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Indian Remote Sensing

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:29:08 GMT

IRS Data Applications

Data from Indian Remote Sensing Satellite is used for various applications of resources survey and management under the National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS).

    * Preharvest crop acreage and production estimation of major crops.
    * Drought monitoring and assessment based on vegetation condition.
    * Flood risk zone mapping and flood damage assessment.
    * Hydro-geomorphological maps for locating underground water resources for drilling well.
    * Irrigation command area status monitoring
    * Snow-melt run-off estimates for planning water use in down stream projects
    * Land use and land cover mapping
    * Urban planning
    * Forest survey
    * Wetland mapping
    * Environmental impact analysis
    * Mineral Prospecting
    * Coastal studies
    * Integrated Mission for Sustainable Development for generating locale-specific prescriptions for integrated land and water resources development in 174 districts.

Pineapple History

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:54:08 GMT

The natives of southern Brazil and Paraguay spread the pineapple throughout South America, and it eventually reached the Caribbean. Columbus discovered it in the Indies and brought it back with him to Europe. The Spanish introduced it into the Philippines, Hawaii, Zimbabwe and Guam. The fruit was cultivated successfully in European hothouses, and pineapple pits, beginning in 1720. Commonly grown cultivars include 'Red Spanish', 'Hilo', 'Smooth Cayenne', 'St. Michael', 'Kona Sugarloaf', 'Natal Queen', and 'Pernambuco'.

The pineapple was introduced to Hawaii in 1813; exports of canned pineapples began in 1892. Large scale pineapple cultivation by U.S. companies began in the early 1900s on Hawaii. Among the most famous and influential pineapple industrialists was James Dole, who started a pineapple plantation in Hawaii in the year 1900. The companies Dole and Del Monte began growing pineapple on the island of Oahu in 1901 and 1917, respectively. Maui Pineapple Company began pineapple cultivation on the island of Maui in 1909. In 2006, Del Monte announced its withdrawal from pineapple cultivation in Hawaii, leaving only Dole and Maui Pineapple Company in Hawaii as the USA’s largest growers of pineapples. Maui Pineapple Company markets its Maui Gold brand of pineapple and Dole markets its Hawaii Gold brand of pineapple.

In the USA in 1986, the Pineapple Research Institute was dissolved and its assets were divided between Del Monte and Maui Land and Pineapple. Del Monte took 73-114, which it dubbed MD-2, to its plantations in Costa Rica, found it to be well-suited to growing there, and launched it publicly in 1996. (Del Monte also began marketing 73-50, dubbed CO-2, as Del Monte Gold). In 1997, Del Monte began marketing its Gold Extra Sweet pineapple, known internally as MD-2. MD-2 is a hybrid that originated in the breeding program of the now-defunct Pineapple Research Institute in Hawaii, which conducted research on behalf of Del Monte, Maui Land & Pineapple Company, and Dole.

BATA History

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:25:41 GMT

The company was founded in 1894 in Zl�n by Tomas Baťa whose family had been cobblers for generations. A large order from the army, military shoes and rising demand for them, during World War I started rapid growth and small manufacture turned into modern industrial concern, one of the first mass producers of shoes.

Tomas Baťa was recognized for his social conscience, establishing housing, cinemas and advancement programmes for his employees. The phrase "work collectively, live individually" is one of his sayings. Baťa recognized the potential of large-scale production, and was often called the "Henry Ford of Eastern Europe". He saw technology as a means of progress, and wanted to make the shoes as cheaply as possible so that the greatest number of people could access them

In 1932 Tom� died in a plane crash at the Zl�n airport (attempting to take-off under bad weather conditions) and his half-brother Jan Anton�n Baťa became head of the company.

At the time of Tomas death, the Baťa Company employed 16,560 people, maintained 1,645 shops and 25 enterprises. Most of what Tomas had built was centralized in Bohemia-Moravia (15,770 employees, 1,500 shops, 25 enterprises) and Slovakia (250 employees and 2 enterprises). The total international contribution to the Baťa organization at the time of Tomas' death consisted of 20 international enterprises, 132 shops, and 790 employees. They are made from batter. That why they are called Bata shoes.

