Tuesday 28 June 2011

Friday 24 June 2011

The Sun

The sun is orbited by nine major planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (no longer an official planet).^h
The sun contains 99.85% of the mass in the solar system.^h
Classified as a G2 dwarf due to its size, heat, and chemical makeup, the sun is a medium-sized star. A G star is cool (between 5,000-6,000 on the Kelvin temperature scale) and has a complex chemistry, which means its makeup includes chemicals heavier than helium.^h
Based on the average life of a G2 star, the present age of the sun is estimated to be 4.6 billion years, halfway through its lifetime.^h
Four million tons of hydrogen are consumed by the sun every second, which helps to create the sun’s composition of 75 percent hydrogen, 23 percent helium, and 2 percent heavier elements.ⁱ
Scientists have determined that the sun will continue to burn hydrogen collected in its core for another five billion years or so, and then helium will become its primary fuel.^d

The sun has a diameter that is more than 100 times that of Earth

Approximately 109 planet Earths would fit on the surface of the sun and more than one million planet Earths would fit inside of the sun.^d
Every 11 years, solar activity surges. The sunspots that pepper the sun explode, hurtling massive clouds of gas known as "CMEs" through the solar system. This is called “solar maximum.”^b
Approximately every 11 years, the sun reverses its overall magnetic polarity: its north magnetic pole becomes a south pole, and vice versa.^f
The sun is the closest star to Earth and is 149.60 million kilometers (92.96 million miles) away.^c
At its core, the sun’s temperature is about 15 million degrees Celsius (about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit).^c
The sun rotates on its axis once every 25.38 Earth days or 609.12 hours.^c
100,000,000,000 tons of dynamite would have to be detonated every second to match the energy produced by the sun.^c
A person weighing 150 pounds on Earth would weigh 4,200 pounds on the sun because the sun’s gravity is 28 times that of Earth.^d
The sun radiates heat and a steady stream of charged particles known as the solar wind, which blows about 280 miles (450 kilometers) per second throughout the solar system.^d
Solar flares are jets of particles that burst from the sun and can disrupt satellite communications and knock out electricity on Earth.^d
All planets orbit the sun in the same direction, counterclockwise, and on roughly the same plane, known as the ecliptic.^a
Egyptian, Indo-European, and Meso-American cultures all had sun-worship religions.^e
In ancient Egypt, the sun god Ra was the dominant figure among the high gods. He achieved the highest status because he was believed to have created himself and eight other gods.^e
In the Aztec religion, extensive human sacrifice was demanded by the sun gods Huitzilopochtli and Tezcatlipoca.^e
In Japan, the sun goddess, Amaterasu, played an important role in ancient mythology and was considered to be the supreme ruler of the world.^e

Japan's flag is called Hinomaru, which literally means Disk of the Sun

The characters which make up Japan's name mean “sun origin” and its flag depicts the rising sun.^e
In Libya, both male and female mummies have been discovered with tattoos symbolizing sun worship.^a
In the sixteenth century, Nicholas Copernicus argued that it was the Earth that traveled around the sun. However, Copernicus's view of the solar system wasn't accepted for many years until Newton formulated his laws of motion.ⁱ
The Greek philosopher Aristarchus is credited as being the first person to claim that the Earth orbited the sun.ⁱ
While evidence suggests fluctuations in solar activity can affect climate on Earth, the majority of climate scientists and astrophysicists agree that the sun is not to blame for the current and historically sudden increase in global temperatures on Earth, which have mostly been caused by the human race.^g
The small measured changes in the sun’s radiation output from one decade to the next are only about one-tenth of 1 percent, not even large enough to really provide a detectable signal in Earth’s surface temperature record.^g
During a 75-year period beginning in 1645, astronomers detected almost no sunspot activity on the sun. Called the “Maunder Minimum,” this event coincided with the coldest part of the Little Ice Age, a 350-year cold spell that gripped much of Europe and North America. However, new estimates determine that the change in brightness was perhaps not enough to create this global cooling.^g
Based on current estimates, even if another Maunder Minimum were to occur, it might result in an average temperature decrease of about 2 degrees Fahrenheit.^g

Facts about Banks in India

The first, the oldest, the largest, the biggest, get all such types of informations about Banking in India in this section.

