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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

15 Fastest Things In The Universe


Almost everybody likes speed. The thought of going faster than anyone else has inspired man: everything from countless drag racing movie scenes to the use of steroids in pursuit of the title of “World’s Fastest Human”. I knew a few of the “fastest things” below – the fastest animal and bird – but was surprised about several of the others. While researching info for a completely different project, I stumbled upon the M1-J10, the world’s fastest tank. It was so surprising, I checked on some other “things that go fast”. This list is the result.

15
Fastest Man


Usain St. Leo Bolt C.D (born 21 August 1986) is a Jamaican sprinter. Bolt holds the Olympic and world records for the 100 meters at 9.69 seconds, the 200 meters at 19.30 seconds and, along with his teammates, the 4×100 meters relay at 37.10 seconds, all set at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Bolt became the first man to win all three events at a single Olympics since Carl Lewis in 1984, and the first man in history to set world records in all three at a single Olympics. His name and achievements in sprinting have earned him the media nickname “‘Lightning’ Bolt”. At the 2009 Berlin World Championships on Sunday 16 August, he won the 100m final in a new world record time of 9.58 seconds.

14
Fastest Production Car

Barabus Tkr

The Bugatti Veyron may no longer be the world’s fastest car. Today — following a number of teasers and leaks — Barabus officially unveiled the TKR: a new 1005 horsepower supercar the automaker says is capable of doing zero to 98kph in 1.67 seconds. What’s more, the car reportedly has a top speed of 270 mph — nearly 20 more than the Veyron. Power comes from a 6.0 liter V8 twin-turbocharged with dual intercoolers.

13
Fastest Land Animal

Cheetah

The fastest land animal in the world, the cheetah is a marvel of evolution. Capable of running up to 70 miles per hour, the cheetah’s slender, long-legged body is built for speed. Its spotted coat, small head and ears, and distinctive “tear stripes” from the corner of the eyes down the sides of the nose make the cheetah highly recognizable among the large cats of Africa.

12
Fastest Computer

Ibm-Roadrunner-Supercomputer

Roadrunner is a supercomputer built by IBM at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, USA. Currently the world’s fastest computer, the US$133-million Roadrunner is designed for a peak performance of 1.7 petaflops (1 petaflop = over 10^15/1,000,000,000,000,000/ 1 quadrillion calculations per second!), achieving 1.026 on May 25, 2008, and to be the world’s first TOP500 Linpack sustained 1.0 petaflops system. It is a one-of-a-kind supercomputer, built from off the shelf parts, with many novel design features.

11
Fastest Fish


Sailfish are two species of fishes in the genus Istiophorus, living in warmer sections of all the oceans of the world. They are blue to grey in color and have a characteristic erectile dorsal fin known as a sail, which often stretches the entire length of the back. Another notable characteristic is the elongated bill, resembling that of the swordfish and other marlins. Individuals have been clocked at speeds of up to 110 km/h (70 mph), which is the highest speed reliably reported in a fish. If this fish could travel on land, it can easily outrace a driver on a typical freeway. (Imagine the wreckage if this thing crashed…*stab*)

10
Fastest Train


Japan has a demonstration line in Yamanashi prefecture where test trains JR-Maglev MLX01 have reached 581 km/h (367 mph), slightly faster than any wheeled trains (the current TGV speed record is 574.8 km/h, 357.0 mph). These trains use superconducting magnets which allow for a larger gap, and repulsive-type electrodynamic suspension (EDS). In comparison Transrapid uses conventional electromagnets and attractive-type electromagnetic suspension (EMS). These “Superconducting Maglev Shinkansen”, developed by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, are currently the fastest trains in the world, achieving a record speed of 581 km/h on December 2, 2003. Yamanashi Prefecture residents (and government officials) can sign up to ride this for free, and some 100,000 have done so already.

9
Fastest Water Slide


The Insano is the highest water slide in the world at 41 meters high, a record listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Its height is equivalent to that of a 14-story building. As a consequence of its height and slope, this water slide provides an extremely rapid descent – taking between four and five seconds – at a speed of 105 km/h (65mph). Because of these characteristics, the Insano is considered the most extreme of this type of equipment on the planet. At the end of the track, the Insano provides you with a relaxing dive into the swimming pool.

