herzlich rvvlich

Happy Chinese New Year 2011

2011-02-01T09:14:00.000-08:00

herzlich rvvlich

2011-02-01T09:02:00.000-08:00

Sunny Day

2011-02-01T08:58:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Noctilucent Clouds

2010-12-09T00:04:00.000-08:00

Noctilucent clouds are tenuous cloud-like phenomena that are the "ragged-edge" of a much brighter and pervasive polar cloud layer called polar mesospheric clouds in the upper atmosphere, visible in a deep twilight. They are made of crystals of water ice. The name means roughly night shining in Latin. They are most commonly observed in the summer months at latitudes between 50° and 70° north and south of the equator.

They are the highest clouds in the Earth's atmosphere, located in the mesosphere at altitudes of around 76 to 85 kilometers (47 to 53 mi). They are normally too faint to be seen, and are visible only when illuminated by sunlight from below the horizon while the lower layers of the atmosphere are in the Earth's shadow. Noctilucent clouds are not fully understood and are a recently discovered meteorological phenomenon; there is no evidence that they were observed before 1885.

Noctilucent clouds can form only under very restrictive conditions; their occurrence can be used as a sensitive guide to changes in the upper atmosphere. Since their relatively recent classification, the occurrence of noctilucent clouds appears to be increasing in frequency, brightness and extent. It is theorized that this increase is connected to climate change.

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Contrail Clouds

2010-12-08T22:03:00.000-08:00

Contrails (short for "condensation trails") or vapour trails are artificial clouds that are the visible trails of condensed water vapour made by the exhaust of aircraft engines. As the hot exhaust gases cool in the surrounding air they may precipitate a cloud of microscopic water droplets. If the air is cold enough, this trail will comprise tiny ice crystals.

The wingtip vortices which trail from the wingtips and wing flaps of aircraft are sometimes partly visible due to condensation in the cores of the vortices. Each vortex is a mass of spinning air and the air pressure at the centre of the vortex is very low. These wingtip vortices are not the same as contrails.

Depending on atmospheric conditions, contrails may be visible for only a few seconds or minutes, or may persist for many hours which may affect climate.

Condensation from engine exhaust

The main byproducts of hydrocarbon fuel combustion are carbon dioxide and water vapor. At high altitudes this water vapour emerges into a cold environment, and the local increase in water vapor can push the water content of the air past saturation point. The vapour then condenses into tiny water droplets and/or deposits into ice. These millions of tiny water droplets and/or ice crystals form the vapour trail or contrails. The vapor's need to condense accounts for the contrail forming some way behind the aircraft's engines. At high altitudes, supercooled water vapor requires a trigger to encourage deposition or condensation. The exhaust particles in the aircraft's exhaust act as this trigger, causing the trapped vapor to rapidly turn to ice crystals. Exhaust vapour trails or contrails usually occur above 8000 meters (26,000 feet), and only if the temperature there is below -40°C (-40°F).

MODIS tracking of contrails generated by air traffic over the southeastern United States on January 29, 2004.

From the photograph you can imagine how many air traffic in southern United States. There'd be so many flight in a day.

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"Brush Touch" Cirrus Clouds

2010-12-08T21:36:00.000-08:00

Cirrus clouds generally refer to atmospheric clouds that are characterized by thin, wisplike strands, often accompanied by tufts, leading to their common (non-standard) name of mare's tail. Sometimes these clouds are so extensive that they are virtually indistinguishable from one another, forming a sheet of cirrus called cirrostratus. Sometimes convection at high altitudes produces another form of cirrus called cirrocumulus, a pattern of small cloud tufts which include droplets of freezed water. The term is also used for certain interstellar clouds composed of sub-micrometre sized dust grains.

Many cirrus clouds produce hair like filaments made of the heavier ice crystals that precipitate from them. These "fall streaks", a form of virga, often indicate the difference in the motion of air (wind shear) between the upper part of the cirrus cloud and the air below it. Sometimes the top of the cirrus cloud is moving rapidly above a slower layer of air, or the streak is falling into a faster moving lower layer. The directions of these winds can also vary.

Formation

Cirrus clouds are formed when water vapor freezes into ice crystals at altitudes above 8000 meters (26,000 ft). Due to the sparse moisture at a high altitude, they tend to be very thin. At this altitude, aircraft leave condensation trails that can turn into cirrus clouds. This happens when hot exhaust, mostly water, freezes, leaving a visible trail. Streaks may appear straight when wind shear is absent, giving the clouds the appearance of a comma (cirrus uncinus), or tangle, an indication of high-level turbulence. The falling ice crystals evaporate before reaching the ground.

Cirrus clouds cover up to 30% of the Earth and have a net heating effect. Cirrus clouds efficiently absorb outgoing infrared radiation (heat) beneath them (greenhouse effect), while only marginally reflecting incoming sunlight (albedo).

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Beautiful Nacreous Clouds

2010-12-02T20:09:00.000-08:00

Nacreous clouds (Polar stratospheric clouds) are clouds in the winter polar stratosphere at altitudes of 15,000–25,000 meters (50,000–80,000 ft). They are implicated in the formation of ozone holes; their effects on ozone depletion arise because they support chemical reactions that produce active chlorine which catalyzes ozone destruction, and also because they remove gaseous nitric acid, perturbing nitrogen and chlorine cycles in a way which increases ozone destruction.

Formation

The stratosphere is very dry; unlike the troposphere, it rarely allows clouds to form. In the extreme cold of the polar winter, however, stratospheric clouds of different types may form, which are classified according to their physical state and chemical composition.

Due to their high altitude and the curvature of the surface of the Earth, these clouds will receive sunlight from below the horizon and reflect it to the ground, shining brightly well before dawn or after dusk.

Nacreous clouds form at very low temperatures, below −78 °C. These temperatures can occur in the lower stratosphere in polar winter. In the Antarctic, temperatures below −88 °C frequently cause type II PSCs. Such low temperatures are rarer in the Arctic. In the Northern hemisphere, the generation of lee waves by mountains may locally cool the lower stratosphere and lead to the formation of Nacreous clouds.

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Mushroom Clouds

2010-12-01T19:18:00.000-08:00

A mushroom cloud is a distinctive pyrocumulus mushroom-shaped cloud of condensed water vapor or debris resulting from a very large explosion. They are most commonly associated with nuclear explosions, but any sufficiently large blast will produce the same sort of effect. They can be caused by powerful conventional weapons like the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb. Volcano eruptions and impact events can produce natural mushroom clouds.

Mushroom clouds form as a result of the sudden formation of a large mass of hot, low-density gases near the ground creating a Rayleigh–Taylor instability. The mass of gas rises rapidly, resulting in turbulent vortices curling downward around its edges, forming a vortex ring and drawing up a column of additional smoke and debris in the center to form its "stem". The mass of gas eventually reaches an altitude where it is no longer of lower density than the surrounding air and disperses, the debris drawn upward from the ground scattering and drifting back down.

