Mehfil-e-Sahib!

National Geographic Photography Contest Winners: 2011

2012-01-09T03:31:00.000-08:00

More than 20,000 photographs, from over 130 countries were submitted to the National Geographic Photography contest, with both professional photographers and amateur photo enthusiasts participating. The grand prize winner was chosen from the three category winners: Nature - Shikhei Goh, People - Izabelle Nordfjell, Places - George Tapan. Shikhei Goh, of Indonesia, took the grand prize honors with his amazing photograph of a dragonfly in the rain and will be published in the magazine. The competition was judged on creativity and photographic quality by a panel of experts composed of field biologist and wildlife photojournalist Tim Laman, National Geographic photographer Amy Toensing and National Geographic nature photographer Peter Essick. The winning submissions can be viewed at http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/photo-contest/ - Paula Nelson (14 photos total)

Grand Prize Winner and Nature Winner - SPLASHING: This photo was taken when I was taking photos of other insects, as I normally did during macro photo hunting. I wasn’t actually aware of this dragonfly since I was occupied with other objects. When I was about to take a picture of it, it suddenly rained, but the lighting was just superb. I decided to take the shot regardless of the rain. The result caused me to be overjoyed, and I hope it pleases viewers. Batam, Riau Islands, Indonesia (Photo and caption by Shikhei Goh)

2 Nature Honorable Mention - PANIC IN THE PAN: I was leading a photographic safari in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. It was midday and we came across a dazzle of zebra approaching a waterhole to quench their thirst. Every few minutes the zebras will enter the water to drink, just to panic and scatter out of the water again. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. (Photo and caption by Marius Coetzee)

3 Nature Honorable Mention - SUNRISING JELLYFISH: Jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata) drifting just beneath the surface, looking to capture the first sunrays to trigger their symbiotic algae to produce energy for it. Mar Menor coastal lagoon, Murcia province, Spain. (Photo and caption by Angel Fitor)

4 Nature Honorable Mention - THE HUNT - I personally believe that, beyond the formal representation of reality, mediated by the technical instruments necessary to fix an image in time, photography is made of insights. The shot is the last act of image capturing and in many ways the easiest part of the whole process. This panning effect, even in its imperfection, with the chromatic harmony of the background, with all the needless information eliminated and the luck of having the big cat’s lifted tail in symmetry with the impala horns, brings the observer inside the hunting without distractions. Kenya, Masai Mara National Reserve. (Photo and caption by Stefano Pesarelli)

5 Nature Honorable Mention - BLUE POND & FIRST SNOW: The blue pond of the famous tourist resort. This is a place where many tourists gather in spring, summer, and autumn. However, since this pond freezes in winter, nobody is there during that period. This photograph is the moment of the first snow of the season falling on that blue pond. We can see the first snow of the season beginning at the end of October. Why is the pond blue? Because the underground hot spring ingredient is gushing. This blue pond changes color every day. I think that mystical blue and pure white snow are beautiful. All are nature's tints. Biei, Hokkaido, Japan. (Photo and caption by Kent Shiraishi)

6 People Winner - THE FJELLMAN FAMILY: One shot and the reindeer is dead. The Sámi family Fjellman, which lives in Arjeplog, northern Sweden, now have food on their table. In the early autumn they slaughter a couple of their reindeers for food during the cold winter months. Arjeplog, Lappland, Sweden. (Photo and caption by Izabelle Nordfjell)

7 People Honorable Mention - FROM UP HERE: Stephen “ST 2 Lettaz” Harris, and David “Yung Clova” Williams make up the Huntsville rap duo G-Side. I took this photo of them on tour, conducting a cell phone interview with a journalist on a fire escape in Manhattan. The photo speaks to the “D.I.Y.” nature of the current independent music scene. Digital technology has played a big role in G-Side's business strategy, enabling them to use the Internet and viral word of mouth to build a diverse international fan base. G-Side released a track in 2011 called “Nat Geo.” Manhattan, NY, USA. (Photo and caption by Helen Pearson)

8 People Honorable Mention - AUBURN PRIDE: Young men driving into a patch of reflected ight along Auburn Road. Part of a larger personal project documenting the western Sydney suburb of Auburn. The series provides a glimpse into the life of the next generation of Australians living in Auburn, peering behind the veil of this little-known side of society. Auburn is a small suburb in Sydney’s west, a landing point for many migrants and refugees when they first arrive in Australia. Sydney, Australia. (Photo and caption by George Voulgaropoulos)

9 People Honorable Mention - ZOMBIES, BRISBANE: A young family dressed as zombies in Brisbane, Queensland. Each year around Halloween time a gathering of people dressed as zombies walks through the city in an effort to raise money for the Brain Foundation of Australia. Brisbane, Australia. (Photo and caption by Lisa Clarke)

10 Places Winner - INTO THE GREEN ZONE: A beautiful rainbow after the rain, into the green zone of the Palawan Islands. Onuk island, Balabac Palawan, Philippines. (Photo and caption by George Tapan)

11 Places Honorable Mention - FLYING KITES: Kite battle at Santa Marta ghetto, Rio de Janeiro. For many years, the kites were used to alert the drug dealers when their enemies were coming. The place was a “war zone” controlled by traffickers that were in constant conflicts against each other to control the drug market. A few years ago, Santa Marta was occupied by the Pacifier Police Division, which released the population from the traffic domination. Santa Marta, Rio de Janeiro. (Photo and caption by Felipe Carvalho)

