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Top 10 Nuclear Test Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:29:00 +0530

by Michael Affleck

For obvious reasons, most of the world’s sites for the testing of nuclear weapons are located in remote and little-known places, away from population areas and prying eyes. Although the sites may make the news whenever a weapon is tested, they are rarely anything but simply a name in the public consciousness. There are now 7 confirmed members of the nuclear club, and each of them at some stage has had to find some remote area to test their weapons. For some of them, lacking substantial areas of remoteness within their borders, this has meant either presuming on the friendship of other countries or simply grabbing hold of some far-flung place and using it despite objections from neighbors. Then there’s the problem of what to do after the testing is finished, which has generally turned out to be a major headache for all concerned. Here then are the top 10 nuclear test sites.

Koh Kambaran

The newest member of the nuclear club, Pakistan had a long lag-time between developing nuclear devices and actually testing them. Although it is reasonably certain that Pakistan possessed nuclear capability as early as 1983, their first nuclear test was not carried out until May 1998. Koh Kambaran itself had been chosen as a test site as early as 1976. Located in Baluchistan Province, the site was chosen because the mountain ranges above the underground site are composed of granite and provide at least a kilometer of protection between the explosion and the open air above. In addition the local population is sparse and consists mainly of nomadic herders. During the late 70′s a 1 km long tunnel was dug under the site. Pakistan’s political problems prevented any early testing of their devices and its wasn’t until May 28, 1998 that five nuclear devices were exploded in the course of one afternoon deep underground. The test was named Chagai-1 and was precipitated by India’s detonation of two nuclear devices early in May. According to the Pakistanis, the largest yield from one of the devices was up to 40 kilotons. However, Western sources believe the largest yield was actually less than 20 kilotons. Although Pakistan has carried out nuclear tests at other sites since, Koh Kambaran and Chagai-1 hold a special place in the Pakistani national consciousness and May 28 has been designated a public holiday entitled Day of National Greatness.

Maralinga

When the British started testing nuclear weapons in the late 1940s and early 1950s, they had the problem that nowhere in the British Isles themselves was really suitable for such tests. Fortunately, at the time, they had a rather large (although shrinking) Empire with plenty of remote space available. A number of sites were used, but perhaps the most controversial was their decision to persuade the then pro-Imperial government of Australia to allow testing in the Outback. Two sites in South Australia, Maralinga and Emu Field, were selected. Two tests were carried out at Emu Field in 1953 before a move to a permanent location at Maralinga. The small problem of a resident Aboriginal population was solved easily by forcibly relocating the native residents to a new community, although they persisted in wandering back to their old home. Two major sets of tests were carried out in 1956 and 1957, one of which was the first ever dropping of a nuclear device from an RAF aircraft. Testing continued until 1963. Clean-up operations continued until 1967, however the site remained dangerously radioactive. In the 1980s, major controversy developed when Aboriginals, Australian and British servicemen who had been exposed began exhibiting symptoms of radiation-related disease and cancers. A massive clean-up was initiated and the area was declared safe for visiting but not occupancy in 2000. Both Britain and Australia were forced to pay out massive compensation to their servicemen and the Aboriginals affected. However the resident Aboriginal population has never been allowed to return to their former home.

Pokhran

India began to develop its nuclear capability after fighting a border war with China in 1962 and several confrontations with Pakistan. Pokhran, in the state of Rajasthan, was chosen as its test site in the late 1960s. Although the Indian government claimed the site was in a remote desert area, it was near a population site. Pokhran was a town with a population of around 15000 when the first nuclear test was carried out at the nearby army base in September 1974. Designated Pokhran-1, the explosion yielded about 8 kilotons. In the face of worldwide condemnation, India claimed its only interest in nuclear power was for peaceful purposes and declared it would not build nuclear weapons. It wasn’t until May 11, 1998 that India carried out another test at the site. Designated Pokhran-2., four nuclear devices were detonated. On May 13, a thermonuclear weapon was also detonated. According to Western sources, none of the tests yielded the expected results and India cancelled testing of further devices. It has been claimed that India has dismantled its testing facilities at Pohkran but the Indian government will neither confirm nor deny this. However, the site remains heavily restricted and is off-limits to foreign observers. Any evidence that the residents of Pokhran itself have been affected by the nuclear tests has been kept secret by the Indian government.

Bikini Atoll

Although the US has conducted far more tests at other sites, Bikini Atoll, located in the Marshall Islands in the north-west Pacific, remains arguably the best-known nuclear test site of all time, partly because unlike other test sites, copious film and photographic evidence of tests here is in the public domain, and partly because the atoll gave its name to the two-piece bathing suit invented at about the same time as testing commenced here. Bikini was selected in late 1945 to be the successor testing ground to Trinity in New Mexico, where the devices dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were developed. The island’s native population were moved to a nearby island with the assurance they would be back in 3 months. On July 1, 1946, the first peacetime detonation of a nuclear device was undertaken. The major subjects of the test were 250 obsolete and captured warships. Those ships not destroyed in that blast were subjected to a second test a month later. Between 1946 and 1954, some twenty tests were carried out. In 1957 the islands were declared safe, and some of the inhabitants allowed back, but they were forced to leave again after developing radiation sickness. The islands remain uninhabitable to this day, although it has become a popular spot for divers scouring the wrecks of the ships sunk in the initial tests. However, the site is so contaminated that fish caught in the vicinity cannot be safely eaten. Bikini Atoll was designated a World Heritage site in 2010.

Kiritimati

Probably unique as the only site where two different countries have tested their weapons, Kiritimati, once known as Christmas Island, is an atoll which is now part of the Republic of Kiribati. One of the most remote places on earth, located virtually in the centre of the Pacific almost equidistant between Australia and North America, the island was chosen as a test site by Britain in 1957 in order to test its hydrogen bomb, Further tests were carried in 1958, before the British abandoned the site. The US took over in 1962 and detonated 22 devices before it too abandoned the island as a test site in 1969. Throughout all of the testing the island’s small population remained on the island, and subsequently some of them, as well as servicemen from Britain, New Zealand and the US, have reported radiation-induced sickness and higher than normal cancer rates. Nevertheless, the island’s population has grown substantially since the tests and the native flora and fauna continue to flourish.

Lop Nur

The Chinese tested their first nuclear device at this isolated marshy area in the Bayingolin Autonomous Mongol Province in October 1964. The test, designated 596, yielded 22 kilotons. It was followed by 44 further tests, 22 of them in the atmosphere and 22 underground before the Chinese suspended testing in 1996. Among the weapons tested here was China’s first hydrogen bomb, detonated in 1967. The Chinese have never released details of the effects on the local population and the environment. The area is particularly sensitive because nearby is the location of the famous Tarim mummies, as well as substantial remains of their ancient culture dating back to 1800 BC. However, the Chinese have never allowed foreign observers to examine the site of the tests and it remains off-limits to locals and tourists alike.

Mururoa

Arguably the most controversial test site in the world, the French decision to test nuclear weapons in their remote territory of French Polynesia caused major friction with other Pacific nations, most notably Australia and New Zealand. Although the French used a number of different islands for testing, most of the concern rested on its use of Mururoa Atoll and its neighbor Fangataufa. Between 1966 and 1996, France conducted 41 atmospheric and 147 underground tests on these two islets. New Zealand, which had adopted a nuclear-free zone policy, was particularly upset by these tests and at one stage despatched a naval force to protest. There were grave environmental concerns after it was revealed continued underground testing at the site was threatening to crack the coral base of the islands and release radioactive material into the Pacific. Relations between France and NZ reached a new low when French agents bombed a Greenpeace vessel in Auckland Harbour in 1985, killing one person. Eventually, under intense international pressure, France declared an end to nuclear testing in the Pacific. The last test was carried out in January 1996, after which the site was dismantled. The site remains a sensitive one though, as observers have noted that dangerous radioactivity is still present and that the monitoring systems set up by the French are inadequate.