The first bank in India to be given an ISO Certification	Canara Bank
The first bank in Northern India to get ISO 9002 certification for their selected branches	Punjab and Sind Bank
The first Indian bank to have been started solely with Indian capital	Punjab National Bank
The first among the private sector banks in Kerala to become a scheduled bank in 1946 under the RBI Act	South Indian Bank
India's oldest, largest and most successful commercial bank, offering the widest possible range of domestic, international and NRI products and services, through its vast network in India and overseas	State Bank of India
India's second largest private sector bank and is now the largest scheduled commercial bank in India	The Federal Bank Limited
Bank which started as private shareholders banks, mostly Europeans shareholders	Imperial Bank of India
The first Indian bank to open a branch outside India in London in 1946 and the first to open a branch in continental Europe at Paris in 1974	Bank of India, founded in 1906 in Mumbai
The oldest Public Sector Bank in India having branches all over India and serving the customers for the last 132 years	Allahabad Bank
The first Indian commercial bank which was wholly owned and managed by Indians	Central Bank of India

Saturday 18 June 2011

facts about google (you may not kNOW

1. Google receives daily search requests from all over the world, including Antarctica.

2. Google’s Home Page Has 63 Validation Errors. Don’t believe me?: Check Google Validation

3. The Google search engine receives about a billion search requests per day.

4. The infamous “I’m feeling lucky” button is nearly never used. However, in trials it was found that removing it would somehow reduce the Google experience. Users wanted it kept. It was a comfort button.

5. Due to the sparseness of the homepage, in early user tests they noted people just sitting looking at the screen. After a minute of nothingness, the tester intervened and asked ‘Whats up?’ to which they replied “We are waiting for the rest of it”. To solve that particular problem the Google Copyright message was inserted to act as a crude end of page marker.

6. The name ‘Google’ was an accident. A spelling mistake made by the original founders who thought they were going for ‘Googol’.

7. Google has the largest network of translators in the world.

8. Employees are encouraged to use 20% of their time working on their own projects. Google News, Orkut are both examples of projects that grew from this working model.

9. Google consists of over 450,000 servers, racked up in clusters located in data centers around the world.

10. Google started in January, 1996 as a research project at Stanford University, by Ph.D. candidates Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were 24 years old and 23 years old respectively.

11. Google is a mathematical term 1 followed by one hundred zeroes. The term was coined by Milton Sirotta, nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasne.

12. Number of languages in which you can have the Google home page set up, including Urdu, Latin and Klingon: 88

13. Google translates billions of HTML web pages into a display format for WAP and i-mode phones and wireless handheld devices.

beautiful wildlife pics

It was a scene that perhaps wouldn't have made the final cut of King Kong.

This lowland gorilla shares a moment of quiet reflection with a tiny mallard duckling, who seems fairly nonplussed about being in the presence of one of nature's most powerful beasts.

The heart-warming image is among Nature's Best Photography Magazine's wildlife photograph winners for 2010.

A stunning image of a frolicking bear in the woods and a dramatic scene of a hummingbird facing down a deadly viper were also among the winners of the competition, which received more than 25,000 entries.

The awards began with simple yet dynamic goals: to celebrate the beauty and diversity of nature through the art of photography, and to use it as a creative tool for encouraging greater public interest in outdoor enjoyment and conservation.

The annual Windland Smith Rice International Awards programme is among the most highly-respected and visually compelling nature photography competitions in the world. The Grand Prize was won by Tom Cairns for his shot of an Osprey grabbing a fish from a lake in southern Finland.

Fancy seeing you here: The gorilla makes friends a duckling

Zoos And Aquariums: Tom Warren

Western Lowland Gorilla and Mallard Duck, Bronx Zoo, New York, U.S.

'While mallards are commonly found throughout North America and across Eurasia, the peaceful, family-bound gorillas are highly endangered and struggle with loss of habitat, poaching, and disease. Scientists are working with the Republic of Congo government to establish a national complex of protected areas. This zone is among the most important for western lowland gorillas of equatorial Africa. The Bronx Zoo helps raise funds for the Wildlife Conservation Society to protect these magnificent primates.