Origin of the term

Although the term itself appears to have been coined at the start of the 1950s, mushroom clouds generated by explosions were being described before the atomic era. For instance, The Times published a report on 1 October 1937 of a Japanese attack on Shanghai in China which generated "a great mushroom of smoke". During World War II, descriptions of mushroom clouds were relatively common.

The atomic bomb cloud over Nagasaki, Japan was described in The Times of London of 13 August 1945 as a "huge mushroom of smoke and dust." On 9 September 1945, The New York Times published an eyewitness account of the Nagasaki bombing, written by William L. Laurence, the official newspaper correspondent of the Manhattan Project, who accompanied one of the three aircraft that made the bombing run. He wrote of the bomb producing a "pillar of purple fire", out of the top of which came "a giant mushroom that increased the height of the pillar to a total of 45,000 feet."

Later in 1946, the Operation Crossroads nuclear bomb tests were described as having a "cauliflower" cloud, but a reporter present also spoke of "the mushroom, now the common symbol of the atomic age." Mushrooms have traditionally been associated both with life and death, food and poison, making them a more powerful symbolic connection than, say, the "cauliflower" cloud.

Physics

Inside a mushroom cloud: cooler air is drawn into the rising toroidal fireball, which itself cools into the familiar cloud appearance.

Mushroom clouds are formed by many sorts of large explosions under earth gravity, though they are best known for their appearance after nuclear detonations. In space the explosion would be somewhat spherical. Nuclear weapons are usually detonated above the ground (not upon impact, because most of the energy would be dispelled into the ground) in order to maximize the effect of their spherical expanding fireball and the blast wave. After immediate detonation, the fireball itself begins to rise into the air, acting on the same principle as a hot-air balloon.

One way to analyze the motion, once the hot gas has cleared the ground sufficiently, is as a 'spherical cap bubble', as this gives agreement between the rate of rise and observed diameter.

While it rises, air is drawn into it and upwards (similar to the updraft of a chimney), producing strong air currents known as "afterwinds", while inside the head of the cloud the hot gases rotate in a toroidal shape. When the detonation itself is low enough, these afterwinds will draw in dirt and debris from the ground below to form the stem of the mushroom cloud.

After the mass of hot gases reaches the equilibrium level, the ascent stops and the cloud starts spreading to the characteristic mushroom shape.

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Mammatus Clouds

2010-12-01T19:12:00.000-08:00

Mammatus, also known as mammatocumulus (meaning "mammary cloud" or "breast cloud"), is a meteorological term applied to a cellular pattern of pouches hanging underneath the base of a cloud. The name mammatus, derived from the Latin mamma (meaning "udder" or "breast"), refers to a resemblance between the characteristic shape of these clouds and the breast of a woman.

Characteristics
Mammatus are most often associated with the anvil cloud that extends from a cumulonimbus, but may also be found under altocumulus, altostratus, stratocumulus, and cirrus clouds, as well as volcanic ash clouds. In the United States, sky gazers may be most familiar with the very distinct and more common cumulonimbus mammatus. When occurring in cumulonimbus, mammatus are often indicative of a particularly strong storm or maybe even a tornadic storm. Due to the intensely sheared environment in which mammatus form, aviators are strongly cautioned to avoid cumulonimbus with mammatus.

Mammatus may appear as smooth, ragged or lumpy lobes and may be opaque or semitransparent. Because mammatus occur as a grouping of lobes, the way they clump together can vary from an isolated cluster to a field of mamma that spread over hundreds of kilometers to being organized along a line, and may be composed of unequal or similarly-sized lobes. The individual mammatus lobe average diameters of 1–3 km and lengths on average of 0.5 km. A lobe can last an average of 10 minutes, but a whole cluster of mamma can range from 15 minutes to a few hours. They usually are composed of ice, but also can be a mixture of ice and liquid water or be composed of almost entirely liquid water.

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Wonderful Lenticular Clouds

2010-12-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

Lenticular clouds are stationary lens-shaped clouds that form at high altitudes, normally aligned perpendicular to the wind direction. Lenticular clouds can be separated into altocumulus standing lenticularis (ACSL), stratocumulus standing lenticular (SCSL), and cirrocumulus standing lenticular (CCSL). Due to their shape, they are often mistaken as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs).

Formation

Where stable moist air flows over a mountain or a range of mountains, a series of large-scale standing waves may form on the downwind side. If the temperature at the crest of the wave drops to the dew point, moisture in the air may condense to form lenticular clouds. As the moist air moves back down into the trough of the wave, the cloud may evaporate back into vapor. Under certain conditions, long strings of lenticular clouds can form near the crest of each successive wave, creating a formation known as a 'wave cloud'. The wave systems cause large vertical air movements and so enough water vapor may condense to produce precipitation. The clouds have been mistaken for UFOs (or "visual cover" for UFOs) because these clouds have a characteristic lens appearance and smooth saucer-like shape. Bright colors (called Irisation) are sometimes seen along the edge of lenticular clouds.

Flight

Pilots of powered aircraft tend to avoid flying near lenticular clouds because of the turbulence of the rotor systems that accompany them, but glider pilots actively seek them out. The precise location of the rising air mass is fairly easy to predict from the orientation of the clouds. "Wave lift" of this kind is often very smooth and strong, and enables gliders to soar to remarkable altitudes and great distances. The current gliding world records for both distance (over 3,000 km; 1,864 mi) and altitude (15,460 m; 50,721 ft) were set using such lift.

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25 Cool Places To Visit In Lifetime

2010-11-29T00:28:00.000-08:00

A cool pictures collection of 25 cool places to travel and visit around the world featuring stunning photography by National Geographic.

Cape Town

Cape Town is situated at the tip of the African Continent. The only way to understand and enjoy Cape Town is by experiencing the unique range of multicultural lifestyles and scenic national surroundings for yourself.

During the summer season, Cape Town is filled with holiday makers enjoying the hot weather, sunny beaches and beautiful scenery. So, if you want to spend your time during holiday season, it is best to make reservations as soon as possible. Before reaching the place, have a rough idea about the places around Cape Town, which you want to visit.

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon is the steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in Arizona State of United States. The powerful sources that cause an impact on the Grand Canyon is erosion, first is by water and second is by wind. 

Nearly 5 million people visit the 1 mile deep Grand Canyon every year. Planning a vacation to the Grand Canyon national park provides a great relief for you and your family.

The best time to visit Grand Canyon is during the summer, fall and mild spring, but most locals agree that winter is the great time to visit. There are various camp grounds both on the top and floor of the Grand Canyon. Camping at the floor of the Grand Canyon needs a permit from the country office.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong, an oriental pearl, is simply amazing. It will be very hard for you to find a more exciting city other than Hong Kong. The best thing about being in Hong Kong is getting confused and fired by the confluences and contradictions of a Chinese city with multi Asian and western elements. 