Novaya Zemlya

This remote and icy island above the Arctic Circle was subjected to 224 nuclear detonations by the Soviet Union between 1954 and 1990. Its main claim to fame is that in 1961, the largest ever nuclear detonation was carried out here, measuring over 100 megatons. However, the logistical problems of using this remote and inhospitable island meant it was never as favored for testing by the Soviets as the Semipalatinsk site in Kazakhstan. The last test was carried out here in 1990, just before the collapse of the Soviet Union, however, the Russian Federation has continued to use the site for low-level nuclear testing, short of detonation. The small native population who were removed in 1954 have never been allowed to return to their homes.

Semipalatinsk

This most favored site for Soviet nuclear testing has been since 1991 the property of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who inherited a wealth of health and environmental problems that may take generations to be fully calculated. The Soviets conducted a whopping 465 nuclear detonations here between 1949 and 1981. Originally constructed in the Stalinist era with slave labour from the gulag, it was here that Russia’s first nuclear weapon was detonated in 1949. It was always the subject of intense interest by the West and particularly the US, who directed numerous U2 flights and then spy satellites to watch over the site. As a consequence the Soviets sent most of their infrastructure underground to hide it from the spies in the skies. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the site was handed over to the Kazakhs, who as signatories of the Central Asian Nuclear Free Zone treaty have declined to put it to the same use as the Soviets did. However, the health problems reported by some 220000 local residents including higher than average cancer rates will continue to exercise the minds of the Kazakh authorities for many years to come.

Nevada Test Site

Welcome to the most nuked place on the planet. A staggering 928 nuclear tests were carried out in this 3500 km square area of Nevada 107 km north of Las Vegas between 1951 and 1992, more than 800 of them underground. As a result the area has been left peppered with subsidence craters. In the early days the nuclear tests were almost a tourist attraction. Mobsters attempting to build the gambling business in Las Vegas offered viewings of nuclear explosions as an added lure to visitors. Thousands of films and pictures were taken and distributed around the world. Movie productions were made amidst the dust blowing from nuclear detonations. However, as the health implications of the tests became known, it ceased to be a site for tourist exploitation and became a serious concern for the US government. It has been revealed that the cancer rates in the area surrounding the test site are almost twice that of the US population. A significant increase in childhood leukemia has been noted in the years following the beginning of nuclear testing. Numerous lawsuits alleging health problems have been brought against the US government since 1982. Over $500 million has already been paid out in compensation, and it is estimated the eventual health bill from the Nevada Test Site may exceed $5 billion. In 2009 the Nevada Test Site was officially declared the second most radioactively contaminated spot on the planet after Chernobyl. It is believed that radiation levels in some areas of the site actually exceed those present in Hiroshima and Nagasaki immediately after the A-bombs were dropped in 1945.

Top 10 Nuclear Test Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:26:00 +0530

by Michael Affleck

Koh Kambaran

Maralinga

Pokhran

Bikini Atoll

Kiritimati

Lop Nur

Mururoa

Novaya Zemlya

Semipalatinsk

Nevada Test Site

Ten Ancient Methods of Birth Control

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:47:00 +0530

by Iva Cheung

This year marked the fiftieth anniversary of the birth control pill, which many considered to have empowered women and sparked the sexual revolution. But as this list will show, women have had some control over their reproductive rights for millennia, although some of these ancient birth control methods were, admittedly, more terrifying than most of the methods in use today.
To be included on this list, the birth control had to be at least plausibly effective to some degree. Records exist of women in ancient Rome and Greece relying on dances and amulets to prevent pregnancy, and we can safely assume that those probably didn’t do much. At the risk of stirring up controversy, I’ve listed both contraceptives—which prevent sperm from fertilizing egg—and abortifacients, which induce abortion. For the sake of interest, I’ve focused on methods that would be unusual today, and not on methods that are still regularly practiced—like abstinence, coitus interruptus, or fertility awareness—to similar effect now as a few centuries ago. These items are in no particular order.

Lemons

Citric acid is said to have spermicidal properties, and women used to soak sponges in lemon juice before inserting them vaginally. Mentioned in the Talmud, this was a preferred method of birth control in ancient Jewish communities. The sponge itself would act as a pessary—a physical barrier between the sperm and the cervix. The great womanizer Casanova was said to have inserted the rind of half a lemon into his lovers as a primitive cervical cap or diaphragm, the residual lemon juice serving to annihilate the sperm. Lemon- and lime-juice douches following coitus were also recommended as a form of birth control, but this method was likely less effective, since sperm can enter the cervix—and hence out of reach of any douching—within minutes of ejaculation. Incidentally, some alternative medicine practitioners today suggest that megadoses of vitamin C (6 to 10 g a day) could induce an abortion in women under 4 weeks of pregnancy, but there’s no evidence that citrus fruits were used in this way in ancient times.

Queen Anne’s Lace

Queen Anne’s Lace is also known as wild carrot, and its seeds have long been used as a contraceptive—Hippocrates described this use over two millennia ago. The seeds block progesterone synthesis, disrupting implantation and are most effective as emergency contraception within eight hours of exposure to sperm—a sort of “morning after” form of birth control. Taking Queen Anne’s Lace led to no or mild side effects (like a bit of constipation), and women who stopped taking it could conceive and rear a healthy child. The only danger, it seemed, was confusing the plant with similar-looking but potentially deadly poison hemlock and water hemlock.

Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal is a plant in the mint genus and has a fragrance similar to that of spearmint. The ancient Greeks and Romans used it as a cooking herb and a flavoring ingredient in wine. They also drank pennyroyal tea to induce menstruation and abortion—1st-century physician Dioscorides records this use of pennyroyal in his massive five-volume encyclopedia on herbal medicine. Too much of the tea could be highly toxic, however, leading to multiple organ failure.

Blue Cohosh

Blue cohosh, traditionally used for birth control by Native Americans, contains at least two abortifacient substances: one mimics oxytocin, a hormone produced during childbirth that stimulates the uterus to contract, and a substance unique to blue cohosh, caulosaponin, also results in uterine contractions. Midwives today may use blue cohosh in the last month of pregnancy to tone the uterus in preparation for labour. The completely unrelated but similarly named black cohosh also has estrogenic and abortifacient properties and was often combined with blue cohosh to terminate a pregnancy.

Dong Quai

Dong quai, also known as Chinese angelica, has long been known for its powerful effects on a woman’s cycle. Women drank a tonic brewed with dong quai roots to help regulate irregular menstruation, alleviate menstrual cramps and help the body regenerate after menstruation. Taken during early pregnancy, however, dong quai had the effect of causing uterine contractions and inducing abortion. European and American species of angelica have similar properties but were not as widely used.

Common Rue

Rue, a blue-green herb with feathery leaves, is grown as an ornamental plant and is favored by gardeners for its hardiness. It is rather bitter but can be used in small amounts as a flavoring ingredient in cooking. Soranus, a gynecologist from 2nd-century Greece, described its use as a potent abortifacient, and women in Latin America have traditionally eaten rue in salads as a contraceptive and drunk rue tea as emergency contraception or to induce abortion. Ingested regularly, rue decreases blood flow to the endometrium, essentially making the lining of the uterus non-nutritive to a fertilized egg.

Cotton

In the ancient medical manuscript the Ebers Papyrus (1550 BCE), women were advised to grind dates, acacia tree bark, and honey together into a paste, apply this mixture to seed wool, and insert the seed wool vaginally for use as a pessary. Granted, it was what was in the cotton rather than the cotton itself that promoted its effectiveness as birth control—acacia ferments into lactic acid, a well-known spermicide—but the seed wool did serve as a physical barrier between ejaculate and cervix. Interestingly, though, women during the times of American slavery would chew on the bark of cotton root to prevent pregnancy. Cotton root bark contains substances that interfere with the corpus luteum, which is the hole left in the ovary when ovulation occurs. The corpus luteum secretes progesterone to prepare the uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg. By impeding the corpus luteum’s actions, cotton root bark halts progesterone production, without which a pregnancy can’t continue.

