INDIA

Cities Weigh Taking Electricity Business From Private Utilities - NYTimes.com

2013-03-14T21:26:00.001+05:30

Cities Weigh Taking Electricity Business From Private Utilities - NYTimes.com:

'via Blog this'

Back to Ice age soon or later, Europe buried in snow!

2013-03-14T00:18:00.001+05:30

http://rt.com/in-vision/europe-burried-in-snow/

Rains or Not, India Is Falling Short on Drinkable Water

2013-03-13T22:35:00.001+05:30

Rains or Not, India Is Falling Short on Drinkable Water

Kuni Takahashi for The New York Times

Women bringing back water from a community tap in Cherrapunji, in northeastern India.

By GARDINER HARRIS

Published: March 12, 2013

CHERRAPUNJI, India — Almost no place on Earth gets more rain than this small hill town. Nearly 40 feet falls every year — more than 12 times what Seattle gets. Storms often drop more than a foot a day. The monsoon is epic.

But during the dry season from November through March, many in this corner of India struggle to find water. Some are forced to walk long distances to fill jugs in springs or streams. Taps in Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya State, spout water for just a few hours a day. And when it arrives, the water is often not drinkable.

That people in one of the rainiest places on the planet struggle to get potable water is emblematic of the profound water challenges that India faces. Every year, about 600,000 Indian children die because of diarrhea orpneumonia, often caused by toxic water and poor hygiene, according to Unicef.

Half of the water supply in rural areas, where 70 percent of India’s population lives, is routinely contaminated with toxic bacteria. Employment in manufacturing in India has declined in recent years, and a prime reason may be the difficulty companies face getting water.

And India’s water problems are likely to worsen. A report that McKinsey & Company helped to write predicted that India would need to double its water-generation capacity by the year 2030 to meet the demands of its surging population.

A separate analysis concluded that groundwater supplies in many of India’s cities — including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai — are declining at such a rapid rate that they may run dry within a few years.

The water situation in Gurgaon, the new mega-city south of Delhi, became so acute last year that a judge ordered a halt to new construction until projects could prove they were using recycled water instead of groundwater.

On Feb. 28, India’s finance minister, Palaniappan Chidambaram, proposed providing $2.8 billion to the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation in the coming fiscal year, a 17 percent increase.

But water experts describe this as very little in a country where more than 100 million people scrounge for water from unimproved sources.

Some water problems stem from India’s difficult geography. Vast parts of the country are arid, and India has just 4 percent of the world’s fresh water shared among 16 percent of its people.

But the country’s struggle to provide water security to the 2.6 million residents of Meghalaya, blessed with more rain than almost any place, shows that the problems are not all environmental.

Arphisha lives in Sohrarim, a village in Meghalaya, and she must walk a mile during the dry season to the local spring, a trip she makes four to five times a day. Sometimes her husband fetches water in the morning, but mostly the task is left to her. Indeed, fetching water is mostly women’s work in India.

On a recent day, Arphisha, who has only one name, took the family laundry to the spring, which is a pipe set in a cement abutment. While her 2-year-old son, Kevinson, played nearby, Arphisha beat clothes on a cement and stone platform in front of the spring. Her home has electricity several hours a day and heat from a coal stove. But there is no running water. When it rains, she uses a barrel to capture runoff from her roof.

“It’s nice having the sunshine now, but my life is much easier during the monsoon,” she said.

Kevinson interrupted her work by bringing her an empty plastic bottle. “Water,” he said. Arphisha bent down, filled the bottle and gave it back to him. “Say, ‘Thank you,’ ” she said. “Say, ‘Thank you.’ ” When he silently drank, turned and went back to playing, Arphisha laughed and shrugged her shoulders.

In the somewhat larger town of Mawmihthied several miles away, Khrawbok, the village headman, walked nearly a mile on a goat path to point out the spring most residents visit to get drinking water. Taps in Mawmihthied have running water for two hours every morning, but the water is not fit to drink.

Khrawbok said that officials would like to provide better water, but that there was no money.

Even in India’s great cities, water problems are endemic, in part because system maintenance is nearly nonexistent. Water plants in New Delhi, for instance, generate far more water per customer than many cities in Europe, but taps in the city operate on average just three hours a day because 30 percent to 70 percent of the water is lost to leaky pipes and theft.

As a result, many residents install pumps to pull as much water out of the pipes as possible. But those pumps also suck contaminants from surrounding soil.

The collective annual costs of pumps and other such measures are three times what the city would need to maintain its water system adequately, said Smita Misra, a senior economist at the World Bank.

“India is lagging far behind the rest of the world in providing water and sanitation both to its rural and urban populations,” Ms. Misra said. “Not one city in India provides water on an all-day, everyday basis.”

And even as towns and cities increase water supplies, most fail to build the far more expensive infrastructure to treat sewage. So as families connect their homes to new water lines and build toilets, many flush the resulting untreated sewage into the nearest creek, making many of the less sophisticated water systems that much more dangerous.

“As drinking water reaches more households, all the resulting sewage has become a huge problem,” said Tatiana Gallego-Lizon, a principal urban development specialist at the Asian Development Bank.

In Meghalaya, efforts to improve the area’s water supply have been stymied by bickering among competing government agencies, said John F. Kharshiing, chairman of the Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya. In one infamous example, the state built a pump near a river to bring water to towns at higher elevations.

“But they didn’t realize that the pump would be underwater during the monsoon,” Mr. Kharshiing said. “So it shorted out that first year, and it’s never been used since.”

Sruthi Gottipati contributed reporting from Meghalaya State, India.
nytimes.com

A version of this article appeared in print on March 13, 2013, on page A4 of the New York edition with the headline: Rains or Not, India Is Falling Short on Drinkable Water.

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Ar UK Bhoobalan

The Most Successful Leaders Do 15 Things Automatically, Every Day - Forbes

2013-02-24T09:30:00.001+05:30

The Most Successful Leaders Do 15 Things Automatically, Every Day.

Leadership is learned behavior that becomes unconscious and automatic over time. For example, leaders can make several important decisions about an issue in the time it takes others to understand the question. Many people wonder how leaders know how to make the best decisions, often under immense pressure. The process of making these decisions comes from an accumulation of experiences and encounters with a multitude of difference circumstances, personality types and unforeseen failures. More so, the decision making process is an acute understanding of being familiar with the cause and effect of behavioral and circumstantial patterns; knowing the intelligence and interconnection points of the variables involved in these patterns allows a leader to confidently make decisions and project the probability of their desired outcomes. The most successful leaders are instinctual decision makers. Having done it so many times throughout their careers, they become immune to the pressure associated with decision making and extremely intuitive about the process of making the most strategic and best decisions. This is why most senior executives will tell you they depend strongly upon their “gut-feel” when making difficult decisions at a moment’s notice.

Beyond decision making, successful leadership across all areas becomes learned and instinctual over a period of time. Successful leaders have learned the mastery of anticipating business patterns, finding opportunities in pressure situations, serving the people they lead and overcoming hardships. No wonder the best CEOs are paid so much money. In 2011, salaries for the 200 top-paid CEOs rose 5 percent to a median $14.5 million per year, according to a study by compensation-data company Equilar for The New York Times.

If you are looking to advance your career into a leadership capacity and / or already assume leadership responsibilities – here are 15 things you must do automatically, every day, to be a successful leader in the workplace:

1. Make Others Feel Safe to Speak-Up

Many times leaders intimidate their colleagues with their title and power when they walk into a room. Successful leaders deflect attention away from themselves and encourage others to voice their opinions. They are experts at making others feel safe to speak-up and confidently share their perspectives and points of view. They use theirexecutive presence to create an approachable environment.

2. Make Decisions

Successful leaders are expert decision makers. They either facilitate the dialogue to empower their colleagues to reach a strategic conclusion or they do it themselves. They focus on “making things happen” at all times – decision making activities that sustain progress. Successful leaders have mastered the art of politicking and thus don’t waste their time on issues that disrupt momentum. They know how to make 30 decisions in 30 minutes.

3. Communicate Expectations

Successful leaders are great communicators, and this is especially true when it comes to “performance expectations.” In doing so, they remind their colleagues of the organization’s core values and mission statement – ensuring that their vision is properly translated and actionable objectives are properly executed.

I had a boss that managed the team by reminding us of the expectations that she had of the group. She made it easy for the team to stay focused and on track. The protocol she implemented – by clearly communicating expectations – increased performance and helped to identify those on the team that could not keep up with the standards she expected from us.

4. Challenge People to Think

The most successful leaders understand their colleagues’ mindsets, capabilities and areas for improvement. They use this knowledge/insight to challenge their teams to think and stretch them to reach for more. These types of leaders excel in keeping their people on their toes, never allowing them to get comfortable and enabling them with the tools to grow.

If you are not thinking, you’re not learning new things. If you’re not learning, you’re not growing – and over time becoming irrelevant in your work.

5. Be Accountable to Others

Successful leaders allow their colleagues to manage them. This doesn’t mean they are allowing others to control them – but rather becoming accountable to assure they are being proactive to their colleagues needs.

Beyond just mentoring and sponsoring selected employees, being accountable to others is a sign that your leader is focused more on your success than just their own.

6. Lead by Example

Leading by example sounds easy, but few leaders are consistent with this one. Successful leaders practice what they preach and are mindful of their actions. They know everyone is watching them and therefore are incredibly intuitive about detecting those who are observing their every move, waiting to detect a performance shortfall.

7. Measure & Reward Performance

Great leaders always have a strong “pulse” on business performance and those people who are the performance champions. Not only do they review the numbers and measure performance ROI, they are active in acknowledging hard work and efforts (no matter the result). Successful leaders never take consistent performers for granted and are mindful of rewarding them.

