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கடித்துக் கொண்டே சிரிங்க …..” !!!

September 25, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

“உங்க படத்தோட டைட்டில் என்ன…?”

“நாலு பேயும் நல்லா இருந்த தமிழ் சினிமாவும்…”

சார் என் பேரு கந்தசாமி. சொந்த ஊரு பழனி”

“”அதுக்கென்ன இப்போ?”

“”ஆயிரம் ரூபா கடன் வேணும். ஊர் பேர் தெரியாதவனுக்கு எல்லாம் கடன் குடுக்க முடியாதுன்னு சொன்னீங்களே. அதான் அறிமுகப்படுத்திக்கிட்டேன்”

……………………
1) என்ன சார் கார் டேங்கை ஓபன் பண்ணிட்டு
சிரிக்கிறீங்க?
மனசு விட்டு சிரிச்சா ‘ஆயில்’ கூடுமின்னு சொன்னாங்க…
அதான்!

……………………….

2) வாத்தியார் : இங்குள்ள முட்டாள்கள் எல்லாம்
எழுந்து நில்லுங்கள்…
சிறிது நேரம் யாரும் எழுந்திருக்கவில்லை.
பிறகு ஒரே ஒரு மாணவன் எழுந்து நின்றான்.
வா‌த்‌‌தியா‌ர் : அவனைப் பார்த்து ஏளனமாகச் சிரித்து
கொண்டே நீ முட்டாள் என்று உனக்கு எப்படி தெரியும்?
மாணவன் : அ‌ப்படியெ‌ல்லா‌ம் ஒ‌ன்று‌மி‌ல்லை. நீங்க
தனியாக நிக்கறதை பார்க்க பாவமாக இருந்தது. அதனால்
தான் நானு‌ம் எழு‌ந்து ‌நி‌ன்றே‌ன்..

…………………..

3) சார், என் wife – காணோம்..!
இது போஸ்ட் ஆபிஸ், போலீஸ் ஸ்டேஷன்
இல்லை..!
சாரி

சாரி சார் … நான் தேடறது …wi fi …… ……wife …. இல்லை ….

………………………….

4. ஆசிரியர் : மனுசனா பொறந்தா ஏதாவது சாதிக்கனும்.
மாணவர் : சாரி சார் நாங்க குழந்தையா தான் பிறந்தோம்..

5.ஆசிரியர் : ஏண்டா பார்முலாலாம் விரல்ல எழுதி வச்சுருக்க
மாணவன் : எங்க டீச்சர் தான் சொன்னாங்க பார்முலாலாம்
“ஃபிங்கர் டிப்ஸ்ல இருக்கனும்னு.

6.ஹல்லோ யார் பேசுறது ?
நான் செல்லமா பேசுறேன்.
நாங்க மட்டும் என்ன கொவமாவா பேசுறோம்
பேரை சொல்லுமா !?

7.சுட்டிப்பைய்யன் : சார் , என் தலை ‘ ல எரும்பு ஏறுது பாருங்க ..!
வாத்தியார் : அதை எடுத்து போடாம , ஏண்டா என்கிட்ட சொல்ர ?
சுட்டிப்பைய்யன் : நீங்க தானே சார் சொன்னீங்க ,! என் தலை’ ல ஒன்னுமே ஏறலனு ?

8. ஸ்டுடென்ட் 1 : நம்ம டீச்ச்ர்க்கு என்ன ஆச்சு ?
ஸ்டுடென்ட் 2 : ஏன்டா ??
ஸ்டுடென்ட் 1: இப்ப தானெ பொர்ட்’ ல திருக்குறள்’ அவறே எழுதிட்டு
, ” திருக்குறள்’ ள எழுதினது யாரு ” னு கெக்குராரு ?

Source…. unknown…. input from a friend of mine

Natarajan

” நான் இருக்கேன் ……..”

