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Zen Buddha Statue

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:26:27 +0000

Large Meditating Buddha Statue On Double Lotus Base 101″

The Zen Garden

Zen gardens definitely hold the place of the world’s most beautiful gardens, with the layout of the average Zen garden being both purposeful and exotic. Also known as Karesansui, these Zen gardens were originally conceived in ancient China, though they were adopted by and are most commonly associated with the Japanese.

The purpose of the Statues is very simple, but it is very spiritual as well. The purpose of the Zen garden is to represent different aspects of a person’s life and mind through plants, trees, ponds, animals, rocks, sand, and soil. It is created according to the desire of each person, and each one is unique.

Many of them contain no life at all, while others simply contain one type of animal or plant life. Some of thems are exclusively designed as habitations for birds, while others are designed to attract animals. Every Statues has a couple of things in common:

Garden Buddha statues are featured in the place of honor in the middle of a pool of lotus flowers
The paths of the garden are designed as a representation of the paths to enlightenment
There are seats and a number of places to sit and be still in quiet meditation

Here there are filled with sand, and that sand is moved with a rake into a number of patterns and designs. The rocks strewn purposefully among the sand is designed to be seen as mountains or islands, and the sand is moved in such a way as to appear to be water moving through the landscape of the sand.

Many of them are filled with green plant life that is abundant and verdant, with the garden Buddha statues in the center of the garden. The plant life that grows in the garden is used as a representation of the teachings and instructions of Buddha growing in the minds of the owners of the Zen gardens. The larger the variety of plant life that grows in the garden, the wider the range of understanding the person is trying to comprehend.

The paths of the garden, as mentioned above, meander throughout the entire garden, and these paths are designed for two purposes:

1. They are representative of the path that the Buddhist must walk to achieve true enlightenment, which is represented by garden Buddha statues in the center of the garden.
2. They are also used as a path for those who are practicing meditation while walking can take advantage of to stroll through beauty and focus their mind on contemplation.

The best thing about creating your own garden is the fact that you need very little to create it. The only requirements for garden Buddha statues, which are easily acquired. The rest of the garden is to be designed exactly how you want it, and each aspect of the garden will reflect the state of your karma.

About the Author

www.ifengshuiglobal.com

Digital Korea

admin — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:35:46 +0000

Digital Korea

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Samsung HMX-T10 Compact Full HD Digital Camcorder

Samsung T10 features a 5.1 megapixel BSI(Back Light) CMOS sensor, 10x optical zoom and 2.7-inch touch screen. Recognizes a 1920 × 1080 60i HD video and 4.7 megapixels. compact includes optical image stabilization for blur-free images. Samsung HMX-T10 supports SD / SDHC. It will be published this month in black and white for $299.00 and is now available for order on Amazon.com.

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Buddha Mind Contemporary Art

admin — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:51:21 +0000

Buddha Mind Contemporary Art

Buddha Mind in Contemporary Art

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Buddha Mind in Contemporary Art documents the growing presence of Buddhist perspectives in contemporary culture. This shift began in the nineteenth century and is now pervasive in many aspects of everyday experience. In the arts especially, the increasing importance of process over product has promoted a profound change in the relationship between artist and audience. But while artists have been a…

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The Purpose for Man’s Existence

The Purpose for Man’s Existence

The choice

In this work we postulate the following thesis as a presumed purpose for man’s existence: ‘Confronting the enigma of the universe man, part of the enigma, has a choice between belief and disbelief in an external finality, a creator-cause.’

Meaning an Directionality of Sense

We propose to study in this article the sense-reference of this choice. Sense is expressed in two manners. The first considers ‘sense’ in terms of ‘meaning’ referring to explanation that man is led to work out with relation to his confrontation with the universe. The second, ‘sense’ is considered in terms of ‘directionality’ of explanation in a two-optional alternative effectuated between ‘belief’ and ‘disbelief’. The motive of choice postulates that through man’s confrontation with the universe, and in order to explain it, a total lack of evidence for the presumption of either option, the individual is obliged to refer to his faculty of belief and deliberate a free and a voluntarily choice between the two options, namely: to believe in a creator-cause or not to believe in an external finality; a creator-cause: a God.

Aim of this study

We will attempt to present the hypothesis of the ‘choice’ and test it against the texts of monotheistic religions and in the thought of certain philosophers, scientists and ideologists, in order to establish grounds for collective attitude patterns as well as individual ones.

The notion of choice

For the purpose of our work we propose to study the choice in its own proper term and then in terms of religious connotations in order to establish its probable validity in this realm. The hypothesis of the ‘choice’ will be examined next according to the attitude of certain philosophers (Buddha, Aristotle, Leibniz, Spinoza, Kant, Nietzsche, Sartre, Russell)(1), certain scientists like (Pascal, Descartes, Freud, Einstein, Hawkins) and ideologists like (Karl Marx), in order to establish the grounds for the decision of the choice in the thought of these thinkers.

Belief and Disbelief

The basic foundation for the notion of the ‘choice’ comprises a decision of preference by the individual person between two options. This study focuses on a presumed two options represented in one alternative namely,

a. To believe, or,

b. To disbelieve, in: An external finality-identified here as a creator-cause: God.

According to the attitude of every individual the ‘choice’, in case of belief, may be spontaneous, immediate, clear and direct (faith), or can be a thoughtful ‘choice’ produced by subjective justification of ‘reasoning’, or can be a combination of the two. Or, it can be a choice of rejection of belief (disbelief) which is produced by an immediate terms depend on man’s convictions. We are in a con chance, such resentment or a prolonged intellectually reflective decision. Thinkers like Aristotle, Pascal, and Sartre considered the ‘choice’ in the same manner revealing the same mechanism in defining the ‘choice’ as a logical process of choosing between two options of the same alternative.

Inborn Curiosity for Knowledge and the problematic

We are assuming that man’s curiosity motivates him to pursue knowledge through thought. The natural need to know is the starting point that instigates the process of awareness of the universe and oneself. We have proposed the idea that the objective of thinking and acquiring knowledge, whether scientific or otherwise is to explain what is. Knowledge in our perspective has a directional finality, to enable man to make his choice. The enigmatic presence, nature, structure, origin and functionality of the universe, are the key questions where knowledge tries to figure out. Whether life is the product of an overall order-plan or the result of hazard-chaotic absurdity demands explanations. Our world offers us problematics that propose causality as part of the hypothetical explanations. The pursuit of knowledge confronts us, at every instance, with a possible hypothesis of a designer, or several, since we did not contribute ourselves to such phenomenon. The lack of evidence for or against such hypothesis imposes the choice as the only alternative.

Knowledge and Perception of it

Science (Latin: sciré: to know, to be acquainted with, to recognize: based on evidence) and arts (another approach of perception, to recognize, to discern, to identify, to be conscience of, to be aware of, to captivate and to represent) are the bases of perceptible reactions. Psychological or spiritual apprehension is equally decisive in perceiving knowledge. Every one is confronted with the same object, phenomenon or thing, but reacts to it differently. These reaction-attitudes can be classified into conception-expression means of communicative decisions. We presume that despite all scientific, aesthetic, moral, psychological or spiritual experiences and discoveries we are unable, until now, to discover answers to ‘ultimate knowledge’. Man we are assuming is at the present state of knowledge is in a state of ignorance with regard to ‘ultimate knowledge’.

Ultimate Knowledge

At the present time the presumed ‘ultimate knowledge’ produced by the confrontation of man with the universe is inaccessible. Man, facing this inaccessibility, recoils to his faculty of conjectural speculations, in search for explanations and lack of evidence to his faculty of belief and disbelief. The alternative of choice imposes itself as an obligation. The choice between belief and disbelief in a creator-cause becomes the only option that confronts the individual. Endowed with the mind, tool of reason, freedom of will and free arbitration, man deliberates his choice in accordance with his own personal convictions. The mechanism of this presumption can be reduced to the followings notions:

A. Confrontation between man and the universe.

B. Astonishment and natural curiosity as inborn aptitudes.

C. The need to explain the world.

D. The incapacity of individual, or even the collective

intelligence, to explain the presence, the origin and finality of

objects constituting the universe, as well as the nature of these

objects, until the present time.