8. Provide Continuous Feedback

Employees want their leaders to know that they are paying attention to them and they appreciate any insights along the way. Successful leaders always provide feedback and they welcome reciprocal feedback by creatingtrustworthy relationships with their colleagues.. They understand the power of perspective and have learned the importance of feedback early on in their career as it has served them to enable workplace advancement.

9. Properly Allocate and Deploy Talent

Successful leaders know their talent pool and how to use it. They are experts at activating the capabilities of their colleagues and knowing when to deploy their unique skill sets given the circumstances at hand.

10. Ask Questions, Seek Counsel

Successful leaders ask questions and seek counsel all the time. From the outside, they appear to know-it-all – yet on the inside, they have a deep thirst for knowledge and constantly are on the look-out to learn new things because of their commitment to making themselves better through the wisdom of others.

11. Problem Solve; Avoid Procrastination

Successful leaders tackle issues head-on and know how to discover the heart of the matter at hand. They don’t procrastinate and thus become incredibly proficient at problem solving; they learn from and don’t avoid uncomfortable circumstances (they welcome them).

Getting ahead in life is about doing the things that most people don’t like doing.

12. Positive Energy & Attitude

Successful leaders create a positive and inspiring workplace culture. They know how to set the tone and bring an attitude that motivates their colleagues to take action. As such, they are likeable, respected and strong willed. They don’t allow failures to disrupt momentum.

13. Be a Great Teacher

Many employees in the workplace will tell you that their leaders have stopped being teachers. Successful leaders never stop teaching because they are so self-motivated to learn themselves. They use teaching to keep their colleagues well-informed and knowledgeable through statistics, trends, and other newsworthy items.

Successful leaders take the time to mentor their colleagues and make the investment to sponsor those who have proven they are able and eager to advance.

14. Invest in Relationships

Successful leaders don’t focus on protecting their domain – instead they expand it by investing in mutually beneficial relationships. Successful leaders associate themselves with “lifters and other leaders” – the types of people that can broaden their sphere of influence. Not only for their own advancement, but that of others.

Leaders share the harvest of their success to help build momentum for those around them.

15. Genuinely Enjoy Responsibilities

Successful leaders love being leaders – not for the sake of power but for the meaningful and purposeful impact they can create. When you have reached a senior level of leadership – it’s about your ability to serve others and this can’t be accomplished unless you genuinely enjoy what you do.

In the end, successful leaders are able to sustain their success because these 15 things ultimately allow them to increase the value of their organization’s brand – while at the same time minimize the operating risk profile. They serve as the enablers of talent, culture and results.

Glenn Llopis, Contributor

The immigrant perspective on leadership & workplace innovation

forbes.com

Desalination plant brings hope to parched Chennai, India.

2013-02-23T23:00:00.001+05:30

February 22, 2013

Honble Chief Minister inaugurated the Sea Water Desalination Plant at Nemmeli, Kancheepuram District

Desalination plant will supply water to nearly 15 lakh residents in southern parts of Chennai and expanded areas

The year-long wait is over. South Chennai need not rely on the rain-fed reservoirs alone for its water needs.

The much-awaited second desalination plant along East Coast Road, at Nemmeli, 36 km south of Chennai, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday.

In a couple of days, nearly 15 lakh people of southern Chennai and the expanded areas — especially Velachery, Thiruvanmiyur, Pallipattu and areas adjoining the IT Corridor such as Karapakkam — will be supplied desalinated water from the plant that has a capacity to treat 100 million litres of sea water per day (mld). Metrowater is flushing the newly-laid pipelines and the plant will function to its full capacity by March. The plant, which was to be inaugurated last year, was delayed due to the extra time needed for sinking pipelines to draw raw water and release brine.

The new source of water has been commissioned at an opportune moment as a water crisis looms large with the four major reservoirs that cater to the city’s drinking water needs drying up fast for want of rain. The Water Resources Department recently suspended providing water to the city from the Veeranam tank in Cuddalore district as its water level had dipped to nearly 30 million cubic feet.

The desalinated water from Nemmeli plant will offset the shortage due to loss of water from Veeranam tank.

While the first desalination plant in the State that was commissioned in Kattupalli, Minjur in July 2010 is being operated by Chennai Water Desalination Limited on DBOOT (design, build, own, operate, transfer) mode, the new facility at Nemmeli will be owned by Chennai Metrowater. VA Tech Wabag was entrusted with the construction of the plant.

With the project estimated to cost Rs. 908 crore, a grant of nearly Rs.871.24 crore was sought from the Central government. This helped bring down the production cost of desalinated water. Metrowater purchases water from the Minjur facility at Rs. 48.66 a kilolitre that includes capital cost. In Nemmeli, the production cost, including the capital and operation costs, will come to about Rs. 35 per kilo litre. The use of modern technology also helped.

Nearly 265 million litres of sea water is drawn through a pipeline that runs up to one km into the sea. The waste water is disposed through a 740-metre-long pipe at a depth of 8 m below sea level.

At the inaugural function, Municipal Administration and Water Supply secretary K. Phanindra Reddy said that a plot of 40.5 acres was allotted for the plant. Of this, only 20 acres were required as fewer treatment units were built as the Nemmeli plant uses a compact and faster treatment process when compared to the conventional filtration system in Minjur.

Equipment for various kinds of filtration was imported from different countries. The treated water would be distributed through 64 km-long pipeline laid by L & T Limited and stored at underground sumps enroute.

Minister for municipal administration and rural development K.P. Munusami and Chennai Metrowater managing director B.Chandramohan were among those who participated in the meeting.

thehindu

Tamil pdf press release
http://www.tn.gov.in/seithi_veliyeedu/pr22Feb13/pr220213_116.pdf

The Time Is Now To Fix Rules On High-Skilled Immigration - Forbes

2013-02-23T22:38:00.001+05:30

The Time Is Now To Fix Rules On High-Skilled Immigration

Steve Case, the co-founder of AOL, is chairman and CEO of Revolution.

Steve Case

After three decades in the Washington, D.C. region observing our political process and two years playing a small role, I’ve learned how to recognize “moments” – those rare, short-lived periods of time when a window opens to enact meaningful reform. For those focused on improving the competitiveness of the U.S. entrepreneurial economy by fixing our high-skilled immigration system, this is a moment.

On the public policy front there is bipartisan momentum behind winning the global battle for talent and on the private sector and non-profit front there is a renewed focus on building up regional entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Last week I testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the need to reform our immigration system so that we recruit and retain the most talented entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world. After a concerted effort by entrepreneurs, investors, academics and ordinary people to educate lawmakers, it is now well understood in Washington that talented immigrants are job makers, not job takers. Studies show that from 2000 to 2007, every 100 additional foreign-born workers in STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – created 262 additional employment positions for native U.S. workers. Indian and Chinese entrepreneurs alone founded about 30% of the Silicon Valley technology companies creating more than 72,000 jobs in the last fifteen years. After all, the story of the United States is the story of entrepreneurs who settled this country seeking a better life and who through grit, hard-work, and creativity built companies, cities and whole new industries.

Numerous pieces of legislation are teed up which ought to be incorporated into a comprehensive immigration package: from the Startup Act, which permits entrepreneurs and STEM graduates to stay and set up businesses, to the I-Squared Act which increases the amount of available green cards and removes the per-country cap for employment-based visas, to the Startup Visa Act which will allow foreign entrepreneurs to move to the United States so long as they have financial backing, to others, there are smart proposals from Democrats and Republicans. I defer to the men and women on Capitol Hill and at the White House to decide which provisions make up a final package, but I am confident that we are close to a meaningful deal that makes it easier for talented innovators to stay, start businesses, contribute to our growing companies, and add to the diversity and vitality of the American economy.

Keeping up the momentum, on the same day that I testified before the Senate last week, a bipartisan group of Senators re-introduced the Startup Act. This is timely. Only a few weeks ago the Canadians announced a new startup visa program that grants permanent residency to foreign-born innovators who received backing from Canadian investors. Jason Kenney, the Citizenship and Immigration Minister of Canada, said publicly <> that he plans “…to go down to Silicon Valley with some of the industry associations here and fly the Canadian flag and say to those bright young prospective immigrants, some of whom are going to create massively successful companies in their lifetime, that they can come to Canada through this program and they can get permanent residency…”

We cannot become complacent when competitor nations work to improve their own entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Two weeks ago, House Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor delivered an important speech that signaled a willingness to support legal residence and citizenship for children brought here illegally along with a guest-worker program, as part of granting visas to high-skilled immigrants educated at our universities. Politically, this demonstrates that Republicans are open to coupling high-skilled reform and family unification – a potential sticking point for Democrats. Cantor deserves praise: despite the political ramifications, he understands that to compete and succeed in a global economy, the U.S. must act expeditiously to attract and keep the most talented innovators who are educated in our schools.

That same week, President Obama and his team invited labor and business leaders to the White House to hear ideas, share proposals, and work on a strategy to build a broad, bi-partisan consensus around immigration reform. I participated in the meeting and saw firsthand the President’s desire to fix our visa system through stapling green cards to STEM degrees (as both he and Governor Romney called for last year) by adding a new entrepreneur visa among other proposals. The President and his senior team view this issue from an economic competitiveness standpoint and are showing a willingness to work across the aisle to get it done. In his State of the Union address, the President remarked, “And real reform means fixing the legal immigration system to cut waiting periods, reduce bureaucracy, and attract the highly-skilled entrepreneurs and engineers that will help create jobs and grow our economy.”

What has changed in recent weeks are not the economics of high-skilled reform: elected leaders have always understood that 40% of Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. were started by immigrants or their kids and that half of Silicon Valley startups have immigrant founders in some years. What has changed are the politics. The 2012 election results demonstrated that to achieve high-skilled reform, we must pass a comprehensive package that also creates a path to citizenship for undocumented workers, strengthens border security, and cracks down on employers who knowingly hire illegal workers.

But this momentum is not confined to politics.