Papaya

In South Asia and Southeast Asia, unripe papaya was used to prevent or terminate pregnancy. Once papaya is ripe, though, it loses the phytochemicals that interfere with progesterone and thus its contraceptive and abortifacient properties. The seeds of the papaya could actually serve as an effective male contraceptive. Papaya seeds, taken daily, could cut a man’s sperm count to zero and was safe for long-term use. Best of all, the sterility was reversible: if the man stopped taking the seeds, his sperm count would return to normal.

Silphium

Silphium was a member of the fennel family that grew on the shores of Cyrenaica (in present-day Libya). It was so important to the Cyrenean economy that it graced that ancient city’s coins. Silphium had a host of uses in cooking and in medicine, and Pliny the Elder recorded the herb’s use as a contraceptive. It was reportedly effective for contraception when taken once a month as a tincture. It could also be used as emergency birth control, either orally or vaginally, as an abortifacient. By the second century CE, the plant had gone extinct, likely because of over harvesting.

Mercury

Civilizations the world over, from the ancient Assyrians and Egyptians to the Greeks, were fascinated by mercury and were convinced that it had medicinal value and special curative properties, using it to treat everything from skin rashes to syphilis. In ancient China, women were advised to drink hot mercury to prevent pregnancy. It was likely pretty effective at convincing a woman’s body that she wasn’t fit to carry a child, leading to miscarriage, so in that sense, it worked as a contraceptive. However, as we know today, mercury is enormously toxic, causing kidney and lung failure, as well as brain damage and death. At that point, pregnancy would probably be the least of your worries.

The Wet Spot: The truth about Asian massage parlors

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:22:00 +0530

This is how stereotypes happen.
Last month, an Asian massage parlor in Eden Prairie called Planet Shikoku Rejuvenation Station got busted by undercover cops for alleged prostitution. Check it out.
My first thought was obviously, "Why has my dad been acting so nervous lately?" But then I thought, "What would make cops suspicious of this Asian massage parlor instead of all the others?"
A few days later, I found an ad in a local magazine for Planet Shikoku that answered my question. Word-for-word, here's what it said:

Men are from Mars!
Women are from Venus,
We understand that sometimes,
It's all about the Penis!
But there's NO UNHAPPY ENDINGS here,
Because we don't do anything wrong,
We will stroke your ego,
Not your ding dong!

Enjoy our tender loving care,
You can completely relax,
Have fun and never worry,
There are NO sex acts!
Don't be shy, no need to hide,
No need to cover or to camouflage,
Just remember, the better you behave,
The better we massage!
Now introducing the THAI BUTTERFLY massage!
(A special treat for our best behaving clients!)
Way to ruin it for everyone, Planet Shikoku.
Now, anyone who knows me knows that there is one thing in this world that I love more than anything: Asian massage parlors. (And Savage Garden.
But mostly Asian massage parlors.) I would seriously recommend them to
anyone, and one day I look forward to bringing my own children along
with me so that they too can experience the joys of a Thai butterfly
massage.

But for inexperienced folks, choosing the right establishment can be
a little scary. Will it feel good? Will it cost too much? Will I get
called-out on Fox 9 News for spending my lunch break there three times
a week?
Don't worry. I've got your back.
This week, I'm giving you my tips for choosing the right Asian
massage parlor for your needs and helping you sort out the respectable
dojos of stress release from the places to score a sweet HJ for $42 on
top of the standard massage fee, as long as you mention that you are an
erotic columnist with City Pages and promise to never write about the
experience later on.
Tip #1: Never trust a strip mall
Have you ever been into a strip mall dollar store where the kid behind the counter DIDN'T try to sell you a tank of Nitrous Oxide that's supposed to be used for helium balloons? Me neither.
A lot of sketchy shit happens in strip malls, and from my experience the best massage specialists aren't working next door to Starbucks. Instead, look for massage parlors that are located near something classy and non-threatening like a karaoke bar or Chuck-E-Cheese. Basically, anywhere you would go looking for cool people to hang out with is a good place to get a rubdown.
Tip #2: Look for places that offer "hypno-massage"
In case you're not familiar, a hypno-massage is a combination of hypnosis to relax your mind while providing a physical massage for your body, giving you a complete relaxation experience. I assume that David Blaine could give a kick-ass hynpo-massage.
I'm not going to lie; I've never had a hypno-massage. However, I'm recommending it to you because it's the ultimate way to cover your bases in case something goes wrong.

Cops bust in for prostitution? You were hypnotized!
Co-worker sees you on the news coming out of the massage parlor covering your face from reporters? Hypnotized!
Busted buying beer for high school kids so that they'll think you're cool and invite you to their house party? Definitely hypnotized!
(Author's note: Not that I would ever recommend doing that. But if I WAS going to do such a thing, then I would expect that the kids in question wouldn't screw me over after the fact and give me the wrong address for the party. Especially if one of them happened to be my sister. I hate you Katie.)
Tip #3: Avoid massage parlors that use the headline "Totally Safe Environment" in their ads
If they have to say that, it means that the place is likely haunted. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Remember, Asian massage parlors are like panda bears at the zoo. Sure, once in a while one of them might attack a kid and pull his eyes out, giving all of the other pandas a bad name. But overall, they're the most beautiful, majestic sight a person may ever see.

Twelve Years Old Lady

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 20:49:00 +0530

12 Years Old Lady

In 12-year-old girl named Ontlametse Falaste there are only a couple of years of life. “I call myself the first lady, because I was the first black child with the disease …. You know more of a dark-skinned child with such a disease? “- Says the girl. Ontlametse – the only black child with a diagnosis of the syndrome Hutchinson-Gilford – a rare and fatal disease, accelerating the aging process. In the entire history of mankind only two black children suffer from this disease – both of them died, one in the U.S., another in the Netherlands. Experts believe that at the same time in the world from 200 to 250 children suffering from this disease. Children with the disease die from heart failure at the age of 8 to 21 years, suffering from high blood pressure, stroke, angina and heart failure.

Poisonous Snakes on Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 20:22:00 +0530

The hook-nosed sea snake has been called “cantankerous and savage” by some herpetologists, and toxicity and aggression aren't a good mix. Only a very small amount of venom is needed – 1.5 mg is lethal in many cases – and it is said to be as much as eight times more toxic than cobra venom. Do not approach.

1. Sea Snakes

The hook-nosed sea snake is at the top of the most venomous list with a bite containing venom that has an LD50 of 0.02. Almost all sea snakes are venomous, however, and the Belcher's sea snake is sometimes reported to have and even lower LD50, below 0.01. Ernst and Zug also give the venoms of the Dubois's reef sea snake an LD50 0.04, which would place it at number four on this list. If you see a sea snake while swimming or diving, move away.

All taipans have highly toxic venom – not least the coastal taipan, which is also regarded as one of the five most venomous land snakes and is sometimes placed in the top three. The inland taipan's venom has an LD50 of 0.03 – though some sources have it as low as 0.01 – but in other taipan species it may be closer to 0.1. As well as being highly neurotoxic, the venom clots the victim's blood, blocking blood vessels. Before an antivenom was developed, it is said there were few if any survivors of taipan bites, and even with antivenom, the recovery period can be slow and painful.

2. Taipan (Inland Taipan)

Also known as the fierce snake, the inland taipan – another deadly snake found in Australia – is considered the world's most venomous land snake. Its alternate name is a reference to its venom rather than to its behavior, as it is shy and reclusive. Even when it kills prey, it retreats until the prey has died from the bite before returning to feed. Even so.

In Burma, the Russell's viper is responsible for 90% of snakebite fatalities. Its painful bite produces venom that causes swelling, extensive bleeding, vomiting and necrosis, among other symptoms, while death may occur as a result of kidney, respiratory or cardiac failure.

Also, there is no single antivenom for treating the Russell's viper's bite, as the venom has different properties depending on the area in which the snake is found. For example, in India the venom has neurotoxic effects while in Thailand it hampers the blood's ability to clot.

3. Russell's Viper

The Russell's viper – another of India's 'big four' – is without doubt one of the most dangerous snakes in the world. It not only has one of the most lethal types of venom, with an LD50 of 0.03; it is also commonly found in places where people live, because it is attracted by rodents. Outdoor workers are among the most in jeopardy as it likes fields and open, bushy areas.