E. The emergence of hypotheses of non-verifiable causes.

F. Total lack of proof, reference, index or even solid argument

for these hypotheses.

observing, examining, analyzing, comparing, synthesizing and

G. The emergence of a hypothesis of a creator-cause, or

many.

H. The forced confrontation of two-fold alternative of a

choice:

The inevitable obligation of making the choice between the

two options:

A. Belief or

B. Disbelief, in an external finality, a creator-cause: God

K. The finale and inevitable decision of the choice before

death.

L. Death seals the choice.

Confrontation between man and the universe can be examined

at different levels of encounters:

1. The physical encounter, where the object (a butterfly, a tree, a planet, a galaxy) is perceived through our senses. Here the observer exercises curiosity which sets off reaction in terms of questioning. (Physical experience)

2. The aesthetical encounter: Here, the object emanates something which set off a sentimental psychological reaction, whether of admiration or rejection, in the observer. (Aesthetical experience)

3. The ethical encounter: The ethical attitude is related to a sense of duty, a moral responsibility, or morality reaction, a necessity for ethical interpretation of something, a state or an action. (Ethical experience)

4. The intellectual encounter: where the observer resorts to reason. Here, the faculty of reason is employed, namely, concluding concerning the presence, nature, structure and form of an object: constituents, origin and finality of an object perceptibly and the intelligibly. (Reasoning experience)

5. The spiritual encounter: Where the observer seizes the object directly and without the intermediary of the intellect. Here the observer captivates an object or an event through a faculty different from his other faculties. (Spiritual experience)

6. The encounter of the whole: We can, perhaps, add another experience to these five principle ones namely, what is considered as the sixth sense, where a feeling of extra physical, psychological, mental, ethical, esthetical or spiritual perception, e.g. sensing an object or an event without the intermediation of any of these five means. We can consider that in every experience, or a combination of experiences, the individual confronts a phenomenon and this interaction instigates a reaction to whether or not there is causality.

These six encounters, or means of awareness, can be considered as indivisible entity experience, as in Buddhist meditation.

Inevitability of the Choice Lack of Proof

In our perspective we are always postulating that the absence of proof, for or against the existence of causality, renders the choice inevitable. The uncertainty of metaphysics as well as of religious speculation concerning evidence, does not offer us enough support to settle the question of belief and disbelief which remains a suspended decision. (2) The absence of something tangible, or even a solid argument, denoting such causality gives freedom to think in deliberating the choice.

Free arbiter and fatalism

It is in this individual liberty that every person finds expression of his choice. Although man is obliged to choose between one of the two options he has the freedom to make his choice between the two. In the choice responsibility of individual freedom grants the individual his value as a human being. We do not consider fatalism and predestination as valid criterion for the decision of the choice, since it bereaves him from his freedom and his will and renders him not responsible for his decisions. Without such freedom he is reduced to an irresponsible mechanical robot. We assume that the idea of the choice is founded on the freedom of the individual to make his own choice as he wants. No other person can share with him in the final decision in the making of his choice. Although persuasive and dissuasive means of influence, whether familial, societal, psychological, religious or ideological, are endless exercising maximum pressure, in either way and in favor of either option, it is up to the individual himself to make the choice. He alone is responsible While freedom of decision is the criterion of the choice the individual determines the outcome of his final decision. Every individual person can thus envisage the world, interpret it and explain it in accordance to his own convictions.

Vacuum of Ignorance

As was discussed earlier, the impossibility to conclude from universal phenomena, whether empirical-sensible or intelligible-spiritual, the hypothesis of the existence of causality emerges as a probability where evidential knowledge is unattainable. Knowledge in itself, and at its present state, is unable to provide with such explanative answers. Accessibility to ultimate knowledge is needed to acquire evidence. It is when we realize our incapacity to attain ultimate knowledge that personal convictions are prompted by belief or unbelief. Confronted with this state of ‘inaccessibility’ creates a vacuum where man becomes aware of his limitations and where knowledge is unable to provide answers that the choice is imposed.

Oscillation

Although choice is free and willful, but inevitable, it is restricted to two options. No third option is possible. To believe or not to believe, in a creator-cause is a forced decision where one can alternate indefinitely until death where the final decision is taken. Rejection of the choice indicates already that a choice has been taken. A skeptic, the indecisive who doubts or who oscillates between the two options, even the nihilist, can be considered as one who has chosen to reject belief, as long as he did not make his choice to believe. One cannot be a believer and unbeliever at one and the same time. He is either one or the other. He can alternate between the two options as much as he desires but once he makes his choice he is classified in one term or the other.

As is in the case of other major forced human aspects such as form, shape, color, constitution, systems, motivations and needs; eventualities, such as birth, development, aging and death (where man has no choice but to accept and endure), the choice is another forced phenomenon upon man. The term ‘forced’ means ‘obliged to accept and has no choice in the matter’.

Forced Existence

Forced existence refers to the fact that he did not choose to be in his form, his size or possessing systems constituting him physically, mentally, psychologically, ethically and spiritually( for those who believe in the soul). He is forced to go through a life cycle, entering from one door, passing duration of time and then dying. He has no option in all these, not even in the color of his eyes. Nobody asks him whether he likes to come into this life or to age or to imposed and man has to choose. Man is forced into this then find no evidence for ultimate knowledge? Why specific form? Why should man confront the universe?

Nobody takes his opinion whether he would like to have two arms, two legs, a trunk and a head. He undergoes the process of aging and cannot retard it for a moment. He is submitted to all these processes without the least choice. Similarly, man is forced to interact with the universe whether he likes it or not, for survival and knowledge acquisition. He is forced to think and cannot stop thinking. In the same way we consider the choice as a forced decision that the individual has to take before his death.

Uselessness of Proof

We consider that according to the perspective of the choice any possibility of a proof or disproof for causality renders the decision of the choice void and renders life meaningless with no goal to achieve. For, indeed, why the mystery and why the enigma? Why should man strive for knowledge and undergo a specified duration of time .

Causality

Man undergo life and death? Why should man have no saying in all these things? The way is indicated, the alternative is situation of choice. Although the decision of the choice can be verified it is next to impossible to verify why man should make the decision of the choice. Maybe the answer is suggested in religious texts. We assume in this work that it is precisely the ‘absence of proof’, for or against a creator-cause, represents the meaning for man’s existence. We consider the choice as the corner- stone for such directionality of meaning. The perspective of the choice provides sense, order and aim for man’s transitory existence where specific conditions are indispensable: a life- cycle i.e. birth, maturity and death; a mind to think; the need for confrontation with an enigmatic universe; the need for an explanation and that this explanation is sterile, the emergence of causality; absence of proof or disproof for such a causality, i.e., a creator-cause and freedom of will to deliberate the final decision.

In this way we consider any individual, whether a philosopher, a scientist, an artist or man of letters, or any person who attempts to establish a proof, or disproof, for such causality practices an exercise in futility. Many, like (Buddha, Aristotle, St. Paul, St Aquinas, Pascal, Descartes, Leibniz, Kant, Nietzsche, Freud, Russell, Sartre or Picasso) have attempted such an enterprise, namely to give proof for or against the existence of a God, but their Endeavour ended up in pure conjecture.

What is interesting in this attempt is that each of these thinkers had to make up his own choice, despite the lack of proof or disproof.

We emphasize the fact that no religion, among the three principle monotheistic religions (that asserts the thesis of the existence of one God), or among other belief-systems (Hinduism, Zarathustraism, Magus, Sikhism or Baha’ism), advances substantial evidence for its claims.