8
Fastest Submersible

K-222

K-222, formerly K-162, was the only Papa ever constructed (”Papa” is the western name for the Soviet Union’s Anchar submarine class). It was laid down December 28, 1963, and commissioned on December 31, 1969, at Severodvinsk. It was assigned to the Soviet Northern Fleet for the duration of its career. It was the world’s fastest submarine, reaching a record speed of 44.7 knots on trials. However, that speed came at the price of high costs during construction, and both excessive noise and significant damage to hull features when used.




7
Fastest Manned Plane

X-15 In Flight

The North American X-15 rocket-powered aircraft was part of the X-series of experimental aircraft, initiated with the Bell X-1, that were made for the USAF, NASA, and the USN. The X-15 set speed and altitude records in the early 1960s, reaching the edge of outer space and returning with valuable data used in aircraft and spacecraft design. It currently holds the world record for the fastest speed ever reached by a manned aircraft. During the X-15 program, 13 of the flights (by eight pilots) met the USAF spaceflight criteria by exceeding the altitude of 50 miles (80.47 km. 264,000ft.), thus qualifying the pilots for astronaut status; some pilots also qualified for NASA astronaut wings. Its fastest speed recorded is 4,519 mph (7,273 km/h) while manned by pilot Pete Knight.

6
Fastest Helicopter

Glynx3Q6

Keep in mind that the maximum speed a rotor helicopter can reach, in theory, before spinning out of control is just over 250 miles per hour. Now that you know that, at an European air show on August 6, 1986 a Westland Lynx ZB500, that was slightly modified, reached a speed of 249.1 miles per hour or 400.8 km/h, making it the world’s fastest helicopter.

5
Fastest Wind


On May 3, 1999 as tornadoes ravaged Oklahoma scientists measured the highest recorded wind speed at about 7:00 p.m. near Moore, Oklahoma. A wind speed of 318 mph was recorded where a tornado killed four people and destroyed 250 homes. The fastest wind measured prior was 286 mph on April 26, 1991 in a tornado near Red Rock, Oklahoma. The 318 mph speed placed the tornado 1 mph below an F6 on the 0 to 6 Fujita scale. No tornado has ever been classified as an F6.

4
Fastest Bird


The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known simply as the Peregrine, and historically as the “Duck Hawk” in North America, is a cosmopolitan bird of prey in the family Falconidae. It is a large, crow-sized falcon, with a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and “moustache”. It can reach speeds over 322 km/h (200 mph) in a dive, making it the fastest animal in the world.

3
Fastest Spacecraft


New Horizons is a NASA robotic spacecraft mission currently en route to the planet Pluto. It is expected to be the first spacecraft to fly by and study Pluto and its moons, Charon, Nix, and Hydra. New Horizons was launched on 19 January 2006 directly into an Earth-and-solar-escape trajectory. It had an Earth-relative velocity of about 16.26 km/s or 58,536 km/h (10.1 mps or 36,360 mph) after its last engine shut down. Thus, it left Earth at the fastest speed ever recorded. It will arrive at Pluto on 14 July 2015 then continue into the Kuiper belt.

2
Fastest Thing Recorded

Light20Speed

In modern physics, light is regarded as the fastest thing in the universe, and its velocity in empty space as a fundamental constant of nature. The speed of light in a vacuum is presently defined to be exactly 299,792,458 m/s (about 186,282.397 miles per second). That’s basically the fastest thing the human species has ever experienced today. If you travel around the earth’s equator at the speed of light you will travel around the entire planet earth 7.4 times in approximately one second. While we have not been able to discover anything faster, there is speculation about superluminal particles – which leads us to number one on the list:

1
Superluminosity

Tachyon07A

Tachyons are a putative class of particles which able to travel faster than the speed of light. Tachyons were first proposed by physicist Arnold Sommerfeld, and named by Gerald Feinberg. The word tachyon derives from the Greek tachus, meaning “speedy.” Tachyons have the strange properties that, when they lose energy, they gain speed. Consequently, when tachyons gain energy, they slow down. The slowest speed possible for tachyons is the speed of light.

