Think about the habits we have now and how they affect virtually every aspect of our life. Of course, habit is one of the most incredibly powerful tools for personal growth and success. It may refer to a simple form of learning that take place with or without conscious attention or deliberate effort. Dictionary defines habit in this way as: it is a recurrent, often unconscious, pattern of behavior that can be acquired through frequent repetition until it has become almost involuntary. When we look at living creatures from an outward point of view, one of the first things that strike us is that they have bundles of habits. In wild animals, the usual round of daily behavior seems a necessity implanted at birth. At the same time in other animals it is domesticated. In man, especially, it seems not only acquired by birth but also due to the result of his culture and education.

If we ask ten people on the different walks of life about what the word habit means, nine out of ten will tell us that a habit is a negative action that people do over and over again, like smoking, or eating too much and so on. Where ever we are or whatever position we hold, remember the bad habits will get wide publicity within no time! It seems to be a rule of nature. Moreover, the habits to which there is an innate tendency are generally known as instincts. Some of those instincts formed due to education are the acts of reason. It thus appears that habit covers a very large part of our life.

Our character, health and effectively every aspect of our lives are indeed determined by our habits such as eating, buying, social, sleeping, sexual, work nature, contacts with others, etc.  Our weight and health are determined by our eating habits, our relationships with people are determined by our social habits and our success at work is determined by our work habits. We have sleeping habits that dictate how well we sleep and we have sexual habits too. To show our buying habits, just take a look around our house and we will quickly see all those articles we possess as a result of this habit. All these indicate that the habit is so powerful in our mind that it is almost unstoppable! At the same time our habits may be positive or negative also. Bad habits like smoking, procrastination and overeating are considered very bad. But positive habits are always being very good. Think on how easy it is to add positive habits to our life and the great power we have to change it if we try for.  

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When we talk about our habits, we have to bear in mind that a positive habit is simply one that produces positive benefits, actions and attitudes we want to acquire and make a part of our life. Why is there such great power in positive habits to effect change? This is because habits, by their very nature are automatic. After a period of time they can become permanent. Now think on how do we go about adding new positive habits to our life? It's really quite easy but we take it as cumbersome.  Among students and youth we can observe lack of punctuality, negligence on perception on simple things, postponing things always, showing laziness in doing their routine works - may be in the institution or residence, irresponsibility, etc. They are shown reluctance to abandon such habits even after repeated reminders and least worried about its consequences. Those who are very eager to change this can practice and acquire the result. You simply begin repeating an action, attitude or thought process every day for at least twenty one days. Research reports have shown that an action that is repeated for a minimum of twenty one days is likely to become a permanent habit. This may be the secret of twenty one days fastenings, rituals, etc seen in many instances in religious practices. Remember that positive habits have positive benefits and you will reap those benefits for as long as you maintain that habit.

Scientists demonstrate that man in born with a tendency to do more things than he has ready-made arrangements in his nerve-centres. It is pertinent that most of such performances set up in other animals are automatic. But in man the number of them is so enormous, that most of them must be the fruit of painful study. By practice he makes it more perfect as habit economize the expense of nervous and muscular energy. And so, never suffer an exception to occur till the new habit is securely rooted in your life. Continuity of training is the great means of making the nervous system act infallibly right.

Moreover, habit simplifies the movements required to achieve a given result, makes them more accurate and diminishes fatigue. Consider how the mechanism is worked out. A simple and frequently noticed example is learning cycling. The beginner at the cycling not only moves his legs up and down peddling in order to rotate it, he moves the whole legs, the buttocks, the forearm, even the entire body and hardly falls down with the bicycle too. The more often the process is repeated, the more easily the movement follows, on account of the increase in permeability of the nerves engaged. Finally the stimulus required is set up and the effect is confined to the appropriate parts. In this change the thoughts and perceptions which start the impulse acquire more and more intimate causal relations with a particular group of motor nerves. Consider learning violin. The same experience happens initially as cycling. He presses with fingers and even hands and by practice the effect will constrict to finger tips. Later the sounds of a violin improve by use in the hands of an able artist, because the fibres of the wood at last contract habits of vibration conformed to harmonic relations. This is what gives such inestimable value to instruments that have belonged to great masters!

