Sunday 9 October 2011
Thursday 29 September 2011
*1*
1. Where would you see the practical application of a device/mechanism with US patent no 5,255,452 meant to create an anti-gravity illusion?
In the Michael Jackson video - Smooth Criminal when MJ performs the famous 'Anti Gravity lean'.
2. Which term was coined by Darcy DiNucci in 1999 in her article where she writes 'The first glimmerings of ________ are beginning to appear, and we are just starting to see how that embryo might develop' ?
Web 2.0 (This word became the 1,000,000th word in the English Language recently!)
3. What first was established by a movie made by MGM in 1932 'Rasputin and The Empress'
which is now a common feature with almost all movies ?
which is now a common feature with almost all movies ?
The disclaimer which says 'All characters in this movie are fictitious and any resemblance to any......'
4. Ulhasnagar - a military camp in the pre-Independence era, has transformed into to a major commercial center of Maharashtra by the Sindhis who came over during partition. Given their acumen for business and the demand for imported electronic products, they used a particular label on the products they sold to sustain competition. What did the label read?
Made in USA (Ulhasnagar Sindhi Association)
5. It was developed by Unisys, a Pennsylvania based IT company for the Police Information Technology Organisation under the Private Finance Initiative in the United Kingdom. It is an IT system used by the police to assist with the investigation of serious crimes including murder and fraud. It is aptly named as __________?
HOLMES (Now HOLMES 2) - Home Office Large Major EnquirySystem, which is taken from 'Sherlock Holmes'
6. Which commonly used term is named after the 'pulses of sound made by a sonar, since its operation is analogous to active sonar in submarines, in which an operator issues a pulse of energy at the target, which then bounces from the target and is received by the operator' ?
PING
7. Joseph-Armand _________ a mechanic dreamed of building a vehicle that could "float on snow." In 1937, he designed and produced his first snowmobile called B7 in his small repair shop in Valcourt, Quebec. Today it is one of the best in its field. Fill in the blank.
BOMBARDIER
simple answer twisted question
The above depicted place is Abbottabad, which was in news in recent times due to Osama bin laden
Sunday 4 September 2011
LOST CITY OF ATLANTIS FOUND?
Prof. Richard Freund believes he has finally found the lost city of Atlantis. In Sunday’s National Geographic special “Finding Atlantis,” the University of Hartford professor and his team say they’ve found the remains of the legendary city, just north of Cadiz in Spain.
For thousands of years ago many have debated about the true existence ofAtlantis, saying that Atlantis was only a fictional story written by Plato himself.
The lost city of Atlantis believed swamped by a tsunami thousands of years ago was described by Plato in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written in 360 BC as “an island situated in front of the straits which are by you called the Pillars of Hercules,” “There occurred violent earthquakes and floods. And in a single day and night of misfortune… the island of Atlantis disappeared in the depths of the sea.”
They found a site in the northern part of Cadiz, Spain by using a satellite photo of a suspected submerged city. The team used cutting-edge technology and surveyed Dona Ana Park, a mudflat in Cadiz near the Strait of Gibraltar also known as the “Pillars of Hercules” in the ancient world.
In addition the team also found “memorial cities,” they believe were built by tsunami survivors as a tribute to the lost city of Atlantis. They found the memorial cities 150 miles inland from the site.
An image carved in stone of what looks to be an Atlantean warrior was also discovered.
Experts plan to conduct more excavation on the site to find further proof that the mysterious lost city was found.
Experts plan to conduct more excavation on the site to find further proof that the mysterious lost city was found.
Harare - World's Worst City To Live In
HARARE, Zimbabwe — A top research group on Thursday rated Zimbabwe's capital as the worst of 140 world cities in which to live.
The British-based Economist Intelligence Unit said its researchers excluded cities in Libya, Iraq and other war zones.
Harare, where power and water outages occur daily, scored a 38 percent "livability rating," the group said.
The group said the threat of civil unrest and the availability of public health care and public transport in Harare were intolerable. Energy and water supplies were undesirable, it said, calling phones and Internet services uncomfortable.
Zimbabwe formed a shaky coalition government in 2009 after years of political violence and economic meltdown. Melbourne and Vienna were rated the two easiest cities to live in.
The research group is a respected economic and risk consultancy linked to the Economist magazine.
The annual global cities survey advises companies on the level of hardship employees face and recommends pay adjustments for those who move to cities where living conditions are particularly difficult, with "excessive physical hardship or a notably unhealthy environment."
A livability rating – compiled onsite in the cities by experts and statisticians – given as 80 to 100 percent means there are few challenges to daily living standards such as housing, health, education and transportation. Fifty percent or less means most aspects of living are "severely restricted," the group said.
Harare's rating highlighted continuing "bleak prospects" for the capital's population of nearly two million, the survey said. It said quality housing was available for only the wealthy, and that quality private education was available in the city, but it is costly and takes good teachers away from Harare's impoverished government schools.
Cities across sub-Saharan Africa had an average livability rating of 50 percent, compared to 92 percent in Western Europe and 91 percent in North America.
Facts about Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi's life is so much entwined with the Indian freedom movement that rarely do people endeavor to acquaint themselves with other facets of his eventful life. We provide below some interesting facts about Mahatma Gandhi:
The Birth of 'Mahatma'
Mahatma Gandhi was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and the title 'Mahatma' was accorded to him much later. Mahatma literally translates to 'great soul' in Sanskrit. Even though opinion is ambivalent as to how Gandhi came to be known as Mahatma, people generally believe that noted poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore bestowed the title of 'Mahatma' on Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Boer War
Despite his lifelong pursuit of nonviolence, Gandhi found himself embroiled in a war at an early stage of his life, albeit in a humanitarian role. During his stay in South Africa the Second Boer War broke out and Gandhi organized a volunteer medial unit of free Indians and indentured laborers called the Indian Ambulance Corps. This unit provided exemplary medical service to wounded black South Africans and post -war Gandhi became a decorated sergeant of the Corps.
The Gandhi Statue in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa was the place where Gandhi was shoved out a train 1893 after refusing to move from the first class to a third class coach while holding a first class ticket. This unsavory incident proved to be landmark event in Gandhi's life as he made it a mission to protest such incidents of racial abuse. The downtown of Pietermaritzburg city now hosts a commemorative statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Nobel Prize
It is indeed a sad irony that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest exponent of peace and nonviolence, was never deemed eligible for the Nobel Peace Prize. After four previous nominations, Gandhi was chosen for the Prize in 1948, but because of his unfortunate assassination the Nobel Committee had to shelve their plans and the Peace Prize was not awarded that year.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Time Magazine
Time Magazine, the famous U.S. publication, named Mahatma Gandhi the Man of the Year in 1930. In 1999 the magazine declared Mahatma the runner-up to noted scientist Albert Einstein as the "Person of the Century".
The Birth of 'Mahatma'
Mahatma Gandhi was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and the title 'Mahatma' was accorded to him much later. Mahatma literally translates to 'great soul' in Sanskrit. Even though opinion is ambivalent as to how Gandhi came to be known as Mahatma, people generally believe that noted poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore bestowed the title of 'Mahatma' on Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Boer War
Despite his lifelong pursuit of nonviolence, Gandhi found himself embroiled in a war at an early stage of his life, albeit in a humanitarian role. During his stay in South Africa the Second Boer War broke out and Gandhi organized a volunteer medial unit of free Indians and indentured laborers called the Indian Ambulance Corps. This unit provided exemplary medical service to wounded black South Africans and post -war Gandhi became a decorated sergeant of the Corps.
The Gandhi Statue in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa was the place where Gandhi was shoved out a train 1893 after refusing to move from the first class to a third class coach while holding a first class ticket. This unsavory incident proved to be landmark event in Gandhi's life as he made it a mission to protest such incidents of racial abuse. The downtown of Pietermaritzburg city now hosts a commemorative statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Nobel Prize
It is indeed a sad irony that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest exponent of peace and nonviolence, was never deemed eligible for the Nobel Peace Prize. After four previous nominations, Gandhi was chosen for the Prize in 1948, but because of his unfortunate assassination the Nobel Committee had to shelve their plans and the Peace Prize was not awarded that year.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Time Magazine
Time Magazine, the famous U.S. publication, named Mahatma Gandhi the Man of the Year in 1930. In 1999 the magazine declared Mahatma the runner-up to noted scientist Albert Einstein as the "Person of the Century".
Monday 29 August 2011
Wikileaks releases some of the Top Black Money Holders from India
The pic, which we found on i.imgur.com, says: Indians have the largest amount of black money in Swiss Banks. Rudolf Elmer provides the list of famous Indians to Wikileaks. He also revealed that black money was started depositing in Swiss Banks in early 70s by some of the names of India through illegal mining, stock market, drug dealing, fake projects etc.
According to the pic: Though Wikileaks has finally released few names, but it has threatened that if Indian government doesn’t start taking action, they would reveal all the names of big and powerful politicians. See this pic carefully:
Please Note: News of Delhi is still unsure of these details. We still can’t say whether it’s fake or genuine. Since Wikileaks hasn’t published these details on their site. As most of the Congress leaders only have been listed here so we doubt its authenticity. It’s up to you, how you take it !
Follow News of Delhi on Twitter and Facebook.Wednesday 24 August 2011
SMALLEST AQUARIUM
World's smallest aquarium.
Here is the perfect home for small fry: the world's smallest aquarium.
Created by Russian artist Anatoly Konenko, who specialises in miniatures, the tiny tank is made of glass, contains tiny stones and plants and is home to a group of tiny fish.
It is just 30mm wide, 24mm high and 14 mm deep - enough to hold just 10ml of water, or about two tablespoons' worth.
Scroll down to see video... and more of Konenko's art
Small fry: The tiny fish tank was made by a Russian artist who specialises in miniatures
The water has to be applied using a syringe so as not to disturb the landscape the Siberia-artist lovingly created.
Konenko, who calls his art 'micro-miniatures', even made a minuscule fishing net which he used to place the fish, baby Danios.
The adults are usually a favourite with more normal sized tanks but the tiny fish look at home in Konenko's construction for which he has since added a specially built air pump.
In the net: Anatoly Konenko made a small net to match, and tiny Danios fish swam around in the tank, which takes only two teaspoons of water to fill
Something fishy: The tank is just 30mm wide, 24mm high and 14 mm deep
Konenko is also a painter and is in the Guinness World Records book for making the world's smallest book.
He said: 'I've been doing microart for 30 years, doing the smallest things in the world.
'This tank was made out of curiosity.'
He works using a microscope for most of his work and has won awards in his home country and round the world.
Thursday 18 August 2011
cool ques
1.Rich in associated calcium and phosphorus,which protein makes up around 80% of proteins found in cows milk and is also the main protein found in cheese?
Casein
2.The ancient Greeks called it 'Lake Asphaltites'.In Hebrew and Arabic,it is sometimes referred to as the 'Sea of Lot'.By what name is this body of water most commonly known?
Dead Sea
3.As well as becoming Poet Laureate in 1638,following the death of Ben Jonson,which 17th century poet and playwright,is also known for having William Shakespeare as his godfather?
William Davenant
4.Only occurring in males,Orchitis (or orchiditis) is a condition involving the painful inflammation of which part of the body?
Testicle
5.One of golf's 'Majors',the 2011 USPGA tournament was won by Keegan Bradley.Finishing one shot behind,which Danish golfer finished the best of any European?
Anders Hansen
6.In August 2011,'Mr Tickle',the oldest of Roger Hargreaves' 'Mr Men' characters, celebrated his 40th birthday.First appearing 10 years later,who became the first 'Little Miss' character?
Little Miss Bossy
7.First appearing on TV in 2005,it follows the fortunes of CIA agent 'Stan Smith' and his family.What is the name of this an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane,the creator of 'Family Guy'?