September 25, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

திருவாரூரை அடுத்த சாத்தனூர் கிராமத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர் வேங்கட சுப்பிரமணியம். வேத விற்பன்னர். மகாபெரியவர் சன்னிதானத்தில் முதல் பக்தர். ஒரு முறை மகாபெரியவர் மயிலை கபாலீஸ்வரர் கோயிலுக்கு விஜயம் செய்தார். கற்பகாம்பாள் சன்னிதியில் கொடுக்கப்பட்ட குங்குமப் பிரசாதத்தைப் பார்த்ததும், அந்தக் குங்குமம் சுத்தமான தயாரிப்பாக இருக்க முடியாது என்று அவருக்குத் தோன்றியது. தூரத்தே கோஷ்டியில் நின்றுகொண்டிருந்த வேங்கட சுப்பிரமணியத்தை அருகில் வரும்படி கட்டளையிட்டார். ஓடோடி வந்து பவ்யமாக குனிந்தபடி நின்றார் அவர். உனக்கொரு வேலை கொடுக்கப் போறேன். செய்வியா?” என்றார். உத்தரவு” என்றார் வேங்கட சுப்பிரமணியம். தமிழ்நாட்டில் பல கோயில்களில் அம்பாள் சன்னிதியில் கொடுக்கப்படும் குங்குமம் அசலான தயாரிப்பாக இல்லை. எனவே, பக்தர்களுக்காக நீ சாஸ்திரோக்தமாக குங்குமம் தயாரிக்க வேண்டும்” என்று ஆக்ஞையிட்டார் மகாபெரியவர்.

மகாபெரியவர் கட்டளையிட்டவுடன் சும்மா இருக்க முடியுமா? வேதங்கள், உபநிஷத்துக்கள், அம்பாளின் மகத்துவத்தை விளக்கும் ஸ்தோத்திரங்கள் ஆகியவற்றில் குங்குமத்தின் பெருமைகளைக் குறித்த தகவல்களைச் சேகரித்தார். குங்குமம் தயாரிப்பு தொடர்பான புத்தகங்களைத் தேடிக் கண்டுபிடித்தார். பின் தயாரிப்பைத் துவக்கினார். நல்ல தரமான குண்டு மஞ்சள், எலுமிச்சை, படிகாரம், வெண்காரம், நல்லெண்ணெய் ஆகியவைதான் குங்குமத் தயாரிப்புக்கான மூலப் பொருட்கள். பழந்தயாரிப்புப்படி கைகளாலேயே தயாரிக்கப்பட்ட குங்குமத்தைச் செய்து முடித்ததும் வேங்கட சுப்பிரமணியத்துக்கு மகிழ்ச்சி பிடிபடவில்லை. தயாரித்த குங்குமத்தை ஒரு துணிப்பையில் போட்டு எடுத்துக்கொண்டு மகாபெரியவரைப் பார்க்க கும்பகோணம் விரைந்தார். குங்குமத்தை உள்ளங்கையில் இட்டுப் பார்த்தவுடன் மகாபெரியவரின் முகத்தில் மலர்ச்சி தெரிந்தது. இந்தப் பணியை நீ தொடர வேண்டும்” என்று சைகையிலேயே ஆணையிட்டார். வேங்கட சுப்பிர மணியம் ஸ்ரீவித்யா உபாசகர். அம்பாள் குங்குமப் பிரியை ஆயிற்றே! ஒரு அர்ப்பணிப்போடு குங்குமத் தயாரிப்பில் இறங்கிவிட்டார் வேங்கட சுப்பிரமணியம்.

ஸ குங்கும விலேபனாம் அளிக சும்பி கஸ்தூரிகாம்
ஸமந்த ஹஸிதேக்ஷணாம் ஸ ஸரஸாப பாசாங்குசாம்
அசேஷஜ நமோஹினீம் அருணமால்ய பூஷாம்பராம்
ஜபாகுஸூம பாசுராம் ஜப விதௌ ஸ்மரேத் அம்பிகாம்என்று லலிதா சகஸ்ரநாமத்தில் சொல்லப்பட்டிருக்கிறது.

