing properties, it also supports respiratory health.
• Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri): A brain-boosting herb known to improve memory, cognitive function, and mental clarity.
• Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus): Promotes reproductive health, balances hormones, and strengthens the immune system, often termed a "queen of herbs".
• Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia): Acts as a potent immunomodulator to fight infections and manage chronic fevers.
• Neem (Azadirachta indica): Renowned for blood purification, skin health, and antibacterial properties.
• Triphala: A combination of Amalaki, Bibhitaki, and Haritaki used for promoting digestion, detoxification, and intestinal health.
• Ginger/Shunti (Zingiber officinale): Improves digestion, reduces nausea, and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
• Kulekhara : This herb, when boiled in water has the ability to increase haemoglobin count which can reduce anemia in women which is a chronic problem 
• Garlic: (Allium sativum) is a potent herb widely recognized for improving cardiovascular health, boosting the immune system, and fighting infections due to its bioactive compound, allicin. It is used to lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, manage blood sugar, and potentially reduce the risk of certain cancers.Cardiovascular Health: Garlic helps reduce LDL cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and slow the progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). It may assist in relaxing blood vessels to improve circulation.Immune System Boost: Known for its antimicrobial and antiviral properties, garlic is used to prevent and reduce the severity of common colds and flu.Digestive Health: It aids in digestion, helps manage intestinal parasites, and supports the liver.Anti-inflammatory & Antioxidant: Garlic contains antioxidants that protect against free radical damage, potentially reducing inflammation and alleviating conditions like osteoarthritis.Skin Health: Its antibacterial properties can be used topically to treat acne and skin infections. Himalayan Single Clove Garlic is one of the most potent herbs in the world and is known to be 7 times more potent than the normal Garlic.

Significance of Food Cravings

 Data gleaned from the internet specifies the following about what our mealtimes should be like

In normal times, eat breakfast within an hour of waking (7–8 a.m.), lunch four to five hours later, and dinner 3–4 hours before bed. Focus on nutrient-dense foods—lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and fiber—while eating larger meals earlier to support metabolism and digestion.

When to Eat (Ideal Timing)

Breakfast: Within 1 hour of waking (ideally 6–10 a.m.).
Lunch: 4–5 hours after breakfast.
Dinner: 6–8 p.m., or at least 3–4 hours before sleeping to allow digestion.
Snacks: 3–4 p.m. to avoid extreme hunger.

What to Eat (Balanced Intake)

Breakfast: Combine whole grains, protein, and healthy fats (e.g., oatmeal with fruit,poha, eggs, idli & sambhar).
Lunch: Focus on lean protein + complex carbs (e.g., rice, veggies, fish/chicken).
Dinner: Fiber-rich foods and lean protein, avoiding high-fat, heavy foods to aid sleep.
Snacks: High fiber and lean protein (e.g., unsalted nuts, low-fat yogurt).

Have 8 or more glasses of water to stay hydrated

The 3 3 3 rule for eating is a sustainable, habit-based framework for weight loss focusing on three core pillars: eating three balanced meals, consuming three liters of water by 3 p.m., and engaging in three hours of movement per week. It avoids strict calorie counting, focusing instead on consistent, healthy daily rhythms.

Human metabolism is unique and we should listen to our body instead of blindly following diets.

As children we have intense craving for sweets to meet our growing bodies needs for sugar for instant energy. As teenagers we feel hungry all the time as we are active all the time & our growing bodies and minds need all the calories it can get. As we slowly age our metabolism too becomes sluggish and our food cravings more and more unregulated.

Cravings for sweets after a meal are usually caused by habit, brain chemistry, and blood sugar fluctuations rather than true hunger. Meals high in refined carbs can cause blood sugar spikes followed by a crash, triggering a craving for quick energy, while your brain often seeks a dopamine-releasing "reward" to signal the end of a meal. 
Key Reasons for Post-Meal Sugar Cravings:

Conditioned Habit: Your brain has been trained to associate the end of a meal with a sweet reward, releasing dopamine, which makes it feel like a learned behavior or a "Pavlovian" response.

Blood Sugar Fluctuations: If your meal is high in carbs but low in fiber, protein, or healthy fats, your blood sugar spikes and then rapidly drops. This crash signals your body to ask for quick energy in the form of sugar.

The "Sweet End" Reward: Eating sugar releases serotonin and dopamine, causing a pleasurable sensation.

Nutrient Deficiencies: A lack of magnesium, chromium, or other nutrients can cause intense cravings.

Habitual Taste Changes: Starting meals with carbohydrates (like rice or roti) can cause an epigenetic change that makes taste buds crave sweetness for up to 72 hours.

Psychological/Emotional Factors: A craving can be a form of emotional comfort or a craving for variety, wanting to change the savory taste in your mouth.
How to Reduce Post-Meal Cravings:Balance your plate: Include enough protein, fiber, and healthy fats in your meal to prevent blood sugar drops.
Change your routine: Brush your teeth immediately after eating to signal to your brain that the meal is finished.
Use distractions: Cravings usually pass in 15-20 minutes; try walking, drinking tea, or enjoying a hobby.
Stay hydrated: Sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger or cravings

A Crazy World

 We know now that we are living in a crazy world. It is very obvious when we see the happenings all around us:

Wars being fought without rhyme or reason by the most powerful countries in the world. 

Elderly septuagenarian and octogenarian world leaders openly squabbling on social media like ill mannered, unruly and boorish children, justifies Shakespeare's observation that old age is second childishness- sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything," as he famously wrote in As You Like It. Of course, with improvements in medical science, with age we no longer have to be without teeth, vision or taste. Original teeth replaced with false teeth, artificial lens for eyes though of course no long term cure for dementia or Alzheimer's has been found. The real bummer is of course if we find a way to extend human life infinitely.

