Interesting read

Kashmir Willow Bat … An Important Player in Cricket World cup !!!

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A look at Kashmiri willow bat factory, as sales boom during this World Cup season.

This Date …Feb 13…. .. BirthDay of Chuck Yeager… The 1st Pilot to Break the Sound Barrier…

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February 13, 1923. Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, was born in Myra, West Virginia on this date in 1923.

Yaeger enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September 1941, at the age of 18. He fought in World War II before being assigned to fly high-performance aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base in 1947.

On October 14, 1947, Yeager piloted a plane called Glamorous Glennis to Mach 1.06, just over the speed of sound.

Dubbed the fastest man alive, he also won the prestigious Collier Trophy in aviation even as he continued setting speed records.

The plane in which he broke the sound barrier is on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

Yeager’s adventures were popularized in a 1980s satirical book and movie, both called The Right Stuff.

He currently lives California.

Yeager in front of the Bell X-1, which, as with all of the aircraft assigned to him, he named Glamorous Glennis after his wife. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Bottom line: On February 13, 1923, Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, was born in Myra, West Virginia.

SOURCE:::: http://www.esrthskynews.org

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2000 Year Old Rice Terrace of Philippines…

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Philippine Rice Terraces Why Reflection

Photo credit: Jon Rawlinson

For at least two millennia, the Ifugao people have sculpted the sides of mountains into useable farmland. Located in the heart of the Cordillera mountain range in the northern Philippines, these rice terraces rise like wide, monumental staircases. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added these feats of ancient engineering to its list of World Heritage Sites in 1995. According to UNESCO, the Philippine rice terraces “create a landscape of great beauty that expresses the harmony between humankind and the environment.”

The terraces, however, also epitomize the story of how modern tensions are putting a strain on that “harmony” worldwide. Yes, natural disasters and the perennial typhoons that lash the Philippines threaten the preservation of the Cordillera rice terraces. But the biggest pressure they face is a shift in human society. As the UNESCO advisory body has written, “the terraced landscape is highly vulnerable because the social equilibrium that existed in the rice terraces for the past two millennia has become profoundly threatened by technological and evolutionary changes.”

Young Ifugao are migrating to the cities where they can find higher paying, less backbreaking work. At the same, the once remote region is becoming more interconnected through large investments in infrastructure. In the next two years, the Philippine government plans to spend around $25 million in road construction and improvement in the Cordillera region.

Philippine Rice Terraces Incline

Photo credit: Jon Rawlinson

One goal for the road project is to attract more tourists to the area and thereby bring more money to the regional economy. In 2013, according to Philippine government statistics, 1.1 million people visited the rice terraces. In the future, the government hopes to attract 10 million tourists annually. It is unclear whether this aspiration is misguided, since the arrival of foreign tourists can dramatically change the nature of a place. But Philippine officials are hoping tourism will also provide livelihoods to those Ifugao who otherwise might leave the boondocks for the cities.

Filipinos call the Cordillera rice terraces the Eighth Wonder of the World. UNESCO calls them “the priceless contribution of Philippine ancestors to humanity.” As shown in the expansive gallery below, this region of the Philippines has some of the most beautiful vistas on earth. This piece of humanity’s common heritage deserves to be preserved for generations to come.

Rice Terraces Mud Walls

Some of the terraces use mud walls, as pictured here; others use stone. (Photo credit: Flickr user Momo)
SOURCE:::: http://www.all that is interesting .com
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Message For the Day…” Our Body is like a iron Safe to Protect Virtues like Knowledge and Bliss..”

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To be able to experience the aspects of knowledge and bliss, we should protect our body, mind and life. Consider this example: We store valuable jewels and gems in our homes, in a relatively cheap iron safe to protect them. The steel almirah or an iron safe has no value compared to the jewels, but they are good enough to protect them. So too, our body is like the valueless iron safe. In this valueless, perishable body, God has kept for protection, very valuable things like knowledge and bliss. We all understand that valuable jewels cannot be protected by a valuable gold box, as the box itself can be stolen with the jewels in no time. Hence it is natural to protect valuable things in a valueless box which will not attract attention. Therefore, to reach the realm of knowledge, bliss and happiness it is necessary to look after the well-being of the outer casing namely, body, mind and life.

Sathya Sai Baba

World Cup Fever in India… From The Streets to the Banks of Ganga…In Photos !!!

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Indian Hindu Veda Vidyalaya (School) students play cricket on the bank of the river Ganga near Sangam in Allahabad on February 12, 2015. AFP

Indian Hindu Veda Vidyalaya (School) students play cricket on the bank of the river Ganga near Sangam in Allahabad on February 12, 2015. AFP

The Indian fans are pretty serious about their cricket, even if it's not played professionally. Perfection, dedication and determination while playing is the mantra even in gully cricket. AFP

The Indian fans are pretty serious about their cricket, even if it’s not played professionally. Perfection, dedication and determination while playing is the mantra even in gully cricket. AFP

It doesn't matter what the playing surface is. Whether it be concrete or sand. Such is the passion of cricket in India that people start playing cricket as soon as they find open spaces. AFP

It doesn’t matter what the playing surface is. Whether it be concrete or sand. Such is the passion of cricket in India that people start playing cricket as soon as they find open spaces.