'Upon arriving at the Bronx Zoo's Congo Gorilla Forest exhibit, I noticed there was an excitement among those viewing the animals. We all watched with amazement as a tiny duckling wandered among the huge western lowland gorillas, who eyed the fuzzy visitor with curiosity. The duckling did not seem the least bit intimidated and for good reason, as Africa's gentle giants eat mostly fruits and plants. How fortunate I was to witness a wonderful moment between two unlikely friends.'

Camera: Nikon D80; 180mm /2.8 lens; B+W clear UV haze filter; 1/200 sec at /2.8; ISO 640; hand-held.

Grand Prize: Peter Cairns (above)

Osprey (Kangasala, Tampere, Finland)

'Ospreys are a major European conservation success story. The species has recovered from its endangered status, breeding near fresh and salt waterways throughout much of the continent a clear indication that conservation efforts work. During summer months, these raptors may be seen hunting over rivers, lakes, and estuaries before diving into the water talons outstretched to catch their prey.

'While photographing in southern Finland on assignment for the Wild Wonders of Europe project, one of my goals was to document this behaviour. After countless attempts, I was finally able to capture the moment as this adult osprey plunged into the water, creating a massive explosion of droplets. I managed just this one frame that featured the drama of the fish trying to escape.'

Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IIN; 300mm lens; 1/500 sec at /2.8; ISO 200; beanbag.

Birds: Albert J. Valentino (below)

Bald Eagles, Homer, Alaska, U.S.

'My goal on this winter trip to Alaska was to spend a full week photographing Bald Eagles. What immediately stood out to me about this composition was that the eagles resemble Olympic winners waiting for someone to hang the appropriate medals around their necks. The winner in the middle appears to literally be taking the younger eagle under his wing as he proudly holds up his head and puffs out his chest. It was a great moment that I was able to quickly compose and capture.'

Camera: Nikon D200; 70-200mm /2.8 lens at 95mm; 1/320 sec at /8, ISO 800; hand-held.

Art In Nature: Peter Lik

Ghost, Antelope Canyon, Arizona, U.S.

'The biggest lesson I have learned in photography is that timing is everything. No matter how perfect your technique and equipment, if you aren't in the right place at the right time, you simply won t get the shot. In the underground caves of Antelope Canyon, I knew the summer sun would pass directly overhead at midday. As my only opportunity for the shot approached, a narrow sliver of light beamed down through a keyhole onto the sandy canyon floor. At the precise moment I clicked the shutter, my Navajo Indian guide threw a handful of dust into the light. It wasn't until weeks later, when I finally got to review the results of the shoot, that I was able to see the ghostlike human form that emerged. I wondered if the ancient spirits of the canyon were present with me that day.'

Camera: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II; 16-35mm lens; 1/4 sec at /8; ISO 100; Gitzo tripod.

People In Nature: Lisa Hoffner

'For two years I had envisioned making an image depicting hot air balloons as though they are part of the great migration of white-bearded wildebeest across Tanzania into Kenya. With the help of balloon pilot friends, I gathered necessary information on wind direction and flight path where the greatest concentration of animals might occur on each day. Armed with that knowledge and lots of patience, I captured this image when all the elements aligned.'

Camera: Canon EOS 3; 300mm /2.8 lens; 1/500 sec; aperture not recorded; Fujichrome Velvia 100 film; beanbag.

African Wildlife: Ingrid Vekemans

African Elephant, Tsavo East National Park, Near Voi, Coast Province, Kenya

'The African Wildlife Foundation aims to find ways to enable elephants to roam freely through their natural habitats while co-existing peacefully with humans.

'While observing elephants in Tsavo, I was focused on an older female the matriarch of the group. Her raised head and spread ears show that she was alert and watchful. The photographic challenge here was to capture the moment of eye contact in a sharp close-up before she moved on. Because her skin was so dark, I turned the ISO up to increase the shutter speed. This portrait symbolizes the elephant s strength and the solidarity of the clan.'

Camera: Nikon D300; AF-S VR 300mm /2.8 lens; 1/640 sec at /5.6; ISO 400; beanbag.

Oceans: Clark Little

Twister, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.

'Even for those accustomed to wave photography, some explanation is needed to understand exactly what is going on in this shot: A breaking wave is just a few feet in front of the lens. Beyond the wave is the deep ocean. Where is the beach? It is behind me.