4. Eastern Brown Snake

The eastern brown snake is another Australian species with venom that can kill. Depending on which source you read, its venom is said to have an LD50 ranging from 0.05 to 0.03 (Ernst and Zug state the former), making it one of the most venomous snakes on land. The venom contains both neurotoxins and blood coagulants – two entirely different ways in which it can act on the system – and two people died as a result of being bitten as recently as 2007. You've been warned.

5. Black Mamba

The black mamba is both the world's second longest venomous snake and the fastest snake on Earth. It averages 8.2 feet in length and can move at speeds of 14 miles per hour. If black is the shade of death, this snake is well colored; its bite is deadly to say the least. The black mamba's venom has an LD50 of 0.05, meaning death – usually by respiratory failure or heart attack – typically occurs in humans in 30 minutes to one hour. Luckily, an antivenom has now brought the morality rate of those bitten down from where it once stood before the treatment became available – at nearly 100%. Big, quick and deadly, the black mamba is surely one of the world's deadliest snakes.

6. Tiger Rattlesnake

There is huge variation among different lists regarding the strength of the venom of the tiger rattlesnake, which is found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. One source puts its venom's LD50 at 0.06 while others have it much higher – and therefore less toxic. What does seem certain, however, is that this species has the highest toxicity of all rattlesnakes, and while the venom it yields is comparatively low, being bitten by one of these snakes should be deemed a critical emergency. Let its stripes be a warning to you if you ever see one.

Symptoms from the boomslang's bite kick in after several hours, and generally consist of external and internal bleeding brought about by blood clotting processes being disabled. That said, the boomslang is not an aggressive snake and prefers to retreat rather than attack, meaning fatalities are relatively rare. Still, we'd rather not try our luck.

7. Boomslang

Beautiful but deadly, the brightly colored boomslang is found in Africa and is unique to its family (Colubridae) in that it has highly potent venom. It releases its venom through fangs at the rear of its jaw rather than at the front. Given its small size, the toxicity of its bite is perhaps surprising; its LD50 is 0.07.

8. Common Krait

Next, the common krait, which is found in India, where it is one of the 'big four' – the species that cause the most snake bite cases in South Asia. This highly venomous specimen typically feeds on other snakes as well as lizards and small mammals. Alarmingly, many people who are bitten by the krait don't even realize it because the bite is practically painless. Krait bites can occur when people are asleep – feeling like that of an ant or mosquito – and there have been instances where the victim never wakes up. Even though the venom is slow-acting – it can take several hours for its effects to take hold – it has an LD50 of 0.09, with death often arriving by respiratory failure.

9. Desert Horned Viper

The desert horned viper is found in the Middle East and North Africa. It has little horns over each eye which makes it easily recognizable. This is a case where the snake's toxicity varies according to which scientists you believe; its LD50 ranges from 0.4 to 0.1, though Ernst and Zug state the latter figure. The desert horned viper is known for sidewinding, a form of movement whereby it presses its weight into the sand to move across the loose surface. We're tempted to say this is one diabolically venomous snake.

Untreated tiger snake bites – which rapidly cause breathing problems and paralysis – result in death to humans 60% of the time. The venom toxicity of this scaly serpent is said to range from an LD50 of around 0.4 for the Chappell Island tiger snake to 0.12 for the peninsular tiger snake. Beastly.

10. Tiger Snake

Striped like its feline namesake, the tiger snake is found in Australia, although there are several different and widely distributed varieties. It prefers wet habitats such as creeks and coastal areas and is definitely a snake to keep away from if you're looking for somewhere to cool off on a hot summer's day.

The venom of the forest cobra has an LD50 of 0.12. What's more, not only is the venom extremely potent, with deadly paralyzing effects; it's also delivered in high quantities, and when this snake bites it will hang on and not release its grip. Interestingly, the forest cobra's venom contains neurotoxins that may have some use in treating Alzheimer's disease.

11. Forest Cobra

Fast, agile and preferring woodland habitats, the forest cobra climbs trees with ease. Like other cobras, it will extend special ribs in its neck to make a hood when agitated. Oh, and did we mention that it's deadly poisonous?

An average-sized puff adder packs enough venom to kill four to five men! Bite symptoms include swelling, blood blisters, nausea and, if not treated, necrosis – which can lead to gangrene. This snake isn't going to stay out of your way, so you best steer clear.

12. Puff Adder

The puff adder isn't the most venomous snake in Africa but it is considered to be the snake that causes the most human deaths there. This is due to the venomous viper's common occurrence in heavily populated areas and its habit of sunbathing on or near footpaths. Then of course there's its highly toxic venom, which has an LD50 of 0.14 and is delivered in large doses through long fangs.

Incredibly Cute Snapshots of Baby Crocodiles

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 20:17:00 +0530

Contrary to what some might believe, mother crocodiles do not cannibalize their young but actively protect them before, during and after birth. However, one of the biggest dangers for the babies comes from other crocodiles. They will eat the young of other crocs, especially when the population is healthy and more babies aren't necessary. When the population is low, though, this behavior lessens significantly. Maybe crocodiles really do care!

The babies and adults continue to communicate after the birth, calling to each other into adulthood with up to 18 different sounds. That way, if a baby strays away from its group it can be guided back by the others or its mother can go to protect it. (Similar crocodilian maternal devotion can be seen in this sequence of photographs, in which a mother alligator prevents its baby from becoming a heron's lunch.)

The mother crocodile doesn't only guard the nest and babies before and directly upon hatching; she also protects them afterwards. The babies need to get to water for safety as quickly as possible, so mum takes them – often in her mouth – to a nursery area. Can you imagine carrying 15 babies in your mouth? Momma croc can! The skin of her lower jaw stretches to make a cradle for them.

During hatching the babies use an 'egg tooth' at the end of their snout that helps them to break the inner membrane of the egg and force their way out. Sometimes the mother will gently roll the eggs around in her mouth to help crack open the hard outer shell.

This is a unique survival mechanism, and it occurs because baby crocs are in danger from predators from the moment they have hatched. When they make their pre-birth noises, it's to ensure that they all hatch in one batch and that they have their mother on hand to defend them.

When the brother and sister crocs hear the sound, they start to 'talk' as well, and the mother croc comes to the nest to be ready for the births. The researchers discovered that whenever they played the high-pitched muffled sounds to the mother crocodiles, they started to dig in the sand – or guard the eggs if they were already out of the nest.

With as many as 40 eggs or more in a nest, there are a lot of babies-to-be for the mother crocodile to look after. Amazingly, the baby crocodiles 'talk' to their mothers while still in the egg. Researchers Vergne and Mathevon of Université Jean Monnet in Saint-Etienne, France showed that, just before hatching, they make "umph, umph, umph" noises – grunting sounds which act as a signal that they are ready to be born.

Unlike in most other animals, the sex of the young is not shaped by genetics; instead it is determined by the heat of the nest. If the sand or vegetation is a little warmer or colder at different layers it makes a difference in terms of how many males or females are born: males will be born at certain temperatures, females at others.

Mother crocodiles lay eggs in a nest – often one that they return to year after year. They build the nest either in mounds of vegetation and mud or, like sea turtles, they dig a hole in the sand. For around 90 days, the momma crocs guard the nest from predators and other dangers. The nest acts as an incubator, keeping the eggs at a stable temperature that allows them to develop.

Seventy million years after they first appeared on this planet, crocodiles remain some of the world's most successful freshwater predators. Hardly changed since the age of dinosaurs, they attack in a flash, bringing down large prey – such as unwary wildebeest and zebras. Yet there is another side to crocodiles, one rarely talked about or even imagined. They are gentle, devoted and nurturing mothers, and their babies are little miracles that communicate with their mums even while they are still in their eggs.

Honda Civic EU-Version 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 20:13:00 +0530

Amazing Animals Hidden Under the Arctic Ice

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 20:09:00 +0530

P

There are thousands of animals underneath the Arctic ice that most of us never get to see. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Explorer took a scientific expedition to the Canada Basin to get much needed information about climate change, and brought back these amazing images.