The same day President Obama invited leaders to the White House, the Startup America Partnership descended on Washington to discuss local efforts to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, partners and mentors in different regional entrepreneurial economies across the country. First, the Kauffman Foundation delivered a state of Entrepreneurship address at the National Press Club, then everyone moved over to the White House to talk about various private sector efforts. These men and women are helping to accelerate what I call an entrepreneurial “rise of the rest” where cities and towns far from Silicon Valley and Boston experience startup activity, innovation, and job creation due to public policy changes in the JOBS Actrelated to raising capital, decreasing costs of mobile, cloud computing, and other startup expenses, and a “regional awakening” that is providing tools for local leaders to improve their own entrepreneurial ecosystems. It used to be that startups with growth potential had better move to Palo Alto to secure funding and talent. That paradigm is changing rapidly.

Last April, Democrats and Republicans stunned everyone when they joined together to pass the JOBS Act on behalf of our nation’s entrepreneurs. Pundits said that in an election year, it would not be possible. But they were wrong. Bipartisan progress can happen in Washington when a diverse group of citizens call for action. After ten years of trying, we are the closest we have ever been to fixing an antiquated high-skilled visa system that is slowing our startup economy.

For entrepreneurs, this is a moment.

forbes.com

ABANDONED VILLAS OF EUROPE

2013-02-01T13:58:00.001+05:30

ABANDONED VILLAS OF EUROPE

Feb 01 2013 ·

These striking photos depict abandoned villas in Europe. Take a moment to look at stunning details: the time and effort that went into these wonderful buildings. How are they deserted? Why has nobody come to save them?

Nonetheless, the photos are stunning. The colour, the texture. A fascinating series. Enjoy – and if you have the time and money, go buy one and repair it!!

http://mydesignstories.com/abandoned-villas-of-europe/

Golden wreath discovered in woman’s grave in Greece

2013-01-30T00:21:00.001+05:30

An ancient wreath made of gold has been unearthed during excavation work for the new subway system in Greece's second-largest city Thessaloniki.

According to archaeologists, the find was discovered on the site of an ancient cemetery.

Archaeologist Vassiliki Misailidou said the olive branch wreath made of gold was buried in a simple, box-shaped woman's grave dating to the late 4th or early 3rd century B.C., Construction Week Online said.

The wreath appeared to be buried with a woman who lived about 2,300 years ago.

According to the website, a total of 23,000 ancient and medieval artefacts have been found during archaeological excavations connected with the construction since 2006.

Published: 29 January, 2013

The Famous Chand Baori Stepwell in India-Jaipur-Rajasthan. kalyani, pushkarani, bawdi, baoli, barav, vaav; - wells or ponds

2013-01-28T21:55:00.001+05:30

Chand Baori is a famous stepwell located in the village of Abhaneri near Jaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated opposite of the Harshat Mata Temple and was constructed in the 9th century. Chand Baori consits of 3,500 narrow steps over 13 storeys. It extends approximately 100 ft into the ground making it one of the deepest and largest stepwells in India. [Source]

Stepwells, also known as kalyani, pushkarani, bawdi, baoli, barav, or vaav; are wells or ponds in which the water may be reached by descending a set of steps. They may be covered and protected and are often of architectural significance. Most common in Western India, they can also be found in arid regions of Pakistan.

The basic difference between stepwells and tanks or wells is that stepwells are easier for people to reach the ground water. They are also easier to maintain and manage. Stepwells also served other purposes, such a relief from the daytime heat and as a place for social gatherings and religious ceremonies.

Photograph by Maria Victoria Guerrero Catalan

Photograph by S. Le Bozec on Flickr

Photograph by Miles Hunter on Flickr

Photograph by Ramón (Sitomon on Flickr)

Photograph by Maria Victoria Guerrero Catalan

Photograph by Sally Heffentrager (Gwynedd Gwyn on Flickr)

Photograph by Christopher Byrd (Byrd on a Wire on Flickr)

Photograph by Miles Hunter on Flickr

Photograph by Saumil U. Shah on Flickr

Photograph by James Handlon on Flikcr

http://mydesignstories.com

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Ar UK BHOOBALAN @archbhoo

Harvest தைப்பொங்கல் Makar Sankranti संक्रान्ति ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ সংক্রান্তি ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି సంక్రాంతి संक्रान्ति)

2013-01-13T10:10:00.002+05:30

Tamil: தைப்பொங்கல்
Makar Sankranti (Hindi: & Sanskrit: मकर संक्रान्ति, Bengali: মকর সংক্রান্তি, Kannada: ಮಕರ ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ, Assamese: মকৰ সংক্রান্তি, Malayalam: മകര സാന്‍ക്രാന്തി, Oriya: ମକର ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି, Tamil: தைப்பொங்கல், Telugu: మకర సంక్రాంతి, Marathi: मकर संक्रान्ति)

Traditionally, this has been one of many harvest days in India.

Owing to the vast geography and diversity of culture in India, this festival is celebrated for innumerable reasons and in innumerable ways depending on the climate, agricultural environment, cultural background and location. On this day children fly kites.

http://www.pongalfestival.org/

Tamil Nadu

Thai Pongal harvest

It is a four day festival in Tamil Nadu:

Day 1 - Bhogi Pandigai (Bhogi)
Day 2 - Thai Pongal
Day 3 - Maattu Pongal
Day 4 - Kaanum Pongal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Pongal

Thai Pongal (தை பொங்கல்) or Pongal (பொங்கல்) is a thanksgiving or harvest festival celebrated in South India at the end harvest season. It is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Tamilians in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the Indian Union Territory of Pondicherry and Sri Lanka.

Pongal marks the beginning of the northward journey of the Sun from its southernmost-limit, a movement traditionally referred to as uttarayana. It coincides with the festival Makara Sankranthi celebrated throughout India as the winter harvest, and is usually held from January 13–16 in theGregorian calendar i.e. from the last day of the Tamil month Maargazhi to the third day of Thai. The second of the four days or the first day of monthThai is the main day of the festival which is known as Pongal or Thai Pongal. This also represents the Indic solstice when the sun purportedly enters the 10th house of the Indian zodiac i.e. Makar or Capricorn.

The word pongal itself refers to the "boiling over" of milk and rice during the month of Thai. The saying "Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum" meaning "the commencement of Thai paves the way for new opportunities" is often quoted regarding the Pongal festival. Tamils thank the Sun god (Surya) for the good harvest and consecrate the first grain to him on this 'Surya Mangalyam'. Tamilians decorate their homes with banana and mango leaves and embellish the floor with decorative patterns drawn using rice flour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVps9jnZkno

http://www.pongalfestival.org/pongal-recipes.html

The Nenets of Siberia ensure the annual reindeer migration

2012-12-24T02:00:00.000+05:30

The Nenets of Siberia ensure the annual reindeer migration
Using their skills as hunters and fishermen, the indigenous people of northern Russia preserve the tradition of herding reindeer across the forbidding Arctic.

Sled dogs must withstand an environment where fierce winds blow constantly.

Nenets survived early Russian colonization of Siberia but are threatened by development of oil and gas fields in the far north.

A girl wears a coat made of reindeer skins with a hood of blue fox fur.

The portable shelter of the Nenets is a chum. During the day, chums are not heated, but at nightfall, Nenets use a wood-fired stove to cook their only hot meal of the day and to warm their chums.

The Nenets' livelihood is tied to the reindeer. Every spring, the Nenets move enormous herds from winter pastures on the Russian mainland, traveling more than 600 miles north to summer pastures in the Arctic Circle.

The Nenet diet is based on reindeer meat and fish. Every three or four days, they kill a reindeer through strangulation. They then remove the entrails, drink the warm blood and eat the uncooked organs. The rest of the meat, easily preserved in the cold, is left on a sledge, along with fish caught in ice holes, to be consumed when necessary.

For their long journey, the Nenets carry much of the wood they will need to cook and heat their chums.

After spending a day moving north along the Yamal Peninsula toward the Kara Sea, the Nenets set up camp. First, they put all their belongings in a circle on the ground, then they erect wooden supports that will be covered with reindeer skins.
© Sebastiao Salgado / Amazonas-Contact Press Images

The Nenet migration usually starts in mid-March, when temperatures are still freezing, because part of the journey involves crossing a wide expanse of the Ob River.

The Nenets lasso reindeer needed to pull sledges as they prepare to continue their journey. They never break camp before noon but will then travel for seven or eight hours.

Men on sledges keep the reindeer moving, often with the help of dogs.

Crossing the Ob River to enter the Arctic Circle includes a 30-mile-long ice-covered expanse.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-nenets-of-siberia-ensure-the-annual-reindeer-migration/2012/12/22/b3105cbe-4b92-11e2-b709-667035ff9029_gallery.html?hpid=z6#photo=8

NYC's Ongoing Efforts to Make the Nation's Safest Big City Even Safer

2012-12-23T22:22:00.000+05:30

NYC's Ongoing Efforts to Make the Nation's Safest Big City Even Safer

Dec 23, 2012 | NYC.gov

The following is the text of Mayor Bloomberg’s weekly radio address as prepared for delivery on 1010 WINS News Radio for Sunday, December 23, 2012.

“Good Morning. This is Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

“Ensuring public safety is City government’s most basic responsibility, and it’s one our Administration has focused on from the start. Over the past 11 years, we’ve cut major felony crime by 32 percent. This year we’re likely to record the fewest murders since comparable records started being kept in 1963. And maybe the most amazing part in this historic success is that, unlike many other cities, we haven’t cut crime by locking more people up. Just the opposite – New York’s incarceration rate has fallen by 32 percent since 2001. In the rest of the nation, the incarceration rate has gone up by 5 percent.

