The Living Bridges Of The Cherrapunji

It is incredible to see the bridges in Cherrapunji grow on their own, instead of being built. They are called ‘Living Bridges’ of Cherrapunji. Cherrapunji, in Meghalaya, India, is famous for the highest amount of rainfall in the world. It is not only the maximum rainfall that you witness here, but the place is adorned with amazing plants also, which leave you astonished.

A local tribe in Meghalaya, called War-Khasis, realized the utility of the plant ‘Ficus elastica’ (a rubber tree that produces secondary roots from higher up in the trunk, steeping into the river beds or perching around the boulders), to grow bridges naturally.

It is all about using intelligence in making this bridge. The local tribesmen allow the rubber tree’s roots to grow in the right direction, by making use of the betel-nut trunks which are sliced down from the middle and hollowed out.

The roots are then made to return to soil, so that over a period of time, a strong bridge is constructed. This strength of the bridge is directly proportional to the time factor i.e. the maximum the time covered; the maximum is the strength of the bridge. And to one’s amazement, these bridges can last up to centuries, taking of about 10-15 years of time for the development.

The root bridges can stretch up to 100 feet long and are sturdy to accommodate around 50 or more people simultaneously. The passage is covered with stones and boulders entangling the roots, to make an easier way.

Oil Stones: A Soviet City in the Middle of the Sea

In 1940s and 1950s, right after the World War 2 Russia had to recover from the consequences of the Nazi invasion. Lots had to be done and as we know to complete something you need to have enough energy. And energy at that times as well as it is much likely now meant oil.

At that times the known oil reserves differed from what people in Russia know about it now. The main places to drill for oil was Southern Russia on contrary to frozen Northern Siberian regions as it’s for now. And the gemstone of the Soviet Oil production was Caspian sea region, mainly the territories that are an independent state of Aizerbajan now.

So after a massive attack of oil thirsty state the lands of this previously oil-saturated region little by little got exhausted of the black mineral treasure and the need for new sources of it arouse. Now it’s not clear who was that this genius who first came up with an idea of getting the oil right from the sea bottom where it was still plenty of it and for this purpose to build a real city 42 km (25 miles) off the coast right in the middle of the sea, but what we know is that this idea came into play and by some crazy chance it got support from that times Soviet leaders who leveraged it with the all support the biggest (by the territory) state could offer at that time. What this meant is that in a matter of just a few month a real town was built right in the middle of the nowhere on giant steel blocks coming from the sea bottom, from as deep as hundreds of feet down. And they called it “Oil Stones”.

And that was really a city! Just one fact: the length of the streets of this one-of-a-kind town was exceeding 350 km (200 miles) if combined. There were nine stored buildings, schools, industry complexes and fountains. Lawns with green grass and children playing ball. And all that is forty two kilometeres from the nearest Earth surface close!

As Soviet Union was keeping its achievements behind the iron curtain less was known to the rest of the world about such engineering wonder being built. Later, the new Northern reserves of oil were discovered which exceeded hundred times the ones they had in Caspian Sea region so the Soviet oil production industry giant moved away from that place, making it semi abandoned. But even now this place according to what has been said has more than the 2,000 inhabitants. A true example of what human is capable of achieving, maybe one of the biggest man made structures on Earth and how small we sometimes know on such places around the world.

New Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTSi - Warlord

The Kawasaki Ninja 250R does 0-60 in less than 3.5 seconds. The new Pulsar 220 from Bajaj Auto is close on the Ninja's heels. Varad More tries to figure out, how close...

 

Sunny days are back again and there can't be a better time to grab your bike keys and head-out in the twisties on a bright Sunday morning. I do that quite often, weather conditions not being the deciding factor. But when it's an all-new naked streetfighter hooligan like the new Pulsar 220 DTSi parked in my garage for the weekend, there is little ambiguity about what my plans for Sunday are going to be. A brief stint in the city on the new Pulsar 220 DTSi clearly indicated that this bike was a madhouse on wheels - just the thing I needed for the weekend ride.