12 Places Honorable Mention - SULFURIC FIRE FESTIVAL: Once a year, Formosa fishermen’s unique sulfuric fire fishing ritual is handed down from generation to generation. Taipei, Taiwan. (Photo and caption by Hung-Hsiu Shih)

13 Places Honorable Mention - WATERWAY TO ORBIT: Space shuttle, Endeavour, launches into orbit toward the east, as the stars and waning crescent moon trail toward the west, leaving a beautiful reflection on the Intracoastal Waterway in Ponte Vedra, Florida. This 132-second time exposure of the final night launch of a space shuttle, from launch through SRB separation, was taken 115 miles north of Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Ponte Vedra, Florida. (Photo and caption by James Vernacotola)

14 Places Honorable Mention - CYBER MONSOON: A torrential monsoon rain in Bhaktapur. Bhaktapur, Nepal. (Photo and caption by Anuar Patjane)

Marking The New Year 2012 Celebrations Worldwide

2012-01-04T23:30:00.000-08:00

Around the world people celebrated with fireworks, kisses, blessings, gatherings, cheers, watching the sunrise and plunges into icy bodies of water to welcome in a new year. Here's a look back at how some of them marked the transition.

Fireworks explode in the sky over Bucharest, Romania, at midnight, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, during street celebrations of the new year. Large crowds gathered downtown Romania's capital taking advantage of the dry weather to attend the celebrations. (Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press)

Steve Macwithey kisses Lauren Macwithey in Times Square during a celebration to mark the start of the new year in New York, Jan. 1, 2012. (Kena Betancur/Reuters)

The historic riflemen corps fire gun salutes to welcome the new year on Jan. 1, 2012 in Villingen-Schwenningen in the Black Forest, southern Germany. The traditional shooting has taken place for the first time in the year 1633. (Patrick Seeger/AFP/Getty Images)

A long time exposure shows Filipino youths creating "2012" to bring in the New Year with sparklers at a public park in Manila. Filipinos welcomed in the New Year with fireworks and celebrations. (Romeo Gacad/AFP/Getty Images)

Family members raise their hands to receive the first sunrays of 2012 in Cancun, Mexico, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. ( Israel Leal/Associated Press)

Malaysians react as they watch fireworks explode during New Year celebrations at Independence Square in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (Lai Seng Sin/Associated Press)

Patty Pique, of Jackson, Tenn., comes to Peach Drop 2012 to celebrate their New Year's Eve at Underground Atlanta, Dec. 31, 2011, in Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin/Associated Press/Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Wishes for 2012 written on confetti that will be released in New York's Times Square during the New Year celebration are on display at the Times Square visitor center, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011 in New York. The Times Square Alliance conducted it's airworthiness test Thursday in preparation for the release of one ton of confetti by hand from various buildings in Times Square at midnight on New Year’s Eve. (Mary Altaffer/Associated Press)

Revelers cheer behind police barricades in Times Square in anticipation of midnight on New Year's Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in New York. Some revelers, wearing party hats and "2012" glasses, began camping out Saturday morning, as workers readied bags stuffed with hundreds of balloons and technicians put colored filters on klieg lights. (John Minchillo/Associated Press)

Workman begin the task of cleaning up after thousands of revelers gathered in New York's Times Square to celebrate the ball drop at the annual New Year’s Eve celebration on Dec. 31, 2011 in New York City. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

Fireworks light up the London skyline and Big Ben just after midnight on Jan. 1, 2012 in London, England. Thousands of people lined the banks of the River Thames in central London to see in the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Fireworks explode over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House during a pyrotechnic show to celebrate the New Year Jan. 1, 2012. (Daniel Munoz/Reuters)

Fireworks light the sky above the Quadriga at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin shortly after midnight, greeting the New Year, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. Hundred thousands of people celebrated the beginning of the New Year 2012 in Germany's capital. (Michael Sohn/Associated Press)

People gather to celebrate the new year 2012 at the Temple of Heaven, the city's historic landmark in Beijing on Jan. 1, 2012. Spectacular fireworks and crowded parties will ring in the New Year for people around the world, as billions mark the end of 2011 with noisy celebrations from Sydney to Stockholm. (Jin/Agence/AFP/Getty Images)

Confetti drops as a Filipino blows his paper horn as they welcome the New Year at Manila's Rizal Park, Philippines on Sunday Jan. 1, 2012. More than 200 people have been injured by illegal firecrackers and celebratory gunfire in the Philippines despite a government campaign against reckless New Year revelries, officials recently said. (Aaron Favila/Associated Press)

A Pakistani barber gives a 2012 hair cut on a man to celebrate New Year at a barber shop in Rawalpindi, on Dec. 31, 2011. (Strdel/AFP/Getty Images)

A friend pours Jon Knebel, of Iowa City, Iowa, a glass of champagne at Airliner in Iowa City on Jan. 1, 2011. ( David Scrivner/Associated Pres/The Gazette)

People dance during New Year's celebrations in Madrid, Spain, Jan. 1, 2012. (Andres Kudacki/Associated Press)

A couple stands in a doorway at sunrise wearing fancy dress following New Year celebrations, in Pamplona northern Spain, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press)

People gather on Red Square to celebrate the New Year Day in Moscow, January 1, 2012. (Denis Sinyakov/Reuters)