'A half-second after this shot was made, the wave hit me straight on, knocking the camera out of my hand and pulling me into the spinning mass of air and water. I enjoy the power and beauty of the thick bombs that roll through and can usually capture some of those moments without getting slammed. Well, most of the time.

Camera: Nikon D3; 10.5mm fisheye lens; 1/1000 sec at /8; ISO 200; custom underwater fibreglass housing by Taro Pascual at White Water Hawaii; hand-held.

Power Of Nature: C.J. Kale (below left)

Kiluea Volcano Eruption, Kalapana, Hawaii, U.S.

'Kilauea is the youngest and southeastern-most volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. This was one of the most dangerous locations I have ever dared photograph. The 2,000 F river of lava was flowing over an unstable bench that had broken out from a tube located just below my feet. I made the decision to cross the lava tube to get to the edge knowing that at any moment rocks from the steamy explosions could come flying my way. I took a calculated risk and as the sun rose, the light was perfect for a few shots. Glad I took the chance at getting some photos, I am also glad that I left when I did. Almost all the land in the image dropped into the ocean just a few hours later.'

Camera: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II; Sigma 70-200mm /2.8 EX lens at 72mm; 1/800 sec at /8; ISO 400; Gitzo GT-2531 tripod; Arca-Swiss mono ball Z head.

Environmental Issues: Carl Johnson (below right)

Wolf Tracks on Ice, North Fork of the Koyukuk River, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska, U.S.

'This symbolic image represents the past history of the wolf species and the path of its future as it treads on thin ice a visual metaphor for steps made forward and the tracks left behind in the climate of ongoing controversy.

'I was mushing up the North Fork of the Koyukuk River with park ranger Zack Richter when we stopped to give the sled dogs a rest. Looking around on the bare ice, I saw these wolf prints clinging to the sheer ice. A wolf had passed through when there was a thin layer of snow on the ice and the stiff wind had blown away loose snow, leaving the prints behind. Seeing those tracks added to the magic of being in such a wild place in the cold of winter.'

Camera: Nikon D300; A-FS 24-85mm /2.8-4.5 lens at 35mm; 1/80 sec at /22; ISO 400; hand-held.

Youth Photographer: Eric Coomes

Polar Bear, Svalbard, Norway

'Polar bears live on top of Arctic sea ice, where they mate and raise their young. Excellent swimmers, they hunt along coastlines mainly for seals and also prey upon walrus, belugas, narwhals, and seabirds. The world s largest terrestrial carnivores are indicators of the ecosystem s health. Due to the effects of climate change, shrinking habitat, and an increase in pollutants in northern waters, their future is uncertain.

'From the frigid waters of the Arctic, this polar bear climbed onto an ice floe for a rest before returning to the water to hunt for food. Water streamed off the bear as it lumbered across the frozen stage and I followed intently through my camera. While grasping onto a ledge the mighty predator shook to and fro, sending a spray of water droplets in all directions.'

Camera: Canon 3D; 28-300mm L IS lens at 235mm; 1/1600 sec at /13; ISO 500; hand-held.

Small World Spectacular: Bence Mate

Green-crowned Brilliant Hummingbird and Green Pit Viper, Santa Rita, Costa Rica

'Tiny, vibrantly coloured hummingbirds are a favourite among wildlife lovers. Of 338 known species, roughly 50 types of these flying jewels live or breed in the tropical lowlands and cloud forests of Costa Rica, where arboreal vipers also live amid the thick foliage.

'I was photographing hummingbirds when I heard the sharp, alarming noise of the birds reacting to the presence of a predator. Sixty feet away from me this green-crowned brilliant was fearlessly attacking a small viper. The long shutter speed and shallow depth of field made it difficult to make an image with both animals sharp. This encounter was one of the most interesting ones I had ever seen, and I quickly set up two flashes to increase the light and shutter speed, using one flash fired from the background and another from the camera.

Camera: Nikon D700; 300mm /2.8 lens; 1/100 sec at /4; ISO 200; Canon 540EZ flash; Canon 550EX slave; Gitzo carbon tripod; Gitzo fluid head.

