Aspundir

Photoshopped Hands And Fingers

2012-02-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

Photoshopped Hands And Fingers

25 Fingers. Aside from its seamless manipulation, this work is so great that it makes me actually think that having 30 fingers look really cool! Well I have to confess that as a developer, I will like to have a hand like this.(Image Source: Alexandre Guilbeault)

Multi Hands. Another really cool one with awesome manipulation applied. (Image Source: j.walsh)

A Handful. “I would be so much better at piano…” (Image Source: pwnedbyryan)

Again, I Say… For everything you do, there might be an eye watching you. (Image Source: 0 W8ing)

Arms Break, Vases Don’t. Sometimes if you are too careless, your hand will go wrong on you! (Image Source:alltelleringet)

Being M.C. Escher. So which one is the real hand? A nice one! (Image Source: billyboingo)

Candlehand. Looks great, and what’s greater with this photo: it’s completely real! (Image Source: Bradi)

Chase Your Love. Killer metallic effect. (Image Source: SubhadipKoley)

Cyborg Hand. The day you know you’re not your father’s son. (Image Source: Naikoivanenko)

Don’t Preach. Which one is the real hand? Or which one is the photo? (Image Source: haribahagia)

FingBods. “Hey man, what’s weird about me?” (Image Source: Sterzy Hunter)

Finger Killer. It’s a magnum, for sure. (Image Source: thecolourushproject)

Flaming Fingertips. This actually makes you think about it, wonderful piece. (Image Source: PhilipHolm)

Give Me A Hand. Don’t try this at home! (Image Source: Stefano Sala)

Give Me A Hand. It’s like these hands got some personalities! (Image Source: tiagogmc)

Gold Fish In My Hand. Very sleek manipulation with amazing uses of colors! (Image Source: sertanarig)

Handed. How many fingers in total? You will never get it right. (Image Source: Õri Balázs)

Hands. I have to say, the 3rd hand is epic. Amusing and unique one! (Image Source: cute0designer)

Hands. Could be what you’ll see when you did too much Photoshop stuff! (Image Source: justyourtype)

I Love Chocolate!! The expressions are priceless, and I believe it will be troublesome to live with these kinda annoying fingers. (Image Source: Manu Pombrol)

M&M’s Chocolate Candy. Cute or haunting? Different people will have different thought about this piece.(Image Source: erwin mallari)

Mutant Cell Pearl. Yikes! (Image Source: Tavieo Sawyer)

My Kind Of Angel. “As an artist, I soar high to the limitless boundaries of my imagination through art and I enable myself to fly with my bare hands.” (Image Source: Alvin Adriano)

Orchestra. More hands are surely cooler. (Image Source: Manu Pombrol)

Pyro. Great manipulation and lighting, gave me a feel that the photo is expressing something. (Image Source:Tom Miatke)

Save the Earth. Unique manipulation work with great details inside it. (Image Source: Fayaz Mohamed)

Screaming Hand. You can’t have quiet environment with this kind of hand. (Image Source: Lintza)

Self Disassembly. “I have a robotic left arm. It malfunctions once in a while from too much computer work, so I have to take it off and service it. The hardest part is trying to reconnect all these wires with one hand.” (Image Source: Josh Sommers)

Some Skills. I doubt its usability, great concept though! (Image Source: Julio Mello)

Spander. Never thought the evolution of the spider could be that similar with human hands. (Image Source:Coltography)

The Hand That Feeds. The Hand That Feeds! (Image Source: Josh Sommers)

Today I Got My Guitar Fixed. Love the slightly transparent effect on one of the hand, guess which! (Image Source: holly henry)

Working Fingers. I always imagine if I could just lie on bed and type on the keyboard like this. Beautiful hand by the way. (Image Source: saibia)

You Are What You Eat. Amusing idea with classic quote, well done! (Image Source: Dimaci)

You Will Never Be Alone. There’s always a helping hand for you. (Image Source: Olivia Ariferiani)

Keep the OLD MOTOR Running

2012-02-08T10:56:00.000-08:00

Keep the OLD MOTOR Running

The marriage of an 80 year old man and a 20 year old woman was the
talk of the town.

After being married a year, the couple went to the hospital for the
birth of their first child.

The attending nurse came out of the delivery room to congratulate the
old gentleman and said, 'Thiis amazing. How do you do it at your age?'

The old man grinned and said, 'You got to keep the old motor running.'

The following year, the couple returned to the hospital for the birth
of their second child.

The same nurse was attending the delivery and again went out to
congratulate the old gentleman.

She said, 'Sir, you are something! How do you manage it?'

The old man grinned and said, 'You gotta keep the old motor running.'

A year later, the couple returned to the hospital for the birth of
their third child.

The same nurse was there for this birth also and, after the delivery,
she once again approached the old gentleman, smiled, and said, 'Well, you surely are something awesome!

How do you do it?'

The old man replied, 'It's like I've told you before, you gotta keep
the old motor running.'

The nurse, still smiling, patted him on the back and said: Well, I guess it's time to change the oil. This one is black!'

a smart blonde joke

2012-02-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

A smart blonde joke

A blonde walks into a bank in New York City and asks for the Loan officer. She says she's going to Europe on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000.

The bank officer says the bank will need some kind Of security for the loan, so the blonde hands over the keys to a new Mercedes Benz SL 500. The car is parked on the street in front of the bank, she has the title and everything checks out. The bank agrees to accept the car collateral for the loan.

The bank's president and its officers all enjoy a good laugh at The blond for using a $110,000 Benz as collateral against a $5,000 loan. An employee of the bank then proceeds to drive the Benz into the bank's underground garage and parks it there. Two weeks later, the blonde returns, repays the $5,000 and the interest, which comes to $15.41.

The loan officer says, "Miss, we are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out and found that you are a multimillionaire.

What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow $5,000?" The blonde replies, "Where else in New York City can I park my Car for two weeks for only $15.41 and expect it to be there when I return?"

HOW TO PURPOSE MATHEMATICALLY

2012-02-08T10:15:00.000-08:00

HOW TO PURPOSE MATHEMATICALLY

copy the sentence below n paste it on google search then hit enter and see what happens
Code:
(sqrt(cos(x))cos(200x)+sqrt(abs(x))-0.7)(4-x*x)^0.01, sqrt(9-x^2), -sqrt(9-x^2) from -4.5 to 4.5

searching

2012-02-08T09:50:00.000-08:00

searching

2 men were searching for their lost wife in a festival.

1st : What does your wife look like?

2nd : She is 5'7", 36-24-36 sexy figure, fair, sweet, beautiful, green sexy
eyes, brown hair, and yours?

1st : Forget mine, let us look for yours.

मेन्टिनेन्स कॉस्ट

2012-02-08T09:48:00.001-08:00

मेन्टिनेन्स कॉस्ट

एक बहुत सुन्दर एयर हॉस्टेस से एक लड़के ने पुछाः "तुम्हारा नाम क्या है ?"

एयर हॉस्टेसः "इवा बेन्ज ।"

लड़का (मजाक में) "मर्सिडिज बेन्ज से कोई रिश्ता है ?"

एयर हॉस्टेसः "हमारा मेन्टिनेन्स कॉस्ट समान है ।"

वैलेन्टाइन डे

2012-02-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

वैलेन्टाइन डे

एक लड़की, वैलेन्टाइन डे के लिये कार्ड शोप पर गयी । काफी देर कोशिश करने के बाद मनपसन्द कार्ड नहीं मिला, तो दुकानदार बोलाः "मैं कुछ मदद करुँ ?"
लड़कीः "हाँ, एक ऐसा कार्ड जिस पर लिखा हो "मैं सिर्फ तुम्हारी हूँ", मिल सकता है क्या ?"
दुकानदारः "यकीनन, बिल्कुल मिल सकता हैं ।"
लड़कीः "ठीक हैं, 12 दे दो ।"

दुनिया के 10 भूतहा घर

2012-02-08T07:59:00.000-08:00

दुनिया के 10 भूतहा घर

घरों को लोग अक्सर उसके आर्किटेक्चर से जानते हैं। घर की सुंदर बनावट उसे दुनिया में नाम दिलाता है।

लेकिन, कुछ घर ऐसे भी होते हैं, जिसे लोग इसलिए जानते हैं क्योंकि उसे देखकर लोगों को डर लगता है। ऐसे घर को लोग भूतहा कहते हैं।

दुनिया में कुछ ऐसे भूतहा घर हैं, जिसे पास फटकने से लोगों को डर लगता है। ऐसे ही दस भूतहा घर की जानकारी तस्वीर सहित हम आपके लिए लेकर आए हैं।