American Dad
8.Translated to English as 'Federal Defence Force',what German name is used to describe the unified armed forces of Germany?
Bundeswehr
9.Named after the 5th President of the United States,Monrovia is the capital city of which African country?
Liberia
10.Known as the greatest comic actor in Rome,who was born as slave,but was freed by the dictator Sulla,in around the 1st century BC,due to his oustanding acting ability?
Roscius (Quintus Roscius Gallus)
Tuesday 2 August 2011
interesting facts - 5
"Kemo Sabe", meaning an all knowing one, is actually a mispronunciation by Native American of the Spanish phrase, Quien lo Sabe, meaning one who knows."
The lunula is the half-moon shaped pale area at the bottom of finger nails.
"Ma is as selfless as I am" can be read the same way backwards. If you take away all the spaces you can see that all the letters can be spelled out both ways.
"One thousand" contains the letter A, but none of the words from one to nine hundred ninety-nine has an A.
"Mad About You" star Paul Reiser plays the piano on the show's theme song.
"
"Ough" can be pronounced in eight different ways. The following sentence contains them all: "A rough-coated, dough-faced ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough, coughing and hiccoughing thoughtfully.
"Rhythms" is the longest English word without the normal vowels, a, e, i, o, or u.
"Second string," meaning "replacement or backup," comes from the middle ages. An archer always carried a second string in case the one on his bow broke.
"Speak of the Devil" is short for "Speak of the Devil and he shall come". It was believed that if you spoke about the Devil it would attract his attention. That's why when you're talking about someone and they show up people say "Speak of the Devil."
"Stewardesses" is the longest word that can be typed with only the left hand.
"Tautonyms" are scientific names for which the genus and species are the same.
"Taxi" is spelled exactly the same in English, French, German, Swedish, Portuguese, and Dutch.
"Teh" means "cool" in Thai. (Pronounced "tay").
"The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest tongue twister in English.
"THEREIN" is a seven-letter word that contains thirteen words spelled using consecutive letters: the, he, her, er, here, I, there, ere, rein, re, in, therein, and herein.
"Underground" is the only word in the English language that begins and ends with the letters "und." $203,000,000 is spent on barbed wire each year in the U.S.
1 and 2 are the only numbers where they are values of the numbers of the factors they have.
1 in 5,000 north Atlantic lobsters are born bright blue.
interesting facts - 4
Facetious and abstemious are the only words that contain all the vowels in the correct order.
"Adcomsubordcomphibspac" is the longest acronym. It is a Navy term standing for Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet Subordinate Command.
"Almost" is the longest commonly used word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.
"Flushable" toilets were in use in ancient Rome.
"Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson was the first video to air on MTV by a black artist.
 | "Canada" is an Indian word meaning "Big Village". |
"Duff" is the decaying organic matter found on a forest floor.
"Fickleheaded" and "fiddledeedee" are the longest words consisting only of letters in the first half of the alphabet.
"Asthma" and "isthmi" are the only six-letter words that begin and end with a vowel and have no other vowels between.
"Fortnight" is a contraction of "fourteen nights." In the US "two weeks" is more commonly used.
"Forty" is the only number which has its letters in alphabetical order. "One" is the only number with its letters in reverse alphabetical order.
"Four" is the only number whose number of letters in the name equals the number.
"Hang on Sloopy" is the official rock song of Ohio.
"Happy Birthday" was the first song to be performed in outer space, sung by the Apollo IX astronauts on March 8, 1969.
Sunday 17 July 2011
INTERESTING FACTS - 3
1. 80% of all pictures on the internet are of naked women
2. Another name for a Microsoft Windows tutorial is 'Crash Course'!
3. Bill Gates' house was designed using a Macintosh computer.
4. By the year 2012 there will be approximately 17 billion devices connected to the Internet.
5. Domain names are being registered at a rate of more than one million names every month.
6. E-mail has been around longer than the World Wide Web.
7. For every 'normal' webpage, there are five porn pages.
8. In the 1980s, an IBM computer wasn't considered 100 percent compatible unless it could run Microsoft Flight Simulator*.
9. MySpace reports over 110 million registered users. Were it a country, it would be the tenth largest, just behind Mexico.
10. One of every 8 married couples in the US last year met online.
11. The average 21 year old has spent 5,000 hours playing video games, has exchanged 250,000 e-mails, instant and text messages and has spent 10,000 hours on the mobile phone.
12. The average computer user blinks 7 times a minute, less than half the normal rate of 20.
13. The first banner advertising was used in 1994.
14. The first computer mouse was invented by Doug Engelbart in around 1964 and was made of wood.
15. The first domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com.
0 16. The world's first computer, called the Z1, was invented by Konrad Zuse in 1936. His next invention, the Z2 was finished in 1939 and was the first fully functioning electro-mechanical computer.
17. There are approximately 1,319,872,109 people on the Internet.
18. There are approximately 1.06 billion instant messaging accounts worldwide.
19. While it took the radio 38 years, and the television a short 13 years, it took the World Wide Web only 4 years to reach 50 million users.
2. Another name for a Microsoft Windows tutorial is 'Crash Course'!
3. Bill Gates' house was designed using a Macintosh computer.
4. By the year 2012 there will be approximately 17 billion devices connected to the Internet.
5. Domain names are being registered at a rate of more than one million names every month.
6. E-mail has been around longer than the World Wide Web.
7. For every 'normal' webpage, there are five porn pages.
8. In the 1980s, an IBM computer wasn't considered 100 percent compatible unless it could run Microsoft Flight Simulator*.
9. MySpace reports over 110 million registered users. Were it a country, it would be the tenth largest, just behind Mexico.
10. One of every 8 married couples in the US last year met online.
11. The average 21 year old has spent 5,000 hours playing video games, has exchanged 250,000 e-mails, instant and text messages and has spent 10,000 hours on the mobile phone.
12. The average computer user blinks 7 times a minute, less than half the normal rate of 20.
13. The first banner advertising was used in 1994.
14. The first computer mouse was invented by Doug Engelbart in around 1964 and was made of wood.
15. The first domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com.
0 16. The world's first computer, called the Z1, was invented by Konrad Zuse in 1936. His next invention, the Z2 was finished in 1939 and was the first fully functioning electro-mechanical computer.
17. There are approximately 1,319,872,109 people on the Internet.
18. There are approximately 1.06 billion instant messaging accounts worldwide.
19. While it took the radio 38 years, and the television a short 13 years, it took the World Wide Web only 4 years to reach 50 million users.
Sunday 10 July 2011
sinkholes
Types of Naturally Occurring Sinkholes
Sinkholes look dramatic when you're peering down into one, but it's below the surface where the real action takes place. A sinkhole's identity centers on the gaps, crevices, cavities and voids that lie under the overburden, or the soil above the bedrock. As these gaps develop, expand and merge, soil from the overburden starts filling the void.
In the case of the sinkhole suddenly opening to swallow a car that we just mentioned, it formed because the overburden was no longer stable enough to hold itself up. This common type of sinkhole is known as a collapse orcover-collapse sinkhole. Although these sinkholes can appear suddenly, the erosion that makes them happen has likely been taking place for weeks or years before, underground and out of view. So let's head underground.
The top layer of a cover-collapse sinkhole is usually a soft overburden, made of soil with a lot of clay in it. Over time, a small cavern forms underneath that soil. Opportunistic sediment takes advantage of the newly free real estate and starts spilling into the cavern -- a process known as spalling. As spalling continues, the underground cavern fills with more sediment, hollowing out the space under the overburden. Eventually, the overburden becomes so thin that it suddenly collapses into the cavern below (this is the "cover collapse"), creating a sinkhole. In some cases, the cover can support its own weight but crumbles when additional weight, whether from a hapless person or car, passes over it.
A dissolution or solution sinkhole is essentially a deep impression in the ground. These sinkholes usually have a thin overburden (if any), which washes away or is eroded. The now-exposed rock then progressively dissolves when it touches acidic water. The bare area hollows out, forming a shallow basin. Water often pools on the surface of a dissolution sinkhole, creating a sort of pond that compounds the erosion of rock below. Also, like in other types of sinkholes, objects and other material can get stuck in the fractures where water would normally flow out. Unlike a cover-subsidence sinkhole, there is no overburden or covering sediment to spall into the sinkhole or cover the eroding rock.
Human activity produces some of the worst sinkholes. We'll take a look at them .
Sinkholes Caused by Humans
A broken water main collapsed part of the street in Los Angeles in December 2002. Sinkholes caused by water eroding the foundation of streets are a big problem in Los Angeles.
In urban settings in particular, sinkholes may owe their development to human activity as much as anything else. In some cases, sinkholes appear because of the combination of industrial activity or development, soft limestone bedrock and less than 200 feet (61 meters) of overburden . The following human actions can also cause sinkholes:
- Drilling and vibrations
- Mining
- Changes in weight
- Lots of foot or vehicle traffic
- Heavy increase in water flow, formation of a pond or body of water, or broken pipes, among other things
Sinkholes may also form in places where water flows regularly, such as a storm drain, or when water sources are diverted or cut off, especially by pumping out groundwater. A broken pipe can contribute to sinkhole development by flooding and weakening the soil, but it can also provide an outlet for the dirt and rock that's supposed to surround pipes. After enough material falls into pipes and is transported away, the surrounding earth becomes destabilized, contributing to sinkhole formation, sewage or water spills, or other disasters.
Again with the Fertilizer! In Berezniki, Russia, a giant sinkhole first appeared in 1986, apparently when a potash mine was flooded. The sinkhole now measures 656 feet (200 meters) deep, 262 feet (80 meters) long and 131 feet (40 meters) wide -- and growing. The sinkhole threatens the region's massive potash industry. Potash is an important ingredient in many fertilizers. |
One of the worst human-caused sinkholes occurred in 1994 in Polk County, located in Central Florida. First, some background: 30 percent of the world's phosphate comes from Florida and often ends up as an ingredient in fertilizer. That booming phosphate industry comes with tons of mildly radioactive waste known as phosphogypsum. Florida mining companies arrange phosphogypsum into massive stacks that can cover hundreds of acres and weigh millions of tons. Other phosphogypsum disposal methods, including recycling it for use in construction or artificial reefs, have yet to take off because of debate over whether the material is too radioactive to reuse. Almost a billion tons of the stuff is stacked in Central Florida . All that weight pressing down on the soft, sinkhole-riddled Florida terrain can lead to disaster.
So it was in 1994, when one of these stacks collapsed into a 150-foot (46-meter) deep sinkhole. Millions of tons of phosphogypsum entered the sinkhole and polluted the state's water supply. The cleanup cost millions and cast a light on both the problem of sinkholes and the need to find uses for the millions of tons of byproduct waste produced by the state's phosphate industry.
We've talked about how sinkholes form and some of the basic hazards involved. But what other problems can they cause? We'll explore that subject with more details.
More Problems Caused by Sinkholes
Sinkholes aren't always a grave danger. Sometimes, depending on their size, they're just an inconvenience. It's their sudden or deceptively large appearance that makes sinkholes dangerous, both to human safety and to buildings and infrastructure. Construction projects frequently have to contend with the specter of sinkholes brought on by broken pipes or careless drilling. These geologic cavities can be expensive to repair, voracious in their appetite to swallow homes and cars, and toxic in their ability to contaminate groundwater supplies by sucking up debris or sewage.
Aerial view of the huge hole in Guatemala City after the sewage system collapsed. If you look at the surrounding buildings, you can see how big that scary sinkhole is.