1. Aulococtena

The aulococtena lives between 350 and 1,100 meters deep in the sea and is the size and color of an orange. It has two sticky tentacles, one of which can be seen here.

There are thousands of microscopic animals in our world that we rarely get a chance to see and which are as beautiful – and often more unusual – than more common creatures we are used to.

2. Larvacean

This is an unknown species of Larvacean; filter feeders who are plankton animals.

3. Clione

This Clione is also known as a sea butterfly. It is a form of shell-less snail that lives close to the surface.

4. Mollusc

These bivalves came from a core drilled deep into the ocean floor.

5. Amphipod

An unknown species of commensal amphipod captured below 1,000 meters with a multinet.

6. Sea Star

A stunning sea star brought up from the sea floor. Sea stars are a keystone species and have a huge effect on the surrounding environment and ecology.

7. Copoped

This male copepod (meaning 'oar feet') is known by its extra long tail and antennae. The males are rare and do not live long.

8. Hymenodora glacialis

These fascinating beauties are the only pelagic shrimps living in the water column known to survive in the Canada Basin.

9. Eusirus holmii

This amphipod species (a crustacean with no shell) was found both at 2,000 feet below the surface and up at the same level as the ice.

10. Crossota

These brilliant tiny jellyfish spend their lives as plankton in the water column.

Beautiful Sunrise Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:53:00 +0530

Who says money doesn't grow on trees?

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:52:00 +0530

They say money doesn't grow on trees.

But it certainly appears to do so on the mysterious coin-studded trunks dotted around the UK's woodland.

The strange phenomenon of gnarled old trees with coins embedded all over their bark has been spotted on trails from the Peak District to the Scottish Highlands.

The coins are usually knocked into felled tree trunks using stones by passers-by, who hope it will bring them good fortune.

These fascinating spectacles often have coins from centuries ago buried deep in their bark and warped by the passage of time.

The tradition of making offerings to deities at wishing trees dates back hundreds of years, but this combination of the man-made and the natural is far more rare.

It used to be believed that divine spirits lived in trees, and they were often festooned with sweets and gifts - as is still done today at Christmas.

The act is reminiscent of tossing money into ponds for good luck, or the trend for couples to attach 'love padlocks' to bridges and fences to symbolise lasting romance.

Some pubs, such as the Punch Bowl in Askham, Cumbria, have old beams with splits in them into which coins are forced for luck.

There are seven felled tree trunks with coins pushed into them in the picturesque village of Portmeirion, in Wales.

Meurig Jones, an estate manager at the tourist destination, told the BBC: 'We had no idea why it was being done when we first noticed the tree trunk was being filled with coins.

'I did some detective work and discovered that trees were sometimes used as "wishing trees" .

Coins are hammered into trunks with rocks in the Lake District

Trees are traditional sources of good luck as deities were thought to reside in them

Why WOMEN Love to GOSSIP!!! :)))

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:44:00 +0530

"Pssssst! Did you hear what she said? He did what? How could she have said that?"

Whether it's a whispered conversation over coffee with a friend or a late-night telephone gabfest with your sister, gossiping bestows a feel-good aura on women who are feeling stressed-out, jilted or just having a bad day. And while it's been criticized as idle chatter, or worse, gossip is beloved by women everywhere.

If you're wondering just what women get out of dishing on others, and why it feels so completely satisfying, here are the top 10 reasons why women just can't stop themselves from indulging in one of life's naughty little pleasures.

1. Gossip gives women a feeling of fitting in with others. It's almost like telling a secret to someone else, which means that you trust the person you are talking to. "And that means you are forming a bond over gossip," says Diane Lang, MS, certified counselor and therapist and the author of Creating Balance & Finding Happiness.

2. Gossiping helps you make friends. "By gossiping and sharing dark secrets, you are actually helping to form friendships," Lang says.

3. Gossip reduces stress. For some reason, hearing bad news about other people actually makes us feel better. "It gives us a happy feeling to hear that our lives are better than we thought," Lang says. "When you hear someone got fired, for instance, it's not that you are happy about that. But we can compare ourselves to that person and feel like our lives are going in a good direction."

4. Gossip helps us process our experiences, says Irina Firstein, LCSW, a relationship expert. "Women have a need to share their experiences with another person, much more so than men," she says. "Gossip helps us dissect and digest what's happening with us."

5. Gossip helps validate our feelings. When you need validation for your point of view, it helps to go talk about someone who you feel has wronged you. It helps to say to the other person: "How could she do this?" "You are not looking for truth or for reality," Firstein says. "You just want to be reaffirmed, usually about upsetting things."

6. Gossip helps you deal with every day life. "It is a primitive coping technique," Firstein says. "If someone upset you, or you are jealous, gossip helps you sort it out."

7. Gossip is a great way to network. When done carefully, it can be a form of self promotion and can enhance your status at work, Lang says.

8. Gossiping is a learned trait that we observe in others and that we pick up as a way to feel good about ourselves. "You may have seen it in your parents, only they might have called it networking or said it was for work." Lang says. "By the time you were in middle school, you had observed that gossip looked like fun."

9. Gossip lets women dissect relationships with other women. "Men are focused on work and achievements, and just aren't generally that interested in relationship stuff," says Firstein. "Women like to digest all of the relationship that's going on with them and gossip gives them the opportunity."

10. Gossip makes us feel a little guilty, but it doesn't come with a motherload of negative guilt-producing angst. Like cutting a class to spend the morning in the park or eating a chocolate cupcake when we know we shouldn't, it's one of life's small pleasures, and one that we're not likely to give up any time soon.

Are you working too hard???

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:58:00 +0530

Check Your Self

Petrol prices hiked by Rs 3.14 per litre :-(

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:45:00 +0530

source : ET 15 SEP, 2011, 05.44PM IST, PTI

NEW DELHI: State-owned oil firms raised petrol prices by Rs 3.14 per litre as the rupee touched two-year low against the US dollar, increasing the cost of importing crude oil. The hike will be effective from midningt.

"Oil retailers are losing Rs 2.61 per litre or Rs 15 crore per day on sale of petrol. Together with local taxes, the hike needed to level domestic rates with international prices is about Rs 3 per litre," a top government official said.

IOC, BPCL and HPCL have lost Rs 2,450 crore this fiscal on selling petrol -- whose rates were freed from government control in June last year -- below the cost.

"At current rate, oil firms will accrue another Rs 2,850 crore of loss on sale of petrol, taking the total loss on a fuel that was freed from control, to Rs 5,300 crore for the full fiscal," the official said, adding, "Oil firms will have to take a call on raising petrol price soon."

Besides petrol, the three firms are losing Rs 263 crore per day on selling diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene below cost. Diesel is being sold at a subsidy of Rs 6.05 a litre, kerosene at Rs 23.25 per litre while domestic LPG rates are under-priced by Rs 267 per 14.2-kg cylinder.

"The industry lost around Rs 65,000 crore in the first half of the current fiscal on the three products and for the full year the revenue loss is estimated at Rs 121,571 crore at the price of Indian basket at USD 110 per barrel," said the official.

Indian Oil (IOC), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) had last raised petrol price by Rs 5 a litre in May. Diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene price were hiked in June by Rs 3 per litre, Rs 50 per cylinder and Rs 2 per litre.

The government had in June last year decontrolled petrol price but continues to dictate diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene rates. However, petrol price has not moved in tandem with its cost, keeping in mind the government's concerns on inflation which climbed to 9.78 percent in August.

"The losses on the four products have meant that oil companies borrowed to meet even their working capital requirement," the official said.

The combined borrowing levels of the oil marketing companies has increased from Rs 96,700 crore in March 2011 to Rs 120,000 crore in August 2011. "The increase is mostly towards short term borrowings to fund working capital requirements," he said.

The basket of crude oil that India buys had averaged USD 85.09 per barrel in 2010-11. From April-September, it has averaged USD 111.64 per barrel, a 31 per cent increase over the last fiscal (2010-11).