Let's look at the results of just the habit, smoking. Every year, lakhs of people lose their lives from smoking-related illnesses in all over the world. Imagine then, the negative power that exists in just that one bad habit. It is staggering. Similar other habits are drink, tobacco, opium-indulgence, etc. These create individual as well as social problems also. Abandoning such habits comes in here and in regard to what may be best for an individual case.  We must be careful not to give the will so stiff a task as to insure its defeat at the very outset, provided one can stand it. A sharp period of suffering, and then a free time, is the best thing to aim at, in giving up a habit. Acquisition of the new habit is the best way if there be a real possibility of carrying it out. It is surprising how soon a desire will die of inanition if it be never fed.

We can come across persons possessing character such as sentimentalist and dreamer within a weltering sea of sensibility and emotion.  They habitually fashioning their characters in the wrong way. They are spinning their own fates, good or evil, and never to be done. Youth also have much anxiety about the upshot of his education, whatever the line of it may be. If he develop a habit and keeps faithfully busy each hour of the working-day, he may safely leave the final result to itself. Young people should know this truth in advance. The ignorance of it has probably engendered more discouragement and faint-heartedness in youths. It may embark on arduous careers than all other causes put together. The period below twenty is more important still for the fixing of personal habits, properly. Examples of such habits are vocalization and pronunciation, gesture, motion, address, vocational skill, etc. On the whole, it is best he should not escape in this stage. At the same time by the age of thirty, the character has set like plaster and will never soften again.

Finally, let me ask you a question. When is the last time you sat down leisurely and said to you, "Today I am going to add a new habit to my life or I am abandoning a bad habit from my life?" I would venture to guess that you have probably never said those words. We can’t, as habits by their very nature are automatic and after a period of time they become permanent. To create new habits is also intricate as for this also we have to make a habit to set goals. If we examine the more of the details of our daily life, its need is more. Some simple steps are here to help you start making goal setting a positive habit. Firstly, define your goals, write them down, and be very specific to capture your goals hit a target you have; secondly, determine what the time line – the deadlines for your goals; thirdly, identify and list out the obstacles that may stand in your way and state how you plan to overcome them; and finally, make a list of the people and/or organizations who will help you reach your goals. By making goal setting, start practice and firmly secure the positive habit with your life giving you a new beginning with New Year. It is evident that ‘our nervous system grows to the modes in which it has been exercised’ expresses the philosophy of habit in a nutshell. Furthermore, it is thus become the enormous fly-wheel of society and is the most precious conservative agent.

K.Gopalan Nair, Editor

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IEEE Kerala Section Slate for 2007

The Nomination Committee of the IEEE Kerala Section has decided on the following slate of office bearers for 2007.

Chairman            : Amarnath Raja, Inapp, (IEEE Member: 41431378)
Vice Chairman    : Sasi PM, CDAC (IEEE Member: 40293392)
Secretary            : Subodh PS, CDAC, (IEEE Member: 41448453)
Treasurer            : Shahid Iqbal, VSSC (IEEE Member: 80110869)

If there are any additional nominations by petition, it may be submitted to the Nomination Committee, P. O. Box 77, GPO, (Harmonieee, TC 25/2696-5, Ambujavilasom Road), Thiruvananthapuram – 695 001. Kindly note that five or more voting members or 2% of Section membership, whichever is fewer, must sign the petition.  If additional nominations are made, election will be by ballot, to be mailed to the Committee appointed by the Section Chair.

Important Date:
 
 Close nominations by petition         :        05 January  2007
 
         E. E. Rajakumar,  K. G. Satheesh Kumar,  R. Narayanan
           (Nomination Committee Members)

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 Gobal News - News Around IEEE

1. High-Tech Methods to Cut Medical Costs: As medicine and medical research go increasingly high tech, patients, physicians, and insurance companies all see the cost of health care skyrocketing. But through engineering, high tech can also be used to lower costs. Find out how at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4908/01224104

2. Time Running Out to Renew Your Membership: To ensure the continuation of your member benefits in 2007, you must renew your IEEE membership by 31 December. If you haven't yet done so and don't want to lose benefits that include IEEE Spectrum, discounts on IEEE conferences and products, use of the IEEE e-mail alias, and access to myIEEE and IEEE.tv, you can renew online at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4909/01224104