Vikings lead the torchlight procession as it makes its way along Princess Street for the start of the New Year celebrations Dec. 30, 2011 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Thousands of people joined in the torchlight procession, followed by the burning of a Viking long ship, to mark the start of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Artists perform in the streets of Johannesburg on Dec. 31, 2011 during the New Year's carnival. (Stephane De Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images)

People make offerings to Yemanja, the Goddess of the Sea of the Afro-American religion Umbanda, on Dec. 31, 2011 at a Paranoa Lake beach in Brasi¨-lia. Hundreds of worshippers are gathering at this place of the Brazilian capital to make their offerings and pray for the new year. (Pedro Ladeira/AFP/Getty Images)

Young Sri Lankan boys play with firecrackers on the eve of the New Year, as the sun sets in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011. (Eranga Jayawardena/Associated Press)

Pakistani civil rights activists shout slogans in a peace rally to mark the New Year in Lahore on Jan. 1, 2012. Three people were killed and at least 60 wounded by stray bullets in the port city of Karachi today as Pakistanis celebrated the new year by firing their guns into the air, police said. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)

Sri Lankan Buddhist devotee offers prayers at a Kelaniya Temple in Kelaniya on Jan. 1, 2012. Many Sri Lankans marked the beginning of the New Year with religious ceremonies. ( Ishara S.Kodikara/AFP/Getty Images)

Marco Fois of Italy dives into Rome's river Tiber as part of traditional New Year celebrations on Jan. 1, 2011. Divers jump from the Cavour bridge, continuing an annual tradition which dates back to 1946. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images)

Hardy Dutch swimmers brave the icy North Sea on Jan. 1, 2012 in Scheveningen, Netherlands. A record number of 10,000 people took the plunge in this year's traditional New Year's dip. The high turnout was attributed to the mild weather with a sea temperature of 8 degrees compared to 4 degrees last year. (Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)

A man takes part in the annual Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year's Day swim at Coney Island on Jan. 1, 2012 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Coney Island Polar Bear Club claims to be the oldest winter bathing organization in the U.S. and attracts hundreds to the beach for the annual swim in the Atlantic Ocean. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

Chinese winter swimmers perform a dragon dance on a frozen lake to celebrate the New Year in Shenyang in northeast China's Liaoning province, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (Associated Press)

Revelers run into English Bay during the annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Swim in Vancouver, British Columbia on Jan. 1, 2012. (Ben Nelms/Reuters)

A couple kiss during the New Year's Day Looney Dook swim at South Queensferry in Scotland Jan. 1, 2012. (David Moir/Reuters)

NATO troops from the U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) celebrate New Year's Eve in Kabul Dec. 31, 2011. (Omar Sobhani/Reuters)

A shaman performs a ritual for good luck in 2012 as he prays in front of an image of Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez in Lima, Peru, Thursday Dec. 29, 2011. Fernandez was diagnosed with treatable thyroid cancer on Tuesday, and will undergo surgery on Jan. 4. (Karel Navarro/Associated Press)

Children of migrant workers lie on the snow to form the number "2012" while celebrating the coming new year in front of a snow sculpture in Harbin, in northeastern China's Heilongjiang province, Friday, Dec. 30, 2011. (Associated Press)

A man lights an Old Man effigy which symbolizes burning the past and getting ready to start a happy New Year without bad memories of the past in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (Rafiq Maqbool/Associated Press)

The New Year sunrise lights up an area devastated by the March 2011 tsunami in Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture, in this photo taken by Kyodo on Jan 1, 2012. The tsunami reached three-fourths of the height of the tower seen in the center. (Kyodo/Reuters)

A young girl from the Gurung community attired in festive clothing participates in a parade to mark Tamu Loshar, or New Year of the Gurung community, in Katmandu, Nepal, Friday, Dec. 30, 2011. (Niranjan Shrestha/Associated Press)

Confetti pours from volunteers on the second floor of the Creative Discovery falls onto the several hundred children crowded together to celebrated the turning of a new year during the New Year's at Noon celebration at the museum, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in Chattanooga Tenn. ( Jenna Walker/Associated Press/Chattanooga Times Free Press)

In a Sunday, Jan. 1, 2011 photo, Jolene Anthony (left) holds her daughter, Kylee, while her husband, John Anthony, holds their son, John, at Rapid City Regional Hospital in Rapid City, S.D.. Baby John was the first baby of the new year at the hospital while his sister was the last baby of 2011. (Ryan Soderlin/Associated Press/Rapid City Journal)

A New Year's hat is seen among other debris in Times Square after 2012 New Year's Eve celebrations in New York, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (Tina Fineberg/Associated Press)

The Cloud Buildings Seoul, South Korea Resembles Twin Tower 9/11

2011-12-15T04:06:00.000-08:00

Seoul, South Korea’s ‘The Cloud’ buildings are immediately offensive due to their resemblance with The Twin Tower of 9/11

The buildings are called ‘The Cloud’ and they are being built in Soul, South Korea by Netherlands-based architectural firm MVRDV. The two 850+ foot towers are connected in the middle by an explosive looking “cloud”.

In response to the obvious and immediate backlash due to its uncanny resemblance of the worst terrorist attack ever, that killed thousands of innocent people, MVRDV has released an apology on their site for anyone they may have offended and says that “the design inspiration of The Cloud is visualized in the first image on our website, a cloud covering the centre of the Skyscraper.” The disturbing buildings are scheduled to be completed by 2015.

