The Fundamental Rights embodied in the Indian constitution are guaranteed to all Indian citizens. These civil liberties take precedence over any other law of the land. They include individual rights common to most liberal democracies, such as equality before the law, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly, freedom of religion, and the right to constitutional remedies for the protection of civil rights such as habeas corpus.
In addition, the Fundamental Rights for Indians are aimed at overturning the inequities of past social practices. They abolish "untouchability"; prohibit discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth; and forbid traffic in human beings and forced labor. They go beyond conventional civil liberties in protecting cultural and educational rights of minorities by ensuring that minorities may preserve their distinctive languages and establish and administer their own education institutions.
Originally, the right to property was also included in the Fundamental Rights; however, the Forty-fourth Amendment, passed in 1978, revised the status of property rights by stating that "No person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of law." Freedom of speech and expression, generally interpreted to include freedom of the press, can be limited "in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence" (see The Media, this ch.).
Directive Principles of State Policy INDIA
An important feature of the constitution is the Directive Principles of State Policy. Although the Directive Principles are asserted to be "fundamental in the governance of the country," they are not legally enforceable. Instead, they are guidelines for creating a social order characterized by social, economic, and political justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity as enunciated in the constitution's preamble.
The Forty-second Amendment, which came into force in January 1977, attempted to raise the status of the Directive Principles by stating that no law implementing any of the Directive Principles could be declared unconstitutional on the grounds that it violated any of the Fundamental Rights. The amendment simultaneously stated that laws prohibiting "antinational activities" or the formation of "antinational associations" could not be invalidated because they infringed on any of the Fundamental Rights. It added a new section to the constitution on "Fundamental Duties" that enjoined citizens "to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood among all the people of India, transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities." However, the amendment reflected a new emphasis in governing circles on order and discipline to counteract what some leaders had come to perceive as the excessively freewheeling style of Indian democracy. After the March 1977 general election ended the control of the Congress (Congress (R) from 1969) over the executive and legislature for the first time since independence in 1947, the new Janata-dominated Parliament passed the Forty-third Amendment (1977) and Forty-fourth Amendment (1978). These amendments revoked the Forty-second Amendment's provision that Directive Principles take precedence over Fundamental Rights and also curbed Parliament's power to legislate against "antinational activities" .
India
Group Rights
In addition to stressing the right of individuals as citizens, Part XVI of the constitution endeavors to promote social justice by elaborating a series of affirmative-action measures for disadvantaged groups. These "Special Provisions Relating to Certain Classes" include the reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and in state legislative bodies for members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The number of seats set aside for them is proportional to their share of the national and respective state populations. Part XVI also reserves some government appointments for these disadvantaged groups insofar as they do not interfere with administrative efficiency. The section stipulates that a special officer for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes be appointed by the president to "investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided" for them, as well as periodic commissions to investigate the conditions of the Backward Classes. The president, in consultation with state governors, designates those groups that meet the criteria of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Similar protections exist for the small Anglo-Indian community.
The framers of the constitution provided that the special provisions would cease twenty years after the promulgation of the constitution, anticipating that the progress of the disadvantaged groups during that time would have removed significant disparities between them and other groups in society. However, in 1969 the Twenty-third Amendment extended the affirmative-action measures until 1980. The Forty-fifth Amendment of 1980 extended them again until 1990, and in 1989 the Sixty-second Amendment extended the provisions until 2000. The Seventy-seventh Amendment of 1995 further strengthened the states' authority to reserve government-service positions for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe members.
Emergency Provisions and Authoritarian Powers
Part XVIII of the constitution permits the state to suspend various civil liberties and the application of certain federal principles during presidentially proclaimed states of emergency. The constitution provides for three categories of emergencies: a threat by "war or external aggression" or by "internal disturbances"; a "failure of constitutional machinery" in the country or in a state; and a threat to the financial security or credit of the nation or a part of it. Under the first two categories, the Fundamental Rights, with the exception of protection of life and personal liberty, may be suspended, and federal principles may be rendered inoperative. A proclamation of a state of emergency lapses after two months if not approved by both houses of Parliament. The president can issue a proclamation dissolving a state government if it can be determined, upon receipt of a report from a governor, that circumstances prevent the government of that state from maintaining law and order according to the constitution. This action establishes what is known as President's Rule because under such a proclamation the president can assume any or all functions of the state government; transfer the powers of the state legislature to Parliament; or take other measures necessary to achieve the objectives of the proclamation, including suspension, in whole or in part, of the constitution. A proclamation of President's Rule cannot interfere with the exercise of authority by the state's high court. Once approved, President's Rule normally lasts for six months, but it may be extended up to one year if Parliament approves. In exceptional cases, such as the violent revolt in Jammu and Kashmir during the early and mid-1990s, President's Rule has lasted for a period of more than five years.
President's Rule has been imposed frequently, and its use is often politically motivated. During the terms of prime ministers Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri, from 1947 to 1966, it was imposed ten times. Under Indira Gandhi's two tenures as prime minister (1966-77 and 1980-84), President's Rule was imposed forty-one times. Despite Mrs. Gandhi's frequent use of President's Rule, she was in office longer (187 months) than any other prime minister except Nehru (201 months). Other prime ministers also have been frequent users: Morarji Desai (eleven times in twenty-eight months), Chaudhury Charan Singh (five times in less than six months), Rajiv Gandhi (eight times in sixty-one months), Vishwanath Pratap (V.P.) Singh (two times in eleven months), Chandra Shekhar (four times in seven months), and P.V. Narasimha Rao (nine times in his first forty-two months in office).
State of emergency proclamations have been issued three times since independence. The first was in 1962 during the border war with China. Another was declared in 1971 when India went to war against Pakistan over the independence of East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh. In 1975 the third Emergency was imposed in response to an alledged threat by "internal disturbances" stemming from the political opposition to Indira Gandhi (see The Rise of Indira Gandhi, ch. 1; National-Level Agencies, ch. 10).
The Indian state has authoritarian powers in addition to the constitution's provisions for proclamations of Emergency Rule and President's Rule. The Preventive Detention Act was passed in 1950 and remained in force until 1970. Shortly after the start of the Emergency in 1962, the government enacted the Defence of India Act. This legislation created the Defence of India Rules, which allow for preventive detention of individuals who have acted or who are likely to act in a manner detrimental to public order and national security. The Defence of India Rules were reimposed during the 1971 war with Pakistan; they remained in effect after the end of the war and were invoked for a variety of uses not intended by their framers, such as the arrests made during a nationwide railroad strike in 1974.
The Sikh militant movement that spread through Punjab during the 1980s spurred additional authoritarian legislation (see Insurgent Movements and External Subversion, ch. 10). In 1984 Parliament passed the National Security Amendment Act enabling government security forces to detain prisoners for up to one year. The 1984 Terrorist Affected Areas (Special Courts) Ordinance provided security forces in Punjab with unprecedented powers of detention, and it authorized secret tribunals to try suspected terrorists. The 1985 Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act imposed the death penalty for anyone convicted of terrorist actions that led to the death of others. It empowered authorities to tap telephones, censor mail, and conduct raids when individuals are alleged to pose a threat to the unity and sovereignty of the nation. The legislation renewing the act in 1987 provided for in camera trials, which may be presided over by any central government officer, and reversed the legal presumption of innocence if the government produces specific evidence linking a suspect to a terrorist act. In March 1988, the Fifty-ninth Amendment increased the period that an emergency can be in effect without legislative approval from six months to three years, and it eliminated the assurance of due process and protection of life and liberty with regard to Punjab found in articles 20 and 21. These rights were restored in 1989 by the Sixty-third Amendment.
By June 30, 1994, more than 76,000 persons throughout India had been arrested under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act. The act became widely unpopular, and the Rao government allowed the law to lapse in May 1995.
Tracking
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The Great Experimenter
Gandhi was no emperor, not a military general, not a president nor a prime minister. He was neither pacifist nor a cult guru. Who was Gandhi ? If anything, Mohandas K. Gandhi was a constant experimenter. Spirituality, religion, self-reliance, health, education, clothing, drinks, medicine, child care, status of women, no field escaped his search for truth. His thoughts when appeared in the form of talk or article became official words of action with the masses of India. He was a man who did what he said and led an exemplary and a transparent life. Not many people can claim "My life is an open book". There were millions of Indians who treated Gandhi's suggestions as supreme commands and acted upon them (hence the name Mahatma). Born in Gujarat, fluent with Hindi and English, and residing in the minds of millions, Gandhiji was able to unite India like none other. An adamant idealist, courageous fighter, a deep thinker, and a great leader of men and ideas, it was possible for him to do that because he identified himself with struggles and pains of the common Indians. He quickly became the sole voice of the downtrodden and the exploited. They completely believed that Gandhiji understood their difficulties and would provide justice for them. Among Gandhiji's disciples were kings, royals, untouchables, rich, poor, foreigners, and women. When this selfless and pure man became leader of the nation, he gave a clear and unambiguous direction to the Himalayan problems facing India. Most important of them were poverty, religious conflict, exploitation, ignorance and colonization by the British. Here, we try to disseminate his complex personality through articles, tributes, pictures and quotations.
-Vikas Kamat
Last Updated : March 18, 2004
Sachin Tendulkar Memorabilia
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
SachinRameshTendulkar(born April 24, 1973) is an Indian cricketer, widely considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He currently holds the records for the most cumulative runs in One-Day Internationals, and the most number of centuries scored in both One-day Internationals and Test cricket. He made his international debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of sixteen, becoming India's youngest Test player. Although primarily a top-order batsman, Tendulkar has often proved to be a useful and effective slow bowler. He received India's highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in the year 1997-1998 and the civilian award Padma Shri in 1999. His cricketing and batting abilities are widely regarded as genius by many stalwarts of the game. For instance, Sir Donald Bradman, the Australian great said of Sachin, "He reminds me of myself". He is affectionately known as The Little Master by his adoring fans.
Sachin's Latest World Record
35!!
Dec 9, 2005
India's SachinTendulkar celebrated becoming cricket's most prolific Test century scorer when he hit his 35th ton against Sri Lanka. Tendulkar brought up the world record with a single off Chaminda Vaas in fading light as play ended on the first day of the second Test in Delhi. He surpasses the record held by compatriot Sunil Gavaskar. India ended the day on 245-3 with VVS Laxman hitting 69 and Sourav Ganguly unbeaten on 39. Tendulkar, who had not been in great batting form since returning from a six-month injury absence, took 177 balls for his century, hitting 13 fours and a six along the way. And he reached the milestone in 125 Tests, the same amount Gavaskar took to score 34 centuries.Latest News
I know my batting : Sachin
Jan 31, 2007
Having silenced his critics with a classy one-day international century, Sachin Tendulkar today said he had been in the game long enough to know about his batting and never paid heed to others views."I always bat as I feel is the correct way to bat. I have played long enough to know what is good for me. I do not want to know what others are thinking," Tendulkar said after India's 160-run win in the fourth and final one-dayer against the West Indies here. Tendulkar, who faced criticism during India's tour of South Africa, hit a 76-ball 100 for his 41st one-day hundred. "I always knew that I was batting well and getting decent scores, but somehow was not converting them into big scores. It was important for us today," said the Mumbaikar who was adjudged Man of the Match as well as the series which India won 3-1.
Sachin Tendulkar signs up with Canon
Nov 7, 2006
Sachin Tendulkar has signed another multi-million dollar deal even as Team India gets ready to rake in more moollah with the 2007 World Cup.He will now feature as the global brand ambassador of Japanese digital imaging solutions company Canon. Tendulkar's 'disconnect' with Airtel had hogged the headlines recently, but that's something the Japanese camera makers are not too worried about "Right now, we need to make a strong brand recognition," said Alok Bharadwaj, VP, Canon India. The new deal will see the Master Blaster endorse the brand along with tennis star Maria Sharapova.