3. Steve Perlman: Getting Real With Animation. Steve Perlman was just a teenager when he realized his true calling in life: creating artificial worlds with technology. It's a goal that has led this IEEE member to invent something that's changing the face of digital reality as we know it-literally. Read more at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4910/01224104

4. Talk Time for Portables People: No matter how many portable information and communications devices an IEEE member might carry, there's still a need to meet face-to-face. For those who design, make, and use portable devices and their related infrastructures, that time will come in March at the Portable 2007 Conference in Orlando, Fla. Read on at http://bmsmail3. ieee.org:80/u/4912/01224104

5. Searching Made Easier: Users of IEEE Xplore-the online digital library-may have noticed that finding articles on esoteric subjects is relatively easy. But if the topic is more general, and a user doesn't know exactly what to look for, searching can be difficult. To aid with these more complex searches, IEEE Xplore has a number of features to make the effort both easier and more precise. Find out more at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4913/01224104

6. Challenges in Battery Standards and Safety: The recent recall of millions of laptop batteries has prompted the IEEE to revise its guidelines for the design, manufacture, and testing of lithium-ion batteries and battery packs. On 18 January 2007, hear industry experts explain how this may affect future product designs at the Tech Insider Webinar: "Challenges in Battery Standards and Safety." The IEEE Tech Insider Series is sponsored by Cadence Design Systems and National Instruments. Sign up now at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4914/01224104

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7. The Institute Wants to Know: How Do Techies Work? Do you spend half your day in meetings, use e-mail as your main form of communication, or turn first to your co-workers to get help with a problem? The Institute's editors want to know if you agree with these results from an IEEE survey commissioned to find out how today's technology professionals work, for possible use in an upcoming article. E-mail the editors at <mailto:institute@ieee.org>

8. IEEE Medical Plan Suffers Benefit Cuts: In November, CIGNA, the health insurer, mailed certified letters to all participants in the IEEE's group comprehensive health care insurance plan (available only to U.S. members), informing them that effective 1 January 2007, it will cut benefits and raise rates once again. The IEEE is working to find new health-insurance options for members and their families. Find out more at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4916/01224104

9. Middle East's First Computer: Built in 1954 in Rehovot, Israel, the Weizmann Automatic Computer (WEIZAC) became the Middle East's first computer and put Israel in the global technology loop. That's why WEIZAC was recognized with an IEEE Milestone in Electrical Engineering and Computing on 5 December, at the place where it was built. Read on at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4917/01224104

10. Serious Conference Offers Chip Thrills: The 54th International Solid-State Circuits Conference, to be held 11 to 15 February 2007 in San Francisco, is one of the most important conferences for presenting cutting-edge integrated circuit design. To learn more, go to http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4918/01224104

11. Nominations for IEEE Tomiyasu Award: The deadline to nominate a colleague for the IEEE Kiyo Tomiyasu Award is 31 January 2007. The award is given to individuals or teams of up to three people for outstanding contributions made in early or mid career that laid the groundwork for innovative applications in the IEEE's fields of interests. Read more at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4919/01224104

12. Let Us Recognize Your Achievement: Has your company, government, or a volunteer organization recognized you with a promotion, appointment, or award? Every month, The Institute publishes the names of members who've received such recognitions. Send the editors your name and a brief description of your accomplishment to <mailto:institute@ieee.org>

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13. Get “ON THE JOB SITE” supports for your job fairs: In 2007, the IEEE Job Site will host a comprehensive IEEE Job Fair listing to support your employer-sponsored Job Fairs. The IEEE Job Site will also accept one free job posting from any employer associated with your Job Fair as incentive for taking space at your event. Please contact IEEE Job Site marketing manager Ilia Rodriguez at +1 212 419 7768, or email i.rodriguez@ieee.org to list your event information and obtain details about the complimentary posting offer. We look forward to working with you to make your 2007 career events a great success!

14. Asset protection for geographic units: Incoming officers for 2007 should be advised that the Unit Chair and Treasurer periodically review the original monthly account statements and compare them to a recent financial report. It is good business practice for unit leaders to review account activity so that more than one person has oversight of the financial records. Also, in order to provide an independent review of expenses, and to ensure that the Section Executive Committee is informed and approves unit expenses, the Treasurer should present the Section/Chapter check register(s) to the Section Executive Committee at least two times during the year for review and approval. A Check register should always include name, date, amount, budget line and purpose for each transaction (for example, expense reimbursement, services provided, etc).