Stonehenge in Manhatta

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:25:19 GMT

On the island of Manhattan, in New York City, the roads are arranged in a grid: avenues run north and south, streets run east and west.

Twice a year, in an event known as Manhattanhenge, the sun sets in precise alignment with Manhattan's streets, illuminating each street for about the final fifteen minutes of each day.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson compares this event to Stonehenge and the summer solstice:

"What will future civilizations think of Manhattan Island when they dig it up and find a carefully laid out network of streets and avenues? Surely the grid would be presumed to have astronomical significance, just as we have found for the pre-historic circle of large vertical rocks known as Stonehenge, in the Salisbury Plain of England. For Stonehenge, the special day is the summer solstice, when the Sun rose in perfect alignment with several of the stones, signaling the change of season."

This year's Manhattanhenge occurred on May 30, but you'll get a second chance on July 12, when half of the sun will illuminate Manhattan's street grid, as in the photo above. On July 13, you'll see the entire sun on the horizon.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:47:05 GMT

The Indian space programme was institutionalized in 1969 with the formation of Indian Space Research Organisation [ISRO]. Indian space programme is aimed at promoting the development and application of space science and technology for the socio-economic benefit of the country and also providing valuable service to the Nation in a self reliant manner and witnessed several major accomplishments and scaled newer heights in the recent past. The remarkable successes in space programme were the result of well-orchestrated activities undertaken by the department aimed at mastering cutting edge technology through indigenous efforts and utilising the expertise available within the organisation. The two major operational space systems - Indian National Satellite (INSAT) for telecommunication, television broadcasting and meteorological services and Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) Satellite for resources monitoring and management - together with the two operational launch vehicles, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) primarily for launching remote sensing satellites into polar orbits and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) for launching communication and meteorological satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) are providing valuable services to the nation.

The space programme has made a multi-quantum forward leap, making India a major self-reliant space power. The future ISRO programme envisages development of cutting edge technologies for reusable launch vehicle, development of advanced technologies Human Spaceflight Programme, advanced high efficiency semi-cryogenic propulsion system, advanced communication satellite, air breathing propulsion, satellite based navigation system, hyper spectral imaging sensors, and inter planetary missions. ISRO has a strong base in space science too and the first Indian scientific mission to the Moon - Chandrayaan - 1 has been launched and advanced Astronomical Satellite is slated for launch in the near future.

By Joseph Letzelter

Fishing Guide

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:57:32 GMT

The Montana Fishing Guide. This guide is easy to use and will help you find lots of great places to go fishing. The guide includes angling and recreation information on hundreds of fishable waters, but not all streams, lakes and ponds with good fishing are included so you may still want to talk to your favorite fishing shop for more ideas. And before you go fishing on any Montana waters, you should always check the Montana fishing regulations or boating regulations for additional important information. So, take a few minutes to browse this site and see how easy it is to find information on fish distribution, fishing access sites, maps and much more.

Ballooning History

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:32:23 GMT

The caged duck looked down as terra firma slowly drifted away. Above the duck, a balloon, constructed of paper and fabric, provided the lift necessary to carry aloft the duck and its companions, a sheep and a rooster. Never before had a human, let alone a duck, flown in a balloon. The year was 1783, a milestone year for aviation�the dream of flying had finally been realized. On October 15th of that year, a few months after the duck's historic flight, a balloon, 'Aerostat Reveillon,' launched in France, carrying scientist Pilatre De Rozier, and rose to the end of its 250 foot tether. It stayed aloft for fifteen minutes and then landed safely nearby.

A month later De Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes flew, untethered, to 500 feet and traveled about five and a half miles in a 20-minute flight, the first 'free flight' made by man. The Montgolfier-designed balloon was heated by a straw fire that eventually caused the balloon to catch on fire, but the two French brothers soon went on to design the first successful, unmanned (and unducked for that matter) balloon.