Flooding looms as a particular concern when it comes to sinkholes. We already discussed how flooding contributes to sinkhole development, but sinkholes can also factor in to the flooding of a surrounding area in several ways. If the outlet that connects a sinkhole to a conduit or water supply, such as an underground stream, becomes filled with trash and debris, water has nowhere to flow. The basin or sinkhole then fills with water, causing flooding. Sinkhole flooding can also occur simply because water enters a sinkhole more quickly than it can drain through a conduit or other outlet. The last flooding scenario happens when an overflowing river is connected to a sinkhole via underground streams and conduits. Water flowing through the sinkhole would normally drain into the river. But because the river is already flooded, flow reversal takes place and excess water shoots back into the sinkhole, filling it with water and potentially flooding the surrounding area.
Sinkholes can appear suddenly and with great violence, and they're something that any city planner or engineer must keep in mind. One notable, tragic case of this type occurred in Guatemala's capital, Guatemala City. Early in the morning on Feb. 23, 2007, a 330-foot (101-meter) deep sinkhole appeared almost instantly, killing at least three people and devouring homes in a packed urban area. The ground shook and a terrible smell wafted from the ruptured sewer lines that, along with rain, were thought to have caused the disaster. Although the catastrophe occurred suddenly, residents reported hearing and feeling the ground shaking about a month before the sinkhole appeared . The government had plans to send a robotic camera system to investigate, but it didn't act in time.
Detecting and Dealing with Sinkholes
We have some bad news for you if your house is located in a landscape like this.
Sometimes we don't need a government agent to confirm that a sinkhole honeycombs the area. Rather, it's obvious from the gaping hole in the ground. But other times, sinkholes may be difficult to detect -- for example, if they're still covered with a thin overburden that has yet to collapse into the void below. Property damage, especially around the foundation, may be a subtle sign that something is wrong. In addition, if vegetation is dying unexpectedly, a sinkhole may have disrupted underlying streams that usually feed the plants. Other signs to look for include polluted or muddied well water, formation of new ponds and trees, or sign posts that appear to be slumping over.
Some people use sinkholes as makeshift trash cans when, in fact, anything thrown in them may end up in the local water supply. In many communities, this practice, in addition to being harmful to the environment, is illegal.
Is Three a Crowd? When several sinkholes come together to form a larger basin or hole, the new formation is known as a poljen. |
If your house suffers damage from a sinkhole, it may be covered by homeowner insurance. Sinkholes generally should be fenced off or otherwise marked. The Southwest Florida Water Management District recommends filling them in with sand, though many homeowners turn to professional contractors . If they sit on public property, city officials need to be contacted. A severe sinkhole found on public or private land may have to be repaired with concrete or require earthmoving equipment to stymie erosion.
The United States can't afford to ignore sinkholes. The country's aging sewer and water systems have experts worried that deadly sinkholes like Guatemala City's could develop . Their worries, no doubt, are founded on the fact that many essential infrastructure improvements across the country have been neglected. Pipes, bridges and the like that were intended to last 50 or so years are approaching or have passed their intended shelf life . For example, you may remember the disastrous Interstate 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis that occurred on Aug. 1, 2007, and killed 13 people. Authorities later attributed the bridge collapse to faulty design and the gradual addition of more weight, such as concrete lane dividers, without upgrading the bridge's support systems.
We already discussed the large sinkholes in Polk County, Fla., Guatemala City and Berezniki, Russia. On the next page, we'll look at some other unusual sinkholes from around the world.
Unusual and Stunning Sinkholes
Perhaps no sinkhole is more distinctive than the Qattara Depression. The massive sinkhole is more like a large basin, stretching across a wide swath of Egypt. It's considered the largest naturally forming sinkhole on Earth: . The depression is "only" 436 feet (133 meters) deep, but it's also 75 miles (120 kilometers) wide and 50 miles (80 kilometers) long. The depression's difficult terrain made it an important defensive border for the British army during World War II, and now it's considered a tourist attraction. Various schemes have been conceived to harness the Qattara Depression for energy production. One possibility calls for filling it with water and then using the basin's low elevation and water evaporation as part of a hydro-solar project.
Aerial view of a Sarisarinama sinkhole in Bolivar, Venezuela. If you tumble in there, will you reach the lost world?
Like the Qattara Depression, sinkholes can be beautiful and relatively harmless, though frequently the difference between stunning and disastrous is a matter of location. Venezuela is known for itsSarisarinama sinkholes: basins 1,000 feet (305 meters) wide and at least that deep that are practically perfect circles. These sinkholes are made more distinctive by where they appear; they lie on top of high mesas in the country's tepui region. Tepuis are incredibly isolated areas filled with lush forests and waterfalls. Sarisarinama sinkholes were first discovered in 1974, high up on flat-topped tepui mountains, and have been described as part of a "lost world". These sinkholes have been treasure troves for scientists, who remain fascinated by the unique plant and animal species found nowhere else but in some Sarisarinama sinkholes. The sinkholes and the tepuis have also attracted numerous explorers throughout the centuries, some lured by the challenge of their remote setting, others following rumors of massive gold nuggets washing up in streams on top of tepuis.
An Ancient Name The name "cenote" derives from a Mayan word meaning "abysmal and deep". |
If you've ever seen the "Planet Earth" documentary series, then you're probably familiar with cenotes, water-filled sinkholes connected to underwater caves and streams. Cenotes often form gorgeous swimming spots and feature underwater caves, waterfalls and other intriguing formations. The Bimmah Sinkhole in the Middle Eastern nation of Oman is similar. This sinkhole attracts many tourists to its shimmering, translucent blue-green water. Similarly, Mount Gambier in southern Australia is known for its picturesque water-filled sinkholes and volcanic craters. Some of these sinkholes contain well-manicured, terraced gardens.
One of the world's centers of sinkhole activity is the Dead Sea, the salty body of water sandwiched between Israel and Jordan. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on the planet (1,371 feet or 417 meters below sea level) and an important tourist and historical site, as well as part of a migratory route for hundreds of millions of birds. The water level of the Dead Sea has been dropping yearly because of work by the mineral extraction industry and diversion of water from the Jordan River, which feeds the sea, for use in watering crops and providing drinking water.
The newly uncovered areas of the Dead Sea have become riddled with sinkholes. Evaporating freshwater pools are breaking down salt deposits, creating "holes" and destabilizing the ground, leading to sinkholes. Various remedies have been proposed, including multibillion-dollar canals connecting the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean or Red seas. One scientist has theorized that a point of equilibrium will inevitably be reached, as the sea will become too salty to further evaporate . But by then, the Dead Sea will be about one-third of its early 21st century size, and in the meantime, resorts around the sea have struggled with receding waters and the unstable, sinkhole-laden earth left behind.
What should you not buy in bulk?
Specific Items You Shouldn't Buy In Bulk
Nuts have a high oil content and will go rancid in just a few months.
These bulk items might seem like good investments at the time, but won't add up to as much long-term value as you would think.
- Nuts: You might think that nuts could sit in the pantry for months and even years at a time without going bad. But nuts are actually very high in oil. And although those oils make nuts a healthy source of unsaturated fats, they also mean that nuts will go rancid within four months (six months if they are in their shells) .
- Brown rice: Like nuts, brown rice has high oil content because, unlike white rice, brown rice still has the germ attached. That's what makes it brown and generally healthier than its white counterpart, but also more perishable. Don't buy more brown rice than you can use in about six months .
- Cooking oil: If nuts and brown rice spoil quickly because of their high oil content, you can bet that pure oil will go bad quickly for the same reason. Cooking oil goes bad within one to three months of being opened. So, gallon jugs of oil may be a good investment if you plan to do a lot of deep frying, but otherwise, stay away.
- Spices: Little jars of spices can be expensive, while large tubs can be dirt cheap by comparison. But those bulk spices are really only worth buying for restaurants or food service professionals. Because spices lose their flavor over time, you'll have to refresh them in about six months.
- Bleach: Bleach loses potency in only about six months, so most households probably won't use more than the typical gallon before its cleaning power is gone .
- Bread: Unless you have a huge family, or you're carbo loading for a big marathon, you're making more of an investment in mold than in cheap lunches.
- Candy: Even if you find deals on candy and other snack foods in bulk, having so many on hand can increase the temptation to overeat.
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Sunday 9 October 2011
Thursday 29 September 2011
*1*
1. Where would you see the practical application of a device/mechanism with US patent no 5,255,452 meant to create an anti-gravity illusion?
In the Michael Jackson video - Smooth Criminal when MJ performs the famous 'Anti Gravity lean'.
2. Which term was coined by Darcy DiNucci in 1999 in her article where she writes 'The first glimmerings of ________ are beginning to appear, and we are just starting to see how that embryo might develop' ?
Web 2.0 (This word became the 1,000,000th word in the English Language recently!)
3. What first was established by a movie made by MGM in 1932 'Rasputin and The Empress'
which is now a common feature with almost all movies ?
which is now a common feature with almost all movies ?
The disclaimer which says 'All characters in this movie are fictitious and any resemblance to any......'
4. Ulhasnagar - a military camp in the pre-Independence era, has transformed into to a major commercial center of Maharashtra by the Sindhis who came over during partition. Given their acumen for business and the demand for imported electronic products, they used a particular label on the products they sold to sustain competition. What did the label read?
Made in USA (Ulhasnagar Sindhi Association)
5. It was developed by Unisys, a Pennsylvania based IT company for the Police Information Technology Organisation under the Private Finance Initiative in the United Kingdom. It is an IT system used by the police to assist with the investigation of serious crimes including murder and fraud. It is aptly named as __________?
HOLMES (Now HOLMES 2) - Home Office Large Major EnquirySystem, which is taken from 'Sherlock Holmes'
6. Which commonly used term is named after the 'pulses of sound made by a sonar, since its operation is analogous to active sonar in submarines, in which an operator issues a pulse of energy at the target, which then bounces from the target and is received by the operator' ?
PING
7. Joseph-Armand _________ a mechanic dreamed of building a vehicle that could "float on snow." In 1937, he designed and produced his first snowmobile called B7 in his small repair shop in Valcourt, Quebec. Today it is one of the best in its field. Fill in the blank.
BOMBARDIER
simple answer twisted question
The above depicted place is Abbottabad, which was in news in recent times due to Osama bin laden
Sunday 4 September 2011
LOST CITY OF ATLANTIS FOUND?
Prof. Richard Freund believes he has finally found the lost city of Atlantis. In Sunday’s National Geographic special “Finding Atlantis,” the University of Hartford professor and his team say they’ve found the remains of the legendary city, just north of Cadiz in Spain.
For thousands of years ago many have debated about the true existence ofAtlantis, saying that Atlantis was only a fictional story written by Plato himself.
The lost city of Atlantis believed swamped by a tsunami thousands of years ago was described by Plato in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written in 360 BC as “an island situated in front of the straits which are by you called the Pillars of Hercules,” “There occurred violent earthquakes and floods. And in a single day and night of misfortune… the island of Atlantis disappeared in the depths of the sea.”
They found a site in the northern part of Cadiz, Spain by using a satellite photo of a suspected submerged city. The team used cutting-edge technology and surveyed Dona Ana Park, a mudflat in Cadiz near the Strait of Gibraltar also known as the “Pillars of Hercules” in the ancient world.
In addition the team also found “memorial cities,” they believe were built by tsunami survivors as a tribute to the lost city of Atlantis. They found the memorial cities 150 miles inland from the site.
An image carved in stone of what looks to be an Atlantean warrior was also discovered.
Experts plan to conduct more excavation on the site to find further proof that the mysterious lost city was found.
Experts plan to conduct more excavation on the site to find further proof that the mysterious lost city was found.
Harare - World's Worst City To Live In
HARARE, Zimbabwe — A top research group on Thursday rated Zimbabwe's capital as the worst of 140 world cities in which to live.
