Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Aquamarine

Aquamarine is one variety of the mineral beryl. It is found ranging in color from light blue to dark blue and also blue-green. It is most commonly known as the birthstone for March. The word aquamarine is Latin for sea water. Aquamarine has a hexagonal crystal system and is usually transparent, but can be opaque. It has a hardness of 7.5-8 and a refractive index of 1.564-1.596. It is a brittle stone and is sensitive to pressure. The most desired color is dark blue. However, lower quality gems can be heated to 725-800 degrees F to change them to the darker color. This change is permanent. Unfortunately, higher heat will cause discoloration in the stone. Inclusions are rarely found in aquamarine and usually cause the gem to be more fragile. Occasionally a gem cam be found with a cat's eye effect. It is often found in pegmatites and coarse-grained granite. Aquamarine is mined in many places including Brazil, Russia, Australia, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, and many other countries. The largest finding of gemstone quality was in Brazil in 1910. It was 18 inches long and 15 1/2 inches in diameter and weighed in at 243 pounds. It produced many stones with a total weight of more than 100,000 carats.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Agriculture

Agriculture is the means of livelihood for around two thirds of the work force of India. This makes it one of the most important sectors of the economy. At the time of independence, the revenue from the agricultural sector was quite low compared to what it is today. The main reason for the increase in revenue is the increase in agricultural production that was brought about by the Green Revolution.

The Green Revolution of the 70's was responsible for bringing additional area under cultivation, extending irrigation facilities, providing better quality seeds, improving techniques of farming and plant protection.

Over the years, agriculture has emerged as one of the top priorities of the Central and State Governments. Keeping this in mind, various schemes have been launched to improve farm productivity and the standard of living of millions of farmers who work to feed the nation.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Dola Purnima (Holi)

Dolapwnima or Holi is the most famous spring festival of India. Usually celebrated in March It has special properties in its celebration in Orissa where it is a five day affair, especially in the rural areas. The images of Krishna are worshipped form Dashami (10th day of the bright fortnight) to the full moon day. The images are taken in decorated vimans, small wooden temples, carried on the shoulders of bearers from house to house where offerings are made to them. After the tour of the village the vimanas from different villages are assembled in an open field and the time is spent in bhajana and kirtan. Jatras and palas are also held in the area. The day after the full moon day people throw coloured water on one another and smear each others faces with coloured powder (3bir). The festival is specially important for cattle owing to their association with the cowherd boy Krisllna. They are bathed, anointed with vermillion, garlanded and fed sumptuously. The festival is connected with the destruction of the demon Holikasura or the she-demon Holika by making a bonfire, for which the festival is called Holi.

Such Melanas or Fairs continue till the month of Chaitra in different places of the district of Cuttack, Puri and Ganjam.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Hill Palace Museum, Tripunithura

Set on top of a hillock, this prestigious palace-turned-museum displays 13 categories of exhibits, including paintings, carvings and other royal antiquities donated by the Cochin and Travancore royal families and the Paliam Devaswom. The Heritage Museum, located on the rear side of the palace buildings familiarizes you with the traditional lifestyles of ancient Kerala. As part of the establishment of a mini zoo, a deer park with spotted deer, sambar and peacocks is run by the Society for the Preservation of Hill Palace Premises. The museum premises has also been converted into a botanical garden with exotic tropical trees from central America to Australia. Located 11 Kms east of Ernakulam, en route to Chottanikkara.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Dilwara Temples, Mount Abu

Wondrously carved in marble, the Dilwara Jain temples in Mount Abu(Rajasthan) enshrine various Jain 'Tirthankaras'. Constructed out of white marble from Arasoori Hill, near Ambaji, 23 km from Abu Road, the temples are an outstanding example of Jain temple architecture.

Of the five shrines in this group, four are architecturally significant. They are built with white marble stones. Each has a walled courtyard. In the centre of the courtyard is the shrine with the image of the deity, Rishabhdev. Around the large courtyard, there are numerous small shrines, each housing a beautiful image of the tirthankaras with a series of elegantly carved pillars from the entrance to the courtyard. The ministers of the Solanki rulers of Gujarat had constructed all these temples during 11th and 13th centuries AD.

Vimal Vasahi is the oldest temple, which has been dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain tirthankara. Vimal Shah, minister of the then Solanki ruler of Gujarat, built it in the year 1031 A.D. The special feature of this temple is it’s ceiling which is circular in eleven richly carved concentric rings. The central ceiling of the temple is adorned with magnificent carving and it culminates into an ornamented central pendant. The pendant of the dome tapers down forming a drop or point, like a lotus flower. This is an astonishing piece of work. It symbolizes the divine grace coming down to fulfill human aspirations. Figures of 16 Vidya Devis (goddesses of knowledge) are carved on the ceiling.

The other Dilwara temples are the Luna Vasahi, Vastupala and Tejapala, named after the ministers of the then Vaghela ruler of Gujarat who built them in 1230 AD. Inspite of being plain and austere on the outside, the interiors of all these temples are covered with delicate carvings. Its most notable feature is that the brilliant intricacy and delicacy of the marble carving is so fine that in places the marble becomes almost transparent.