And yes.....The concentration never drops.....AFP

And yes…..The concentration never drops..

The bowling actions vary and the batsmen have a tough task of playing bouncers, beamers and pacy deliveries without any protective gear. AFP

The bowling actions vary and the batsmen have a tough task of playing bouncers, beamers and pacy deliveries without any protective gear

On field dives, howlers, comical running and chaos. It's absolute fun watching a game of gully cricket on the streets of India or on the sands along the Ganga. AFP

On field dives, howlers, comical running and chaos. It’s absolute fun watching a game of gully cricket on the streets of India or on the sands along the Ganga.

SOURCE:::: http://www.firstpost.com

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Message For the Day…” Character is the Fragrance of the Flower of Life …”

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Buddha, Jesus Christ, Shankaracharya, Vivekananda, and many great saints and devotees of the Lord are treasured in the memory of people even to this day. What quality made them memorable for all times to come? It is their character. The qualities that make up a flawless character are: love, patience, forbearance, steadfastness, and charity. These must be revered. Character is the fragrance of the flower of life; it gives value and worth to life. The hundred little deeds that we indulge in every day harden into habits; these habits shape the intelligence and mould our outlook and life. All that we weave in our imagination, seek in our ideals, and yearn in our aspirations leave an indelible imprint on the mind. Poets, painters, artists, and scientists may be great, each in their own field, but without character, they can have no standing in society.

Sathya Sai Baba

Joke of the Day…” Do you Know the Answer…” ?

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Our generation never got a break. When we were young they taught us to respect our elders. Now that we are older, they tell us to listen to the youth of the country.

:::::::::::::::::::::::

A proud and confident genius makes a bet with an idiot.

The genius says, “Hey idiot, every question I ask you that you don’t know the answer, you have to give me $5. And if you ask me a question and I can’t answer yours I will give you $5,000.”

The idiot says, “Okay.”

The genius then asks, “How many continents are there in the world?” The idiot doesn’t know and hands over the $5.

The idiot says, “Now me ask: what animal stands with two legs but sleeps with three?”

The genius tries and searches very hard for the answer but gives up and hands over the $5,000.

The genius says, “Dang it, I lost. By the way, what was the answer to your question?”

The idiot hands over $5.

SOURCE:::: http://www.joke a day.com

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This Date in Science….Feb 11 2010……When a Spacecraft Destroyed a Sundog…

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February 11, 2010. On this date – the coolest space launch ever for us sky fans! I ran into this image and video yesterday via a post on Google+. I was interested when I saw a quote from the person who runs the world’s absolute best website for sky optics, Les Cowley of the website Atmospheric Optics. It turns out this story has been around a few years, but I liked it and thought you might, too. It began with the launch five years ago of NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), one of several observatories that keep an eye on our sun. It seems that when SDO lifted off from Cape Canaveral on February 11, 2010, on its mission to observe the sun, it first destroyed a sundog in Earth’s atmosphere – in the process bringing to light the new form of ice halo – and teaching those who love and study sky optics new things about how shock waves interact with clouds.

The video above shows SDO’s 2010 launch via an Atlas V rocket. Watch it now, and turn up the volume to hear people cheer when the spacecraft’s passage through the atmosphere destroyed the sundog – which is a bright spot in the sky, formed by refraction of sunlight through plate-shaped ice crystals, which drift down from the sky like leaves fluttering from trees. If you have to, watch it twice to see the luminous column of white light that appears next to the Atlas V.

Les Cowley explained in this 2011 post at Science@NASA:

When the rocket penetrated the cirrus, shock waves rippled through the cloud and destroyed the alignment of the ice crystals. This extinguished the sundog.

The sundog’s destruction was understood. The events that followed were not. Cowley said:

A luminous column of white light appeared next to the Atlas V and followed the rocket up into the sky. We’d never seen anything like it.

Cowley and colleague Robert Greenler at first couldn’t explain this column of light. Then they realized that the plate-shaped ice crystals were organized by the shock wave from the Atlas V. Cowley explained:

The crystals are tilted between 8 and 12 degrees. Then they gyrate so that the main crystal axis describes a conical motion. Toy tops and gyroscopes do it. The earth does it once every 26000 years. The motion is ordered and precise.

Love it!

View larger. | Optics experts in the U.K. have discovered a new form of ice halo. Image Credit: NASA/Goddard/Anne Koslosky View larger. | When the Solar Dynamic Observatory (bright streak in lower right quadrant of photo) lifted off from Cape Canaveral on February 11, 2010, its launch enabled optics experts to discover a new form of ice halo. Image via NASA/Goddard/Anne Koslosky

Bottom line: When NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SD0) lifted off from Cape Canaveral on February 11, 2010, on its mission to observe the sun, it first destroyed a sundog in Earth’s atmosphere – in the process bringing to light the new form of ice halo – and teaching those who love and study sky optics new things about how shock waves interact with clouds.