The Indian basket of crude oil averaged USD 106.94 per barrel in August and USD 110.88 a barrel in September.

"Due to hardening of crude/petroleum product prices in the international market and depreciation of rupee viz-a-viz dollar, the under-recoveries of oil marketing companies have been increasing during 2011-12," the official added.

:-(

Lord of The Ring "Muhammad Ali" The Greatest

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:35:00 +0530

September 15 marks 33 years since Muhammad Ali vanquished Leon Spinks in an epic bout, becoming the first and only pugilist to win the lineal world heavyweight championship three times. In a life sparked with charm and controversy, fame and fallibility, the fighter who once answered to the name of Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr has become one of the most recognizable sportspersons of our time. Forget for a minute the present-day image: His tongue-tied, wheelchair-shackled frame, or that once-animated face turned wooden by Parkinson ’s disease. Forget his bragging and taunting. Forget the zealots who have (now that he is down for the count) gained the courage to attack him. In his time, Ali elevated boxing to a prime gladiator sport, not the brawling street-fighting nadir to which it has descended. Black. American. Muslim. The three prongs of his identity weighed heavily on Ali’s shoulders but he confronted and tamed his demons. The fighter who could “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” once quipped bitterly, “Boxing is a lot of white men watching two black men beat each other up.”

September 15, 1978, boxer Muhammad Ali won the World Boxing Association Heavyweight title for a record third time, pummeling challenger Leon Spinks into submission at the New Orleans Louisiana Superdome. The fight was a rematch after Spinks’ victory over Ali in February that year. It ran into 15 rounds before 36-year-old Ali was announced the unanimous winner

Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17, 1942 to Cassius Clay, Sr, who painted billboards, and Odessa Grady Clay, a domestic help. The story goes that young Clay’s bicycle was stolen and he wanted to “whup” the thief, a remark overheard by Louisville police officer Joe Martin who coached fighters. Ali began to train with Martin and later with other trainers. After only five losses in 100 amateur bouts, and several titles, Clay represented the United States at the 1960 Rome Olympics and won gold in the Light Heavyweight category.

In his 1975 biography, Ali wrote that he threw his medal in the Ohio River after being refused entry into a whites-only restaurant. He was given a replacement medal while lighting the torch at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta

Cassius Clay (right) makes his professional boxing debut on October 29, 1960, in Louisville's Freedom Hall against Tunney Hunsaker, a part-time fighter and police chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia. All of 18 years of age, Clay won the six-round decision before 6,000 fans.

Cassius Clay points to a sign he wrote on a chalk board in his dressing room before his fight against Archie Moore in Los Angeles, November 15, 1962, predicting he'd knock Moore out in the fourth round, which he went on to do. The sign also predicts Clay will be the next champ via a knockout over Sonny Liston in eight rounds. The young boxer’s penchant for predicting the precise round in which he would knock out his opponent, and living up to each of his claims, was greeted with both adulation and derision by fans, rivals and media

On May 26, 1965 Muhammad Ali, then still answering to Cassius Clay, defeated Sonny Liston (left) after a one-minute fight.

Clay announced his acceptance of Islam the day after winning his celebrated 1964 bout with Sonny Liston, announcing that he would henceforth be called Cassius X. Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad gave him the name Muhammad Ali in a phone message broadcast on radio on March 6, 1964.

"Man, I ain't got no quarrel with them Vietcong," Muhammad Ali said in a press conference on April 29, 1967. This remark, and his resistance to being drafted to fight the Vietnam War, cost Ali his boxing license and titles. “Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?” he asked angrily. Ali appeared in colleges and universities to speak in support of antiwar protests. In 1971, the United States Supreme Court reversed his conviction and his titles were subsequently reinstated

Muhammad Ali watches as defending world champion George Foreman goes down to the canvas in the eighth round of their WBA/WBC championship match in Kinshasa, Zaire, on October 30, 1974. Foreman was counted out by the referee and Ali regained the world heavyweight crown by knockout in the bout dubbed "Rumble in the Jungle." The hulking Foreman had been a force to reckon with, having knocked out Joe Frazier after 95 seconds of the second round in January 1973 in Jamaica. The match was significant, for with this victory Ali regained all of his stripped titles

The October 1, 1975 “Thrilla in Manila” was the third and most celebrated bout between the two champions Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali. Each had won a fight against the other. The match, held in Manila and sponsored by Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos to draw international attention away from the martial law he had imposed in the country, invited huge attention. It ran into 14 rounds, sapping the stamina of both fighters, at the end of which Ali brought down a nearly blinded Frazier. After the match Ali announced, "He is the greatest fighter of all times,

Referees and officials break up a pre-match scuffle between Muhammad Ali and challenger Larry Holmes at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, October 3, 1980. Ali, who had returned from retirement after his victory over Leon Spinks in 1978, attempted to taunt and provoke Holmes. The match lasted ten rounds, and Ali did not answer the bell for the eleventh. The following year, Ali would lose his last match to challenger Trevor Berbick

.............

Hansika Motwani N Genelia Latest Pics..

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:27:00 +0530

Infrared Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:02:00 +0530

Genelia D souza

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:20:00 +0530

Incredible India

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:08:00 +0530

People taking a bath during a local religious fair in Kurukshetra, a small city in northern India. On every solar eclipse, thousands of people come from all parts of India to take a dip in this holy tank. They believe it will help them in attaining moksha.

Mana village, Uttaranchal, on the India and Tibet border

Inspired by love and shaped to perfection, the Taj Mahal immortalizes one man's love for his wife and the splendor of an era.

On the fourth day of Shukla Paksha of Kartik, lakhs of devotees along the Indo-Gangetic plains, chiefly Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, begin the four-day Chhath festival, in continuance of a tradition that goes back to posterity, carrying forward India's living tradition of worshipping the divine creator and nourisher of the Sun God. Today, lakhs of Biharis settled in other parts of India and even abroad perform Chhath.

a wedding procession in Varanasi, India. The band and the lights are part of the groom's procession, which walks its way towards the bride's house.

4 a.m., external artificial light, using the long exposure.

Kusti is a form of traditional Indian wrestling. This image was shot at Mamasaheb Mohol stadium in Sangvi, Pune.

This street flower vendor in a wholesale flower market in Kolkata (Calcutta), India, kept on loading marigold garlands over his shoulders until he became almost three times his original size, and still kept asking for more.

Tea plucking at the lush green gardens at the foothills of the Himalaya around Darjeeling is still an activity dominated by women. They do it perfectly with a smile. Captured at Sungma Tea Estate, Darjeeling, India.

A shot of the Malabar giant squirrel taken in Mudumalai forest in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Known to be very elusive, the Malabar giant squirrel is endemic to peninsular India and is on the IUCN list of threatened species.

Taken at sunrise, 6:30 a.m., at the Taj Mahal, Agra, India, in September 2010

In a remote village in the Sunderbans delta in West Bengal, India, fresh water is much scarcer during the summertime. Women have to go a half kilometer away to fetch drinking water from a tube well.

Sugarcane juice is boiled to get a thick concentrated syrup.jaggery in Hosalli, Kumta, Karnataka, India.

Snake charmer with the Amber Fort as a backdrop, Jaipur, India

Schoolchildren take a mathematics test outside the classroom at a school dedicated to Guru Ravidas, a north Indian human rights advocate who in the 15th century campaigned against caste discrimination in India.

This image was taken at Pushkar Lake, Rajasthan, India.

Final journey in meter-gauge railway. The view in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, border in South India.

The woman from Purulia is weaving baskets in order to earn bread for her family. She has to weave as well as to sell the basket in market. Her courageous endeavor is praiseworthy.

This shot was taken at sunset on Benaulim Beach, Goa. The occasion was a pre-wedding beach party complete with musical accompaniment from the local Toal and Trumpet playing band.

Pottery making is a means of livelihood in some of the rural areas of India. It is not only interesting to watch but also rewarding to get your hands dirty. This picture is that of a girl with mehndi on her hands who didn't mind getting her hands muddy in the excitement of creating the pottery.

