Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Christian New Year

Christian New Year

Christian or Gregorian New Year falls on January 1st. Countries following the Gregorian Calendar celebrate the New Year on this date. Gregorian Calendar is a modification of the Julian Calendar established by the Roman Emporer, Julius Caesar in 46 BC. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII of Rome, abolished Julian Calendar as it was slightly long and caused vernal equinox to drift backwards in the calendar year (January 1 to December 31). Gradually Gregorian Calendar gained acceptance in several countries across the world as it created a balance between seasons and calendar.

Christian/Gregorian New Year Traditions
New Year traditions create a sense of responsibility and also ties an emotional bond of togetherness, belief and faith. New Year traditions are being followed with immense devotion and joy by the people of Christian community. Tradition of New Year Baby is used as a symbol of rebirth by many Christians. Image of a baby with New Year's banner is displayed at many houses.

New Year festivities are incomplete without singing the traditional Auld Lang Syne song. It means 'the good old days'. People sing this song altogether on the New Year's Eve. Traditionally, it is thought one's fate is determined according to the type of food consumed on the first day of the year. People prepare auspicious meals and celebrate the New Year by eating black-eyed peas. Similar to this, the tradition of first-footing is also practiced very seriously by Christians. The visitor should be a tall and dark-haired man.

One tradition of the season is the making of New Year's resolutions. Many people keep New Year resolutions in the coming year. They even pledge to get their desires fulfilled. Modern New Year resolutions are the promise to lose weight or quit smoking and many more.

Another famous tradition of New Year Parades is attended with excitement by people of all age groups. These parades are preceded by the football game which is the main attraction of the festival. Last but not the least, New Year traditions also include the bursting of crackers and other fireworks to scare off the evil spirits and bring in good fortune.

Christian New Year Celebrations
New Year ushers in the festive spirit. People splurge in the New Year activities with fun and excitement. New Year brings in happiness and so people make it a grand affair to welcome the coming year. New Year celebrations begin with the New Year Eve. Christians attend balls, theme and private parties to celebrate the New Year. Party halls are booked in advance and there is rarely any place which is not hit by the partiers. Festive music and songs rock the New Year parties. People dress up in their best clothes to celebrate the New Year. At the stroke of 12 at midnight, people make a lot of noise, hug, kiss and wish each other “Happy New Year”.

New dawn is welcomed with open arms by the Christians. Even after partying all night, Christians don't delay to visit the church on the New Year's Day. They spend the day with family and friends, go to picnics, watch movies and have favorite meals.

Aravind T..

Ref :

Hindu New Year

Hindu New Year

Hindu New Year is celebrated according to the Hindu Lunar Calendar- Panchanga. The popular name of the Hindu New Year is Vikram Samvat. In the Indian Calendar, seasons follow the sun, months follow the moon and days both sun and moon. This era of Vikram Samvat began in 57 BC. To correspond with the solar calendar, 57 years are subtracted from the Hindu Year. Thus, the New Year begin with the first day of Kartik Maas following Deepawali Amaavasya.

History of Vikram Samvat
The origin of Hindu New Year relates to the legendary Hindu King Vikramaditya in 57 BC. According to the legend, King Gardabhilla (in 12th century CE) abducted a nun by the name of Saraswati. She was the sister of the famous Jain monk Kalakacharya. The helpless monk sought help of the Saka ruler in Sakasthana to defeat Gardabhilla. He was defeated and captivated by the Saka King. Though later released but Gardabhilla retired to the the forest where he was killed by a tiger. His son, Vikramaditya (brought up in the forest) later invaded Ujjain and pushed out the Sakas. Thus, to celebrate this event, he commemorated a new era called Vikram Samvat.

Hindu New Year Celebrations
Multifarious religions are practiced in India and so are the celebrations of various festivals. Hindu New Year is celebrated with gaiety and pomp all over India. Verve of the festival can be seen mostly among the people of North India and Gujarat. New Year in Southern India also emphasize the Hindu New Year but the date and New Year traditions vary.

  • Punjab : New year starts on 13th April.
  • Assam : New year starts on 14th or 15th of April.
  • Bengal : New year starts on 14th or 15th April.
  • Gujarat : New Year starts on Karthik Shukla Pratipada.
  • Kerala : New year starts in the month of Medam (on the day when the Sun enters in the constellation Leo).
  • Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka : New Year falls on Chaitra Shuddha Prathipade.
  • Sikkim : New Year starts on 18th day of the 10th month of the Tibetan Lunar Calendar.
  • Maharashtra : New Year starts in the month of Chaitra
  • Tamil Nadu : New year starts on 13th or 14th of April.

People light oil lamps and decorate the house with auspicious flowers those with the color like pink, red, purple or yellow. Rangoli design is also an attractive part of New Year decorations. Indians get up early in the morning, take bath and wear new clothes. They bring home deities of Goddess Laxmi (Goddess of wealth) and Lord Ganesha. Prayers are offered and prasad is distributed among the family members. At the time of New Year, gifts and sweets are exchangd with each other. People consider this festival to be an auspicious time to begin New Year


Aravind T..

Ref :

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Interesting Facts about India..