भानगढ़ किला, भारत। यह किला इतना भूतहा है कि इसमें शाम से लेकर सुर्योदय तक अंदर जाने की सख्त मनाही है।पुरातत्व विभाग का ऑफिस भी कुछ किलोमीटर दूर बनाया गया है। यह किला 1700 के बाद से वीरान है।

चिलिंघम किला, इंग्लैंड। इस किले में 13वीं सदी में मिलिटरी बैरक था। यहां कई लोगों को टार्चर करके मारा गया। इस किले को ब्रिटेन में सबसे ज्यादा भूतहा कहा जाता है।

ह्वैले हाउस, अमेरिका। यहां लोगों को फांसी दिया जाता था और कई आत्मह्तया की घटनाएं भी यहां हुई। 1960 के बाद इसे म्यूजियम बना दिया गया। इसे देखने वाले यहां के भूतहा अनुभवों को बताते हैं

स्टेनले होटल, कोलोराडो। इस भूतहा घर पर हॉलिवुड में फिल्में बनी हैं। स्टीफन किंग ने एक किताब भी लिखी जिसपर बाद में सीरियल बना। यहां ठहरने वाले लोगों का कहना है कि उन्होंने यहां के मालिक और मालकिन का भूत देखा यहां पर। यहां काम करने वाले भी अजनबी चीखों को सुनने की बात कहते हैं।

क्रेनशॉ होटल, इलियोनिस। यह घर 1838 में बना था। जॉन क्रेनशॉ इसका मालिक था जिसके बारे में कहा जाता है कि उसने इस घर में रहते हुए बहुत क्रूरता से गुलामों का इस्तेमाल किया था। जब क्रेनशॉ इस घर को छोड़कर गया तो नए मालिक ने यहां भूतहा गतिविधियां देखी। अब इस घर में किसी के जाने पर प्रतिबंध लगा दिया गया है।

विंचेस्टर हाउस, कैलिफोर्निया। विंचेस्टर रायफल का नाम आपने सुना होगा। इस रायफल को बनाने वाले विलियम विंचेस्टर की बीवी सारा ने यह घर बनवाया था। कहा जाता है कि विंचेस्टर के भूत ने आकर सारा से कहा था कि चूंकि रायफल से मरने वालों का भूत सारा को मार डालेगा। इससे बचने का एक उपाय है कि वह पश्चिम दिशा में जाकर कहीं एक घर बनावाए, जिस दिन घर का काम रूकेगा, उस दिन सारा की मौत हो जाएगी। सारा उसके बाद जिंदगी भर यह घर बनवाती रही।

लोफ्टस हॉल, आयरलैंड। इस घर में भूतहा घटनाएं 18वीं सदी में घटी मानी जाती है। अब तक यह भूतहा घर है।

एंकरेज होटल, अलास्का। इस होटल के कर्मचारी अक्सर यहां के भूत होने की बातें कहते हैं। यहां ठहरने वालों ने भी यहां भूतहा अनुभव किए हैं।

टॉवर ऑफ लंदन। इस टॉवर में ब्रिटेन के कई लोगों का गर्दन काटकर मार दिया गया। कहा जाता है अब उनके भूत यहां विचरण करते हैं।

इडिनबर्ग किला, स्कॉटलैंड। यहां के भतों पर 2001 में रिसर्च किया गया। रिसर्चरों को भी कुछ भूतहा गतिविधियों के सुबूत मिले।

Things Nice to know

2012-02-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

Things to know

In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have 'the rule of thumb'

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Many years ago in Scotland , a new game was invented.
It was ruled 'Gentlemen Only....Ladies Forbidden'... and thus, the word GOLF entered into the English language.

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The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV was Fred and Wilma Flintstone

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Coca-Cola was originally green.

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It is impossible to lick your elbow.

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The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: £ 10,120.00

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The first novel ever written on a typewriter, Tom Sawyer.

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Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:

Spades - King David

Hearts - Charlemagne

Clubs -Alexander, the Great

Diamonds - Julius Caesar

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111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987, 654,321

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If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle.
If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died because of wounds received in battle.
If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes

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Q... If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter 'A'?

A. One thousand

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Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers have in common?

A. All were invented by women.

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Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?

A. Honey

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In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes.

When you pulled on the ropes, the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase...'Goodnight , sleep tight'

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It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer

and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.

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In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts....
So in old England , when customers got unruly, the bartender

would yell at them 'Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down. It's where we get the phrase: 'mind your P's and Q's'

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Many years ago in England , pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. 'Wet your whistle' is the phrase inspired by this practice.

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At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow!

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YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2011 when...

1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your mobile phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries...