Serenity and peace at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel in Mumbai. It's just in front of the gateway of India and since it opened in 1903, it has created its own unique history.

Tents at the foothills of golden lit barren mountains at Sarchu. Sarchu is the midpoint on the Manali-to-Leh road and falls on the border of Himachal and Jammu Kashmir states in India.

Indian bikes, Royal Enfield Bullets, at the entrance on the mountain road that runs from Varanasi to Khajuraho

This road looks like a snake on a snow-carpeted mountain at the height of about 16,000 feet in Ladakh, India. At this time the temperature is about -26 degrees Celsius.

This is a view in Seetharkundu, Nelliampathy, Palakad district, Kerala, India.

Taken at Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve

The long walk up this road in Jaipur was definitely worth it for the view.

Omkareshwar, on the bank of the river Narmada in Madhya Pradesh, India, is a holy city. Omkareshwar Mandhata is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines. Every year from mid-June to mid-July on every Monday, a julush, or procession, is held in the midst of a shower of thousands of rose petals, chanting of hymns, and scented colored powder. This year the mahavishek before the procession was slightly dampened by heavy showers.

so many billboards in one location. This photo was taken in Hyderabad, India.

Shot in the morning after rains flooded the Aghanashini River (Kumta, India). The laterite soil added the color red to the river.

This image was taken at Pushkar Lake, Rajasthan, India.

Pushkar Lake is surrounded by 52 bathing ghats. Every year on the full moon day in the month of Kartik (October/November), which also happens to be the last day of the world famous Pushkar Camel Fair, Pushkar Lake attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over the country to take a holy dip in its waters. It is believed that a dip in its waters cleanses all the sins and is the surest way to achieve salvation from the cycles of life. The lake is dry these days as its conservation work is going on; don't know what the future holds for the lake in the future.

Final journey in meter-gauge railway. The view in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, border in South India.

The woman from Purulia is weaving baskets in order to earn bread for her family. She has to weave as well as to sell the basket in market. Her courageous endeavor is praiseworthy.

This shot was taken at sunset on Benaulim Beach, Goa. The occasion was a pre-wedding beach party complete with musical accompaniment from the local Toal and Trumpet playing band.

Serenity and peace at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel in Mumbai. It's just in front of the gateway of India and since it opened in 1903, it has created its own unique history.

Shepherds of Himalaya in India are known as gaddis. They rear sheep and goats for their livelihood. During my trek in Dhauladhar I took this shot when a gaddi was extracting wool from the sheep.

Worli village, set on one of the small horns on the western coastline of Mumbai, is a slice of old 19th-century Bombay. With the main population a fishing community, this village has now got the swanky backdrop of the new Bandra-Worli Sea Link bridge, and thus is feared to be vanished in the race for land for newer developments.

Babas want to get closer to God, so each day at the hottest hour of the day, noontime, they sit around flames of dung and smoke to torture their bodies in sacrifice. Haridwar, India.

Girl walking on a rope during the annual desert festival at Jaisalmer, India

lights and shadows

Washerwoman along the ghats in Varanasi (also known as Benaras) in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. They wash the clothes in the Ganges and let them dry in the adjoining ghats.

Photo of a gharial juvenile taken during my visit to the Kukrail Forest Reserve, Lucknow, India. One of the very few places where they have been successful in the captive breeding of this species of the crocodile family. Gharials are critically endangered and only a few can be found in the wild. Their eyes say it all. Save them.

This photo was taken while I was walking along the Ganges River in Varanasi, India. While photographing some water buffalo that were cooling off in the river, I noticed a bird hopping around cleaning the tops of their heads and took this shot.

Along the Ganges, a candle flower ceremony for luck

It has been a very old tradition in India to sing praises for holy rivers. The ceremony occurs daily at dusk at many revered sites such as Haridwar, Varanasi, Vrindavan, etc. I made this particular photo in Vrindavan on a sacred bank of the River Yamuna. A higher vantage point helped me capture the ceremony with the dusk sky, and the extreme fire flame provided enough illumination to light up the faces of the devotees.

A shot from near the entrance of the Taj Mahal in India

An old man sitting in an empty marketplace on a Sunday afternoon in New Delhi, India

The photograph was taken early morning going toward Dhankar Lake.

Camel sitting in the sand in India

The Indian bride's hands are decorated with mehndi on the day of her marriage when she leaves her parents' home and goes with her husband to start a new life. The color red is the color of marriage in India.

These two boys are dressed like the Hindu gods Ram and Sita to play a spiritual drama from the epic of Ramayana.

Residential building in Bombay (Mumbai), India

The biggest religious march in the world takes place at Pandharpur, in Maharashtra, India. A million people walk about 200 kilometers to join the fest in memory of the 17th-century saint-poet Tukaram. Part of the festivity is singing Tukaram hymns standing on top of a human pillar. The man at the apex has to sing a complete hymn beating on his drum.

The Bara Imambara in Lucknow was built in 1783, the year of a devastating famine, and one of Asaf-ud-Daula's objectives in embarking on this g*****ose project was to provide employment for people in the region. According to reports, the famine continued for over a decade and the construction of the building continued for this time. It is said that ordinary people used to work during the day building up the edifice, while noblemen and other elites were called at night to break down the structure.

Women collecting water at the well in the desert outside of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

A young girl at the Haridwar train station, India

Surveen Chawla-anchor of comedy

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:43:00 +0530

Deepal Shaw On Cover of Maxim India March 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:21:00 +0530

Celebrity Look alikes

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:34:00 +0530

Minka Kelly and Leighton Meester

Blake Lively and Anna Torv

Jordin Sparks and America Ferrera

Dave Franco and Zac Efron

Hayden Christensen and Henry Cavill

Ginnifer Goodwin and Selena Gomez

Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Javier Bardem

Zooey Deschanel and Katy Perry

Keira Knightley and Natalie Portman

Nicole Scherzinger and Kim Kardashian

Kristen Stewart and Ashley Greene

Lea Michele and Idina Menzel

Lucy Hale and Demi Lovato

Sarah Hyland and Mila Kunis

Julianne Hough and Christina Aguilera

Dum Maro Dum : First Look

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:57:00 +0530

Dum Maro Dum

Release Date :22 April 2011

Director : Rohan Sippy

Cast : Abhishek Bachchan, Kangna Ranaut, Aditya Pancholi, Bipasha Basu, Rana Daggubati, Prateik

Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty

Ten Weird Hobbies

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:45:00 +0530

A hobby is an activity or interest that is undertaken for pleasure or relaxation, typically done during one’s leisure time.

Knitting breasts

A Sussex octogenarian has an unusual hobby – knitting woollen breasts. Audrey Horncastle gives her woolly ****s to daughter Rhona Emery, a community nurse, to help teach new mums to breast feed. And the 84-year-old, from Woodingdean, near Brighton, has churned out more than 100 knitted breasts in little more than three years. Mrs Horncastle, who is only paid for the cost of materials, says she will carry on knitting as long as there’s demand.

Riding Roller Coasters

A 78-year-old man rode a Pittsburgh-area roller coaster 90 times in one day – bringing his lifetime total to 4,000 rides. Vic Kleman spent about five hours on the Jack Rabbit roller coaster at Kennywood Park in West Mifflin. The wooden coaster is no spring chicken, either. Its celebrating its 90th anniversary – the number that prompted Kleman’s marathon riding session.The Jack Rabbit has an 85-foot, double-dip drop. Kleman says he’s been going on it since 1959, and usually rides it about 20 times a visit. Kleman, who lives in nearby Knoxville, Pa., is a member of the American Coaster Enthusiasts.

Gooming Dogs

That’s not a tiger in the picture, but a dog dyed to look like a tiger. It’s an example of a growing hobby in China: dying and trimming dogs’ hair so that they look like different animals. The Chinese were very quick to embrace this bizarre trend, and it is not unusual for owners to take their dogs togrooming parlours where they are not only given a shampoo and trim, but a multi-coloured dye job as well. Recent figures show money spent on pets across the nation has seen nearly a 500 per cent increase between 1999 and 2008 – but, arguably, at the cost of their pets’ dignity. What the animals might think about it is another matter.