  • India never invaded any country in her last 100000 years of history.
  • When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization)
  • The name 'India' is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of the early settlers. The Aryan worshippers referred to the river Indus as the Sindhu.
  • The Persian invaders converted it into Hindu. The name 'Hindustan' combines Sindhu and Hindu and thus refers to the land of the Hindus.
  • Chess was invented in India.
  • Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus are studies, which originated in India.
  • The 'Place Value System' and the 'Decimal System' were developed in India in 100 B.C.
  • The World's First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara Temple at Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The shikhara of the temple is made from a single 80-tonne piece of granite. This magnificent temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 AD and 1009 AD) during the reign of Rajaraja Chola.
  • India is the largest democracy in the world, the 6th largest Country in the world, and one of the most ancient civilizations.
  • The game of Snakes & Ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat'. The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. In time, the game underwent several modifications, but its meaning remained the same, i.e. good deeds take people to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.
  • The world's highest cricket ground is in Chail, Himachal Pradesh. Built in 1893 after leveling a hilltop, this cricket pitch is 2444 meters above sea level.
  • India has the largest number of Post Offices in the world.
  • The largest employer in the world is the Indian Railways, employing over a million people.
  • The world's first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
  • Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to mankind. The Father of Medicine, Charaka, consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago.
  • India was one of the richest countries till the time of British rule in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus, attracted by India's wealth, had come looking for a sea route to India when he discovered America by mistake.
  • The Art of Navigation & Navigating was born in the river Sindh over 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word 'NAVGATIH'. The word navy is also derived from the Sanskrit word 'Nou'.
  • Bhaskaracharya rightly calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the Sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. According to his calculation, the time taken by the Earth to orbit the Sun was 365.258756484 days.
  • The value of "pi" was first calculated by the Indian Mathematician Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century, long before the European mathematicians.
  • Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus also originated in India.Quadratic Equations were used by Sridharacharya in the 11th century. The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Hindus used numbers as big as 10*53 (i.e. 10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 B.C.during the Vedic period.Even today, the largest used number is Terra: 10*12(10 to the power of 12).
  • Until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds in the world
    (Source: Gemological Institute of America).
  • The Baily Bridge is the highest bridge in the world. It is located in the Ladakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan mountains. It was built by the Indian Army in August 1982.
  • Sushruta is regarded as the Father of Surgery. Over2600 years ago Sushrata & his team conducted complicated surgeries like cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, fractures, urinary stones, plastic surgery and brain surgeries.
  • Usage of anaesthesia was well known in ancient Indian medicine. Detailed knowledge of anatomy, embryology, digestion, metabolism,physiology, etiology, genetics and immunity is also found in many ancient Indian texts.
  • India exports software to 90 countries.
  • The four religions born in India - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, are followed by 25% of the world's population.
  • Jainism and Buddhism were founded in India in 600 B.C. and 500 B.C. respectively.
  • Islam is India's and the world's second largest religion.
  • There are 300,000 active mosques in India, more than in any other country, including the Muslim world.
  • The oldest European church and synagogue in India are in the city of Cochin. They were built in 1503 and 1568 respectively.
  • Jews and Christians have lived continuously in India since 200 B.C. and 52 A.D. respectively
  • The largest religious building in the world is Angkor Wat, a Hindu Temple in Cambodia built at the end of the 11th century.
  • The Vishnu Temple in the city of Tirupathi built in the 10th century, is the world's largest religious pilgrimage destination. Larger than either Rome or Mecca, an average of 30,000 visitors donate $6 million (US) to the temple everyday.
  • Sikhism originated in the Holy city of Amritsar in Punjab. Famous for housing the Golden Temple, the city was founded in 1577.
  • Varanasi, also known as Benaras, was called "the Ancient City" when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C., and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today.
  • India provides safety for more than 300,000 refugees originally from Sri Lanka, Tibet, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who escaped to flee religious and political persecution.
  • His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, runs his government in exile from Dharmashala in northern India.
  • Martial Arts were first created in India, and later spread to Asia by Buddhist missionaries.
  • Yoga has its origins in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.

Aravind T..


Ref.,

100 Ways To Love Your Mate


This list of 100 ways to love your mate is designed to be a quick check for you to get ideas on how to continue to show love to your partner. Use these suggestions to maintain and boost your relationship.

    100 Ways To Love Your Mate

  1. Hug them.
  2. Write a love note.
  3. Call them at work just to say "Hi."
  4. Give them a foot massage.
  5. Tell them a joke.
  6. Caress them with slow gentle strokes.
  7. Go for a walk with them.
  8. Send them a "happy gram."
  9. Admit your mistakes.
  10. Say: "I love you."
  11. Indulge a whim.
  12. Listen to them talk about an interest of theirs.
  13. Be trustworthy.
  14. Instead of complaining, tell them what you would prefer.
  15. Look at them when you're in a discussion.
  16. Send flowers.
  17. Compliment something they did.
  18. Offer to help.
  19. Ask them to show you how to do something.
  20. Call when you are going to be late.
  21. Take them out to dinner.
  22. Write them a poem about how special they are.
  23. Cut out a cartoon they'll enjoy.
  24. Ask them what they'd like sexually.
  25. Go shopping together.
  26. Take an afternoon drive.
  27. Cuddle.
  28. Put your arm around them in front of others.
  29. Take them out on a surprise date.
  30. Do something they want to do.
  31. Listen.
  32. Plan a candle light dinner.
  33. Look at old photos together.
  34. Serve them breakfast in bed.
  35. Hold hands.
  36. Share sexual fantasies.
  37. Do a work project together.
  38. Rub their back.
  39. Take a shower together.
  40. Carry their photo in your wallet.
  41. Go away together for a weekend holiday.
  42. Kiss them.
  43. Smile more when you look at them.
  44. Go for a bicycle ride together.
  45. Surprise them with "special" attire.
  46. Plan a picnic lunch.
  47. Read something together about how to have a better relationship.
  48. Repeat what they say before answering.
  49. Say "Good morning" first.
  50. Ask if they have a few minutes first before interrupting.
  51. Send them a card.
  52. Surprise them with a gift when it's a non-holiday.
  53. Cook them a favorite meal.
  54. Try a new restaurant.
  55. Ask them how they feel.
  56. Let them know when you are proud of them.
  57. Ask for their opinion.
  58. Turn on some romantic music.
  59. Dedicate a song to them.
  60. Send them a balloon bouquet.
  61. Watch a sunset together.
  62. Play a game together.
  63. Have them teach you something they know.
  64. Tell them they have the night off.
  65. Go to a movie they select.
  66. Ask them for a hug.
  67. Wear some new cologne.
  68. Take them to Bali.
  69. Discuss future plans with them.
  70. Ask if you can help when they look sad.
  71. Ask them about their dreams.
  72. Meet them for lunch.
  73. Enlarge a scenic photo of a place you've shared.
  74. Give them a gift certificate for their favorite store.
  75. Tell them what you like about them.
  76. Buy them a new perfume.
  77. Take them to a scenic spot.
  78. Send them a gourmet gift basket.
  79. Send them a joke card.
  80. Let them know when you've thought of them during the day.
  81. Buy them a toy.
  82. Compliment them to their friends.
  83. Bring them a thirst quenching drink.
  84. Tell them when they look attractive.
  85. Send them a post card.
  86. Invite them to a secret rendezvous.
  87. Give them a massage.
  88. Take a lesson with them.
  89. Look at photos together of when you met.
  90. Plan a vacation with them.
  91. Listen openly to their opposing opinion.
  92. Buy them a new piece of jewelry.
  93. Watch a TV show they like with them
  94. Write them a letter.
  95. Listen to music with them, such as an old favorite.
  96. Whisper sweet nothings in their ear.
  97. Tell them what you like that they do.
  98. Give a head massage.
  99. Invite them to a concert.
  100. Let them know you care.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Origin, History and Traditions of Halloween..