Sachin hits out at Aussies
Nov 6, 2006
Sachin Tendulkar has indirectly hit out at triumphant Australian captain Ricky Ponting and his teammates' behaviour during the prize distribution ceremony after the ICC Champions Trophy final against the West Indies at the Brabourne Stadium.Eager to take hold of the trophy and pose for the cameras with his teammates, Ponting was seen tapping BCCI President Sharad Pawar on the shoulder as a gesture to leave the stage. Tendulkar, saying he had heard about the incident from others, termed it an unpleasant experience and "uncalled for" behaviour against a person who was dear to all the cricketers. "I wasn't watching the proceedings because I was traveling, but from what I heard it was an unpleasant experience which was uncalled for ," the ace batsman said. "Firstly, it should not have happened. It's important to show respect to the person who is so dear to the cricketers and is involved with cricket. So it's good that we avoid such incidents," he said in response to a specific query.
Shane Warne picks Tendulkar, Lara as best batsmen
Oct 1, 2005
Having reached the twilight of his career, spin wizard Shane Warne yearns for a Test hundred even as he picks Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara as the two best batsmen of his era and hardest to bowl at."Im proud of what Ive achieved in cricket. I dont usually set too many personal goals, but a Test hundred is still something Id like. Ive messed up my six best chances," Warne told Observer sports monthly in an interview. "There are a lot of statistics linked to me, most of which I dont worry about - being hit for the most sixes in international cricket, for example - while having the most Test wickets is obviously great. "The one statistic that does annoy me is having the most Test runs in the history of the game without a hundred. I dont like that." The 37-year-old worlds highest Test wicket-taker interestingly holds the record of accumulating most Test runs (2958) without having scored a hundred. His highest has been 99 he scored in Perth in 2001-02 against New Zealand. He had scored 11 fifties and has a batting average of 16.61. Warne also said Indias master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and current West Indies captain Brian Lara were the hardest batsmen to bowl at. "The hardest batsmen would be Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar, the two best of my era," said the Hampshire captain. He, however, said South African Daryll Cullinan was his favourite prey batsman and thought he could get him out every ball.
All eyes on Sachins Tendulkar as crucial tri-series starts
Aug 13, 2005
All eyes will be on Sachin Tendulkar as the Indian teams 2006-07 cricket season starts with the Unitech Cup triangular series, which will begin with a Sri Lanka-South Africa match here Monday.Tendulkar will be the centre of attraction as he is making a comeback after a right shoulder injury that forced him to miss 14 one-day internationals (ODIs) and four Tests in his four-and-half-month absence since March when he was operated upon in London. The 33-year-old maestro will, however, not be seen in action here till Wednesday when India play their first match against Sri Lanka, a day-night affair at the R. Premadasa Stadium, one of the two venues of the seven-match competition.
Captain Rahul Dravid acknowledged that Tendulkars mere presence in the team in enough to boost the players. India, now ranked fourth on the International Cricket Councils ODI Championship table, badly need Tendulkar as their fine ODI run was checked by the West Indies in May. India, then ranked third, lost 1-4 in the Caribbean and slipped by one place.
Sachin Tendulkar Memorabilia
Signed and Framed print
Signed and Framed print - 100cm x 50cm - 550 USD
During the 1st Test, Pakistan v India at Karachi in November 1989, a quiet 16 year-old named Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar made his Test debut for his beloved India.
Then, during the 2nd Test, England v India at Manchester in 1990, Sachin showed the cricket world what he was capable of, scoring his first ever Test century, he finished 119 not out after facing 189 balls.
On December 10th 2005, during the 2nd Test, India v Sri Lanka at Delhi, Sachin Tendulkar scored an amazing 109. This Test century, being the 35th of his career, saw Sachin surpass the World Test Record of 34, previously held by Indian great Sunil Gavaskar since his retirement in 1987. Facing 196 balls, Sachin displayed his true brilliance at the crease, hitting 14 fours and 1 six, until being trapped LBW by a spectacular delivery from Muralitharan.
This outstanding achievement is destined to stand for many years to come.
As a tribute to this outstanding feat, we are proud to release a limited edition of 1000 prints, titled "Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar 35". This collage style print contains the details of all of Sachin's 35 Test Centuries, various images taken during his career and also his Record Breaking innings. These prints have been elegantly framed in a quality timber and frame and Perspex glazed.
This strictly limited piece of Test Cricket history has been personally signed by Sachin and will be the only signed print released World wide to officially commemorate his World Test Record.
This product is supported by A-Tag Authentication Technology and includes an official a-Tag Certificate of Authenticity.
"While every Cricketer dreams of being the best in his time, this boy dreamt a little more - of being the best there ever was. Even as a little boy playing in the park, he was introspective, quiet, critical of every century he scored, every shot he played. At 16, he debuted for India, and is today the only batsman ever to have been compared with Sir Donald Bradman universally, including by Bradman himself."
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Sachin Tendulkar Memorabilia
Framed bat
Framed bat - 105cm x 60.5cm - 827 USD
As a tribute to this outstanding feat, we are proud to release a limited edition of 1000 of this special piece, titled "Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar 35". This "SRT 35" cricket bat has been elegantly framed in a quality timber box frame and Perspex glazed alongside four photos of Sachin taken during his World Record innings. This quality collectable also contains the details of all of Sachin's 35 Test Centuries printed onto the mat board in gold text.
This strictly limited piece of Test Cricket history has been personally signed by Sachin and will be the only signed bat released World wide to officially commemorate his World Test Record.
This product is supported by A-Tag Authentication Technology and includes an official a-Tag Certificate of Authenticity.
"While every Cricketer dreams of being the best in his time, this boy dreamt a little more - of being the best there ever was. Even as a little boy playing in the park, he was introspective, quiet, critical of every century he scored, every shot he played. At 16, he debuted for India, and is today the only batsman ever to have been compared with Sir Donald Bradman universally, including by Bradman himself."
HISTORY OF SUNITA WILLIAMS
NASA Astronaut
Nationality American
Status Active
Born September 19, 1965
Euclid, Ohio
Other occupation Test pilot
Rank Commander, USN
Space time 194d 18h 02m
Selection 1998 NASA Group
Missions STS-116, Expedition 14, Expedition 15, STS-117
Mission
insignia
Suni Williams:Preflight Interview (NASA)
| 08.09.06 | |
 Q: There are hundreds of thousands of pilots and scientists out there in the world, but there are only about 100 American astronauts. What made you want to try to become an astronaut and be one of those people that flies in space? Image to right: Astronaut Sunita L. Williams. Image credit: NASA A: Oh, good question. In my mind, I think everybody wants to be an astronaut. I’ve sort of found out maybe that’s not so true. When I was five years old or so, I saw Neil Armstrong walk on the moon and thought, ‘wow --that’s cool.’ I mean, that’s what I would like to do. Subsequent to that, all the TV shows about going to space sort of set a bit, I think, in everybody’s head that, that would be a great career. I never really thought that, that would happen in my life. It seemed too far out there, something that I could never achieve. Really didn’t touch base with me and hit home until I went to Test Pilot School in Maryland. I’m a Navy pilot, helicopter pilot. In one of our field trips, we came down to Johnson Space Center. It was me and a couple of other helicopter pilots sitting in the back while all the jet pilots in my TPS [Test Pilot School] class were all sitting in the front, listening to John Young talk about the shuttle and about flying to the moon. I remember him talking about learning how to fly a helicopter to land the lunar lander. Something just clicked in my head, and I said, ‘wow,’ you know, maybe there’s a use for helicopter pilots, if we’re going to go back to the moon. So, I sort of said to myself, the only one who’s telling me I’m not going to be an astronaut is me. I did the research on what was required, and I got my master’s degree and applied, and, lo and behold, the second application, I got an interview. So, I think I’m very, very lucky. You grew up in Massachusetts. Tell me about Needham, Massachusetts. It’s a great town. It’s a little, as I called it during my astronaut interview, a small town which I was quickly, corrected that it’s not so, so small—there was about, 500 kids in my high school graduating class, but it seems like you know everybody in a town that size. Close enough to Boston, a big Red Sox fan, Patriots fan. When I was growing up Bobby Orr was playing hockey, so, of course, a Bruins fan, and, Larry Bird was playing basketball, so a Celtics fan. A great sports town to grow up in. I grew up as a swimmer, speaking of sports; I spent a lot of time before school and after school swimming. I would contribute whatever discipline I have and direction I have to competitive swimming. It takes up a lot of your time and then you’re trying to fit in, doing your homework and having a social life as you’re growing up. Needham, Massachusetts, close enough to Boston. It was a great place to grow up. Do you see, in yourself, how that place and the people in that place, helped make you the person you are today? Oh, yeah. I think I am a smart aleck because I grew up close enough to Boston and most people from Massachusetts talk fast and I have a little bit of a wiseacre, and I think I’m a little bit like that. But seriously, where I swam was at, at Harvard, and so we spent a lot of time in the Cambridge area. My father’s a doctor. He taught at Harvard Medical School and BU [Boston University] Medical School and worked at a bunch of hospitals in the Boston area. I think growing up there, it just becomes commonplace that you feel like everybody around you is going to college; I’m going to go to college. That is never a question in your mind. It’s a great place to grow up, just because things are ticking and so many colleges around, so many universities, hospitals around that just taps into your interest. Well, let’s talk about the educational and career path of Suni Williams. I graduated from my high school OK. Not, not absolutely number one, I was just OK. Then, my brother went to the Naval Academy, and that’s how I got interested in the Naval Academy. My biggest worry was I had long hair, like I do now, and I thought, oh, man, if I have to cut it, I’m not really sure I want to go to this school. I applied to a bunch of other schools, a couple in the Boston area, a couple in New York. My final two choices were Columbia and the Naval Academy. Columbia scared me because it’s right downtown in New York City. So I opted for the Naval Academy. I went to the Naval Academy, did OK—wasn’t, number one student there, either. As a result of your grade point average, that’s what you pick for your career field. I wanted to be a diver. One of my good friends, who was a professor there was a saturation diver. My grades didn’t allow me to get to become a diver so I became a pilot. But that was OK. I wanted to do something, and I had 20/20 vision, and, of course that was the time frame when “Top Gun” came out, so everybody wanted to be a jet pilot. Of course, I wanted to be a jet pilot. At the time, women weren’t flying combat airplanes so there was only a couple of billets for women. I didn’t get my first choice—I got my second choice, which was helicopters. I flew helicopters, and I loved flying helicopters on the East Coast when I did a couple of deployments out to the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf. I bring up all these little failures because it’s one of those things that I tell kids that maybe you want something, but you get something else, but if you make the best of it, things sorta work out. So, you’re flying helicopters in the Navy and at some point you came to the Johnson Space Center. Tell me how [you] became an astronaut from there. Well, while I was in the Fleet, one of the things I really liked to do is, when the airplanes went in for maintenance, they had to come out and have a test flight. There was a couple of qualifications to become a test pilot for your particular aircraft. I really liked doing that, and that got me interested in the idea of going to Test Pilot School, where we test not only your specific flight, your Fleet aircraft, but a myriad of other airplanes or helicopters that the Fleet will be flying in the future. So I said, oh, I want to apply for this, so I put in my application. With my background in my Fleet airplane of testing, I got into that. When I went to Test Pilot School, that’s when we came to Johnson Space Center. And I ended up seeing John Young and listening to him talk and getting a positive influence from him. This mission is your first flight assignment. What was it like when they told you you’d been assigned to a mission to fly to space? I was overwhelmed. Charlie Precourt was the Chief of the [Astronaut] Office at the time, and when he told me I think he was waiting for this reaction, like jumping up and down or something. And, I was just so like, ‘wow.’ I was assigned in the winter of 2002, so it’s been a little while ago, and at the time that, we were look, focusing on a very accelerated construction of the space station. At the time I was the backup for Expedition 10, which would be, installing Node 2. And again, another EVA-intensive type of time frame up on the space station. So I was pretty overwhelmed with, ‘I can’t even believe I have the opportunity to train for something this complicated.’ After the Columbia accident, things got a little bit sorted out and it fell into this 12A.1 time frame, which again I’m amazed and very pleased that it fell into a very intensive time frame. I think every space shuttle mission during this construction is going to be full of this type of construction and intensive activity. So, I think we’re all pretty, pretty lucky. The “flying in space” part of being an astronaut has shown that it can be pretty dangerous. What is it that you see as the advantage that we get from flying people in space that makes you willing to do it yourself? Oh, I think just the appeal of people in space, and people on the ground being able to relate to those people in space really makes people start to wonder, ‘wow, what else can we do?’ So many people in the Astronaut Office are from different countries and cultures, and every time someone goes up that can identify with a group of people on the ground, you get that group of people wondering, ‘wow, maybe that could be me one day.’ There are a million possibilities out there. For instance, I am half Indian and I’ve got a, I’m sure, a group of Indian people who are looking forward to seeing this second person of Indian origin, flying up in space. So it’s nice to know that everybody brings along with them a group of people from all over the world that get interested in space. You are the Flight Engineer on Expeditions 14 and 15 to the International Space Station. Give me a summary of the goals of your flight, and your main responsibilities. Oh, wow, it’s a lot to cover. Expedition 14, when I get up there, will be midway through its expedition...hopefully, knock on wood, sometime in December. During that time frame, I’ll be flying up with STS-116. Their goal during that time frame is installing an element called P5 out on the end of P3/P4 solar array, and that’s a spacer which will allow P6 to later be transferred to that place. So, robotically, I’ll be part of the crew that will install the P5. Subsequent to that, they will also be doing a major power reconfig[uration]. I’ll be part of the support robotic team to help them along with that. They’ll have three EVAs, and their third EVA, if everything goes well on the first two EVAs, I’ll be doing a third EVA with Bob Curbeam, and we’ll be doing the second power reconfiguration. So, that’s a lot for one small shuttle mission in the beginning of my mission and right after that, once they leave, Michael Lopez-Alegria, me, and [Mikhail] Misha Tyurin will be living up on the International Space Station. While we’re up there, pretty shortly after [STS-]116 leaves, we have a thermal reconfiguration that we’re going to do to the space station. That reconfiguration along with retracting some radiators up on P6 and then removing some thermal shrouds out on the P3/P4 section will take about three spacewalks. So, probably about two months, if all goes well again—knock on wood—, we’ll be out doing three spacewalks in the first two months that I’ll be up there for, for the Expedition 14 time frame. Now hopefully, if that all goes well and the shuttle launch schedule stays on time, we’ll be expecting another shuttle mission to come visit us, STS-117. And they’ll be bringing up the S3/S4 solar array. So we’ll be part of that crew to help install that solar array. In the meantime, while that’s all going on—I’ll be part of the robotic team with that. In the meantime while that’s all going on, we have a bunch of science experiments and a major computer reconfiguration we’re a part of. Then the Soyuz guys, the Expedition 14 guys, will be leaving in time, when the Expedition 15 guys will be joining us, and I’ll be there for all of that. Once the Expedition 15 guys show up, we potentially have a PMA-3 relocate, which is another robotic op, all in preparation for when Node 2 arrives. Then I’ll finish up the rest of my time up on the space station with the Expedition 15 guys, with the culmination of 13A.1, which is STS-118. Lots of numbers; sorry for the confusion. But they’ll be putting up the sister element that 116 put up…P5; they’ll be putting up S5. So, luckily, if all works out well, I’ll have seen this P5 installation, which will be mirrored by the S5 installation, so I’ll just be able to help out with the spacewalks and the robotic ops for that. Six months. Don’t you have anything else to do? I think it’s going to be pretty busy. But, it’s going to be a lot of fun, and I’m absolutely lucky to be in this place at this time. And one thing I forgot to mention is when Expedition 15 comes up there, I’ll be the one American up there with two Russian crew members. Well, your travel arrangements are a little different than they’ve ever been. You’re going to arrive on ISS on the space shuttle mission to replace the European astronaut, Thomas Reiter. Do you think it’s going to benefit you to arrive at the station to find two crewmates who are already set up and been in business? Oh, absolutely. I think I’m really lucky, ’cause then, they’re going to be there to help me with any time of, turnover things that I don’t understand. I’m a rookie; never flown before. These two are both experienced space fliers; and them, having lived there for about three months before I get there, I think if I have any questions, they’ll be the perfect people to show me the way. And, like I just mentioned, that’s pretty needed for when they leave and I’ll be up there, the sole U.S. member of Expedition 15 for a while. This rotation of this International Space Station crew, just a portion of it at a time, is the first time that it’s been done in this program. Does that make it more difficult for you in training and having to work with two different station crews as well as a variety of shuttle crews? It does add a lot of complexity. Luckily enough, the complexity falls on the amazing training team that we have, because they are the ones who really have to shuffle the cards and figure out how we’re going to get the required training for us crew members. Our schedule’s just filled with training that we’re going to need to make sure that we are totally trained, ready to go, for all the specific construction activities that we are required to do while we’re up there. OK; a great question. Because when I show my family the part “P5” on the whole view of the space station, they always go, ‘wow, that’s so little,’ so it’s quite funny when I’m pointing out exactly the part that I’m particularly involved with installing. But, it’s a needed part. It is a part that goes, P5 and S5 is a part, that [goes] between the two major solar array wings. Without them, the two wings would be too close together to actually operate. They’re a pass-through for all of the thermal, electrical lines going out to the end of the truss and absolutely critical. Like I said, for the completion of the second set of solar arrays on either side. S3/S4 is the first solar array on the starboard side; hence the nomenclature “S.” And that will be installed during the STS-117 mission. So, the “5” parts are not just glorified spacers. No. No, they’re absolutely critical to make sure that the two big solar array wings will be able to operate. Well, let’s talk about some of those operations that you referred to earlier, not only EVAs but robotics operations. If you could talk us through those operations on STS-116, on the mission that’s going to deliver you to the space station, because part of that is also your role as a spacewalker. Yes. Well the first EVA, which is the P5 install. Me and Joanie Higginbotham will be operating the robotic workstations. We’ll be taking the P5 Truss from a handoff position from the shuttle robotic arm and we’ll be moving it to the end of P3/P4 for the installation. It’s a little bit of a tricky installation because the clearances to get the P5 into its position are pretty tight, about three inches or so. Some of the issues with that is the P3/P4 solar array wing is live at the time, so there’s going to be some black boxes on the end of P3/P4 that are live powered. And so with that clearance, the biggest worry is that you don’t hit the box that has the live power on it, ’cause that’s going to cause a lot of problems. So, we’ve practiced this very intensely with the spacewalkers Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang. They’ll be out on opposite ends of the P3/P4 truss, guiding us in and talking us in. So this is a very complicated, entire-crew-involved event to try to get this guy installed. Likewise that’s going to happen on S5; I’m not part of the robotic team for that right now. I’m the M3, as you might call it—the person who’s watching over this with lessons learned and experience to help those guys after, with my knowledge from P5 installation. And, on this P5 installation, when you’re running the station arm, is it out? It’s not based back in the middle anymore? No. You’ve got to run out on the railcar to reach that far, don’t you? Yeah, it’s out a little bit toward the port side. Moved out to the port side so we can reach that far.  Are there arm ops supporting the rest of that first EVA operation? Image to right: Astronaut Suni Williams participates in a training session at the Sonny Carter Training Facility near Johnson Space Center, Houston. Image credit: NASA Yes. Part of that EVA is also starting up the main bus power switching units, MBSU, and while we’re making sure that that’s all starting up correctly, the two spacewalkers, Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang, will be moving the equipment carts, CETA carts, to the opposite side that they’re on in preparation for the next solar array, which is the S3/S4 installation. So, we’ll be working with the spacewalkers again as we’ll be picking them up and driving them over to the truss, while they’ll be grabbing on to the, what we call CETA carts. We’ll be flying them over to the other side of the transporter system, the MBS. We see that same kind of move done on an earlier mission. Exactly. To get ready for this P3/P4 installation. So, now we have to get ready for the S3/S4 installation. All that’s EVA 1? That’s EVA 1. So, the main part of EVA 2 is the power recon, first power reconfiguration. So, once those main bus switching units are all up and working on line, then we’re going to work on the power reconfiguration, which is the strings 1 and 4. Again, Christer Fuglesang and Bob Curbeam will be out working on that, and Joanie and I will primarily be helping them out in case there’s any issues with the boxes that we’re starting up. Then EVA 3, which I’m part of at this moment in time, is the second power string power up, which is the [strings] 2-3 power up. On that spacewalk both Bob Curbeam will be out on the front truss, I’m back between what, in the place we call the “rat’s nest”, the Z1 and the S0 and the Lab—it’s a small area that comes down into a “V,” it has lots of electrical connections and fluid connections there. I’ll be working a couple of electric connections back there to get that power reconfig[uration] done with Bob Curbeam. The second part of that EVA is moving some Service Module debris panels, which will be installed later, moving them from the payload bay in the shuttle over to PMA-3, which is on the port side of the Node, getting that ready for a later installation by the Russians. So, that’s a pretty interesting task: it involves the shuttle robotic arm, and I’ll be on the end of the shuttle robotic arm for that EVA. It is unusual for a station crew member, which you will be by this time, to be one of the spacewalkers during docked operations. What’s the reasoning behind having you do this spacewalk? That’s a good question, and I think it’s been up for debate for a little while. But it’s sort of a preventative measure and a little bit forward thinking, in my opinion, because I will be, like I mentioned earlier there, I will be up there initially with one other American, Michael Lopez-Alegria, and Misha Tyurin, the Russian, and then my second part of my increment I’ll be up there with two Russians. And after 12A.1 occurs, there’s a lot of big boxes, for example, a Pump Module and a flex hose rotary couple on either side, which allows fluid out to the radiators. Those big boxes will be started up for the first time during 12A.1. Now, any of those big boxes can fail at any time. Also those main bus switching units I talked about, the MBSUs, those can also maybe have a problem, and all of those big boxes will require a spacewalk to do a replacement. So at any point in time after 12A.1, we need to be ready and have all of the Expedition crews trained to be able to do these changeouts. Luckily enough I’ve been set up on this third EVA during the 116 mission to give me a little experience. Like I said, I’m a rookie. This is my first flight. And need all the experiences that I can to be EV1. Part of that question is also, well, you’re going to do three EVAs, potentially with, Michael Lopez-Alegria during the docked ops, but the thing is, we don’t know exactly when the launch date is for 116. And [if] the launch date slips too far to the right and into the end of Expedition 14, we may not have enough time to get the three EVAs done during the increment. So this is a little bit of a protection, just in case those EVAs slip in to Expedition 15, I’ll have already gone out the door, as they call it, with an experienced American, and so I’ll be a little bit more comfortable with doing an EVA as EV1. In the early portion of your time onboard the station, after the P5’s installed, we’re looking at having long periods when the station’s regular high data rate communications system is not going to be operating. Tell us why that’s happening and how long that might last, but, and I think maybe most importantly, what won’t you be able to do? Right, good question. This is the Ku-band antenna; it’s in the attitude that we’ll be flying. We may have some issues with heating and cooling as we’re in this little bit unbalanced situation. We have a big solar array wing on the port side and not one yet on the starboard side. So that Ku antenna may or may not be able to work as efficiently as it has been in the past. We’re working on some issues, or some ideas, to try to mitigate that, to minimize the time in which the antenna will not work. But I think everyone doesn’t realize what the Ku does for us. Of course, it gives us a critical part for the IP phone, the internet protocol phone, which we’re able to call back to the ground with, so, we’re not going to have that so everyone just goes, ‘oh, you’re not going to have the IP phone, you’ll be fine—you can talk to the ground on space-to-ground.’ So, but the other parts, there’s tons of other things: we have a bunch of tools and products that the ground sends to us like our timeline, any uplink messages. Anything that gets uplinked, we are not going to have. Anything that changes on our procedures, that’s not going to get updated on a regular basis if we don’t have Ku. And so, the program and a lot of people have been working lots of time to figure out, one, how to mitigate the time which we have Ku outage, if we could put some type of heat shield or something to decrease the time or change the attitude of the space station to allow us to have even heating and cooling on the Ku; and, secondly, how to use the onboard computer systems, which are not affected by the Ku antenna, use that to get some of the products on board. Unfortunately, if we do that, that’s going to take up some crew time to have to sort through the files to get the correct files that we would have had instantaneously if we did have Ku. You’ve got a lot of activity that goes on onboard the space station, when shuttles are not there. Spacewalks are one of them. Now, of course the plan could change by the time you do it, but tell me about the current plan for station crew spacewalks during your six months onboard. OK. The time frame for the American spacewalks that I think we’re alluding to is the 12A.1 time frame, and in that time frame we’ll have just finished with 12A, so we’ve got the power reconfiguration completed, and now we need to do the thermal reconfiguration. So that consists of three spacewalks. The first spacewalk will be one of the external power loops. We call it loop A. We will switch it from using a radiator and cooling loop system on the P6 to its more permanent cooling system out on the truss. And that involves changing some electrical connectors in the “rat’s nest,” which is the area, again, between P, Z1, S0 and the Lab. It’s a small area that has a lot of electrical connections and a lot of fluid connections; it’s this very tight space. As it’s planned, both me and Michael Lopez-Alegria will be inboard in this small little area. On the first loop reconfig[uration], I’ll do the electrical connectors then he will follow that with the big fluid jumpers to switch the fluid lines from P6 to the external. Following that, we will be up on the P6 truss; they will retract the starboard radiator, which we’ve been using for the early external thermal control system. The ground will be doing that but our role in that is to cinch it down, ’cause it needs to stay down and compacted, so the radiators aren’t moving around as the space station is rotating. He’ll be up on the zenith side; I’ll be on the nadir side of the radiator. We will wait and watch the radiator retract—potentially it could need a little bit of a push from us at the very end—and then we cinch bolts around the edge of it that we need to, simultaneously, connect to make sure that the radiator is contained nicely. That’s the main portion of EVA number one; the second EVA is really a mirror image of EVA 1 for EVA 2, where we’re changing out the loop B, fluid connectors and retracting, now, the aft radiator on P6. The third EVA involves going all the way out to the P3/P4 end of the truss. The station will be flying in an XPOP [x-axis perpendicular to the orbital plane] configuration, and because of that some of the equipment on the back side of the truss is experiencing some heating and cooling which is undesired. So, we have two big shrouds, out on the truss. And as we switch over the power and then the thermal reconfiguration, we can change the station back to a normal flying, LVLH [local vertical local horizontal] type of attitude. And, so we need to take those blankets off. So most of that EVA will involve taking off some of the thermal blankets, now that we’ve got the station all reconfigured, power and thermal.  And, of course, throughout your time on orbit, you’ve got science to do. Oh yeah. Image to left: Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Sunita Williams (background) participates in the Human Research Facility Ultrasound proficiency training in the International Space Station Destiny laboratory mockup/trainer at Johnson Space Center’s Space Vehicle Mockup Facility. Image credit: NASA You’ll be the NASA ISS Science Officer for part of it. Primary focus of U.S. science on the space station is research on how people can live and work safely in weightlessness. Tell me about some of the “people” experiments that are going to be done during your time. Our goal, now that we’re going back to the moon and going to Mars, the main focus of the space station for U.S. science is how people are going to live out in space for extended periods of time. Over a six-month period we’re, definitely going to lose bone and muscle mass. So a big part of the experiments that we’re doing onboard is how to mitigate that. We’re all doing exercise protocols while we’re up there, trying to mitigate the bone and muscle mass [loss]. We do that using the treadmill, the bike, and also there’s a weight lifting machine that we use to work out and make sure our bones and muscles are exercised. Along with that, we’re doing a nutrition experiment, which is something we’ve always done in the past as well as the exercise, to annotate what we are eating so we can keep a log, how the food is affecting our bones and muscles. But we’re adding one other part of that, where we’re taking blood. That way we’ll be able to really analyze how the food is being metabolized and interacting in the body. That’s not going to be a real-time correction type of experiment, but with the shuttles rotating, they’ll be able to take the blood samples down, and then we’ll be able to get some feedback from the scientists on the ground to analyze how our diet is actually working. So those are just a couple examples of the experiments that we’re doing on the body. With Expedition 14, it’s going to be the first time since the loss of Columbia that there will be an increment crew of three people onboard ISS from the start of the increment to the end of the increment. During that time, there’s going to be multiple spaceships visiting up and down, major assembly tasks are going on. Is the program back on track now? Are we ready to move on to full completion and utilization? It sure feels that way. I think we had to go through a period of understanding and growing and finding out where our issues were with the shuttle program. I think we’re, we’re ironing that out with [STS-]114 and [STS-]121, which were primarily test flights to really show that we have fixed the problems that we’ve had, and anticipating new problems, trying to look ahead and see how we’re going to fix those. But, now, since those two missions have gone, and particularly 121 being absolutely successful. I’ve heard people talk about Discovery coming back absolutely clean and potentially the turnaround can even be a little bit quicker, which would be great for STS-116, my ride up there. I think we’re into an area almost where we’re all the way up to full schedule or full speed of constructing and completing the space station. The next flight, [STS-]115, will really show us how we stand, ’cause two in a row in a short period of time, two different vehicles, making sure we found all the right things to fix the orbiters, and of course, 115 taking up the next solar array, which is the next big step in finishing the space station. If that all goes well, I think 116 and beyond is really the finishing of the construction of the space station. Of course, the Vision for Space Exploration sees way beyond this particular space station that we’ve been talking about. Tell me about your philosophy of the future human exploration of space, and the contribution that ISS is making to that. Good question, because a lot of people go, ‘what are we spending all this money to really only be flying around 250 miles above the Earth?’ When I go to schools and tell kids about 250 miles, they’re a little bit under-impressed. But the second part of why I tell kids about 250 miles, ’cause it makes them realize how small our atmosphere is, which leads into sort of my philosophy on space travel. We’re up there, using the ISS to figure out how to go other places in the universe. I think it’s something we need to do as we’re getting more and more people on this Earth, we need to figure out what happened to Mars, why is there no atmosphere there that’s breathable and livable by human beings, and explore how the planets are formed and, potentially, to understand if there could be some other planet out there that we could reach out to and share our experiences with. So, the space station’s just a stepping-stone to get us to understand space, and how to live and work in space, and then potentially get back to the moon is the next stepping-stone. How to work in a low-gravity environment and how to work in an environment that is not habitable for us that will take us to the next place, maybe Mars and then beyond. | |
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Success story of Bhagat Singh's village
Bhagat Singh was hanged with two other revolutionaries, Sukhdev and Rajguru, on March 23, 1931 for their involvement in what came to be known as the Lahore conspiracy case. The village where Bhagat Singh was neither born nor did he live there permanently has become the most modern and developed ones among all villages in India, with money from Non Residential Indians (NRIs) showing all over the place. "Out of the 2,000-odd population of our village, almost every home has a NRI connection," prominent villager and Nihang leader Kashmira Singh, said.
The NRI pomp and show cannot miss anyone's eye. Grand houses with modern construction, most of them two or three-storey ones, huge gates, sweeping driveways, cars and bikes are the order of the day. A turn from the Chandigarh-Jalandhar highway leads to a magnificently built welcome gate towards this village that is associated with Bhagat Singh's name. Blacktop roads, tiled pavements and concrete roads inside the narrow lanes of the village tell the story of its prosperity. Not to miss are the Rs 20 million public park with lush green grass, fountains, under paths and flower beds.
The ancestral house of the revolutionary, where he came a few times, is a national heritage. "We know about Bhagat Singh, He was a martyr. He sacrificed his life for the country. We are proud to be living in his village," the children say in turns, when asked about the village and its most famous name. The village has captive solar power generation plant of its own, from where it fulfills its power needs.
The village is indebted to former President A P J Abdul Kalam for coming to this village in 2002 and giving it the solar power station and other amenities. "No one bothered about the village for many years. It was neglected. Much of the work here happened after President Kalam visited our village. Even though the villagers were not allowed to meet him freely, they are indebted to him," Kashmira Singh said.
Others like ex-serviceman Gurmel Singh pointed out that there are still several things to be done for this village. "We were promised a 60-bed hospital by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi. All we have now is a five-bed dispensary. We expect Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to come here for the 100th birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh," Gurmel Singh said. Annually over 25,000 visitors stop at the museum of the revolutionary on the highway. The museum even contains a newspaper soaked with the blood of the martyr. The relatives of Bhagat Singh, including some nephews, religiously visit the village on some occasions. (IANS)
India creates history, lifts Nehru Cup
N P Pradeep after scoring the goal
The Indian team kept the pressure on and Bhaichung put the ball in the net in the 28th minute, much to the delight of the crowd, but referee raised the flag to signal off-side.
Finally, India got their moment of the tournament in 44th minute, when Pradeep scored from a brilliant pass from Bhutia. Syria received another jolt in the dying moments of the first half after the first goal, when Wael Ayan was shown the red card for hitting Surkumar. The game was disrupted as players from both sides indulged in a quarrel.
Coach Houghton congratulates
Chhettri after the win
Syrian team too, made some dangerous moves in the first half, but adroit Indian defence and superb goalkeeping by Subarata Paul denied Syria any chance of equalizing. In the second half India played more cautiously as Syria made aggresive moves quite often, but the ten men Syrian team failed to score any goal.
Coach Bob Houghton praised the team for playing good football throughout the tournament. He said, that the team created a lot of chances, which is a good thing to do against a better team like Syria. “This will definitely affect the Indian football in a positive way as the national leagues will also get a boost from this win.” Indian coach also said, that the win will help the team to approach the world qualifier match against Lebanon more confidently. Indian captain Baichung Bhutia termed the win as one of the best moment for Indian football.
Govt plays down DMK's stand on Ram Setu
New Delhi/Kochi: The Government on Sunday sought to play down its constituent Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam's (DMK) stand on the Ram Setu issue that there was no historical evidence about existence of Lord Rama and said it "respected" the view of its southern ally. "That's his opinion. In a democracy, we encourage that", said Renuka Choudhury, Minister for Women and Child Development, on the sidelines of a conference. The DMK chief M Karunanidhi had on Saturday, broken his silence on the issue by supporting the first affidavit filed by the Centre in the Supreme Court which questioned the existence of Lord Ram. After the uproar by the Opposition, the government withdrew the affidavit along with the subsequent one filed with corrections.