Purpose of forced phenomenon

In our study we do not attempt to deal with an answer to the ‘why’ question of having to make the choice. In other words: Why should man make a choice between belief and disbelief in an external finality? Or, what is the purpose of this forced phenomenon? For we do not pretend to any argument in the direction of this problematic. Another question which is equally important is: Being so important as a decision, are there any consequences for making the choice? There is no way to verify the validity of such an inquiry.

A third question emerges as well that is related to: who takes the decision of choice within us? Is it our reason? Is it our sentiment? Is it our natural intuition? Our soul? Or is it the other person within? It is very difficult to provide with answers. But one thing is certain; we have to face the universe and we have to choose.

As long as man remains a mystery and as long as the universe and its constituent phenomena remain also as enigmas, yielding no evidence or proof, choice between belief and disbelief in finality, internal or external, is unavoidable. Reason and belief remain as the only resorts in deliberating our decision of the choice.

Viability of collective choice

Although all these questions are important with respect to the choice, we are limiting ourselves only to the notion of choice as a decision between two options. The decision of choice can be observed on an individual level as well on a collective level. Example of a collective choice can be observed in the Jewish People’s attitude displayed in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament and the Qur’an. The attitude of Christians and Muslims towards belief can be traced in the New Testament and the Qur’an respectively. A collective choice of a whole community can be verified for example in a Synagogue, Church or Mosque. The attitude of people in communist countries during and after the dominance of the USSR in the world particularly in the Soviet Union, or in China, North Korea and other rigid communist countries in the twentieth century, manifest a collective rejection of faith and belief, due to the ideological Marxist system. This collective choice can be empirically verified.

Collective choice representative of individual choice

But we consider that collective choice is nothing but an assembly of individual choices taken separately by each individual person, where personal responsibility is total, owing to the freedom and will of the individual. Despite the colossal influence of the collectivity the individual person has always the total freedom and the will to decide his, or her, own choice. Marxist ideology did not eradicate religious belief throughout the seventy years of dictatorship in the ex Soviet Union.

The individual choice is easier to verify with a simple questionnaire where the individual declares his decision or indecision. Communal choice is more difficult to trace than the individual decision. Statistics of people’s belief or ejection of belief are not applicable with precision in the great majority of present world societies. In previous world societies these statistics cannot be verified precisely because of the individual or group freedom on the one hand and the nature of the privacy of the decision on the other. These statistics are unavailable.

Agnosticism and Gnosticism

The choice can be concretely assessed between Gnosticism and agnosticism. Oscillations can be established, without over generalizing or over charging factual evidence with undue interpretations, in the Scriptures. Monotheistic beliefs have been a precise measuring criterion between belief and disbelief in one creator-cause until the present time. This criterion leads to a clear two-fold classification grouping attitudes into two distinct perspectives. According to this criterion of identification individuals are classified either as believers or disbelievers following their choice with regard to a creator-cause. In the twentieth century, and especially in the post modernity, these characteristics became more trenchant and the world population is more and more distinctively divided up between believers and non-believers.

Historical Applicability

The perspective of the choice can be applicable to all epochs throughout history. Fluctuations between the two options can be traced in all Scriptures. While the Middle Ages witness to the tension between the Church and science, later epochs disclose the influence of science and the gradual minimum Union in 1981 and the rise of religious fundamentalism gave role of metaphysics. In contemporary history religious belief can be clearly distinguished from atheistic disbelief on a mass level. This fact has dominated the world scene in the 20thc:

Two-fold Trends

Atheistic Marxism (predominantly disbelievers: about two billions) versus religious belief (predominantly monotheistic: about two billion believers). The break down of the Soviet momentum to the already rising revivalist religious reaction worldwide. Religious revivalism has culminated in the clash of civilizations religiously oriented among different cultures especially in post modernity. Traditional monotheistic movements on a transnational level emerge to constitute a religious rivalry on a world level. Religious revivalism was already in the making during the twentieth century as a reaction to Marxist materialist atheism and to the materialist values of capitalism. The reason for religious revivalism is not that both ideologies whether socialism or capitalism, failed to give a clear meaning for human existence, but rather the dictates of the choice between materialism and the spiritual outlook that decided between the two.

Notwithstanding the strong societal influence over the individual decision in the choice the final decision belongs to the individual himself. No other person, group, community or society can be held responsible for one’s own decision. An individual born and brought up in a Mormon environment, for example, is likely to choose Mormonism as a belief-system in preference to Buddhism, Hinduism or atheism. But the choice of a Mormon of his belief-system in reference to others is not an obligatory choice. Many adherents of one creed or another have left their belief-systems and have chosen others or have rejected belief altogether. Likewise examples can be cited of those who were atheists and chose to believe in one religion or another, or a certain philosophy. Whether religious teachings of certain belief-systems do not permit a change of a belief-system, every person in reality has the freedom and will to do so.

Choice of ‘reason’ and choice of ‘faith’

The fundament in choice is lack of proof for the existence, or non-existence of a creator-cause. The choice is not founded on a hazardous conviction of the individual. It can resort to ‘reason’ or/and to ‘faith’ for its own justification.

If reason can be described as deliberate awareness of mental apprehension process (as in the satellite dilemma which requires justification), faith can refer to direct decision (as in the aesthetical experience of a rose which may prompt a rose- conceptor, or simply it presumes a creator-cause as act of faith), or reject all metaphysical explanations.

Both reason and faith lack evidence and are founded on personal conviction. It is not within the domain of logical speculation to assign reason to the mind and faith to the heart (for the simple reason we cannot identify any of these proof. Both stem up from the perceptible and both phenomena), as some religions depict. If reason is a deliberate systematic awareness of phenomena based on facts, faith can be presented as an immediate criterion of judgment based on feelings. The former may result in the latter lack for factual end up in conjecture. This is where the choice becomes a forced obligation.

If we accept these criteria (reason and faith), and for the sake of the argument, as means of deliberating the choice, we can proceed to examine the notion of choice in belief-systems of monotheistic religions and then in the thought of a selection of thinkers.

We believe that the idea according to which any belief- system, whether religious (which can be considered as the invention of man’s own thought, or by divine inspiration as proclaimed by religion), or any presumptive philosophy, is brought about by man’s confrontation with the universe.

Empiricism as the separating line

Science and metaphysics are separated by empirical criterion. Although both are expressed by symbolic expressions of communication, both are short of evidence to provide support for belief or disbelief. While scientific empiricism can lead to disbelieve, metaphysical thought can be achieved through the very lack of evidence. All depends on one’s personal reaction to phenomenon. The universe offers the choice for both parties. Each party justifies its own preference depending on its choice.

When Napoleon asked Laplace, why there was no mention of God in his works; Laplace (an ardent believer himself) retorted to Napoleon: ‘Sire, I do not need this hypothesis for my theory.’ creator-cause.

The Encounter

The encounter of Laplace with the universe, and in order to interpret it with scientific rigor, he reduced it to mathematical formulas. It is exactly at this very point where mathematical interpretation is established we can separate belief from disbelief. According to the attitude of the individual person, here a scientist-mathematician, we can classify the person according to his belief or disbelief.

Mathematical interpretation of the universe does not permit access to verifying the existence or the non-existence of ultimate truth. At the point of the encounter with the universe the six-level dimensions of experience is set off immediately, intuitively and directly. These experiences are means of assisting the individual to conclude his final decision. Departing from the same phenomenon, the thinker can opt for one option or another. The same phenomenon can lead the individual into opposite directions.