Gibraltar Airport



Gibraltar airport - Like our Railway Crossing!!!



We have heard of highways being used as runways in some countries. But
this is the first time I have seen roads crossing a runway and road
traffic being stopped by a traffic light while an aircraft takes off
or lands!

Absolutely amazing! Some basic questions would have to be addressed viz.:

(a) What if the traffic lights fail or malfunction? (In spite of any
generators or invertors used as a back-up power source).

(b) Will rickshaws and pedestrians observe the traffic lights? Would
they not feel that they are obviously entitled to take short-cuts
across some part of the runway?

(c) Will some motorists and motorcyclists and auto rickshaws not dash
across the red traffic light whenever, in their experience-based
judgment, a landing (or taking-off) aircraft seems to be not close
enough.

(d) In case a VIP (Very Important Parasite) is coming on the road, who
will have priority? The parasite's motorcade or the aircraft?

(e) And the security guys will go MAD!!!! That would be fun to see!!

Mind boggling!



Gibraltar Airport Runway 1

Gibraltar Airport Runway 2

Gibraltar Airport Runway 3

Gibraltar Airport Runway 4



Monday, August 10, 2009

Pimped Bugs

















































Sunday, August 9, 2009

Rajinikanth’s life Story in CBSE syllabus

Rajinikanth’s life Story in CBSE 6th Standard Course Book





Beautiful Currencies

Though many forms of currency are visually conservative—featuring portraits of notable figures and leaders—there is a class of cool cash from around that globe with eye-popping colors and designs. More than just legal tender, some banknotes serve as an artistic merging of technology, color schemes and cultural references. From Egypt’s display of ancient pharaohs to Kazakhstan’s exotic electric-blue design, the collection of bills below boasts some of the world’s best moola.

Egyptian Pound

Above is one of seven denominations of Egyptian banknotes that were introduced into circulation by the Central Bank of Egypt in 1961. The side written in Arabic has a picture of the Sultan Qayetbay mosque and the side written in English displays a carving from one of the temples at Abu Simbel, which features four identical statues of Pharaoh Ramses II, who ruled Egypt for 67 years. Estimated Exchange Rate: 1 U.S. dollar = 5.55575 Egyptian pounds

Swiss Franc

In 1995, the current and eighth series of Swiss banknote designs were slowly released into circulation. Each denomination features a portrait of a famous Swiss artist atop a bold color scheme—further demonstrating Switzerland’s ever-chic artistic reputation and forward-thinking ways. The front of this bill features composer Arthur Honegger, while the back depicts elements (including a locomotive wheel and a piano keyboard) that evoke his famous composition “Pacific 231.” Estimated Exchange Rate: 1 U.S.dollar = 1.08492 Swiss francs

Kazakhstan Tenge

Kazakhstan’s monetary unit, the tenge, was introduced in 1993—replacing the Soviet ruble as the national currency. The most current design of the banknote features a geographical outline of the country on one side and overlapping national treasures on the other, which include the Astana-Baiterek Monument, the Kazakhstan flag, the signature of President Nazarbayev and lyrics from the Kazakh national anthem. Estimated Exchange Rate: 1 U.S. dollar = 148.330 Kazakhstan tenge

Hong Kong Dollar

In July 2007, Hong Kong became the 25th country to gradually introduce a $10 polymer banknote—both more durable and secure than the standard paper banknote. Both $10 bill version are considered legal tender and bear the same design—the beautiful abstract arrangement of geometric shapes in shades of mauve, purple, blue and yellow shown above. The design makes impressionistic references to modern architecture as well as to festive and cultural activities in Hong Kong. Estimated Exchange Rate: 1 U.S. dollar = 7.74997 Hong Kong dollars