The best period to take a vacation to Hong Kong is in the months of October, November and most of December.

Great Barrier Reef

This is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. It is one of the top travel destinations in Australia. You can see it from the outer space and it is the world’s largest single structure, which is made of living organisms.

The reef supports 10,000 species which consists of 1500 types of fishes and 200 kinds of birds. This beauty inspires many of the travelers to visit the place.

Florida

This state built its entire identity with tourism. This is the south eastern state in the US. It is a most popular winter destination.

Florida is also called as the Sunshine State. Central Florida is conquered by Orlando and it is well known coterie of theme parks, sea world, universal studios, Disney world, and many more attractions to tourists.

New Zealand South Island

The South Island of New Zealand is characterized by grand open landscapes. The island is well known for spectacular fiords, large beach forests, golden sand beaches and broad plains. Everybody can enjoy the travel to south island.

The south island has ten national parks. These parks incorporate world heritage sites, lakes, glaciers, fiords, native forest, coastline, and world class hiking tracks. The fabulous scenery across the south land attracts many people to plan vacation.

Golden Temple

This temple has a glorious setting and it exists in the middle of the large blue sacred pool. Don’t miss the peaceful and interesting ritual that goes inside the two-story golden temple.

When you take a tour to India, you should visit the golden temple.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is the largest city in the state of Nevada. This is commonly referred to as entertainment capital of the world. The city has great casino hotels and creates a fantasy like atmosphere. Las Vegas is a great travel destination for honeymooners and travel addicts. 

A trip to Vegas is usually a trip to “the strip”, about 20 long blocks of neon lights, public drinking and casinos. 

Sydney

Sydney is the economic powerhouse of Australia. The place is full of sun-drenched natural attractions, delicious and daring restaurants, dizzy skyscrapers, friendly folk and wonderful shopping, so most of the travel addicts want to visit the place.

You can take a trip to Sydney at any time of the year.

New York

New York is the USA’s largest metro area. The city is a great center for fashion, culture, finance, research, media, food, art, and trade. The city consists of 5 boroughs and each is differentiated by its own culture.

New York is cinematic. Every year this is a backdrop for about 200 movies.

Taj Mahal

According to most of the travelers, Taj Mahal, most beautiful building, in India is one of the great wonders of the world. This is a hybrid of many artistic styles. Once you visit Taj Mahal, you can enjoy various places near it.

The river side behind Taj Mahal provides a wonderful environment. You can enjoy greatly along with your family.

Canadian Rockies

Canadian Rockies is one of the most spectacular places of the earth. This place has potential outdoor opportunities and world class resorts. Visit the two national parks of Canadian Rockies and find why most of the travelers choose Canadian Rockies as their home away home. 

This place offers you the best of the best. It offers you the hikes that you don’t want to miss, scenic drives and many more natural highlights. You can go for the vacation even along with your children.  Winter is a great time to enjoy the place. During this time, you can try sports like skiing, snowshoeing and then relaxing around a roaring fire on every evening.

Uluru

Uluru or Ayers Rock in Australia is one of the world’s great natural wonders. Planning to visit this place is a great way to explore and experience the cultural and physical significance of this Australian icon. 

The rock is at its visual best at sunrise and sunset. Most of the travelers like to climb the rock by using an ancient aboriginal trail.

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is a Mayan word. Chichen Itza is one of the largest archeological cities of Mexico and one of the Seven wonders. It is the most visited tourist destination. Travelers like to visit Chichen Itza as a day trip. If you want to enjoy all the activities near by Chichen Itza, it takes 2-3 days stay. 

Before entering into the Chichen Itza, you will come across an informative museum, clean rest rooms, a dining room, few vender stands and gift shops. You can visit the site at any time of the year.

Machu Picchu

It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This is mystical place and a great spot to divinity. It is the Peru’s most popular place, so most of you like to see the place. People of Machu Picchu feel that they are the creators of god. This place offers you strange forces of nature that permit the individual to attain a contrary cosmic state.

The place is located at 2300 meters above the sea level. So, you can enjoy the vicinity of the place. One day is enough to visit the spots around Machu Picchu.  While planning to visit Machu Picchu, you need to understand a little about the geography of this area, because the location is remote and inaccessible.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls can be accessed from both the American and Canadian side, but the best view facing the falls is completely from the Canadian side. When you take a trip to Niagara Falls, don’t forget to take a ride on the famous maid-of-the-mist boats. You won’t get the entire experience of Niagara Falls until you ride one of these boats. 

It is the foundation for many interesting places to see and things to do. If you love beautiful landscapes, romantic getaways, family adventures and vibrant nightlife then Niagara Falls is the best place to visit.

Petra

Petra, one of the seven wonders, is fabled rose red city and is a well known earliest Nabataean city in the south Jordan. If you have decided to travel to Jordan, then Petra is at the top of your priority list. The solid red stand stone buildings in Petra are unlike anything that you have ever seen before.

One full day is enough to see everything around Petra. This town offers you a wide variety of hotels to fit your budget.

The Pyramids

Pyramids and wonderful temples are the great things to enjoy in Egypt. Travel to Egypt offers you the nature and desert treks, fishing, golfing, scuba diving and birding groups. You can choose the places like Sinai coasts or red sea to relax.

Winter is the best season to go for a vacation to Egypt. March-May and September-November is the best time to enjoy the warm days of Egypt.

Venice

Venice is one of the Italy’s greatest tourist places. You will be surprised by hearing how the city is built up. The city is built on 317 small islands and has 150 canals which are connected through 409 bridges.

During the spring time, Venice is completely filled with tourists. At that time it is very difficult to find the accommodations.

Maldives

Maldives is a great place for tranquil tropical islands, palm trees, white beaches and brilliant turquoise lagoons. Maldives is a group of 1190 coral islands. This place is a great destination for scuba divers. 

Visiting Maldives between December and April can makes you to spend some extra hours of sunshine. Also this is the main season for tourism.

Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is the travel icon of China and is one of the most popular travel vacation destinations in the world.

It took hundreds of years for its construction. When you have decided to travel to China, don’t forget to see the wall.

Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls was also one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is the most beautiful waterfalls in Africa. This is a cheap travel destination and is full of fun. Those who want to try for adventures will find plenty of activities like elephant safaris, bridge swinging, water rafting and so on [tgfa].

There are two sides of the falls, one is Zambia and the other is Zimbabwe side. Both sides are awesome and are a year round destination.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite is located on the western slopes of Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is one of the nation’s most famous national parks in US. Yosemite Valley is the most famous destination in Yosemite. Every year more than 4 million people come to visit Yosemite Valley. It is packed with restaurants, shops and campsites.