The Akurdi-based bike maker has plonked in the carburetor-fed 220cc DTSi motor from its flagship model into this latest iteration of the far-famed (now discontinued) Pulsar 200 DTSi bodywork and it does wonders as to how the bike feels and performs. Without the weighted fairing, the bulky headlight and other body panels of the Pulsar 220F DTSi, this new streetfighter from Bajaj Auto feels quick, agile and intense to ride. Well that said, it's a good thing as well as bad. That's because those who haven't ridden the older generation Pulsar 200 DTSi, this bike will throw them off their rockers without any shadow of a doubt. But if you have been astride the Pulsar 200 DTSi, then you will be left wanting for the stance and aggressive poise of the 200. The dropping down flat handlebars of the 200 and ergonomics ideal for a streetfighter motorcycle complimented by its strong mid-range made the Pulsar 200 feel like a parkour artist high on crack running amok on the streets.

However, the Pulsar 220's power-packed performance and new-age equipment like two-piece handlebars, rear disc brake and fatter forks, which translates into a better setup and speed, more than makes up for the deficiency of character as compared to its predecessor. Nevertheless, this is still the best and only performance streetfighter motorcycle available in the country, yet. While thrashing the new Pulsar 220 DTSi through the mountain roads near Pune, the bike felt extremely sure-footed and well-heeled as she ate over bumps and other road undulations with aplomb. The 220 attacked corners precisely and exited them with a lot more aggression than the older 200 ever managed. Although, the rear suspension did feel a bit squishy, which was probably because it has been tuned more towards better ride quality and comfort than sport-riding. It also resulted in the main-stand grounding too quickly on almost every other corner. Not quite in line with the bike's hooligan image then...

Bajaj Auto's new direction to put its bikes on a strict diet has largely helped the company to yield better performance from its products. For instance, the Pulsar 135 LS, even with its 135cc motor, completed the 0-60km/h run in less than five seconds! Similarly, the new Pulsar 220 DTSi stays lean and mean with a kerb weight of just 148kg, despite bumped up power and a bigger engine and it directly shows in the performance figures. This new naked 220 Pulsar is the quickest Indian motorcycle with a 0-60km/h figure of just 3.6 seconds and a 0-100km/h of 10.5 seconds! The Ninja did it in 3.4 seconds and 8.1 seconds, respectively. But to extract all the power, one does not require to keep the tacho-needle revving near redline as power comes freely throughout the rev-range and the additional horsepower coupled with more torque transforms into superb rideability. Slotted in fourth gear, the Pulsar 220 DTSi took just six seconds in the 30-70km/h roll-on dash, which clearly hints at the strong mid-range grunt coming from the 220cc powerplant.

Undoubtedly this is a true-blue hooligan that offers oodles of torque and power on tap to have fun no matter where or how you ride it. With incredible performance and matching agility, the new 220 DTSi truly lives up to the Pulsar brand's sporty pedigree. And despite such amazing acceleration and a solid top-whack of 127.4km/h, the Pulsar 220 DTSi returns respectable overall fuel economy of 51kmpl under mixed condition riding. Like always, Bajaj Auto has yet again delivered a strong blow in the performance bike territory in India and the cherry on the cake is the pricing of this new Pulsar which is retailing at Rs. 69,425 (ex-showroom, Delhi)! Now that's one bike which looks all set to once again revive the glory of the good?ol Pulsar 200 DTSi!

How to Stop Promotional Calls & SMS

Do pesky telemarketers call up you mobile phone to sell you car loans, credit cards or unbelievable deals for petty commissions. In a major initiative to stop telemarketing calls, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has started the National Do Not Call Registry of India. Any mobile or landline subscriber who does not wish to receive telemarketing calls, can request their telephone number be included in the NDNC Registry. Here are some ways to block unsolicited calls from top mobile operators and private banks in India.

Join the Do Not Call Registry

The primary objective of the National Do Not Call Registry (NDNC Registry) is to curb Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC). The NDNC Registry will store a data base with all subscriber telephone numbers who opted for the service. The Telemarketer will have to verify their calling telephone numbers list with the NDNC registry before making a call or face a fine of Rs 500 per call/message and defaulter telemarketers might face disconnection of telecom service also.

Customers can make such requests free of cost. The telecom service provider will acknowledge the request within ten days. All promotional calls and messages to your phone will stop within 45 days from registration. Subscriber may confirm whether their number is included in the NDNC registry home page.

Stop Unsolicited Calls from Airtel

To stop telemarketing calls from Airtel send SMS START DND to 1909 or use this form. For Landline users, you need to register your phone number using this form

Stop Telemarketing Calls from Vodafone

To avoid unwanted telemarketing calls, register your Vodafone number in NDNC Registry – call 1909 (toll tree) or sms START DND on 1909 (toll free). And in case you want to de-register yourself from the NDNC registry sms STOP DND to 1909 (toll free).