Aruban Florin

In 1986, Aruba’s new governing power created a unique currency called the florin to replace the Antilles guilder. Starting in 1990, the bills were redesigned by Evelino Fingal, Aruban graphic artist and director of the Archaeological Museum, who found his inspiration for the eccentric designs in Native American tribal paintings, archeological pottery shards and native wildlife. On each denomination, the images are layered to create a modernistic collage of cool geometric shapes.Estimated Exchange Rate: 1 U.S. dollar = 1.77000 Aruban florins

South African Rand

In 1961, the South African rand was introduced to replace the pound, an act that coincided with the country’s declaration as a republic. However, it wasn’t until the 1990s that the current banknote design—sans the face of Dutch administrator and Cape Town founder Jan van Riebeeck—was introduced to post-apartheid South Africa. The color-infused denominations each feature one of the “Big Five” game—Africa’s most-difficult-to-hunt wildlife species—the lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard and black rhinoceros. Estimated Exchange Rate: 1 U.S. dollar = 8.13147 South African rand

Antarctican "Dollar"

The collector’s item shown above is part of the A1 collector’s series and is nonlegal tender. Created by the Antarctica Overseas Exchange Office, the bill designs are based on regional geography and wildlife. The one displayed above features Peterman Island on the front and the picturesque image of penguins jumping into the nearly freezing waters off the Ross Ice Shelf on the reverse.

Dutch Guilder

This former currency of The Netherlands was replaced by the euro on January 1, 2002. Among the bills, whose loss the Dutch surely mourned, was this bright yellow sunflower-clad 50-guilder banknote, which was designed by Jaap Drupsteen in the 1990s. The series, which portrayed an intricate pattern of geometric designs, including radio schema and resistors, boasted a colorful array of sunflowers, lighthouses and birds were said to encapsulate classic Dutch artistry.

Australian Dollar

Introduced in 1966 to replace the pound when Australia adopted decimal-based currency, the Australian dollar bears a portrait of two prominent Australian figures on each side and reflects the artistic and cultural values of the era in which they lived. In the 1980s, polymer notes were introduced into circulation—boasting security updates which included a transparent window with an optically variable image of British explorer, navigator and cartographer Captain James Cook.Estimated Exchange Rate: 1 U.S. dollar = 1.25521 Australian dollars

CFP Franc

The currency of French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna is the CFP Franc, which was introduced in 1945. Typically, one side of the banknote shows landscapes or historical figures of New Caledonia, while the other side features those of French Polynesia. The front of the bill pictured above depicts a coastal landscape of Huahiné and a French Polynesian Tahitian woman; the back shows coral and fish of New Caledonia, and a New Caledonian Melanesian woman wearing hibiscus flowers. Estimated Exchange Rate: 1 U.S. dollar = 84.42800 CFP francs

Cook Islands Dollar

Cook Islands, the 15 small islands that make up the self-governing parliamentary democracy in free association with New Zealand, has a currency that is slowly falling out of favor (though still remains legal tender). Introduced in 1987 (and revamped in 1992) the banknotes depict various aspects of South Pacific life and have an exchange rate similar to the New Zealand dollar. The 1987 currency note above shows a nude Ina (a Polynesian mythological figure) riding a shark on one side and a traditional canoe alongside the god Te-Rongo on the other. Estimated Exchange Rate: 1 U.S. dollar = 1.57208 New Zealand dollars

Zambian Kwacha

In 1968, Zambia introduced its kwacha banknotes. Since then, the currency has received a number of design reinventions, including the release of polymer notes in 2003—making Zambia the first African country to do so. The fish eagle is the main feature on most banknotes; the bird’s excellent vision and swift reaction is a symbol of the country’s focus on economic growth and resiliency. Printed on the back is the Freedom Statue, which represents Zambia’s struggle for freedom in the precolonial days. Estimated Exchange Rate: 1 U.S. dollar = 5,060 Zambian kwacha


The World’s Most Beautiful Currencies

Have you ever been in another country and thought," These folks really have some beautiful money?" Whether it was the colors, the portraits, or the overall design, good looking money is just a little more fun to spend.