The British-based Economist Intelligence Unit said its researchers excluded cities in Libya, Iraq and other war zones.
Harare, where power and water outages occur daily, scored a 38 percent "livability rating," the group said.
The group said the threat of civil unrest and the availability of public health care and public transport in Harare were intolerable. Energy and water supplies were undesirable, it said, calling phones and Internet services uncomfortable.
Zimbabwe formed a shaky coalition government in 2009 after years of political violence and economic meltdown. Melbourne and Vienna were rated the two easiest cities to live in.
The research group is a respected economic and risk consultancy linked to the Economist magazine.
The annual global cities survey advises companies on the level of hardship employees face and recommends pay adjustments for those who move to cities where living conditions are particularly difficult, with "excessive physical hardship or a notably unhealthy environment."
A livability rating – compiled onsite in the cities by experts and statisticians – given as 80 to 100 percent means there are few challenges to daily living standards such as housing, health, education and transportation. Fifty percent or less means most aspects of living are "severely restricted," the group said.
Harare's rating highlighted continuing "bleak prospects" for the capital's population of nearly two million, the survey said. It said quality housing was available for only the wealthy, and that quality private education was available in the city, but it is costly and takes good teachers away from Harare's impoverished government schools.
Cities across sub-Saharan Africa had an average livability rating of 50 percent, compared to 92 percent in Western Europe and 91 percent in North America.
Facts about Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi's life is so much entwined with the Indian freedom movement that rarely do people endeavor to acquaint themselves with other facets of his eventful life. We provide below some interesting facts about Mahatma Gandhi:
The Birth of 'Mahatma'
Mahatma Gandhi was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and the title 'Mahatma' was accorded to him much later. Mahatma literally translates to 'great soul' in Sanskrit. Even though opinion is ambivalent as to how Gandhi came to be known as Mahatma, people generally believe that noted poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore bestowed the title of 'Mahatma' on Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Boer War
Despite his lifelong pursuit of nonviolence, Gandhi found himself embroiled in a war at an early stage of his life, albeit in a humanitarian role. During his stay in South Africa the Second Boer War broke out and Gandhi organized a volunteer medial unit of free Indians and indentured laborers called the Indian Ambulance Corps. This unit provided exemplary medical service to wounded black South Africans and post -war Gandhi became a decorated sergeant of the Corps.
The Gandhi Statue in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa was the place where Gandhi was shoved out a train 1893 after refusing to move from the first class to a third class coach while holding a first class ticket. This unsavory incident proved to be landmark event in Gandhi's life as he made it a mission to protest such incidents of racial abuse. The downtown of Pietermaritzburg city now hosts a commemorative statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Nobel Prize
It is indeed a sad irony that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest exponent of peace and nonviolence, was never deemed eligible for the Nobel Peace Prize. After four previous nominations, Gandhi was chosen for the Prize in 1948, but because of his unfortunate assassination the Nobel Committee had to shelve their plans and the Peace Prize was not awarded that year.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Time Magazine
Time Magazine, the famous U.S. publication, named Mahatma Gandhi the Man of the Year in 1930. In 1999 the magazine declared Mahatma the runner-up to noted scientist Albert Einstein as the "Person of the Century".
The Birth of 'Mahatma'
Mahatma Gandhi was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and the title 'Mahatma' was accorded to him much later. Mahatma literally translates to 'great soul' in Sanskrit. Even though opinion is ambivalent as to how Gandhi came to be known as Mahatma, people generally believe that noted poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore bestowed the title of 'Mahatma' on Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Boer War
Despite his lifelong pursuit of nonviolence, Gandhi found himself embroiled in a war at an early stage of his life, albeit in a humanitarian role. During his stay in South Africa the Second Boer War broke out and Gandhi organized a volunteer medial unit of free Indians and indentured laborers called the Indian Ambulance Corps. This unit provided exemplary medical service to wounded black South Africans and post -war Gandhi became a decorated sergeant of the Corps.
The Gandhi Statue in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa was the place where Gandhi was shoved out a train 1893 after refusing to move from the first class to a third class coach while holding a first class ticket. This unsavory incident proved to be landmark event in Gandhi's life as he made it a mission to protest such incidents of racial abuse. The downtown of Pietermaritzburg city now hosts a commemorative statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Nobel Prize
It is indeed a sad irony that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest exponent of peace and nonviolence, was never deemed eligible for the Nobel Peace Prize. After four previous nominations, Gandhi was chosen for the Prize in 1948, but because of his unfortunate assassination the Nobel Committee had to shelve their plans and the Peace Prize was not awarded that year.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Time Magazine
Time Magazine, the famous U.S. publication, named Mahatma Gandhi the Man of the Year in 1930. In 1999 the magazine declared Mahatma the runner-up to noted scientist Albert Einstein as the "Person of the Century".
Monday 29 August 2011
Wikileaks releases some of the Top Black Money Holders from India
The pic, which we found on i.imgur.com, says: Indians have the largest amount of black money in Swiss Banks. Rudolf Elmer provides the list of famous Indians to Wikileaks. He also revealed that black money was started depositing in Swiss Banks in early 70s by some of the names of India through illegal mining, stock market, drug dealing, fake projects etc.
According to the pic: Though Wikileaks has finally released few names, but it has threatened that if Indian government doesn’t start taking action, they would reveal all the names of big and powerful politicians. See this pic carefully:
Please Note: News of Delhi is still unsure of these details. We still can’t say whether it’s fake or genuine. Since Wikileaks hasn’t published these details on their site. As most of the Congress leaders only have been listed here so we doubt its authenticity. It’s up to you, how you take it !
Follow News of Delhi on Twitter and Facebook.Wednesday 24 August 2011
SMALLEST AQUARIUM
World's smallest aquarium.
Here is the perfect home for small fry: the world's smallest aquarium.
Created by Russian artist Anatoly Konenko, who specialises in miniatures, the tiny tank is made of glass, contains tiny stones and plants and is home to a group of tiny fish.
It is just 30mm wide, 24mm high and 14 mm deep - enough to hold just 10ml of water, or about two tablespoons' worth.
Scroll down to see video... and more of Konenko's art
The water has to be applied using a syringe so as not to disturb the landscape the Siberia-artist lovingly created.
Konenko, who calls his art 'micro-miniatures', even made a minuscule fishing net which he used to place the fish, baby Danios.
The adults are usually a favourite with more normal sized tanks but the tiny fish look at home in Konenko's construction for which he has since added a specially built air pump.
Konenko is also a painter and is in the Guinness World Records book for making the world's smallest book.
He said: 'I've been doing microart for 30 years, doing the smallest things in the world.
'This tank was made out of curiosity.'
He works using a microscope for most of his work and has won awards in his home country and round the world.
Thursday 18 August 2011
cool ques
1.Rich in associated calcium and phosphorus,which protein makes up around 80% of proteins found in cows milk and is also the main protein found in cheese?
Casein
2.The ancient Greeks called it 'Lake Asphaltites'.In Hebrew and Arabic,it is sometimes referred to as the 'Sea of Lot'.By what name is this body of water most commonly known?
Dead Sea
3.As well as becoming Poet Laureate in 1638,following the death of Ben Jonson,which 17th century poet and playwright,is also known for having William Shakespeare as his godfather?
William Davenant
4.Only occurring in males,Orchitis (or orchiditis) is a condition involving the painful inflammation of which part of the body?
Testicle
5.One of golf's 'Majors',the 2011 USPGA tournament was won by Keegan Bradley.Finishing one shot behind,which Danish golfer finished the best of any European?
Anders Hansen
6.In August 2011,'Mr Tickle',the oldest of Roger Hargreaves' 'Mr Men' characters, celebrated his 40th birthday.First appearing 10 years later,who became the first 'Little Miss' character?
Little Miss Bossy
7.First appearing on TV in 2005,it follows the fortunes of CIA agent 'Stan Smith' and his family.What is the name of this an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane,the creator of 'Family Guy'?
American Dad
8.Translated to English as 'Federal Defence Force',what German name is used to describe the unified armed forces of Germany?
Bundeswehr
9.Named after the 5th President of the United States,Monrovia is the capital city of which African country?
Liberia
10.Known as the greatest comic actor in Rome,who was born as slave,but was freed by the dictator Sulla,in around the 1st century BC,due to his oustanding acting ability?
Roscius (Quintus Roscius Gallus)
Tuesday 2 August 2011
interesting facts - 5
"Kemo Sabe", meaning an all knowing one, is actually a mispronunciation by Native American of the Spanish phrase, Quien lo Sabe, meaning one who knows."
The lunula is the half-moon shaped pale area at the bottom of finger nails.
"Ma is as selfless as I am" can be read the same way backwards. If you take away all the spaces you can see that all the letters can be spelled out both ways.
"One thousand" contains the letter A, but none of the words from one to nine hundred ninety-nine has an A.
"Mad About You" star Paul Reiser plays the piano on the show's theme song.
"
"Ough" can be pronounced in eight different ways. The following sentence contains them all: "A rough-coated, dough-faced ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough, coughing and hiccoughing thoughtfully.
"Rhythms" is the longest English word without the normal vowels, a, e, i, o, or u.
"Second string," meaning "replacement or backup," comes from the middle ages. An archer always carried a second string in case the one on his bow broke.
"Speak of the Devil" is short for "Speak of the Devil and he shall come". It was believed that if you spoke about the Devil it would attract his attention. That's why when you're talking about someone and they show up people say "Speak of the Devil."
"Stewardesses" is the longest word that can be typed with only the left hand.
"Tautonyms" are scientific names for which the genus and species are the same.
"Taxi" is spelled exactly the same in English, French, German, Swedish, Portuguese, and Dutch.
"Teh" means "cool" in Thai. (Pronounced "tay").
"The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest tongue twister in English.
"THEREIN" is a seven-letter word that contains thirteen words spelled using consecutive letters: the, he, her, er, here, I, there, ere, rein, re, in, therein, and herein.
"Underground" is the only word in the English language that begins and ends with the letters "und." $203,000,000 is spent on barbed wire each year in the U.S.
1 and 2 are the only numbers where they are values of the numbers of the factors they have.
1 in 5,000 north Atlantic lobsters are born bright blue.
interesting facts - 4
Facetious and abstemious are the only words that contain all the vowels in the correct order.
"Adcomsubordcomphibspac" is the longest acronym. It is a Navy term standing for Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet Subordinate Command.
"Almost" is the longest commonly used word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.
"Flushable" toilets were in use in ancient Rome.
"Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson was the first video to air on MTV by a black artist.
| "Canada" is an Indian word meaning "Big Village". |
"Duff" is the decaying organic matter found on a forest floor.
"Fickleheaded" and "fiddledeedee" are the longest words consisting only of letters in the first half of the alphabet.
"Asthma" and "isthmi" are the only six-letter words that begin and end with a vowel and have no other vowels between.
"Fortnight" is a contraction of "fourteen nights." In the US "two weeks" is more commonly used.
"Forty" is the only number which has its letters in alphabetical order. "One" is the only number with its letters in reverse alphabetical order.
"Four" is the only number whose number of letters in the name equals the number.
"Hang on Sloopy" is the official rock song of Ohio.
"Happy Birthday" was the first song to be performed in outer space, sung by the Apollo IX astronauts on March 8, 1969.
Sunday 17 July 2011
INTERESTING FACTS - 3
1. 80% of all pictures on the internet are of naked women
2. Another name for a Microsoft Windows tutorial is 'Crash Course'!
3. Bill Gates' house was designed using a Macintosh computer.
4. By the year 2012 there will be approximately 17 billion devices connected to the Internet.
5. Domain names are being registered at a rate of more than one million names every month.
6. E-mail has been around longer than the World Wide Web.
7. For every 'normal' webpage, there are five porn pages.
8. In the 1980s, an IBM computer wasn't considered 100 percent compatible unless it could run Microsoft Flight Simulator*.