This has hundreds of miles of hiking trails. You will find a great variety of wildlife along with mule deer, black bears and various bird species. When you plan your vacation to Yosemite, you can enjoy various activities like hiking, skiing, camping, snowshoeing, horse riding and bicycling.

Hawaii

Going for Hawaii vacation will make you feel very happy by the beauty and hospitality. They want to do the things that they would not do at home. The beautiful Hawaii islands offer you to see world famous beaches closely; offer you peace and calmness somewhere off the beaten path.

During winter season, Hawaii is fully packed with tourists. When you visit Hawaii, don’t forget to enjoy the activities like: Seeing Molten lava flow at Kilauea volcano, hiking through Waipio Valley, visiting the largest Hawaiian religious temple Puukohola Heiau and playing in the snow atop Mauna Kea.

Paris

It is the most beautiful place and also the capital of France. Springtime is the best time to visit Paris. Paris is the city of life, love and light.

You will find romance and magic when you visit Eiffel tower to Mona Lisa and from the bustling Champs Elysees to the winding streets of Montmartre.

I hope you enjoyed these 25 cool places to visit.

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Best Lightning Photograph

2010-11-28T23:42:00.001-08:00

Seven Species of Birds-of-Paradise

2010-11-10T22:14:00.000-08:00

These are the seven most beautiful Bird of Paradise, take a look.

Lesser Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea minor

Greater Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea apoda

Raggiana Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea raggiana

Goldie's Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea decora

Red Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea rubra

Emperor Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea guilielmi

Blue Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea rudolphi

Bird of Paradise

2010-11-10T21:58:00.000-08:00

King of Saxony Bird-of-paradise

Superb Bird-of-paradise

Magnificent Bird-of-paradise

Twelve-wired Bird-of-paradise

Greater Bird-of-paradise

Mars

2010-11-10T19:34:00.000-08:00

Mars is the fourth closest planet from the Sun. This planet is known as the red planet because of the reddish appearance. From the latest research, the ice blocks concluded ever present on Mars. The evidence found indicates that in the past there is a cold ocean on the planet.

Martian north pole. Photo: www.nasa.gov

Photos surface of Mars robotic explorers enshrined by Viking 1 in 1996. Photo: www.nasa.gov

Photos surface of Mars, shot by NASA's Phoenix Mars explorer robots, October 7, 2008. Photo: www.nasa.gov

Mars photo, taken from a distance of 5.5 million kilometers by the Mars Express spacecraft, December 18, 2003. Photo: apod.nasa.gov

Mars rocks that reveal the presence of ancient water. Photo: www.nasa.gov

Source: Vivanews.com

4 Fruits That Can Whiten Your Teeth

2010-11-10T19:11:00.000-08:00

Below these were the most useful fruits used to whiten the teeth. Could you imagine the small cute strawberries, wonderful apples, crunchy carrots and the sour lemon or lime juice can make your smile gettin brighter? Now, you don't have to go to dentist for making your smile looks great, these fruits can help you get your beautiful smile back.

1. Strawberries

It was Strawberries are a natural food to whiten the teeth. Strawberries contained malic acid that act as a substance that can erode and remove stains on tooth surfaces.

2. Apples

Apples contain two useful in helping to whiten teeth. The first benefit, the process of biting hard and crunchy apples can tarnish of dental plaque that can change the color of your teeth become whiter. Also, biting the apple also stimulates production of saliva which can naturally fight bacteria in the mouth that change the color of teeth. The second benefit, apples contain malic acid which act as natural ingredients to remove stains on tooth surfaces.

3. Carrots

Carrots can also function as a natural tooth whitener. Carrots also contain that can remove dental plaque that hard during the process of mastication.

4. Lemon or Lime Juice

Lemon juice can also be used to whiten teeth. Lemon juice can be combined with the salt and baking soda made like pasta mixture. Then rub the mixture on the teeth for 10 to 15 minutes. Do this treatment twice a week.

Always rinse and brush your teeth properly after using lemon juice on teeth. High citric acid content in lemons can cause tooth enamel fragility.

Human First Photo Controversy

2010-11-09T23:40:00.000-08:00

A science correspondent for NPR news website, Robert Krulwich, uploaded the first human photos on the NPR site. The photo was taken in Paris in 1838 by Louis Daguerre was believed to be the first image that contains a human. Until a maker of three-dimensional images for interior decor, Charles Leo, clean it and upload photos in color version on the blog. Leo found that not only one man in the photo.

These photos are believed to be the first image that contains a human (see bottom left, there are people who are lifting the foot). (Photo: Louis Daguerre / hokumburg.com)

Photo by Louis Daguerre who was treated and 'cleaned' by Charles Leo, a maker of three-dimensional images for interior decor. (Photo: lunarlog.com)

Charles Leo expressed the opinion that there could be some one else is in this photo. (Photo: lunarlog.com)

Source: vivanews.com

A Lion called Christian, A True Story

2010-10-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

Christian The Lion, proving that the lion has the same feelings as humans. Having memory, affection, love, nostalgia, and loyalty. This phenomenon had horrendous animal experts in the '70s. They never thought that vicious animal which is equipped with an instinct to kill, could have a memory of his past and can control the killing of human instincts, which in fact is considered an enemy by almost all wild creatures.

Christian, is a lion who become victims of crime poacher who then traded on the blackmarket. While the fate of the mother or brother Christian is not known, whether they are also caught, killed or sold.

In 1969, Anthony "Ace" Bourke and John Rendall, two friends, surprised to find a 6 month-old lion cub at Harrods store animals who are lonely. Lion baby's condition was really pathetic. The small lion locked inside a very small bars. Hoarse voice touched the hearts of the little lion is the second young man and then they buy it and give Christian names to the baby lion. The three of them finally live in a house in London. They were treated like a friend Christian. They play ball together, eat together, watch together and walk together. They became three figures an inseparable companions.

John, Anthony and Christian. Moments Together

Until finally, 9 months have passed. Christian has been transformed into an adult lion and their small home environment is not suitable anymore for the Christian to run around freely just as he had little time first. Coupled with an anxious and frightened neighbors saw the figure of a huge male lion running around their environment. Although sad, Anthony and John decided to restore the Christian to Kenya, Africa, under the supervision of a wild animal expert to restore the Christian nature of the "friend of man" into a wild animal. If not, Chris will not be able to survive in the wild.

John And Anthony Accompany Christian, Moments Will Separated

Over the past few months in quarantine at the African Christian, Christian experts minimize contacts with humans, especially with their owners. During that time, says watchdog, Christian looked gloomy and sad. Again and again he roared hoarsely, may summon both employers as well as his friend, John and Anthony. Although John and Anthony would like to see Christian, but experts will be banned, because it was feared by keahdiran they would both hinder the process of natural instinct as an animal wild lion-free and malignant.