அதாவது குங்குமப் பூவின் விழுதைப் பூசிக் கொண்டிருப்பவளும், நெற்றியை அலங்கரிக்கும் கஸ்தூரி திலகம் இட்டவளும், புன்னகைக்கும் கண்கள் உள்ளவளும், வில், அம்பு, பாசம், அங்குசம் ஏந்தியவளும், எல்லா மக்களையும் தன்பால் ஈர்ப்பவளும், செந்நிற மாலை, ஆடைகள் அணிந்து, செம்பருத்திப் பூ போல ஒளிமயமாக இருப்பவளுமான அம்பிகையை ஜபகாலத்தில் நினைவு கொள்கிறேன் என்பதுதான் இதன் பொருள். அம்பாள் உமைக்கு பல அம்சங்கள். திரிபுரசுந்தரி, காமாட்சி, அபிராமி, பார்வதி, லலிதா என்று பல திருநாமங்கள். ஒவ்வொரு அம்சத்திலும், பல பாக்கியங்களை பக்தர்களுக்கு அள்ளித் தருகிறாள் அம்பாள். எப்போதும் சுமங்கலியாகவே இருப்பவள் லலிதா” என்று லலிதா சகஸ்ரநாமத்தில் சொல்லப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. சுமங்கலியான பெண்ணை பளிச்சென்று வெளிப்படுத்துவது, அவளது நெற்றியில் அலங்கரிக்கும் குங்குமம்தான். ஒரு பெண் தன் திருமணத்தின் போதுதான் குங்குமம் வைத்துக் கொள்ளும் தகுதியைப் பெறுகிறாள். நெற்றியிலுள்ள குங்குமம், ஒரு பெண்ணின் சுமங்கலித் தன்மையை மட்டும் சொல்வதல்ல. அவளுக்குள் பொதிந்திருக்கும் ஞானத்தையும், ஆற்றலையும் குறியீடாக உணர்த்தும் தன்மையும் கொண்டது. சௌந்தர்ய லஹரியும் லலிதா சகஸ்ரநாமமும் குங்குமத்தின் பெருமைகளை எடுத்து வைக்கின்றன.

சுமார் 5,000 வருடங்களாக, குங்குமம் வைத்துக் கொள்வது என்பது நமது சம்பிரதாயமாக இருந்து வருகிறது என்கிறது ஒரு புராணத் தகவல். இரண்டு இமைகளுக்கு நடுவில் நெற்றிப் பொட்டில் குங்குமம் வைத்துக் கொள்வதற்குப் பல காரணங்கள் உண்டு. நமது உடலில் ஆற்றலை வெளிப்படுத்தும் வகையில் ஏழு சக்கரங்கள் உள்ளன. நமது செயல்கள், சாதனைகள், சாகசங்கள் என்று அனைத்துக்குமே காரணமாக அமைந்தவை இந்தச் சக்கரங்கள். இந்தச் சக்கரங்களின் செயல்பாட்டைத் தூண்டி விடுவதில், முதுகுத் தண்டுக்கு அடிப்பகுதியில் பொக்கிஷமாக இருக்கும் குண்டலினி சக்திக்கு பெரும்பங்கு உண்டு. யோகம், தியானம் போன்றவற்றின் மூலம் குண்டலினி சக்தியை எழுப்பி, இந்த ஏழு சக்கரங்களைத் தூண்டி விடலாம். இந்த ஏழு சக்கரங்களில் ஒன்றான ஆக்ஞை, நெற்றிப்பொட்டில், புருவங்களின் மத்தியில்தான் உள்ளது. ஒருவரின் ஞானம், பேரறிவு ஆகியவை வெளிப்பட காரணமாக அமைவது இந்த ஆக்ஞா சக்கரம் தான். அதைக் குறித்துத்தான் நெற்றிப்பொட்டில் குங்குமம் வைக்கிறோம்.

Source…www.periva.proboards.com

natarajan

India Has a New Eco Friendly Airport Terminal. And It Is More than Just Amazing! ….

September 25, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

The new terminal at the Chandigarh international airport in Mohali, inaugurated recently by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is the first airport in the country that is ‘totally green’, and can potentially change the way airports are built in the country henceforth.

Spread over 53,000 sq. m, the brand new terminal at the Chandigarh airport has been designed around the green building concept, right from the start. The terminal will handle both domestic as well as international flights.

The use of environment-friendly green technologies make this airport one of its kind, not only in India, but also in the world.