Theosophical Examples of the Encounter

For example, Nietzsche chose to reject the idea of a God-cause while Leibniz chose to believe in this cause. Both thinkers, looking at the same phenomenon-the universe- did not change their attitudes. Kant, as another example, encountering the idea of what is ‘moral’ concludes the necessity of the existence of God, ‘God is a moral necessity’. Nietzsche, by rejecting the moral, rejects God. He further considers that the universe is the product of hazard and chaos. Leibniz considers order and organization as references denoting the necessity of God’s existence. The choice between belief and disbelief vis-à-vis the existence of an ‘external finality’ or ‘cause-creator’ may be considered as ‘crisis of doubt’ or as ‘crisis of soul’ or even as ‘crisis of conversion’ and ‘crisis of situation’. It is certainly a conflict within man as well as without. pretend to neither truth nor to reality. These are s by its very nature, tends to search for truth ,

The Dilemma

It is an inner conflict between identification and truthful reality. It is the doubt in the authenticity of one or the other. The mind stands as a judge, but in the choice it is impossible to establish its findings. The choice is an obligation as long as ultimate knowledge remains a mystery, unverifiable. Crisis of decision can be permanent without preferring one option to the other and can remain so until death. Here the indecisive individual oscillates permanently between the two options without any decision. The skeptic suspends his decision of judgment permanently for reasons of lack of proof. The annihilator annihilates the decision on the grounds that the reality of the decision cannot be attained. The doubtful is indecisive and alternates between the two decisions convincing himself one time of one option and another with the opposite option. In all these cases lack of evidence suspends decision. But indecision belongs to non-belief as long as the individual does not choose belief.

The nature of faith and religious belief

The departing point for this question is a difficult one, i.e. distinction between faith and confidence in reason. A definition of belief can denote, ‘to captivate one’s intelligence under the authority of God’, and faith, which presupposes the point of view of motivation, such as ‘the divine authority, accepted purely and simply; it is the respect that submits before superiority’, considering the divine authority as ‘the guarantee for revealed truths, is not only the motive for belief, but it becomes the cause’. The difference between the two is that ‘the act of faith is founded ontologically, but not logically, on preliminary certainties’. In one way we can perhaps assume that faith as certainty of belief without proof is superior to knowledge because it goes beyond it (notwithstanding contradiction in terms), ‘it is the immediate can be produced, but this is not the case. There is water atom.

Experience versus conjecture

We have no accessibility to what is the comprehension of a supra-sensible reality’, without the intermediation of reason, a sort of ‘illuminated intuition’, ‘understanding the unintelligible’, a ‘trust’ that ‘vanishes by demonstration’. We can consider that, the act of intelligence that precedes and prepares the act of faith, and works on the motivation and credibility leading to adhesion, which is the conclusion of an inquest and an adhesion of science. The inquest which satisfies the mind is concluded favorably. It is an act of faith in the supernatural, but is of a natural order. Belief is a thought of the possibility of the existence of a thing that lacks proof for its existence. Despite the limitations of this definition of belief, belief remains open to human imagination. Belief seizes to be belief if a proof can be produced. We can not assume the validity of a thing by an empiric scientific proof: our knowledge according to which a particle of water is formed of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen is dependant on atmospheric conditions (chemical-physical criteria) conducive to the formation of the structure of this atom of water, its origin, its presence or its purpose. Our knowledge is limited to its artificial presence in terms of life element. But ‘why should it be?’ is difficult to reply.

Responsibility of the choice

Being forced into having to deliberate one’s choice the individual has the responsibility of his choice in as far as his choice is unavoidable. There is no evidence for the presumption of responsibility. But the fact that the choice is inevitable renders man this responsibility. If such responsibility can be proven then evidence for either option, no reference indicating this responsibility and lesser still any evidence that the choice is an obligation, except that one has to make it. Confrontation between man and the universe is a Nevertheless; an underlying sense denotes implicitly these two assumptions namely, the inevitability and responsibility.

The inevitability can be indicated by the fact that every individual has made his choice or is deliberating his choice. The presumption of responsibility stems from the fact that every individual must take the decision.

The choice is individual and universal

Universality of the Choice

Within the perspective of the choice we assume that every individual person, sane and adult who has the faculty or judgment (reasoning), the liberty (to decide between the offered two options), the will (to deliberate) ought to choose: individual interaction where the individual experiences consciousness of what exists. Life with its vicissitude imposes on man dissuasive and persuasive effects in as far as the choice is concerned. Not only the mere confrontation of mind-universe has decisive element on the choice but also life experience becomes a determinant factor. Every individual person is subject to his immediate environment, small or large, and ultimately exposed to the whole world. All events, whether birth and death, good and evil, love and hatred, health and illness, gain and loss, are phenomena of thought and reflection enabling man to determine his final decision.

The choice as an inner conflict

Subjectivity of Finality

The conflict is an external-internal strife within man to deliberate the final choice. As an internal conflict we consider that the choice between belief and disbelief is in paradoxical opposition in every individual. The two opposite, just like life and death instincts, are innate and the decision rests subject to one’s subjective convictions. In this perspective we do not consider the dialectical process as valid mechanics of explanation, for the the conflict becomes more acute where indecision or vitalist-finalist ones in explaining the universe. We make reference to the natural impulse of reason. Choice involves two alternatives of which the actor is allowed one solution and not a synthesis: an individual is either a believer or a disbeliever. He alone can produce the final decision. Natural instincts, as well as interaction with the universe, persuade and dissuade man to choose either way.

Paradoxical opposition

As long as the enigma of existence remains as such and the universe is inexplicable in terms of how and why, we are confronted with belief and disbelief in causality. Inner-external interactions, whether opposite or congruent, are directed to give the individual grounds for choosing. The subjectivity of decision explains extremes of attitudes throughout history ranging from absolute rejection of belief in a ‘God’ (militant atheists) to convictions of certitude of belief (unison with God: ascetics, mystics, Sufis). We consider the choice as a universal phenomenon since every individual, adult and sane, is subject to the confrontation with the universe and is obliged to make a decision. While the choice is an inescapable decision during a life-time, death seals the choice.

The choice is an external conflict

Here the conflict lies in the inclinations of the individual, while deliberating his choice, towards mechanicist arguments is created to make a choice, for example, the skeptic, the doubtful, and the nihilist. Oscillation between one option and the other indicates clearly this conflict.

The choice is non transmissible

The choice is restricted to the individual himself. It is purely an unshared personal experience. Interaction with the universe is an individual and personal activity that cannot be communicated nor transmitted. As the experience is personal and subjective the decision of the choice cannot be transmitted from one person to another. Prescription of feelings and thoughts of personal convictions can be communicated but the experience itself cannot be shared by two persons. The decision depends entirely on the attitudes of every person, his personality and his personal reactions and decisions. The process of deliberating the choice is the result of infinite confrontations between man and the universe. At every encounter the individual is confronted with the decision itself. i.e., observing natural phenomenon.

Throughout history and under different types of pressures the choice was subject to influence, e.g., religious, societal, political, economic, educational, ideological. While influence can be enormous the decision itself remains the free will of the individual. Only when the individual himself decides on his choice the decision is made.

The individual choice and the collective choice

Collective choice is the assembly of individual choices. Whether the individual or the collectivity is subject to societal influences, this does not deprive the individual from his liberty to choose. Here we do not share the opinion advanced by Henri Lacroix of ‘dominance of authority’ and ‘the absence of liberty and will’ with regard to the decision of the choice whether through ‘personal faith’ or ‘collective choice’. We do not approve either that ‘authority’, whether ‘implicit or explicit’ and ‘submission to the notoriety, ‘imitation, ‘habit’ or ‘automatism’, ‘collective excitation’ or ‘ecstatic cult’ replace the personal decision of the individual. These factors, individual himself. No other person, a collectivity, as mentioned above, can have influence on the individual’s decision of choice but the final decision belongs to the can take away the freedom of the individual, for individuality is a particularity for every human.