Halloween is a traditional celebration held on October 31st. Today, Halloween is an excuse for Halloween theme costume parties, and entertainment with horror films, haunted houses and other activities around the popular themes of ghosts, witches, Dracula, werewolves and the supernatural. Children love to dress up in halloween costumes and go from door-to-door in their neighborhood following the old tradition of trick-or-treating, collecting sweets and gifts, sometimes money.


Halloween began as an ancient Celtic festival in Great Britain and Ireland, and has survived most strongly among Irish, Scottish and Welsh communities. Immigrants from these communities carried the tradition to North America where it has gained in popularity. In turn, as part of American pop culture, Halloween has spread in popularity to most corners of the English speaking western world, and increasingly into Western Europe in recent times.


Originally Halloween was a pagan festival, around the idea of linking the living with the dead, when contact became possible between the spirits and the physical world, and magical things were more likely to happen. Like most pagan festivals, long ago it was absorbed into the festivals of the expanding Christian church, and became associated with All Hallows Day, or All Saints Day, which eventually fell on November 1 under the Gregorian calendar. A vigil for the festival was held on All Hallows Evening on October 31. In the vernacular of the times, All Hallows Evening became Hallowe'en and later the Halloween we know today.


The celebration of Halloween survived most strongly in Ireland. It was an end of summer festival, and was often celebrated in each community with a bonfire to ward off the evil spirits. Children would go from door to door in disguise as creatures from the underworld to collect treats, mainly fruit, nuts and the like for the festivities. These were used for playing traditional games like eating an apple on a string or bobbing for apples and other gifts in a basin of water, without using your hands. Salt might be sprinkled on the visiting children to ward off evil spirits. Carving turnips as ghoulish faces to hold candles became a popular part of the festival, which has been adapted to carving pumpkins in America.


Halloween is usually celebrated by both adults and kids. Some families celebrate by having costume parties and playing special games like bobbing for apples and telling ghost stories. Sometimes children go "trick or treating" - knocking on doors in their trusted neighborhoods collecting candy. Other times they may attend a community party instead. Parents should use common sense when supervising their child's Halloween activities.


In earlier years, Halloween was a time for playing harmless pranks. However, in more recent times, Halloween pranks have sometimes gotten out of hand - causing damage and injury to others.


Aravind T..

Friday, September 25, 2009

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

16 images...

Dreams of establishing a manned Moon base could become reality within two decades after India’s first lunar mission found evidence of large quantities of water on its surface.

Data from Chandrayaan-1 also suggests that water is still being formed on the Moon. Scientists said the breakthrough — to be announced by Nasa at a press conference — would change the face of lunar exploration.

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

The discovery is a significant boost for India in its space race against China. Dr Mylswamy Annadurai, the mission’s project director at the Indian Space Research Organisation in Bangalore, said: “It’s very satisfying.”

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

"The observations presented here show a combination of hydroxyl, OH (oxygen hydrogen molecules), and H2O (water) that resides in the upper few millimeters of the lunar surface," said Jim Green, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division. "The average amount of water reported, if we were to extract it, is about a quart of water per ton (of surface soil)."
To put it another way, he said, about 16 ounces of water might be present for every 1,000 pounds of surface soil near the moon's poles. For soil near the equator, only about two tablespoons of water is believed to be present in every 1,000 pounds.

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

Early results from Nasa’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) recorded temperatures as low as -238C (minus 396.4F) in polar craters on the Moon, according to the journal Nature. That makes them the coldest recorded spots in the solar system, even colder than the surface of Pluto, and could mean that ice has been trapped for billions of years, the journal said. The LRO has also detected an abundance of hydrogen, thought to be a key indicator of ice, at the poles.

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon

India’s lunar mission finds evidence of water on the Moon



Aravind T..

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Stefania Fernandez-The Miss Universe 2009!


Stefania Fernandez has been crowned as the Miss Universe 2009 at the 58th beauty pageant held in Nassau, Bahamas. Miss Australia Rachael Finch and Miss Puerto Rico Mayra Matos Perez shared the first runners up title with the title of second runner-up went to Miss Kosovo Gona Dragusha.

Buzz up!
As the results come out, the 58th beauty pageant has some historical significance too. Venezuela wins its sixth crown and for the first time, the same country won consecutive crowns. For the first time the Miss Universe preliminary competition was streamed online to a worldwide audience.





At the Preliminary Competition, all contestants competed in the Swimsuit and Evening Gown categories as part of the selection of the top 15 finalists. The Preliminary Competition was hosted by Miss Universe 2008, Dayana Mendoza and Local Bahamas radio personality Ed Fields. London based singer Anthoney Wright performed his hit song

"Wud if I Cud" during the competition. The presentation show, rehearsals, dress rehearsal and the grand final took place at the Imperial Ballroom, in the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort .


Aravind T..