The Seoul skyscrapers, designed to stretch 57 and 60 stories high, is planned for a development near U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, the headquarters for U.S. armed forces in the country, which is slated to return to South Korean control by 2016, Bloomberg reported.

In its apology, the firm said it wasn't its intention for the building to resemble the attacks and that no issues were raised about it while designing the structure.

Earth-Scraper: Architects Design 65 Storey Building - 300 Metres Below Ground

2011-12-13T05:07:00.000-08:00

Introducing... the earth-scraper: Architects design 65-storey building which plunges 300 metres below ground

Architects have designed an incredible 65-storey 'earth-scraper' which plunges 300 metres below ground.

The stunning upside down pyramid in the middle of Mexico City is designed to get around height limits on new buildings in the capital.

The subterranean building will have 10 storeys each for homes, shops and a museum, as well as 35 storeys for offices.

Deep: The 65-storey 'earth-scraper' is set to plunge 300m into the ground beneath Mexico City

Epic scale: The enormous complex is intended to get round the city's planning laws, which state that buildings can be no more than eight storeys high

Landmark: The earth-scraper would be located in the city's main square, and topped with an enormous Mexican flag

A glass floor covers the massive 240m x 240m hole in the city's main square to filter in natural light from the world above.

The design has been crowned with a Mexican flag.

Esteban Suarez, from architecture firm BNKR Arquitectura, said the building would also house a new cultural centre.

Scary: The core is all made of glass to ensure that all parts of the building receive natural sunlight from the world outside

Relaxing: Designers expect the public areas of the building to become a popular destination for those wishing to escape the bustle of the city

Heritage: The earth-scraper is expected to contain a museum and cultural centre which will explore the history of Mexico and its pyramids

He said: 'New infrastructure, office, retail and living space are required in the city but no empty plots are available.

'Federal and local laws prohibit demolishing historic buildings and even if this was so, height regulations limit new structures to eight storeys.

'The city's historic centre is in desperate need of a makeover but we have nowhere to put it, this means the only way to go is down.'

He added: 'The Earthscraper preserves the iconic presence of the city square and the existing hierarchy of the buildings that surround it.

'It is an inverted pyramid with a central void to allow all habitable spaces to enjoy natural lighting and ventilation.

'It will also allow the numerous activities that take place on the city square year round such as concerts, open-air exhibitions and military parades to go ahead.'

Unobtrusive: One advantage of the unusual structure is that it would create space in the centre of Mexico City, which is full of historic buildings which cannot be demolished

Green: The interior of the building is supposed to look natural and welcoming

Efficient: The creative use of space would allow the plaza to be used for events such as concerts and military parades

Massive: The space covering the earth-scraper will take up 240 square metres in the heart of Mexico's capital

Pyramids play a large part in the architectural history of Mexico, as the country's anicent civilisations have often build huge pyramid structures.

When the Aztecs first came into the Valley of Mexico they built their pyramids on the lake they found there.

As the Aztec Empire grew in size and power they conceived a new and bigger pyramid, but instead of looking for a new site they just built it on and around the existing one.

The traditional pyramids are therefore composed of different layers of historical periods.

Modern: Much of the building is expected to be devoted to office space

Shopping: The earth-scraper would almost certainly become one of the city's top retail destinations as soon as it opened

Connected: This picture shows the proposed metro station which would pass through the earth-scraper just below ground level

When the Spanish arrived in America and ultimately conquered the Aztecs, they erected Christian churches on top of the pyramids.

Eventually their whole colonial city was built over the Aztec one. In the 20th century, many colonial buildings were demolished and modern structures raised on the existing historic foundations.

Esteban added: 'The Earthscraper digs down through the layers of cities to uncover our roots.'

Novelty: No other public building extends so far beneath the ground

Technical: The building would be an extraordinary feat of engineering

Today: The plaza, shown as it looks currently, would be transformed by the radical plan

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2048395/Earth-scraper-Architects-design-65-storey-building-300-metres-ground.html#ixzz1gQ2uu2IJ

British Wildlife Photography Awards 2011

2011-09-29T22:23:00.000-07:00

The winners of the 2011 British Wildlife Photography Awards have been announced. These awards recognise the talents of the UK’s foremost wildlife photographers and are unique in that the images must be taken of British wildlife in their natural habitats. Thousands of photographers across the country entered this year's competition. Below are some selected images for this picture gallery.
All of the images from the British Wildlife Photography Awards are included in a beautiful hardback coffee table book, British Wildlife Photography Awards: Collection 2, AA Publishing, £25, out 30th September. The images will be on display in a free exhibition at Alexandra Palace from 14th – 28th October before embarking on a year-long nationwide tour. For more information please visit www.bwpawards.org

Animal Portraits winner: Mystical Deer by Mark Smith. Fallow deer (Dama dama) in Richmond, Surrey, England.

Animal Portraits highly commended: Windy Day by Steward Ellett. Red squirrel (Sciurrus vularis) Formby Point, Merseyside, England.

Red Fox by Matt Binstead. (Vulpes vulpes) British Wildlife Centre, Lingfield, Surrey, England.

Urban Wildlife winner: Champagne Starling by David Biggs. European starling (Sturnes vulgaris) Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.

Urban Wildlife highly commended: Tabby Cat with Blackbird Nestling by Doug Mackenzie Dodds. (Turdus merula) Reading, Berkshire, England.

Urban Wildlife highly commended: Flower Power by Damian Waters. Brown hare (Lepus capensis) Wirral, merseyside, England.