Although these early crude balloons were a far cry from today's high-tech contraptions, the science of ballooning and sending humans aloft had begun. In the years to follow, humans had access to the skies like never before, and with the advent of hydrogen ballooning, even the sky seemed to offer no limit. What follows is a brief outline of milestones in ballooning history:

Video Games History

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:24:24 GMT

The first video games were designed in the 1960s and 1970s by programmers for whom creating games was a hobby, since there was no way to sell them or earn money from creating games (the games required large mainframe computers to play). Some were made by electrical engineers as exhibits for visitors to computer labs , others by college students who wrote games for their friends to play .

Some of the games designed during this era, such as Zork, Baseball, Air Warrior and Adventure later made the transition with their game designers into the early video game industry.

Early in the history of video games, game designers were often the lead programmer or the only programmer for a game, and this remained true as the video game industry expanded in the 1970s. This person also sometimes comprised the entire art team. This is the case of such noted designers as Sid Meier, Chris Sawyer and Will Wright. A notable exception to this policy was Coleco, which from its very start separated the function of design and programming.

As games became more complex and computers and consoles became more powerful (allowing more features), the job of the game designer became a separate job function, with the lead programmer splitting his time between the two functions, moving from one role to the other. Later, game complexity escalated to the point where it required someone who concentrated solely on game design. Many early veterans chose the game design path eschewing programming and delegating those tasks to others.

Today, it is rare to find a video or computer game where the principal programmer is also the principal designer, except in the case of casual games, such as Tetris or Bejeweled. With very complex games, such as MMORPGs, or a big budget action or sports title, designers may number in the dozens. In these cases, there are generally one or two principal designers and many junior designers who specify subsets or subsystems of the game. In larger companies like Electronic Arts, each aspect of the game (control, level design or vehicles) may have a separate producer, lead designer and several general designers.

Bronze Age of India

Sat, 16 May 2009 14:30:13 GMT

The Bronze Age on the Indian subcontinent began around 3300 BCE with the beginning of the Indus Valley Civilization. It is primarily centred in modern day India (Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan) and today's Pakistan (Sindh and Punjab). Historically part of Ancient India, it is one of the world's three earliest urban civilizations along with Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. Inhabitants of the ancient Indus river valley, the Harappans, developed new techniques in metallurgy and produced copper, bronze, lead and tin.

The Indus Valley Civilization which flourished from about 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE marked the beginning of the urban civilization on the subcontinent. The ancient civilization included urban centers such as Dholavira, Kalibangan, Rupar, Rakhigarhi, Lothal in modern day India and Harappa, Ganeriwala, Mohenjo-daro in modern day Pakistan. The civilization is noted for its cities built of brick, road-side drainage system and multi-storied houses.

It was centred on the Indus River and its tributaries, and extended into the Ghaggar-Hakra River valley, the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, Gujarat, and northern Afghanistan.

Taj Mahal and its Informations

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:04:44 GMT

Sheer poetry in marble. Majesty and magnificence, unrivalled, the Taj Mahal is the only one of its kind across the world. The monumental labour of love of a great ruler for his beloved queen. The ultimate realisation of Emperor Shahjahan's dream. One of the wonders of the world. From 1631 A.D., it took 22 years in its making. An estimated 20,000 people worked to complete the enchanting mausoleum, on the banks of the Yamuna. For a breathtaking beautiful view of the Taj Mahal, one has to see it by moonlight.

History

The construction of this marble masterpiece is credited to the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan who erected this mausoleum in memory of his beloved wife, Arjumand Bano Begum, popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal, who died in A.H. 1040 (A.D. 1630). Her last wish to her husband was "to build a tomb in her memory such as the world had never seen before". Thus emperor Shah Jahan set about building this fairytale like marvel. The construction of Taj Mahal was started in A.D. 1632 and completed at the end of 1648 A.D. For seventeen years, twenty thousand workmen are said to be employed on it daily, for their accommodation a small town, named after the deceased empress-'Mumtazabad, now known as Taj Ganj, was built adjacent to it.