Conservation Photographer of the Year: Cristina Mittermeier

Land Crab, Madagascar

Ms Mittermeier said: 'In the end, my goal as a conservation photographer is to make images that are compelling enough to travel far and become iconic symbols for a world that is fast disappearing. Supporting my fellow photographers and their own determined efforts is truly rewarding, and now my life's mission is to help build a better planet.'

Sony DSLR-A900; lens at 16mm; 1/500 sec at ƒ/9; ISO 250; Sony flash.

Animal Antics: James A. Galletto (below left)

Black Bear, Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary, Orr, Minnesota, U.S.

'The black bears of North America are known to communicate using their keen sense of smell, body and facial expressions, sounds, and touch. Males mark the boundaries of their territory by scent-marking trees.

'This black bear repeatedly scent-marked this particular tree, so I positioned myself nearby and waited. I knew it was just a matter of time before he would appear and commence marking and scratching his back. This grand pose with his arms outstretched struck me as humorous it looked as if he were a circus ringmaster commanding attention with "Ladies and gentlemen!".'

Camera: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III; 500mm /4 IS lens; 1/640 sec at /5.6; ISO 1600; Gitzo tripod and leveling head; Arca-Swiss B1 ballhead; Wimberley sidekick.

Wildlife: Gero Heine (below right)

Plains Bison, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, U.S.

'I was driving from Mammoth Hot Springs toward Lamar Valley on the only open road in Yellowstone, trying to stay ahead of an approaching cold front. This bison was relatively close to the road and its clean appearance caught my attention. The blustery wind of the approaching winter storm kept its weather-beaten coat free of snow and gave it a smooth, brushed look. Seeking to capture an environmental portrait, I observed this individual for a short period of time. The bison turned its head in my direction to get shelter from the wind and I had my image. When the storm hit later that evening, I was sure this bison was now blanketed in snow.'

Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark III; EF 500mm /4L IS USM lens; 1/160 sec at /8; ISO 640; hand-held.

Creative Digital: Francisco Mingorance

Mediterranean Tree Frog, Motril, Granada, Spain

'These slender, long-legged amphibians are barely five inches long. The traction of their claw-like fingers and toes that end in adhesive disks allows them to grip the undersides of slick, wet leaves. One of more than 300 species of arboreal frogs, the Mediterranean tree frog can be found throughout the sunny gardens, streams, and canals of southern France, Spanish Catalonia, southwestern Spain, and southern Portugal. They breed mainly in flooded fields and ponds. During mating season, their distinctive chorus begins at sunset and usually continues until the early hours of the morning. Most active at night, these frogs are not good climbers but get around most easily near the ground.

'Two different pictures of the same tree frog perched then leaping through the air were joined together using Adobe Photoshop to compose a single image that artistically displays the acrobatic action of puddle-jumping.'

Camera: Nikon D3; 70-200mm lens; 1/250 sec at /22; ISO 200; 4 flashes; synchronized infrared barrier; tripod.

Endangered Species: Jami Tarris

Orangutan and Baby, Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo, Indonesia

'The orangutan is the largest Asian primate and also the largest tree-dwelling mammal. They teach their young at an early age to forage through the dense forest for food more than 60 percent of their diet is comprised of fruits, and they consume a variety of leaves, bark, sap, roots, flowers, birds eggs, and insects as available. With more of their tropical habitat being destroyed every day, especially by palm oil development, the species is being squeezed into smaller and smaller areas of remaining natural rain forest. At the current rate of deforestation, the wild orangutans are predicted to be extinct in fewer than 20 years.

'Being the only surviving species of great ape endemic to Asia, the Bornean and the Sumatran orangutan are highly endangered. After spending many days in the heat and humidity of the rain forest, I was finally rewarded with the images I had hoped for. This mother and her young sat quietly for many minutes before this photo was made. The juvenile placed his finger on his mother s lower lip in a very gentle way. After a few seconds, the mother wrapped her hand around her son s hand and I caught this tender, intimate moment between parent and young.'

Camera: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III; EF 24-105mm /4L IS lens at 105mm; 1/250 sec at /4; ISO 400; hand-held.

Edward Nunez

Wildflowers, Carrizo Plain National Monument, San Luis Obispo County, California, U.S.