Dilwara temples are one of the best examples of craftsmanship, the genius of carving out so brilliant and intricate a shape out of a block of stone, such that it almost comes to life! The temple is a tourist’s paradise and a meditative sanctum for the devotees.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Shalwar

The shalwar (salwar) is a pair of light loose fitting trousers with a tight fit around the ankles. This is usually worn by East Indian women with a kameez which is a long tunic extending to the hips or knees. A matching dupatta (an unstitched length of material draped over the upper body) is also part of this outfit.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Weight regulation in children

Children need enough food for proper growth. To promote growth and development and prevent overweight, teach children to eat grain products; vegetables and fruits; lowfat milk products or other calcium-rich foods; beans, lean meat, poultry, fish or other protein-rich foods; and to participate in vigorous activity. Limiting television time and encouraging children to play actively in a safe environment are helpful steps. Although limiting fat intake may help to prevent excess weight gain in children, fat should not be restricted for children younger than 2 years of age. Helping overweight children to achieve a healthy weight along with normal growth requires more caution. Modest reductions in dietary fat, such as the use of lowfat milk rather than whole milk, are not hazardous. However, major efforts to change a child's diet should be accompanied by monitoring of growth by a health professional at regular intervals.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Non-Sticky Oils

These oils have a waxy or oily feel. Oils are less toxic and adhere more firmly to surfaces than Class A oils, although they can be removed from surfaces by vigorous flushing. As temperatures rise, their tendency to penetrate porous substrates increases and they can be persistent. Evaporation of volatiles may lead to a Class C or D residue. Medium to heavy paraffin-based oils fall into this class.

Monday, September 29, 2008

The Colors of Health

Fruits and vegetables come in terrific colors and flavors, but their real beauty lies in what's inside. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases.

To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Some examples include green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon, and white onions. For more variety, try new fruits and vegetables regularly.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Gold Fish - Lionhead (Oranda)

The Oranda, or so-called Dutch Lionhea, is one of the largest forms of this variey. It reaches a length of 30 cm, with the length of the tail equalling that of the head and body combined. All the fins are long. The Dutch Lionhead was apparently brought from China to Japan (Nagasaki) by Dutch merchants in the 17th century and bred further in that country.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Papaya

The papaya is sometimes called papaw or pawpaw, but in the United States these names are generally restricted to Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal (see "Papaw"). Papayas are grown to a limited extent in continental United States. They have been tried in Texas and in California, have never exceeded a few hundred acres even in Florida (Harkness 1967), but are more common in Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The 1964 United States Census of Agriculture showed that 32 farms in Florida produced almost 1.5 million pounds of fruit, while 266 farms in Hawaii produced almost 22 million pounds.

Papayas grow from about 32 deg N. to 32 deg S. latitude, from sea level to 5,000 feet altitude. They are killed by frost but do well in full sun or under irrigation. They do not occur in the wild, probably originated in Mexico or Costa Rica, and now consist of many cultivars (Purseglove 1968*).

The ripe fresh fruit (90 percent water, 4 to 10 percent sugar) (Wolfe and Lynch 1940) is eaten throughout the tropics for breakfast, dessert, in salads, jams, ice creams, and soft drinks. The dried latex or "milk" of immature fruit yields papain, a proteolytic enzyme similar in action to pepsin, which is used as a meat tenderizer (Becker 1958). It also creates shrink-resistance in wool.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Appalachian Fruit Research Station (AFRS)

The mission of the Appalachian Fruit Research Station (AFRS) is to identify critical problems of temperate fruit production; develop the science, technology, and genetic base needed to maximize productivity and quality of fruit crops; and minimize the adverse effects of biotic and environmental factors on these crops. [Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agriculture Research Service (ARS)]

Monday, September 01, 2008

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)

A method of depositing thin semiconductor films used to make certain types of photovoltaic devices. With this method, a substrate is exposed to one or more vaporized compounds, one or more of which contain desirable constituents. A chemical reaction is initiated, at or near the substrate surface, to produce the desired material that will condense on the substrate.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Tourism

The Jharkhand Government has accorded 'industry status' to the tourism sector and has initiated various steps to attract investment into it. For the purpose, it has been offering several incentives for the provision of certain tourist facilities by the private investors. This includes:- hotels & motels; yatrika & yatriniwas; tourist resorts; camps & facilities for adventure tourism; aerial ropeway; amusement parks; etc.