Societal syndrome

In a society we observe the two opposite choices in coexistence. The choice itself can be a group identification of adherence, in separation and in concert. It can be also a criterion for harmony and dispute, conflict and war. It has direct impact on political, social and economic relations and structures of the adherents of belief or disbelief. Entities, or collectivities, belonging to either option can also decide the form and group conduct. It establishes criteria for national, regional and international relations. It is, in fact, a basic feature of individual identification and collective behavior. Conflicts and wars as well as peace and rapprochement are direct results of opposite choices. Crusades and Church inquisitions are but few examples.

Collective choice according to religious belief

In ancient history influences can be observed in the deliberation of communal decisions. The influence on collective choice is often the influence of certain individuals. For example, the influence of the individual decision of Akhenaton and his wife Nefertiti, the Egyptian Pharaohs (1352 BC), to abolish polytheism and establish monotheism, limiting deity to one god: Ateni the god of the sun, was decisive in the Pharoanic society. The influence of Moses (according to the Torah), of Jesus-Christ (according to the four Books of the Evangel) and the influence of Muhammad (according to the sources of Islam: Qur’an and Tradition) is of verified importance. On the other hand, the influence of disbelief practiced by certain individuals like Buddha, Nietzsche, Freud, Karl Marx, Fredrick Engels, Lenin, Mao Tse Tong, is massively observed. much as deciding on one option.

Most political influences are imposing influences where the masses are subjected to choice pressures by indoctrination, pressure, temptation, education and other dissuasive and persuasive methods. But the choice remains always subject to individual free will.

The choice is free and voluntary

We discussed above the choice as a personal and individual decision. Jean Jacque Rousseau, in Oeuvres, expresses his personal choice throughout the different phases of his life: ‘I believed in my childhood by authority, in my youth by feeling, in my adulthood by reason; now I believe because I have always believed.’ It is more likely for a Mormon brought up in a Mormonism community to be a Mormon, a Jew to be a Jew within his community, a Muslim to be a Muslim within his, or an atheist to be an atheist if he is brought up in an atheist environment. But there is always the freedom of change of belief to another belief system or to the rejection of belief. If the decision is individual and free, indecision can be, and often is, a reason for adjourning the final decision. It is up to the individual to fluctuate between the two options.

The Determining Will

The will is considered here as the determination to affirm an idea or a sentiment and passes to action. The role of freedom is to enable man to choose between the two options, it is the final concluding act of the individual’s freedom. Determination of decision by the will can be temporarily or can be permanent. The temporary decision is a decision that is subject to change. The permanent is a determinant and irreversible final decision. The permanent decision can seal the choice once and for good until death.

Spinoza, Kant and Sartre Positions

Spinoza considers the will as ‘the capacity to place oneself outside the chain of causes and effects’, but this denotes impartiality of decision. If the will can liberate itself from this, it acts independently of it. Descartes considers the will as ‘not really free but only when it is illuminated by understanding’. On the other hand, such a will indicating ‘human power to choose’, is not admitted by Spinoza. For Descartes, man has the power ‘to do or not to do’.

This choice does not implicate any arbitrariness. Descartes considers the ‘indifference’ which produces oscillation from one side to the other, without inclining towards one or to the other, is the basest degree of freedom. He considers understanding illuminates freedom and hence the decision of choosing is taken perfectly ‘in knowledge of cause’. Spinoza, on the other hand, does not situate freedom in free judgment but in free necessity. For Spinoza, ‘man does not have the will to do or not to do’. Man considers himself, and wrongly so, is above the laws of nature, assumes a finalist prejudice making him believe that all in nature is made for him. For Spinoza man is free when he knows that he exists and acts in a determined manner as all accomplished beings in nature.

Kant in the Critique of Pure Reason presupposes the double character of man. If man, by his sensitive character, is subordinated to natural determinism, he is entirely free by his intelligible character and imputable of his actions.

Sartre, in L’Etre et le Néant, assumes that man is ‘condemned to be free’. In the case where he is ‘first project’ of himself, man chooses entirely his life: ‘there exist no values a priori susceptible to justify his acts’. From this freedom, without foundations, ‘man can not be conscience except in ‘anguish’.’ He denied the existence of God.

Mechanicists versus Vitalist-Finalists

In our perspective we consider that ‘choice’ is an effect produced by the confrontation between the mind and the world, and hence ‘understanding’ is always free. Otherwise, man becomes a mechanical robot void of reason and have no ‘reason of being’. The value of man consists in this very freedom to think, act and feel as he likes. The choice between the mechanicist-atomistic-physical explication and the causalist-finalist-extra-physical explication is an important indication of the liberty of the individual.

The biased choice

Nietzsche and Leibniz

The biased choice indicates that the individual does not need to confront with the universe in order to make his choice. In fact, he can choose between the two options prior to his interaction with the universe, or outside the confrontation, for other reasons than the confrontation with it. Nietzsche has decided very early in his adolescence to disbelieve in the existence of God and was a militant atheist all his life; he was simply angry with God. Leibniz, similarly and early in his adolescence, decided to believe in this cause and defending it; he loved God. In the case of the two philosophers, they both confronted with the universe and concluded their opposite attitudes drawing support from the same phenomena for each one’s position.

We ought to specify here that a great number of persons choose between the two options with reference to the same phenomena, motivated by various reasons other than their confrontation with the universe. For example, there are those who reject the idea of the existence of a God because of personal dissatisfaction, or hatred or anger against God; there are those, on the opposite side, who believe in the existence of God for psychological satisfaction and dependence, or out of fear and hope. This choice can be identified as the ‘biased choice’, being prior to the actual reflective confrontation with the universe. The decision is then taken ‘outside’ the confrontation with the universe but the universe and experience serve to consolidate the arguments of each party. The pivot point of difference is always lack of evidence for either position.

The choice is empirically verifiable

Finally, we consider that the notion of the choice can be empirically verified. Every individual, mentally healthy and adult, has either already deliberated his choice between belief and disbelief in a creator cause, or he is deliberating this choice. This decision, whether already taken or in the process of being taken, can be actually identified. We have assumed that, as the forced presence of man’s being, the imposed life-cycle, form and structure, motivations and needs, as well as his development, aging and death, considered to be programmed or non-programmed, he is obliged to make the choice.

Confrontation with the universe, whether for the purpose of survival or for acquiring knowledge, is inevitable. Man in his actual state as presence, structure and functioning is already endowed with natural instincts to confront and interact with the universe. He has to think and acquire knowledge. The obligatory interaction between man and the universe necessitates comprehension and explanation. This is the basis of acquiring knowledge. The need for an explanation instigates the idea of a cause, but lack of evidence for such a cause leads to the choice between belief and disbelief.

______

1. Assuming that the first Buddha (6thc BC) and Aristotle (4thc

BC), unlike other thinkers, were not exposed to monotheistic

religious awareness, such as Judaism (13thc BC, written 7thc

BC).

2. Henri Delacroix supposes that natural religion opposes

revealed or positive religion, because natural religion cannot

be reference of human nature, heart and reason. He claims that

natural religion treats positive religions as reason and

unreason, confusion of the mind or spirit, predominance of

imagination, the weakness of the critical mind explains

sufficiently the strangeness of religious myths. He considers

natural religion as preceding revealed religion. Henri

Delacroix, Religion et la foi, Librairie Félix Alcan, Paris,

1922, p. 163.

About the Author

Buddha Statues

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:36:06 +0000

buddha statues

‘Buddha and the Jade Elephant’ Teapot

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Documentary on Buddha Statues of Sri Lanka Part 01

buddha statues?

i live in st. louis, mo. i am looking for the pot belly Black Buddha Statue that you put in your yard. im on a very tight budget month to month so i cant spend much money. where can i find a cheap Buddha Statue mentioned above? i can afford maybe $10-$20.00 for this buddha.
thank you in advance

i would have a look on ebay. did u know you have to rub their tummies for good luck??