Urban Wildlife highly commended: Gulls Fighting in London by Matt Smith. Black headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) Westminster Bridge, London, England.

The Congregation by James Smith. European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Blackpool, Lancashire, England.

Animal Behaviour winner: Grey Heron Walking on Water by Andrew Parkinson. (Ardea cinerea) Derbyshire, England.

Puffin Fighting on Inner Farne by Glyn Thomas. Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) Inner Farne, Farne Islands, Coast of Northumberland, England.

Standing Room Only by Philip Kirk. Herring gull (Larus argenatus) Seahouses, Northumberland, England.

Blue Tit Taking Feather by Paul Sawer. (Parus caeruleus) Peasenhall, Suffolk, England.

Camouflaged Fallow Stags by Neil Bygrave. (Dama dama) Parkland Deer, Devon, England.

Dunlin Tug-of-War by Andrew Parkinson. (Calidris alpina) Shetland Islands, Scotland.

Wildlife in My Backyard winner: Busy Wasp on Blackberries by Rana Dias. Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) Horley, Surrey, England.

Wildlife in My Backyard highly commended: Jay Taking Off by Ron Coulter. (Garrulus glandarius) Buckinghamshire, England.

Wildlife in My Backyard highly commended: Squirrel with a Conker by Thomas Hanahoe. Grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) Potton, Bedfordshire, England.

Habitat winner: Hare in Morning Light with Hoar Frost by Ian Paul Haskell. Brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in Norfolk.

Diamonds in the Deep by Mark N Thomas. Diamond sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) at Jackdaw Quarry, Over Kellet, Lancashire.

Hidden Britain highly commended: Ladybird on Rose by William Richardson. (Harmonia axyridis) London, England.

Grey Seal Behaviour by Robert Bailey. Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) Farne Islands, England.

Young British Wildlife Photographers - winner of the Up to 11 Years category: Frog Checking Its Frogspawn by Walter Lovell (age 8). Common frog (Rana temporaria) Painswick, Gloucestershire, England.

Young British Wildlife Photographers - winner of the 12 to 18 Years category: Red Fox Yawning After His Afternoon Nap by Oliver Wilks (age 16). (Vulpes vulpes) Warnham Local Nature Reserve, West Sussex, England.

Young British Wildlife Photographers - 12 to 18 Years category highly commended: Feed Me! by Ella Cooke. Great tit (Parus major) Buckinghamshire, England.

Source: British Wildlife Photography Awards 2011

New York A Ghost Town, As Storm Strikes

2011-09-20T04:29:00.000-07:00

Irene begins to batter New York as the city is reduced to a ghost town and hours of torrential rain fuel fears of severe flooding

Power outage for more than 36,000 customers in New York early Sunday morning
Mayor warns New Yorkers will be waking up to possible hurricane and TORNADO damage
The time for evacution is over, Mayor Bloomberg says

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 8:22 AM on 28th August 2011

Hurricane Irene began to batter New York City in the early hours of Sunday morning as heavy rain caused fears of severe flooding after the city had been reduced to a ghost town.
As the city nervously awaited Irene's powerful winds, power outages were reported across the city and authorities shut down the Port of New York and the Port for Long Island Sound.
The Palisades Interstate Parkway entrance to the George Washington Bridge was closed due to the terrible weather conditions, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
By 2am Sunday, more than 36,000 customers in the city were without power,most of them on Staten Island, Queens and outer suburbs, Con-Ed said.
In his final address on Saturday night at 10.30pm, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a tornado warning was in effect for New York and that the time for evacuation was over. People now had to leave the streets, he said. Mr Bloomberg warned that could be a storm surge in the area at 8am which could lead to power outages across the city.

Deserted: People wait for a cab at Times Square in New York as rains fall before Hurricane Irene hits

'The edge of the hurricane has finally got upon us,' New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg told the more than eight million people who live in New York as he warned that tropical storm-force winds would hit the city.
Times Square, often called the crossroads of the world, was sparsely populated, mostly with visitors, as Irene rolled into the city with full force.
'We just came to see how few people are in Times Square and then we're going back,' said Cheryl Gibson, who was vacationing in the city and had planned to go to the other side of the Hudson River on Sunday.

Splish splash: A taxi speeds by on 42nd Street at Times Square in New York as rains fall before Hurricane Irene hits
'We can't get to New Jersey and I'm not sure it's any better there,' she said.
Mayor Bloomberg warned New Yorkers Irene was a life-threatening storm and urged them to stay indoors to avoid flying debris, flooding or the risk of being electrocuted by downed power lines.
'It is dangerous out there,' he said, but added: 'New York is the greatest city in the world and we will weather this storm.'
Some 370,000 city residents were ordered to leave their homes in low-lying areas, many of them in parts of the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan.

Unbelievable sight: Two men push a cart through a normally bustling Grand Central Terminal

But many were unwilling to evacuate. Nicholas Vigliotti, 24, an auditor who lives in a high-rise building along the Brooklyn waterfront, said he saw no point.
'Even if there was a flood, I live on the fifth floor,' he said.
Flood waters forced officials in Hoboken, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan, to evacuate a storm shelter, the mayor of Hoboken, Dawn Zimmer, said on Twitter.
'Hoboken faces the worst case scenario. Flooding has begun. Moving Wallace Shelter residents to state shelter in east Rutherford," the mayor's tweet said.