9. MySpace reports over 110 million registered users. Were it a country, it would be the tenth largest, just behind Mexico.
10. One of every 8 married couples in the US last year met online.
11. The average 21 year old has spent 5,000 hours playing video games, has exchanged 250,000 e-mails, instant and text messages and has spent 10,000 hours on the mobile phone.
12. The average computer user blinks 7 times a minute, less than half the normal rate of 20.
13. The first banner advertising was used in 1994.
14. The first computer mouse was invented by Doug Engelbart in around 1964 and was made of wood.
15. The first domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com.
0 16. The world's first computer, called the Z1, was invented by Konrad Zuse in 1936. His next invention, the Z2 was finished in 1939 and was the first fully functioning electro-mechanical computer.
17. There are approximately 1,319,872,109 people on the Internet.
18. There are approximately 1.06 billion instant messaging accounts worldwide.
19. While it took the radio 38 years, and the television a short 13 years, it took the World Wide Web only 4 years to reach 50 million users.
2. Another name for a Microsoft Windows tutorial is 'Crash Course'!
3. Bill Gates' house was designed using a Macintosh computer.
4. By the year 2012 there will be approximately 17 billion devices connected to the Internet.
5. Domain names are being registered at a rate of more than one million names every month.
6. E-mail has been around longer than the World Wide Web.
7. For every 'normal' webpage, there are five porn pages.
8. In the 1980s, an IBM computer wasn't considered 100 percent compatible unless it could run Microsoft Flight Simulator*.
9. MySpace reports over 110 million registered users. Were it a country, it would be the tenth largest, just behind Mexico.
10. One of every 8 married couples in the US last year met online.
11. The average 21 year old has spent 5,000 hours playing video games, has exchanged 250,000 e-mails, instant and text messages and has spent 10,000 hours on the mobile phone.
12. The average computer user blinks 7 times a minute, less than half the normal rate of 20.
13. The first banner advertising was used in 1994.
14. The first computer mouse was invented by Doug Engelbart in around 1964 and was made of wood.
15. The first domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com.
0 16. The world's first computer, called the Z1, was invented by Konrad Zuse in 1936. His next invention, the Z2 was finished in 1939 and was the first fully functioning electro-mechanical computer.
17. There are approximately 1,319,872,109 people on the Internet.
18. There are approximately 1.06 billion instant messaging accounts worldwide.
19. While it took the radio 38 years, and the television a short 13 years, it took the World Wide Web only 4 years to reach 50 million users.
Sunday 10 July 2011
sinkholes
Types of Naturally Occurring Sinkholes
Sinkholes look dramatic when you're peering down into one, but it's below the surface where the real action takes place. A sinkhole's identity centers on the gaps, crevices, cavities and voids that lie under the overburden, or the soil above the bedrock. As these gaps develop, expand and merge, soil from the overburden starts filling the void.
In the case of the sinkhole suddenly opening to swallow a car that we just mentioned, it formed because the overburden was no longer stable enough to hold itself up. This common type of sinkhole is known as a collapse orcover-collapse sinkhole. Although these sinkholes can appear suddenly, the erosion that makes them happen has likely been taking place for weeks or years before, underground and out of view. So let's head underground.
The top layer of a cover-collapse sinkhole is usually a soft overburden, made of soil with a lot of clay in it. Over time, a small cavern forms underneath that soil. Opportunistic sediment takes advantage of the newly free real estate and starts spilling into the cavern -- a process known as spalling. As spalling continues, the underground cavern fills with more sediment, hollowing out the space under the overburden. Eventually, the overburden becomes so thin that it suddenly collapses into the cavern below (this is the "cover collapse"), creating a sinkhole. In some cases, the cover can support its own weight but crumbles when additional weight, whether from a hapless person or car, passes over it.
A dissolution or solution sinkhole is essentially a deep impression in the ground. These sinkholes usually have a thin overburden (if any), which washes away or is eroded. The now-exposed rock then progressively dissolves when it touches acidic water. The bare area hollows out, forming a shallow basin. Water often pools on the surface of a dissolution sinkhole, creating a sort of pond that compounds the erosion of rock below. Also, like in other types of sinkholes, objects and other material can get stuck in the fractures where water would normally flow out. Unlike a cover-subsidence sinkhole, there is no overburden or covering sediment to spall into the sinkhole or cover the eroding rock.
Human activity produces some of the worst sinkholes. We'll take a look at them .
Sinkholes Caused by Humans
A broken water main collapsed part of the street in Los Angeles in December 2002. Sinkholes caused by water eroding the foundation of streets are a big problem in Los Angeles.
In urban settings in particular, sinkholes may owe their development to human activity as much as anything else. In some cases, sinkholes appear because of the combination of industrial activity or development, soft limestone bedrock and less than 200 feet (61 meters) of overburden . The following human actions can also cause sinkholes:
- Drilling and vibrations
- Mining
- Changes in weight
- Lots of foot or vehicle traffic
- Heavy increase in water flow, formation of a pond or body of water, or broken pipes, among other things
Sinkholes may also form in places where water flows regularly, such as a storm drain, or when water sources are diverted or cut off, especially by pumping out groundwater. A broken pipe can contribute to sinkhole development by flooding and weakening the soil, but it can also provide an outlet for the dirt and rock that's supposed to surround pipes. After enough material falls into pipes and is transported away, the surrounding earth becomes destabilized, contributing to sinkhole formation, sewage or water spills, or other disasters.
Again with the Fertilizer! In Berezniki, Russia, a giant sinkhole first appeared in 1986, apparently when a potash mine was flooded. The sinkhole now measures 656 feet (200 meters) deep, 262 feet (80 meters) long and 131 feet (40 meters) wide -- and growing. The sinkhole threatens the region's massive potash industry. Potash is an important ingredient in many fertilizers. |
One of the worst human-caused sinkholes occurred in 1994 in Polk County, located in Central Florida. First, some background: 30 percent of the world's phosphate comes from Florida and often ends up as an ingredient in fertilizer. That booming phosphate industry comes with tons of mildly radioactive waste known as phosphogypsum. Florida mining companies arrange phosphogypsum into massive stacks that can cover hundreds of acres and weigh millions of tons. Other phosphogypsum disposal methods, including recycling it for use in construction or artificial reefs, have yet to take off because of debate over whether the material is too radioactive to reuse. Almost a billion tons of the stuff is stacked in Central Florida . All that weight pressing down on the soft, sinkhole-riddled Florida terrain can lead to disaster.
So it was in 1994, when one of these stacks collapsed into a 150-foot (46-meter) deep sinkhole. Millions of tons of phosphogypsum entered the sinkhole and polluted the state's water supply. The cleanup cost millions and cast a light on both the problem of sinkholes and the need to find uses for the millions of tons of byproduct waste produced by the state's phosphate industry.
We've talked about how sinkholes form and some of the basic hazards involved. But what other problems can they cause? We'll explore that subject with more details.
More Problems Caused by Sinkholes
Sinkholes aren't always a grave danger. Sometimes, depending on their size, they're just an inconvenience. It's their sudden or deceptively large appearance that makes sinkholes dangerous, both to human safety and to buildings and infrastructure. Construction projects frequently have to contend with the specter of sinkholes brought on by broken pipes or careless drilling. These geologic cavities can be expensive to repair, voracious in their appetite to swallow homes and cars, and toxic in their ability to contaminate groundwater supplies by sucking up debris or sewage.
Aerial view of the huge hole in Guatemala City after the sewage system collapsed. If you look at the surrounding buildings, you can see how big that scary sinkhole is.
Flooding looms as a particular concern when it comes to sinkholes. We already discussed how flooding contributes to sinkhole development, but sinkholes can also factor in to the flooding of a surrounding area in several ways. If the outlet that connects a sinkhole to a conduit or water supply, such as an underground stream, becomes filled with trash and debris, water has nowhere to flow. The basin or sinkhole then fills with water, causing flooding. Sinkhole flooding can also occur simply because water enters a sinkhole more quickly than it can drain through a conduit or other outlet. The last flooding scenario happens when an overflowing river is connected to a sinkhole via underground streams and conduits. Water flowing through the sinkhole would normally drain into the river. But because the river is already flooded, flow reversal takes place and excess water shoots back into the sinkhole, filling it with water and potentially flooding the surrounding area.
Sinkholes can appear suddenly and with great violence, and they're something that any city planner or engineer must keep in mind. One notable, tragic case of this type occurred in Guatemala's capital, Guatemala City. Early in the morning on Feb. 23, 2007, a 330-foot (101-meter) deep sinkhole appeared almost instantly, killing at least three people and devouring homes in a packed urban area. The ground shook and a terrible smell wafted from the ruptured sewer lines that, along with rain, were thought to have caused the disaster. Although the catastrophe occurred suddenly, residents reported hearing and feeling the ground shaking about a month before the sinkhole appeared . The government had plans to send a robotic camera system to investigate, but it didn't act in time.
Detecting and Dealing with Sinkholes
We have some bad news for you if your house is located in a landscape like this.
Sometimes we don't need a government agent to confirm that a sinkhole honeycombs the area. Rather, it's obvious from the gaping hole in the ground. But other times, sinkholes may be difficult to detect -- for example, if they're still covered with a thin overburden that has yet to collapse into the void below. Property damage, especially around the foundation, may be a subtle sign that something is wrong. In addition, if vegetation is dying unexpectedly, a sinkhole may have disrupted underlying streams that usually feed the plants. Other signs to look for include polluted or muddied well water, formation of new ponds and trees, or sign posts that appear to be slumping over.
Some people use sinkholes as makeshift trash cans when, in fact, anything thrown in them may end up in the local water supply. In many communities, this practice, in addition to being harmful to the environment, is illegal.
Is Three a Crowd? When several sinkholes come together to form a larger basin or hole, the new formation is known as a poljen. |
If your house suffers damage from a sinkhole, it may be covered by homeowner insurance. Sinkholes generally should be fenced off or otherwise marked. The Southwest Florida Water Management District recommends filling them in with sand, though many homeowners turn to professional contractors . If they sit on public property, city officials need to be contacted. A severe sinkhole found on public or private land may have to be repaired with concrete or require earthmoving equipment to stymie erosion.
The United States can't afford to ignore sinkholes. The country's aging sewer and water systems have experts worried that deadly sinkholes like Guatemala City's could develop . Their worries, no doubt, are founded on the fact that many essential infrastructure improvements across the country have been neglected. Pipes, bridges and the like that were intended to last 50 or so years are approaching or have passed their intended shelf life . For example, you may remember the disastrous Interstate 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis that occurred on Aug. 1, 2007, and killed 13 people. Authorities later attributed the bridge collapse to faulty design and the gradual addition of more weight, such as concrete lane dividers, without upgrading the bridge's support systems.
We already discussed the large sinkholes in Polk County, Fla., Guatemala City and Berezniki, Russia. On the next page, we'll look at some other unusual sinkholes from around the world.
Unusual and Stunning Sinkholes
Perhaps no sinkhole is more distinctive than the Qattara Depression. The massive sinkhole is more like a large basin, stretching across a wide swath of Egypt. It's considered the largest naturally forming sinkhole on Earth: . The depression is "only" 436 feet (133 meters) deep, but it's also 75 miles (120 kilometers) wide and 50 miles (80 kilometers) long. The depression's difficult terrain made it an important defensive border for the British army during World War II, and now it's considered a tourist attraction. Various schemes have been conceived to harness the Qattara Depression for energy production. One possibility calls for filling it with water and then using the basin's low elevation and water evaporation as part of a hydro-solar project.