Buddha Hand Statue

admin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:30:32 +0000

Buddha Hand Statue

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#Minecraft – Big Buddha by Manic Miner

The Hand Gestures in Thai Buddha Statues Have Their Own Meanings

Buddhism started in India hundreds of years ago. From India it spread to the rest of the world. The culture of Buddhism was absorbed by the new country instead of imposing itself on the country’s own culture. Because of this, Thai Buddhism is different than Indian Buddhism. One thing that is unique about the Thai Buddha statues is their gestures.

While many of the mudras, or hand positions, are similar, there is one gesture that is completely unique to Thailand. That is the reclining Buddha. This position is unique to Thailand and Laos. These countries share much including the hand gestures of Buddha statues.

There are 6 main madras, other than using an arm as a pillow in the case of a reclining Buddha, that are associated with Thai Buddha statues.

Mediation, pang sa-maa-ti or dhyana mudra. This gesture is usually shown with a seated Buddha. Buddha’s hands are palms up, flat in his lap. This position shows the mental concentration that Buddha is using to discipline himself and his mind.

Absence of fear, pang bpra-taan a-pi or abhaya mudra. When the hands of the Buddha are shown in this position it symbolizes Buddha either being fearless in the face of a foe or adversity, or admonishing others to be so. While this is usually seen with a standing Buddha it also shows up in a seated Buddha. There are two variations. One is one arm bent at both the wrist and the elbow. The fingers are pointing up and the palm is facing out. When it is the right hand it is called calming animals. If it is both hands the position is called forbidding the relatives.

Charity, pang bpra-taa pon or varana mudra. The Buddha’s right hand is pointing down with his palm facing front and the fingers are extended. This is most often seen on a standing Buddha and is associated with him either receiving or giving offerings of charity.

Touching the Earth, pang maa-ra-wi-chai or bhumisparsa mudra. When this position is on Thai Buddha statues it can also be called Buddha subduing Mara. Mara was a demon that tempted Budda. His right hand is on his leg with the features touching the Earth, sometimes only symbolically. Buddha is renouncing all worldly desire. This is the most often seen position.

Setting the wheel in motion, dharmachakra mudra. The index and thumb of each hard are touching each other with the fingers of the left hand on the right palm. The fingers from the left hand are touching the right palm. This is a very rare position. It refers to when he set the wheel of his life in motion in his first sermon.

Reasoning and exposition, vitarka mudra. The thumb and index finger of one hand, usually the right are brought together with the remaining fingers pointing up. The arm and hand is bent at the elbow and the wrist. This is often seen as a call to peace because Buddha is trying appeal to logic and reasoning.

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http://www.ifengshuiglobal.com

What does my Buddha Statue mean?

My statue is a green buddha with his right hand holding beads on his knee and is his left hand he is holding dish with I think is a dumpling. What does this mean?

It means that he is holding beads on his knee & is green & holding a dish with a dumpling.

I don’t think it means anything too significant.

Buddha Novica

admin — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 05:40:30 +0000

Buddha Novica

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Best Speech You Will Ever Hear – Gary Yourofsky

Buddha Ring

admin — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 05:51:32 +0000

Buddha Ring

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Jade collection by the end of busy experts teach you maintenance – jade collection, maintenance – Je

“Mom, this piece of green silk with Buddha Do you like it?” “Ah, this fungus is also pretty green.” “Buy it all.” Cheng wife hand arm, hand totter old mother. His son and daughter holding a baby followed him, a person laugh, psychic shops in TESIRO Jade Counter pick up another pick. Yesterday (17), this warm scene to see people envy.

“For himself, more the next generation of Collections”, near the Spring Festival, as a way to TESIRO psychic Cheng buy jade handed down more and more people passing affection.

A homogeneous sent four generations, handed down one piece of jade

“I heard not only on health benefits jade, but also good moral peace. A Chinese New Year, of course, buying the traditional gift for family and cultural characteristics.” Yesterday near closing time, Cheng and his party into the 6 the TESIRO psychic shops. He told the client adviser, New Year approached, the family finally conspire with the shopping, take a look at the thinking to TESIRO psychic, a person buy a piece of emerald keep things safe. To this end, TESIRO psychic store deliberately delayed closing time for the family sufficient time to properly selected.

Finally, the way the old lady chose a floating flower Green Buddha, Cheng Chui himself picked up a block of Kuan Yin, Cheng wife picked a head full of Jade bracelets, Young selected a small Cheng beans carving, and stylish small way his wife fancy inlaid with diamonds and Platinum The “fragrant Lily ” Pendant , Still in their infancy, Andy who is more than a piece of green fungus. “The Jade price is not high, only spent a total of 20 000. But Jade has a price, and the love is priceless ah.” Cheng said contentedly.

B jade in safety, the delivery concentration of family love

TESIRO customers psychic advisor told us near the Spring Festival, to buy jade to give his family more and more customers. Last weekend, there will be a 40-year-old Miss Zhou, once bought 11 pieces of jade carving. “She first picked up two green bat, followed by a piece of fancy Glass Kinds of peaches. Imagined our brands of jade kinds of good head, the less we choose the more final, simply click to buy the 11. ”

Learned that many people choose to buy jade to send their families before the Spring Festival, Chinese and it is beautiful moral peace.

Carved pieces of the most popular themes including beans, Ganoderma lucidum, the leaves and so on. Beans within the fruits of the earth and full, by the “bloom of youth” and show meaning of “eternal youth”; Ganoderma lucidum, since ancient times as “all the best” of the symbol, with flying bats, is “always accompanied by happiness”; Dutch pronunciation “and” “Harmony”, “U.S.” in Italian, Dutch, on fish, fish: I also, Yu also, this piece of jade on the same time, meaning “more than year after year.”

The same time, the ancient “people keep jade, jade dependent”, which buy blocks of jade to give his family, but also their hopes of a better hope the family good health and blessings.

About the Author

I am an expert from China Hardware Suppliers, usually analyzes all kind of industries situation, such as dangling heart ring , immitation jewellery.

can you help me find the words to these definitions please!?

whats a six letter word for mounds of earth or stones covering the ashes of buddha or relcs of buddhists saints. Also a 7 letter word for severe intestinal infection? Finally, 6 letter word for ring of coral surrounding a lagoon

come on dude get off your lazy ass and do them yourself

Beautiful Korean

admin — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 09:50:26 +0000

Beautiful Korean

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The each type of flower has its own importance, meaning and representation. For example, daffodils show regard, jasmines represent amiability, tiger lilies represent prosperity and sunflowers represent prosperity, roses represent love, care and affection. Similarly, there are a number of other flowers in Korea which represent different meanings. Apart from color, the number of flowers you send also have meanings for instance; two roses together mean engagement or wedding, a single rose means ‘I still love you,’ twelve roses mean gratitude or thankfulness, twenty-five roses mean congratulations and fifty roses mean unconditional love.

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who is david from youre Beautiful Korean Drama?

i heard there was someone named david, but i cant figure out, who and i didnt really watch the drama in detail cuz i got a little bored=____= but does anyone know who david is???? thx for your help if u know!!

There is no one named David in that drama ^^ But there is a Jeremy!! Maybe you are confused.

Buddha Laptop

admin — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:37:16 +0000

Buddha Laptop

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General Knowledge Pt. XVII

What is terroir?

Terroir is a French term that means soil or earth and is generally used to refer to all the physical and environmental characteristics in and around a particular vineyard that influence the quality of wine — climate, soil composition and geographical location. Without a direct English equivalent, terroir specifically refers to the consistent, distinctive qualities in wine that are not the results of the variety of the grape or the skills of the grower and winemaker.

What is sabre-raifling?

Sabre-rattling is an idiomatic phrase that originated in the early 20th century when an officer would threaten to draw his sabre. It usually refers to a flamboyant display of military power or as an implied threat like a company threatening another with a lawsuit.