“The success we’ve had preventing crime has benefitted not only hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who were not victimized by crimes – it’s also benefitted countless New Yorkers who, instead of committing crimes, have instead been productive members of our communities. We’ve done it through a combination of strategies, including pro-active policing and smart social justice reforms.

“For instance, the NYPD has implemented crime-fighting programs like Operation Impact, which identifies criminal hot spots and floods those areas with officers. And – with the support of many crime victims, as well as leaders in communities still plagued by high crime rates – we continue to stop and question those who are suspected of committing a crime. Those steps have recovered tens of thousands of weapons.

“We’ve also invested significant resources to help more New Yorkers who’ve been arrested turn their lives around so that when they get out of jail, they stay out. That includes a range of social and community services now available inside our city’s jails. Services like counseling and educational opportunities enable them to earn diplomas and learn job skills. We’ve also established a range of programs for New Yorkers on probation. That includes mentoring opportunities and help finding jobs and housing.

“Our public safety record is a great achievement. But we know we can do even better, and a new program we’re launching to ensure New Yorkers who’ve been arrested and also have mental health issues get the treatment they need will help us do that. People who have mental health needs are over-represented in our criminal justice system. And, even if they’ve committed similar crimes and have similar bail amounts, they are less likely to post bail and they stay in jail twice as long as those without mental health needs.

“So beginning next year, we’ll create Court-Based Intervention and Resource Teams to serve over 3,000 clients annually. These teams will use a state-of-the-art assessment tool to determine a defendant’s mental health needs, likelihood of re-offense and flight risk. And they’ll work with judges to ensure that defendants who have mental illnesses and do not pose a significant public safety risk get appropriate community-based supervision and treatment rather than jail time. We expect these efforts to reduce the number of New Yorkers with a mental illness who return to jail.

“Another year as the nation’s safest big city will be a gift we all can appreciate. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

“This is Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Thanks for listening.”

Protesters clash with police in Indian capital over brutal gang-rape

2012-12-23T21:51:00.000+05:30

Indian police fired tear gas, batons and water cannons against protesters in the capital New Delhi as thousands demanded the death penalty for five men who raped a 23-year-old student. Some of the demonstrators sustained injuries.

Crowds of protesters attempted to make their way to the presidential mansion at Raisina Hill and then tried to break through steel barricades surrounding a high-security zone where the presidential mansion, the prime minister’s office and various ministries are located.

The protesters carried banners that read 'Save women, save India' and 'Hang the rapists.' Police cracked down on the rally after some demonstrators began to throw stones at security forces.

Television footage aired by a local TV station showed protesters chanting "We want justice" as police struggled to control the crowd, who smashed flower pots and street decorations.

Police use water cannons to disperse demonstrators near the presidential palace during a protest rally in New Delhi December 22, 2012 (Reuters / Adnan Abidi)

The clashes come after days of protests sparked by a brutal attack on a young student. Protesters are demanding the death penalty for the five suspects, who were detained following the December 16 attack. The sixth assailant apprehended on Friday.

The group of men, who were drunk at the time, attacked the woman and her 28-year-old friend while on a charter bus that drove through the city for hours, even passing through police checkpoints. The assailants were armed with iron rods, and gang-raped the victim and brutally beat her and her friend. They were both then dumped on the side of the road on at high speed.

A policeman wields his baton against a demonstrator near the presidential palace during a protest rally in New Delhi December 22, 2012 (Reuters / Adnan Abidi)

Doctors at the hospital where the victim was taken said she remains in critical but stable condition, and has been removed from her ventilator.

The violence prompted activists to demand that the government tougher measures to protect women from the daily threat of harassment and violence. General Vijay Kumar Singh, a retired Indian army chief, called for the training and arming of security forces to deal with the issue.

Police use water cannons to disperse demonstrators near the presidential palace during a protest rally in New Delhi December 22, 2012 (Reuters / Adnan Abidi)

On Friday, Indian officials announced a broad campaign aimed at protecting the rights of women in New Delhi. The government also said it would demand life sentences for the woman's six attackers and pay the victims medical bills, and promised stricter policing to prevent future such incidents.

undreds of students and activists blockaded roads in New Delhi on Friday and marched to the president's palace, breaking through police barricades.

Authorities have called on activists to protest peacefully and to refrain from vandalizing government property. "The government is trying to do whatever it can to take measures and make sure that women are safe in the country," junior home minister R.P.N. Singh was quoted by India's CNN-IBN as saying.

Demonstrators shout slogans near the presidential palace during a protest rally in New Delhi December 22, 2012 (Reuters / Adnan Abidi)

New Delhi, with a population of nearly 17 million people, has the highest number of reported sex crimes of all India's cities. The number of reported rape cases in the capital has risen 17 percent from 2011, to 661 this year, government figures revealed. According to police statistics, a rape is reported on average every 18 hours, and a sexual assault occurs every 14 hours in the capital.

Police unleash water cannon towards demonstrators during a protest calling for better safety for women following the rape of a student last week, in front of the Government Secretariat and Presidential Palace in New Delhi on December 22, 2012 (AFP Photo / Raveendran)

A policeman wields his baton against a demonstrator near the presidential palace during a protest rally in New Delhi December 22, 2012 (Reuters / Adnan Abidi)

Demonstrators react as police unleash water cannon during a protest calling for better safety for women following the rape of a student last week, in front of the Government Secretariat and Presidential Palace in New Delhi on December 22, 2012 (AFP Photo / Raveendran)

Journalist killed as India gripped by anti-rape and anti-molestation protests

2012-12-23T21:32:00.000+05:30

An Indian demonstrator holds up a burning plank, part of a barricade, during a protest calling for better safety for women following the rape of a student last week, in front the India Gate monument in New Delhi on December 23, 2012 (AFP Photo / Sajjad Hussain)

A reporter was killed in eastern India as police fired on a violent rally which called for the arrest of a man accused of molesting a film star. In New Delhi, police used tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters angered over a recent gang-rape.

For a second consecutive day, India was gripped by protests over widespread violence and abuse against women in the country. The rallies continued despite a government-imposed ban on gatherings of five or more people in areas of unrest.

In India's eastern state of Manipur, local reporter Nanao Singh, 26, died at a hospital after sustaining deadly wounds from police gunfire. Security forces fired tear gas and rifles to break up a strike called by a film union, India’s NDTV reported. The strikers torched a police car, lit tires on fire, hurled stones at police and obstructed roads in a popular Christmas shopping area.

News of the death sparked further unrest across the state, and more vehicles were set ablaze. Authorities responded by re-imposing a just-lifted curfew.

Demonstrators in Manipur called for the arrest of militant Livingstone Anal, who allegedly molested local film star Momoko right on the stage as she performed at a concert on Tuesday. The strike began on Saturday and resulted in a curfew being imposed until Sunday morning.

In the capital New Delhi, thousands gathered for a second day of protest after police arrested six men who brutally beat and gang-raped a 23-year-old student.

Police used tear gas, water cannons and batons to hold back the swelling crowds, which consisted mostly of students and women. Around 35 people were injured in the New Delhi protests on Sunday, including several police officers.

Indian police fire tear gas at demonstrators during a protest calling for better safety for women following the rape of a student last week, in front the India Gate monument in New Delhi on December 23, 2012 (AFP Photo / Sajjad Hussain)

Protesters and police faced a standoff after ralliers attempted to march to the president’s mansion but ran into barricades and a wall erected by hundreds of law enforcement officers. The demonstrators tried to break down the barriers with steel rods and stones, but were eventually dispersed. Rioters also torched several cars and made bonfires, police said.

Indian police unleash water cannons on demonstrators during a protest calling for better safety for women following the rape of a student last week, in front the India Gate monument in New Delhi on December 23, 2012 (AFP Photo / Sajjad Hussain)

The protesters demanded that authorities take steps to protect women's rights; some also called for the rapists to be given the death penalty.

The crime took place a week ago, when the victim and her friend were attacked on a charter bus by a group of six drunken men armed with iron rods. After raping the girl for an hour, they dumped her and her beaten friend on the side of the road at high speed. The victim’s condition is still critical, but stable, doctors said.

Initial protests began on Saturday and continued into the night, prompting Indian National Congress President Sonia Ghandi to personally address the demonstrators short after midnight. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde also promised to consider the protesters' demands for the death penalty for all six men.

Indian demonstrators charge the riot police line as authorities unleash water cannon during a protest calling for better safety for women following the rape of a student last week, in front the India Gate monument in New Delhi on December 23, 2012 (AFP Photo / Sajjad Hussain)

Following the incident, Indian authorities pledged to ensure better police patrolling, install GPS on public transport, dispatch more buses at night and to speed up court proceedings for rape crimes.

Slow courts remain one of the reasons why rape is underreported in India. The major reason, however, is that families fear the stigma that might follow the victim and her relatives. Sky News interviewed a girl whose father committed suicide out of shame after her rapists posted pictures of their crime around her home village.

Crimes against women are on the rise in India, and public anger is growing at the authorities' apparent inability to stio them, analysts said.

Indian police baton charge demonstrators during a protest calling for better safety for women following the rape of a student last week, in front the India Gate monument in New Delhi on December 23, 2012 (AFP Photo / Sajjad Hussain)

Indian demonstrators set fire to wooden barricades during a protest calling for better safety for women following the rape of a student last week, in front the India Gate monument in New Delhi on December 23, 2012 (AFP Photo / Tenghur Bahar)

http://rt.com/news/india-rape-protest-killed-680/

Новый год в разных странах мира-New Year around the world.

2012-12-20T18:56:00.001+05:30

Исследователи выяснили, как встретят Новый год в разных странах мира.

В отличие от европейцев и американцев россияне чаще предпочитают праздновать новогодье дома

Судя по результатам исследования Synovate Comcon, россияне оказались едва ли не самыми большими домоседами в мире, по крайней мере встречать Новый год дома в кругу семьи собирается почти половина (47%) наших соотечественников, тогда как последовать их примеру собираются в среднем лишь треть (33%) жителей мира (подробнее смотрите диаграмму в приложении). В числе тех, кто чаще других остаются дома, японцы (56%), жители Южной Кореи (43%), венгры (42%) и американцы (42%).