Stop Telemarketing Calls from Idea Cellular

Should you desire to stop receiving such communication from Idea, all you need to do is to fill the form. The fine print say they require 30 working days to remove your number from the telemarketing lists.

Block Unsolicited Calls from MTNL

The MTNL Delhi service takes you to fill a form on the Unified Call Center web Portal which asks for your LandLine / CDMA / GSM No. or Customer Account No.

Block Telemarketing Calls from Reliance Mobile

If you do not wish to be informed about new features, products and promotional offer through telephone calls or by SMS, you can unsubscribe from such communication by filling up this form.

Block Telemarketing Calls from Tata Docomo

If you wish to stop receiving such communication and want to register yourself on the NDNC registry, simply SMS START DND to 1909 (toll free) and in case you want to de-register yourself from the NDNC registry SMS STOP DND to 1909 (toll free

). Alternatively you could register yourself for ‘My Account’ in order to avail ‘Do Not Disturb’ facility, online. Click here to register yourself.

Block Telemarketing Calls from Aircel

If you wish to register or de-register from Aircel’s Do Not Disturb Registry, then send SMS or Call on toll free number

as per the instructions given below :-

By SMS (Toll Free)

To register Type: START DND and Send to: 1909

To de-register Type: STOP DND and Send to: 1909

By Call (Toll Free)

You may dial 1909 from your Aircel mobile to register or de-register from this service.

Block Telemarketing Calls from Spice Mobile

If you do not wish to be informed about offers or services through telephone calls/SMS, you can unsubscribe from such communications by  calling a toll free number 1909  or SMS   “START DND” to 1909. Alternatively you can use this form.

Do Not Disturb Page for Different Banks

ABN Amro India
American Express India
Andhra Bank
Axis Bank
Bank of Rajasthan
Bank of Baroda BobCard
Bank of India
Citibank India
HDFC Bank
HSBC India
ICICI Bank
ING Vysya Bank
SBI Credit Card
Standard Chartered Bank
Yes Bank

Launch of Bloom box fuel cell: Bloom Energy press conference details

Bloom Energy fuel cell company unfurled the blueprint of their Bloom Box mass production today. Details of new technology was made public in Bloom Energy press conference at eBay campus in Silicon Valley. Bloom Box Launch was attended by Colin Powell, Secretary of State and Arnold Schwarzenegger, governor of California. Bloom energy is aimed at generating a clean reliable energy to be made available at an affordable price. The green energy source Bloom Box claims to be 60% cleaner as compared to a Bloom Box power plant. In addition, it will have the specialty to produce power on demand and on site.
Bloom Energy fuel cell can produce electricity by taking any of those fuel cells. It would produce electricity without any chemical plants that are complex and need to process the fuel. It is wireless and it will enable a user to make his own electricity.

Bloom Box is said to be a revolutionizing concept as an alternate energy solution for future. In contrary to the notion, the fuel experts said Bloom Box technology is not revolutionary. They claim it not the cheapest fuel cell system. According to fuel cell expert from Colorado School of Mines, Nigel Sammes there is nothing new in Bloom Box and you can find out the same stuff on some websites.
It remains to see whether Bloom Energy serves as the alternative energy solution for future. You can find out more details on bloom energy here.

Media Center, gaming fixes arrive for Windows 7

Microsoft has released a slew of nonsecurity updates on Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center, the majority of which are for the latest versions of the client and server operating systems.

Compatibility

The first release is for a game, application, or firmware that is either installed incorrectly, causes system instability, or has primary functions that do not work correctly. The update will either prevent incompatible software from running (hard block with third-party manufacturer consent), notify the user that incompatible software is starting to run (soft block), or improve the software's functionality (update). This month's update has changes for 209 applications on Vista/Server 2008 plus 329 applications on 7/Server 2008 R2. Here are the direct links: Windows Vista 32-bit (2.8MB), Windows Vista 64-bit (3.3MB), Windows 7 32-bit (1.8MB), and Windows 7 64-bit (2.0MB). Window Server 2008 and Itanium versions are also available.
The next issue occurs when 32-bit applications on 64-bit versions of Windows 7 run in a Windows Vista context and prompt the user with an unnecessary Program Compatibility Assistant warning. You can grab it for Windows 7 64-bit (418KB), Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit (418KB), and Windows Server 2008 R2 Itanium (2.0MB).