There are various places of tourist attraction in the State, which include:- Ichagarh Bird Sanctuary; Udhava Bird Sanctuary-Sahibganj (Pathara Lake); Chachro Crocodile Breeding Centre–Koderma (Tilaya Dam); Chandrapura Bird Sanctuary; Jawaharlal Nehru Zoological Garden (Bokaro); Tenughat Bird Sanctuary; Dalma Wild Life Sanctuary (Jamshedpur); Tata Steel Zoological Park (Jamshedpur); Palkote Wild Life Sanctuary (Gumla); Bhagwan Birsa Zoological Gardens (Ranchi); Birsa Deer Sanctuary (Kalmati Ranchi); Betla National Park (Palamau); Ranchi Aquarium (Ranchi) and Hazaribagh National Park; Tatoloi hot water stream (Dumka) and Saranda Forest. Besides, there are some famous temples like Jharkhand Dham; Langta Baba Temple/Majar; Bindhvashini Temple; etc.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Education

Education encompasses both the teaching and learning of knowledge, good conduct, and technical aptitude. It thus focuses on the cultivation of skills, profession, trades sessions, as well as moral, mental & aesthetic development.

Proper education consists of systematic training, instruction and training by professional teachers. This consists of the application of pedagogy and the growth of curricula. In a liberal education tradition, teachers draw on many different disciplines for their lessons, including psychology, philosophy, in sequence technology, biology, linguistics and sociology. Teachers in expert professions such as astrophysics, law, or zoology may teach only in a narrow area, frequently as professors at institutions of higher learning. There is much specialist instruction in fields of trade for those who want specific skills, such as required to be a pilot, for example. Finally, there is an array of educational opportunity in the informal sphere- for this reason; society subsidizes institutions such as museums and libraries. Informal education also includes knowledge and skills learned and refined during the course of life, including education that comes from experience in practicing a profession.

Monday, August 11, 2008

List of vineyard soil types

The soil composition of vineyards is one of the significant viticultural considerations when planting grape vines. The soil supports the root structure of the vine and influences the drainage levels and amount of minerals and nutrients that the vine is uncovered to. The ideal circumstance for a vine is an area of thin topsoil and subsoil that adequately retain waters but also has good drainage so that the vine roots don't become overly soaked. The ability of the soil to retain heat and/or reproduce it back up to the vine is also a vital consideration that affects the ripening of the grape.

There are more than a few minerals that are very important to the health of vines that all good vineyard soils have. These include calcium which helps to counteract the Soil pH levels, iron which is necessary for photosynthesis, magnesium which is a significant component of chlorophyll, nitrogen which is assimilated in the form of nitrates, phosphates which encourage root development, and potassium which improve the vine metabolisms and increase it health for next year's crop.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

FOB & CIF

FOB is also known as Freight on Board OR Free On .Freight on board means that the exporter delivers the goods at the specified location. Example, FOB Kunming Airport the exporter delivers the goods at Kunming airport. This means exporter is bounce to deliver the goods at the Kunming Airport at his cost and expenses. In the case, the freight and other expenses for outbound traffic is bear by the importer.

CIF is also known as Cost, Insurance, and Freight.Insurance and Freight are all remunerated by the exporter to the particular location. Example, CIF Los Angeles (the exporter pays the ocean shipping/air freight costs to Los Angeles including the insurance).

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Virus classification

It involves naming and placing viruses into a taxonomic system. Like the comparatively consistent classification systems seen for cellular organisms, virus classification is the subject of ongoing debate and proposal. This is mainly due to the pseudo-living nature of viruses, which are not yet definitively living or non-living. As such, they do not fit neatly into the recognized biological classification system in place for cellular organisms, such as plants and animals.

Virus classification is based chiefly on phenotypic characteristics, including morphology, nucleic acid type, and mode of replication, host organisms, and the kind of disease they cause. A mixture of two main schemes is currently in widespread use for the classification of viruses. David Baltimore, a Nobel Prize-winning biologist, devised the Baltimore classification system, which places viruses into one of seven groups. These groups are designated by Roman numerals and separate viruses based on their mode of replication, and genome type. Accompanying this broad method of classification are exact naming conventions and further classification strategy set out by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Billboard

A billboard is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), naturally found in high traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertisements to passing pedestrians and drivers. Typically showing large, amusing slogans and distinctive visuals, billboards are extremely visible in the top selected market areas.

Bulletins are the largest, most impact standard-size billboards. Located primarily on major highways, expressways or principal arterials, they authority high-density consumer exposure (mostly to vehicular traffic). Bulletins afford greatest visibility due not only to their size, but because they allow imaginative "customizing" through extensions and embellishments.

Poster is the another type of advertising in the form of billboard advertising, located chiefly in marketable and industrial areas on primary and secondary major roads. Posters are a smaller format than bulletins and are viewed principally by residents and commuter traffic, with some walker exposure.

Billboard

A billboard is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), naturally found in high traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertisements to passing pedestrians and drivers. Typically showing large, amusing slogans and distinctive visuals, billboards are extremely visible in the top selected market areas.

Bulletins are the largest, most impact standard-size billboards. Located primarily on major highways, expressways or principal arterials, they authority high-density consumer exposure (mostly to vehicular traffic). Bulletins afford greatest visibility due not only to their size, but because they allow imaginative "customizing" through extensions and embellishments.

Poster is the another type of advertising in the form of billboard advertising, located chiefly in marketable and industrial areas on primary and secondary major roads. Posters are a smaller format than bulletins and are viewed principally by residents and commuter traffic, with some walker exposure.