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

India's Independence Day



"At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new…India discovers herself again."
- Jawaharlal Nehru
(on Indian Independence Day, 1947)


After more than two hundred years of British rule, India finally won backs its freedom on 15th August, 1947. All the patriotic hearts rejoiced at seeing India becoming a sovereign nation and the triumph of hundreds and thousands of martyred souls. It was a birth of a new nation and a new beginning. The only fact that marred the happiness of the fruits by the blood of martyrs was the fact that the country was divided into India and Pakistan and the violent communal riots took away a number of lives. It was on the eve of 15th of August, 1947 that India tricolor flag was unfurled by Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, on the ramparts the Red Fort of Delhi.

The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth of the world's biggest democracy as a national holiday. Schools and people hoist the national flag through out the country and put them up on the rooftops and the buildings. People only go to offices to attend the flag hoisting ceremony. The Prime Minister addresses the Nation after the flag has been unfurled recounting the country's achievements of the year, discussing current major issues and future plans for the progress of the country. Recently, kite-flying has become a tradition on this day and people can be seen flying numerous kites of all colors, sizes and shapes symbolizing the freedom.

Aravind T.

Monday, August 03, 2009

Rakhi: The Thread of Love



In India, festivals are the celebration of togetherness the celebrations of being one of the family. Raksha Bandhan is one such festival that is all about affection, fraternity and sublime sentiments. It is also known as Raksha Bandhan which means a 'bond of protection. This is an occasion to flourish love, care, affection and sacred feeling of brotherhood.

Not a single festival in India is complete without the typical Indian festivities, the gatherings, celebrations, exchange of sweets and gifts, lots of noise, singing and dancing. Raksha Bandhan is a regional celebration to celebrate the sacred relation between brothers and sisters. Primarily, this festival belongs to north and western region of India but soon the world has started celebrating this festival with the same verse and spirit. Rakhi has become an integral part of those customs.

An insight of Rakhi Rituals
On the day of Rakhi, sisters prepares the pooja thali with diya, roli, chawal, rakhi thread and sweets. The ritual begins with a prayer in front of God, then the sister ties Rakhi to her brother and wishes for his happiness and well-being. In turn, the brother acknowledge the love with a promise to stand by his sister through all the good and bad times.

Sisters tie Rakhi on the wrist of their brothers amid chanting of mantras, put roli and rice on his forehead and pray for his well-being. She bestows him with gifts and blessings. In turn, brothers also wish her a good life and pledges to take care of her. He gives her a return gift. The gift symbolizes the physical acceptance of her love, reminder of their togetherness and his pledge. The legends and the reference in history repeated, the significance of the festival is emphasized.

Unconditional Bond of Love
Raksha bandhan has been celebrated in the same way with the same traditions for many years. Only the means have changed with the changing lifestyle to make the celebration more elaborate and lively. This day has an inherent power that pulls the siblings together. The increasing distances evoke the desire to be together even more. All brothers and sisters try to reach out to each other on this auspicious day. The joyous meeting, the rare family get-together, that erstwhile feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood calls for a massive celebration.

For everyone, it is an opportunity to reunion and celebrate. People also share tasty dishes, wonderful sweets and exchange gifts. It is a time to share their past experiences also. For those who are not able to meet each other, rakhi cards and e-rakhis and rakhis through mails perform the part of communicating the rakhi messages. Hand made rakhis and self-made rakhi cards are just representation of the personal feelings of the siblings.

Aravind T

Ref..

Raksha Bandhan in History..



Raksha Bandhan
The traditional Hindu festival 'Raksha Bandhan' (knot of protection) was came into origin about 6000 years back when Aryans created first civilization - The Indus Valley Civilization. With many languages and cultures, the traditional method to Rakhi festival celebration differs from place to place across India. Following are some historical evidences of Raksha Bandhan celebration from the Indian history.

Rani Karnawati and Emperor Humayun
The story of Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun is the most significant evidence in the history. During the medieval era, Rajputs were fighting Muslim invasions. Rakhi at that time meant a spiritual binding and protection of sisters was foremost. When Rani Karnawati the widowed queen of the king of Chittor realised that she could in no way defend the invasion of the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, she sent a rakhi to Emperor Humayun. The Emperor touched by the gesture started off with his troops without wasting any time.

Alexander The Great and King Puru
The oldest reference to the festival of rakhi goes back to 300 B.C. at the time when Alexander invaded India. It is said that the great conqueror, King Alexander of Macedonia was shaken by the fury of the Indian king Puru in his first attempt. Upset by this, Alexander's wife, who had heard of the Rakhi festival, approached King Puru. King Puru accepted her as his sister and when the opportunity came during the war, he refrained from Alexander.

Lord Krishna and Draupathi
In order to protect the good people, Lord Krishna killed the evil King Shishupal. Krishna was hurt during the war and left with bleeding finger. Seeing this, Draupathi had torn a strip of cloth from her sari and tied around his wrist to stop the bleeding. Lord Krishna, realizing her affections and concern about him, declared himself bounded by her sisterly love. He promised her to repay this debt whenever she need in future. Many years later, when the pandavas lost Draupathi in the game of dice and Kauravas were removing her saari, Krishna helped her divinely elongating the saari so that they could not remove it.

King Bali and Goddess Lakshmi
The demon king Mahabali was a great devotee of lord Vishnu. Because of his immense devotion, Vishnu has taken the task of protecting bali's Kingdom leaving his normal place in Vikundam. Goddess lakshmi - the wife of lord Vishnu - has became sad because of this as she wanted lord Vishnu along with her. So she went to Bali and discussed as a Brahmin woman and taken refuge in his palace. On Shravana purnima, she tied Rakhi on King Bali's wrist. Goddess Lakshmi revealed who she is and why she is there. The king was touched by Her and Lord Vishnu's good will and affection towards him and his family, Bali requested Lord Vishnu to accompany her to vaikuntam. Due to this festival is also called Baleva as Bali Raja's devotion to the Lord vishnu. It is said that since that day it has become a tradition to invite sisters on sravan pournima to tie sacred thread of Rakhi or Raksha bandan.