Finally, Christian managed to find his true identity as a male lion. He also released free kealam although still monitored by experts. Initially, Christian gets difficult to determine the territory and make the herd, because some areas are already occupied by another male lion and the lioness, of course, been dominated by the male lion. Christian need flock. Because a lion can not survive without a flock. Typically, in one herd consists of at least three lions, one male two female. Because in the herd may only be led by a male lion. The stronger the male lion, it will more and more other lioness who joined the herd.Therefore, the young male lion will go out of their group and formed his own group of other region.

This is the first problem that must be faced by a Christian. He must form groups to survive. Because, lions can not hunt if it was alone. The hunt for what they do is always in the form of a compact group cooperation. The lioness duty to pursue and make tired of the prey, if prey is exhausted then the male lion will perform the final action to terminate the life of the prey by biting the neck of the prey to death or the term "finishing touch".The greater the number of lions in one herd, the greater the size of their prey. Such as rhinos, elephants, bison and others.

Therefore, John and Anthony are very worried about Christian. Because there is rarely the male lion will die in a fight to obtain or maintain the area or herd with another male lion, or be slain by their hunted prey. If a male lion does not care and attack the prey not on time (the prey has not been exhausted), then no doubt a male lion will die in the rock to rock when its prey to rebel when his neck bitten by the male lion, trampled or even attacked behind by the prey.

However, the reports they received from the overseer showed positive developments achieved by the Christian. Christian managed to get the herd and he even managed to become chairman flock in large numbers. Christian development is a little comforting John and Anthony. However, they could not stem their nostalgia to their best friend this.

After a year they split up, John and Anthony finally decided to visit Christian in Africa.Expert lion and management of protected forests in Africa said that the Christian has to live with other lions and became wild. And management of protected forests also said that Christian would not recognize John Rendall and Anthony. They all forbid them to meet with Christian, because the lion would not remember them anymore and of course will result in the death of both of them. But Anthony and John do not care. They believe, ties of friendship that exists between the three of them very deep. Christian will not attack them. Christian must continue to remember them both.

Finally, John and Anthony went to the forest of Africa and many hours looking for Christian. One of their friends interested in this event and participate with them to record this meeting. Will this meeting will be an advanced disaster for Anthony and John or Christian was still able to recall them?

After hours of searching, they finally find a Christian in nearby mountainous areas.Friend John and Anthony who recorded this incident strained to hold his breath when he saw a large male lion who ran down the rocks there and ran towards them. Only John and Anthony are being relaxed and smiling broadly as if to welcome their old friend.

In accordance with the allegations of John and Anthony, Christian does not forget them.Christian looks so happy to see two human faces which she loved. Christian took turns hugging and kissing the face of John and Anthony insistently as his habit when he was a child. The three close friends that they finally meet again and mingle with each other for hours and then split up again.

Letting Go Fly, We Meet Again

When John and Anthony returned to visit Christian a few months later, Christian even brings one of his wife and introduce it to them both. And miraculously, Christian couples who had been born as a true lion who never associated with humans look cool and be spoiled-spoiled even contributed to Anthony and John as that of Christian.

It makes the experts and British society was shocked amazement. Seeing the emotions and reactions of this Christian. They did not expect a lion which has been separated more than a year and has become wild and ferocious lion appropriate nature will be able to be "warm" and longing to two people, a former employer who only spend time with her 9-month.

True Friendship between human and animal

Seekor Singa bernama Christian, Kisah Nyata

2010-10-06T08:02:00.002-07:00

Christian The Lion, membuktikan bahwa singa mempunyai perasaan yang sama seperti manusia. Mempunyai memory, kasih sayang, cinta, rasa rindu, dan kesetiaan. Fenomena ini sempat menghebohkan para pakar hewan ditahun 70-an. Mereka tidak pernah menyangka bahwa hewan ganas yang dilengkapi dengan insting membunuh, bisa mempunyai ingatan akan masa lalunya dan bisa mengendalikan insting membunuhnya terhadap manusia, yang notabene dianggap musuh oleh hampir segala makhluk buas.

Christian, adalah seekor singa yang menjadi korban kejahatan pemburu gelap yang kemudian diperdagangkan di blackmarket. Sedangkan nasib ibu atau saudara Christian tidak diketahui, apakah mereka juga ikut tertangkap, mati terbunuh atau sudah terjual.

Pada tahun 1969, Anthony Bourke dan John Rendall, dua orang sahabat, terkejut ketika menemukan seekor anak singa berusia 6 bulan di toko binatang Harrods yang sedang kesepian. Kondisi bayi singa itu sungguh menyedihkan. Si singa kecil dikurung didalam sebuah jeruji yang sangat kecil. Suara parau sang singa kecil menyentuh hati kedua pemuda ini dan lalu mereka membelinya dan memberikan nama Christian pada bayi singa itu. Mereka bertiga akhirnya tinggal disebuah rumah di London. Mereka pun memperlakukan Christian seperti layaknya sahabat. Mereka bermain bola bersama, makan bersama, nonton bersama dan jalan-jalan bersama. Mereka menjadi tiga sosok sahabat yang tidak terpisahkan.

John, Anthony dan Christian. Saat-saat Bersama

Sampai akhirnya, 9 bulan telah berlalu. Christian telah menjelma menjadi singa dewasa dan lingkungan rumah mereka yang kecil tidak cocok lagi untuk Christian untuk berlari-lari bebas seperti halnya waktu ia kecil dahulu. Ditambah lagi dengan tetangga yang resah dan ketakutan melihat sosok seekor singa jantan besar berlarian dilingkungan mereka. Walaupun sedih, Anthony dan John memutuskan untuk mengembalikan Christian ke Kenya, Afrika, di bawah pengawasan ahli hewan buas untuk mengembalikan sifat alami Christian dari “sahabat manusia” menjadi hewan buas. Jika tidak, Christian tidak akan dapat bertahan di alam liar.

John Dan Anthony Menemani Christian, Saat-saat Akan Berpisah

Selama beberapa bulan Christian di karantina di Afrika, para ahli meminimalisir kontak Christian dengan manusia terutama dengan pemiliknya. Selama itu, kata pengawas, Christian tampak murung dan sedih. Berkali-kali ia mengaum parau, mungkin memanggil kedua majikan sekaligus sahabatnya, John dan Anthony. Meski John dan Anthony ingin menemui Christian, akan tetapi para pakar melarangnya, karena dikhawatirkan dengan keahdiran mereka berdua akan menghambat proses pengembalian insting alamiah singa sebagai hewan liar yang bebas dan ganas.