Самым непопулярным в мире способом отметить наступление Нового года оказался ужин в ресторане — в России и Европе лишь 3% собираются праздновать таким образом, в США — 9%. И только в Индии и Китае так планируют поступить 29% и 21% респондентов соответственно.

Спать в ночь с 31 декабря на 1 января собирается каждый десятый (9%) житель планеты, в США — каждый восьмой (13%), в России — каждый 25-й (4%). Больше всего любителей поспать в Японии (23%), Австралии (19%), Китае (17%), США (13%), Канаде (11%) и Великобритании (11%).

Каждый десятый опрошенный планирует посмотреть фейерверк или принять участие в народном гулянии. В России доля таких людей несколько выше глобального среднего и составляет 15%. Самыми большими любителями новогодних фейерверков оказались индонезийцы (30%), жители Индии (23%), бразильцы (20%), австралийцы и респонденты из ЮАР (18%).

Онлайн-исследование Ipsos Public Affairs компания Synovate Comcon проводила осенью по заказу Reuters News в 24 странах мира. Было опрошено 18 500 респондентов, в том числе 500 — в России.

http://news.mail.ru/society/11375864/

Government boosts support for solar on buildings | Online News | Building

2012-12-19T14:21:00.001+05:30

Government boosts support for solar on buildings

when we have a challenging renewable energy target to meet.

The government has increased support for medium size solar installations on buildings following its review of the Renewables Obligation.

The scheme gives firms Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) for the renewable power they generate, which can then be traded in for a share of the cash paid by firms which fail to meet such obligations. But different renewable technologies attract different amounts of ROCs.

In September, the government proposed to lower support for large scale solar to 1.5 ROCs from its current level of 2 ROCs. But industry leaders have fought for the tariff to only be reduced to 1.8 ROCS.

Yesterday the government announced it would lower the subsidy to 1.6 ROCs and the planned reduction of the rate between 2013 and 2017 would be slower than previously proposed.

Plus, it created a new band for installations on buildings which will receive a higher subsidy of 1.7 ROCs. The government said the tariff would encourage “slow but steady deployment”.

Energy minister Greg Barker said the government had taken the decision because it had “listened to industry”.

“Our proposals for solar projects on commercial buildings will encourage businesses to consider solar PV as a serious option for meeting their power needs,” he added.

Paul Barwell, chief executive of the Solar Trade Association said there were “pros and cons” in the decision.

He said he was pleased the tariffs were higher than originally proposed and decreased more slowly. But he added: “It is difficult to understand why the government is aiming for ‘slow growth’ in this cost-effective technology when we have a challenging renewable energy target to meet.

19 December 2012 | By Vern Pitt
http://www.building.co.uk/sustainability/sustainability-news/government-boosts-support-for-solar-on-buildings/5047913.article?utm_source=STBLGnews&utm_medium=@buildingnews&utm_campaign=UBMTF#
Government boosts support for solar on buildings | Online News | Building

Seniors are building a house of straw in the Altai region

2012-12-19T11:56:00.000+05:30

Пенсионеры Вячеслав и Лариса Толстоуховы у своего дома в селе Казанцево Алтайского края.

Vyacheslav pensioners and Larissa Tolstoukhova outside his home in the village of Kazantsev Altai Territory.

Пенсионеры строят дом из соломы в Алтайском крае

Почти 15 тонн сухой травы было использовано в строительстве дома в Алтайском крае. Соломенные кирпичи хорошо сохраняют тепло и очень легкие. Технологию строительства Толстоуховы изучали по фильмам и обращались к барнаульским архитекторам.

Seniors are building a house of straw in the Altai region
Nearly 15 tons of dry grass was used in the construction of houses in the Altai region. Straw bricks retains heat well and are very light. Construction technology Tolstoukhova studied on film and turned to Barnaul architects.

http://news.mail.ru/foto/118721/

Spectacular Modern Interiors of Churches Around the World

2012-12-19T00:44:00.001+05:30

Spectacular Modern Interiors of Churches Around the World

French photographer Fabrice Fouillet has traveled the world, capturing beautifully majestic churches whose architecture strays from traditional examples of cathedrals. The religious grounds that Fouillet has specifically chosen to document, many of which were built in the decades following World War II, boast modern designs with a minimalist aesthetic. Fouillet composes each photograph in the same manner, placing the altar at the bottom and accentuating the height of each space. Though at first these establishments were criticized for their separation from customary structural appearances, they are wholly embraced today as breathtaking places of worship that celebrate religion in a modern era.

The photo series, titled Corpus Christi, features a number of churches that incorporate their own style of architectural design. However, despite having their own unique aesthetic, they share similarities in their deviations from typical, dated designs while retaining their respective establishments' pride in faith. There is an unmistakable presence of sharp, geometric forms in these houses of worship that is not prominent in typically Gothic churches. Yet, like most cathedrals, there is a wide expanse of vertical space, signifying a reach to the heavens and man's tiny stature in comparison to sacred greatness.

The photographer says, "Corpus Christi highlights the architectural aesthetic of the new places of worship and their hymn to minimalism, which has represented a genuine creative inspiration in modern religious architecture… [T]hey reveal a new conception of the sacred, a representation of the divine imbued with modernity… ."

First photo: Eglise St Martin-Donges (Colmar, Haut-Rhin, France)
Architect: Jean Dorian

Kirche am Hohenzollernplatz (Berlin, Germany)
Architect: Fritz Hoger

Santo Volto (Turin, Italy)
Architect: Mario Botta

Notre Dame du Chene (Viroflay, France)
Architect: Frères Sainsaulieu

St Mary of the Assumption (San Francisco, California, USA)
Architect: Pietro Belluschi

St Thérèse (Metz, France)
Architect: André Remondet

St Remy (Baccarat, France)
Architect: Nicolas Kasiz

Christie Auferstehung (Koln, Germany)
Architect: Gottfried Böhn

St Ludwig (Saarelouis, Germany)
Architect: Gottfried Böhn

St Antonius (Basel, Switzerland)
Architect: Karl Moser

St Engelbert (Köln, Germany)
Architect: Dominicus Böhm

Notred Dame de Royan (Royan, France)
Architect: Guillame Gillet

St Joseph (Le Havre, France)
Architect: Auguste Perret

St Paulus (Saarbrucken, Germany)
Architect: Fritz Thoma

mymodernmet

Chinese survival pods to defend against 'apocalypse'

2012-12-19T00:09:00.000+05:30

As believers across the globe prepare for the forecast Mayan apocalypse, a Chinese villager says he’s going to save humanity with his giant tsunami proof survival pods.

The pods are made using a fiberglass casing over a steel frame, cost $48,000 each to make and are equipped with oxygen tanks, food and water supplies. They also come with seat belts – essential for surviving in storms.

“The pod won’t have any problems even if there are 1,000 meter high waves, its like a ping pong ball, its skin may be thin but it can withstand a lot of pressure,” the balls’ creator Liu Qiyuan, told AFP from his workshop outside Beijing.

“The pods are designed to carry 14 people at a time, but it’s possible for 30 people to survive inside for at least two months,” insisted Liu

Indeed, their insulation is such that “a person could live for four months in the pod at the north or south pole without freezing,” Liu continued.

Liu explained that he was inspired into making the spheres after seeing the Hollywood disaster film “2012”, which is itself inspired by the expiry of the Mayan calendar on the 21st December 2012. The Mayans were an ancient American civilization whose 5000 year old calendar shortly ends.

“If there really is some kind of apocalypse then you could say I’ve made a contribution to the survival of humanity,”said Liu.

Farmer Liu Qiyuan posing with survival pods that he created and dubbed 'Noah's Arc', in the village of Qiantun, Hebei province, south of Beijing (AFP Photo / Ed Jones)

Despite their tough design Liu is yet to sell any of the pods and he’s worried about paying back the loans he took out to build them.

“I worked for many years without saving much money…invested most of my money in the pods, because it’s worth it, it’s about saving lives,” he said.

But Liu isn’t alone in his bid to save mankind. A businessman in China’s eastern Zhejiang province has built 21 similar spherical survival pods which he’s called “Noah’s Ark” and sells for 5 million yuan each.

While another Chinese man from the northwestern Xinjiang province invested all his life savings of $160,000 to build an ark in case his home is flooded out.

Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have sought to reassure citizens that the world is not going to end on December 21st. Beijing police have posted an online notice telling people that “the so-called end of the world is a rumor” and citizens should instead use “scientific concepts.”

Survival pods dubbed 'Noah's Arc' by their creator, farmer Liu Qiyuan, stand in a yard at his home in the village of Qiantun, Hebei province, south of Beijing on December 11, 2012 (AFP Photo / Ed Jones)

Farmer Liu Qiyuan posing with survival pods that he created and dubbed 'Noah's Arc', in the village of Qiantun, Hebei province, south of Beijing (AFP Photo / Ed Jones)

Farmer Liu Qiyuan sits inside one of seven survival pods that he has also dubbed 'Noah's Arc', in a yard at his home in the village of Qiantun, Hebei province, south of Beijing on December 11, 2012 (AFP Photo / Ed Jones)

Farmer Liu Qiyuan poses among survival pods that he built and has also dubbed 'Noah's Arc', in a yard at his home in the village of Qiantun, Hebei province, south of Beijing on December 11, 2012 (AFP Photo / Ed Jones)

Farmer Liu Qiyuan posing with survival pods that he created and dubbed 'Noah's Arc', in the village of Qiantun, Hebei province, south of Beijing (AFP Photo / Ed Jones)

http://rt.com/news/apocalypse-china-survival-pods-004/

Plants in space: Gravity not needed to orient root growth.