Amanat Khan Shirazi was the calligrapher of Taj Mahal, his name occurs at the end of an inscription on one of the gates of the Taj. Poet Ghyasuddin had designed the verses on the tombstone, while Ismail Khan Afridi of Turkey was the dome maker. Muhammad Hanif was the superintendent of Masons. The designer of Taj Mahal was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. The material was brought in from all over India and central Asia and it took a fleet of 1000 elephants to transport it to the site. The central dome is 187 feet high at the centre. Red sandstone was brought from Fatehpur Sikri, Jasper from Punjab, Jade and Crystal from China, Turquoise from Tibet, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire from Sri Lanka, Coal and Cornelian from Arabia and diamonds from Panna. In all 28 kind of rare, semi precious and precious stones were used for inlay work in the Taj Mahal. The chief building material, the white marble was brought from the quarries of Makrana, in district Nagaur, Rajasthan.

Entrance

The main gate of Taj faces the Southern gate. The gateway is 151 feet by 117 feet and rises to a height of 100 feet. Tourists can enter the main compound by a small gate at the side of the main gate.

Main Gate

This main gate of red sandstone measures 30 mt. in height. It is inscribed with verses from the Koran in Arabic. The small domed pavilions on top are in Hindu style and signify regality. A striking feature of the gateway is that the lettering appears to be of the same size. The engravers have skillfully enlarged and lengthened the letters which create an illusion of uniformity.

Well laid out gardens measuring 300 x 300 mt. in the form of a Charbagh are spread on either side of the pavement. In the centre is a platform from where tourists can capture the Taj on film.

Taj Museum

To the left of the above mentioned platform is the Taj Museum. Original drawings available here show the precision with which the architect had planned this monument. He even anticipated that it would be completed in 22 years. Drawings of the interiors show the position of the graves in such precision that the foot of the graves faces the viewer from any angle.

The Mosque and the Jawab

To the left of the Taj is a mosque made of red sandstone. It is common in Islam to build a mosque next to a tomb, as it sanctifies the area and provides for a place for worship. This mosque is still used for Friday prayers.

An identical mosque is also built to the right of the Taj and is known as the Jawab (answer). Prayers are not held here as it faces west i.e. away from Mecca, the holy city of the Muslims. It was built to maintain symmetry.

The Exterior

The Taj itself stands in a raised platform. The four minarets at each corner of the plinth provide a perfect balance to the tomb. The minarets measure 41.6 m high and each has a deliberate slant outwards so that in an unlikely event of an earthquake, they would not fall on the tomb but away from it. The bulbous dome of the Taj Mahal rests on an extraordinarily high drum and rises to a total height of 44.41 mt. From the base of the drum to the apex to the finial. The central dome, irrespective of the angles of the view. There is only one point of access to the plinth and tomb, a double staircase facing the entrance. One has to remove shoes over or can put on the shoe covers which are provided at a nominal cost by the staff stationed here for this purpose.

Interior of the Taj

The interior of the mausoleum comprises a lofty central chamber, a crypt immediately below this and four octagonal corner rooms originally intended to house the graves of other royal family members.

In the centre are the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan's cenotaph is to the left and is higher than that of his beloved which rests immediately below the dome. The cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal stands in the centre of the marble screen, it has inscribed on it in persian with texts from the Koran. The cenotaph has the single epitaph inscribed on it - "Marqad Munavvar Arjumand Ban Begum Mukhatib bah Mumtaz Mahal Tanifiyat ferr sanh 1040 Hijri" (Here lies Arjumand Bano Begum called Mumtaz Mahal who died in 1040 A.H. or 1630 A.D.).

The cenotaph of Shah Jahan is inscribed in Persian - "Marqad Mutahar Aali Hazrat Firdaus Ashiyani Sahib-qiran Saani Saani Shah Jahan Badshah taab surah sanh 1076 Hijri" (The sacred sepulchre of his most exalted Majesty, dweller of Paradise, the second lord of constellations, the king Shah Jahan, may his mausoleum ever flourish, 1076 A.H. (1666 A.D.). Above the tombs is a Cairene lamp, the flame of which is supposed to never burn out. Marble screen of trelliswork surrounds the graves. Both tombs are exquisitely inlaid with semi precious stones. The acoustics of the building are superb with the domed ceiling being designed to echo chants from Koran and musician's melodies. It is suggested that one walk around the outside of the tomb, before retrieving your shoes, to appreciate it from all sides.