Airports all across the world cannot dazzle and amaze travelers without their huge displays of artificial lights — which add on to their maintenance and running costs, not to speak of environmental degradation. But this Chandigarh airport terminal is different. No artificial lights would be required to illuminate it during the daytime.

The terminal has achieved a 4-star GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) rating.

A transparent façade is the defining motif of this airport terminal. The glass that has been used on the façade is low-heat gain glass. This automatically reduces the need for a large amount of air conditioning, which is a bane associated with the glass-based architectural structures that have started mushrooming and dominating urban and emerging landscapes all over the country. Also, the air-conditioning is guided by the principal of thermodynamics, that is, if the sensors sense body heat, the air-conditioning starts working in that zone; otherwise it gravitates to a sleep mode.

Energy efficiency, in fact, has been another guiding motif in the construction of the airport.

The rooftop of the terminal has a 200KW solar plant which is enough to meet the major power needs of the building. Forty percent of the airport is illuminated with LEDs and the air-conditioning is fired by chiller efficient machines. There is also a lawn which has been laid out right inside the terminal.

Built by Larsen and Toubro (L&T), the terminal sets a new sustainability benchmark with green technologies like 55 lakh fly ash bricks, cavity walls, double insulated roofing, energy efficient chillers, and a sensor-based plumbing system to save water. Such an extensive use of fly ash bricks in a civil structure could serve as a shot in the arm for the progressive deployment of fly ash bricks in construction. And this can go a long way in indirectly serving the cause of the environment. Fly Ash bricks are made of fly ash, lime, gypsum and sand. Hence, the more we shift to fly ash, the less we use of the top layer of soil to make conventional bricks.

Besides, the airport has a sewage treatment plant with a capacity of 600 KLD, which is based on environment-friendly extended aeration technology.

Thus all the treated water will be reused for flushing and gardening. This idea of re-cycling water is again a major step forward towards environmental sustainability. –

While Punjab wishes to name it after Shaheed Bhagat Singh and append the name Mohali at the end, Haryana wishes to call it just Chandigarh airport. But, no matter what is finally decided, the new airport is a matter of pride not only for Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, states that it will likely benefit, but for the whole country.

Photo Credits: Vikram Singh

Source….Nalin Rai in http://www.thebetterindia.com

Natarajan

Few Tips For Preventing Heart Disease….

September 25, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Dr Manoj Kumar, Associate Director & Head, Cardiac Cath Lab, Max Balaji Super Specialty Hospital, Patparganj, New Delhi, gives practical tips to prevent heart diseases and strokes

Photograph: Ramon Rosati/Creative Commons

1. Control of blood pressure below 140/90

2. Control of blood sugar

3. Control of cholesterol level where bad cholesterol or low density cholesterol should be less 100 milligram per decilitre

4. Moderate physical activity: brisk walk for 30 to 45 minutes, at least five days a week or walk 10,000 steps everyday.

5. Quit smoking RIGHT NOW.

6. Maintain your ideal body weight, which means the body mass index or the BMI should be less than 30.

7. Abstinence from alcohol or moderate consumption of alcohol; MAXIMUM of 30 to 45 ml of whiskey per day can be consumed. This limit is for those who are already alcohol drinkers.

But if you don’t drink then please do not start if you want to keep coronary artery diseases at bay.

8. Intake of lot of fresh fruits and vegetables is advised. More colourful and green leafy vegetables should be included in your daily diet; at least three servings in a day.

9. The choice of nuts should be almonds or walnuts.

10. Avoid desi ghee, butter, saturated fats and go for plant oils like mustard oil or olive oil or sunflower oil.

Is desi ghee good for heart?

No. Desi ghee is also an animal fat. People think that everything from cow is good for health but desi ghee made from cow’s milk is not good for the heart.

People must understand that it is animal fat and so fully saturated fat, especially if you consume it in the form of butter ormakkhan, which contains butyric acid and that is very, very bad for the heart.

How can one achieve a blood pressure count of below 140/90?

Lifestyle modification, control of body weight and if it (hypertension) doesn’t come down to desired level then addition of drugs (medicines) as prescribed and with consultation of a doctor is important.