The Minister said the government respected Karunanidhi's decision and the whole issue was being addressed by Congress party at different levels. "We respect his opinion. It's fine", she said when asked to comment on DMK chief's stand on the issue. To a question whether Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Commerce, should withdraw his remarks suggesting Culture Minsiter Ambika Soni to resign, Choudhury said "I can't speak for him. He has to decide on this."
Meanwhile, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday said, it will take legal advice on whether to launch prosecution proceedings against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on the Ram Setu issue. Reacting to Karunanidhi's statement that Ram Setu was "not man-made and Lord Ram was an imaginary character," VHP secretary general, Praveen Togadia said, that Karunanidhi during his earlier innings as chief minister in 1972, when he held the additional charge of PWD Minister, had in a foreword in the Ramanathapuram district gazette, accepted existence of the Ram Setu bridge. "If he has gone back on the public document, he can be prosecuted," Togadia told reporters in Kochi adding VHP will take legal advice in this regard.
Coins, which are 1000-years-old making a mention about the Ram Setu, are available in Tamil. Even the Asiatic Society of Bengal, a well-respected body, also mentions about Ram Setu, he told reporters earlier. (PTI)
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Ambika Soni offers to resign on Ram Setu affidavit
The Minister said the government respected Karunanidhi's decision and the whole issue was being addressed by Congress party at different levels. "We respect his opinion. It's fine", she said when asked to comment on DMK chief's stand on the issue. To a question whether Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Commerce, should withdraw his remarks suggesting Culture Minsiter Ambika Soni to resign, Choudhury said "I can't speak for him. He has to decide on this."
Meanwhile, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday said, it will take legal advice on whether to launch prosecution proceedings against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on the Ram Setu issue. Reacting to Karunanidhi's statement that Ram Setu was "not man-made and Lord Ram was an imaginary character," VHP secretary general, Praveen Togadia said, that Karunanidhi during his earlier innings as chief minister in 1972, when he held the additional charge of PWD Minister, had in a foreword in the Ramanathapuram district gazette, accepted existence of the Ram Setu bridge. "If he has gone back on the public document, he can be prosecuted," Togadia told reporters in Kochi adding VHP will take legal advice in this regard.
Coins, which are 1000-years-old making a mention about the Ram Setu, are available in Tamil. Even the Asiatic Society of Bengal, a well-respected body, also mentions about Ram Setu, he told reporters earlier. (PTI)
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Ambika Soni offers to resign on Ram Setu affidavit
Germany, India seek co-operation on climate change
With both ministers emphasizing the potential of business investment in their two nations, Glos addressed a press conference following the council meeting and said that, "German companies are able to invest more and to cooperate more on climate change." Over the next five years, India plans to invest about $475 billion in major infrastructure projects such as airports, roads and power stations. The council meeting was held as part of the build-up, to next month's visit to India by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The council meeting also came against the backdrop of a recent solid economic performance by both nations with Germany emerging in 2006 from a protracted period of stagnation. "We are confident that over the next years we will be able to increase the growth rate to 10 per cent and sustain it in the mid term," Chidambaram said. Glos told the press conference that the council meeting had represented "a milestone" in the economic relations between the two nations, while Chidambaram saw the gathering as strengthening the strategic partnership that had developed between the two nations. (IANS)
Thursday, September 27, 2007
India Multiple Choice Question Answers
Question: In which year was India's capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi?
1) 1935
2) 1900
3) 1911
4) 1929
Question: Where was India's first civilization settled?
1) Deccan
2) Indus Valley
3) Ganges Plain
4) Kashmir
Question: Who defeated the Marathas in the third battle of Panipat?
1) The British
2) The Afghans
3) The Mughals
4) The Rajputs
Question: Who completed the construction of Qutb Minar at Delhi?
1) Babur
2) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
3) Iltutmish
4) Humayun
Question: Who was the first Mughal emperor of India?
1) Ibrahim Lodhi
2) Sher Shah
3) Akbar
4) Babar
Question: Who built the Taj Mahal in India?
1) Akbar
2) Jahangir
3) Shah Jahan
4) Aurangzeb
Question: When did India achieve Independence?
1) September15,1940
2) January 26, 1950
3) August 15,1947
4) August 20,1949
Question: Who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913?
1) Debendranath Tagore
2) Rabindranath Tagore
3) Mohammad Iqbal
4) Mirza Galib
Question: Who was the first royal convert to Buddhism?
1) Chandragupta Maurya
2) Ashoka
3) Ajatashatru
4) Akbar
Question: During the reign of which emperor is the poet Kalidasa accepted to have lived?
1) Bimbisara
2) Akbar
3) Chandragupta Vikramaditya
4) Ashoka
Question: During the 1857 mutiny who was the queen of Jhansi's trusted general?
1) Hyder Ali
2) Tantia Tope
3) Bhagat Singh
4) Chandrasekhar Azad
Question: Who, in collaboration with the Japanese, started the 'Indian National Army', in the hope of expelling the British from India?
1) Gandhi
2) Tantia Tope
3) Bhagat Singh
4) Subhash Chandra Bose
Question: The daughter of what general of Alexander's army married Chandragupta Maurya?
1) Seleukos Nikator
2) Diomedes
3) Ptolemaius
4) Clitus
Question: What king was the first to use rockets in warfare?
1) Hyder Ali
2) Shah Jahan
3) Jehangir
4) Tipu Sultan
Question: The Brihadeeswara temple at Tanjore was built by an emperor of what dynasty?
1) Chola
2) Mughal
3) Chera
4) Pandya
Question: What ruler is referred to as the 'Mad Monarch'?
1) Mohammad bin Tughlaq
2) Ashoka
3) Akbar
4) Hyder Ali
Question: What theory of ancient Indian history has recently been disproved?
1) Gypsy migration theory
2) Aryan invasion theory
3) Theory of origin of Vedas
4) None of the above
Question: What age in Indian History is referred to as the 'Golden Age'?
1) Ancient
2) Maurya
3) Gupta
4) Mughal
Question: Everyone knows 'The Taj Mahal'. It was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan, but for whom?
1) Jahani Mahal
2) Farida Mahal
3) Mumtaz Mahal
4) Toba Begum
Question: In which Indian state is the Sun Temple of Konark located?
1) Tamil Nadu
2) Orissa
3) West Bengal
4) Assam
1) 1935
2) 1900
3) 1911
4) 1929
Question: Where was India's first civilization settled?
1) Deccan
2) Indus Valley
3) Ganges Plain
4) Kashmir
Question: Who defeated the Marathas in the third battle of Panipat?
1) The British
2) The Afghans
3) The Mughals
4) The Rajputs
Question: Who completed the construction of Qutb Minar at Delhi?
1) Babur
2) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
3) Iltutmish
4) Humayun
Question: Who was the first Mughal emperor of India?
1) Ibrahim Lodhi
2) Sher Shah
3) Akbar
4) Babar
Question: Who built the Taj Mahal in India?
1) Akbar
2) Jahangir
3) Shah Jahan
4) Aurangzeb
Question: When did India achieve Independence?
1) September15,1940
2) January 26, 1950
3) August 15,1947
4) August 20,1949
Question: Who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913?
1) Debendranath Tagore
2) Rabindranath Tagore
3) Mohammad Iqbal
4) Mirza Galib
Question: Who was the first royal convert to Buddhism?
1) Chandragupta Maurya
2) Ashoka
3) Ajatashatru
4) Akbar
Question: During the reign of which emperor is the poet Kalidasa accepted to have lived?
1) Bimbisara
2) Akbar
3) Chandragupta Vikramaditya
4) Ashoka
Question: During the 1857 mutiny who was the queen of Jhansi's trusted general?
1) Hyder Ali
2) Tantia Tope
3) Bhagat Singh
4) Chandrasekhar Azad
Question: Who, in collaboration with the Japanese, started the 'Indian National Army', in the hope of expelling the British from India?
1) Gandhi
2) Tantia Tope
3) Bhagat Singh
4) Subhash Chandra Bose
Question: The daughter of what general of Alexander's army married Chandragupta Maurya?
1) Seleukos Nikator
2) Diomedes
3) Ptolemaius
4) Clitus
Question: What king was the first to use rockets in warfare?
1) Hyder Ali
2) Shah Jahan
3) Jehangir
4) Tipu Sultan
Question: The Brihadeeswara temple at Tanjore was built by an emperor of what dynasty?
1) Chola
2) Mughal
3) Chera
4) Pandya
Question: What ruler is referred to as the 'Mad Monarch'?
1) Mohammad bin Tughlaq
2) Ashoka
3) Akbar
4) Hyder Ali
Question: What theory of ancient Indian history has recently been disproved?
1) Gypsy migration theory
2) Aryan invasion theory
3) Theory of origin of Vedas
4) None of the above
Question: What age in Indian History is referred to as the 'Golden Age'?
1) Ancient
2) Maurya
3) Gupta
4) Mughal
Question: Everyone knows 'The Taj Mahal'. It was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan, but for whom?
1) Jahani Mahal
2) Farida Mahal
3) Mumtaz Mahal
4) Toba Begum
Question: In which Indian state is the Sun Temple of Konark located?
1) Tamil Nadu
2) Orissa
3) West Bengal
4) Assam
Thursday, September 6, 2007
The World’s best General Knowledge Questions
We are used to seeing cars on the roads and planes in the sky. But these were not so common at one time. In a bid to do what others had not managed to do till then, certain enterprising people took up the challenge and designed and developed these wonderful transportation machines, which we now take for granted. Read here about the first steps in the development of these, now common, machines.
First Bicycle Prototype
John Kemp Starley built an earlier model of the cycle in 1870 and subsequently designed a number of safety bicycles. He finally built the Rover model with equal-sized wheels. This bicycle improved the performance of racing bicycles that had reached their maximum speed by 1884. The saddle, handlebars and crank axle were well balanced and logically placed, and this established the shape of the bicycle as we know it today. Two or three years thereafter, the bicycle's components such as the frame material, tyres, variable speed gears, saddle and chain were rapidly made practical.
First Self-powered Vehicle
The first vehicle to move of its own power, for which there is a record, was designed by Nicholas Joseph Cugnot and constructed by M. Brezin in 1769. The model on its first drive around Paris hit and knocked down a stone wall. It also had a tendency to tip over frontwards unless it was conterweighted with a canon in the rear. The purpose of the vehicle was to haul canons around town. This was the prototype for more refined self-powered vehicles to come.
First Controlled Aircraft
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were Americans generally credited with engineering controlled, powered, heavier-than-air human flight for the first time on December 17, 1903. In the two years thereafter, they developed their flying machine into the world's first practical fixed-wing aircraft. The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of ‘three axis-control’, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. This method has been used ever since by all fixed-wing aircrafts. From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on unlocking the secrets of control to conquer ‘the flying problem’ rather than developing powerful engines as some other experimenters did.
LONGEST MOVIE TITLE
India has the distinction of producing a feature film with the longest title. At Chennai in December 1994, a Telegu-film (Telegu is the state-language of Andhra Pradesh, a state in south India) was released with 20 words in its title: Shree Shree Rajadhiraja Shree Shree Madana Kamaraja Shree Shree Vilasa Raja Shree Shree Mahdubana Raja Shree Shree Krishnadeva Donda Raja. Lets see if you can memorize this one!
THE HIGHEST JUMPER
You won’t find them at the Olympics, but if they were allowed to participate, they would surely be the ones taking the gold medal in the high jump. We’re talking about fleas. The average flea can jump 200 mm (or 8 inches) into the air. For its size and weight, that’s amazing. To put things in perspective, the flea’s jump is equivalent to a human being jumping 130 metres (or 400 feet) high! Now that would be some world record!
