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Wimbledon……A Flashback !!!!

June 22, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

They are the kind of outfits neither Maria Sharapova nor Serena Williams would be seen dead in.

But the 1922 Wimbledon Women’s Singles final between Suzanne Lenglen and Molla Mallory was altogether more modest affair by the looks of it.

The French player Lenglen even turned up wearing a fur coat. It must have brought her some good luck – she went on to win 6-2, 6-0.

The image is part of a collection of rare and unseen photographs from the early days of the world’s most famous tennis tournament.
Smash hit: The finalists Suzanne Lenglen of France (right) and Molla Mallory of the USA (left) line up before the big match

Smash hit: The finalists Suzanne Lenglen of France (right) and Molla Mallory of the USA (left) line up before the big match

In action: French player Suzanne Lenglen went on to win the Women's Singles final in 1922. Outfits in the ladies' game have got somewhat racier since then

In action: French player Suzanne Lenglen went on to win the Women’s Singles final in 1922. Outfits in the ladies’ game have got somewhat racier since then

Entertaining: Suzanne Lenglen shows the players were just as athletic and competitive

Fair play: Australian tennis players Gerald Patterson and James Anderson hold up their mascots before their men's singles semi-final. Patterson went on to lose in the final

Fair play: Australian tennis players Gerald Patterson and James Anderson hold up their mascots before their men’s singles semi-final. Patterson went on to win the title

Rain stops play: In the days before Centre Court's retractable roof, fans had to wait patiently for clear skies to see their heroes

Rain stops play: In the days before Centre Court’s retractable roof, fans had to wait patiently for clear skies to see their heroes

Popular: The tournament drew huge numbers of fans who can be seen in their finest attire for a day out in SW19

Landmark: 1922 was the first year Wimbledon was held at its present Church Road location

Fast forward to 2013 and the outfits may have got a little racier, and the tennis a lot faster, but the inclement British weather still has the ability to play havoc with the tournament schedule.

Thankfully the forecast for this year’s tournament, which starts on Monday, looks positive with dry and sunny weather expected for much of the week.

Britain’s Andy Murray will be hoping to go one better after losing in last year’s final to Roger Federer.

And the World Number Two will be upbeat after winning Queen’s last week and a draw which means he will avoid Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals.
source:::::mailonline.com

Dazzling….Never Before Seen Images From the Archives of National Geographic !!!

June 22, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

Dreamscape: A replica of the Mayflower sails into New York Harbor with a welcoming fleet, November 1957

National Geographic has earned a reputation as the epicenter of some of the world’s finest photojournalism, but few people known that the renowned magazine also has built up a vast collection of unpublished breathtaking images over the years.

To mark the magazine’s 125th birthday this year, its editors launched a Tumblr account to highlight some of the hidden gems that for one reason or another have been lingering in its photographic vaults.

The project aptly named ‘FOUND’ is NatGeo’s photostream, culled from its sprawling treasury of unpublished vintage prints.

Otherworldly beauty: Buckets of iron ore are transported to a major steelworks in Hunedoara, Romania, November 1975

Horsing around: This 1957 print of teenagers running and playing on large white sand dunes in New Mexico ended up in National Geographic's vast collection of unpublished photos

Horsing around: This 1957 print of teenagers running and playing on large white sand dunes in New Mexico ended up in National Geographic’s vast collection of unpublished photos

Among the previously unreleased photos are some true masterpieces, like the otherworldly sight of the Mayflower replica sailing into 1950s New York under the shadow of a zeppelin overhead, or the simple beauty of buckets of iron being transported to a steelworks in Romania in 1975 set against the dreamlike background of golden clouds fit for a Canaletto painting.

Other prints in the photographic backlog include a whimsical shot of women in 1960s London using compact mirrors to catch a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth II, and a print showing a group of teens horsing around on a sand dune in New Mexico back in the 50s.

The curator of the Tumblr account, young NatGeo designer Web Barr, explained that he chose this medium to release the once-forgotten images into the world in the hopes that a broad audience of people will be able to enjoy, appreciate and share them with others.

Barr compared the FOUND Tumblr to NatGeo’s Instagram account, which photographers working for the magazine use to upload pictures from the field.

To put the project together, Barr and a team of NatGeo staffers sifted through the magazine’s 11.5 million collection of prints, searching for unique, visually striking and slightly offbeat images that are in keeping with the magazine’s overall aesthetic.