What are heartwood and sapwood?

Wood is, in fact, the secondary xylem formed by cambium (layers of tissues) during secondary growth. As the tree grows old, the wood at the centre ceases to perform the function of conduction and is blocked with organic compounds like oil, resins, and tannins, and develops a dark colour. This darkcoloured portion of the wood is called heartwood. The peripheral, light-coloured, better water-conducting wood is called sapwood.

What was austria’s currency before the euro was introduced?

From 1924 to 1938 and between 1945 to 1999, Austria’s currency was the schilling, which was divided into 100 groschen. Thereafter, the euro replaced the schilling.

What’s special about the encoded cylinder?

The encoded cylinder refers to the Cyrillic Projector sculp ture by American artist James Sanborn which was created in the early 1990s. The 32-character Cyrillic alphabet has been used on it with the Russ ian word for ’shadow’ — TEHb — appearing several times.

What is the big read?

It is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts of America designed to encourage book reading among citizens. The literature in focus is on American popular culture. The National Endowment has partnered the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. Support for the Big Read is given by the W K Kellogg Foundation and a grant by the Paul G Alien Family Foundation.

How old is tintin?

Tintin is 80 — he was created in post-war France by Belgian artist Georges Remi, who took the name of Herge. Tintin is a Belgian reporter, and has a faithful fox terrier called Snowy. The comic series first appeared on January 10,1929, in a Belgian newspaper and was a hit with children. Later, Herge added the popular Captain Haddock, Professor Calculus, the two incompetent detectives, Thomson an4 Thompson and the opera singer Bianca Castafiore.

What is zorbing?

Zorbing is an extreme adventure sport involving a ball made of PVC, also called the zorb. The person, or persons,in case of ‘group zorbing’, getsinside and the ball is closed. Itis then rolled down a hill. There are two ways to zorb: one involves getting wet.

What is the devil quartet?

The devil or ‘evil quartet’ is a sobriquet used to describe four major causes that have led to the accelerated rate of extinction of species. These causes have been attributed mainly to human activities like extensive deforestation and poaching.

Which is the oldest civilization?

The Sumerian civilization is the oldest civilization known to mankind. The term ‘Sumer’ is today used to designate southern Mesopotamia. In 3,000 BC, a flourishing urban civilization existed. China is the oldest surviving civilization.

What is meant by “ceteris paribus’?

‘Ceteris paribus’ is a Latin phrase that means “with other things the same”. Ceteris paribus clauses are widely used in economics to simplify formulation and description of economic outcomes.

What is the governor’s ball at the academy awards?

The Governor’s Ball at the Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood is its concluding event, and a celebration for the around 1,500 invitees, winners, nominees and other guests.

What is seaflux?

It is a study of the changes in oceans and its waves affected by momentum, heat and quantum of water. It involves creation of comparable datasets and constant observation of the effect of heat and momentum on the ocean front.

What is a sungrazer?

When comets break up, smaller comets and sungrazers are formed. As these approach the sun, they break into smaller fragments before colliding into it. Sungrazers are classified into families and the largest is the Kreutz family with over 500 sungrazers.

Why are zodiac signs named after animals?

The term ‘zodiac’ stands for animals. However, all zodiac signs do not represent animals, like Libra is represented by a balance. Astrologically and astronomically, zodiac signs are representative of various pattern formed by stars.

What does ‘jack of all trades’ mean?

‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ is a figure of speech used for a person who is competent with many skills but is not outstanding in any particular one. The phrase was in common use during the 1600s and was used as a term of praise. ‘Jack’ in those days was a generic term for ‘man’.

What is kosher rating?

By definition, Kosher is food prepared according to Orthodox Jewish law. Kosher rating is an internationally accepted symbol of purity and quality that is both recognized and respected throughout the world. To achieve this qualitymark, arabbi froma certified laboratoryis required toinspect the processing facilities, the formula of the stabilization method, the manufacturing process and all the ingredients in the products. The standard set are high and rigidly adhered to. Many religious groups throughout the world, especially the Jewish faith, perceive the Kosher mark as an accepted measure of high quality.

Why is the black sea called so?

In ancient times, colours were assigned to the cardinal directions — with black referring to the north. The Black Sea is an inland sea bou nd by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas and various straits. It was also called “inhospitable” (dark area, black) before Greek colonization, because it was difficult to navigate, and because its shores were inhabited by savage tribes. The waters of the Black Sea appear darker than the Mediterranean because of its hydrogen sulphide layer that begins about 200 metres below the surface and supports a uniciue microbial population which produces black sediments.

What is astrobiology?

A branch of astronomy that deals with the identification of habitable regions in the universe, the search for extraterrestrial life and effects of outer space environments on living organisms. It is the study of the origin and distribution of life in the universe. Astrobiology makes use of physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology, molecular biology, ecology, planetary science, geography and geology to investigate the possibility of life in other worlds.

What is the benga blast?

Benga is the predominant style of popular music in Kenya performed in Swahili. It combines indigenous dance rhythms with guitar music. Daniel Owino Misiani was a musician from Kenya and was known as the “the grandfather of Benga”. In 1989, D.O. Misiani and Shirati Band produced an album called Benga Blast! This was a compilation of older material and two additional tracks, Meg Nyangiand Augustine Opiyo Ochino.

What is kangaroo touch?

Kangaroo touch is a technique used to encourage skin-to-skin contact between a newborn, usually premature baby and its mother as this touch is believed to keep it healthy It is also encouraged between siblings. The name comes from the way kangaroos hold their young in their pouches. Kangaroo touch or care is now increasingly promoted in hospitals for the many benefits the mother’s warmth provides to the baby. It was initially developed to care for pre-term infants the way an incubator would in areas where it was not available.

What is a time capsule?

A time capsule is a cache of goods/information created to serve as a mode of communication with people in the future. These may include archaeologists, anthropologists or historians. The capsules are sometimes buried at sites where events are held. The term has been used since about 1939. There are two types of capsules: intentional and unintentional. Intentional time capsules are placed somewhere deliberately, to be accessed at a particular future date. Unintentional capsules are usually archaeological in nature.

Why does a bull react violently to the colour red?

It is the movement of the cloth that makes the bull react violently as like most mammals, the bull too is colourblind and cannot be affected by the colour of the cloth. When a matador moves a cloth (irrespective of the colour) in front of the bull, it perceives the movement as a threat and is angered, and as a result, reacts violently

What is the Cinderella effect?

The Cinderella effect is a term used by psychologists to describe the high incidence of stepchildren being physically or sexually abused, neglected or murdered, or otherwise mistreated at the hands of their step parents at a significantly higher rate than their genetic counterparts. It takes its name from the character Cindrella from the fairytale, who in the story was cruelly treated by her stepmother and stepsisters.

What is the origin of the term manhole?

The term manhole originated between 1785 and 1795. A manhole is a hole, usually with a round cover, through which a person may enter a sewer, drain, steam boiler, etc, especially one located in a city street. The word is a Combination of two words man and ‘hole”. However in today’s era of gender neutrality, some would argue that any use of the word ‘man’ in manhole is biased and should be avoided.

Who are the Berbers?

Berbers are the indigenous people of North Africa. They were made up of many tribes but had managed to retain their culture, Hamitic language and considerable military power during successive invasions of their land. Some berbers were Christian, some Jewish and some maintained their polytheist religion before being converted to Islam by the Arabs. The Berbers once occupied the entire stretch of land along the coast of Libya and Tunisia through Algeria, up to Morocco.

What is edupunk?

It is an education reform movement in which traditional methods teaching are set aside for a self-study approach, involving online technology — through virtual classrooms, downloadable tools and free learning material — as the favoured mode for education People taking to edupunk believe in a do-it-yourself approach and many are driven to this sort of low-cost, even free education, by a troubled economy. While free lectures and online classes may not give one a degree, they can educate effectively.