'The Carrizo Plain in the eastern San Joaquin Valley is the largest single native grassland in California. Stretching along the base of the Temblor Mountains and the San Andreas Fault, its 250,000 acres provide a wide range of habitats, making it ideal for long-term conservation of many endangered species, as well as rare flora and fauna. The re-establishment of native plants is being studied and planned in this rural, isolated region to save such species as the California jewelflower. The Carrizo Plain was established as a national monument in 2001.

'During a short time each spring, usually in March, the hills of the Carrizo Plain are painted as if by the strokes of an artist s brush with a soft, pastel palette. I was greeted on my visit by weather perfect for photographing the stunning vista of yellow coreopsis, orange San Joaquin blazing star, and purple phacelia flowers in full bloom.'

Camera: Nikon D700; 12-24mm lens at 18mm; circular polarizer glass filter; 1/30 sec at /22; ISO 400; Feisol tripod; Acratech V2 Ultimate ballhead.

Ben Hall

Horns of Paine Mountains and Chilean Flamingos, Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile

'Chilling winds from Antarctica roar off the Southern Continental Icefield, causing these mountain passes to be frequently shrouded with dense clouds. Chilean flamingos inhabit the shallow lakes of South America, from the coast of central Peru south to the 14,000-foot altitudes of the Andes in Tierra del Fuego. These birds withstand fierce conditions en route to feeding grounds in the grasslands and saline lakes of Argentina. During flight, the Chilean flamingos communicate with each other by making loud, deep honking or howling sounds.

'My reward after climbing high into Chilean Patagonia was this juxtaposition of pink flamingos against the severe hanging glaciers and soaring granite spires of the Horns of Paine. I wanted to photograph the high elevations at eye level and the trek up into the mountains required much planning and logistics to battle the elements. The Chilean flamingos had been feeding on a dried lakebed nearby when part of the flock took to the sky and circled overhead. I fired off a sequence of shots in an attempt to show the relationship between the birds and their spectacular, wild habitat. My favourite image came as the birds passed an area of spiked mountain peaks against the menacing, stormy sky, with a glacier visible in the distance.'

Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark II; 100-400mm L IS lens; 1/2000 sec at /5.6; ISO 160; hand-held.

Thursday 16 June 2011

strange english facts

The longest one-syllable word in the English language is "screeched."

"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".

Almonds are members of the peach family.

The symbol on the "pound" key (#) is called an octothorpe.

The dot over the letter 'i' is called a tittle.

Ingrown toenails are hereditary.

The word "set" has more definitions than any other word in the English language.

"Underground" is the only word in the English language that begins and ends with the letters "und."

There are only four words in the English language which end in"-dous" tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.

The longest word in the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary,
is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.

The only other word with the same amount of letters is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconioses, its plural.

The longest place-name still in use is
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimau
ngahoronukupokaiwenuakitanatahu, a New Zealand hill.

Los Angeles's full name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula" and can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size, "L.A."

A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

In most advertisments, including newspapers, the time displayed on a watch is 10:10.

Alfred Hitchcock didn't have a belly button.It was eliminated when he was sewn up after surgery.

Telly Savalas and Louis Armstrong died on their birthdays.

Donald Duck's middle name is Fauntleroy.

Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.

The muzzle of a lion is like a fingerprint - no two lions have the same pattern of whiskers.

Steely Dan got their name from a sexual device depicted in the book 'The Naked Lunch'.

A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.

The Ramses brand condom is named after the great phaoroh Ramses II who fathered over 160 children.

There is a seven letter word in the English language that contains ten words without rearranging any of its letters, "therein" the, there, he, in, rein, her, here, ere, therein, herein.

Duelling is legal in Paraguay as long as both parties are registered blood donors.

John Larroquette of "Night Court" and "The John Larroquette Show" was the narrator of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

The characters Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street were named after Bert the cop and Ernie the taxi driver in Frank Capra's "Its A Wonderful Life"

A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.

It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

It was discovered on a space mission that a frog can throw up.The frog throws up its stomach first, so the stomach is dangling out of it's mouth.Then the frog uses its forearms to dig out all of the stomach's contents and then swallows the stomach back down again.

Cranberries are sorted for ripeness by bouncing them; a fully ripened cranberry can be dribbled like a basketball.

The male gypsy moth can "smell" the virgin female gypsy moth from 1.8 miles away.