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen

8. Leaving the house without your mobile phone, which you didn't even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12 You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no 9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a 9 on this list

~~~~~~ ~~~~~AND FINALLY~~~~~ ~~~~~~~

NOW U R LAUGHING at yourself.

And stop trying to lick your elbow!

Now go back to work & have a nice day!!!

सीधे बैठिये, आत्मविश्वास बढ़ाइये

2012-02-08T07:32:00.000-08:00

सीधे बैठिये, आत्मविश्वास बढ़ाइये

वैज्ञानिकों का कहना है कि बैठने के ढंग का सीधा संबंध आत्मविश्वास से है। जर्मनी की यूनिवर्सिटी ऑफ टेरियर द्वारा किये गये एक शोध में पाया गया है की ढीला और झुककर बैठने के आदी लोगों की तुलना में सीधे बैठने वाले लोगों का आत्मविश्वास बहुत अधिक बढ़ता है।

इस शोध को करने वाले विज्ञानियों ने सौ से भी अधिक लोगों को एक परीक्षण में हिस्सा लेने को कहा। प्राप्त परिणामों में पाया गया कि जो लोग सीधे बैठकर काम कर रहे थे उनका प्रदर्शन काफी अच्छा था लेकिन झुककर काम करने वालों के प्रदर्शन पर बहुत ही विपरीत असर पड़ा। विज्ञानियों का कहना है कि सीधे बैठकर काम करने से अंदर बेहतर तरीके से काम करने की भावना का जन्म होता है।

वैज्ञानिक तो अभी इस बात पर सहमत हुए हैं पर भारत के ऋषि और संत तो सदियों पहले से ही सीधे बैठने के इस नियम को विद्यार्थियों के जीवन में ढालने का निर्देश देते आये हैं।

Kizhi Pogost: 300 Years Old Multi-Dome Church Built Without Nails

2012-02-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

Kizhi Pogost: 300 Years Old Multi-Dome Church Built Without Nails

Kizhi is a narrow strip of island on Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia, Russia. The island is popular for dozens of historical wooden buildings that were moved to the island from various parts of Karelia for preservation purposes during the 1950s. Today, the entire island and the nearby area form a national open-air museum with more than 80 historical wooden structures. The most famous among them is the Kizhi Pogost.

The Kizhi Pogost enclosure holds two wooden churches and an octagonal bell tower built during the 18th-century. The jewel of its architecture is the 22-domed Transfiguration Church with a large iconostasis—a wooden screen covered with religious portraits. This massive church is about 37 meters tall and made entirely of wood making it one of the tallest log structures in the world.

The Church of the Transfiguration was laid in June, 1714, after the old one was burnt by lightning. Its major basic structural unit is a round log of Scots Pine about 30 cm in diameter and 3 to 5 meters long. Many thousands of logs were brought for construction from the mainland, a complex logistical task in that time. A legend tells that the main builder used one axe for the whole construction, which he threw into the lake upon completion with the words "there was not and will be not another one to match it".

Photo credit

According to the Russian carpentry traditions of that time, the Transfiguration Church was without using a single nail. All structures were made of scribe-fitted horizontal logs, with interlocking corners joinery. The basis of the structure is an octahedral frame with four two-stage side attachments called "prirub". The eastern prirub has a pentagonal shape and contains the altar. Two smaller octagons of similar shape are mounted on top of the main octagon. The structure is covered in 22 domes of different size and shape, which run from the top to the sides. The roofs were made of spruce planks and the domes are covered in aspen. The design of this elaborate superstructure also provided an efficient system of ventilation to preserve the structure from decay.

The Church of the Transfiguration was intended for use only during the summer as the church has no heating, and winter in Russia is terribly bitter. It was not uncommon in Russia to have paired churches, for summer and winter. At the Kizhi pogost, the adjoining winter Church of the Intercession was built in 1764, providing an admirable visual complement to the ensemble. Whereas the Transfiguration Church soars, the Intercession Church with 9 domes accentuates the horizontal, with an extended refectory.

In the 19th century, the churches was decorated with batten and some parts were covered with steel. Some of the original iconostasis was also replaced and lost. It was restored to its original design in the 1950s.

Photo credit

Animals In Love

2012-02-07T11:38:00.000-08:00

Animals In Love

Just like humans, animals also love each other, here are some animals in love. They look cute. Must watch.

source

World’s Most Unusual Plants

2012-02-07T11:36:00.000-08:00

World’s Most Unusual Plants

Weird is relative. What seems weird to me might not seem weird to you. In the plant kingdom, however, there are definitely some species that most people would acknowledge are highly unusual.

1. Rafflesia arnoldii: this parasitic plant develops the world's largest bloom that can grow over three feet across. The flower is a fleshy color, with spots that make it look like a teenager's acne-ridden skin. It smells bad and has a hole in the center that holds six or seven quarts of water. The plant has no leaves, stems, or roots.

2. Hydnora africana, an unusual flesh-colored, parasitic flower that attacks the nearby roots of shrubby in arid deserts of South Africa. The putrid-smelling blossom attracts herds of carrion beetles.

Image Credit: Martin Heigan (via creative commons)

3. Dracunculus vulgaris: smells like rotting flesh, and has a burgundy-colored, leaf-like flower that projects a slender, black appendage.

4. Amorphophallus: means, literally, "shapeless male genetalia." The name comes from the shape of the protruding black spadix.

5. Wollemia nobilis: This bizarre-looking tree was known only from 120 million-year-old fossil leaves before 1994; fewer than one hundred exist in the wild. They have strange bark that looks like bubbles of chocolate, multiple trunks, and ferny-looking leaves growing in spirals. They can grow up to 125 feet tall.

6. Welwitschia mirabilis consists of only two leaves and a stem with roots. Its two leaves continue to grow until they resemble an alien life form. The stem gets thicker rather than higher, although this plant can grow to be almost six feet high and twenty-four feet wide. Its estimated lifespan is 400 to 1500 years. Mirabilis grows in Namibia, and is thought to be a relic of the Jurassic period.

7. Drakaea glyptodon: an orchid. It is the color of, and smells like, raw meat. Pollinated by male wasps.

8. Wolffia angusta: the world's smallest flower. A dozen plants would easily fit on the head of a pin and two plants in full bloom will fit inside a small printed letter "o."

Unbelievable Sculptures of Shadow Art

2012-02-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

Unbelievable Sculptures of Shadow Art

Packed Up In A Box- Zlata, Queen Of Flexibility

2012-02-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

Packed Up In A Box- Zlata, Queen Of Flexibility

Zlata, the rubber Russian girl, was originally an Rhythmic Gymnastics performer, after persistent efforts, and ultimately become a world-renowned contortionist, known as “the world’s most flexible people.” For many people it can be a struggle just to touch their toes but for this Russian contortionist squeezing and bending her body into a mind-boggling array of shapes just comes naturally. Contortion is an unusual form of physical display which involves the dramatic bending and flexing of the human body. Contortion is often part of acrobatics and circus acts. In general, contortionists have unusual natural flexibility, which is then enhanced through gymnastic training. Zlata said: ‘Doing these poses just feels very natural to me. Sometimes it can get a bit uncomfortable if I have to hold a pose for a long time in photo shoots but I think that’s like anyone who sits down for a long time – their muscles get stiff. ‘I don’t really diet but I have to train very hard to keep my muscles in shape and to be as flexible as possible.’

source

Fascinating Insect Trappers- Carnivorous Plants

2012-02-07T11:06:00.000-08:00

Fascinating Insect Trappers- Carnivorous Plants

Like other plants, Venus’ Flytraps gather nutrients from gases in the air and nutrients in the soil. However, they live in poor soil and are healthier if they get nutrients from insects. Carnivorous plants live all over the world but Venus’ Flytraps live only in select boggy areas in North and South Carolina. Because of people’s fascination with these plants, they collected many of them and they became endangered. Venus’ Flytraps today are grown in greenhouses. The leaves of Venus’ Flytrap open wide and on them are short, stiff hairs called trigger or sensitive hairs. When anything touches these hairs enough to bend them, the two lobes of the leaves snap shut trapping whatever is inside. The trap will shut in less than a second. The trap doesn’t close all of the way at first.