15. Standards Uproar Leads to Overhaul of Working Group: The move earlier this year to temporarily suspend the IEEE 802.20 working group - which was developing the latest standard for high-speed broadband Internet access - was rare, but not unprecedented. However, it forced the IEEE Standards Association Standards Board to reexamine who is on its working groups and to tighten up procedures to ensure that IEEE standards are developed in a fair and open manner. Read more at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4819/01224104

16. What You Value About Membership: Which benefits are most important to you? According to a survey commissioned by the IEEE Membership Development Committee, the answers are a society membership, a subscription to IEEE Spectrum, and downloads from the IEEE Xplore digital library included with the basic membership fee. To read more about the survey results, go to http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4820/01224104

17. Mobile Devices and Network Security: On 7 December, the IEEE Spectrum Webinar, "Mobile Devices and Their Impact on Network Security," will feature live presentations from industry experts about maintaining security within an enterprise while taking advantage of new mobile devices. Register now at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org: 80/u/4821/01224104

18. Spam Filtering, Anyone? Besides immediately indicating your association with the IEEE and serving as a lifelong point of contact, an IEEE e-mail alias can also help rid you of a major headache: spam. Read on at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4823/01224104

19. Marketplace of Ideas: Big Brother in the Sky Developers working on a project called Security of Aircraft in the Future European Environment claims that their new on-board technology will be foolproof against hijackers. The system uses sensors, cameras, and microphones to monitor passengers' behavior, and then land the plane on autopilot in an emergency. Is the increased safety worth being strictly monitored and giving up so much of your privacy? Weigh in at <mailto:institute@ieee.org>

20. MyIEEE Adds New Features: The IEEE's membership portal, myIEEE, has just updated its career development features. From the Profession Desktop, members can now get listings from the IEEE Job Site, which is updated daily. New modules link members to IEEE's Mentoring Connection site and IEEE-USA's Career Navigator site, where they can get career advice. From myIEEE, members can also access their subscriptions, launch IEEE.tv, and manage their membership account. Log in at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4825/01224104

21. Strengthening Financial Oversight: In the wake of new federal legislation sparked by recent corporate scandals, many organizations, including the IEEE, are beefing up their financial oversight practices. For more information, go to http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4827/01224104

22. Members to Act as Mentors: The IEEE Mentoring Connection Program is looking for members to help guide young professionals and recent grads with career planning and professional development. Learn more at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4828/01224104

23. Communications Technology: The IEEE Communications Society is introducing a new certification program geared to technical professionals who want to sharpen their communications technology knowledge. Read more at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4829/01224104

24. Award Nominations: Seven months are left to get your nominations in for 2008 medals, recognitions, and prize paper awards. The deadline for the Board of Directors to receive nominations is 1 July 2007. For more about the awards, go to http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4831 /01224104

25. About Student Plagiarism: The Institute newspaper is looking for information from engineering school instructors about how they're handling incidents of students plagiarizing papers. If your school is doing anything to combat plagiarism such as teaching students proper attribution, or using new software to spot plagiarism, let us know about it. E-mail the editors at <mailto:institute@ieee.org>

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26. IEEE President: Members Select Lewis Terman 2007 IEEE President-Elect Members have chosen Lewis Terman to be the 2007 IEEE President-Elect. Pending acceptance of the Teller's Committee report by the IEEE Board of Directors following its meeting series this week, Terman will begin serving as IEEE President on 1 January 2008. For more information and to see who won the other elections, go to http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4453/01224104

27. Women in Engineering: Addressing the Bias Before technology can truly help developing countries get ahead, they must have a pool of trained engineers and scientists -- both men and women. But a bias against women in engineering and science is hurting many countries in Africa, the Middle East, and even in advanced industrial countries, according to a newly released U.S. report. To find out more, visit http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4454/01224104

28. IEEE's Largest Society Celebrates 60 Years: The IEEE Computer Society celebrated its 60th anniversary with a two-day event that included awards and recognitions to students as well as two pioneers in the field: Arnold Spielberg and Mamoru Hosaka. For more information, go to http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4455/01224104