Royal treatment: Women use compact mirrors in packed crowd to catch sight of Queen Elizabeth II in London, June 1966

Rustic: A man feeds donkey sulla flowers and foliage from its own load near Gangi, Sicily, Italy, January 1955

After spending decades collecting dust in the storage, many of the forgotten prints lack even the most basic information, so the team behind FOUND are hoping to harness the power of the masses to fill those gaps.

Tumblr users are encouraged to provide information on any of the images, and the staffers behind the photostream say they have already received a lot of feedback. In the future, they plan to feature the stories behind individual prints.
source:::::mailonline.com

Natarajan

Best Of National Geographic Photo Collection ….

June 22, 2013June 22, 2013Natarajan1 Comment

Lion’s leap, by guide Brendon Cremer. Photographed at Duba Plains, Okavango, Botswana.

Buffalo herd chases lion, by guide Carl Walker. Photographed at Zuka, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. A buffalo herd interrupted a mating pair of lions. The pride male took offense at this and attempted to charge the herd males. They were oblivious to his growling and paw-thumping and chased him off.

Knee-deep, by Dana Allen. If you are a Red Lechwe (Kobus leche) the flood waters of the Okavango are your friend. Not only do these antelope thrive on aquatic plant species but the knee-deep marshy water provides them with excellent protection from predators who are unable to match their speed and agility in this aquatic environment. (photosafari-africa.net)

Inquisitive chimp, by Andy Biggs. Photographed in the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania. (andybiggs.com)

A new generation, by Brendon Cremer. “A new generation of African jacana feed along a water lilly bank on the Chobe River, Botswana.”

The Chase 3, by Frederick van Heerden. Photographed at Etosha National Park, Namibia. “I was confident the ewe had now lived her final day, but to my amazement she was gaining distance between herself and the lions. Through the water, she made an exit on the other side of the dam where the zebras were standing. She switched direction and ran straight towards the motionless crowd. The chasing lions were now heading straight for the herd! Like an erupting volcano they all jumped around and started galloping away from the danger. Hundreds of them…stripes everywhere…. this was excitement at its best!”

Elephant tussle, by Craig Young, photographed in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Giraffe herd, by guide Andy Biggs. Photographed in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. (andybiggs.com)

The art of camoflague, by guide James Suter. “These animals have the uncanny ability of disappearing right before your eyes.” Photographed at Singita, Kruger Park, South Africa. (singita.com/ jamessuter.com)

Wildebeest battle for dominance, by guide James Haskins. Photographed at Nxai Pan, Botswana. “Rutting males will protect territory and females from intruders. They will not typically engage in ritualized challenges when with the females, instead resorting to a run and head-butt.

Fever tree lioness, by guide James Kydd. “This lioness climbed the fallen tree to look for some of her pride that were missing. The incredible luminous fever tree forests of Lake Nakuru provide an ethereal backdrop for the wildlife in this part of Kenya.

Cheetah hunting, by Pia Derickx. Photographed in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. http://www.nature-photography.be

Ambush, by guide Lee Whittam. Photographed in the Sabi Sands, Kruger Park, South Africa. “This young male was ambushing his brother early one morning and put on a great show for us as we followed him.” (essentialafrica.co.za)

White lions of the Timbavati, by guide Chad Cocking. Photographed at Motswari, Kruger Park, South Africa. Seeing these white lions in the wild was a childhood dream come true, but sitting at a waterhole one afternoon waiting for them to come and drink, and then having them line-up so perfectly was more than I could ever have wished for! (motswari.com

Blue-eyed elephant, by guide Richard de Gouveia. Photographed at Sabi Sabi , Kruger Park, South Africa. There are few records of blue-eyed elephants. This seems to be an effect of partial albinism, where some residual pigmentation has remained. (sabisabi.com)

Leopard and winter dawn, by guide Jason Glanville. “Perched on a termite mount this young female leopard was scouting for prey at day-break.” (kirkmanskamp.com)

source::::national geographic .com

Natarajan

Message For The Day….Trust Begets Trust…Love Begets Love…

June 22, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

Cutivate Love (Prema) towards all, it will destroy envy, anger and hatred. God and Desire (Rama & Kama) cannot co-exist in the same heart. Trust begets trust, love begets love. If you talk to another with much love, they cannot develop any hatred towards you. Love makes the whole world kin. It is the greatest instrument of concord. The farmer plants the seedling and watches over it with great care. He removes the weeds, he destroys the pests, waters it as and when necessary and spreads manure and awaits the day when he can reap the harvest and fill his granary. So too, you must carefully nourish love and pluck out the weeds of hatred and envy within you. Wear the glasses of love and everyone will appear loveable and good. You will get what you search for, you will see what your eyes crave for. Develop a holy vision, you will then see holiness everywhere.
– Divine Discourse, Sep 1, 1958.