2012-12-18T21:16:00.000+05:30

Plant growth is not as dependent on gravity as previously thought, according to new research from the University of Florida.

In a study published in the current issue of the journal BMC Plant Biology, researchers found for the first time that roots display normal movements used to get around rocks and obstacles even when there is no gravity.

The movements, known as waving and skewing, were thought to be due to gravity pulling on roots as they sample their growing surface with touch, said Anna-Lisa Paul, one of the study’s lead authors and a UF horticultural sciences research associate professor.

“The skewing and waving of roots has always been thought to dependent on gravity, but as the images from our experiment started to come down from the International Space Station in early 2010, it was clear that gravity was not required after all,” said Paul, a member of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

“Roots in space make these same kinds of movements and choices that you see on the ground,” she said.

The findings are important, said Rob Ferl, the study’s other lead author and a UF/IFAS horticultural sciences professor, because they provide fundamental insight into how roots interact with their environment and suggest that plants could likely be cultivated in reduced-gravity environments, such as space stations or the moon.

“As space agriculturalists, we really want to know that when we move to the moon, when we move to Mars, which don’t have the same amount of gravity that we have, can we still grow plants? Will their roots still work right in a fractional gravity environment?” Ferl said. “And the answer is yes, definitely.”

For the study, the researchers grew Wassilweskija and Columbia varieties of Arabidopsis thaliana, plants related to mustard that scientists often use as model plants for research, on both the ISS in zero gravity and on Earth.

The plants were grown in a nutrient-rich agar solution in specialized chambers developed by Kennedy Space Center engineers that allowed a high-resolution camera to photograph plant growth every six hours. For the plants in space and on Earth, images were transmitted to the researchers for real-time analysis.

The chamber housing the plants on the ground was set to provide the same temperature and environmental conditions experienced by the plants in orbit.

Although differences in root growth were recorded between the plants on Earth and the plants in space, overall, root growth behaviors were generally similar.

Both varieties demonstrated growth away from the seed and typical patterns of skewing, which means to grow at a slant away from a purely vertical direction, and waving, which means to grow in tight, alternating curves. For example, Wassilweskija roots skewed strongly to the right in space while Columbia roots slightly skewed to the left, just as they do on Earth.

Paul said in the absence of gravity, perhaps the plant is responding to another directional cue, such as the overhead light source.

“The space flight environment is absolutely outside the evolutionary experience of any organism on the face of the planet,” Paul said. “It was very intriguing for to us to realize there is an evolutionary adaptation for roots to grow away from the seed to find the nutrients and water the plant needs to survive in the absence of gravity.”

The experiments were launched in 2010 and returned on space shuttle Endeavour on June 1, 2011.

NASA funded the research. Claire E. Amalfitano, who was a biological scientist in Ferl’s lab, is also an author of the study.

Cow, Sheep,Buffalo, Goat-INDIA, WORLD’S LARGEST LIVESTOCK OWNER

2012-12-18T20:38:00.001+05:30

European Pressphoto AgencyFarmers thrashing paddy along with cows in a village, on the outskirts of Guwahati, Assam.

At the United Nations climate talks in Doha this week, India opposed any move that would require developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.

With an estimated 485 million cattle, goat, buffalo and sheep, India has the most livestock in the world, and it is the second largest producer of methane in the world after China. Methane, a byproduct of livestock’s digestive process, is the second most abundant greenhouse gas, after carbon dioxide, and it traps 25 times more heat than carbon dioxide does.

Agriculture is too important to India to ask farmers to change their practices now, Indian representatives said in Doha.

“Agriculture is not only a source of economic growth but also a source of livelihood for millions of people,” R.R. Rashmi, a senior negotiator from India, told delegates. A majority of developing countries agreed that agriculture-related emissions – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide — should not be included in the gases nations are being asked to commit to cut. Instead, they’d like discussions on the topic to focus on how to help poor farmers affected by climate change.

India’s methane emissions have grown from 18.85 million metric tons in 1985 to 20.56 million in 2008, according to a study by P.R. Shukla published in the journal Atmospheric Environment. The agriculture sector contributed 83 percent of methane emissions, by way of livestock, manure use and rice production, according to the study.

Scientists have suggested alternative methods of cultivation and water management to reduce methane emissions from rice. One, called intermittent irrigation, involves draining rice fields midseason, along with occasional irrigation. In a 2009 study, the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute said the system could reduce methane emissions by 40 percent.

Biswaranjan Rout/Associated PressA farmer inspecting a field on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, Orissa.

Indian officials, however, say it is difficult to see how the country’s diverse agricultural practices could be subjected to an organized program of emissions reduction, and they don’t want to put farmers at risk by asking them to deviate from their traditional practices.

About 60 percent of India’s 600 million farmers rely almost entirely on rainfall for irrigation and cannot risk draining their fields, Indian experts say. Their vulnerability is only being exacerbated as monsoon patterns in the country change, a development attributed to climate change.

“We are working on adaptation as far as rice cultivation is concerned,” said Meera Mehrishi, head of the Indian delegation to Doha. “But that’s going to take time.” India can’t ask farmers to also try to alter the way they handle their livestock at the same time, she said.

Methane emissions from cows can be reduced by altering their diet. Scientists say that livestock fed on grains such as barley, corn and wheat produce less methane than grass-fed cattle. In India, however, most farmers cannot afford to buy fodder, and cows mostly graze.

“Our animals are not stall-fed,” Ms. Mehrishi said. “So it’s very difficult for us to control any emissions” from livestock.

India’s Space Application Center, in a 2009 study based on 2003 data, found methane emissions from livestock to be 11.75 million metric tons a year, an increase from 9 million in 1994. The Ahmedabad-based institute in 2009put average methane emissions from rice cultivation at 3.38 million metric tons per year.

In the two-week Doha talks, developing nations have mostly worked together, pushing for developed nations to honor previous commitments and do more to fund climate-change efforts in developing countries. Divisions within the developing countries have emerged on agricultural issues, though.

Gambia, representing the so-called least developed countries, proposed a focus on reducing agricultural emissions, rather the just helping farmers deal with the effects of climate change. But China and other nations from the developing bloc prevailed.

Bangladesh, which wants quick action and funds for agriculture-related changes to cut emissions, expressed disappointment that disagreements had postponed discussions on the topic to the next round of talks, in Bonn, Germany, in May.

“Agriculture is the backbone of Bangladesh’s economy,” with 160 million people dependent on farming, said Quamrul Chowdhury, a senior negotiator from Bangladesh. “It is unfortunate that we could not reach consensus at this level.”

While developed countries have greater agricultural output, developing countries have more farmers who would be affected by moves to cut carbon-related emissions, some experts say.

Ram Kishan, a livelihood analyst with Christian Aid, a British antipoverty organization, said it was still unclear whether developed or developing countries produce more emissions from agriculture. He said the intensive agriculture practiced in developed countries, using mechanized farming equipment and advanced irrigation systems, has the potential to emit more than small-scale agriculture does.

Agriculture-related emissions first became part of the climate-change talks in Durban, South Africa, in 2011. Some activists call that a mistake. “Developing countries should have killed the move in Durban,” Mr. Kishan said.

By BETWA SHARMA

http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/05/india-worlds-largest-livestock-owner-balks-at-farming-gas-curbs-in-doha/

Diaoyu Islands 'completely normal' Japan-China

2012-12-18T09:42:00.000+05:30

Surveillance plane over Diaoyu Islands 'completely normal'

China on Thursday said its marine surveillance plane flying over the Diaoyu Islands was "completely normal."

Abe 'must change' to build ties

Abe acts tough on islands disputes with China

Relations with China important for Japan: Abe

China defends sovereignty of airspace over Diaoyu

Timeline

Sept 16: Beijing announced it will submit a partial submission concerning the outer limits of the continental shelf to the United Nations in its latest move to defend its maritime sovereignty.

Sept 15: The China's State Oceanic Administration released the exact longitude and latitude of the Diaoyu Island and 70 of its affiliated islets, in a new move to affirm China's sovereignty.

Sept 14: China sent its maritime surveilance ships to waters around Diaoyu Islands.

Sept 11: The Japanese government has exchanged the official contract on the purchase of Diaoyu Islands with Kurihara family whom the Japanese side called "the private owner".

Sept 10: Chinese FM Yang Jiechi urgently summoned Japanese Ambassador to China for a meeting to lodge solemn representations.

Background

History of Diaoyu Islands

The Diaoyu Islands, which lie in the East China Sea between China and Japan have belonged to China since ancient times.

The islands have appeared on maps of China since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Fishermen from Taiwan and Fujian and other provinces have fished and collected herbs in this area for many generations. Records about the islands were published in a book during the rule of Ming emperor Yong Le (1403-1424), more than 400 years before Japan says it discovered the Diaoyu islands in 1884.

Geologically, the islands are attached to Taiwan. The waters around the islands are 100 to 150 meters deep and there is a 2,000-meter-deep oceanic trench between the islets and Okinawa islands.

The islands have appeared on maps of China since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Fishermen from Taiwan and Fujian and other provinces have fished and collected herbs in this area for many generations.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012Diaoyu/node_1089381.htm

Mayan-Tamil Tikal தீகல் City!