29. Conference Zeroes in on Consumer Products: At most IEEE conferences, attendees learn about technologies they'll be using at work in the next few years. At the International Conference on Consumer Electronics, to be held 12 to 14 January in Las Vegas, they'll learn about the technology behind the products that they and their friends will soon be buying for their homes, vehicles, and recreation. To learn more, go to http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4457/01224104

30. Carlos Oscar Fernandez: The Lifelong Volunteer When it comes to volunteering, 91-year-old Carlos Oscar Fernandez doesn't plan on slowing down anytime soon. Although the life senior member already has a slew of IEEE accomplishments under his belt -- founder of the IEEE Argentina Section, president of the section eight times, former director of Region 9 (Latin America) - he says he still has a lot of work to do. To learn more, visit http://bmsmail3.ieee .org:80/u/4458/01224104

31. Manual Explains How to Recruit and Retain Members: Recruiting members to the IEEE has gotten easier. A 30-page manual, published just in time for the 2007 membership renewal drive, has been introduced to help volunteers grow their section or student branch membership and retain the people they have already signed up. Read more at http://bmsmail3.ieee .org:80/u/4458/01224104

32. New Programs Added to IEEE.tv: This month on IEEE.tv members can watch highlights from an IEEE conference on integrated circuits and see an interview with author Carl Selinger about the soft skills that aren't taught in engineering school. An overview of career opportunities in the power engineering field and an introduction to the IEEE Standards Association's VuSpec product series are also featured this month and are available for viewing by members and non-members. Tune in at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4461/01224104

33. Webinar Discusses Advances: in Wireless Medical Technologies Sign up for the 30 November webcast, IEEE Spectrum Tech Insider. Medical Technology Gets a Shot in the Arm to hear experts from Intel, Medtronic, and Siemens explain how advances in wireless technology and the Internet are reshaping health care. For more information and to register, visit http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4462/01224104

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34. Nominations Sought for Honor Society Award: Engineering honor society Eta Kappa Nu is seeking nominations for its 2007 Vladimir Karapetoff Award. Named for an IEEE Fellow, the award honors an electrical engineer who has distinguished him or herself through an invention, a development, or a discovery in the field of electrotechnology. Read more at http://bmsmail3.ieee .org:80/u/4465/01224104

35. Wireless Broadband Training, at a Discount: With telecom companies eager to hire qualified engineers to design, install, and maintain new fixed wireless networks based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, the IEEE has taken on a partner to offer training in this young field. Read more at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4466/01224104

36. Career Webcast Focuses on Entrepreneurship: What does it take to be an entrepreneur? Where is the information technology job market going? Experts tackled these and other topics at two live Web seminars, collectively called the Career Accelerator Forum, hosted by IEEE Spectrum in October. To learn more, visit http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4467/01224104

37. Insurance Coverage for IEEE Organizational Units: IEEE maintains insurance at limits deemed appropriate by the IEEE Insurance Committee for IEEE’s current business activities. Coverage is extended to the activities of IEEE's Organizational Units. For information on the types of coverage maintained by IEEE or how to obtain proof of insurance that has been requested by a meeting venue, please visit: http://www.ieee.org/web/geo_activities/rab/scs Resources/insurance.html. The Insurance summary now includes a list of practical steps to take in the event an incident occurs. For further information, please contact the IEEE Insurance Office at ieeeinsurance@ieee.org or 732.562.5541.

38. Chapter Development Opportunities: IEEE Chapters are technical subunits of both an IEEE Technical Society/Council and a Section or geographic Council. Chapters are ideal vehicles for informative technical meetings and seminars, and for networking. They provide a means to fulfill these needs at a grassroots level. To find out if the formation of a particular Society’s Chapter is feasible for your Section, check your membership listing with the SAMIEEE program (http://www.ieee.org/samieee). If there are 12 or more members, above Student grade, of a particular Society within a Section, a Chapter for that Society may be formed. You can read more about creating new Chapters at http://www.ieee.org/portal/pages/tab/cha/newchap.html.