Hypertension is a silent killer.

It is the most prevalent cardiovascular disease in our country. Every third Indian is suffering from high blood pressure. And because it is an asymptomatic disease you require proper screening, regular check ups so that you can diagnose this silent killer early and change your lifestyle and add drugs, if necessary, to control hypertension.

Remember that diabetes and hypertension are the most important risk factors for coronary artery diseases.

Diabetes is a disease that affects your heart and brain.

High blood pressure is a very common cause for stroke and can cause hemorrhagic strokes.

Diabetes can cause thrombotic strokes as well as hemorrhagic strokes.

Diabetes can affect your brain, eyes, kidney and heart.

How does one control the blood sugar level?

By regular exercise and by avoiding obesity, especially central obesity that is a pot belly. Insulin resistance is very high in people with central obesity.

If central obesity is not controlled or if there is a history of diabetes in your family then get periodic check ups and test you HbA1c, that is the Glycated Hemoglobin is very important to detect early onset of diabetes.

HbA1c or Glycated Hemoglobin should be less than six because if it is higher than this level then even if your blood sugar level is normal, there could be a mild variation in your blood sugar level, which can be detected using the HbA1c test.

Also See: World Heart Day Special

Source….www.rediff.com

Natarajan

Super Blood Moon eclipse on night of September 27-28…

September 25, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

There is a total eclipse of the moon on the night of September 27-28, 2015. It happens to be the closest supermoon of 2015. It’s the Northern Hemisphere’s Harvest Moon, or full moon nearest the September equinox. It’s the Southern Hemisphere’s first full moon of spring. This September full moon is also called a Blood Moon, because it presents the fourth and final eclipse of a lunar tetrad: four straight total eclipses of the moon, spaced at six lunar months (full moons) apart. Phew!

The total lunar eclipse is visible from the most of North America and all of South America after sunsetSeptember 27. From eastern South America and Greenland, the greatest eclipse happens around midnight September 27-28. In Europe, Africa and the Middle East, the total eclipse takes place in the wee hours of the morning, after midnight and before sunrise September 28. A partial lunar eclipse can be seen after sunset September 27 from western Alaska, or before sunrise September 28 in far-western Asia. Photo top of post shows a partial phase of the April 14-15, 2014 total lunar eclipse byFred Espenak. Follow the links below to learn more about the 2015 Harvest Moon and the September 27-28 total lunar eclipse.

When is the September 2015 moon exactly full?

Who will see the September 27-28 total lunar eclipse?

Who will see the partial lunar eclipse?

Eclipse times in Universal Time.

Eclipse times for North American time zones.

Lunar eclipse computer courtesy of the US Naval Observatory

Eclipse calculator courtesy of TimeandDate

How is the Harvest Moon different from other full moons ?

Animation of the September 28, 2015, total lunar eclipse. Moon passes through southern half of the Earth’s shadow from west to east. Horizontal yellow line depicts the ecliptic – Earth’s orbital plane projected onto the dome of sky. The inner bull’s-eye shadow depicts the umbra (dark shadow). The penumbra (faint shadow) encircles the umbra.

Day and night sides of planet Earth at the instant of the September 2015 full moon (2015 September 28 at 2:51 Universal Time). You have to be on the night side of Earth to see the moon at the instant that it turns full, at which time it’ll be totally eclipsed by the Earth’s dark shadow.

Who will see the September 27-28 total lunar eclipse? The September 2015 full moon passes directly through Earth’s dark (umbral) shadow. The total part of this eclipse lasts for 72 minutes. A partial umbral eclipse precedes totality by some 64 minutes, and follows totality by about the same period of time, so the moon takes about 3 and 1/3 hours to completely sweep through the Earth’s dark shadow.

North America, South America, the Atlantic Ocean, Greenland, Europe, Africa and the Middle East are in a good position worldwide to watch the total eclipse of the moon. If you live in the Americas, the total eclipse happens after sunset September 27. In the world’s eastern hemisphere, the total eclipse happens after midnight and before sunrise September 28.