Sathya Sai Baba

Singapore Surrounded By Smog …Is any Relief In sight ?

June 21, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

Singapore
has been hit by the worst air pollution crisis in its history, while government
agencies try to induce rain in an attempt to stop forest fires spreading a smoky
haze across three south-east Asian countries.

The average Pollution Standard Index (PSI) – the measurement for air pollution – hit 401 at midday today, beating previous records of 371 and 321 on the previous two days. A reading between 101 and 200 is considered unhealthy. Anything over 300 is “hazardous”.

It is six days since the clouds of smoke first descended on Singapore, the result of fires in neighbouring Sumatra, Indonesia. Blaze season usually runs from June to September, when land is illegally cleared in this fashion for palm plantations.

Singapore’s environment minister flew to Jakarta today to discuss measures to tackle the forest fires, and the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency said it plans to use helicopters in a “water-bombing” operation, alongside more than 100 firefighters on the ground.

The agency added that planes would be sent over parts of Sumatra in the next few days in a “cloud-seeding” effort to try to induce rain chemically.

Reuters

Getty Images

source:::::The Independent UK

natarajan

Joke For The Day… “Shut Up You Idiot “!!!!

June 21, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

One day an out of work mime is visiting the zoo and attempts to earn some money as a street performer. However, as soon as he starts to draw a crowd, the zookeeper grabs him and forcefully drags him into his office.

The zookeeper then explains to the mime that the zoo’s most popular attraction, a gorilla, has died suddenly. The keeper fears that attendance at the zoo will fall off. He offers the mime a job to dress up as the gorilla until they can get another one. The mime accepts.

The next morning, before visitors arrive at the zoo, the mime puts on the gorilla suit and enters the cage. He discovers that it’s a great job. He can sleep all he wants, play and make fun of people and he draws bigger crowds than he ever did as a mime.

However, eventually the crowds tire of him and he gets bored just swinging on tires. He begins to notice that the people are paying more attention to the lion in the cage next to his.

Not about to lose the attention of the adoring crowd, he climbs to the top of his cage, crawls across a partition, and dangles from the top to the lion’s cage. Of course, this makes the lion furious, but the crowd loves it.

At the end of the day the zookeeper comes and gives the mime a raise for being such a good attraction as a gorilla.

Well, this goes on for some time. The mime keeps taunting the lion, the crowds grow larger, and his salary keeps going up. Then one terrible day when he is dangling over the furious lion, he slips and falls. The mime is terrified. The lion gathers itself and prepares to pounce. The mime is so scared that he begins to run round and round the cage with the lion close behind.

Finally, the mime starts screaming and yelling, “HELP! HELP ME!”, but the lion is quick and pounces. The mime soon finds himself flat on his back looking up at the angry lion when he suddenly hears the lion whisper: “Shut up you idiot! You wanna get us both fired?”!!!!!!!!!!!!!

source :::::babamailnet

Natarajan

Message For The Day….God is In us as our Very self ….

June 21, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

Smoggy Singapore …For No fault of This Countrymen !!!!

June 21, 2013June 21, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

Singapore Skyline Haze

Singapore is suffering from a serious smog problem that isn’t likely to go away anytime soon.

To get an idea of how bad it is, check out the picture above. It shows a man looking — or rather, trying to look — at the skyline of the Singapore business district today.

For a city that prides itself on its livability, it’s an embarrassing problem. Worse still, it appears to have been caused by a neighboring country.

Much of the problem seems to to be smoke caused by illegal forest fires in Indonesia’s Sumatra island, the BBC reports, where blazes have been started to clear land for plantations. Singapore’s Environment Minister Vivian Balakrishnan posted a Facebook message today that said the city-state was urging “urgent and definitive action by Indonesia to tackle the problem at source. Singaporeans have lost patience, and are understandably angry, distressed and concerned.”

“We will insist on definitive action,” Balakrishnan added. “No country or corporation has the right to pollute the air at the expense of Singaporeans’ health and wellbeing.”