Via Science@NASA website

SOURCE:::: http://www.earthskynews.org

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” ” அச்சு இற்று முறிந்த இடம் … அச்சரப்பாக்கம்…” !!!

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“இளையாத்தங்குடிப் பிள்ளையாருக்குத் தாமே

தள்ளாத வயதில் துள்ளும் பாலகனைப் போல்

முட்டிக்கால் தோப்புக்கரணம் போடுகிறார்பெரியவா”

(கைலாஸ சங்கரனின் மறு அவதாரமோ!)

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ராமேச்வரத்தில் அப்போது நிர்மாணமாகி வந்த

ஸ்ரீ சங்கரமடத்துக்குச் சென்னையிலிருந்து சிலர்

விக்கிரகங்களுடன் சென்ற லாரி வழியே ‘ஆக்ஸில்’

உடைந்து நின்று விட்டது. இளையாத்தங்குடியிலிருந்த

பெரியவாளுக்குத் தகவல் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டது.

“எந்த இடத்தில் நின்று விட்டது” என்று வினவுகிறார்.

“அச்சரப்பாக்கத்தில்” என்று பதில் வருகிறது.

பெரியவாள் முகத்தில் புன்னகை விரிகிறது.

இடுக்கண் வருங்கால் நகைக்கிறார்.

இளையாத்தங்குடிப் பிள்ளையாருக்குத் தாமே

தள்ளாத வயதில் துள்ளும் பாலகனைப் போல்

முட்டிக்கால் தோப்புக்கரணம் போடுகிறார்.

ராமேச்ர விஷயம் விக்கினமின்றி நடைபெறவே

விக்னேஸ்வர வழிபாடு என்பது வெளிப்படை.

மூர்த்தி வழிபாட்டுக்கு மேம்பட்ட முற்றிய அருள்

நிலையில் இருந்து இவரே இடையூற்றைத்

தீர்த்துவிடலாம்.ஆயினும் விக்கினம் தீர்க்கவே

ஏற்பட்ட தெய்வத்தை, மானுடருக்கு முன்னுதாரணமாகத்

தாமே வழிபட்டுக் காட்டுகிறார்.அதைச் சொல்லாமல்

சொல்லுகிறார்.

“பரமசிவன் பிள்ளையாரை வேண்டிக் கொள்ளாமலே

திரிபுர தகனத்துக்குப் புறப்பட்டார். ‘எந்தக் காரியம்

ஆரம்பித்தாலும் பிள்ளையாரை முதலில் பூஜிக்க வேண்டும்

என்று லோகத்துக்கு ஏற்பட்ட சம்பிரதாயத்தை ஈஸ்வரனே

செய்து காட்டினால்தானே, மற்ற ஜனங்களும் அப்படிச்

செய்வார்கள்? அதனால், ஈஸ்வரன் இப்படிப் பண்ணாத போது

அவர் புறப்பட்ட ரதத்தின் அச்சு முறிந்து போயிற்று.அப்புறம்

அவர் விக்னேஸ்வரரைப் பிரார்த்தனை செய்து கொண்ட பிறகு

தான் அது புறப்பட்டது.

அச்சு இற்று முறிந்த போன இடம்தான் ‘அச்சரப்பாக்கம்’ என்று

இப்போது சொல்லும் அச்சிறுப்பாக்கமான ஊர்.அங்கேயேதான்

நம் லாரியும் அச்சு முறிந்து நின்றிருக்கிறது.!”

எப்பேர்ப்பட்ட பொருத்தம்! பொருந்தாமல் இடையூறு

ஏற்பட்டதிலேயே ஒரு பொருத்தம் கண்டுவிட்டார்.

“கைலாஸ சங்கரன் ரதத்தில் போனபோது எங்கே அச்சு

முறிந்ததோ, அதே ஊரில் காலடி சங்கரர் லாரியில்

போகிறபோது ஆக்ஸில் உடைந்திருப்பதால் இவர்

அவனுடைய அவதாரமே என்றும் நிரூபணம் ஆகிறது!”

என்று பின்னரும் ஒரு பொருத்தம் காட்டிவிட்டார்

Read more: http://periva.proboards.com/thread/8611/#ixzz3RUElITvx

SOURCE:::: http://www.periva.proboards.com

Natarajan

Joke of the Day…. ” One Day Off…” !!!

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An employee comes into her manager’s office to take a day off from work. The manager replies:

“So you want a day off. Let’s take a look at what you are asking for. There are 365 days per year available for work. There are 52 weeks per year in which you already have 2 days off per week, leaving 261 days available for work. Since you spend 16 hours each day away from work, you have used up 170 days, leaving only 91 days available. You spend 30 minutes each day on coffee break, which counts for 23 days each year, leaving only 68 days available. With a 1-hour lunch each day, you used up another 46 days, leaving only 22 days available for work. You normally spend 2 days per year on sick leave. This leaves you only 20 days per year available for work. We are off 5 holidays per year, so your available working time is down to 15 days. We generously give 14 days vacation per year which leaves only 1 day available for work and I’ll be darned if you are going to take that day off!”

SOURCE:::: http://www.joke a day.com

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