A very light penumbral eclipse comes before and after the dark (umbral) stage of the lunar eclipse. But this sort of eclipse is so faint that many people won’t even notice it. The penumbral eclipse would be more fun to watch from the moon, where it would be seen as a partial eclipse of the sun.

Who will see the partial lunar eclipse on September 27? A partial lunar eclipse may be visible in the haze of evening dusk on September 27 from the extreme northwestern portion of North America (western Alaska). A partial lunar eclipse might also be observed in the haze of morning dawn (September 28) from far-western Asia (Pakistan, Afghanistan, eastern Iran).

Source….Bruce McClure in www.esrthsky.org

Natarajan

Watch Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s Message For PM Modi, Before His Visit To Silicon Valley…

September 24, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Sundar Pichai is a name known to most Indians these days. Ever since he took a prestigious position in Google, Indians have been proud of him for inspiring so many ambitious children to dream big.

As per a report by Reuters, on September 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting the Silicon Valley. He will also pay a visit to the Google campus and Facebook headquarters and discuss the pressing issues that can lead to further technological development in India.

As a result, Sundar Pichai in his present capabilities as CEO of Google has extended a warm welcome to Mr. Modi. In this video shared by Google India, we see him inviting the prime minister. He also expressed that the team is very excited to meet him.

He strongly feels that PM’s visit will energize people in the Silicon Valley as well as people in India. He highlights Google’s upcoming plans and illustrates how they will help India.

Even we are looking forward to Mr. Modi’s visit to Google and we hope that it leads to many productive results!

Source….Shubhi Dixit in http://www.storypick.com and http://www.youtube.com

Natarajan

Tiny Toddler Gives Impromptu TED Talk on World Peace, Being Nice….

September 24, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Six-year-old Tiana Sherry is the latest lifestyle guru to launch her platform via viral video. Are you seeking guidance on matters of the heart? You’ve come to the right place; the guru will see you now.

Sherry, dressed modestly in a T-shirt and leggings, begins with a simple question: “Are you ready to be his friend?” It doesn’t matter who the friend is. It just matters if you are ready.

The tiny leader continues to issue challenges: “Do you think that all of us can be nice to each other?” Are you, like the Tiny Relationship Guru, “trying to do best in [your] heart”? One must desire for everyone to be friends in order for everyone to be friends. She foresees a terrible outcome if niceness is in short supply. “If we live in a world where everyone is being mean, then everyone is going to be a monster in their future.”

The endgame for our teacher is peace for all. It starts with you. “Can you smile? Can we stop being mean to each other?” she pleads. She is in this with us. “I think if I can be nice, then I think all of us can be nice, too.”

Please keep this in mind as you go about your day. The TRG must rest now, for it is her bedtime. Her book, website, and speaking tour will launch in the morning.

Source…..By Dayna Evans…in http://www.stumbleupon.com and video clip credit http://www.youtube.com

Natarajan

Here’s how much of the world would need to be covered in solar panels to power Earth…

September 24, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Solar energy is a seriously underrated resource.

More power from the sun hits the Earth in a single hour than humanity uses in an entire year, yet solar only provided 0.0039% of the energy used in the US last year.

Visionaries like Elon Musk think that solar will become the biggest energy source by 2031, according to an interview with Tim Urban on Wait But Why.

But what would a world powered by solar look like?

The Earth would probably be littered with solar panels, right?

Wrong.

If solar is 20% efficient (as it has been in lab tests) at turning solar energy into power, we’d only need to cover a land area about the size of Spain to power the entire Earth renewably in 2030.

This map, from the Land Art Generator Initiative, shows just how little space that really is:

And while it’s useful in the map to show the solar installations as a square bunched together, this area could actually be spread over more space, with solar panels tucked away on rooftops and spread across deserts.

To figure this out, the folks at Land Art Generator did the following maths:

678 quadrillion Btu (the US Energy Information Administration’s estimation of global energy consumption by 2030) = 198,721,800,000,000 kilowatt-hours (simple conversion) divided by 400 kilowatt-hours of solar energy production per square meter of land (based on 20% efficiency, 70% sunshine days per year and the fact that 1,000 watts of solar energy strikes each square meter of land on Earth) = 496,805 square kilometers of solar panels (191,817 square miles)

Remember, that’s if we only relied on solar — no fossil fuel-guzzling oil, coal or natural gas. Now we just have to work on making that happen.

source…..REBECCA HARRINGTON in http://www.businessinsider.com.au

Natarajan

Few Cutest Animals of the Desert….