So, what are the most beautiful currencies in the world? David Standish, author of The Art of Money, shares his comments and top picks. And even though he says the European Single Currency has driven many of the beautiful currency notes into extinction, he says there are still some spectacular notes to flash around.


Faroe Islands (Kronurs)

"Okay, maybe it's not that beautiful, although the asymmetrical design and the somehow come-hither claws are pretty fetching. But the Faroe Islands, in the far North Atlantic about halfway between Iceland and Norway, have a bleak windswept beauty, and the people have great character. You gotta love a place that puts a crab on its money."


Iceland (Kronurs)

"Now, that's a hat! It even seems to require a neck brace to hold it up. The model for this striking fashion statement is Ragnheiour Jonsdottir. She lived 1646-1715 and was most noted for being the wife of not one but two successive Icelandic bishops, though she was also a celebrated seamstress as well. That's Ragnheiour teaching a couple of students on the back."



Hong Kong (Hong Kong Dollars)

"In Hong Kong, they seem to have gone just about as far as you can go, money-design wise. But then Hong Kong often seems to be cheerfully humming along in the 23rd century. It makes New York City feel kind of sleepy and slow. So the futuristic money fits perfectly. And as a practical matter, it's an example of a trend in paper currency toward major-league complexity, the better to thwart would-be counterfeiters."


Cook Islands (Cook Island Dollars)

"Hard to say why this woman seems so tranquil and happy, since she is riding a giant ferocious shark, but it's probably just the vibes from living in the Cook Islands, which are still in the middle of nowhere. The islands are about halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii, with no high-rise hotels or resorts, and mercifully few tourists to junk things up. Come to think of it, that shark looks sort of blissed-out, too."


New Zealand (New Zealand Dollars)

"Sir Edmund Hillary, on this New Zealand $5, ranks as Most Rugged Outdoorsman on world money, with his weather-crinkled eyes, windblown hair, and open-throated shirt casually askew. Even the color suggests the lifelong tan only acquired by someone who at 33 was the first to stand on top of Mount Everest in 1953, who led the first successful expedition to cross Antarctica via the South Pole in 1958, and who climbed to the source of the Ganges River in the Himalayas in 1977. This is pretty heady stuff for a man whose first occupation was as a beekeeper."



Comoros (Comorian Franc)

"Another small island nation -- this time off Africa's east coast, north of Madagascar -- the Comoros were controlled by the French for 130 years before gaining independence in 1975. The peaceful, dreamlike quality of this image, with its ghostly superimposed suggestion of a nautilus shell, may be a bit of wishful thinking, since the Comoros' history since independence has been a stormy one riddled with coups."


Switzerland (Francs)

"For such a seemingly staid bunch, the Swiss have fairly wild paper money. The back of the 100 Franc bill, shown here, might at first seem to be a still from a new remake of "Night of the Walking Dead," but no, it's actually a tribute to Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966), and the figures are some of his signature works."


Sao Tome & Principe (Dobras)

"A tiny nation in the Gulf of Guiana, off the western equatorial African coast, these volcanic islands bill bill themselves as "Paradise On Earth." It could be: Splendid beaches and fascinating wildlife, including the endemic Sao Tome kingfisher (Alcedo thomensis) pictured here."


The Maldives (Rufiyaa)

"A true beauty, this bill is from the Republic of Maldives in the Indian Ocean, a chain of about 1,300 islands and cays scattered for 500 miles southwest of India. Beyond fishing and collecting coconuts—the centerpiece on this bill—there's little livelihood, and Maldives is one of the poorest countries in the world. This is doubly ironic, since cowrie shells (shown as part of the decorative border along the bottom) were the world's first international commodity-currency, and the Maldive Islands were their primary source."



The French Pacific Territories (Franc)

"Hard to get much lovelier than the one-two of the face and back of this note from French Polynesia. But then the islands encompassed by the territory pretty much define paradise: Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Hiva Oa, Nuku Hiva, made part of our imaginative landscape by artists and writers such as Paul Gauguin, Robert Lewis Stevenson, Somerset Maugham, Herman Melville, and even Jimmy Buffett."


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