Completely soaked: A Hasidic Jew makes his way home as heavy rain falls in Brooklyn, New York, late Saturday night

Hours earlier, the normally bustling streets had emptied out and the rumble of the subways came to a stop.
New York buttoned up Saturday against Hurricane Irene, which threatened to paralyze Wall Street and give the big city its worst thrashing from a storm since at least the 1980s.
City officials cautioned that if Irene stayed on track, it could bring gusts of 85 mph overnight that could shatter skyscraper windows. They said there was an outside chance that a storm surge in Lower Manhattan could send seawater streaming into the maze of underground vaults that hold the city's cables and pipes, knocking out power to thousands and crippling the nation's financial capital.

Late night grocery run: A man braves torrential rain to get some supplies in Brooklyn on Saturday night

Earlier in the day, Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered the first mandatory evacuation ever in New York. More than 370,000 people were told to be out by 5 pm from low-lying areas on the fringes of the city, mostly in Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
Many New Yorkers seemed to take it in stride, staying off the streets and hunkering down. Some planned hurricane get-togethers and hot tub parties.
'We already have the wine and beer, and now we're getting the vodka,' said Martin Murphy, a video artist who was shopping at a liquor store near Central Park with his girlfriend.

Never before seen: Times Square subway station, with no one there

'If it lasts, we have dozens of movies ready, and we'll play charades and we're going to make cards that say, "We survived Irene,'" he said.
All subway service was suspended because of the threat of flooding in the tunnels — the first time the nation's biggest transit system has shut down because of a natural disaster. Sandbags and tarps were placed on or around subway grates.
'Heed the warnings,' Bloomberg said, his shirt getting soaked as the rain fell in Coney Island. 'It isn't cute to say, "I'm tougher than any storm." I hope this is not necessary, but it's certainly prudent.'

No snarl ups here: The normally crowded entrance to the Holland Tunnel in Manhattan

Bridge to nowhere: The Brooklyn Bridge, normally one of the busiest in the world

People arrived in a trickle at a shelter set up at a high school in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. Some carried garbage bags filled with clothing; others pushed carts loaded with their belongings.
They were evacuated from a public housing project in Brooklyn's Red Hook section. Tenants said management got them to leave by telling them the water and power would be shut off at 5 p.m.
'For us, it's him,' said Victor Valderrama, pointing to his 3-year-old son. 'I didn't want to take a chance with my son.'

Streets of fear: The entrance to the Midtown Tunnel West Bound

Lights are on but no one's there: A spooky view inside the Midtown Tunnel West Bound

The lone runner: A man heads north on the Hudson River Greenway ahead of the arrival of Irene in Lower Manhattan

Getting out of the rain: New York National Guard officers run towards the Sixty-Ninth Regiment Armory where they are staying

In Times Square, shops boarded up windows, put sandbags outside entrances and the street performer known as the Naked Cowboy, who stands at the Crossroads of the World wearing only underwear and a guitar, had a life vest on.
Construction came to a standstill across the city, and workers at the World Trade Centre site dismantled a crane and secured equipment. The mayor said there would be no effect on the opening of the Sept. 11 memorial on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
Con Edison brought in hundreds of extra utility workers from around the country. While the foot of Manhattan is protected by a seawall and a network of pumps, Con Ed vice president John Mucci said the utility stood ready to turn off the power to about 6,500 customers there in the event of severe flooding.
Mucci said it could take up to three days to restore the power if the cables became drenched with saltwater, which can be particularly damaging.
The New York Stock Exchange has backup generators and can run on its own, a spokesman said.

A sitting target awaits: The skyscrapers of New York underneath stormy skies on Saturday evening as the rains come ahead of the winds

Pedestrians walk past sandbags used to control possible floods at downtown Manhattan

Eerie avenues: A lone man walks past a boarded up Flatiron Building, left, while pedestrains walk across a virtually traffic-free Fifth Avenue

Con Ed also shut down about 10 miles of steam pipes underneath the city to prevent explosions if they came in contact with cold water. The shutdown affected 50 commercial and residential customers around the city who use the pipes for heat, hot water and air conditioning.
Irene came ashore in North Carolina on Saturday morning, slightly weakened but still powerful, and was expected to roll up the densely populated Interstate 95 corridor. More than 8.3 million people live in New York City, and nearly 29 million in the metropolitan area.
A hurricane warning was issued for the city Friday afternoon, the first since Gloria in September 1985. That storm blew ashore on Long Island with winds of 85 mph and caused millions of dollars in damage, along with one death in New York.
While Bloomberg strongly cautioned against staying put, he also said no one was going door-to-door to force residents out. And many apparently chose not to go.

No go area: In the city that never sleeps, The Times Square subway station is spookily silent

Bravely staying open: A store clerk awaits late customers in Brooklyn on Saturday night

An MTA worker locks a gate at the subway at Grand Central Station

Shutting down: Ticket agents remove the stanchions which form the ticketing lines at JFK International Airport

The city opened more than 90 evacuation shelters with room for about 70,000 people. But by early evening, only about 5,500 had checked in, officials said.
The evacuation order went unheeded by many tenants at a large public housing complex in Brooklyn.
'Oh, forget Bloomberg. We ain't going anywhere,' said Evelyn Burrus, 60. 'Go to some shelter with a bunch of strangers and bedbugs? No way.'
The area's three major airports - LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark Liberty - closed at noon to arriving flights. Departing flights were to be shut down by 10pm.
Subway trains began grinding to a halt at noon.