Akhirnya, Christian berhasil menemukan jati dirinya sebagai seekor singa jantan. Ia pun dilepaskan kealam bebas walaupun masih dipantau oleh para ahli. Awalnya, Christian mendapat kesulitan untuk menentukan wilayah kekuasaannya dan membuat kawanan, karena beberapa wilayah tersebut sudah dikuasai oleh singa jantan lainnya dan tentu saja para singa betina sudah dikuasai oleh para singa jantan tersebut. Christian memerlukan kawanan. Karena seekor singa tidak akan bisa bertahan tanpa kawanan. Biasanya, dalam satu kawanan sedikitnya terdiri dari 3 ekor singa, satu jantan dua betina. Karena dalam kawanan hanya boleh dipimpin oleh satu singa jantan. Semakin kuat sang singa jantan tersebut maka akan makin banyak singa betina lainnya yang bergabung dalam kawanan tersebut. Oleh karena itu, para singa jantan muda akan keluar dari kelompok mereka lalu membentuk kelompok sendiri diwilayah lain.

Inilah masalah pertama yang harus dihadapi oleh Christian. Ia harus membentuk kelompok agar bisa bertahan hidup. Karena, singa tidak akan bisa berburu jika hanya sendirian. Perburuan yang mereka lakukan selalu dalam bentuk kerjasama kelompok yang kompak. Para singa betina bertugas untuk mengejar dan membuat lelah si mangsa, jika mangsa sudah lelah maka sang singa jantan akan melakukan tindakan final untuk mengakhiri nyawa si mangsa dengan menggigit leher si mangsa sampai mati atau istilahnya “finishing touch”. Semakin besar jumlah singa dalam satu kawanan, maka semakin besar ukuran mangsa mereka. Seperti badak, gajah, banteng dan lain-lain.

Oleh karena itu, John dan Anthony sangat mencemaskan keadaan Christian. Karena tidak jarang para singa jantan akan mati dalam perkelahian untuk mendapatkan atau mempertahankan wilayah atau kawanan dengan singa jantan lainnya, atau mati terbunuh oleh mangsa buruan mereka. Jika singa jantan tidak hati-hati dan menyerang si mangsa tidak tepat pada waktunya (si mangsa belum kelelahan) maka tak ayal lagi singa jantan akan mati di banting ke batu ketika mangsanya memberontak saat lehernya digigit oleh si singa jantan, diinjak atau bahkan diserang balik oleh sang mangsa.

Akan tetapi, laporan-laporan yang mereka dapatkan dari si pengawas menunjukkan perkembangan positif yang berhasil dicapai oleh Christian. Christian berhasil mendapatkan kawanan dan bahkan ia berhasil menjadi ketua kawanan yang dalam jumlah yang besar. Perkembangan Christian ini sedikit melegakan hati John dan Anthony. Akan tetapi, mereka tidak bisa membendung rasa rindu mereka terhadap sahabat mereka ini.

Setalah satu tahun lebih mereka berpisah, akhirnya John dan Anthony memutuskan untuk mengunjungi Christian di Afrika. Ahli singa dan pengurus hutan lindung di Afrika mengatakan bahwa Christian sudah hidup bersama singa-singa lainnya dan menjadi liar. Dan pengurus hutan lindung itu juga mengatakan kalau Christian tidak akan mengenali John Rendall dan Anthony. Mereka semua melarang mereka untuk menemui Christian, Karena singa itu tidak akan mengingat mereka lagi dan tentu saja akan mengakibatkan kematian terhadap mereka berdua. Akan tetapi Anthony dan John tidak perduli. Mereka percaya, ikatan persahabatan yang terjalin diantara mereka bertiga sangat dalam. Christian tidak akan menyerang mereka. Christian pasti tetap mengingat mereka berdua.

Akhirnya John dan Anthony berangkat ke hutan Afrika dan berjam-jam mencari Christian. Salah satu orang teman mereka tertarik dengan kejadian ini dan ikut bersama mereka untuk merekam pertemuan ini. Akankah pertemuan ini akan menajdi malapetaka bagi Anthony dan John ataukah Christian memang masih dapat mengingat mereka?

Setelah berjam-jam pencarian, akhirnya mereka menemukan Christian di dekat daerah pegunungan. Teman John dan Anthony yang merekam kejadian ini menahan nafas tegang ketika ia melihat sesosok singa jantan besar yang berlari menuruni batu-batuan disana dan berlari kearah mereka. Hanya John dan Anthony saja yang bersikap santai dan tersenyum lebar seolah-olah menyambut teman lama mereka.

Sesuai dengan dugaan John dan Anthony, Christian tidak melupakan mereka. Christian terlihat sangat gembira melihat dua wajah manusia yang sangat ia cintai itu. Christian bergantian memeluk dan mencium wajah John dan Anthony bertubi-tubi sebagaimana kebiasaannya ketika ia kecil dahulu. Ketiga sahabat dekat itu akhirnya bertemu kembali dan mereka bercengkerama satu sama lainnya selama berjam-jam dan kemudian berpisah lagi.

Melepaskan Rindu, Saat Bertemu Kembali

Ketika John dan Anthony kembali mengunjungi Christian beberapa bulan kemudian, Christian bahkan membawa salah satu istrinya dan memperkenalkannya kepada mereka berdua. Dan ajaibnya, pasangan Christian yang memang sudah terlahir sebagai singa sejati yang tidak pernah berhubungan dengan manusia terlihat tenang dan bahkan ikut bermanja-manja kepada Anthony dan John seperti yang dilakukan oleh Christian.

Hal itu membuat para ahli dan masyarakt Inggris terhenyak takjub. Melihat emosi dan reaksi Christian ini. Mereka sama sekali tidak menyangka seekor singa yang sudah terpisah setahun lebih dan telah menjadi singa liar dan ganas sesuai sifat alaminya akan dapat bersikap “hangat” dan penuh kerinduan terhadap dua orang manusia, mantan majikannya yang hanya menghabiskan waktu 9 bulan bersamanya.

The Largest Snake Ever Found, Over 50 Feet

2010-09-16T03:05:00.000-07:00

About Snakes:

Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with many more joints than their lizard ancestors, enabling them to swallow prey much larger than their heads with their highly mobile jaws. To accommodate their narrow bodies, snakes' paired organs (such as kidneys) appear one in front of the other instead of side by side, and most have only one functional lung. Some species retain a pelvic girdle with a pair of vestigial claws on either side of the cloaca.

worldsbiggest

Kids react to the video:

Amazing Transformation The Gym Can Do

2010-09-16T02:51:00.000-07:00

Colorful And Funky Sheep In Scotland

2010-09-16T02:42:00.000-07:00

thisblogrules

When these sheep gone funky and colorful, these dogs appeared to show who’s the biggest on earth, click here to see more.

World's Biggest Dogs

2010-09-16T02:32:00.000-07:00

Don't Try This At Road

2010-09-16T01:56:00.000-07:00

uncle google

When these peoples showing an awesome act on ride, these airplanes show their skill on air, click here to see them.

Amazing Aviation Photographs

2010-09-14T08:34:00.000-07:00

Can you see any animals in these photos?