THE LONGEST NAME FOR A PLACE
We’ve told you the longest name for a feature film before. If that was tough to remember, try this: `Taumatawkakatangihakoauauotanenuiarangikitanatahu.’ Well, that’s the longest name you will ever find for a place and its that for a nine hundred-foot hill in New Zealand. This 52-letter name is in the Maori language and means `the hill upon which Rangi sat and played the flute to his lady love.’
WHAT ARE DOGFIGHTS?
Dogfights were mid-air fights between single-seat scout planes in World War I. These planes usually had just one fixed forward-facing machine gun. This meant that the pilot had to aim the whole aircraft at the enemy to shoot, so flying skill was vital. Pilots who excelled were called “aces.” Aces such as Baron von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron, became famous for their exploits during World War I.
APPEARANCE OF WRISTWATCHES
The exact time of the appearance of the wristwatch is unknown. But in the early twentieth century women's pocket watches started appearing attached to leather and steel bands. These were worn on the wrist and were an immediate money-spinner as their utility was established. Their usage peaked during the World War I when the time could be seen without unbuttoning the coat or jacket. The first self-winding watch was invented by John Harwood an Englishman in 1924. He patented the design and marketed it with chutzpah. Today the largest and by far the best watch industry is concentrated in the Jura Mountains and the Aar valley of Switzerland.
BADMINTON ORIGINATED IN INDIA
Many believe that the badminton game originated in England, and that it is in fact an offshoot of tennis. But while the game's name certainly sounds very British, as does shuttlecock, badminton is an ancient game that originated in India, where it was called Poona! British army officers who played the game there in the nineteenth century brought it back to Great Britain. In 1873, the Duke of Beaufort entertained his guests with the game at a party he hosted in his home that was in Badminton, England. That's how Poona received its badminton name.
A MUSEUM OF TOILETS
While visiting a museum you may have felt the need to and thus may have visited the toilet. But here is a museum that showcases toilets itself. This unique museum is in Delhi's Mahavir Enclave, on the Palam Dabri Road. It has been set up by Sulabh International, an organization that is associated with pay and use toilets. Its museum of toilets traces the history of toilets over the last 4500 years. On display is a rare collection of privies, pots, bidets, water closets and the like dated from 1145 AD to the present day stylish ones!
QWERTY or DVORAK – WHICH DO YOUR FINGERS PREFER?
Does QWERTY sound familiar? Look down at your keyboard and find it there, all these are alphabets arranged in the top row on the left side of your keyboard. QWERTY is the name given to your keyboards. There is another one known as the DVORAK keyboard, which is considered to be more efficient. Yet QWERTY continues to be the popular keyboard (since it has already been around for a long time) and therefore is more commonly used.
LITTLE BOY OR BIG BOMB!
They say `little boy’s don’t cry.’ But this `Little Boy’ made millions of others cry. On August 6, 1945, what could have been a regular Monday morning this `Little Boy’, a rather unusual nickname for an atom bomb, was dropped from Enola Gay, a B-29 bomber that flew over Hiroshima.
`Little Boy’ exploded at around 8.15 a.m Japan time, about a minute after he was dropped. The blast occurred at an altitude of 2000 ft above the building
that is today called the "A-Bomb Dome."
ALL SPICE? OR ONE?
Take a sniff of ‘all spice powder’, a common ingredient called for in many a recipe. The sniff will remind you of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Well, all spice powder is not prepared by mixing all these three spices together, but is prepared by powdering the dried berries of the West Indian pepper tree. It is known by another name too – the pimento tree
DRESSING UP THE HUMBLE CABBAGE
Read through a story based in Russia and you will certainly find a mention of Sauerkraut. This is a delicacy prepared by paying a lot of attention to the humble cabbage. A huge wooden container is layered with shredded and salted cabbage and left to ferment for a month. It is often seasoned with fragrant spices like caraway seeds, peppercorns and juniper berries. It has been known to have been prepared in ancient Rome and China also. The fermenting enhances the nutritive value of cabbage and makes it rich in Vitamin C. Captain James Cook, the famous British Explorer ensured that sauerkraut was a part of his crew’s diet so that they would not fall prey to scurvy, a disease caused by the deficiency of Vitamin C.
WHEN PARROTS WENT TO WAR!
Did you know that parrots are not only good talkers, they are great listeners too. So sharp is their hearing that they can hear the most softest and distant of sounds and noise. It was thanks to their superb hearing powers that parrots actually came to play a dominant role in World War II. Employed by France, a part of the Allies, parrots were made to perch atop the Eiffel Tower and sound an alarm when they heard an approaching jet.
ON YOUR TOES!
Ballet is a form of dance that evolved in the Renaissance period in Western Europe. Several steps, movements and positions have been standardized and codified and formed into a well-defined system that is followed worldwide. Toe dancing is at times considered synonymous with ballet however it is only one of the several techniques in ballet. Ballet can also be performed without toe dancing. The earliest ballet performances were held in Italy. Later France gained prominence and ballet enjoyed royal patronage there. Then Russia emerged as another center for ballet and gradually it became popular worldwide, spawning in its wake various regional styles.
THE ILL-FATED TWINS – WTC
• The two towers of the World Trade Center stood tall at a height of 417 and 415 meters.
• The port authority of New York and New Jersey owned them.
• The architect who designed the buildings was Minoru Yamasaki, who is believed to have studied more than 100 different configurations before deciding on the twin tower and three lower rise structure design.
• The engineers in charge of the project were John Skilling and Leslie Robertson.
• The project was started in August 1966 and formally inaugurated in April 1973.
• The first tenants occupied the building even as work on the upper storeys was going on.
• The WTC (World Trade Center) was a complex of seven buildings built on a 16-acre plot.
• The two WTC towers were more than 100 feet higher than the silver mast of the Empire State Building.
• The core and elevator system were unique to the Towers, as they had to handle unprecedented heights.
RAVANA, NOT THE BAD RAKSHASA
King Rama I who ruled Thailand in the late eighteenth century is believed to have composed the Ramakian -- an adaptation of the Ramayana tailored to incorporate Buddhist ideas. King Rama encouraged the representation of the Ramakian as a dance drama and is even believed to have chalked out a curriculum to be followed for systematic training. Several years of rigorous training are required for the body to become supple and graceful. Ravana, known as Tosakanth in the Ramakian is not depicted as the bad rakshasa. Tosakanth, according to Ramakian did evil things because he was under the influence of bad emotions! A profound truth in keeping with Buddhist values -- Hate the evil, not the evildoer.
THE WORLD’S LARGEST PIZZA
The world’s largest pizza was ‘baked’ on October 11, 1987 in Havana, Florida and measured 140 feet across. That makes it a scrumptious 10,000 square feet of luscious pizza. Wonder how many people it would have taken to lift it. It weighed a whopping 44,457 pounds. And if you are wondering how much and what all ingredients went into its making, here’s the list.
• It took 18,174 pounds of flour
• 1,103 pounds of water
• 6,445 pounds of sauce
• 9,375 pounds of cheese
• 2,387 pounds of pepperoni
All that would amount to quite a few slices wouldn’t it? Well, it totalled to 94,248 slices of pizza and more than 30,000 people relished it!
WHY DOES ‘MAYDAY’ SIGNIFY DISTRESS?
The first day of the month of May is referred to as Mayday and is celebrated as ‘Workers Day’ all over the world. Ships in distress send out distress signals with the words ‘ Mayday…. Mayday’.
Is there a connection? No. The two are entirely distinct.
The term ‘Mayday’ for use to signify distress has its origins in a French word m'aidez that means ‘help me’ or m'aider that means ‘render help to me.’ The accepted way to send a distress message is to repeat the word ‘Mayday’ three times and then give the name of the vessel and other specifications like radio call sign and whereabouts if possible. And then there should be a follow up message with the word ‘Mayday’ again followed by any other information that may be of assistance to the rescuers.
‘Mayday’ was adopted as the internationally accepted distress call in the year 1927.
WAR DOES HAVE A FEW BENEFITS
When a country goes to war its citizens have to make sacrifices of many kinds. America and her citizens were no different; there were several instances of ‘tightening the belt’ everywhere during the Second World War.
A few of the interesting ones were – slicing of bread was banned as the metal used for making bread slicing machines could be used to serve the country better by being used to make guns, tanks and the like. Food was rationed and meat was very dear.
Resourceful Americans devised the ‘Truman burger’- a burger that used a patty made of mashed beans instead of the usual meat. The name honored the President Henry Truman.
DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE WORLD’S EARLIEST VENDING MACHINES?
Today the most popular use of a vending machine is for quenching thirst. You drop a coin into the machine and out comes a beverage in one of its many branded avatars. Something not very different happened in the ancient times. In the 1st Century AD, you could stand in front of a machine and drop a coin into a slot provided, the coin would slide down its designated path strike a lever which in turn would allow a valve to open and allow a certain amount of holy water to be discharged from the machine. This was the world’s first vend0ing machine of which there is a written record. And we owe the record to a Greek scientist - the Hero of Alexandria who wrote several volumes on mechanics, mathematics and physics.
LET’S MEET BEFANA THE WITCH
In Europe, children follow an old tradition of hanging stocking from the ends of their beds on the eve of the 6th of January. January 6th is the epiphany celebrates the adoration of Jesus by the three magi who, according to legend, came by camel to the cave in Bethlehem, guided by the light of a brilliant star.
On the night before, Befana the witch flies around the sky on a broomstick, leaving lots of presents for the children: oranges, dates, small sweet cakes, and a tiny little toy.
In Spain, the magi are called Los Reyes. Spanish children write letters to them like the ones that other children send to the baby Jesus or Father Christmas! In France, Belgium and Switzerland, on the epiphany it is customary to eat la galette Des Rois, a biscuit in which three white beans and one black bean are hidden. The lucky child who gets the black bean in his piece of biscuit then becomes king at the party which follows.
POPE LAUNCHES THE FIRST CALENDAR
The calendar, which is now in use in India, Europe, in Australia, in America, and in many other countries of the world, was introduced in 1582 by a pope: Pope Gregory XIII, and it is called the 'Gregorian calendar'. But not everyone started using it immediately. In Austria, Germany and most of Switzerland, the new calendar came into effect after two years; in Denmark and Norway in the year 1700; in Great Britain in 1752; in the Soviet Union in 1918; and in Turkey not until 1927.
Calendar is a word which comes from the Latin. In the time of the Romans, the 'Ralendae' or 'calends' was the first day of every month.
LOST? FEAR NOT. THE CHINESE WILL LEAD THE WAY!
The Chinese were responsible for the invention of the compass. They can also boast of having invented paper and gunpowder.
The Chinese have been knowledgeable about the magnetic needle for over 4,500 years. The credit of introducing the compass in Europe goes to the seafaring sailors from Italy in 1200. They had seen it in Syria and Egypt.
The standard compass that was accepted worldwide was built by an Englishman Sir W. Thomson in 1877.
SMOG SAVES KOKURA FROM NUCLEAR ATTACK
Virtually everybody knows the name of the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima - the Enola Gay - but how about the one that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, 3 days later? This B-29 was known as "Bock's Car", and Nagasaki was not its original target - the intended target city was Kokura, which escaped the scourge as the bomber was under orders to attack only a clear target and the city was shrouded in smog at the time. Nagasaki was the first alternative target city.
WHICH IS THE WORLD'S WORST NUCLEAR DISASTER?
On 26th April 1986 at 1.23 a.m.: The world's worst nuclear disaster took place at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in the northern Ukraine. 190 tons of highly radioactive uranium and graphite were expelled into the atmosphere. The result was an international ecological calamity.
The people of Chernobyl were exposed to radiation 90 times greater than from the Hiroshima bomb.