It is thought that it stays open for a few seconds in order to allow very small insects to escape because they wouldn’t provide enough food. If an insect is too large it will stick out of the trap. This allows bacteria and molds on the insect to thrive. Eventually the trap turns black, rots and falls off. At the end of the digestive process, which takes from five to twelve days, the trap reabsorbs the digestive fluid and then reopens. The time it takes for the trap to reopen depends on the size of the insect, temperature, the age of the trap, and the number of times it has gone through this process.

The Venus Flytrap is one of the easiest carnivorous plants to grow. If you wish to grow one or more, they have only a few requirements such as, wet roots, high humidity, full sunlight, and poor, acidic soil. It comes shipped to you as a bulb or rhizome. Plant it root side down so that the top of the bulb is even with the soil. A recommended soil mixture is one that contains sphagnum moss and sand. Do not add fertilizer or lime. Your plants will do better if you transplant them into new soil every few years.

After your plant matures, it may produce flowers on a tall stalk far above the leaves. It has to be high above the leaves so insects pollinating the flowers do not get trapped in the leaves. Each flower produces very tiny seeds. They are about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. Plant the seeds right away or store them in the refrigerator.

If you pinch the flowers off, the leaves will grow more vigorously since growing flowers takes a lot of energy from the plant. The Venus’ Flytrap also reproduces via its rhizome. It never has more thanseven leaves. If your plant has more then seven leaves, it has already split off another plant from the mother plant. You may want to try pulling a leaf off and replanting it. Eventually, this leaf will die off and a tiny, tiny new plant will emerge.

source

Amazing 3D Illusion in Paris

2012-02-07T08:57:00.001-08:00

Amazing 3D Illusion in Paris

Using white lines and grass, French artist Francois Abelanet created this stunning 3D sphere (anamorphose) in front of the Hotel de Ville in Paris. The illusion is actually a garden that people can stroll through. The construction will be located there until July 15.

WRONG CALL

2012-02-07T08:46:00.000-08:00

WRONG CALL

Husband wanted to call the hospital
to ask about his pregnant wife,
but accidently called the cricket reporter and nearly had heart attack..

He asks, "How's the situation?"

He was shocked & nearly died on hearing the reply.

The reporter said, "It's fine. 3 are out,
hope to get another 7 out by lunch,
last one was a duck!"..

संत रविदास

2012-02-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

संत रविदास

मंदिरों में, पूजा-पाठ में, इधर-उधर जा-जाकर आखिर उस प्रेमस्वभाव अपने अंतरात्मा में आये, हृदय ही प्रेम से भरपूर मंदिर बन जाय तो समझो हो गयी भक्ति, हो गया ज्ञान, हो गया ध्यान ! ऐसी भक्ति जिनके जीवन में हो, वे चाहे किसी भी उम्र के हों, किसी जाति के हों, किसी मत, पंथ, महजब के हों, वे सम्मान के योग्य हैं, पूजने योग्य हैं।
चित्तौड़ के राणा ने भगवान श्रीकृष्ण का एक मंदिर बनवाया। फिर सोचा कि ʹमंदिर में मूर्ति की प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा किसके हाथों की जाय ?ʹ विचार विमर्श के बाद राणा को लगा कि संत रविदास जी को ही आमंत्रित किया जाये। आमंत्रण भेजा गया और राणा का आमंत्रण संत रविदास जी ने स्वीकार भी कर लिया।
प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा के निर्धारित दिन से पहले ही संत रविदास जी चित्तौड़गढ़ पहुँच गये। अपने शरीर को, जाति को ही विशेष मानने वाले ब्राह्मणों के जमघट ने आपस में कानाफूसी कीः ʹयह तो अनर्थ हो रहा है ! रविदास जाति का चमार है और वह भगवान की मूर्ति की प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा करेगा ! जूता सीने वाले व्यक्ति के हाथ से श्रीकृष्ण की मूर्ति की प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा ! कौन जायेगा मंदिर में ? वैदिक मंत्रोच्चारण करने वाले ब्राह्मण से प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा करानी चाहिए। पर राजा का विरोध करना भी सहज नहीं है। अब क्या करें ?ʹ
चित्तौड़ के राणा के कान भरे गये कि ʹयह अनर्थ हो जायेगा !ʹ
राणा ने कहाः "जो भगवान के प्रेमी भक्त हैं, उन भक्तों की, संतों की जाति नहीं होती। संत की जाति क्यों मानते हो ?"
ब्राह्मणों ने देखा कि राजा रविदास के प्रभाव में है लेकिन हमें भी अपना तो कुछ करना पड़ेगा। जिस मूर्ति की प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा होने वाली थी, उसे अपनी व्यूह रचना से चुरा लिया।
जब प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा का मौका आया तो वह मूर्ति नहीं है ! हाहाकार मच गया। राणा बड़े चिंतित हो गये क्योंकि राज्य की इज्जत का सवाल है। ब्राह्मण लोग राणा के पास आये और बोलेः "आप कहते हो कि रविदास श्रेष्ठ संत हैं। अगर वे ऐसे हैं तो भगवान की मूर्ति को प्रकट करके दिखाएँ। फिर हम लोग उनके हाथों प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा कराने का विरोध नहीं करेंगे।"
राणा ने रविदासजी से प्रार्थना कीः "महाराज ! जिस मूर्ति की आप प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा करने वाले हैं, वह अदृश्य हो गयी है। अब इस समस्या का समाधान राज्यसत्ता से नहीं हो सकता। साम, दाम, दंड, भेद से यह काम नहीं हो सकता है। केवल आप जैसे संत-महापुरुष चाहें तो राज्य की इज्जत बचा सकते हैं। अन्यथा शत्रु राजाओं को भी मेरी खिल्ली उड़ाने का अवसर मिलेगा।"
रविदास जी ने कहाः "इस छोटी सी बात के लिए चिंता क्यों करते हो, ठीक है, मिल जायेगी। मंदिर के द्वार बंद करवा दो।"
रविदास जी शांत हो गये, "भगवान हैं और वे सर्वसमर्थ हैं, सर्वश्रेष्ठ हैं, प्रेमस्वरूप हैं, सौंदर्य के भंडार हैं, ʹकर्तुं शक्यं अकर्तुं शक्यं अन्यथा कर्तुं शक्यम्ʹ सामर्थ्य के धनी हैं। फिर चिंता किस बात की ? हमारा चित्त समर्थ के हाथों में है, पूर्ण के हाथों में है।ʹ
चित्त को उस चैतन्यस्वरूप प्रभु की स्मृति में लगाकर रविदास जी एकांत में बैठ गये। कोई भी बड़े-में-बड़ी समस्या आ जाय तो आप समस्या को अधिक महत्त्व न देना, सृष्टिकर्ता को महत्त्व देना। आप अपने अहं को महत्त्व न देना, परमात्मा को महत्त्व देना। अहं हार मान ले और परमात्मा की श्रेष्ठता, समर्थता स्वीकार कर ले तो प्रार्थना फलने में देर नहीं होती।
रविदास जी ने ध्यानस्थ होकर प्रार्थना कीः "महाराज ! आपकी मूर्ति इन हठी ब्राह्मणों ने कहाँ रखी है यह हम नहीं जानते। अब वह मूर्ति कैसे लायी जाय यह भी हमें पता नहीं लेकिन महाराज ! आप इतने ब्रह्माण्ड बना लेते हो तो अपने-आपकी मूर्ति मंदिर में स्थित कर दो न ! महाराज ! लाज रखो राज्य की और अपने रविदास की, महाराज ! प्रभु जी ! ૐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय....
जो सब जगह बस रहा है, उस परमेश्वर को मैं नमन करता हूँ। जो सबका अंतरात्मा है, जो दूर नहीं, दुर्लभ नहीं, परे नहीं और सदा सबका प्यारा है, उसको मैं नमन करता हूँ। ૐ... ૐ... प्रभु जी ! हे आनन्ददाता, ज्ञानदाता ! कर्तुं शक्यं अकर्तुं शक्यं अन्यथा कर्तुं शक्यम्। हे देव!
श्रीकृष्ण गोविंद हरे मुरारे !
हे नाथ नारायण वासुदेवा !....ʹ
प्रीतिपूर्वक भगवान की स्मृति करते-करते अपने संकल्प को भगवान में विलय कर देना ही सच्ची प्रार्थना है।
कुछ समय बीतने के बाद रविदास जी को संतोष हुआ, अंतरात्मा में प्रेरणा हुई कि ठाकुर जी आ गये हैं।
रविदासजीः "महाराज ! शहनाइयाँ, बिगुल, बाजे आदि बजवाओ। भगवान पधार गये हैं।"
राणाः "मूर्ति मिल गयी ?"
"अरे, मिल क्या गयी, भगवान आ गये हैं !"
"कैसे, कौन उठा लाया ?"
"ये उठा के लाने वाले भगवान नहीं, स्वयं आने वाले भगवान हैं।"
मंदिर के कपाट खोले तो... ʹओ हो, ठाकुर जी मूर्ति ! जय हो, कृष्ण-कन्हैया लाल की जय !ʹ रविदास जी ने विधिवत मूर्ति की प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा की। ब्राह्मणों ने रविदास जी का जयघोष किया, कृष्णजी का जयघोष किया। प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा के निमित्त उत्सव हुआ। उत्सव के बाद भोजन होता है। भोजन में बहुत से पकवान एवं व्यंजन बने-घी के लड्डू, चावल, दाल, सब्जी आदि।
राणा ने कहाः "ऐसे महापुरुष हमारे बीच में ही भोजन करेंगे।"
ब्राह्मणों ने कहाः "हद हो गयी ! फिर वही चमार हमारे साथ आ के भोजन करेगा ! यह कैसा आदमी है ! जहाँ रविदास बैठेंगे, वहाँ हम नहीं खायेंगे।"
रविदास जी के कान में बात गयी। रविदासजी ने सोचा, ʹराजा की बाजी बिगड़ेगी।ʹ उन्होंने कहाः "नहीं-नहीं, मैं ब्राह्मणों के बीच बैठने के योग्य नहीं हूँ। ब्राह्मण देवता हैं, जन्मजात शुद्ध हैं, और भी इनके वैदिक कर्म हैं। मैं इनके बीच नहीं बैठूँगा। मैं मंदिर परिसर के बाहर रहूँगा। ब्राह्मणों का भोजन आदि हो जायेगा, बाद में जब मुझे आज्ञा मिलेगी तब मैं आऊँगा। उनकी पत्तलें आदि उठाऊँगा, जो भी सेवा होगी करूँगा।"
रविदास जी बाहर चले गये। मंदिर के परिसर में ब्राह्मणों की कतारें लगीं, भोजन परोसा गया। और ज्यों ही वे लोग ʹनमः पार्वतीपते ! हर हर महादेव !ʹ करके ग्रास लेने लगे, त्यों ही एक ब्राह्मण ने दायीं ओर देखा कि ʹरविदास तो इधर बैठा है ! उसने बोला था बाहर चला जाता हूँ।ʹ बायीं ओर देखा तो उधर भी रविदास ! एक को नहीं, सभी ब्राह्मणों को ऐसा दिख रहा था। अपने को छोड़ के सब रविदास, रविदास ! ब्राह्मण चौंके। इतने सारे रविदास ! कहाँ से आ गये ?
तुम्हारे आत्मा में कितना सामर्थ्य है, कितनी शक्ति है ! अगर योग-सामर्थ्य, ध्यान के अभ्यास से आप अपनी गहराई में जाओ तो आपको ताज्जुब होगा कि "मैं फालतू गिड़गिड़ा रहा था – नौकरी मिल जाय, नौकर बन जाऊँ..... प्रमाणपत्र मिल जाय, ऐसा बन जाऊँ – वैसा बन जाऊँ....ʹ