Aravind T..

Ref.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

World’s First 256GB USB Flash Drive.

kingstonunve 578

Now thats some major memory

Kingston Technology, the independent world leader in memory products, announced the launch of the world’s first 256GB USB flash drive, the Kingston Technology DataTraveler 300. It allows users to carry around a whole digital world, from thousands of image files to a whole database of documents. Users will also benefit from quick transfer rates and the option to password protects their data.

The Kingston DataTraveler 300 is ideal for netbook users who want to extend the limited capacity of their machines. It can also be used by business consumers who work with large databases, or even designers who need to transfer large graphic files from one place to another.

“The DataTraveler 300 will enable users to carry huge volumes of data with them everywhere they go – up to 365 CDs for example. That’s one album for every day of the year, and it demonstrates how far flash technology has developed,” said Kirsty Miller, Product Marketing Manager – Consumer, Kingston Technology Europe. “Business users and consumers can also safeguard their data by initializing the Password Traveler software which will allow them to password protect their data in a privacy zone without the need of administrator rights.”

The Kingston DataTraveler 300 features a sleek cap-less design that will protect the USB connector when it is not in use and is enhanced for Windows Readyboost. The Kingston DataTraveler 300 is available only in 256GB and is backed by a five-year warranty. The Kingston DataTraveler is built to order only; customers who wish to purchase the drive can place an order with many reseller and e-tailers.

Kingston Unveils the World’s First 256GB USB Flash Drive

Enlarge

Kingston DataTraveler 300

DataTraveler 300 Product Features and Specifications:

Capacity — 256 GB

Speed — Data transfer rates of up to 20 MB/sec. read and 10 MB/sec. write

Safeguarded — includes Password Traveler security software for Windows

Convenient — does not require Administrator rights to access the Privacy Zone

Dimensions — 2.78” x 0.67” x 0.87” (70.68 mm x 16.90 mm x 21.99 mm)

Operating Temperature — 32° to 140° F (0° to 60° C)

Storage Temperature — -4° to 185° F (-20° to 85° C)

Enhanced — for Windows ReadyBoost on Vista-based systems


Aravind T

Ref..

Decision-Making Attack Drones..


Another terminator style weapon is soon coming but no Shawn Conner to save us from its wrath

Leave it to the military to dream big. In its recently released “Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Plan 2009-2047″ report, the US Air Force details a drone that could fly over a target and then make the decision whether or not to launch an attack, all without human intervention. The Air Force says that increasingly, humans will monitor situations, rather than be deciders or participants, and that “advances in AI will enable systems to make combat decisions and act within legal and policy constraints without necessarily requiring human input.” Programming of the drone will be based on “human intent,” with real actual humans monitoring the execution, while retaining the authority and ability to override the system. It’s all still extremely vague, with literally no details on exactly how this drone will come into existence, but we do know this: the Air Force plans to have these dudes operational by 2047. We’re just holding out to see what those “classified” pages are all about.


Aravind T

Ref..

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Another Biggest Tragedy In Human History-Tsunami will be back 22nd July 2009

I just wanted 2 let you all know “please stay away from the beaches all around in the month of July”
There is a prediction that there will be another tsunami hitting on 22nd July 2009. It is also when there will be a sun eclipse.
It is predicted that this tsunami will be a really bad one.
Countries like Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak particularly), Singapore, Indonesia, Maldives, Australia, Mauritius, Si Lanka, India, Philippines are going to be badly hit.
Warning: STAY away from beaches in July.


I got this message via an email .




The first Tsunami that happen last time was shock the whole world and i believed, someone out there still leave a scare and hard to forget, the sadnest is some victims don't even got time to say out their last word...

Here is an unpublish and hidden infomation that i received :

There is a prediction that there will be another tsunami hitting on 2009 July 22nd, It is also when there will be sun eclipse. Predicted that it is going to be really bad and countries like Malaysia (Sabah & Sarawak), Singapore, Maldives, Australia, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Philippines are going to be badly hit.

Look at the file picture below, you will find out. Please be more cautious as the warnings has been given.

However, this infomation had not yet been prove and i don't know where this infomation came from,( I received from my friend ), but is BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY.

So stay away from beach from today till after July 2009, I also don’t know the credibility of the content, but just beware.

Good luck, let us pray together hopefully the tragedy never happen or if so happen, it wouldn't affect human being so badly like last tim.


Aravind T

Ref..

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Solar for Dark Climates

Solar technology that generates both heat and electricity could make solar energy practical in places that aren't sunny.

Cool Energy, a startup based in Boulder, CO, is developing a system that produces heat and electricity from the sun. It could help make solar energy competitive with conventional sources of energy in relatively dark and cold climates, such as the northern half of the United States and countries such as Canada and Germany.

Solar generator: A prototype of a Stirling engine that's powered by a solar water heater.
Credit: Cool Energy

The company's system combines a conventional solar water heater with a new Stirling-engine-based generator that it is developing. In cool months, the solar heater provides hot water and space heating. In warmer months, excess heat is used to drive the Stirling engine and generate electricity.

Samuel Weaver, the company's president and CEO, says that the system is more economical than solar water heaters alone because it makes use of heat that would otherwise be wasted during summer months. The system will also pay for itself about twice as quickly as conventional solar photovoltaics will, he says. That's in part because it can efficiently offset heating bills in the winter--something that photovoltaics can't do--and in part because the evacuated tubes used to collect heat from the sun make better use of diffuse light than conventional solar panels do.

The system is designed to provide almost all of a house's heating needs. But the generator, which will produce only 1.5 kilowatts of power, won't be enough to power a house on its own. The system is designed to work with power from the grid, although the power is enough to run a refrigerator and a few lights in the event of a power failure.

The company's key innovation is the Stirling engine, which is designed to work at temperatures much lower than ordinary Stirling engines. In these engines, a piston is driven by heating up one side of the engine while keeping the opposite side cool. Ordinarily, the engines require temperatures of above 500 °C, but Cool Energy's engine is designed to run at the 200 degrees that solar water heaters provide.