Aerial view of a Sarisarinama sinkhole in Bolivar, Venezuela. If you tumble in there, will you reach the lost world?
Like the Qattara Depression, sinkholes can be beautiful and relatively harmless, though frequently the difference between stunning and disastrous is a matter of location. Venezuela is known for itsSarisarinama sinkholes: basins 1,000 feet (305 meters) wide and at least that deep that are practically perfect circles. These sinkholes are made more distinctive by where they appear; they lie on top of high mesas in the country's tepui region. Tepuis are incredibly isolated areas filled with lush forests and waterfalls. Sarisarinama sinkholes were first discovered in 1974, high up on flat-topped tepui mountains, and have been described as part of a "lost world". These sinkholes have been treasure troves for scientists, who remain fascinated by the unique plant and animal species found nowhere else but in some Sarisarinama sinkholes. The sinkholes and the tepuis have also attracted numerous explorers throughout the centuries, some lured by the challenge of their remote setting, others following rumors of massive gold nuggets washing up in streams on top of tepuis.
An Ancient Name The name "cenote" derives from a Mayan word meaning "abysmal and deep". |
If you've ever seen the "Planet Earth" documentary series, then you're probably familiar with cenotes, water-filled sinkholes connected to underwater caves and streams. Cenotes often form gorgeous swimming spots and feature underwater caves, waterfalls and other intriguing formations. The Bimmah Sinkhole in the Middle Eastern nation of Oman is similar. This sinkhole attracts many tourists to its shimmering, translucent blue-green water. Similarly, Mount Gambier in southern Australia is known for its picturesque water-filled sinkholes and volcanic craters. Some of these sinkholes contain well-manicured, terraced gardens.
One of the world's centers of sinkhole activity is the Dead Sea, the salty body of water sandwiched between Israel and Jordan. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on the planet (1,371 feet or 417 meters below sea level) and an important tourist and historical site, as well as part of a migratory route for hundreds of millions of birds. The water level of the Dead Sea has been dropping yearly because of work by the mineral extraction industry and diversion of water from the Jordan River, which feeds the sea, for use in watering crops and providing drinking water.
The newly uncovered areas of the Dead Sea have become riddled with sinkholes. Evaporating freshwater pools are breaking down salt deposits, creating "holes" and destabilizing the ground, leading to sinkholes. Various remedies have been proposed, including multibillion-dollar canals connecting the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean or Red seas. One scientist has theorized that a point of equilibrium will inevitably be reached, as the sea will become too salty to further evaporate . But by then, the Dead Sea will be about one-third of its early 21st century size, and in the meantime, resorts around the sea have struggled with receding waters and the unstable, sinkhole-laden earth left behind.
What should you not buy in bulk?
Specific Items You Shouldn't Buy In Bulk
Nuts have a high oil content and will go rancid in just a few months.
These bulk items might seem like good investments at the time, but won't add up to as much long-term value as you would think.
- Nuts: You might think that nuts could sit in the pantry for months and even years at a time without going bad. But nuts are actually very high in oil. And although those oils make nuts a healthy source of unsaturated fats, they also mean that nuts will go rancid within four months (six months if they are in their shells) .
- Brown rice: Like nuts, brown rice has high oil content because, unlike white rice, brown rice still has the germ attached. That's what makes it brown and generally healthier than its white counterpart, but also more perishable. Don't buy more brown rice than you can use in about six months .
- Cooking oil: If nuts and brown rice spoil quickly because of their high oil content, you can bet that pure oil will go bad quickly for the same reason. Cooking oil goes bad within one to three months of being opened. So, gallon jugs of oil may be a good investment if you plan to do a lot of deep frying, but otherwise, stay away.
- Spices: Little jars of spices can be expensive, while large tubs can be dirt cheap by comparison. But those bulk spices are really only worth buying for restaurants or food service professionals. Because spices lose their flavor over time, you'll have to refresh them in about six months.
- Bleach: Bleach loses potency in only about six months, so most households probably won't use more than the typical gallon before its cleaning power is gone .
- Bread: Unless you have a huge family, or you're carbo loading for a big marathon, you're making more of an investment in mold than in cheap lunches.
- Candy: Even if you find deals on candy and other snack foods in bulk, having so many on hand can increase the temptation to overeat.
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*1*
1. Where would you see the practical application of a device/mechanism with US patent no 5,255,452 meant to create an anti-gravity illusion?
In the Michael Jackson video - Smooth Criminal when MJ performs the famous 'Anti Gravity lean'.
2. Which term was coined by Darcy DiNucci in 1999 in her article where she writes 'The first glimmerings of ________ are beginning to appear, and we are just starting to see how that embryo might develop' ?
Web 2.0 (This word became the 1,000,000th word in the English Language recently!)
3. What first was established by a movie made by MGM in 1932 'Rasputin and The Empress'
which is now a common feature with almost all movies ?
which is now a common feature with almost all movies ?
The disclaimer which says 'All characters in this movie are fictitious and any resemblance to any......'
4. Ulhasnagar - a military camp in the pre-Independence era, has transformed into to a major commercial center of Maharashtra by the Sindhis who came over during partition. Given their acumen for business and the demand for imported electronic products, they used a particular label on the products they sold to sustain competition. What did the label read?
Made in USA (Ulhasnagar Sindhi Association)
5. It was developed by Unisys, a Pennsylvania based IT company for the Police Information Technology Organisation under the Private Finance Initiative in the United Kingdom. It is an IT system used by the police to assist with the investigation of serious crimes including murder and fraud. It is aptly named as __________?
HOLMES (Now HOLMES 2) - Home Office Large Major EnquirySystem, which is taken from 'Sherlock Holmes'
6. Which commonly used term is named after the 'pulses of sound made by a sonar, since its operation is analogous to active sonar in submarines, in which an operator issues a pulse of energy at the target, which then bounces from the target and is received by the operator' ?
PING
7. Joseph-Armand _________ a mechanic dreamed of building a vehicle that could "float on snow." In 1937, he designed and produced his first snowmobile called B7 in his small repair shop in Valcourt, Quebec. Today it is one of the best in its field. Fill in the blank.
BOMBARDIER
simple answer twisted question
The above depicted place is Abbottabad, which was in news in recent times due to Osama bin laden
LOST CITY OF ATLANTIS FOUND?
Prof. Richard Freund believes he has finally found the lost city of Atlantis. In Sunday’s National Geographic special “Finding Atlantis,” the University of Hartford professor and his team say they’ve found the remains of the legendary city, just north of Cadiz in Spain.
For thousands of years ago many have debated about the true existence ofAtlantis, saying that Atlantis was only a fictional story written by Plato himself.
The lost city of Atlantis believed swamped by a tsunami thousands of years ago was described by Plato in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written in 360 BC as “an island situated in front of the straits which are by you called the Pillars of Hercules,” “There occurred violent earthquakes and floods. And in a single day and night of misfortune… the island of Atlantis disappeared in the depths of the sea.”
They found a site in the northern part of Cadiz, Spain by using a satellite photo of a suspected submerged city. The team used cutting-edge technology and surveyed Dona Ana Park, a mudflat in Cadiz near the Strait of Gibraltar also known as the “Pillars of Hercules” in the ancient world.
In addition the team also found “memorial cities,” they believe were built by tsunami survivors as a tribute to the lost city of Atlantis. They found the memorial cities 150 miles inland from the site.
An image carved in stone of what looks to be an Atlantean warrior was also discovered.
Experts plan to conduct more excavation on the site to find further proof that the mysterious lost city was found.
Experts plan to conduct more excavation on the site to find further proof that the mysterious lost city was found.
Harare - World's Worst City To Live In
HARARE, Zimbabwe — A top research group on Thursday rated Zimbabwe's capital as the worst of 140 world cities in which to live.
The British-based Economist Intelligence Unit said its researchers excluded cities in Libya, Iraq and other war zones.
Harare, where power and water outages occur daily, scored a 38 percent "livability rating," the group said.
The group said the threat of civil unrest and the availability of public health care and public transport in Harare were intolerable. Energy and water supplies were undesirable, it said, calling phones and Internet services uncomfortable.
Zimbabwe formed a shaky coalition government in 2009 after years of political violence and economic meltdown. Melbourne and Vienna were rated the two easiest cities to live in.
The research group is a respected economic and risk consultancy linked to the Economist magazine.
The annual global cities survey advises companies on the level of hardship employees face and recommends pay adjustments for those who move to cities where living conditions are particularly difficult, with "excessive physical hardship or a notably unhealthy environment."
A livability rating – compiled onsite in the cities by experts and statisticians – given as 80 to 100 percent means there are few challenges to daily living standards such as housing, health, education and transportation. Fifty percent or less means most aspects of living are "severely restricted," the group said.
Harare's rating highlighted continuing "bleak prospects" for the capital's population of nearly two million, the survey said. It said quality housing was available for only the wealthy, and that quality private education was available in the city, but it is costly and takes good teachers away from Harare's impoverished government schools.
Cities across sub-Saharan Africa had an average livability rating of 50 percent, compared to 92 percent in Western Europe and 91 percent in North America.
Facts about Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi's life is so much entwined with the Indian freedom movement that rarely do people endeavor to acquaint themselves with other facets of his eventful life. We provide below some interesting facts about Mahatma Gandhi:
The Birth of 'Mahatma'
Mahatma Gandhi was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and the title 'Mahatma' was accorded to him much later. Mahatma literally translates to 'great soul' in Sanskrit. Even though opinion is ambivalent as to how Gandhi came to be known as Mahatma, people generally believe that noted poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore bestowed the title of 'Mahatma' on Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Boer War
Despite his lifelong pursuit of nonviolence, Gandhi found himself embroiled in a war at an early stage of his life, albeit in a humanitarian role. During his stay in South Africa the Second Boer War broke out and Gandhi organized a volunteer medial unit of free Indians and indentured laborers called the Indian Ambulance Corps. This unit provided exemplary medical service to wounded black South Africans and post -war Gandhi became a decorated sergeant of the Corps.
The Gandhi Statue in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa was the place where Gandhi was shoved out a train 1893 after refusing to move from the first class to a third class coach while holding a first class ticket. This unsavory incident proved to be landmark event in Gandhi's life as he made it a mission to protest such incidents of racial abuse. The downtown of Pietermaritzburg city now hosts a commemorative statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Nobel Prize
It is indeed a sad irony that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest exponent of peace and nonviolence, was never deemed eligible for the Nobel Peace Prize. After four previous nominations, Gandhi was chosen for the Prize in 1948, but because of his unfortunate assassination the Nobel Committee had to shelve their plans and the Peace Prize was not awarded that year.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Time Magazine
Time Magazine, the famous U.S. publication, named Mahatma Gandhi the Man of the Year in 1930. In 1999 the magazine declared Mahatma the runner-up to noted scientist Albert Einstein as the "Person of the Century".
The Birth of 'Mahatma'
Mahatma Gandhi was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and the title 'Mahatma' was accorded to him much later. Mahatma literally translates to 'great soul' in Sanskrit. Even though opinion is ambivalent as to how Gandhi came to be known as Mahatma, people generally believe that noted poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore bestowed the title of 'Mahatma' on Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Boer War
Despite his lifelong pursuit of nonviolence, Gandhi found himself embroiled in a war at an early stage of his life, albeit in a humanitarian role. During his stay in South Africa the Second Boer War broke out and Gandhi organized a volunteer medial unit of free Indians and indentured laborers called the Indian Ambulance Corps. This unit provided exemplary medical service to wounded black South Africans and post -war Gandhi became a decorated sergeant of the Corps.