This satellite image, posted by Balakrishnan, reveals hot spots on Indonesia’s Sumatra island that are most likely forest fires:

Indonesia Forest Fire

The BBC reports that the Singapore’s pollution standards index reached 371 on Thursday, well into hazardous levels, before falling to around 300. To put that in context, it’s similar to some of the air pollution levels seen in Beijing’s notorious smog problem earlier this year, and significantly higher than Singapore’s previous record of 226 from 1997.

Balakrishnan warned residents today to limit “prolonged or heavy outdoor activities” and said that the haze will “persist or even worsen before improving.

source:::::businessinsider.com

Natarajan

Message For The Day….Light The Lamp of The Name of the Lord on your tongue….

June 21, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

All the five senses subserve the same Purusha. It is one family, under one Master. The senses need not necessarily be inimical; they can be trained to cooperate in the sadhana. Why? Even intellect can become an enemy, if it promotes conceit and competitive exhibitionism. The easiest way to illumine your inner consciousness and your behaviour, is to light the lamp of the Name of the Lord on your tongue. Take the Lord’s Name; His light will drive out darkness from both inside and outside. Keep the lamp shining, bright and clear, for ever. You will soon reach remarkable heights and enjoy happiness, the like of which you cannot get by sticking to the senses.
– Divine Discourse, Aug 17, 1964.

Sathya Sai Baba

“கடவுள் எப்படி இருப்பார் ?”

June 20, 2013June 20, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

( பசும்பொன் தேவர் – 1959-ல் பொள்ளாச்சி சிறீ குடலுருவி மாரியம்மன் கோவிலில் பேசியது.)

நட்ச்சத்திரம் இருக்கிறது என்பது எல்லோருக்கும் தெரியும், ஆனால் பகலிலே பார்க்கிற ஓருவருக்கு நட்ச்சத்திரம் தெரியாது.

சூரியன் இருக்கிறது என்பது எல்லோருக்கும் தெரியும், இரவிலே பார்த்தால் சூரியன் தோன்றாது.

இரவிலே சூரியனை பார்த்து தவறாக சூரியன் என்பதே இல்லை என சொல்வது எவ்வளவு அவசர புத்தியோ… அவ்வளவு அவசர புத்திதான் தனக்கு நேரில்

தெரியாதது அத்தனையும் இல்லை என வாதிக்க முன்வருவது.எல்லாம் எல்லாருக்கும் தெரிகிற நிலைமையில் அமைந்தது அல்ல உலகம்.

உதாரணாமாக உங்களுடைய சரீரத்தையே… நீங்கள் பார்த்துக் கொள்வீர்களானால்

சரீரத்தில் இருக்கின்ற கால்,கை முதலியவை எல்லாம் நீங்கள் பார்க்க முடியும், அதே நேரத்தில் கண்களை நீங்களே பார்க்க வேண்டும் என விரும்பினால்

பார்க்க முடியுமா..?முடியாது !அதற்காக ஒருவன் அவசரப்பட்டு …

என் கையை பார்த்தேன் இதோ இருக்கிறது,

ஆகையால் எனக்கு ‘கை’ உண்டு.என் காலை பார்த்தேன் இதோ இருக்கிறது,

ஆகையால் எனக்கு ‘கால்’ உண்டு.நான் என் கண்ணை பார்க்க நினைக்கிறேன் அது தெரியவில்லை, ஆகையால் எனக்கு கண்ணில்லை என்று பேசலாமா..? அது தவறு !

கண்ணாடியில் பார்த்தால் கண்களின் பிம்பம் தெரியும்…! அதைப்போல் விக்ரஹங்கள் கடவுளின் பிம்பமாக இருக்கிறது.

இதோ இங்கு ரோஜாப்பூ மாலை இருக்கிறது..

இது என்ன பூ எனக்கேட்டால்

அதன் பெயரை சொல்லலாம்..!

நிறத்தை கேட்டால் நிறத்தையும் சொல்லலாம்

இது எந்த இடத்தில் கிடைக்கும் என்வும் சொல்லிவிடலாம்..ஆனால்..அதன் வாசம் எப்படியிருக்கும் எனக்கேட்டால் “முகர்ந்து” பார் என்றுதான் சொல்லமுடியும்!

கடவுள் எப்படியிருப்பார் என்று கேட்டால்..உணர்ந்துப்பார் என்றுதான் சொல்லமுடியும்!

source::::input from a friend of mine.

Natarajan