The success of the technology, however, hinges on achieving the efficiency targets, says Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway, who is developing high-temperature Stirling engines for other applications, including transportation. "We need data," he says. The company's second prototype was only 10 percent efficient at converting heat into electricity. Its engineers hope to reach 20 percent with a new prototype.

A Stirling engine's efficiency is limited by the difference in temperature between the cool and hot side. Typically, reaching the necessary high temperatures using sunlight requires mirrors and lenses for concentrating the light and tracking systems for keeping the concentrators pointed at the sun. The concentrators require direct sunlight, so they don't work on overcast days, and they're too bulky to be mounted on the roof of a house.

To make a practical Stirling engine that runs at low temperatures and doesn't require concentrators, the engineers at Cool Energy addressed a problem with conventional engines that leads to wasted energy: heat leaks from the hot side of the system to the cool side, lowering the temperature difference between them. This happens because the materials required for high temperatures and pressures--typically metals--conduct heat. Working at lower temperatures, the engineers concluded, allows them to use materials such as plastics and certain ceramics that don't conduct heat, reducing these losses. These materials also help lower costs: they're cheaper than some of the metals typically used, and they don't require lubrication, improving the reliability of the engines and reducing maintenance costs.

Cool Energy's engineers are currently assembling the company's third prototype, which they say will allow them to reach their efficiency targets by the end of this summer, after which they plan to test pilot systems outside the lab. Within two years, they plan to manufacture enough systems to drive costs down and achieve their payback targets.


Aravind T

Ref..

Thursday, April 02, 2009

When will India become a developed nation?


When will India become a developed nation?

When I was surfing the net some time ago I was impressed by a fine bit of information given by the author of an article. That actually gave me the base and tempted to write this article.

Living Standard:

Progress is the must for any nation. Simply as existence on the earth is meaningless. The progress should be measured by the living standard of the nation. To mention here, the living standard is not of the affluent section of the nation. The standard of living of affluent society of any poverty stricken and backward country should be reasonably high. So the grass root level people has to be taken for discussion.

Real progress is not seen:

People may argue that we are progressing. Our progress is not the real one, I believe. We may be confessed by saying the development in IT field and space activities. These developments will increase the pride of our nation among international communities but won't fill the stomach of the masses who are still below the poverty line. We should attain the growth universally not by indicating one or two areas. Our Government, politicians and people should work hard to narrow down the gap between rich and poor. There won't be any progress without giving attention to socio-economic imbalances.

Few rains from dark clouds:

Our progress is not up to the mark when considering the span of fifty-eight years after independence. Have we achieved sixty percent of education in national level? We can pat on our chest by the mystery amidst misfortunes that is nothing but one hundred per cent education achieved in our tiny State of Kerala. Let us ignore the vast States like Utter Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh etc. At least the small pockets like Union Territories should have attained one hundred per cent education like Kerala.

By knowing the importance of education Tamil Nadu Government is taking vigorous steps. From first standard to plus two they supply free books for all the students of Government schools and Government aided schools. By assisting financially to the ladies of weaker sections to do small business they put in roads to improve economy in families in order to come out of poverty. Procuring crops from farmers and waiving off interests and loan amount are the ways to help the farmers to come out from their hardship during drought. Procuring all the products from the weavers who depend on handlooms and sell them for a low price to the poor to help the poor. These are all the few welfare measures taken by the Tamil Nadu Government to improve the economic status of the State.

Beyond doubt, Andhra is the best and quality paddy producers in India and transporting rice not only through out India and exporting rice to foreign countries.

Looming contradictions:

Our brothers and sisters in East Godavari district in AP are being ruthlessly killed by naxalites. Once the naxalites movements were active in Dharmapuri district and Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu. What is the root cause for these naxalites insurgencies? Economic imbalance is one of the causes for extremism. Extremists are not born but produced.

We are not paying any attention to eradicate this but we are busy in air-conditioning the resting places of place of worship and repairing the temple cars for the car festival and deepening the temple tank for floating festival when the country is floating on economic strains.

To attain the economic growth and national progress we can't simply blame the politicians who rule the nations but people are also equally responsible for this. People should be country conscience. We don't have to see the western world for the progress. Just look around nations in the Asia Pacific regions. Once the countries were in very backward state are now became a developed nation with a high standard of living.

To come forward we have to transform our man-hours into energy towards progress. Language, religion and other associated activities etc are swallowing our maximum man-hours and being obstacles to our growth. I came to know a flow of fifty thousand people are visiting a place of worship every day. Through out India how many such places of worship are over crowded like this. If this could happen once or twice in a year we could tolerate because every day we are loosing millions of priceless man-hours. Religion, language etc are the part in life and they are not the life.

"Work is worship" is the proverb. Let us not transform the proverb, as "Worship is work."

Minimum usage is meaningful:

The developing countries like India should not waste essential things like food, milk, honey etc. In developed countries the damaged food containers are not allowed to sit in the shelves of super market. The food manufacturers scrap the damaged containers along with food. They don't consider of replacing food with a new container because the labour is so expensive. So the country with that kind of richness may adopt a policy of wasting food though it is not acceptable for our ethical value. It is understood when we recollect the act of Mother Teresa. She was given dinner at a five star hotel by people from affluent society.

When the party was over, Mother Teresa was collecting the left over food from the plates and putting it into a basket. The hosts who arranged the dinner shocked to see that and rushed to her and said, "Why did you do like this? If you would have told us we would have arranged as much as you need." Mother Teresa politely replied, "I know that but there are some people under my care who haven't seen such food of this type. That's the reason I don't want to waste this food."

Knowingly we are wasting milk and honey. When I was a student I learned from a poem in the textbook that honey and milk were flowing like river in ancient India. This may be an exaggeration on the point of our view. But today honey and milk are flowing into the drain. The tiny bee flutters it's wings in the air and move from flower to flower to collect it's mouthful of honey. Then store them in the comb little by little.