The Gandhi Statue in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa was the place where Gandhi was shoved out a train 1893 after refusing to move from the first class to a third class coach while holding a first class ticket. This unsavory incident proved to be landmark event in Gandhi's life as he made it a mission to protest such incidents of racial abuse. The downtown of Pietermaritzburg city now hosts a commemorative statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Nobel Prize
It is indeed a sad irony that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest exponent of peace and nonviolence, was never deemed eligible for the Nobel Peace Prize. After four previous nominations, Gandhi was chosen for the Prize in 1948, but because of his unfortunate assassination the Nobel Committee had to shelve their plans and the Peace Prize was not awarded that year.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Time Magazine
Time Magazine, the famous U.S. publication, named Mahatma Gandhi the Man of the Year in 1930. In 1999 the magazine declared Mahatma the runner-up to noted scientist Albert Einstein as the "Person of the Century".
Wikileaks releases some of the Top Black Money Holders from India
The pic, which we found on i.imgur.com, says: Indians have the largest amount of black money in Swiss Banks. Rudolf Elmer provides the list of famous Indians to Wikileaks. He also revealed that black money was started depositing in Swiss Banks in early 70s by some of the names of India through illegal mining, stock market, drug dealing, fake projects etc.
According to the pic: Though Wikileaks has finally released few names, but it has threatened that if Indian government doesn’t start taking action, they would reveal all the names of big and powerful politicians. See this pic carefully:
Please Note: News of Delhi is still unsure of these details. We still can’t say whether it’s fake or genuine. Since Wikileaks hasn’t published these details on their site. As most of the Congress leaders only have been listed here so we doubt its authenticity. It’s up to you, how you take it !
Follow News of Delhi on Twitter and Facebook.SMALLEST AQUARIUM
World's smallest aquarium.
Here is the perfect home for small fry: the world's smallest aquarium.
Created by Russian artist Anatoly Konenko, who specialises in miniatures, the tiny tank is made of glass, contains tiny stones and plants and is home to a group of tiny fish.
It is just 30mm wide, 24mm high and 14 mm deep - enough to hold just 10ml of water, or about two tablespoons' worth.
Scroll down to see video... and more of Konenko's art
The water has to be applied using a syringe so as not to disturb the landscape the Siberia-artist lovingly created.
Konenko, who calls his art 'micro-miniatures', even made a minuscule fishing net which he used to place the fish, baby Danios.
The adults are usually a favourite with more normal sized tanks but the tiny fish look at home in Konenko's construction for which he has since added a specially built air pump.
Konenko is also a painter and is in the Guinness World Records book for making the world's smallest book.
He said: 'I've been doing microart for 30 years, doing the smallest things in the world.
'This tank was made out of curiosity.'
He works using a microscope for most of his work and has won awards in his home country and round the world.
cool ques
1.Rich in associated calcium and phosphorus,which protein makes up around 80% of proteins found in cows milk and is also the main protein found in cheese?
Casein
2.The ancient Greeks called it 'Lake Asphaltites'.In Hebrew and Arabic,it is sometimes referred to as the 'Sea of Lot'.By what name is this body of water most commonly known?
Dead Sea
3.As well as becoming Poet Laureate in 1638,following the death of Ben Jonson,which 17th century poet and playwright,is also known for having William Shakespeare as his godfather?
William Davenant
4.Only occurring in males,Orchitis (or orchiditis) is a condition involving the painful inflammation of which part of the body?
Testicle
5.One of golf's 'Majors',the 2011 USPGA tournament was won by Keegan Bradley.Finishing one shot behind,which Danish golfer finished the best of any European?
Anders Hansen
6.In August 2011,'Mr Tickle',the oldest of Roger Hargreaves' 'Mr Men' characters, celebrated his 40th birthday.First appearing 10 years later,who became the first 'Little Miss' character?
Little Miss Bossy
7.First appearing on TV in 2005,it follows the fortunes of CIA agent 'Stan Smith' and his family.What is the name of this an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane,the creator of 'Family Guy'?
American Dad
8.Translated to English as 'Federal Defence Force',what German name is used to describe the unified armed forces of Germany?
Bundeswehr
9.Named after the 5th President of the United States,Monrovia is the capital city of which African country?
Liberia
10.Known as the greatest comic actor in Rome,who was born as slave,but was freed by the dictator Sulla,in around the 1st century BC,due to his oustanding acting ability?
Roscius (Quintus Roscius Gallus)
interesting facts - 5
"Kemo Sabe", meaning an all knowing one, is actually a mispronunciation by Native American of the Spanish phrase, Quien lo Sabe, meaning one who knows."
The lunula is the half-moon shaped pale area at the bottom of finger nails.
"Ma is as selfless as I am" can be read the same way backwards. If you take away all the spaces you can see that all the letters can be spelled out both ways.
"One thousand" contains the letter A, but none of the words from one to nine hundred ninety-nine has an A.
"Mad About You" star Paul Reiser plays the piano on the show's theme song.
"
"Ough" can be pronounced in eight different ways. The following sentence contains them all: "A rough-coated, dough-faced ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough, coughing and hiccoughing thoughtfully.
"Rhythms" is the longest English word without the normal vowels, a, e, i, o, or u.
"Second string," meaning "replacement or backup," comes from the middle ages. An archer always carried a second string in case the one on his bow broke.
"Speak of the Devil" is short for "Speak of the Devil and he shall come". It was believed that if you spoke about the Devil it would attract his attention. That's why when you're talking about someone and they show up people say "Speak of the Devil."
"Stewardesses" is the longest word that can be typed with only the left hand.
"Tautonyms" are scientific names for which the genus and species are the same.
"Taxi" is spelled exactly the same in English, French, German, Swedish, Portuguese, and Dutch.
"Teh" means "cool" in Thai. (Pronounced "tay").
"The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest tongue twister in English.
"THEREIN" is a seven-letter word that contains thirteen words spelled using consecutive letters: the, he, her, er, here, I, there, ere, rein, re, in, therein, and herein.
"Underground" is the only word in the English language that begins and ends with the letters "und." $203,000,000 is spent on barbed wire each year in the U.S.
1 and 2 are the only numbers where they are values of the numbers of the factors they have.
1 in 5,000 north Atlantic lobsters are born bright blue.
interesting facts - 4
Facetious and abstemious are the only words that contain all the vowels in the correct order.
"Adcomsubordcomphibspac" is the longest acronym. It is a Navy term standing for Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet Subordinate Command.
"Almost" is the longest commonly used word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.
"Flushable" toilets were in use in ancient Rome.
"Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson was the first video to air on MTV by a black artist.
| "Canada" is an Indian word meaning "Big Village". |
"Duff" is the decaying organic matter found on a forest floor.
"Fickleheaded" and "fiddledeedee" are the longest words consisting only of letters in the first half of the alphabet.
"Asthma" and "isthmi" are the only six-letter words that begin and end with a vowel and have no other vowels between.
"Fortnight" is a contraction of "fourteen nights." In the US "two weeks" is more commonly used.
"Forty" is the only number which has its letters in alphabetical order. "One" is the only number with its letters in reverse alphabetical order.
"Four" is the only number whose number of letters in the name equals the number.
"Hang on Sloopy" is the official rock song of Ohio.
"Happy Birthday" was the first song to be performed in outer space, sung by the Apollo IX astronauts on March 8, 1969.
INTERESTING FACTS - 3
1. 80% of all pictures on the internet are of naked women
2. Another name for a Microsoft Windows tutorial is 'Crash Course'!
3. Bill Gates' house was designed using a Macintosh computer.
4. By the year 2012 there will be approximately 17 billion devices connected to the Internet.
5. Domain names are being registered at a rate of more than one million names every month.
6. E-mail has been around longer than the World Wide Web.
7. For every 'normal' webpage, there are five porn pages.
8. In the 1980s, an IBM computer wasn't considered 100 percent compatible unless it could run Microsoft Flight Simulator*.
9. MySpace reports over 110 million registered users. Were it a country, it would be the tenth largest, just behind Mexico.
10. One of every 8 married couples in the US last year met online.
11. The average 21 year old has spent 5,000 hours playing video games, has exchanged 250,000 e-mails, instant and text messages and has spent 10,000 hours on the mobile phone.
12. The average computer user blinks 7 times a minute, less than half the normal rate of 20.
13. The first banner advertising was used in 1994.
14. The first computer mouse was invented by Doug Engelbart in around 1964 and was made of wood.
15. The first domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com.
0 16. The world's first computer, called the Z1, was invented by Konrad Zuse in 1936. His next invention, the Z2 was finished in 1939 and was the first fully functioning electro-mechanical computer.
17. There are approximately 1,319,872,109 people on the Internet.
18. There are approximately 1.06 billion instant messaging accounts worldwide.
19. While it took the radio 38 years, and the television a short 13 years, it took the World Wide Web only 4 years to reach 50 million users.
2. Another name for a Microsoft Windows tutorial is 'Crash Course'!
3. Bill Gates' house was designed using a Macintosh computer.
4. By the year 2012 there will be approximately 17 billion devices connected to the Internet.
5. Domain names are being registered at a rate of more than one million names every month.
6. E-mail has been around longer than the World Wide Web.
7. For every 'normal' webpage, there are five porn pages.
8. In the 1980s, an IBM computer wasn't considered 100 percent compatible unless it could run Microsoft Flight Simulator*.
9. MySpace reports over 110 million registered users. Were it a country, it would be the tenth largest, just behind Mexico.
10. One of every 8 married couples in the US last year met online.
11. The average 21 year old has spent 5,000 hours playing video games, has exchanged 250,000 e-mails, instant and text messages and has spent 10,000 hours on the mobile phone.
12. The average computer user blinks 7 times a minute, less than half the normal rate of 20.
13. The first banner advertising was used in 1994.
14. The first computer mouse was invented by Doug Engelbart in around 1964 and was made of wood.
15. The first domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com.
0 16. The world's first computer, called the Z1, was invented by Konrad Zuse in 1936. His next invention, the Z2 was finished in 1939 and was the first fully functioning electro-mechanical computer.
17. There are approximately 1,319,872,109 people on the Internet.
18. There are approximately 1.06 billion instant messaging accounts worldwide.
19. While it took the radio 38 years, and the television a short 13 years, it took the World Wide Web only 4 years to reach 50 million users.
sinkholes
Types of Naturally Occurring Sinkholes
Sinkholes look dramatic when you're peering down into one, but it's below the surface where the real action takes place. A sinkhole's identity centers on the gaps, crevices, cavities and voids that lie under the overburden, or the soil above the bedrock. As these gaps develop, expand and merge, soil from the overburden starts filling the void.
In the case of the sinkhole suddenly opening to swallow a car that we just mentioned, it formed because the overburden was no longer stable enough to hold itself up. This common type of sinkhole is known as a collapse orcover-collapse sinkhole. Although these sinkholes can appear suddenly, the erosion that makes them happen has likely been taking place for weeks or years before, underground and out of view. So let's head underground.
The top layer of a cover-collapse sinkhole is usually a soft overburden, made of soil with a lot of clay in it. Over time, a small cavern forms underneath that soil. Opportunistic sediment takes advantage of the newly free real estate and starts spilling into the cavern -- a process known as spalling. As spalling continues, the underground cavern fills with more sediment, hollowing out the space under the overburden. Eventually, the overburden becomes so thin that it suddenly collapses into the cavern below (this is the "cover collapse"), creating a sinkhole. In some cases, the cover can support its own weight but crumbles when additional weight, whether from a hapless person or car, passes over it.
A dissolution or solution sinkhole is essentially a deep impression in the ground. These sinkholes usually have a thin overburden (if any), which washes away or is eroded. The now-exposed rock then progressively dissolves when it touches acidic water. The bare area hollows out, forming a shallow basin. Water often pools on the surface of a dissolution sinkhole, creating a sort of pond that compounds the erosion of rock below. Also, like in other types of sinkholes, objects and other material can get stuck in the fractures where water would normally flow out. Unlike a cover-subsidence sinkhole, there is no overburden or covering sediment to spall into the sinkhole or cover the eroding rock.