अरे, तू जो है उसमें गोता मार !
आठवें अर्श1 तेरा नूर चमकदा, होर2 भी उचा हो।।
फकीरा ! आपे अल्लाह हो।
1.आकाश। 2. और।
तेरा खुद खुदा आत्मदेव है। कुछ ब्राह्मण चौकन्ने होकर मंदिर-परिसर से बाहर गये। देखा तो रविदास तो ब्राह्मणों के जूते साफ कर रहे हैं।
ब्राह्मण बोलेः "क्या तुम अंदर घुस गये थे ? हम भोजन कर रहे थे तब तुम हमारे बीच बैठ गये थे क्या ?"
"नहीं-नहीं, मैं तो यही हूँ।"
ब्राह्मणों ने सोचा, ʹयह सच्चा कि वह सच्चा ?ʹ
महाराज ! सच्चा तो वह परमेश्वर है। परमेश्वर जिसको अपना मान लेता है, जो प्रीतिपूर्वक भगवान को भजता है उसको भगवान बुद्धियोग तो देते ही हैं, साथ में अपना सामर्थ्य-योग भी दे देते हैं। उस दाता को देने में कोई देर नहीं लगती। किसको, कब, कहाँ से उठाकर कहाँ पहुँचा दे !
ब्राह्मणों की बुद्धि का प्रेरक, रविदासजी की बुद्धि का प्रेरक ऐसी लीला रचकर हम सबकी आध्यात्मिकता की तरफ चलने की योग्यता भी तो जगा रहा है ! यदि ब्राह्मण ऐसा नहीं करते तो रविदास जी का नाम नहीं चमकता। इस प्रसंग से आने वाली पीढ़ियों को प्रभुप्राप्ति, प्रभुविश्वास की प्रेरणा भी मिली।

दुनिया की 15 सबसे खतरनाक सड़कें

2012-02-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

दुनिया की 15 सबसे खतरनाक सड़कें

दुनिया में कुछ सड़कें ऐसी हैं जो मौत का रास्ता कहलाती हैं। ऐसे सड़कों पर चलते हुए जरा सी चूक हो जाती है जानलेवा। दुनिया के ऐसे 15 सड़कों के बारे में तस्वीर सहित जानकारी हम आपके लिए लेकर आए हैं।

जोजी पास, भारत। कश्मीर और लद्दाख के बीच बना यह पहाड़ी रास्ता धूल भरे पगडंडी की तरह लगता हैं। लेकिन यह खतरनाक होते हुए भी लद्दाख को बाकी दुनिया से जोड़ता है।

रोड ऑफ डेथ, बोलिविया

जलालाबाद-काबुल रोड, अफगानिस्तान

काराकोरम हाईवे, पाकिस्तान। चीन और पाकिस्तान के बीच बना है यह हाईवे जिसमें लैंडस्लाइड होना आम बात है। इसे बनाने में ही 810 पाकिस्तानी और 82 चीनी वर्करों की मौत हो गई।

गुओलियांग टनेल रोड, चीन

साइबेरियन रोड, रूस। यह सड़क कीचड़ से भरा रहता है और यहां भयानक जाम लगता रहता है।

ए682 रोड, इंग्लैंड

पैशियोपाउलो-पार्डेकाकी रोड, यूनान

सिचुआन-तिब्बत हाईवे, चीन

हालसेमा हाईवे, फिलीपीन्स

स्किपर्स रोड, न्यूजीलैंड

पैन अमेरिकन हाईवे, कोस्टारिका। यह रोड 13,000 फीट की ऊंचाई पर है। असुरक्षित और गड्ढों से भरा यह सड़क खतरनाक है।

फेयरी मीडोज रोड, पाकिस्तान

ला काराकोल्स पास, चिली

विडो मेकर, ब्रिटेन

विश्व के सबसे रहस्यमयी द्वीप

2012-02-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

विश्व के सबसे रहस्यमयी द्वीपधरती के द्वीपों में कुछ ऐसे सुदूर द्वीप बेहद रहस्यमय और डरावने हैं जहां बहुत कम लोग रहते हैं। ऐसे द्वीपों का इतिहास भी उतना ही रहस्यमय और हादसों से भरा रहा है। पेश है ऐसे पांच द्वीप जो बेहद रहस्यमय हैं।

पिटकैर्न द्वीप।इस द्वीप पर महज 50 के आसपास लोग रहते हैं। इस द्वीप पर रहने वाले लोगों में वे लोग भी हैं जो ब्रिटेन के एक जहाज पर विद्रोह करके इसी द्वीप पर बस गए थे।

पालमैरा द्वीप। इस द्वीप का इतिहास भी अजीब है। इस द्वीप की खोज 1700 ईस्वी में हुई थी। उसके बाद तो इसके इतिहास में कई हादसे, युद्ध, डकैतों द्वारा दबाये गए खजानों की बातें कैद हैं।

ट्रिस्टन दा कुन्हा। अटलांटिक महासागर में मौजूद इस सुदूर द्वीप पर सिर्फ 300 के आस-पास लोग रहते हैं। इस द्वीप के कारण कई जहाज दुर्घटनाग्रस्त हो चुके हैं। साठ के दशक में यहां के लोगों को अस्थायी तौर पर हटाया गया था क्योंकि यहां ज्वालामुखी विस्फोट हुआ था।

बिशप रॉक। यह विश्व का सबसे छोटा द्वीप होने का रिकॉर्ड इसी के नाम से दर्ज है। इतिहास में ब्रिटेन अपने यहां के खतरनाक अपराधियों को यहां मरने के लिए छोड़ देता था।

बॉवेट द्वीप। इस द्वीप का अधिकांश हिस्सा ग्लेशियर हैं इसलिए यहां जीवन की संभावनाएं कम हैं। लेकिन, यह द्वीप भी रहस्यमयी द्वीपों में से एक है। इस द्वीप के खोजने वाले ने इसके पास एक और द्वीप होने की बात कही थी लेकिन वह द्वीप बाद में नहीं मिला। 1960 में एक लावारिश नाव मिली थी लेकिन उसपर बैठकर कौन गया था उसका कुछ नहीं पता चला।

दुनिया के दस सबसे खतरनाक रेलमार्ग

2012-02-06T07:51:00.000-08:00

दुनिया के दस सबसे खतरनाक रेलमार्ग

रेलवे ट्रैक की यह दास्तान खुद में इतिहास समेटे हुए है।

संसार में किसी भी जगह पहुंचने की मानव की अदम्य चाहत ने उसे ऐसी जगहों पर भी रास्ता बनाने पर मजबूर किया, जहां तक जाना या तो संभव नहीं लगता था या फिर वहां का भूगोल ऐसा था कि कोई रास्ता बनाना कठिन था।

फिर भी, 'आदमी क्या नहीं कर सकता' की कहावत की सच्चाई को बयां करने वाले इन रेलवे ट्रैकों का सफर खतरनाक भी है और रोमांचक भी।

कुरांदा रेलवे, आस्ट्रेलिया। बैरोन गोर्ज नेशनल पार्क में झरने के पास से गुजरती हुई इस ट्रेन पर झरने के पानी की कुछ बूंदे छलक कर आ ही जाती है। खूबसूरत वादी से गुजरती हुई रेलवे लाईन सन् 1800 के बाद से अनवरत चल रही है और खतरनाक रेलवे मार्गों में से एक है।

आर्गो गेडे ट्रेन रेलरोड, इंडोनेशिया। जकार्ता से बांडुंग के बीच के तीन घंटे के रास्ते में यह रेलमार्ग है। घाटियों और नदियों वाले इस क्षेत्र से जब ट्रेन गुजरती है तो नीचे खूबसूरत खेतों के दर्शन होते हैं। 2002 में यहां एक दुर्घटना भी हो चुकी है। संयोग से उसमें कोई नहीं मरा।

आउटेनिक्वा ट्रेन, साउथ अफ्रीका। 1908 में इस रेलवे ट्रेक का निर्माण हुआ था। इसके ट्रेक पर पेड़ गिरते रहते थे। इस रूट से गुजरते हुए हिंद महासागर से आती शीतल हवा का आनंद लिया जा सकता है।

कंबर्स और टोलटेक रेलरोड, न्यू मेक्सिको। 1880 के बाद से ही यह रेलवे ट्रेक लोगों का सिरदर्द रहा है। यह बहुत पुराने फ्रेम पर टिका हुआ है।

ट्रेन ए लास न्यूब्स, अर्जेंटिना। साल्टा से ला पोलवोरिला तक चलने वाली इस ट्रेन का ट्रैक 1921 में बनना शुरू हुआ था और 1948 में बनकर तैयार हुआ। 21 सुरंग, 13 पुल और कई टेढ़े-मेढ़े रास्तों से गुजरनेवाला यह रेलवे ट्रैक सचमुच खतरनाक है।

लिंटन और लिंमाउथ क्लिफ, यूनाईटेड किंगडम। इस ट्रैक से गुजरते हुए काफी डर लगता है। जैसे रोलर कोस्टर पर चलते हुए ऊपर से नीचे गिरने और नीचे से ऊपर जाने का एहसास होता है। कुछ ऐसा ही लगता है इस ट्रैक पर चलकर।

ह्वाईट पास और यूकान रूट, अलास्का। 1898 में बनी इस रेलवे लाईन पर भाप ईंजन की ट्रेन चलती थी। अब टूरिस्ट इसका आनंद लेते हैं। इस ट्रैक पर 4,50,000 विजिटर्स आते हैं। यह रेलवे ट्रैक 3000 किलोमीटर तक की ऊंचाई चढ़ती है।

चेन्नई रामेश्वरम रूट, भारत। रामेश्वरम जाते समय ट्रेन को इस खतरनाक रास्ते से गुजरना पड़ता है। लाईन 1914 में बनाई गई थी। यह 1.4 मीटर लंबी है।

जार्जटाउन लूप रेलरोड, कोलोराडो। 19वीं सदी में कोलोराडो में बहुत सारे सिल्वर माईन्स थे। वहां तक जाने के लिए सिर्फ रेलवे ट्रैक था जिसपर भाप ईंजन वाली ट्रेन चलती थी। इस ऊंचे पुल को डेविल गेट हाई ब्रिज कहा जाता था जो बहुत खतरनाक था।

आसो मिनामी रूट, जापान। जापान का सबसे खतरनाक रेलमार्ग जिसके आस-पास ज्वालामुखी हैं जो कभी भी फट सकते हैं। स्रोत

Busy Week

2012-02-06T06:28:00.001-08:00

Busy Week

An American woman updated her Facebook status:

We fell in love.

Got engaged, had a lovely time, got married, got divorced.
Oh my God what a busy week it was!!!

10 Devastating Unnatural Disasters

2012-02-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

10 Devastating Unnatural Disasters

This is a list of 10 of the worst disasters in our history, however the devastation caused by these disasters have been as a direct result of man-made accomplishments. Reader discretion is advised. I have deliberately not included tragedies that are a direct result of acts of war as they would account for the whole list. So as to not bore the reader too much I have varied the content as much as possible, and I have not concentrated on one specific type of accident, e.g. mining disasters. If you feel something is missing it is probably because I have seen it on a list before and wanted original content. When researching I came across hundreds of accidents that I have never heard of, so, depending on how this list is received I may write a follow-up.

10 Tenerife Airport Disaster

The deadliest aviation accident in history occurred at 5:07pm on March 27th 1977, and came about as a result of a bomb explosion in Gran Canaria airport. Several planes were diverted to Tenerife North Airport, Los Rodeos, including KLM Flight 4805 and Pan Am Flight 1736, both Boeing 747s. This unscheduled surge in air activity meant that many aircraft were forced to park on the taxiway, causing blockages and complicating matters even further. This situation could have been manageable, however a dense fog formed over the airport, greatly reducing visibility. The two above-mentioned aircraft taxied onto the only runway in order to position themselves for takeoff, the dense fog meant that neither aircraft nor the control tower were visible. The control tower gave a clearance to the KLM flight which specified the aircraft’s departure route and gave instructions of what to do after take-off, however it was not a specific clearance for actual take-off. The co-pilot’s reply was “We’re now at take-off,” to which the control tower replied “OK.”

It appears that the flight crew meant that they were actually beginning their take-off, while the controller took it to mean they were in take-off position, awaiting final clearance. He added, “Stand by for take-off, I will call you.” The Pan Am flight transmitted a simultaneous message stating that they were not clear of the runway but mutual interference meant the messages were not transmitted. As the KLM flight increased speed for takeoff, the two crews eventually saw one another and the Pan Am captain applied full power and attempted to veer sharply onto the fourth exit. The KLM captain attempted a steep climb, scraping the plane’s tail along the runway for 65 feet. It left the ground, but its underside struck the Pam Am plane’s upper fuselage, ripping it apart. The KLM plane stalled and came down some 500 feet further on, then slid a further 1000 feet. The collision left a total of 583 dead, this included all 248 onboard the KLM flight and 335 of the 396 passengers and crew on the Pan Am flight.