2012-12-18T00:24:00.001+05:30

தீகல் Tikal

/ Group G / Temple VI / Tikal Gallery / Tikal's Dynastic Line சிதம்(பரம்)

The most famous of all Maya sites, Tikal was also the Economic andwarfare Super Power of The Classic Maya world, and the largest City in América during the Classic era (250 to 900 AD), when it was known as Mutul or Yax Mutul, meaning Great (Green) Bundle, (Emblem Glyph to left), although Tikal was occupied since the Pre Classic, the site importance grew after the Mirador basin's large Pre Classic sites where abandoned. It was the Super Power among the Maya city-states, and it's major rivals were Calakmul, the Hix Witz Polity, La Corona and Waka´to the northwest, Caracol and El Naranjo to the east and Dos Pilas to the south , warfare with these cities were mainly between 560 and 700 AD. Its strongest allies, that formed a polity or "Mutul Cuchcabal" were Uaxactún, Yaxhá, Naachtún,Nakúm, and also had strong ties with Polol, Ceibal, Quiriguá, Piedras Negras,Río Azul, Copán and Kaminal Juyú in the Central Highlands. This site is located north east of Flores, Petén, in the Tikal National Park, that was created in 1955; it was the first national park in Guatemala and it was declared in 1979 as the world's first UNESCO World Heritage Monument. It also was the first mix one, in 1984, (Natural and Archeological, World Monument in the world, now there are 23). Tikal is a Large Mayan city, that started to be occupied from 800 BC until 900 AD and is surrounded by a pristine Tropical Forest, the area of the city itself is 122 Km² (52 sq. miles), with only 16 Km². mapped, and more than 4000 structures identified to date, the Natural Park is 576 Km². (142,080 acres). The founder of the Classic dynasty was, Yax Eb’-Xok, or Step-Shark, who is believed to have acceded to power ca. 90 A.D. With the ascension of Siyah K'ahk' (Fire is Born) in 378 AD, Tikal conquered Uaxactún in a well documented "Star War", and emerged as the Superpower in the Classic Maya world. (Martin and Grube 2000:27). (For a better explanation in Tikal's ancient History see Tikal's Dynastic Line, Maya Warfare and Maya Collapse).

The pyramids at Tikal, are turned to face one another, and the rooms which are built at the top of the pyramid have depressions in the stone walls that serve as amplifiers of the voice which are broadcast in all directions. At the top of the pyramid the Ahau acquired god-likequalities. The design of the Mayan architects is expressed in its fullness. Due to the stone resonators, the voice of a person at the top of one pyramid, speaking at a normal volume, can be heard by another person standing at the top of another pyramid some astonishing distance away.

    The Park has a visitor’s centre witch we suggest that you visit first, it has a scale model of the uncovered part of the city and there you can plan your tour, there are guides available in English, Spanish, French, Italian and German languages. It also hosts the Stone museum, with 26 stelas and altars carved monuments with 577 years in history, (from 292 A.D. to 869 A.D) as well as the stone made “Hombre de Tikal”

If you want to enjoy all that Tikal (Hide Place or Place where the Gods Speak the name given by Morley on 1863), has to offer, we suggest to start your visit in following the Méndez Causeway to the Temple VI or Inscriptions Temple, named that way, because it has the largest Hieroglyphic inscriptions in the Mayan world, and narrates the dynastic history of Tikal, it was build on 766 AD. In Temple VI, archaeologists found a huge hieroglyphic text with 186 glyphs measuring 80 cm (2 feet high) by 1 meter (3 feet wide) each, that records major events in Tikal's history and glorifies events during Yaxk'in Ca'an Chac or Yax'kin's reign. As a result of this information archaeologists have learned about Tikal's early history, back to 457 B.C., In the front of the temple, You can see the Stela 21 and altar 9. It will take you around 25 minutes from the main entrance to go there but, because it is the more distant big structure from the Central Plaza, if you go the other way, maybe you will feel too tired to go there in the afternoon. The path is surrounded by the jungle, and there is a goof chance to watch monkeys during your walk.   From there you'll go to the Group G or Acanaladuras Palace, a very distinctive, 2 stories, Late Classic Palace, composed by 23 Structures, that its worthwhile visiting, it has 11 different chambers, in the main building and is unique in the Mayan World, then you should proceed to Temple V, a large Pyramid build on 750 AD, that is 191 foot (59 mt.) High, that you can climb and has a very beautiful view of the others big structures of Tikal, the porpoise of this building remains a mystery, it is not a tomb like the other big pyramids in Tikal and has only a small room in the top. At the right side you will see what appears to be a little mountain, but it is a still jungle-covered temple, that you can appreciate in the visitors centre. In front of this temple is one of the main water reservoirs of Tikal, now dry.

From Temple V you will go to the Seven Temples Plaza, with its triple ball fields, a unique feature in the Maya World, and in structure 5D-91, you can see large human heads made from stucco, as well as several Stelas and Altars, The Plaza of Seven Temples, so called because of the seven Late Classic Period temples, is one of the most attractive in Tikal, although the origin of the group may be traced back to the Preclassic Period. Many palaces to the south and west surround this spacious plaza; being quiet and secluded it is a great spot for bird watching, as is the adjacent Lost World, Facing the ball courts are three Late Classic Palaces. The largest of the Seven Temples, the middle one, is decorated with crossed bones in the back and has a plain stela in front.

Pa' Chan (Probably Yaxchilán or El Zotz) Lord, Son of a Calakmul Lord, captured by Hasaw Chan K'awil in 695 AD. Bone at Tikal museum.

Then you go to Mundo Perdido or Lost World, the oldest in the site. Covering an area of 60,000 metres2, the Lost World comprises 38 structures, one of which is the Preclassic Complex for Astronomical Commemoration. This compound is the most ancient ensemble of Maya structures in a harmonious arrangement associated with theobservation of the stars, including the cycles of Venus and the Sun, as well as solstices and equinoxes, it has al the requirements for a "Group E". The main structure 5C-54 (the Great Pyramid of the Lost World) is a four-sided structure standing 30 meters high, and displaying masks and stairways on all four sides, which never bore a temple at the summit, was built over four other pyramids, the oldest of which was constructed in 800 B.C. The people of Tikal preserved this piece of their early history. Most other buildings from this time period had other structures built over of them. Being a special building, they kept up the appearance of this building with fresh paint and plaster. Some of the most delicate examples of ceramic pottery and Jade artwork were recovered here by the Guatemalan archaeological team of the "Proyecto Nacional Tikal" and are on display at the National Museum in Guatemala City as well at the site's museum. An important feature here is an early image of a Hero Twin painted on the wall of the South Patio of Group 6C-XVI. The Guatemalan archaeologists, Laporte and Fialko named this panel the Mural de los Jugadores, (Ball Players Mural). The mural depicts the great mythic ball game, pitting the Hero Twins against the Lords of the Otherworld. Examining the iconography, we can easily see the headband and yoke which help to identify him as a Twin. Part of his regalia is a death’s eye collar and an upside-down olla (ak’bal pot), from which descends a snake. Although the collar and do not constitute the normal costume of the Hero Twins, they play an important role in recognizing cognates of the Twins. It also has Stucco masks half Jaguar and half Human, representing either the Sun and Xibalbá, or the "Way", or animal companion of the men. From the lost world, you also have a beautiful sight of the 60 mt high Temple III Roof Comb (The finest of all the Temples in Tikal), and the last big structure to be build.

Then you go to Temple IV, (Under reconstruction) build on 740 AD and the Tallest building in Tikal at 212 feet high (64 mt.)     from the base of the platform supporting its pyramid to the top of its roof comb, is also called the "Two headed Serpent Temple", (due to a wooden lintel depicting a serpent with two heads), erected by  Yax k'in Ca'an Chac son of  Hasaw Chan Kawi'l (AD 682-734) or Ah Cacao buried (burial 116) at Temple I (The Great Jaguar Temple). He was the conqueror of Calakmul and Dos Pilas in the so called, Star Wars of the Classic Mayas, described in the hieroglyphic stairway in Dos Pilas. The sight from the top is unique and is the one that you have seen in the first Star Wars picture. 191,139 m³ (250000 cubic yards), were needed to build this Temple and its supporting platform. From there, you should proceed to the central plaza visiting first the Group N, a "Twin Pyramid Complex", and the Temple III, (Not Reconstructed yet), build ca 810 AD, tomb of Chitam II, maybe the last powerful ruler, It has a carved wooden lintel, almost intact, depicting a central personage clothed in jaguar skin. A 2 story structure named Palacio de los Murciélagos (Bats Palace), on the Tozzer Causeway, thought to be the main residential building, before the Central Acropolis was build, and was transformed in an administrative one.

Arriving then to a restrooms area, just before the Central Plaza with its two Big Temples, Temple I or Great Jaguar, 44 mt. (144 ft) high, the tomb of Hasaw Chan Kawi'l and Temple II or Masks Temple, 38 mt. (125 ft) high, and tomb of Lajchan Mo' or Lady Twelve Macaw his wife who died 704 A.D. Numerous monumental Stelas in the Great Plaza bear glyphic inscriptions about historic events. From these, and other inscriptions on wooden lintels, we know that Temple I was built for the 26th ruler of Tikal, Hasaw Chan Kawi'l. A wooden lintel, records his greatest victory, the capture of the Tok Pakal (War Emblem), of Calakmul on Agust 5, 695 AD. The building date is unknown, as it is unclear if Hasaw Chan Kawi'l built it before his death or if his son, Yaxhk'in Ca'an Chac, constructed it in honor of his deceased father. The North Acropolis, with its 69 mt. long stairways, that lead to small temples with several burials, and giant stucco masks, the burial 22 is the oldest king found to date, (Str 5D-26, Chak Tok Ich’aak or great Jaguar Paw, 9th lord of Tikal). The North Acropolis was, for most of Tikal's history, the focus of the city's religious architecture and the preferred place of burial for rulers, with dozens of overlaid tombs dating back well into the Preclassic period Structure 5D-33 contained the burial of Tikal's most illustrious Early Classic ruler, Siyah Cha'an K'awil I or Stormy Sky I. His tomb is overlaid with several other shrines, built by later rulers, to further commemorate Stormy Sky's reign and enhance their connections to him.