Almost 400,000 people have been forced to leave their homes as a result of the nuclear power plant explosion. An area the size of England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined - over 160,000 square kilometers - is estimated to have been contaminated by the disaster. Chiefly affected are Northern Ukraine, Western Russia and the Republic of Belarus.
Over 1.8 million people, including 500,000 children, live in radioactive zones in Belarus. Between three and five million people, including two million children, in the Ukraine live in radioactive zones. In the radioactive zone areas there are bans on children walking in forests or in rain, playing in the parks, and picking wild berries or flowers due to the high levels of radiation.
“The splitting of the atom has changed everything except our way of thinking and thus we drift towards unparalleled catastrophe.”
- Albert Einstein
ORIGINS OF THE BBC
The British Broadcasting Company was formed on December 15, 1922, and received its licence on January 18, 1923. It was backed by six great firms and licensed by the Postmaster-General until the end of 1926. A chain of eight stations was to be maintained and advertising was forbidden; the service was to be 'to the reasonable satisfaction of the Postmaster-General' "
The British Broadcasting Company became the British Broadcasting Corporation on January 1, 1927. The Crawford Committee, who were appointed by the government to advise on future management and control of the BBC recommended that broadcasting should be run by a public corporation 'acting as trustee for the national interest. They suggested the governors of the BBC should have the maximum of freedom within this framework. Broadcasting had become a monopoly, financed by licencing fees on radio receivers, and administered by an independent public corporation.
It was on this, that the present structure of the British Broadcasting Corporation is based.
LOST? FEAR NOT. THE CHINESE WILL LEAD THE WAY!
The Chinese were responsible for the invention of the compass. They can also boast of having invented paper and gunpowder.
The Chinese have been knowledgeable about the magnetic needle for over 4,500 years. The credit of introducing the compass in Europe goes to the seafaring sailors from Italy in 1200. They had seen it in Syria and Egypt.
The standard compass that was accepted worldwide was built by an Englishman Sir W. Thomson in 1877.
SMOG SAVES KOKURA FROM NUCLEAR ATTACK
Virtually everybody knows the name of the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima - the Enola Gay - but how about the one that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, 3 days later? This B-29 was known as "Bock's Car", and Nagasaki was not its original target - the intended target city was Kokura, which escaped the scourge as the bomber was under orders to attack only a clear target and the city was shrouded in smog at the time. Nagasaki was the first alternative target city.
WHICH IS THE WORLD'S WORST NUCLEAR DISASTER?
On 26th April 1986 at 1.23 a.m.: The world's worst nuclear disaster took place at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in the northern Ukraine. 190 tons of highly radioactive uranium and graphite were expelled into the atmosphere. The result was an international ecological calamity.
The people of Chernobyl were exposed to radiation 90 times greater than from the Hiroshima bomb.
Almost 400,000 people have been forced to leave their homes as a result of the nuclear power plant explosion. An area the size of England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined - over 160,000 square kilometers - is estimated to have been contaminated by the disaster. Chiefly affected are Northern Ukraine, Western Russia and the Republic of Belarus.
Over 1.8 million people, including 500,000 children, live in radioactive zones in Belarus. Between three and five million people, including two million children, in the Ukraine live in radioactive zones. In the radioactive zone areas there are bans on children walking in forests or in rain, playing in the parks, and picking wild berries or flowers due to the high levels of radiation.
“The splitting of the atom has changed everything except our way of thinking and thus we drift towards unparalleled catastrophe.”
- Albert Einstein
THE WAR OF ROSES
Flowers have always symbolized nature’s expression of endearment. Be it a rose on Pandit Nehru’s Sherwani or “Daffodils” of
William Wordsworth, flowers are timeless and a joy to behold.
However, the symbol of flowers is not without its sense of irony.
The famous War of Roses evidences this irony. The English aristocracy destroyed itself in a civil war called the War of the Roses, 1455-1485. Two factions fought for the throne of England. A White rose symbolized the House of York and a Red rose symbolized the house of Lancaster.
The war ended when Henry VII, the first Tudor king, ascended the throne.
ORIGINS OF THE BBC
The British Broadcasting Company was formed on December 15, 1922, and received its licence on January 18, 1923. It was backed by six great firms and licensed by the Postmaster-General until the end of 1926. A chain of eight stations was to be maintained and advertising was forbidden; the service was to be 'to the reasonable satisfaction of the Postmaster-General' "
The British Broadcasting Company became the British Broadcasting Corporation on January 1, 1927. The Crawford Committee, who were appointed by the government to advise on future management and control of the BBC recommended that broadcasting should be run by a public corporation 'acting as trustee for the national interest. They suggested the governors of the BBC should have the maximum of freedom within this framework. Broadcasting had become a monopoly, financed by licencing fees on radio receivers, and administered by an independent public corporation.
It was on this, that the present structure of the British Broadcasting Corporation is based.
First Bicycle Prototype
John Kemp Starley built an earlier model of the cycle in 1870 and subsequently designed a number of safety bicycles. He finally built the Rover model with equal-sized wheels. This bicycle improved the performance of racing bicycles that had reached their maximum speed by 1884. The saddle, handlebars and crank axle were well balanced and logically placed, and this established the shape of the bicycle as we know it today. Two or three years thereafter, the bicycle's components such as the frame material, tyres, variable speed gears, saddle and chain were rapidly made practical.
First Self-powered Vehicle
The first vehicle to move of its own power, for which there is a record, was designed by Nicholas Joseph Cugnot and constructed by M. Brezin in 1769. The model on its first drive around Paris hit and knocked down a stone wall. It also had a tendency to tip over frontwards unless it was conterweighted with a canon in the rear. The purpose of the vehicle was to haul canons around town. This was the prototype for more refined self-powered vehicles to come.
First Controlled Aircraft
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were Americans generally credited with engineering controlled, powered, heavier-than-air human flight for the first time on December 17, 1903. In the two years thereafter, they developed their flying machine into the world's first practical fixed-wing aircraft. The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of ‘three axis-control’, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. This method has been used ever since by all fixed-wing aircrafts. From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on unlocking the secrets of control to conquer ‘the flying problem’ rather than developing powerful engines as some other experimenters did.
LONGEST MOVIE TITLE
India has the distinction of producing a feature film with the longest title. At Chennai in December 1994, a Telegu-film (Telegu is the state-language of Andhra Pradesh, a state in south India) was released with 20 words in its title: Shree Shree Rajadhiraja Shree Shree Madana Kamaraja Shree Shree Vilasa Raja Shree Shree Mahdubana Raja Shree Shree Krishnadeva Donda Raja. Lets see if you can memorize this one!
THE HIGHEST JUMPER
You won’t find them at the Olympics, but if they were allowed to participate, they would surely be the ones taking the gold medal in the high jump. We’re talking about fleas. The average flea can jump 200 mm (or 8 inches) into the air. For its size and weight, that’s amazing. To put things in perspective, the flea’s jump is equivalent to a human being jumping 130 metres (or 400 feet) high! Now that would be some world record!
THE LONGEST NAME FOR A PLACE
We’ve told you the longest name for a feature film before. If that was tough to remember, try this: `Taumatawkakatangihakoauauotanenuiarangikitanatahu.’ Well, that’s the longest name you will ever find for a place and its that for a nine hundred-foot hill in New Zealand. This 52-letter name is in the Maori language and means `the hill upon which Rangi sat and played the flute to his lady love.’
WHAT ARE DOGFIGHTS?
Dogfights were mid-air fights between single-seat scout planes in World War I. These planes usually had just one fixed forward-facing machine gun. This meant that the pilot had to aim the whole aircraft at the enemy to shoot, so flying skill was vital. Pilots who excelled were called “aces.” Aces such as Baron von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron, became famous for their exploits during World War I.
APPEARANCE OF WRISTWATCHES
The exact time of the appearance of the wristwatch is unknown. But in the early twentieth century women's pocket watches started appearing attached to leather and steel bands. These were worn on the wrist and were an immediate money-spinner as their utility was established. Their usage peaked during the World War I when the time could be seen without unbuttoning the coat or jacket. The first self-winding watch was invented by John Harwood an Englishman in 1924. He patented the design and marketed it with chutzpah. Today the largest and by far the best watch industry is concentrated in the Jura Mountains and the Aar valley of Switzerland.
BADMINTON ORIGINATED IN INDIA
Many believe that the badminton game originated in England, and that it is in fact an offshoot of tennis. But while the game's name certainly sounds very British, as does shuttlecock, badminton is an ancient game that originated in India, where it was called Poona! British army officers who played the game there in the nineteenth century brought it back to Great Britain. In 1873, the Duke of Beaufort entertained his guests with the game at a party he hosted in his home that was in Badminton, England. That's how Poona received its badminton name.
A MUSEUM OF TOILETS
While visiting a museum you may have felt the need to and thus may have visited the toilet. But here is a museum that showcases toilets itself. This unique museum is in Delhi's Mahavir Enclave, on the Palam Dabri Road. It has been set up by Sulabh International, an organization that is associated with pay and use toilets. Its museum of toilets traces the history of toilets over the last 4500 years. On display is a rare collection of privies, pots, bidets, water closets and the like dated from 1145 AD to the present day stylish ones!
QWERTY or DVORAK – WHICH DO YOUR FINGERS PREFER?
Does QWERTY sound familiar? Look down at your keyboard and find it there, all these are alphabets arranged in the top row on the left side of your keyboard. QWERTY is the name given to your keyboards. There is another one known as the DVORAK keyboard, which is considered to be more efficient. Yet QWERTY continues to be the popular keyboard (since it has already been around for a long time) and therefore is more commonly used.
LITTLE BOY OR BIG BOMB!
They say `little boy’s don’t cry.’ But this `Little Boy’ made millions of others cry. On August 6, 1945, what could have been a regular Monday morning this `Little Boy’, a rather unusual nickname for an atom bomb, was dropped from Enola Gay, a B-29 bomber that flew over Hiroshima.
`Little Boy’ exploded at around 8.15 a.m Japan time, about a minute after he was dropped. The blast occurred at an altitude of 2000 ft above the building
that is today called the "A-Bomb Dome."
ALL SPICE? OR ONE?
Take a sniff of ‘all spice powder’, a common ingredient called for in many a recipe. The sniff will remind you of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Well, all spice powder is not prepared by mixing all these three spices together, but is prepared by powdering the dried berries of the West Indian pepper tree. It is known by another name too – the pimento tree
DRESSING UP THE HUMBLE CABBAGE
Read through a story based in Russia and you will certainly find a mention of Sauerkraut. This is a delicacy prepared by paying a lot of attention to the humble cabbage. A huge wooden container is layered with shredded and salted cabbage and left to ferment for a month. It is often seasoned with fragrant spices like caraway seeds, peppercorns and juniper berries. It has been known to have been prepared in ancient Rome and China also. The fermenting enhances the nutritive value of cabbage and makes it rich in Vitamin C. Captain James Cook, the famous British Explorer ensured that sauerkraut was a part of his crew’s diet so that they would not fall prey to scurvy, a disease caused by the deficiency of Vitamin C.
WHEN PARROTS WENT TO WAR!
Did you know that parrots are not only good talkers, they are great listeners too. So sharp is their hearing that they can hear the most softest and distant of sounds and noise. It was thanks to their superb hearing powers that parrots actually came to play a dominant role in World War II. Employed by France, a part of the Allies, parrots were made to perch atop the Eiffel Tower and sound an alarm when they heard an approaching jet.
ON YOUR TOES!
Ballet is a form of dance that evolved in the Renaissance period in Western Europe. Several steps, movements and positions have been standardized and codified and formed into a well-defined system that is followed worldwide. Toe dancing is at times considered synonymous with ballet however it is only one of the several techniques in ballet. Ballet can also be performed without toe dancing. The earliest ballet performances were held in Italy. Later France gained prominence and ballet enjoyed royal patronage there. Then Russia emerged as another center for ballet and gradually it became popular worldwide, spawning in its wake various regional styles.