The letters KGB stand for Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti.

The name for Oz in the "Wizard of Oz" was thought up when the creator, Frank Baum, looked at his filing cabinet and saw A-N, and O-Z, hence "Oz."

The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.

'Stewardesses' is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand.

To "testify" was based on men in the Roman court swearing to a statement made by swearing on their testicles.

The combination "ough" can be pronounced in nine different ways.The following sentence contains them all "A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed."

The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.

Facetious and abstemious contain all the vowels in the correct order, as does arsenious, meaning "containing arsenic."

Emus and kangaroos cannot walk backwards, and are on the Australian coat of arms for that reason.

Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.

The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat," which means "the king is dead".

The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of lore when the engines were pulled by horses.The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.

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Sunday 12 June 2011

AQUADA

The Gibbs Aquada is a high speed amphibious vehicle developed by Gibbs Technologies, an Alan Gibbs company. It is capable of speeds over 160 km/h (100 mph) on land and 50 km/h (30 mph / 26 knots) on water. Rather than adding wheels to a boat design, or creating a car that floats, the Aquada was designed from the ground up to perform very well in both fields, with over 60 patents covering technical innovations.

HOW IT WORKS ::::

Aquada Basics

Aquada interior

Stepping over the side of the vehicle and into the cockpit, you realize that the Aquada is a vehicle that doesn't fit neatly into any existing category. You step directly into it like a boat, but the driver sits behind a car-like steering wheel. The three-seat Aquada was designed to allow for a driver, a water skier, and an observer.

"It is uncanny because all the cues inside the vehicle say you are driving a car, but outside it's a boat," said Dr. Keith Alexander, a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at Canterbury University, who acted as a consultant on the Aquada. "You are sitting there at the steering wheel, with your foot on the pedal but instead of the roadside going past, it's water."

In developing the Aquada, Gibbs designers and engineers used the Seadoo watercraft as their comparator for water performance, according to Neil Jenkins, Managing Director of Gibbs Technologies. It is intended as a leisure vehicle with agility on the water. On the road, it is expected to handle and perform like an average sports car, but Jenkins doesn't identify a specific comparator.

"It corners and handles well, and it's predictable. It's a good average sports car," says Jenkins.

Jenkins says performance has not been compromised for either mode of travel, and that consumers will get equal performance on land and water. To understand just how well it compares with its road and water counterparts, we need to look at the components of the Aquada.

Aquada Components

Powering the vehicle is a 175-horsepower, V6, 2.5-liter, 24-valve engine. On land, this engine enables the Aquada to reach 100 miles per hour (161 kilometers per hour) and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 10 seconds.

This engine also provides power to the amphibian's jet, which propels the vehicle through water.

The Gibbs Aquada jet

The jet is a proprietary unit created by Gibbs. As Gibbs developed the Aquada, it was necessary to design a jet that was lightweight and compact. The jet also needed to expel 1 ton of thrust, which is the force required for the vehicle to plane in the water. The jet is 35 inches (.89 meters) long and weighs 88 pounds (40 kilograms).

Jenkins says that most jets that produce the same amount of force are twice as long and would not fit the Aquada. The jet's thrust and the low power-to-weight ratio of the engine allow the amphibian to travel up to a maximum of 34.7 mph (55.8 kph) and accelerate to a plane in five seconds.

More Aquada Features

Here is a breakdown of some other

features of the Aquada:

Transmission: Four-speed automatic
Brakes: All-round discs
Tires: F215x65, R225x60
Wheels: F-16 X 6.5J; Alloy 6-spoke
Fuel capacity: 15 gallons (57 liters)
Fuel type: 95 Ron Unleaded
Trim tabs: Dihedral trim (Trim tabs are plates attached to the rear of the vehicle that push down on the water to help the vehicle plane.)
Bilge pumps: Three independent systems (Bilge pumps remove water taken on due to normal operation.)
Weight without occupants: 2,976 pounds (1,350 kg)

In the Water

The design of the Aquada's hull

About 75 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water. A vehicle that could travel on land and water could potentially change current transportation models. For an amphibian to work, it must be able to float, prevent leakage and corrosion, and successfully transition from land to sea and back.