We're waiting: A volunteer puts up a sign in a shelter centre at Newcomers High School in Queens

The transit system won't reopen until at least Monday, after pumps remove water from flooded stations. The subways routinely flood during even ordinary storms and have to be pumped out.
The city's transit system carries about 5 million passengers on an average weekday. The last time it was seriously hobbled was an August 2007 rainstorm that disabled or delayed every one of the city's subway lines. It was also shut down after the 9/11 attacks and during a 2005 strike.
Many New Yorkers were left to hail taxis. To encourage cab-sharing and speed the evacuation, taxis switched to zone fares, meaning passengers were charged not for the mileage on the meter but according to which section of the city they were going to.

Out and about: Yuria Celidwen tastes the rain in a nearly deserted Times Square as Irene lurks around the corner on Saturday night

Covered up: A woman and her son walk through Times Square

Boilers and elevators were shut down in public housing in evacuation areas to encourage tenants to leave and to prevent people from getting stuck in elevators if the power went out.
Some hotels were shutting off their elevators and air conditioners. Others had generators ready to go.
Dozens of buses arrived at the Brooklyn Cyclones minor league ballpark in Coney Island to help residents get out. Nursing homes and hospitals were emptied.
At a shelter set up at a high school in the Long Island town of Brentwood, Alexander Ho calmly ate a sandwich in the cafeteria. Ho left his first-floor apartment in East Islip, even though it is several blocks from the water, just outside the mandatory evacuation zone.
"Objects outside can be projected as missiles," he said. "I figured my apartment didn't seem as safe as I thought, as every room has a window."

Tujhe Kia Khabar Ke Jaanaa - Ahmed Faraz

2011-07-07T00:51:00.000-07:00

Tu na thi koi saraaye¹

Ke main raat bhar thehar k

Safar Ikhtiyaar karta

Main na tha koi musaafir

Ke jo ghar nagar ko tajj²kar

Kahin or pyar karta

Inhi bastiyon mai varna

Kayi dil kayi nigaahein

Koi neend ka ho rasiya

To hazaar khwab-gahein

Kahin kaakulon³ ke baadal

Kahin qaamaton ki chhaaon

Kahin shehar aarzu ke

Kahin hasraton k gaaon

Kahin khilwatein⁴ dukaanein

Kahin jism beo-paari

Na kisi sanam ko shikwa

Na dukhi koi pujaari

Ye ajab qimaar khaanay⁵

Yahan haar bhi kamaayi

Na kisi ka maan toota

Na kisi ne chot khaayi

Koi be-ma-aal⁶ qissa

Koi daastaan adhoori

Ye supurdagi judaai

To vo ikhtilaat⁷ doori

Yahan shoq bhi tamaasha

Yahan ishq bhi malaamat

Na to vasl khoobsurat

Na firaaq he qayaamat

Ye zarooraton k mailay

Ye qayaam k bahaanay

Ye thakan utaarnay k

Sabhi aarzi thikaanay

Ye hamaray ehd-o-peimaan

Tujhe kia khabar k jaanaa

Ye dinon ki baat kab thi

Ye rafaaqaton ki sadiyaan

Ye jo dard hai amar hai

Ke wafa hai harf-e-aakhir

Tu na thi koi saraaye

Na main hoon koi musaafir!

~ Ahmed Faraz

Saraaye à motel to stay for a night
Tajj kar à chor kar
Kaakulon àhairs above ear
Khilwat à Tanhayi
Qimaar khaanay à Casinos
Be-ma-aal à bila nateeja
Ikhtilaat à milna milaana

Comparative Analysis of iPhone 2G with a Stone

2010-07-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

How Secure Is My Password?

2010-07-11T23:01:00.000-07:00

HOW SECURE IS MY PASSWORD!

Type your Password

The 99 Club

2010-07-09T07:23:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there lived a King who, despite his luxurious lifestyle, was neither happy nor content.
One day, the King came upon a servant who was singing happily while he worked. This fascinated the King; why was he, the Supreme Ruler of the Land, unhappy and gloomy, while a lowly servant had so much joy.

The King asked the servant, 'Why are you so happy?' The man replied, 'Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but my family and I don't need too much - just a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummies.'

The king was not satisfied with that reply. Later in the day, he sought the advice of his most trusted advisor. After hearing the King's woes and the servant's'story, the advisor said, 'Your Majesty, I believe that the servant Has not been made part of The 99 Club.'

'The 99 Club? And what exactly is that?' the King inquired.

The advisor replied, 'Your Majesty, to truly know what The 99 Club is, place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep.'

When the servant saw the bag, he took it into his house. When he opened the bag, he let out a great shout of joy... So many gold coins!

He began to count them. After several counts, he was at last convinced that there were 99 coins. He wondered, 'What could've happened to that last gold coin? Surely, no one would leave 99 coins!'

He looked everywhere he could, but that final coin was elusive. Finally, exhausted he decided that he was going to have to work harderthan ever to earn that gold coin and complete his collection.

From that day, the servant's life was changed. He was overworked, horribly grumpy, and castigated his family for not helping him make that 100th gold coin. He stopped singing while he worked.

Witnessing this drastic transformation, the King was puzzled. When he sought his advisor's help, the advisor said, 'Your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The 99 Club.'