39. Mentors, Judges Needed for Robotics Competition: One good way to inspire high-school students to pursue an engineering career is to get them to do a little engineering - like having them build a robot. Student robot competitions are growing in number, and one of the biggest is a U.S-wide program sponsored by a group called For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, or FIRST. To read more, go to http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4319/01224104

40. EE Times Seeks Nominations for Awards: The newspaper EE Times seeks nominees for its Annual Creativity in Electronics Awards, which honors technology inventors who have demonstrated the leadership and innovation to shape the world we live in. Read more and submit your nomination at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4323/01224104

41. Deadline Nears for Technical Field Award Nominations: The last day to nominate a colleague for a 2008 IEEE Technical Field Award is 31 January 2007. For more information on the awards and where to find nomination forms, go to http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4324/01224104

42. Driving the Cars of the Future Today: Ready to switch from gasoline-fueled cars to cleaner electric cars? Listen to an exclusive report by IEEE Spectrum's car expert, John Voelker, just back from a test drive of the Chevrolet Sequel, a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle. Tune in to Spectrum Radio at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4327/01224104

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43. The Institute Wants Your News: The Institute is seeking more society, section, region and student branch news items in an effort to broaden the publication's coverage. We're also looking for information on members with interesting jobs or hobbies who we can profile. Even if you're not sure whether it's newsworthy, send the "who, what, when, where, and how" of the information and the editors will take it from there. E-mail your news to <mailto:institute@ieee.org>

44. IEEE Magazine: Discusses Networks, Fibers, and Sensors the October issue of the IEEE/Optical Society of America's Journal of Lightwave Technology features articles on networks, fibers, integrated optics, sensors, and more. Abstracts for all articles in the issue can be found in the IEEE Xplore digital library, where subscribers also have access to the full articles at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/4328/01224104

45. IEEE.tv New Broadcaster Hits Town: After more than 100 years as a magazine publisher, the IEEE might be regarded as an unlikely candidate to become a broadcaster. But in August, the IEEE released IEEE.tv, its Internet broadcasting network, which features coverage of IEEE conferences, interviews with IEEE book authors, primers on technology-related careers, and overviews of IEEE products and services. Learn more at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/3937/01224104

46. Life Fellow Donates Royalties to the IEEE: Inspired by the IEEE to give back to his technical field, Life Fellow V. Prasad Kodali is donating to the IEEE Foundation the royalties he earns from the 2006 and 2007 sales of his book. Find out why he feels it's important to support the philanthropic arm of the IEEE at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80 /u/3938/01224104

47. VHS Named History Milestone: Although one would be hard pressed now to find new movies released in the VHS format, it stood as the video recording standard for almost three decades. Because of its impact, the VHS format will be recognized with an IEEE Milestone in Electrical Engineering and Computing in a ceremony on 11 October in Tokyo. Read more at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/3939/01224104

48. Marketplace of Ideas: Questioning the Retirement Age Helmut Panke, former chief executive at BMW, turned 60 in August and was forced to retire soon after, in accordance with BMW's retirement-age rule. Some analysts say that for BMW to anticipate tomorrow's technology trends, key executives must be younger than 60. Do you think that executives over 60 are out of the technology loop, or should BMW and other companies with similar rules raise the mandatory age of retirement? Weigh in at <mailto:institute@ieee.org> Responses to July's Marketplace question about whether skin-care products containing nanoparticles are safe ranged from a call for more product testing to a demand for a hands-off approach to regulations. Read members' thoughts at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/ 3941/01224104

49. Last Chance to Register: for the Next Career Accelerator Forum Register now for the 12 October Career Accelerator Forum: Changing Lanes to hear presentations from leading experts in entrepreneurship and computer science. Learn how to leverage your credentials to accelerate your career, and have the opportunity to ask questions of the speakers in a live Q&A session. Register for this free Spectrum Online event at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/3945/01224104

50. Students From Turkey Win Robotic Firefighting Contest: Several fires were started in May on the campus of Twente University in the Netherlands. But they weren't the work of an arsonist; they were part of the 2006 Student Robotics Contest, where student teams from Europe and the Middle East competed in building autonomous firefighting robots. Read more at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/3946/01224104

51. EE Times Seeks Nominations for Awards: The EE Times wants nominees for its Annual Creativity in Electronics Awards, which honors technology inventors who demonstrate leadership and innovation in the global industry and shape the world we live in. Read more and submit your nomination at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/3948/01224104