Lot of hardship to get honey by the farmers of honey farm and tribals who climb treetops and mountaintops to get honey. Similarly milk is also not easily available. In country side people cheat the calf and draw maximum milk from the cow without allowing some for the calf to drink. In diary also the production of milk is not an easy process. The honey and milk which are collected by this way are being wasted enormously for religious purposes and allowed to flow in drain without being useful to anyone.

Religion and religious rites are very important to humankind. But we should not waste things by the name of religion. There are so many young children starving without milk due to poverty. Sick and elderly people are supposed to drink milk are not getting because of various reasons but large amount of milk and honey are going into the drain.

If we use only a little quantity collected from the devotees for religious purposes and allow the balance to reach young children, sick and elderly people instead of allowing it to flow in drain, how nice it could be.

Difference among people and need of the hour:

Unless an exceptional situation, people from countries like Swiss, Sweden, Germany and Japan don't migrate to other nations. People leave their homeland for various reasons but the main reason is to earn more money and for better standard of living.

People make use of the opportunity when it knocks their doorstep. It is very rare to find a personality like Indian President Dr Abdul Kalam who refused an offer given by the NASA in United States for a tune of equivalent to one hundred crores of Indian rupees when he was there for some time.

India should become a developed nation. For this we have to follow the strategies which were followed by the developed nations. We have to start educating people and achieve one hundred per cent education at national level.

The time and money spent on religious activities should be minimised or put on hold for some time till we achieve our goal and divert them towards the progress of our nation. Develop faith and illusion that all are one and only Indians by sinking the difference of religion, language, status etc.

Our limited achievements:

People may think how would it be possible. Ironically we could say that it could be possible and give few examples. One hundred per cent education is achieved in Kerala. Bangalore has become an excellent base for IT field.

Andhra is the best for agricultural products in India. Chennai has become the medical city in the South East Asia region. Mumbai is the business spine of our country. In total India is helping adjacent countries when they are in crisis.

How to achieve the destination:

To become a developed nation we have to draw a plan by involving people like political leaders, religious leaders, economists and progressive minded people. All should work hard selflessly and sincerely to reach the destination as true patriots.

Till we reach our goal we should consider India is our place of worship and Mother India is our Goddess to worship and the works related to national growth are our prayer and religious activities. Bring all the insurgents, activists, and extremists into negotiating table and solve the problems politically.

This is very important because if anyone wants to win a running race he must be healthy and fit enough in the first place. If not it would be like allowing the wound on the leg without treating and participating in the race.

What is needed now?

A spark should be ignited to activate thinking among certain group of people. The day when the spark is ignited is the beginning of dawn for India to become a developed nation. Our past experiences speak such a type of spark which was ignited among certain group of people to free the country from the foreign rulers. If we agree that was possible, we should accept that this is also possible.


Aravind T

Research Analyst

Monday, March 16, 2009

10 Secrets for Instant Self-Confidence


self-confidence
There are lots of ways to improve your self-confidence over the long-term – but sometimes you need an instant boost. You can’t walk into an important work meeting, (or a class at college or a room full of strangers at a party) whilst frantically re-reading a self-help manual, or making a last-minute phone call to your life-coach. So here are ten secrets to boosting your self-confidence in just a few seconds…

10 Secrets for Instant Self-Confidence

1. Smile

The one-second tip for when you’re feeling nervous and unconfident is simply to smile! You don’t just smile because you are happy and confident – you can smile to make yourself feel better. The act of smiling is so strongly associated with positive feelings that it’s almost impossible to feel bad while smiling.

Smiling is much more then just a facial expression. The simple act of smiling releases feel-good endorphins, improves circulation to the face, makes you feel good about yourself in general and can definitely increase your self confidence. … you will also appear more confident to others while you’re smiling.

2. Make eye contact

As well as smiling, meet the eyes of other people in the room. Give them your smile; you’ll almost certainly get one back, and being smiled at is a great self-confidence boost. Like smiling, eye contact shows people that you’re confident. Staring at your shoes or at the table reinforces your feelings of self-doubt and shyness.

This tip is particularly useful for work-related situations – make eye contact with interviewers, or with the audience for your presentation:

Eye contact helps take the fear away from the speaker by getting the audience closer to him. Stress is mainly a result of being with the unknown and uncontrollable. Eye contact gives the speaker a picture of the reality that is the audience. It also helps in getting the attention of the audience.

3. Change your inner voice

Most of us have a critical inner voice that tells us we’re stupid, not good enough, that we’re too fat, thin, loud, quiet… Being able to change that inner voice is key to feeling self-confident on the inside, which will help you project your confidence to the world. Make your inner voice a supportive friend who knows you fully but also recognizes your talents and gifts, and wants you to make the best of yourself.

You still want to be able to hear the message, so don’t make it so chilled and laid back that you never take any notice of it. You can even choose 2, 3 or as many voices as you want for different occasions. Your voice should always support you, always be helpful, never aggressive and it never puts you down.

(Shut the Duck Up, Pick the Brain)

4. Forget other people’s standards

Whatever the situation that’s causing you a crisis of self-confidence, you can help yourself immeasurably by holding yourself to your own standards alone. Other people have different values from you, and however hard you try, you’ll never please everyone all of the time. Don’t worry that people will think you’re too overweight, underweight, too feckless, too boring, too frugal, too frivolous … hold yourself to your standards, not some imagined standards belonging to others. And remember that commonly-held values and standards vary from society to society: you don’t have to accept them just because the people around you do.

People’s values define what they want personally, but morals define what the society around those people want for them. Certain behaviors are considered to be desirable by a given society, while others are considered to be undesirable. For the most part, however, morals are not written in stone, or proclaimed by God above, but instead reflect local sensibilities. Different societies have different ideas about what is acceptable and not acceptable.