He continued, 'The 99 Club is a name given to those people who have enough to be happy but are never contented, because they're always yearning and Striving for that extra 1, saying to themselves: 'Let me get that one final thing and then I will be happy for life.'

We can be happy, even with very little in our lives, but the minute we're given something bigger and better, we want even more! We lose our sleep, our happiness, we hurt the people around us; all these as a price for our growing needs and desires.

That's the "99 club".

Never Quit!

2010-07-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

Code Shode: Let Me Google That For You

2010-06-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

Code Shode: Let Me Google That For You

Quotes: Reality Bites

2010-06-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I read a few quotes on Reality which really attracted me. So i thought to share them in this blog post.

Reality Bites

Experience is something you get just after you need it
If you really want to do something, you will find a way; if you don't, you will find an excuse
If you want to be heard, speak up; if you want to be seen, stand up; if you want to be appreciated, just shut up
When an mouse laughs at a cat, there is hole nearby
Well done is better than well said
Politicians are like diapers and need to be changed for the same reason
By the time you are old enough to appreciate your parents, you will have children of your own who take you for granted
Anger is the outcome of tongue working faster than the brain

Unbelievable Amazing Pictures

2010-06-12T01:47:00.000-07:00

These all are true pictures without any editing. All are a master piece of photography!

Twilight Puzzles

2010-06-12T01:33:00.000-07:00

An invite from Talha Ashfaque to visit talhashfaque.blogspot.com

2010-05-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

Talha Ashfaque has invited you to visit them at talhashfaque.blogspot.com.
When you click the link below you will be taken to Feedjit where
you can choose to let Talha know when you visit. If you
select join Feedjit, you will appear on talhashfaque.blogspot.com when you visit with
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2010-05-26T08:21:00.001-07:00

Biggest hand-written Quran -Amazing World Record set by Najmul Hasan Chishti

AJMER, India--Sayeed Najmul Hasan Chishti, 56, has prepared a 63 pages, 8 feet broad and 5 feet long. Quran-setting the new world record for the Biggest hand-written Quran.

"It's the biggest Quran in terms of size and font, which was compiled in one volume," Chishti said, adding, "It has 63 pages and the size of each page is 60x88 inch."

"Each page has a colourful border around the text, featuring flowers of different sizes and seasons," he said, adding, "At the beginning of each surah (verse), the word ‘Bismillah' (in the name of God) is written in a different calligraphic styles, which go back to the Prophet Mohammed's time," he said.

Chishti, a Sufi research scholar and a khadim at the dargah, said the Quran represents the true essence of Quranic calligraphy. "I feel honoured after accomplishing the gigantic feat," he said, add-ing that every page has an average of 40 lines.

Chishti said he began his professional life as an Urdu teacher in a government school, but gave it up in 2003 for the devotional endeavours. "Thereafter, I dedicated my life to this Quran," Chishti, who is also a Urdu poet and writer, said.

He has used a special kind of paper that absorbs the ink and does not get smudged. The letters measures 2 to 3 inches. He has used golden lettering in all those places where the word Allah appears.

He said the moral support of his family was crucial in accomplishing the extraordinary feat. "My family supported me with creative ideas to enrich the style of writing. Valuable suggestions from my daughters helped me in coming up with innovative styles of calligraphy," he said.

On the occasion of 796 Urs of Khwaja Garib Nawaj Chisti the devotees will be able to see the biggest Quran of the world which will be kept in the dargah premises. The dargah committee agreed to display the Quran for Zayreens who will come here to participate in the Urs.

Najmul said that the dargah committee agreed to display the Koran in the premises and for the book the committee is constructing a glass display cabin. Proper lighting will be done inside and a security guard will be deputed in front of the cabin.

Eclipse Countdown

2010-05-20T05:43:00.000-07:00

Talha Sahib

2010-02-24T01:10:00.000-08:00

2012 Trailer HD

2009-09-24T11:55:00.001-07:00

Me, Me, .......... Me too!

2009-09-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

Apple iPhone 3GS Guided Tour and features

2009-08-14T11:41:00.001-07:00

Incredile Man With Wild Lions

2009-08-10T04:06:00.000-07:00

Shahid Afridi:The Pathan Inside

2009-08-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

The Approximate Garment Size of Aadam (AS)

2009-08-05T22:30:00.000-07:00

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah Radiy Allaahu ‘anhu: The Prophet Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “Allaah created Aadam in His image sixty cubits (about 30 metres) in height.When He created him, He said to him, ‘Go and greet that group of angels sitting there, and listen (to) what they will say in reply to you, for that will be your greeting and the greeting of your offspring.’ Aadam (went and) said As-Salaam ‘alaykum (peace be upon you.’ They replied As-Salaamu-‘alayka wa Rahmatullaah (peace and Allaah’s Mercy be on you)..’ So they increased Wa Rahmatullaah.”’ The Prophet Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam added, “So whoever will enter paradise, will be of the shape and picture of Aadam. Since then the creation of Aadam’s (offspring) (i.e. stature of human beings) has been diminished continuously up to the present time.”

Saheeh Bukhaaree Vol 8 Hadeeth No: 6227

يبووون يشوفوون طوول سيدنا آدم عليه السلالام

They want to show the approx size of Adam (saw) by making him a garment that fits him

This was the idea of Hamdan with the help of 4 tailors

It took 18 days

40rolls of cloths were needed .

length of garment 29

meters

9m between the shoulders

12m width of the bottom

10m length the sleeves

2m width of neck