52. Digital Library Offers Subscription Incentives: IEEE members who subscribe to the IEEE Member Digital Library for the first time between now and 31 December will receive the first month of service free. To subscribe, go to http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/3949/01224104

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Annual Reporting Requirements

In order to maintain viability and to ensure that all geographic units are meeting the needs of their members, each unit is required by the Regional Activities Board to submit annual reports of the following items:

* Meeting activity – The minimum meeting requirements are 5 meetings for Sections and Subsections; 2 technical meetings for Chapters; 2 meetings for Affinity Groups. This information can be submitted online via the electronic L31 meeting report form http://www.ieee.org/L31

* Current officers – There have been some updates and improvements to the online officer report form at http://ewh.ieee.org/forms/scs/interactofficer.php. Most notably, we are now asking that Chapters and Affinity Groups report their Treasurers. The reason for this is to enhance communication with these officers. Previously, we recorded only the Chair in the officer roster. Please be sure that Chapter and Affinity Group Treasurers are reported, even if the same person serves as both Chair and Treasurer. Also new to the form is a field that allows the submitter to send copies to other email addresses. In addition, there are dropdown lists of officer positions available. For questions regarding officer reporting, please contact scs-officer-report@ieee.org.

* Financial activity – Each Region, Section and Geographic Council Treasurer is responsible for submitting both the bank account disclosure form and the 2006 financial report for their unit and any subunits (Subsection, Chapters and/or Affinity Groups) to Regional Activities as soon as possible, but not later than the dates noted below.

31 January 2007 – Submission of the Bank Account Disclosure Form 23 February 2007 – Submission the 2006 Geographic Unit Financial Report.

The 2006 Financial Report is available online:

http://www.ieee.org/web/geo_activities/rab/scs/Required_Reporting/L50forms_instruc.html

2007 IEEE MEDAL OF HONOR

The IEEE, the world's leading professional association for the advancement of technology, announced today that Dr. Thomas Kailath, a respected leader in digital signal processing and systems theory, will receive the 2007 IEEE Medal of Honor. Some of Kailath's most recent research has influenced modern work in semiconductor manufacturing and wireless communications.

A professor of engineering at Stanford University, Kailath will be presented with the award at the annual IEEE Honors Ceremony in June 2007. The award is sponsored by the IEEE Foundation.

An IEEE Life Fellow, Kailath is receiving IEEE's highest award "for exceptional development of powerful algorithms in the fields of communications, computing, control and signal processing." A prolific researcher, his theoretical work led to fundamental breakthroughs in communications, information theory, signal detection and estimation and semiconductor manufacturing.

Over his many years of research and teaching, Kailath has mentored over a hundred doctoral and postdoctoral students – almost half of whom have gone on to become IEEE Fellows.

Kailath is a past president of the IEEE Information Theory Society and a recipient of its Shannon Award. Other honors include the 2006 IEEE Jack S. Kilby Signal Processing Medal in 2006, the IEEE Education Medal, Guggenheim and Churchill fellowships and election to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, the Indian National Academy of Engineering and the Silicon Valley Engineering Hall of Fame.

It's a matter of pride that Kailath is a Poona University graduate now being the recipient of the prestigious IEEE Medal of honor. Also his work has influenced over two generations of Electrical Engineers and Mathematicians. It is pertinent to note that his parents were from Kerala and Sarah Kaliath (née Jacob), his wife, grew up in Kerala. She studied at Madras Christian College and then completed her B.A. in English Literature at the University of Kerala. His brother in law is TJS George a very renowned journalist who writes regularly in the Indian Express. Kailath has been at Stanford for several years and was at one point of time an advisor to several governments around the world.

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IEEE Kerala Section Awards, 2006

The following persons are the winners of Kerala Section Awards for the year 2006.

Kerala Section Outstanding Volunteer Award: Sasi PM (CDAC)

Kerala Section Outstanding Student Volunteer Award: Anoop Abraham                       Mammen College of Engineering, Chengannur

Chairman's Award for the Best Student Project: Abdul Anas Monsha TV, SNG   College of Engg, Kolenchery

R Narayanan,    G Vijaya Raghavan  and   KG Satheesh Kumar.
(Awards Committee Members)

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