2010-09-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Several animal species can easily be considered as true masters of disguise. They have the magnificent ability to melt in with their environment so they almost look invisible. Here you can see pictures of how animals camouflage in nature.

You can barely see the caterpillar on the green leaf, the light brown spider is not visible in the sand, and the green snake is safe on the top of a similar colored tree, and that’s only a few of all the animals that use both color, shape and behavior to melt into the environment as good as possible. If you can’t find the animal on some of the photos, comment below and tell us which one.

thisblogrules

Supervolcano

2010-09-11T02:17:00.000-07:00

A supervolcano is a volcano capable of producing a volcanic eruption with ejecta greater than 1,000 cubic kilometers (240 cubic miles). This is thousands of times larger than most historic volcanic eruptions. Supervolcanoes can occur when magma in the Earth rises into thecrust from a hotspot but is unable to break through the crust. Pressure builds in a large and growing magma pool until the crust is unable to contain the pressure. They can also form at convergent plate boundaries (for example, Toba) and continental hotspot locations (for example,Yellowstone).

The Discovery Channel highlighted six known supervolcanoes: the Yellowstone, Long Valley, and Valles Caldera in the United States; Lake Toba, North Sumatra, Indonesia; Taupo Volcano, North Island, New Zealand; and Aira Caldera, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan. Although there are only a handful of supervolcanoes, supervolcanic eruptions typically cover huge areas with lava andvolcanic ash and cause a long-lasting change to weather (such as the triggering of a small ice age) sufficient to threaten the extinction of species.

Massive explosive eruptions

Eruptions with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 8 (VEI-8) are colossal events that throw out at least 1,000 km³ Dense Rock Equivalent (DRE) of ejecta; VEI-7 events eject at least 100 km³ (DRE).

VEI-7 or 8 eruptions are so powerful that they often form circular calderas rather than cones because the downward withdrawal of magma causes the overlying mass to collapse and fill the void magma chamber beneath.

One of the classic calderas is at Glen Coe in the Grampian Mountains of Scotland. First described by Clough et al. (1909) its geology and volcanic succession has recently been re-analysed in the light of new discoveries. There is an accompanying 1:25000 solid geology map.

By way of comparison, the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption was at the lower end of VEI-5 with 1.2 km³, and both Mount Pinatubo in 1991 andKrakatoa in 1883 were VEI-6 with 25 km^3.

Known super eruptions

Estimates of the volume of ejected material are given in parentheses.

VEI 7

VEI-7 volcanic events, less colossal but still supermassive, have occured in the geological past. The only ones in historic times are Tambora, in 1815, Baekdu Mountain, 969 CE (±20 years), and possibly Mount Aso between 300,000 to 80,000 years ago.

Valles Caldera, New Mexico, United States - ~1.15 million years ago (~600 km³)

Aso, Kyūshū, Japan - four large explosive eruptions between 300,000 to 80,000 years ago (last one > 600 km³)

Macauley Island, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand - ~6,300 years ago (~ 4,300 BCE) (100 km³)

Baekdu Mountain, China/North Korea - ~969 CE (96±19 km³)

Tambora, Sumbawa Island, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia - 1815 (160 km³), the following year 1816 became known as the "Year Without a Summer"

VEI 8

VEI-8 eruptions have happened in the following locations.

La Garita Caldera, Colorado, United States - Source of the enormous eruption of the Fish Canyon Tuff ~27.8 million years ago (~5,000 km³)

Cerro Galan, Catamarca Province, Argentina - 2.5 million years ago (1,050 km³)

Yellowstone Caldera, Lava Creek Tuff, Wyoming, United States, Yellowstone hotspot - 640,000 years ago (1,000 km³)

Lake Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia - ~74,000 years ago (~2,800 km³)

Lake Taupo, Taupo Volcanic Zone, North Island, New Zealand - Oruanui eruption ~26,500 years ago (~1,170 km³)

source: uncle google & uncle wiki

Green Day

2010-09-11T02:12:00.000-07:00

40 Interesting Facts

2010-09-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

1. California has issued at least 6 drivers licenses to people named Jesus Christ.

2. Kangaroos can not walk backwards.

3. 'Jedi' is an official religion, with over 70,000 followers, in Australia.

4. According to a recent survey, more than half of British adults have had sex in a public place!

5. Most alcoholic beverages contain all 13 minerals necessary to sustain human life.

6. Nachos is the food most craved by pregnant women.

7. Each year, 24,000 Americans are bitten by rats!

8. Most dreams last only 5 to 20 minutes.

9. The hair of an adult man or woman can stretch 25 percent of its length without breaking.

10. On average, the life span of an American dollar bill is eighteen months.

11. Non-dairy creamer is flammable.

12. The first domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com.

13. Americans collectively eat one hundred pounds of chocolate every second.

14. U.S. President Calvin Coolidge liked to eat breakfast while having his head rubbed with Vaseline.

15. When a giraffe's baby is born it falls from a height of six feet, normally without being hurt.

16. Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

17. The creator of the NIKE Swoosh symbol was paid only $35 for the design.

18. How does a shark find fish? It can hear their hearts beating.

19. Penguins can convert salt water into fresh water.

20. In ten minutes, a hurricane releases more energy than all the world's nuclear weapons combined!

21. The IRS employees tax manual has instructions for collecting taxes after a nuclear war.

22. During WWII, because a lot of players were called to duty, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles combined to become The Steagles.

23. Nearly 22,000 checks will be deducted from the wrong account over the next hour.

24. More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call.

25. There are more fatal car accidents in July than any other month.

26. There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people in the world.

27. More than 2 million documents will be lost by the IRS this year.

28. Bats always turn left when exiting a cave.

29. Washington, D.C. has one lawyer for every 19 residents!

30. Avocados have more protein than any other fruit.

31. The average car produces a pound of pollution every 25 miles!

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

33. In 1980, a Las Vegas hospital suspended workers for betting on when patients would die!

34. The most powerful electric eel is found in the rivers of Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela, and Peru, and produces a shock of 400-650 volts.

35. If the population of China walked past you in single file, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.

36. Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country.

37. In India, people are legally allowed to marry a dog!

38. You are more likely to get attacked by a cow than a shark.

39. Half of all identity thieves are either relatives, friends, or neighbors of their victims.

40. One in three male motorists picks their nose while driving.

source: dave’s daily

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda: Gravity Defying Rock

2010-09-10T11:21:00.000-07:00

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda also known as Golden Rock is a well-known Buddhist pilgrimage site in Mon State, Myanmar. It is a small pagoda (7.3 metres (24 ft)) built on the top of a granite boulder covered with gold leaves pasted on by devotees. According to legend, the Golden Rock itself is precariously perched on a strand of the Buddha's hair. The rock seems to defy gravity, as it perpetually appears to be on the verge of rolling down the hill. The rock and the pagoda are at the top of Mt. Kyaiktiyo. It is the third most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in Burma after the Shwedagon Pagoda and theMahamuni Pagoda. A glimpse of the "gravity defying" Golden Rock is believed to be enough of an inspiration for any person to turn to Buddhism.