September 24, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Even in the scorching, dry conditions of the desert, you can find unusual animals with some striking characteristics lurking around. You’ll find them dozing off in the dens they call home while sheltering from the blazing sun; or scavenging for food in the middle of the night. These mammals might not be conspicuous at all in their sandy habitat, but these examples are certainly enough to prove that with their (often) huge ears outsizing their furry faces and their captivating, innocent eyes, they are simply too adorable for you to ignore.

Fennec Fox

The fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) is the smallest species from the canid family, which also includes wolves, foxes, coyotes and domestic dogs. In fact, the adult fennec measures just 24-41cm in length, with its ears, the biggest part of its body, being 10-15cm long. The over-sized ears provide fennecs with extremely sharp hearing skills, and they can even detect prey underground. Although its thick fur might appear unsuitable for the harsh desert environment, it is in fact an interesting adaptation – the fur reflects the sun’s heat during the day, and keeps it warm during the night.

Source: Ryan Summers / Flickr

African Wild Dog

The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), also known as the painted dog, may look cute with its large, round ears above its innocent-looking face, but you wouldn’t want a bite from such a strong, carnivorous mammal. African wild dogs are classified as endangered, largely because they are frequently killed by farmers, and have suffered at the hands of diseases caught from introduced species such as domestic dogs. Unlike the fennec fox, they are one of the largest canids in the world. Their pups, which come in plentiful litters of up to 19, are generally born in other animals’ abandoned dens.

Source: South African Tourism / Flickr

Springbok

The Spingbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) is a medium-sized antelope-gazelle. It is generally brown and white, and both male and female adults have a pair of horns on their head which measure around 35cm in length. ‘Marsupialis’, which is similar to ‘pocket’ in Latin, refers to the pouch they have on their backs, which when lifted, gives off a strong, sweaty odor that scares off predators or attracts mates. With its adorable, huge eyes, big ears and agile body, it’s no surprise this desert creature is the national animal of South Africa. Even though it is hunted for its coat and meat, this species is not currently classed as threatened.

Source: Ana Raquel S. Hernandes / Flickr

Caracal

The elegant caracal (Caracal caracal) comes from the cat family and is found in Africa and southeast Asia. Its pointed, tufted ears give this magnificent creature its unique identity, although it is often confused with the lynx despite being more closely related to the serval and the African golden. The distinctive tufts on its ears aid communication and protect the ears themselves from flies. These cats are brilliant at camouflage, which in turn makes them outstanding hunters of their prey (they have even been known to take down ostriches) and it also ensures they are less vulnerable to human hunting.

Source: Tambako The Jaguar / Flickr

Ocelot

The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), also known as the dwarf leopard, is a wild cat that inhabits South America, Central America and Mexico, although their presence has also been observed in other locations. Its appearance is very similar to that of a domestic cat, but the color patterns on its fur resembles that of a clouded leopard or jaguar. In fact, they are often hunted for their fur, placing them on the endangered list. This is rather worrying since their reproduction cycle only allows them 1 offspring every two years, but luckily enough, since 2008, numbers have been showing signs of improvement.

Source: Tambako The Jaguar / Flickr

Sand Cat

Sand cats are possibly the cutest cat (Felis margarita) species that roam the desert. This kitty looks similar to a domestic cat, but it has distinctive features, such as its huge ears and extra tufts of fur on its feet to protect it from burning hot sand. Its body is also adapted to retain water and ensure its survival in this harsh environment. Unfortunately, this beautiful creature has been listed as ‘near threatened’ since 2002, mainly because of the degradation of its natural habitat, and also because of hunting by humans and competition with domestic dogs and cats.

Source: Charles Barilleaux / Flickr

H/T: scribol.com

Source….www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

All You Need to Know about VolksWagen Crisis….. Part 2….