5. Make the most of your appearance

Even if you’ve only got a minute or two, duck into the bathroom to make sure you’re looking your best. Brushing your hair, giving your face a good wash, retouching your makeup, straightening your collar, checking you’ve not got a bit of parsley stuck between your teeth … all of these can make the difference between feeling confident in your physical appearance and feeling anxious about an imagined flaw.

Perfect your physical appearance: There’s no denying that one’s grooming plays a crucial role in building confidence. Although we know what’s on the inside is what truly counts, your physical appearance will be the first to create an impression.

6. Pray or meditate briefly

If you believe in a higher power, whether God, or another spiritual force, it can be a real boost to self-confidence to say a silent prayer. (You could also meditate instead of praying.) This helps you to take a step back from your immediate situation, to see the wider picture and to seek help from something or someone greater than yourself. This is a Christian prayer, but you could write something similar that fits your own religious beliefs or spiritual tradition:

Dear God, thank you that you love and accept me as I am … please help me to do the same … and help me to grow to become the person you want me to be so that my God-confidence and self-confidence will increase greatly—all for the glory of your name and not mine. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Amen.

7. Reframe

If something unexpected happens, it’s easy to let it knock your fledgling self-confidence. Perhaps you spill your drink on someone, you arrive late for the big meeting because of traffic problems, or someone who you wanted to speak to gives you a cold brush-off. Try to “reframe” the situation; put it in the best possible light: often, events are only negative because of the meaning we attach to them.

8. Find the next step

Keep your self-confidence up by taking gradual steps forwards, rather than freezing when faced with what seems like a giant leap. If you’re not sure what to do, look for one simple step that you can take to make progress. That might mean making eye contact at a party, introducing yourself to a stranger, breaking the ice in a meeting, or asking a question of your interviewers that shows your knowledge of their industry and company.

Start taking action even if you don’t have a clear idea of what needs to be done. Start moving towards your goal. Make corrections later.

9. Speak slowly

An easy tip for both seeming and being more self-confidence is to speak slowly. If you gabble, you’ll end up feeling worse as you know you’re being unclear to your audience or to the person you’re in a conversation with. Speaking slowly gives you the chance to think about what you’re going to say next. If you’re giving a talk or presentation, pause at the end of phrases and sentences to help your audience take in what you’ve said.

A person in authority, with authority, speaks slowly. It shows confidence. A person who feels that he isn’t worth listening to will speak quickly, because he doesn’t want to keep others waiting on something not worthy of listening to.

10. Contribute something

Have you ever sat through an entire class at college or meeting at work without saying a word? Have you had an evening out where friends chatted happily while you sat and stared silently at your drink? Chances are, you weren’t feeling very self-confident at the time – and you probably felt even worse afterwards. Whatever the situation you’re in, make an effort to contribute. Even if you don’t think you have much to say, your thoughts and perspective are valuable to those around you.

By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you’ll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.


Aravind...

Reference..



Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Any Internet Browser on your Computer Without Installation..

Use Any Internet Browser on your Computer Without Installation

web browser icons

Do you want to:

a. Carry a portable version of your favorite web browser on the USB drive? It could be Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari or even Opera.

b. Simultaneously run multiple versions of Internet Explorer or Firefox on the same computer side-by-side without any hacks.

c. Test the new design of your website in all popular browsers without having to rely on an online service like Browser Shots?

d. You don’t have permissions to install new software on the office computer? How do you then use Safari or Google Chrome instead of Internet Explorer?

e. You have heard lot of good things about Internet Explorer 8 but since that browser is still in beta, you don’t want to override your existing installation of IE 7. How do you then try IE 8 without uninstalling IE 7?

f. You love Browser A but some of your favorite websites only open in Browser B. How can you access these websites without installing B?

Now if you said yes to any of the above questions, all you need is Xenocode - it’s an awesome platform that helps you run any web browser on your computer without installation. Simply download an executable from the Xenocode website and double-click to run that web browser.

Xenocode provides ready-to-use packages for Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 6-8 and Firefox 2-3. Xenocode WebApps also let you run multiple application versions side-by-side on any version of Windows.

If you were using virtual machines with VMWare or Microsoft Virtual PC just for testing browser compatibility, it may be a good idea to switch to Xenocode browser as they are fast and you don’t have to wait for the virtual machine to boot up.

Note: Xencode provides a slightly older version of Chrome but you download Chrome 2 (portable) here.


Aravind..

Reference..

Monday, March 02, 2009

Blu-ray Disc,,,


Blu-ray, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD), is the name of a next-generation optical disc format jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a group of the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers (including Apple, Dell, Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK and Thomson). The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. This extra capacity combined with the use of advanced video and audio codecs will offer consumers an unprecedented HD experience.

While current optical disc technologies such as DVD, DVD±R, DVD±RW, and DVD-RAM rely on a red laser to read and write data, the new format uses a blue-violet laser instead, hence the name Blu-ray. Despite the different type of lasers used, Blu-ray products can easily be made backwards compatible with CDs and DVDs through the use of a BD/DVD/CD compatible optical pickup unit. The benefit of using a blue-violet laser (405nm) is that it has a shorter wavelength than a red laser (650nm), which makes it possible to focus the laser spot with even greater precision. This allows data to be packed more tightly and stored in less space, so it's possible to fit more data on the disc even though it's the same size as a CD/DVD. This together with the change of numerical aperture to 0.85 is what enables Blu-ray Discs to hold 25GB/50GB. Recent development by Pioneer has pushed the storage capacity to 500GB on a single disc by using 20 layers.

Blu-ray is currently supported by about 200 of the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer, recording media, video game and music companies. The format also has support from all Hollywood studios and countless smaller studios as a successor to today's DVD format. Many studios have also announced that they will begin releasing new feature films on Blu-ray Disc day-and-date with DVD, as well as a continuous slate of catalog titles every month. For more information about Blu-ray movies, check out our Blu-ray movies and Blu-ray reviews section which offers information about new and upcoming Blu-ray releases, as well as what movies are currently available in the Blu-ray format.

Aravind T..