Wars being fought remotely with cheap drones and unmanned missiles to bomb targets with pin point accuracy which thankfully spares human lives, but conversely drags on for years with no end in sight

Artificial Intelligence being used to create robots and automate work and throw away workers who needed these jobs to sustain their families. The unscrupulous profits made by these companies are then used to fund philanthropic activities by the same companies, get awards, applause, earn brownie points and probably assure themselves of a prominent place in heaven.

People are more connected than ever due to internet. In fact there is a famous study done that shows that every person on earth is connected to every other person. Researchers from top universities (Harvard, Stanford, MIT) analyzed data from millions of LinkedIn users (around 20 million people) which revealed that any two people are only 2–3 connections apart, showing how surprisingly interconnected our world has become.The study focused on how people are connected and how information (like job opportunities) flows through networks.  People have hundreds or thousands of friends and connections yet conversely no one is close and so mental health problems are on the rise. So instead of improving our emotional state more friends and followers are increasing negative emotions like jealousy, unhealthy competition, insecurities, irritation and anger. But being totally off of social media makes us seem weird, friendless, freakish or absurd. 

How cold is your city?

 When the temperature is 26 degrees C :

In October it was slightly chilly, pleasant to have a thin shawl in the evenings which can also be done away with if fashion dictates. Pleasant to bask in early morning sun, though it gets quite uncomfortably hot after 10mins or so. Winter is welcomed with open arms after Kolkata's hot, torrid weather for so long

When the temperature is 16 degrees C:

In November :Nice to have a warm sweater on in the chilly evening time. Time to take out the warm kombol from the mothballs. A cup of hot tea in the morning and evening. The oily paratha and koraishotir kochuri tempt the palate. Mouth watering kotbeler acher, jolpaier achar nolen gurs come into vogue again. Winter is still jolly and nice.

When the temperature is 12 degrees C min and 20 degrees max

In December: Thicker woolens have to be used now. The sun's pale rays are welcomed and the warm sunny spots are crowded with eager sunbathers. It is difficult to digest heavy oily stuff as even gut bacteria seem to have gone into hibernation in the cold weather. Taking a bath seems like a torture task now for most except those with OCD. Its time now for the weekend picnics, fetes, poush melas and good old gettogethers. Winter is still great though, the sun visible strongly on most days 

When the temperature is 10 degrees C min and 15 degrees max, AQI: 250

In January : No sun now for many days. Just a pale, watery, foggy imitation of it. The warmest blankets are unable to keep out the chill in the nights. Touching metal taps and washing hands makes me cringe. The thickest of coats and sweaters have to be extracted from the recesses of the cupboards. Woolen caps, socks and gloves too are required to go out now though they have been misplaced under heavy onslaught of clothes in the cupboard. Murphys law rears its ugly head here too- the thing which you find twenty times over whenever you open your cupboard is never to be found when you most need it. The thought of bathing gives us a panic attack. Flatulence and constpation makes us realise the importance of good gut health. 

Winter has been around too long. Yearning for the bright sunny days again.

Weapons for today's women

Girls of today need to be equipped to deal with the world with various weapons just as Goddess Durga's weapons empowered her battle against evil, particularly the demon Mahishasura. Each weapon embodies qualities like wisdom, purity, strength, and protection, illustrating her role as the ultimate destroyer of ignorance and ego while upholding cosmic balance.​

Core Weapons and Meanings

Durga is typically shown with ten arms holding these symbolic items, each tied to a deity and a deeper truth.

Weapon	Giver (Common Attribution)	Significance
Trishul (Trident)	Shiva	Represents the three gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas) and three forms of suffering; destroys negativity and liberates from bondage. Girls need to receive the three pronged advantages of -adequate food, shelter and a good education to be able to achieve their full potential​
Sword (Khadga)	Saraswati or Ganesha	Symbolizes sharp wisdom that cuts through ignorance, illusions, and attachments. Girls too need wisdom and logic to navigate through their life​
Sudarshan Chakra (Discus)	Vishnu	Embodies righteous time (dharma) and the unstoppable wheel of cosmic order. Girls need patience which is a desirable quality ​
Bow and Arrow	Vayu or Vishnu	Bow signifies focused potential; arrow represents decisive action and swift resolve. Girls need to have skills and hone their inherent talents which can help them in their profession and careers.​
Lotus (Padma)	Brahma	Stands for purity and spiritual enlightenment, blooming unstained amid worldly chaos.  Girls should hone their charming side, looks, smile which can disarm their opponents and win friends.​
Conch (Shankha)	Varuna	Emits the primordial sound "Om," spreading divine energy and dispelling fear. Girls should have the habit of speaking sweetly and mellifluously​
Spear or Vajra (Thunderbolt)	Agni or Indra	Pierces ignorance with fiery truth and indestructible divine force. Honest nature is the thunderbolt possessed by girls to tame evil forces.​
Mace (Gada)	Yama or Hanuman	Denotes unyielding devotion and the power to crush evil with righteous strength. Confidence of girls is the mace which shatters all glass ceilings at home and the workplace for girls.​
Shield (Khetaka)	Varuna or Vishnu	Provides defense against negativity, fostering resilience and protection. Self restraint is the shield which protects women from negativity.​
Axe	Vishwakarma	Instills fearlessness, enabling creation and destruction to restore balance. Courage is a admirable quality in girls.​

Broader Symbolism

These weapons collectively highlight Durga's omnipotence, with her ten arms signifying control over all directions and threats. They guide devotees toward inner strength, emphasizing victory of good over evil through virtues like courage and detachment. In modern contexts, they inspire empowerment and resilience against injustice. Girls of today also needed the weapons of courage, honesty, unselfishness, go getting attitude in the world today.