The Aquada has no doors, which helps prevent leaks. The basic structure is an aluminum-bonded space frame. To address the issue of corrosion, Gibbs has tested its materials under extreme conditions. Every component has undergone a 2,000-hour salt-spray test, which is about four times longer than a standard automobile is tested. Jenkins said that the company has gone to extra lengths to ensure safety.

"There's residual buoyancy, so you can't sink the vehicle," says Jenkins. "If you chain it to the bottom of the English Channel for a week and then let it go, it would pop to the surface."

Conversion

The Aquada's rear suspension

Other attempts at amphibian vehicles have been less successful because of drag, which is mainly due to an inability to retract the wheels. Gibbs has patented several technologies that allow it to retract its wheels like an airplane retracting its landing gear.

As the vehicle enters the water, the driver simply presses a button to trigger the vehicle'sfour-second transformation. Here are the actions involved in the conversion:

The vehicle recognizes it's in the water.
The vehicle recognizes it's in appropriate depth.
The engine drive to the road wheels is cut.
The wheels are retracted.
Trim tabs are deployed to an optimized position.
Road lights change to marine lights.

During the transformation, the driver should rev the engine to about 2,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) to provide sufficient thrust to the jet. At this point, the jet is already submerged and begins expelling water to push the Aquada.

The Aquada is an engineering achievement that was made possible by the work of several dozen engineers and designers over the course of seven years. In the next section, we'll discuss the future of the Aquada.

Bringing the Aquada to Market

The Aquada is an expensive leisure vehicle at £150,000 (about $295,110). Its current price makes it more expensive then all but a few cars in the world. Jenkins concedes that the Aquada is an exclusive vehicle that will appeal to a niche market for the next year or two.

For approximately the price of an Aquada, you could also buy one of the following luxury sports cars:

Lamborghini Murciélago ($273,000/ about £138,762)
Aston Martin Vanquish ($228,000/about £115,889)
Ferrari 575 M Maranello ($215,000/about £109,281)
Porsche GT2 ($180,665/about £91,829)

*Source of prices: Forbes magazine

"We're not out to compete with Porsche or Ferrari, because you can have more fun with the Aquada on a bit of water than you can in a 40-acre car park with a Ferrari," says Jenkins.

Gibbs' long-term plan is focused on licensing the patented HSA technology to automotive manufacturers, who would integrate it into their vehicle designs.

"Our aim is in five, six, 10 years time, you'll be able to go out and purchase your normal vehicle from a normal showroom, and one of the options that you might have on the options list is High-Speed Amphibian technology," says Jenkins.

In the meantime, Gibbs is selling the Aquada. Gibbs is now in the process of getting the amphibian on the road. It is already legal for road and water use in Europe, where theEuropean Recreational Craft Directive classifies it as a passenger-car vehicle and a Category D watercraft.

Drivers need a road license and a water license, and England requires a Ministry of Transport (MOT) certificate every year from the vehicle's third birthday. The Aquada is not yet legal in the United States, where it still facesEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerns.

HISTORY OF AMPHIBIANS ::::

The 7th International Amphicar Owners Club Swim-In, Celina, OH

The history of the amphibian parallels that of the automobile. Even as the automobile was in its infancy in the early twentieth century, people were already working on creating an amphibian. This a list of some of the more notable efforts to build one.*

Magrelen Amphibium(1899) - Possibly the first motorized attempt at an amphibian, the Amphibium was built in Denmark.
Trippel SG6 (1937) - Designed by Hannes Trippel, who designed several amphibious cars for Germany, the SG6 was produced for the German army. Trippel was also involved in the Amphicar, described below.
Hydromobile (1942) - Built in 1942 by a Hungarian engineer in the United States, it had a wooden hull and three retractable wheels.
Amphicar (1961-68) - Perhaps the most successful commercial amphibian, it is the only mass-produced amphibious automobile ever, with 3,878 built. The Amphicar sold for between $2,800 and $3,300. It could reach 70 mph (113 kph) on the road and 7 mph (11 kph) on water.
Renault Racoon (1993) - Developed by the French auto manufacturer, the Racoon was a concept car designed to go anywhere, including in the water. It was a four-wheel-drive vehicle with a V6 twin-turbo engine. Its top water speed was 5 knots (8 mph/13 kph).

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