September 24, 2015September 25, 2015Natarajan1 Comment

With 11 million cars affected worldwide, €6.5 billion ($AU10.28 billion) set aside to fix the problem, and facing $US18 billion ($AU25.56 billion) in fines, the scandal enveloping Volkswagen is shaping as the largest in automotive history. So what have VW actually done, and how did they get caught?

VW’s software fix while testing

Volkswagen stand accused of fitting cars with diesel engines with a ‘defeat device’ – a chunk of software that is able to detect when the car is undergoing emissions testing, which then ensures all emission controls are fully functioning as the test takes place.

How does the car know it’s being placed into test mode? Consumer Reportsdetails how VW, and many auto-makers, have a test mode that overrides certain things like traction control. That’s because the car is placed onto a dyno and needs to operate with front wheels spinning but back wheels stationary.

Having a test mode itself wasn’t the problem, it’s that VW look to have utilised that mode to enable emissions limits.

Once the test is over, the cars cease to utilise the emission controls – which significantly reduce fuel economy – and according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, “during normal operation, [the vehicles] emit nitrogen oxides, or NOx, at up to 40 times the standard”.

The EPA went on to explain that NOx pollution is linked to respiratory and and cardiovascular diseases, and in some cases even death.

“Using a defeat device in cars to evade clean air standards is illegal and a threat to public health,” said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Working closely with the California Air Resources Board, EPA is committed to making sure that all automakers play by the same rules. EPA will continue to investigate these very serious matters.”

The aforementioned $US18 billion fine is based on the EPA having the power to fine $37,500 per car which isn’t up to standard, of which they estimate 482,000 have been sold in the US since 2008. Clearly, that number has risen substantially worldwide, and VW stand to lose tens of billions in recalled and refitted cars alone.

The company said in a release that the €6.5 billion “may be subject to revaluation”, and with 11 million cars to solve, one would expect that revaluation to go up.

It’s also worth noting that the EPA told VW car owners it was on the company to get their vehicles up to code, and that “although these vehicles have emissions exceeding standards, these violations do not present a safety hazard and the cars remain legal to drive and resell”.

How they got caught

While this has all blown up over the last week or so, the case against Volkswagen has been building for over a year.

However rather than a sting, the EPA got somewhat lucky in discovering the company’s systematic cheating.

In May 2014 the International Council on Clean Transport (ICCT) released a paper entitled ‘In-use emissions testing of light-duty diesel vehicles in the U.S.’.

ICCT wanted US NOx emission standards introduced in Europe, and thus employed researchers from West Virginia University to gather emission data.

“Some people have mischaracterised what our role was,” Dan Carder, interim director of the University of West Virginia’s Centre for Alternative Fuels, Engines and Emissions, told IEEE. “Some have used the phrase ‘tipped off the EPA’. But we were just working under contract.”

While the cars in the paper were referred to as ‘Vehicle A’, ‘Vehicle B’ and ‘Vehicle C’, the discovery that emissions on the road were vastly different to those under test conditions piqued the EPA’s interest.

“We presented this in a public forum in San Diego, in the spring of 2014; we said, these are two vehicles; we’re presenting what we can present,” Carder said. “And EPA people were in the audience.”

Over a year later the case was brought before Volkswagen, who were quick to admit their wrongdoing, with US chief executive Michael Horn saying on Monday the company had “totally screwed up”.

The question now is just how far up does this go? An admission of screwing up is one thing, but 11 million cars claiming to be up to 40 times cleaner than they actually are is a tremendous breach of trust, particularly in an increasingly environmentally conscious car market.

While it’s the kind of scandal that could ruin a company, VW probably have the size and pockets to handle it. In July this year VW – which also owns Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche – was the largest-selling carmaker in the world.

Authorities the world over are now investigating whether other companies under the VW umbrella – and indeed unrelated car manufacturers – have been employing similar tactics.

by Joe Frost in Gadgets

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joe was Junior Vice-President at Compu-Global-Hyper-Mega-Net until it was bought out by Bill Gates. He now subedits for Conversant Media and considers it a step up.

See more from Joe Frost

Source….www.techly.com.au

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