Main Plaza

Structure 5D-22 that dates to the Early Classic, it was covered by the now dismantled Temple 33 the tallest structure in the North Acropolis. Its stairway sides are adorned with large plaster masks of Chaac, the rain god. In front of theNorth Acropolis is the South Acropolis, also used for burials before the construction of the big Temples, at the left of the Great Jaguar there is small ceremonial ball court (This particular court is very small, and may have served a symbolic purpose, or perhaps it was used for an unknown one-on-one version of the ballgame). Then you can go to the south acropolis, that has several palaces and other structures not yet reconstructed.

The Central Acropolis, has 45 structures, including palaces, administrative buildings, and 6 patios. This is a complex of range-type structures that grew from the Late Preclassic until construction halted permanently in the Terminal Classic period. Most of its buildings are of the so-called palace type, probably used for daily functions of the royal court. Teobert Mahler used certain buildings adjoining this plaza as a residence during his 1895 and 1904 excavations at Tikal (`Mahler's Palace`), which may have influenced Alfred Tozzer to later theorize that these buildings originally had a residential function. Among the main structures there is The Palace of"Chak Tok Ich'aak I" or Great Jaguar Paw I (St. 5D-46) is one of the oldest and was preserved by the rulers that succeed him, and a 5 story Palace. சிதம்

Then you can go to a rest area, next to the Group F, 4 structures in a large platform, until covered that was the commercial or market area, there are another grups called Complex H, M, N, O, P, Q and R, to the north of the North Acropolis, that You can visit taking the Mahler Causeway, and enjoying the nature and if you keep quiet, some of the Fauna, while going out, being Complexes N, O and Q three of The 7 twin Pyramid complexes in Tikal, with several well preserved Stelas and Altars, (the famous Altar 5 was found in Complex N, dedicated by Hasaw Cha'an Káwil), that The Maya erected to commemorate the ending of a K'atún (20 Years), with an Stela (22) and Altar (10) depicting the last Great king Chitam, (Yax Nuun Ayiin II), whom dedicated this complex in 771 AD, in a shrine to the right of the two pyramids (Complex Q, right picture), The structure 3D-43, in Complex P is the one that has the largest rooms in Tikal, and also many examples of ancient graffiti, this complex was dedicated by Yax'kin, on May 7, 751 AD,   Then proceed to the exit, and the restaurants' area, or take the Maudslay causeway and go to the exit were you can visit the ceramic museum "Sylvannus Griswold Morley", that includes, Hasaw Cha'an K'awiil's Burial 116, recreation, and learn more and appreciate the beautiful Sculptures, Polychrome ceramics or the Jade masks, obsidian, conch and ceramic art work, among other objects found in the burials (More than 180) and other findings in Tikal.

  The last date recorded here is AD 869, and the city was abandoned not much later. The last king of Tikal, Hasaw Cha'an K'awiil II, who ruled from 869 up to 889?, seems to have attempted to reestablish royal power and he is mentioned at Ceibal, but the political climate was now dramatically transformed and the last mention of this king is from a stela erected in 889 at Uaxactún.

On the Natural Side, there are 11 different types of forest classified there, due to the micro-climes, that range from tropical and subtropical humid to tropical dry forest with at least 185 different tree species, 32 micro-biota species, 352 bird species, including 60 endangered, such as the Cojolita, Red Chest Falcon, the Crested and Harpy Eagles, the Faison, 3 Macaw Sub species and several parrot and parakeets species. There are also 105 reptile species, including 50 serpent sp. and 25 amphibious species.

There are 102 mammals species including felines like the Jaguar (70 individuals estimated, 2005), Cougar, Jaguarundi, Ocelot, Margay and Onza, Grey Fox, 60 different species of Bats, big species like Tapir, White Tail Deer, and Peccary (wild boar), and of course Spider as well as black and brownHowling monkeys, witch are very easy to see and hear all over the park, there are also, 535 different butterflies, 90 unique to the area.

The park is open daily from 7 AM to 6 PM, the fee is Q. 50 for foreigners, an additional Q. 20 fee is necessary to visit the museums, it is 60 paved Km. away from the Flores city area, and there are several options to go there from Flores. The buses start departing Flores at 5 AM, and initiate the return at 2 PM each half hour, charging Q 60 for the round trip. Several car rentals, are available in the International Airport.

If you prefer to stay more than the day, and experience the unique sunset and the jungle and bright night skies in Tikal, there are 3 hotels in the Park. You also can go camping, (a "must" in full moon), to go to the ruins at night, request permission in the Park's Administration, close to the Museums. (Electricity will go out at 10 PM).

Flights from Guatemala City to Flores (45 minutes), are available on a daily basis, as well as non-stop good quality Bus transportation (8 hours). The flights from Belize to Flores were cancelled due to the lack of compliance with the FAA regulations of the two Belizean airlines, in November 2007, TAG and TACA are trying to take this route, and the Belizean Maya Air is working in its quality standards. Flights from Cancún are available with two airlines, and Continental flies direct from Houston, twice a week. The new International Airport Terminal is under construction, and expected to be finished by 2008's summer.

http://www.authenticmaya.com/tikal1.htm

Wild weather kills us-Climate change Water, Fire, Wind....life?

2012-12-17T10:46:00.001+05:30

http://www.washingtonpost.com/conversations/wild-weather-of-2012/2012/12/15/73091eac-3fc7-11e2-ae43-cf491b837f7b_gallery.html?hpid=z8#photo=22

Aug. 23, 2012

Cows are herded through pasture along the Bagodra-Limdi highway, about 40 miles from Ahmedabad, India. Thousands of cattle from drought hit regions of Saurashtra and Kutch districts are migrating to green pastures in search of food and water due to drought-like conditions. This year's monsoon has been more than 20 percent below its average, sparking fears of drought among farmers who remember vividly the failure of 2009, when India suffered its worst drought in nearly four decades.
Sam Panthaky / AFP/Getty Images

European deep freeze

A woman looks out of a window covered in frost on a bus in on Feb. 2 in Bucharest, Romania. Eastern Europe started the year with a week-long deep freeze that killed more than 100 people, many of them homeless.

Vadim Ghirda / AP

Mayan-Tamil Calendars Actually Predict That Life Goes On

2012-12-16T22:04:00.001+05:30

Tortuguero Monument Six, supposedly predicting the "end of the world" in December, actually tells the life and battles of a ruler.

This December, not everyone is concerned with making plans for the New Year—especially not the people who think doomsday will get here first. Instead of planning parties, they're stockpiling food, refining escape routes, and honing survival skills ahead of the alleged date on which the Maya calendar "ends"—December 21, 2012.

So should we all be preparing for imminent apocalypse? According to the scholars, no.

The ancient Maya are usually cited as the predictors of the world coming to an end this month: One of their "great cycles" supposedly ends now. But the Maya were brilliant mathematicians and fantastic record keepers. They didn't have just one calendar. They developed many different kinds, including a cyclical solar calendar and a sacred almanac. They also measured time with something known as the Long Count, which were great cycles of 5,000 years.

Somewhere along the way a rumor spread about the current great cycle, indicating it ends on December 21, 2012. This sparked the belief among some that the last of our days are upon us.

Rebirth

It's not the first time that the possibility of apocalypse has sparked the human imagination. Doomsday prophecies have a rich history, and believers tend to overlook the scientific evidence that disproves them. In this case, the doomsdayers fail to take into account the intricacies of Maya timekeeping.

"There's only one [Maya] monument that even has the 2012 date on it," says Maya scholar Ricardo Agurcia, adding that apocalypse anticipators are ignoring that according to the Maya, when one great cycle ends, another begins. "It's about rebirth, not death." (Read about the rise and fall of the Maya in National Geographic magazine.)

Indeed, the Maya predicted the world would most certainly not end in 2012. Earlier this year, archaeologist and National Geographic Grantee William Saturno discovered a series of numbers painted on the walls at a Maya complex in Guatemala. The calculations included dates that go far into the future. "The ancient Maya predicted the world would continue, that 7,000 years from now, things would be exactly like this," he said in a press release. (See ultra-high-resolution, zoomable pictures from inside a newfound Maya chamber.)

"We keep looking for endings. The Maya were looking for a guarantee that nothing would change. It's an entirely different mindset." (Watch: Mysterious Maya Calendar and Mural Uncovered.)

It Came From Outer Space?

That should be enough to soothe Maya-inspired worries about doomsday scenarios. But what about other potential agents of catastrophe—coronal mass ejections, a "killer planet," polar shifts?

On these possibilities, NASA can shed some light. On his blog Ask an Astrobiologist, NASA space scientist David Morrison has fielded some 5,000 questions about doomsday 2012. People want to know about the existence of Nibiru, or Planet X, and whether it's coming to destroy Earth or not. Others inquire about alignment of the heavenly bodies, shifting of the magnetic poles, and bursting of solar flares. In a YouTube video, Morrison said, "There is no threat to Earth in 2012. Nibiru does not exist. There are no special forces when planets align. Don't worry about 2012, and enjoy 2013 when it comes."

Despite this emphatic professional pushback, anxiety over our impending demise persists. According to an article in the New York Times, a number of Russians have fallen under the apocalypse spell, snatching up essentials as December 21st approaches. The story also cites apprehension in southern France, where certain camps believe Bugarach mountain has the power to protect in a doomsday scenario.

In the United States, doomsday preparers have help from people like Larry Hall, who is building underground luxury "survival condos" in Kansas missile silos leftover from the Cold War era. Careful not to judge anyone's reason for worry, he said, "I'm not saying you're right or you're wrong. I'm just trying to have a one-size-fits-all solution to whatever your threats may be."

Catherine Zuckerman knows her apocalypses. She is author of National Geographic's e-book "Doomsday 2012," which examines the enduring fascination with doomsday predictions.

Catherine Zuckerman
National Geographic News
Published December 13, 2012

Photograph by Gilberto Villasana, AFP/Getty Images
Maya Calendars Actually Predict That Life Goes On