Windows Media Center

The first Windows Media Center update is the February 2010 Cumulative Update, which improves the overall experience for systems with digital cable card tuners, resolves backward compatibility issues for some legacy Windows Media Center extensibility applications, and resolves an issue with how recorded TV shows are managed when switching to a user locale that is based on the Hijri calendar. It is available for Windows 7 32-bit (4.2MB) and Windows 7 64-bit (5.2MB).
The second update fixes an issue where TV playback extensibility applications may stop responding if no tuner is available to handle a tune request: Windows 7 32-bit (2.1MB) and Windows 7 64-bit (2.1MB). The third update fixes an issue in which third-party extensibility applications in Windows Media Center may stop responding after starting DVD playback: Windows 7 32-bit (2.2MB) and Windows 7 64-bit (2.3MB).

Other

There's also a fix for how Windows Internet Explorer 8 encodes and decodes JavaScript Object Notation (JSON). Microsoft has improved JSON interoperability by updating IE8 to the new "ECMAScript, fifth edition" standard specification on all supported versions of Windows: Windows XP 32-bit (784KB), Windows XP 64-bit (1.3MB), Windows Server 2003 32-bit (781KB), Windows Server 2003 64-bit (1.3MB), Windows Vista 32-bit (490KB), Windows Vista 64-bit (797KB), Windows Server 2008 32-bit (490KB), Windows Server 2008 64-bit (797KB), Windows 7 32-bit (492KB), Windows 7 64-bit (804KB), Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit (804KB), and Windows Server 2008 R2 Itanium (1.0MB).
When a user formats or checks the properties of a Secure Digital (SD) card larger than 32GB, the capacity is reported incorrectly. The fix is available for Windows 7 32-bit (239KB), Windows 7 64-bit (250KB), Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit (250KB), and Windows Server 2008 R2 Itanium (324KB).
Lastly, Microsoft also posted the optional Windows 7 antipiracy update; here are the direct links: Windows 7 32-bit (1.37MB) and Windows 7 64-bit (1.34MB). As promised, Microsoft is offering it on Windows Update but it won't be downloaded or installed automatically, even if Automatic Updates are turned on.

New IP task force brings "stronger and stricter enforcement"

The Department of Justice has announced a new intellectual property task force that will bring together antitrust, the civil and criminal divisions, and the FBI in an effort to "confront the growing number of domestic and international intellectual property (IP) crimes."
The announcement was vague on details, but it did make three curious statements that suggest the task force wants to do more than clamp down on counterfeit pharmaceuticals and knock-off handbags. For one thing, the new task force "will also serve as an engine of policy development to address the evolving technological and legal landscape of this area of law enforcement." Secondly, the Department of Justice will "leverage existing partnerships with federal agencies and independent regulatory authorities such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Communications Commission." Finally, Justice will "develop a plan to expand civil IP enforcement efforts."
Taken separately, no statement is all that interesting; put them together, though, and it certainly sounds possible that the new task force will ponder ways to curtail Internet-based IP infringement, including "noncommercial" P2P (the music and movie businesses deny that there is such a thing; in their view, it's all commercial). Singling out the FCC as a partner agency, for instance, could mean only that the task force cares about better communications systems for law enforcement. Perhaps the task force just wants to encourage deployment of new gear in the 700MHz spectrum reserved for public safety?
On the other hand, expanding "civil enforcement" of copyright claims has long been on Big Content's wish list. The PRO-IP Act, which became law in 2008, initially directed the Department of Justice to prosecute major civil copyright cases, then turn any damage awards over the the private firms affected. That provision was stripped from the bill before passage.
The task force emphasis on "policy development" could also create pressure on the FCC to encourage "three strikes" rules by American ISPs. The possibility isn't just paranoid crazy talk; the MPAA and RIAA both explicitly asked the FCC to encourage this in recent filings on the soon-to-be-unveiled National Broadband Plan. And both groups attended a recent IP-focused meeting with Attorney General Eric Holder and Vice President Joe Biden—a meeting explicitly credited with spurring the creation of the new task force.
"The Attorney General’s announcement follows a summit meeting convened last December by Vice President Biden, a long-standing champion of US intellectual property rights-holders," said the press release.
It also follows the creation of a new White House job, the Intellectual Property Encforcement Coordinator, which was mandated by the PRO-IP Act. Between Joe Biden, IPEC Victoria Espinel, the new DoJ task force, and the secretive Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), it's clear that intellectual property enforcement has the major backing of the Obama administration.
As Biden put it, get ready for "stronger and stricter enforcement of intellectual property rights."