Legend

The legend associated with the pagoda is that the Buddha, on one of his many visits, gave a strand of his hair to Taik Tha, a hermit. The hermit, who had tucked it in the tuft of his hair safely, in turn gave the strand to the King, with the wish that the hair be enshrined in a boulder shaped like the hermit's head. The King, had inherited super natural powers from his father who was well known as Zawgyi (a proficient alchemist) and the mother was a naga (serpent dragon) princess. They had found the rock at the bottom of the sea. With the help of the Thagyamin, the king ofTawadeintha Heaven in Buddhist cosmology, found the perfect place at Kyaiktiyo for locating the golden rock and build a pagoda, where the strand was enshrined. It is this strand of hair that, according to the legend, prevents the rock from tumbling down the hill. The boat, which was used to transport the rock, turned into a stone. This also is now worshipped by pilgrims at a location about 300 metres (980 ft) from the golden rock. It is known as the Kyaukthanban Pagoda or stupa (literal meaning: stone boat stupa).

Legend also mentions that pilgrims undertaking the pilgrimage by trekking from the Kinpun base camp, three times consecutively in a year will be blessed with wealth and recognition.

Geography

The pagoda is located near Kyaikto in Mon State in the northern part of the Tenasserim coast. The Golden Rock is situated at an elevation of 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) above mean sea level, on top of the Kyaiktiyo hill (also known as Kelasa hills or Eastern Yoma mountains); it is on the Paung-laung ridge of the Eastern Yoma mountains. It is at a distance of 210 kilometres (130 mi) from Yangon. The Kinpun village 16 km (10 mi) is at the base of Mt. Kyaiktiyo. It is the closest to the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda. From Kyaiktiyo, the foot trail or road starts for the Golden rock. On this approach, there are numerous granite boulders on the mountain, perched in precarious condition. Near the top of the mountain, there are two large lions guarding the entrance to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda. From this location, known as Yatetaung (the last point for vehicular traffic), pilgrims and visitors have to climb to the Golden Rock barefoot, after leaving their footwear behind, as per Burmese custom. The paved mountain track, built in 1999, from the bus terminal at Yatetaung, is along a dusty section with kiosks on both sides and the climb of 1.2 km up to the Golden Rock is stiff and takes about one hour to reach. From the base camp at Kinpun, the hiking trek to the pagoda is about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) and many devotees do this trek as part of the pilgrimage rites.^[12] There are also many temples and pagodas, which have been built recently on other hills in the vicinity of the Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda that are visited by pilgrims and tourists by trekking along foot tracks.

Structures

The boulder, which gleams golden and popularly known as the Golden Rock on which the small Kyaiktiyo Pagoda has been built, is about 25 feet (7.6 m) in height and has a circumference of 50 feet (15 m). The Pagoda above the rock is about 7.3 metres (24 ft) in height. The boulder sits on a natural rock platform that appears to have been naturally formed to act as the base to build the pagoda. This granite boulder lies on an inclined plane and the area of contact is extremely small. The golden rock or boulder and the rock table on which it is resting are independent of each other; the golden rock has an overhang of half its length and is perched at the extreme end of the sloping surface of the rock. There is a sheer vertical drop in the rock face, into the valley below. A lotus shape is painted in gold leaf, encircling the base of the rock. It appears as though the boulder will crash down at any moment. A staircase leads to the pagoda complex that houses several viewing platforms, pagodas, Buddha shrines, and Nat (spirit) (spirits worshipped in Burma in conjunction with Buddhism shrines). However, the Golden Rock is the main attraction for the pilgrims who offer prayers and also stick golden leaves on the rock in reverence. A short distance away, there is a circle of gongs with four statues of nats and angels in the centre.

A main square close to the golden rock has many establishments that deal in religious paraphernalia for worship and offerings made by the pilgrims. Adjoining the plaza area is the Potemkin village where restaurants, gift shops, and guest houses are located. A new terrace has been built at a lower level from which visitors can get a good view of the rock and the pagoda.

Pilgrimages

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda or Golden Rock has become a popular pilgrimage and also tourist attraction. At the peak of the pilgrimage season, during November to March, an atmosphere of devotion is witnessed at Kyaikhtiyo pagoda. As the golden rock gleams in different shades from dawn to dusk (the sight at dawn and at sunset are unique), pilgrims' chants reverberate in the precincts of the shrine. Lighting of candles, meditation and offerings to the Buddha continues throughout the night. Men cross over a bridge across an abyss to affix golden leaves (square in shape) on the face of the Golden Rock, in deep veneration. However, women are not allowed to touch the rock. Pilgrims visit the pagoda, from all regions of Myanmar; a few foreign tourists also visit the pagoda. Even disabled persons who are staunch devotees of Buddha visit the pagoda, walking up the track on crutches. Old people, who can not climb, are carried on stretchers by porters to the Pagoda to offer prayers to Buddha. The Full Moon day of Tabaung in March, is a special occasion for pilgrims who visit the shrine. On this day, the platform of the pagoda is lighted with ninety thousand candles as reverential offering to the Lord Buddha. The devotees visiting the pagoda also offer fruits, food and incense to the Buddha.

source: uncle google & uncle wiki

The Heart of Voh: Swamp Shaped Like Heart

2010-09-09T10:57:00.001-07:00

Located at New Caledonia, France, it has become famous for the aerial photography known as The Heart of Voh, a large formation of vegetation that resembles a heart seen from above. Photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand contributed to its popularity by using a photograph of the 'heart' as the cover to his books “The Earth from the Air” and “Earth from Above.”

A mangrove swamp is an amphibious tree formation common to muddy tropical coastlines with fluctuating tides. It consists of various halophytes (plants that can develop in a saline environment) and a predominance of mangroves. These swamps are found on four continents, covering a total area of 65,000 square miles (170,000 km2), or nearly 25 percent of the world’s coastal areas. This represents only half of the original range, because these fragile swamps have been continually reduced by the overexploitation of resources, agricultural and urban expansion, and pollution. The mangrove remains, however, as indispensable to sea fauna and to the equilibrium of the shoreline as it is to the local economy. New Caledonia, a group of Pacific islands covering 7,000 square miles (18,575 km2), has 80 square miles (200 km2) of a fairly low (25 to 33 feet, or 8 to 10 m) but very dense mangrove swamp, primarily on the west coast of the largest island, Grande Terre. At certain spots in the interior that are not reached by seawater except at high tides, vegetation gives way to bare, oversalted stretches called tannes, such as this one near the city of Voh, where nature has carved this clearing in the form of a heart.

source: uncle google & uncle wiki