Fatalities – 583

9 Benxihu Colliery Explosion

Located in Liaoning China, the Benxihu iron and coal mine was not a nice place to work at the best of times. During the Second World War, Japanese forces invaded Liaoning and took control of the colliery, here they forced the miners to work in deplorable conditions: the laborers were regularly beaten, food was scarce and Typhoid and Cholera flourished.

On April 26th 1942 a build-up of gas caused an explosion in one of the shafts, resulting in mammoth flames bursting from the entrance. The Japanese guards quarantined the site, preventing friends and family from assisting by erecting electric fences around the perimeter. Over the next 10 days workers cleaned the shaft and carried corpses out to mass graves. Many of workers were unidentifiable from burns suffered during the explosion but most had died from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by the isolation of ventilation after the initial explosion. The Japanese kept very mum about the accident, initially dedicating few words and reporting the death toll at 34. Later reports, including one carried out by the Soviet Union, reported that the death toll was around 1,549, including 31 Japanese, one third of the total work force.

Fatalities – 1,549

8 Halifax Explosion

The world’s largest man-made accidental explosion occurred on December 6th 1917 in ‘The Narrows’ of Halifax Harbour. As the Norwegian vessel Imo attempted to leave the channel it collided with the Mont-Blanc, a French Cargo vessel carrying 2,300 tons of wet and dry picric acid, 200 tons of TNT, 10 tons of gun cotton and 35 tons of benzoyl – a highly explosive mixture. The collision occurred at 8:44am, when both vessels made a series of ill judged manoeuvres, the sparks generated by the massive amounts of steal rubbing against one another ignited benzene on board the Mont-Blanc and started a fire. The 40 man crew of Mont Blanc, unable to fight the fire, abandoned ship. Hundreds gathered on the shores to witness the huge flaming vessel approach the shoreline, as the Mont-Blanc grounded, it ignited munitions on the pier. Within 20 minutes of the initial collision the Mont-Blanc exploded with 3 kilotons of force (1/5 of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima); the explosion created a fireball that rose roughly 2km into the air, spreading molten metal for miles around. An 18m tall tsunami battered the shoreline dragging onlookers into the water. Churches, houses, schools, factories, docks and ships were destroyed in the swath of the blast. Children who had stopped on their way to school, workmen lining the windows of factories, families in their homes, sailors in their ships – died instantly. Injuries were frightful, blindness from splintering glass added to the shock and bewilderment.

The shockwaves caused stoves, fires and lamps to fall within structures, spreading fire throughout the community, trapping those who had survived the explosion within their homes. 326 acres of land were utterly destroyed. Buildings were damaged up to 16km from the explosion and it was heard up to 316km away. Chunks of metal weighing well over a ton were thrown nearly 4km from the Mont-Blanc. 1,600 people were killed in the initial blast and Tsunami, 9000 were injured. 1,630 houses were destroyed and 12,000 were damaged. Final fatalities were officially recorded as 1,950. All but one of the crew of the Mont-Blanc survived the disaster.

Fatalities – 1,950

7 Church of the Company fire

The worst fire disaster in history occurred in Santiago, Chile on December 8th 1863. The Church of the Company of Jesus was celebrating the Feast of Immaculate Conception when one of the many gas lamps adorning the scene ignited a veil draping from a wall. A helpful onlooker leapt into action and attempted to extinguish the fire by using another cloth, but instead spread the fire to the wooden roof. Devastatingly, the doors had been closed to allow the church to reach maximum capacity, as they opened inwards, and as the panicking worshipers pushed towards the exit, the doors could not be opened. As the panic increased, the people at the front of the mass were crushed to death and eventually a wall of bodies accumulated in front of the door, making it nigh on impossible to reach freedom. Three hours after the fire started, the roof collapsed, killing the remaining survivors. Between 2,000-3,000 people were killed, mostly women, entire families were wiped out and the damage to the bodies made most unidentifiable – meaning they had to be buried in mass graves. It took 10 days to remove all the bodies from the church. The results of this event can be seen today as Chilean fire brigades are composed of volunteers that were formed in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Fatalities – 2,000-3,000

6 MV Dona Paz

When people think of ocean liners sinking they instantly think of the Titanic, however this was not the deadliest disaster of its kind – in fact it has the 5th largest amount of casualties. The deadliest ferry disaster in History occurred on December 20th 1987. The MV Dona Paz was en route to Manila in the Philippines; it was officially carrying its maximum passenger manifest of 1,583 passengers and 58 crew.

The Dona Paz collided with an oil tanker MT Vector, which was carrying 8,800 barrels of gasoline. Survivors say that the weather that night was clear but the sea was choppy. Upon collision the Vector caught fire and the flames spread rapidly throughout the ship. The lights onboard the Dona extinguished and as there were no life jackets on board the vessel (or they were locked away), the passengers were forced to jump overboard into shark-infested waters. It was eight hours before authorities were notified of the accident, and it took a further eight hours to organize a search and rescue operation. 26 survivors were retrieved from the waters including two crew of the Vector.

Although official manifests showed there were 1,583 passengers on board, anonymous officials’ testimonies back up passenger accounts that the vessel was carrying around 3000-4000 passengers and they were sleeping in corridors in cots with up to four people in each. This is more than likely due to the fact that only one of the 21 bodies recovered after the accident was listed on the manifest. 2000 were reported missing by friends and family and were believed to have been on the vessel, none of these were on the manifest.

The official Death toll was 1,749 but a more realistic estimate of deaths, and one that the World Almanac records as the deadliest peace time maritime disaster of the 20th century, records 4,341 fatalities.

Fatalities – 1,749-4,341

5 Bombing of Chongqing

During the Second World War, 5,000 bombing runs were conducted by the Japanese Army and Navy on the Chinese capital of Chongqing, in all, 11,500 bombs were dropped. Unlike today’s bombing sorties that concentrate on tactical targets, the bombing runs on Chongqing were seen as a terror campaign, targeting residential areas, hospitals and schools. During a particular aggressive bombing run on June 5th 1941, thousands of residents fled into bomb shelters. The sortie lasted over 3 hours, and the large number of personnel squeezed into the shelters resulted in over 2,500 (some estimate 4,000) people suffocating whilst waiting for the bombings to end. A museum has now been set up near the entrance to the tunnel and in remembrance of the victims, an air raid siren is sounded every year on June 5th. I have included this as the tragedy was not as a direct result of the bombing run.

Fatalities – 2,500-4,000

4 The Great Smog

London was plagued with pollution throughout the industrial revolution; these events have been collectively referred to as ‘Pea Soupers’ due to the greenish color they embody. One of the most extreme pollution events occurred in 1952. It was known as ‘The Great Smog of ’52′ or ‘The Big Smoke’ and lasted for five days at the beginning of December. The cold winter meant that Londoners were forced to burn more coal that they would normally; this coal emitted a larger amount of Sulphur Dioxide in comparison to coal used today. These fumes combined with pollution from newly developed diesel car exhausts, and the effects of northwesterly winds bringing already polluted air from across Europe, created an effect reminiscent of the adaptation of the Steven King book ‘The Mist’ with smog filling the city and seeping into indoor areas causing problems with the human respiratory tract. The event lead to the clean air act of 1956 and is considered one of the worst pollution events in history. 4,000 people were killed in the weeks following the smog with a further 100,000 taken ill. Recent research puts fatalities closer to 12,000.