Human activity produces some of the worst sinkholes. We'll take a look at them .
Sinkholes Caused by Humans
A broken water main collapsed part of the street in Los Angeles in December 2002. Sinkholes caused by water eroding the foundation of streets are a big problem in Los Angeles.
In urban settings in particular, sinkholes may owe their development to human activity as much as anything else. In some cases, sinkholes appear because of the combination of industrial activity or development, soft limestone bedrock and less than 200 feet (61 meters) of overburden . The following human actions can also cause sinkholes:
- Drilling and vibrations
- Mining
- Changes in weight
- Lots of foot or vehicle traffic
- Heavy increase in water flow, formation of a pond or body of water, or broken pipes, among other things
Sinkholes may also form in places where water flows regularly, such as a storm drain, or when water sources are diverted or cut off, especially by pumping out groundwater. A broken pipe can contribute to sinkhole development by flooding and weakening the soil, but it can also provide an outlet for the dirt and rock that's supposed to surround pipes. After enough material falls into pipes and is transported away, the surrounding earth becomes destabilized, contributing to sinkhole formation, sewage or water spills, or other disasters.
Again with the Fertilizer! In Berezniki, Russia, a giant sinkhole first appeared in 1986, apparently when a potash mine was flooded. The sinkhole now measures 656 feet (200 meters) deep, 262 feet (80 meters) long and 131 feet (40 meters) wide -- and growing. The sinkhole threatens the region's massive potash industry. Potash is an important ingredient in many fertilizers. |
One of the worst human-caused sinkholes occurred in 1994 in Polk County, located in Central Florida. First, some background: 30 percent of the world's phosphate comes from Florida and often ends up as an ingredient in fertilizer. That booming phosphate industry comes with tons of mildly radioactive waste known as phosphogypsum. Florida mining companies arrange phosphogypsum into massive stacks that can cover hundreds of acres and weigh millions of tons. Other phosphogypsum disposal methods, including recycling it for use in construction or artificial reefs, have yet to take off because of debate over whether the material is too radioactive to reuse. Almost a billion tons of the stuff is stacked in Central Florida . All that weight pressing down on the soft, sinkhole-riddled Florida terrain can lead to disaster.
So it was in 1994, when one of these stacks collapsed into a 150-foot (46-meter) deep sinkhole. Millions of tons of phosphogypsum entered the sinkhole and polluted the state's water supply. The cleanup cost millions and cast a light on both the problem of sinkholes and the need to find uses for the millions of tons of byproduct waste produced by the state's phosphate industry.
We've talked about how sinkholes form and some of the basic hazards involved. But what other problems can they cause? We'll explore that subject with more details.
More Problems Caused by Sinkholes
Sinkholes aren't always a grave danger. Sometimes, depending on their size, they're just an inconvenience. It's their sudden or deceptively large appearance that makes sinkholes dangerous, both to human safety and to buildings and infrastructure. Construction projects frequently have to contend with the specter of sinkholes brought on by broken pipes or careless drilling. These geologic cavities can be expensive to repair, voracious in their appetite to swallow homes and cars, and toxic in their ability to contaminate groundwater supplies by sucking up debris or sewage.
Aerial view of the huge hole in Guatemala City after the sewage system collapsed. If you look at the surrounding buildings, you can see how big that scary sinkhole is.
Flooding looms as a particular concern when it comes to sinkholes. We already discussed how flooding contributes to sinkhole development, but sinkholes can also factor in to the flooding of a surrounding area in several ways. If the outlet that connects a sinkhole to a conduit or water supply, such as an underground stream, becomes filled with trash and debris, water has nowhere to flow. The basin or sinkhole then fills with water, causing flooding. Sinkhole flooding can also occur simply because water enters a sinkhole more quickly than it can drain through a conduit or other outlet. The last flooding scenario happens when an overflowing river is connected to a sinkhole via underground streams and conduits. Water flowing through the sinkhole would normally drain into the river. But because the river is already flooded, flow reversal takes place and excess water shoots back into the sinkhole, filling it with water and potentially flooding the surrounding area.
Sinkholes can appear suddenly and with great violence, and they're something that any city planner or engineer must keep in mind. One notable, tragic case of this type occurred in Guatemala's capital, Guatemala City. Early in the morning on Feb. 23, 2007, a 330-foot (101-meter) deep sinkhole appeared almost instantly, killing at least three people and devouring homes in a packed urban area. The ground shook and a terrible smell wafted from the ruptured sewer lines that, along with rain, were thought to have caused the disaster. Although the catastrophe occurred suddenly, residents reported hearing and feeling the ground shaking about a month before the sinkhole appeared . The government had plans to send a robotic camera system to investigate, but it didn't act in time.
Detecting and Dealing with Sinkholes
We have some bad news for you if your house is located in a landscape like this.
Sometimes we don't need a government agent to confirm that a sinkhole honeycombs the area. Rather, it's obvious from the gaping hole in the ground. But other times, sinkholes may be difficult to detect -- for example, if they're still covered with a thin overburden that has yet to collapse into the void below. Property damage, especially around the foundation, may be a subtle sign that something is wrong. In addition, if vegetation is dying unexpectedly, a sinkhole may have disrupted underlying streams that usually feed the plants. Other signs to look for include polluted or muddied well water, formation of new ponds and trees, or sign posts that appear to be slumping over.
Some people use sinkholes as makeshift trash cans when, in fact, anything thrown in them may end up in the local water supply. In many communities, this practice, in addition to being harmful to the environment, is illegal.
Is Three a Crowd? When several sinkholes come together to form a larger basin or hole, the new formation is known as a poljen. |
If your house suffers damage from a sinkhole, it may be covered by homeowner insurance. Sinkholes generally should be fenced off or otherwise marked. The Southwest Florida Water Management District recommends filling them in with sand, though many homeowners turn to professional contractors . If they sit on public property, city officials need to be contacted. A severe sinkhole found on public or private land may have to be repaired with concrete or require earthmoving equipment to stymie erosion.
The United States can't afford to ignore sinkholes. The country's aging sewer and water systems have experts worried that deadly sinkholes like Guatemala City's could develop . Their worries, no doubt, are founded on the fact that many essential infrastructure improvements across the country have been neglected. Pipes, bridges and the like that were intended to last 50 or so years are approaching or have passed their intended shelf life . For example, you may remember the disastrous Interstate 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis that occurred on Aug. 1, 2007, and killed 13 people. Authorities later attributed the bridge collapse to faulty design and the gradual addition of more weight, such as concrete lane dividers, without upgrading the bridge's support systems.
We already discussed the large sinkholes in Polk County, Fla., Guatemala City and Berezniki, Russia. On the next page, we'll look at some other unusual sinkholes from around the world.
Unusual and Stunning Sinkholes
Perhaps no sinkhole is more distinctive than the Qattara Depression. The massive sinkhole is more like a large basin, stretching across a wide swath of Egypt. It's considered the largest naturally forming sinkhole on Earth: . The depression is "only" 436 feet (133 meters) deep, but it's also 75 miles (120 kilometers) wide and 50 miles (80 kilometers) long. The depression's difficult terrain made it an important defensive border for the British army during World War II, and now it's considered a tourist attraction. Various schemes have been conceived to harness the Qattara Depression for energy production. One possibility calls for filling it with water and then using the basin's low elevation and water evaporation as part of a hydro-solar project.
Aerial view of a Sarisarinama sinkhole in Bolivar, Venezuela. If you tumble in there, will you reach the lost world?
Like the Qattara Depression, sinkholes can be beautiful and relatively harmless, though frequently the difference between stunning and disastrous is a matter of location. Venezuela is known for itsSarisarinama sinkholes: basins 1,000 feet (305 meters) wide and at least that deep that are practically perfect circles. These sinkholes are made more distinctive by where they appear; they lie on top of high mesas in the country's tepui region. Tepuis are incredibly isolated areas filled with lush forests and waterfalls. Sarisarinama sinkholes were first discovered in 1974, high up on flat-topped tepui mountains, and have been described as part of a "lost world". These sinkholes have been treasure troves for scientists, who remain fascinated by the unique plant and animal species found nowhere else but in some Sarisarinama sinkholes. The sinkholes and the tepuis have also attracted numerous explorers throughout the centuries, some lured by the challenge of their remote setting, others following rumors of massive gold nuggets washing up in streams on top of tepuis.
An Ancient Name The name "cenote" derives from a Mayan word meaning "abysmal and deep". |
If you've ever seen the "Planet Earth" documentary series, then you're probably familiar with cenotes, water-filled sinkholes connected to underwater caves and streams. Cenotes often form gorgeous swimming spots and feature underwater caves, waterfalls and other intriguing formations. The Bimmah Sinkhole in the Middle Eastern nation of Oman is similar. This sinkhole attracts many tourists to its shimmering, translucent blue-green water. Similarly, Mount Gambier in southern Australia is known for its picturesque water-filled sinkholes and volcanic craters. Some of these sinkholes contain well-manicured, terraced gardens.
One of the world's centers of sinkhole activity is the Dead Sea, the salty body of water sandwiched between Israel and Jordan. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on the planet (1,371 feet or 417 meters below sea level) and an important tourist and historical site, as well as part of a migratory route for hundreds of millions of birds. The water level of the Dead Sea has been dropping yearly because of work by the mineral extraction industry and diversion of water from the Jordan River, which feeds the sea, for use in watering crops and providing drinking water.
The newly uncovered areas of the Dead Sea have become riddled with sinkholes. Evaporating freshwater pools are breaking down salt deposits, creating "holes" and destabilizing the ground, leading to sinkholes. Various remedies have been proposed, including multibillion-dollar canals connecting the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean or Red seas. One scientist has theorized that a point of equilibrium will inevitably be reached, as the sea will become too salty to further evaporate . But by then, the Dead Sea will be about one-third of its early 21st century size, and in the meantime, resorts around the sea have struggled with receding waters and the unstable, sinkhole-laden earth left behind.
What should you not buy in bulk?
Specific Items You Shouldn't Buy In Bulk
Nuts have a high oil content and will go rancid in just a few months.
These bulk items might seem like good investments at the time, but won't add up to as much long-term value as you would think.
- Nuts: You might think that nuts could sit in the pantry for months and even years at a time without going bad. But nuts are actually very high in oil. And although those oils make nuts a healthy source of unsaturated fats, they also mean that nuts will go rancid within four months (six months if they are in their shells) .
- Brown rice: Like nuts, brown rice has high oil content because, unlike white rice, brown rice still has the germ attached. That's what makes it brown and generally healthier than its white counterpart, but also more perishable. Don't buy more brown rice than you can use in about six months .
- Cooking oil: If nuts and brown rice spoil quickly because of their high oil content, you can bet that pure oil will go bad quickly for the same reason. Cooking oil goes bad within one to three months of being opened. So, gallon jugs of oil may be a good investment if you plan to do a lot of deep frying, but otherwise, stay away.
- Spices: Little jars of spices can be expensive, while large tubs can be dirt cheap by comparison. But those bulk spices are really only worth buying for restaurants or food service professionals. Because spices lose their flavor over time, you'll have to refresh them in about six months.
- Bleach: Bleach loses potency in only about six months, so most households probably won't use more than the typical gallon before its cleaning power is gone .
- Bread: Unless you have a huge family, or you're carbo loading for a big marathon, you're making more of an investment in mold than in cheap lunches.
- Candy: Even if you find deals on candy and other snack foods in bulk, having so many on hand can increase the temptation to overeat.
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