THE ILL-FATED TWINS – WTC
• The two towers of the World Trade Center stood tall at a height of 417 and 415 meters.
• The port authority of New York and New Jersey owned them.
• The architect who designed the buildings was Minoru Yamasaki, who is believed to have studied more than 100 different configurations before deciding on the twin tower and three lower rise structure design.
• The engineers in charge of the project were John Skilling and Leslie Robertson.
• The project was started in August 1966 and formally inaugurated in April 1973.
• The first tenants occupied the building even as work on the upper storeys was going on.
• The WTC (World Trade Center) was a complex of seven buildings built on a 16-acre plot.
• The two WTC towers were more than 100 feet higher than the silver mast of the Empire State Building.
• The core and elevator system were unique to the Towers, as they had to handle unprecedented heights.
RAVANA, NOT THE BAD RAKSHASA
King Rama I who ruled Thailand in the late eighteenth century is believed to have composed the Ramakian -- an adaptation of the Ramayana tailored to incorporate Buddhist ideas. King Rama encouraged the representation of the Ramakian as a dance drama and is even believed to have chalked out a curriculum to be followed for systematic training. Several years of rigorous training are required for the body to become supple and graceful. Ravana, known as Tosakanth in the Ramakian is not depicted as the bad rakshasa. Tosakanth, according to Ramakian did evil things because he was under the influence of bad emotions! A profound truth in keeping with Buddhist values -- Hate the evil, not the evildoer.
THE WORLD’S LARGEST PIZZA
The world’s largest pizza was ‘baked’ on October 11, 1987 in Havana, Florida and measured 140 feet across. That makes it a scrumptious 10,000 square feet of luscious pizza. Wonder how many people it would have taken to lift it. It weighed a whopping 44,457 pounds. And if you are wondering how much and what all ingredients went into its making, here’s the list.
• It took 18,174 pounds of flour
• 1,103 pounds of water
• 6,445 pounds of sauce
• 9,375 pounds of cheese
• 2,387 pounds of pepperoni
All that would amount to quite a few slices wouldn’t it? Well, it totalled to 94,248 slices of pizza and more than 30,000 people relished it!
WHY DOES ‘MAYDAY’ SIGNIFY DISTRESS?
The first day of the month of May is referred to as Mayday and is celebrated as ‘Workers Day’ all over the world. Ships in distress send out distress signals with the words ‘ Mayday…. Mayday’.
Is there a connection? No. The two are entirely distinct.
The term ‘Mayday’ for use to signify distress has its origins in a French word m'aidez that means ‘help me’ or m'aider that means ‘render help to me.’ The accepted way to send a distress message is to repeat the word ‘Mayday’ three times and then give the name of the vessel and other specifications like radio call sign and whereabouts if possible. And then there should be a follow up message with the word ‘Mayday’ again followed by any other information that may be of assistance to the rescuers.
‘Mayday’ was adopted as the internationally accepted distress call in the year 1927.
WAR DOES HAVE A FEW BENEFITS
When a country goes to war its citizens have to make sacrifices of many kinds. America and her citizens were no different; there were several instances of ‘tightening the belt’ everywhere during the Second World War.
A few of the interesting ones were – slicing of bread was banned as the metal used for making bread slicing machines could be used to serve the country better by being used to make guns, tanks and the like. Food was rationed and meat was very dear.
Resourceful Americans devised the ‘Truman burger’- a burger that used a patty made of mashed beans instead of the usual meat. The name honored the President Henry Truman.
DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE WORLD’S EARLIEST VENDING MACHINES?
Today the most popular use of a vending machine is for quenching thirst. You drop a coin into the machine and out comes a beverage in one of its many branded avatars. Something not very different happened in the ancient times. In the 1st Century AD, you could stand in front of a machine and drop a coin into a slot provided, the coin would slide down its designated path strike a lever which in turn would allow a valve to open and allow a certain amount of holy water to be discharged from the machine. This was the world’s first vend0ing machine of which there is a written record. And we owe the record to a Greek scientist - the Hero of Alexandria who wrote several volumes on mechanics, mathematics and physics.
LET’S MEET BEFANA THE WITCH
In Europe, children follow an old tradition of hanging stocking from the ends of their beds on the eve of the 6th of January. January 6th is the epiphany celebrates the adoration of Jesus by the three magi who, according to legend, came by camel to the cave in Bethlehem, guided by the light of a brilliant star.
On the night before, Befana the witch flies around the sky on a broomstick, leaving lots of presents for the children: oranges, dates, small sweet cakes, and a tiny little toy.
In Spain, the magi are called Los Reyes. Spanish children write letters to them like the ones that other children send to the baby Jesus or Father Christmas! In France, Belgium and Switzerland, on the epiphany it is customary to eat la galette Des Rois, a biscuit in which three white beans and one black bean are hidden. The lucky child who gets the black bean in his piece of biscuit then becomes king at the party which follows.
POPE LAUNCHES THE FIRST CALENDAR
The calendar, which is now in use in India, Europe, in Australia, in America, and in many other countries of the world, was introduced in 1582 by a pope: Pope Gregory XIII, and it is called the 'Gregorian calendar'. But not everyone started using it immediately. In Austria, Germany and most of Switzerland, the new calendar came into effect after two years; in Denmark and Norway in the year 1700; in Great Britain in 1752; in the Soviet Union in 1918; and in Turkey not until 1927.
Calendar is a word which comes from the Latin. In the time of the Romans, the 'Ralendae' or 'calends' was the first day of every month.
LOST? FEAR NOT. THE CHINESE WILL LEAD THE WAY!
The Chinese were responsible for the invention of the compass. They can also boast of having invented paper and gunpowder.
The Chinese have been knowledgeable about the magnetic needle for over 4,500 years. The credit of introducing the compass in Europe goes to the seafaring sailors from Italy in 1200. They had seen it in Syria and Egypt.
The standard compass that was accepted worldwide was built by an Englishman Sir W. Thomson in 1877.
SMOG SAVES KOKURA FROM NUCLEAR ATTACK
Virtually everybody knows the name of the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima - the Enola Gay - but how about the one that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, 3 days later? This B-29 was known as "Bock's Car", and Nagasaki was not its original target - the intended target city was Kokura, which escaped the scourge as the bomber was under orders to attack only a clear target and the city was shrouded in smog at the time. Nagasaki was the first alternative target city.
WHICH IS THE WORLD'S WORST NUCLEAR DISASTER?
On 26th April 1986 at 1.23 a.m.: The world's worst nuclear disaster took place at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in the northern Ukraine. 190 tons of highly radioactive uranium and graphite were expelled into the atmosphere. The result was an international ecological calamity.
The people of Chernobyl were exposed to radiation 90 times greater than from the Hiroshima bomb.
Almost 400,000 people have been forced to leave their homes as a result of the nuclear power plant explosion. An area the size of England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined - over 160,000 square kilometers - is estimated to have been contaminated by the disaster. Chiefly affected are Northern Ukraine, Western Russia and the Republic of Belarus.
Over 1.8 million people, including 500,000 children, live in radioactive zones in Belarus. Between three and five million people, including two million children, in the Ukraine live in radioactive zones. In the radioactive zone areas there are bans on children walking in forests or in rain, playing in the parks, and picking wild berries or flowers due to the high levels of radiation.
“The splitting of the atom has changed everything except our way of thinking and thus we drift towards unparalleled catastrophe.”
- Albert Einstein
ORIGINS OF THE BBC
The British Broadcasting Company was formed on December 15, 1922, and received its licence on January 18, 1923. It was backed by six great firms and licensed by the Postmaster-General until the end of 1926. A chain of eight stations was to be maintained and advertising was forbidden; the service was to be 'to the reasonable satisfaction of the Postmaster-General' "
The British Broadcasting Company became the British Broadcasting Corporation on January 1, 1927. The Crawford Committee, who were appointed by the government to advise on future management and control of the BBC recommended that broadcasting should be run by a public corporation 'acting as trustee for the national interest. They suggested the governors of the BBC should have the maximum of freedom within this framework. Broadcasting had become a monopoly, financed by licencing fees on radio receivers, and administered by an independent public corporation.
It was on this, that the present structure of the British Broadcasting Corporation is based.
LOST? FEAR NOT. THE CHINESE WILL LEAD THE WAY!
The Chinese were responsible for the invention of the compass. They can also boast of having invented paper and gunpowder.
The Chinese have been knowledgeable about the magnetic needle for over 4,500 years. The credit of introducing the compass in Europe goes to the seafaring sailors from Italy in 1200. They had seen it in Syria and Egypt.
The standard compass that was accepted worldwide was built by an Englishman Sir W. Thomson in 1877.
SMOG SAVES KOKURA FROM NUCLEAR ATTACK
Virtually everybody knows the name of the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima - the Enola Gay - but how about the one that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, 3 days later? This B-29 was known as "Bock's Car", and Nagasaki was not its original target - the intended target city was Kokura, which escaped the scourge as the bomber was under orders to attack only a clear target and the city was shrouded in smog at the time. Nagasaki was the first alternative target city.
WHICH IS THE WORLD'S WORST NUCLEAR DISASTER?
On 26th April 1986 at 1.23 a.m.: The world's worst nuclear disaster took place at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in the northern Ukraine. 190 tons of highly radioactive uranium and graphite were expelled into the atmosphere. The result was an international ecological calamity.
The people of Chernobyl were exposed to radiation 90 times greater than from the Hiroshima bomb.
Almost 400,000 people have been forced to leave their homes as a result of the nuclear power plant explosion. An area the size of England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined - over 160,000 square kilometers - is estimated to have been contaminated by the disaster. Chiefly affected are Northern Ukraine, Western Russia and the Republic of Belarus.
Over 1.8 million people, including 500,000 children, live in radioactive zones in Belarus. Between three and five million people, including two million children, in the Ukraine live in radioactive zones. In the radioactive zone areas there are bans on children walking in forests or in rain, playing in the parks, and picking wild berries or flowers due to the high levels of radiation.
“The splitting of the atom has changed everything except our way of thinking and thus we drift towards unparalleled catastrophe.”
- Albert Einstein
THE WAR OF ROSES
Flowers have always symbolized nature’s expression of endearment. Be it a rose on Pandit Nehru’s Sherwani or “Daffodils” of
William Wordsworth, flowers are timeless and a joy to behold.
However, the symbol of flowers is not without its sense of irony.
The famous War of Roses evidences this irony. The English aristocracy destroyed itself in a civil war called the War of the Roses, 1455-1485. Two factions fought for the throne of England. A White rose symbolized the House of York and a Red rose symbolized the house of Lancaster.
The war ended when Henry VII, the first Tudor king, ascended the throne.
ORIGINS OF THE BBC
The British Broadcasting Company was formed on December 15, 1922, and received its licence on January 18, 1923. It was backed by six great firms and licensed by the Postmaster-General until the end of 1926. A chain of eight stations was to be maintained and advertising was forbidden; the service was to be 'to the reasonable satisfaction of the Postmaster-General' "
The British Broadcasting Company became the British Broadcasting Corporation on January 1, 1927. The Crawford Committee, who were appointed by the government to advise on future management and control of the BBC recommended that broadcasting should be run by a public corporation 'acting as trustee for the national interest. They suggested the governors of the BBC should have the maximum of freedom within this framework. Broadcasting had become a monopoly, financed by licencing fees on radio receivers, and administered by an independent public corporation.
It was on this, that the present structure of the British Broadcasting Corporation is based.
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