Fatalities – 4,000-12,000

3 Bhopal Disaster

Between the 2nd and 3rd of December 1984 the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal India leaked Methyl Isocyanate (MIC). This tragedy was a result of water entering a tank containing around 42 tons of MIC, this created a chemical reaction that raised temperatures to over 200Â°c, increasing the pressure, the tank vented the toxic gas which caught in the Northwesterly wind passing over Bhopal

Initial exposure to MIC results in coughing, vomiting, eye-irritation and a sense of suffocation. Locals awoke in a panic when experiencing these symptoms and began to run from the plant, the increase in breath only hastened their unfortunate fate. Acute symptoms include burning in the respiratory tract and eyes, breathlessness, stomach pain and death was caused by choking and circulatory collapse. 170,000 people were treated for symptoms of MIC poisoning, mass funerals and cremations were held with bodies disposed of in the Narmada River. Independent organizations record 8,000 dead in the immediate days following the incident, and a further 8,000 have died since (other estimates put it at around 30,000). 100,000 to 200,000 have suffered permanent illness due to the leak. To this day groundwater and soil in areas even 3km away from the factory contains almost 40 times more pesticides than Indian standards. The soil and water also contain toxic metals like lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and chromium.

Fatalities-16,000-30,000

2 Fidenae Ampitheathre Collapse

This is the earliest and one of the most catastrophic events on the list. It occurred in 27AD, in the ancient town of Fidenae located close to Rome, Italy. A local entrepreneur known as Atilius built a wooden amphitheater on the cheap to celebrate the end of Emperor Tiberius ban on Gladiatorial Games, the construction was rushed in order to meet deadlines. The amphitheater seated 50,000 and almost inevitably, during the opening ceremony it collapsed, killing 20,000 blood-thirsty spectators. This is by far the worst stadium disaster in history and resulted in the Roman Senate passing laws that only citizens with wealth exceeding 400,000 sesterces would be allowed to host gladiatorial games and that all amphitheaters were to be erected on sound foundation. Atilius was banished from the Empire.

Fatalities – 20,000

1 Banqiao Dam Collapse

The Banqiao dam was completed in 1952. It was constructed to control flooding in the Huai River Basin in Henan province, China, and provided 18GW of power to the region. After initial construction, cracks appeared in the dam, and under the advice of Soviet engineers they were repaired and the dam was considered unbreakable and was known as ‘The Iron Dam.’

The dam was constructed to withstand 300mm of rainfall per day (a phenomenon occurring once every 1000 years), however in August 1975, resulting from Typhoon Nina, the province experienced 1060mm of rainfall in 24 hours (annually the area averages 800mm) . Nina had destroyed much of the communications network in the area and requests to open the dam did not reach the engineers based there. Smaller dams upstream began to break resulting in water at the Banqiao reaching 0.3m higher than the wave protection wall. 78,800 tons of water per second burst from Banqiao, the total water released from the failure of all 62 dams was 15.783 billion tons.

The surge of water resulted in waves 10km wide and 7m high traveling at 50kmph, destroying a stretch of land 55km long by 15km wide, and creating lakes up to 12,000 square kilometers. Evacuation orders could not be delivered in time due to communications failures.

Official estimates from China indicate approximately 26,000 people died as a result of the initial flood with up to 145,000 succumbing to subsequent epidemic and famine. 11,000,000 people were affected by the disaster. The film Dam999 was based loosely on the event.

Fatalities – 26,000-230,000

Queen of the Sea Rail Disaster

I have included this as a bonus, as although it was a result of a natural disaster, it is considered the worst rail disaster in history. It occurred during the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004, It was not as a result of a train crash, but none the less accounts for the highest number of fatalities of any rail disaster in the history of locomotive travel. As the tsunami hit the village of Peraliya in Sri Lanka, water surged around the halted train. The passengers climbed on top of the train to avoid drowning inside, others used the train as a shield to protect them against the incoming torrent of water. They did not know however that this first wave was small in comparison to the 18 foot wave that followed. It picked the train up and carried in at a remarkable speed for 115km. Those that sheltered behind the carriage were crushed against trees and houses, those inside drowned as they were unable to escape through the doors as the train was so heavily packed with people. It was several hours before people realized the train was missing and days before assistance arrived; many of the initial survivors died during the following day. The estimated death toll was at least 1,700 and probably in excess of 2,000, however only 900 bodies were officially recovered.

Fatalities – 1,700 – 2,000+

Bradford City Stadium Fire

I have included this as a bonus as it is not on the same scale as the rest of the list but it is my local city, so I decided to briefly mention it. The main stand at the Bradford City Football Club, Valley Parade was made of wood and by 1985 had not been changed in 74 years. The stand was due to be replaced after the last game of the season against Lincoln City on 11th May 1985, this was because of health and safety concerns over the amount of litter that had fallen between the gaps in the stand and its potential as a fire hazard. Just before half time a fire broke out in the main stand and within minutes had engulfed the entire stand. A video can be seen which demonstrates how quickly fire can spread, I have been told that the man who is walking around on fire only died because of internal injuries that he received resulting from other fans trying to extinguish him. 56 people died and 265 were injured. It is suspected that a fan dropped a cigarette or match between the gaps in the stand igniting the litter beneath.

Fatalities – 56

source

The Master of Woman

2012-02-05T08:10:00.001-08:00

The Master of Woman

A man was about to get married and for that, he wanted to have knowledge on how to handle a women.

He went to a bookstore and asked the salesgirl,

"Do you have a book called ?Man, The Master of Women??"

The salesgirl, pointing towards another corner of the shop, said:

"The fiction department is on the other side, sir."

When cricket bats fly

2012-02-05T08:02:00.000-08:00

When cricket bats fly

MS Dhoni's bat sailed across the pitch in the 1st T20 vs Australia. Here's a look at some more of cricket's high-flying acts.

India's MS Dhoni loses control of his bat during a T20 cricket match against Australia in Sydney February 1, 2012. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz

Chennai, INDIA: Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni loses his bat as he plays a shot during the second match of the N.K.P Salve Challenger Trophy between "India Green" and India Blue"at the Chidambaram stadium in Chennai, 02 October 2006.India Blue scored 381 runs in their alloted 50 overs during their match against India Green. AFP PHOTO/Dibyangshu SARKAR (Photo credit should read DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images)

BASSETERRE, SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS: Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting loses his grip on bat while playing a shot during his 91 runs innings against South Africa at the Warner Park ground in Saint Kitts 24 March 2007. Australia scored 377-6 in 50 overs after losing the toss and offered to bat first in a Group A match of the ICC World Cup 2007. AFP PHOTO/Saeed KHAN (Photo credit should read SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Mumbai Indians batsmen Rohit Sharma (R) loses his bat while watched by Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper Pinal Shah during the IPL Twenty20 match between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians at The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 20, 2011. AFP PHOTO/Indranil MUKHERJEE (Photo credit should read INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images)