Suing

Despite being incarcerated at a federal prison in Kentucky, Jonathan Lee Riches has made it into the Guiness Book of World Records. He was named as the person who has filed the most lawsuit ever. So what did he do next? He filed a lawsuit against the folks at Guinness! In the injunction filed in Richland, Riches – who acknowledges he is receiving treatment for mental-health problems – said: “The Guinness Book of World Records have no right to publish my work, my legal masterpieces”. Those include lawsuits against New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, former President George W. Bush, Somali pirates, Britney Spears and Martha Stewart. He’s also filed lawsuits against Plato, Nostradamus, James Hoffa, “Various Buddhist Monks,” the Lincoln Memorial, the Eiffel Tower and Three Mile Island. In his latest court filing, Riches wrote about how he sued Black History Month, the president of Iran and butter substitute I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!

Tattooing vehicles

A Taiwanese pensioner covers every inch of his four vehicles with virtuous words from Buddhist texts. Li Zongxiong, 71, a workshop owner, started to ‘tattoo’ his car, two trucks and a motorbike in 1999. His words virtually cover the vehicles, including the mirrors, windscreens, bodywork, doors, wheels – and even the number plates. Li admitted his hobby had caused him trouble: “Passers-by thought I was doodling on the cars of others, and police found it hard to believe that someone would cover his own vehicle in writing,” he explained.

Li, who has only an elementary school education, said most of the words were taken from Buddhist texts. Li’s son, Li Jiasheng, said the family now forbids his father to buy new vehicles, since they know he will write all over them – no matter how much they cost. But his grandson has promised that when he grows up and makes some money he will buy him a big bus to write on and indulge his hobby.

Collecting Ecstasy Pills

A Dutch man has spent two decades collecting Ecstasy pills of all colours and shapes as a hobby. He gathered a 2,400-pill-strong collection. Unfortunately, in 2009 the entire collection was stolen. The 46-year-old man, who was not identified, decided to report the theft despite the illegal nature of the collection because he was worried about the possible consequences if anybody were to swallow one of the 40 poisoned pills among his collection.

Mooing

When it comes to mooing, 10-year-old Austin Siok is an expert. The Dyer Intermediate School fifth-grader won an annual mooing contest at the Wisconsin State Fair because he sounded more like a real cow than the other about 80 contest participants. Austin has mooed a lot since kindergarten and said he started doing it even more this summer after his family read about a mooing contest at the Racine County Fair and decided to enter Austin.Austin practiced enough that he did well in the Racine County Fair contest and qualified to compete at the State Fair last Wednesday. He ended up winning the contest, which was for anyone over age 5, after a moo-off with the second place winner. For his win, Austin got $1,000, a cow print jacket, a golden cowbell and a year’s worth of free subs from Cousins Subs, which sponsored the contest.

Giving away ten dollars to strangers

Reed Sandridge lost his job last year and took up a new hobby. He gives away $10 every day to someone who looks as if they could use it, a different person every day. And Sandridge expects nothing in return but a good feeling. His mom, the daughter of a coal miner whom he remembers most for her kindness, always told him that when you’re going through tough times, that’s when you most need to give back. So not long after he was laid off, on the third anniversary of his mom’s death, he started his “year of giving,” documenting each $10 gift in a small black notebook and then blogging about the people he meets. By Day 94, he had given away almost $1,000, handing out money in blizzards, in rainstorms, on the sunniest of days. Sandridge is using his savings and his unemployment benefits for the giveaways. Some of the folks he gives money to use it to help others. He tells stories of the people he meets in his blog, which has led others to help them out as well.

Appearing in the background on TV

Paul Yarrow of south London definitely has a hobby: he likes to appear on television. So whenever a news camera crew gets set up in a public venue, he hangs around in the background on camera. He has appeared in the background of live news reports on BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky News at random locations and at random times. It seems like if there is a camera crew about at the moment, he is there too!Allegedly, Yarrow wants to become a cast member on Big Brother.

Playing dead

Chuck Lamb, 47 aka The Dead Body Guy probably has the world’s strangest hobby: he likes to play dead. As if that’s not enough, he takes it one step further: he takes photos and videos of himself playing dead and posts them on his website, starting in 2005. These bizarre antics have attracted 32 million hits to his website by its 1st anniversary, and several newsprint, TV and radio appearances. But what is his motivation? In his website, he says that he’d always dreamed of being in a movie or on TV. Well, that seems to be a pretty bizarre hobby for a married man with 6 kids. He himself admitted that he has no acting experience and he’s not good looking. In other words, he’d never make it as an actor.

Poverty: Twenty alarming facts you must know

noreply@blogger.com (Blogspot) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:12:00 +0530

It is unbelievable but true! More than 25,000 people die every day of hunger or hunger-related causes, according to the United Nations. One child dies of hunger-related causes every five seconds, taking a toll on 16,000 poor hungry children each day.

More than 1.4 billion people live at poverty line or below. According to a the World Bank report, there are over 1,345 million poor people in developing countries who live on $1.25 (about Rs 57) a day or less.

The top 1 per cent of the world's richest people earn as much as the poorest 57 per cent.

There are an estimated 350-400 million people living below the poverty line in India, 75 per cent of them in the rural areas. Acording to World Bank estimates, 80 per cent of India's population lives on less than $2 (about Rs 92) a day.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the 41 heavily indebted poor countries (with a population of over 567 million people) is less than the combined wealth of the world's 7 richest people!

In 2005, the wealthiest 20 per cent of the world accounted for 76.6 per cent of total private consumption.

Most of the decrease in hunger levels was in Asia, with 80 million fewer hungry, but progress was also made in sub-Saharan Africa, where 12 million fewer people are going hungry. However, the number of hungry people is higher in 2010 than before the food and economic crises of 2008 09.

The percentage of Americans struggling below the poverty line in 2009 was the highest in 15 years. Four million additional Americans found themselves in poverty in 2009, with the total reaching 44 million.

Children are the most visible victims of under-nutrition. Children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year. Poor nutrition plays a role in at least half of the 10.9 million child deaths each year - five million deaths.

India accounts for 50 per cent of the world's hungry. Over 46 per cent of Indian children are undernourished. Health too is a major challenge - the very survival of India's women and children is threatened.

In 2006, on average 254 women died giving birth to a child for every 100,000 live births down from 327 in 1990. Across India 74 children died before they reached the age of five for every 1,000 live births in 2005-06 as compared to 125 in 1990.

India has been ranked 67, way below neighbouring countries like China and Pakistan, in a new Global Hunger Index by the International Food Policy Research Institute. The number of poor in 2015 is likely to be 279 million at all-India level.

China has made considerable progress in fighting poverty and especially hunger. In 2008, it stood at the 15th spot with a hunger rate of 7.1 points.

In 2009, it jumped up to the 5th position with a hunger rate of 5.7, even though it has a huge population. However, this year, it ranked 9th in the index.

The world produces enough food to feed everyone. World agriculture produces 17 per cent more calories per person today than it did 30 years ago, despite a 70 per cent population increase. This is enough to provide everyone in the world with at least 2,720 kilocalories (kcal) per person per day. The main problem is that many people in the world do not have sufficient land to grow, or income to purchase, enough food.

Malnutrition affects 32.5 per cent of children in developing countries. More than 70 per cent of malnourished children live in Asia, 26 per cent in Africa and 4 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean.

One in seven Americans was living in poverty in 2009 with a family of four living on less than $21,954 a year, according to the US Census Bureau.

The official poverty rate in 2009 was 14.3 per cent -- up from 13.2 per cent in 2008. This was the second statistically significant annual increase in the poverty rate since 2004.

Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.

Almost two in three people lacking access to clean water survive on less than $2 a day, with one in three living on less than $1 a day.

Rural areas account for three in every four people living on less than $1 a day and a similar share of the world population suffering from malnutrition.

Around 1.6 billion people, around the world have no access to electricity.

Most of the world's hungry live in the developing countries, accounting for 16 per cent of the poor.