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 10: Steve Waugh of Australia loses grip of his bat during the 1st test match between Australia and Pakistan held at the GABBA 1995 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Sri Lankan batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan loses his bat as it slips out of his hands while attempting to hook England fast bowler Tim Bresnan during the Cricket World Cup 2011 quarter-final match between Sri Lanka and England at The R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo on March 26, 2011. AFP PHOTO/William WEST (Photo credit should read WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 02: Marcus North of the Warriors loses the grip on his bat during the Ford Ranger Cup match between the Western Australian Warriors and the Victorian Bushrangers at the WACA on February 2, 2008 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS - APRIL 28: Adam Gilchrist of Australia loses his bat whilst playing a shot during the ICC Cricket World Cup Final between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Kensington Oval on April 28, 2007 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS - APRIL 28: Adam Gilchrist of Australia loses grip of his bat during the ICC Cricket World Cup Final between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Kensington Oval on April 28, 2007 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 22: Matthew Hayden of Waugh's XI loses his bat during the Australia's Big Bash Twenty20 Victorian Bushfire Appeal charity match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on February 22, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

Bangladesh batsman Tamim Iqbal Khan (R) loses the grip on his bat causing it to fly over Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (L) during the third cricket one-day cricket international against Australia in Darwin on September 6, 2008. Bangladesh are chasing Australia's total of 198. RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE PUSH TO MOBILE SERVICES OUT AFP PHOTO / Greg WOOD (Photo credit should read GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images)

PORT ELIZABETH- MARCH 2: Andy Bichel of Australia loses his bat while making a run during the ICC World Cup One Day International Pool A match between Australia and England held on March 2, 2003 at St Georges Park in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Australia won the match by 2 wickets. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)

LONDON - JUNE 05: Peter Borren of Netherlands loses grip of his bat watched by James Foster of England during the ICC World Twenty20 Group B match between England and the Netherlands at Lord's on June 5, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Auckland, NEW ZEALAND: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (L) of the West Indies loses his bat while playing a shot from the bowling of James Franklin (R) of the New Zealand Black Caps during day two of the 1st Test of the three Test series between New Zealand and the West Indies at Eden Park in Auckland, 10 March 2006. New Zealand were all out for 275 in their first innings and the West Indies are at 160/5 at the lunch break. AFP PHOTO/Dean TREML telecom out - wireless out (Photo credit should read DEAN TREML/AFP/Getty Images)

One Man's Garden in Tacoma

2012-02-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

One Man's Garden in Tacoma

For years many have passed this house and marveled at the floral display at 3725 No. Vassault St. in Tacoma . Last year there was no display and we had wondered if the Asian man who owns this house was ill. This year the display was back in force and we stopped this past Sunday to photograph it. We went up to the owner and told him how much we had enjoyed his garden all these years and he invited us to tour his creation. We found the backyard to be as beautiful as the front. He is Vietnamese, shy, very soft spoken, and speaks very little English, so we couldn't discuss too much with him about the garden.

I wonder if he takes the pots in at night to keep them from being stolen.

Here is the master gardener! I wish we could have communicated.

Look at how precise the hanging pots are lined up.

Entrance to the backyard.

And here is the backyard. WOW!

A hand shows the size. It is hard to believe this is one man's work
and I believe he must work on it every day, all day long.

Amazing Photos Of Interspecies Animal Friendship

2012-02-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

Amazing Photos Of Interspecies Animal Friendship

In humans, some friendships are for a reason, some are for a season and a few are for a life time, but animals have no expectations and make it for a life time. The most amazing thing that we’ve ever seen between animals is unusual friendship that occurs between two different species. What is surprising is that it occurs even between the predator and prey! These differing species are creatures which experience no prejudices and no fears toward each other. Unlikely yet too cute animal friends look beyond immense differences and across all boundaries. Here are many inter species friends which might make you think awe or can’t we all just get along?

source

Aspundir

Photoshopped Hands And Fingers

Photoshopped Hands And Fingers

Keep the OLD MOTOR Running

a smart blonde joke

HOW TO PURPOSE MATHEMATICALLY

HOW TO PURPOSE MATHEMATICALLYcopy the sentence below n paste it on google search then hit enter and see what happensCode:(sqrt(cos(x))*cos(200x)+sqrt(abs(x))-0.7)*(4-x*x)^0.01, sqrt(9-x^2), -sqrt(9-x^2) from -4.5 to 4.5

searching

मेन्टिनेन्स कॉस्ट

वैलेन्टाइन डे

दुनिया के 10 भूतहा घर

दुनिया के 10 भूतहा घर

Things Nice to know

Things to know

सीधे बैठिये, आत्मविश्वास बढ़ाइये

Kizhi Pogost: 300 Years Old Multi-Dome Church Built Without Nails

Kizhi Pogost: 300 Years Old Multi-Dome Church Built Without Nails

Animals In Love

Animals In Love

World’s Most Unusual Plants

World’s Most Unusual Plants

Unbelievable Sculptures of Shadow Art

Unbelievable Sculptures of Shadow Art

Packed Up In A Box- Zlata, Queen Of Flexibility

Fascinating Insect Trappers- Carnivorous Plants

Amazing 3D Illusion in Paris

WRONG CALL

WRONG CALL

संत रविदास

दुनिया की 15 सबसे खतरनाक सड़कें

दुनिया की 15 सबसे खतरनाक सड़कें

विश्व के सबसे रहस्यमयी द्वीप

दुनिया के दस सबसे खतरनाक रेलमार्ग

दुनिया के दस सबसे खतरनाक रेलमार्ग

Busy Week

Busy Week

10 Devastating Unnatural Disasters

10 Devastating Unnatural Disasters

The Master of Woman

The Master of Woman

When cricket bats fly

When cricket bats fly

MS Dhoni's bat sailed across the pitch in the 1st T20 vs Australia. Here's a look at some more of cricket's high-flying acts.

India's MS Dhoni loses control of his bat during a T20 cricket match against Australia in Sydney February 1, 2012. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 10: Steve Waugh of Australia loses grip of his bat during the 1st test match between Australia and Pakistan held at the GABBA 1995 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 02: Marcus North of the Warriors loses the grip on his bat during the Ford Ranger Cup match between the Western Australian Warriors and the Victorian Bushrangers at the WACA on February 2, 2008 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS - APRIL 28: Adam Gilchrist of Australia loses his bat whilst playing a shot during the ICC Cricket World Cup Final between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Kensington Oval on April 28, 2007 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS - APRIL 28: Adam Gilchrist of Australia loses grip of his bat during the ICC Cricket World Cup Final between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Kensington Oval on April 28, 2007 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 22: Matthew Hayden of Waugh's XI loses his bat during the Australia's Big Bash Twenty20 Victorian Bushfire Appeal charity match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on February 22, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

LONDON - JUNE 05: Peter Borren of Netherlands loses grip of his bat watched by James Foster of England during the ICC World Twenty20 Group B match between England and the Netherlands at Lord's on June 5, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

One Man's Garden in Tacoma

One Man's Garden in Tacoma

Amazing Photos Of Interspecies Animal Friendship

HOW TO PURPOSE MATHEMATICALLY

copy the sentence below n paste it on google search then hit enter and see what happens
Code:
(sqrt(cos(x))cos(200x)+sqrt(abs(x))-0.7)(4-x*x)^0.01, sqrt(9-x^2), -sqrt(9-x^2) from -4.5 to 4.5