What is a cloud burst?

A cloud burst is a form of torrential rainfall accompanied by hail and thunder. It is usually observed in high altitude areas and occurs due to the formation of a low pressure area on the top of a mountain. The low pressure zone attracts clouds to the top of the mountain with great force. When they hit the peak, the moisture content is released in the form of rain. The state of Himachal Pradesh witnesses the most number of cloud bursts. Valleys affected by cloud bursts are generally strewn with huge boulders brought down by the rain. Cloud bursts mainly occur in the Himalayas and can cause ramfall of up to 75 mm per hour.

What is the origin of the word —nat’?

In the United Kingdom, Australia and many other parts of the world, the word ‘flat’ is used to mean an apartment or a house. It is derived from the Scottish word ‘fief which means the interior of a house. In Old English, flet means house or floor. The word flat may also be linked to the “flatness” of the abode.

What are lemon laws and why are they called so?

Lemon laws are American state laws that provide a remedy for purchasers of cars as compensation for vehicles that repeatedly fail to meet standards of quality and performance. These cars are called lemons. The federal lemon law protects citizens of all states. State lemon laws vary from state to state and need not necessarily cover used or leased cars. The rights afforded to consumers by lemon laws may exceed the warranties expressed in purchase contracts.

Why do men’s shirts have buttons on the left side while women’s shirts have them on the right?

The rationale dates back to over a century: men’s buttons are on the left because men have always tended to dresK rhemseives and most men (and women, for that matter) are right handed. Women’s buttons are on the right side because years ago they re lied on their maids to help them get dressed. They would be right-hand ed and so when dressing someone else up would prefer to have the but tons on their right side (the left side of the garment).

What is an artificial coral?

Corals are porous marine animals that live at the bottom of the ocean. Coral attaches to a strong foundation and then grows to create a coral reef. Coral are naturally vibrant and colourful An artificial coral reef is a human made underwater structure, typically built for the purpose of promoting marine life. Artificial reefs also improve hydrodynamics and help control beach erosion. Making artificial coral also adds colour to an aquarium.

Who is a ghetto parent?

A bad parent is a ghetto parent — someone who does not care for, abuses and hits, and fails to give a good education and upbringing to his or her child. Basically, it is a style of parenting in which the parent has the mindset of those living in a ghetto. But there are many who shrink from using the term ‘ghetto’ as it has racist and class connotations. Actually, a rich and educated person can also be a ghetto parent.

What is the gene revolution?

The gene revolution is the application of bio-technology in food production. It is of great potential to farmers as it provides them with disease-free planting material and develops crops that resist pests and diseases, reducing use of chemicals that harm the environment and human health. It can provide diagnostic tools and vaccines that help control devastating animal diseases. It can also improve the nutritional quality of staple foods such as rice and create new products for health and industrial uses.

What is a cogwheel train?

A cogwheel train is a train fitted with one or more cogwheels, which mesh with the toothed rail-rack, running usually between the normal rails. The system, operating on rack and pinion arrangement, is used in regions where trains operate on steep heights within a short span of time. Most cogwheel railways are mountain railways, although a few are transit railways 6r tramways, built to overcome a steep gradient in an urban environment. The first cog railway was Middleton Railway, UK. Now it is a major tourist attraction of Jungfraujoch, Switzerland.

What is green accounting?

The term ‘green accounting’ hasn’t yet been fully defined. Most agree, however, that in order for a business to be able to reduce its carbon footprint, it must first be able to measure it. Then, once the size of the carbon footprint is known, a business must be able to report the data to regulators, taxation officials, carbon credit trading organizations and other relevant parties. Energy-reliant manufacturers and power-generating utilities feel the most pressure to embrace green accounting, but companies in nearly all business sectors can expect to do so at some level within the next few years.

What is a kangaroo court?

A kangaroo court describes sham judicial proceedings which are conducted without giving the rights of defence to the accused by invoking the expediency clause. In this process, prosecution cases are taken up without witnesses and cross-examination. As the trial proceeds by leaps like a kangaroo, it is known as kangaroo court. It may also mean punishing players in sports with fines for coming late and other minor mistakes. Fines collected are given to charity.

Why is the Forbidden City called so?

The Forbidden City, also known as Palace Museum, is a walled section of Beijing located right at its centre, enclosing the Imperial Palace, formerly the residence of the emperor of China. The ‘Forbidden City’ is the English equivalent of the Chinese name ‘Zijin Cheng’ — Jin meaning forbidden, with reference to the fact that no one could enter or leave the walled city or Cheng, without the emperor’s permission. Built in the early 15th century with over 1,000 buildings and a large collection of ancient wood structures, it is now a major tourist at- traction and has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

What is a chop shop?

It is slang for an illegal business or unit where stolen cars or other goods are disassembled and then sold. The other meaning stands for businesses whose products, services or equipment are of questionable quality. The term gained currency when US Senator Charles Schumer used it for Infosys and other IT companies, in context of the US losing jobs. Chop shop can also mean a brokerage that sells fraud non-existent equities. It is used colloquially for shops run by butchers or barbers.

Where is ‘magnetic’ hill in India?

India’s magnetic hill is located close to Leh and is alleged to have magnetic properties strong enough to pull cars uphill. Locals and Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel claim that aircraft passing through the area have to fly at a greater speed to avoid the pull the hill has on the aircraft in order to avoid its radius which could cause the aircraft to jerk. Vehicles allegedly move uphill even with the engines off. There are similar magnetic hills in Mocton in Canada and New Brunswick in the USA.

What is a digital pet?

A digital or virtual pet is an artificial human companion that exists only in hardware. Interaction with the pet may or may not be goal-oriented. If interaction with virtual pets is goal-oriented then the user must keep it alive and even help it to grow by ‘feeding’, grooming and playing with it. If the interaction is not goal-oriented, the user can focus solely on building a relationship with it. There are digital pet cemeteries where, after the use of the pet, the owner can lay it to rest.

How did the *$’ symbol originate?

The origin of the dollar symbol ($) actually comes from the handwritten ‘ps’, an abbreviation for ‘peso’ in old Spanish-American books. The word ‘dollar’ has been derived from the Flemish or Low German word daler (in German taler or thaler), short for Joachimstaler, referring to a coin from the silver mines of Joachimstal in Bohemia. It was adopted as the name of the US currency unit in the late 18th century Some believe it is US, with the S written over U with a flourish.

Why don’t we sneeze while we are sleeping?

Sneezing is a normal physiological phenomenon caused by irritation in the nasal membrane. This may be due to an infection, allergy to pollens, dust or smoke. While sleeping, we do not sneeze because the reticular process — a part of brain that controls sleep, does not allow many stimuli, including that of a sneeze, to come into the central nervous system.

What is pina?

Pina in Spanish means pineapple, the fruit. A cocktail called pina colada, made with pineapple, rum, and coconut milk, is a common drink in Cuba and Puerto Rico. In the Philippines, the fibre extracted from the leaves of the pineapple plant is used for making textile fabric called pina. Pina fabric is known for its lustrous white colour, lightness, stiffness, and transparency. It is used for making table linen, bags and mats.

What is future mail?

Future mail is a facility through which a person can send a letter — even to oneself — in the future. The sender can choose the time and date of delivery and the letter will reach the address at that particular time. Beside letters, future emails can also be sent sometimes as reminders to oneself. While email is all about speed and in stant messaging, this facility can be timed. Many find this the best way to capture feelings and freeze them. Future mail business is especially picking up in China where service agencies deliver letters, flowers and gifts in the future.

What is the Bridge of Sighs?

The Bridge of Sighs, in Venice, Italy, houses two overlapping corridors and was built at the beginning of the 17th century. It served as a link between the Old Prisons and the New Prisons in the Doge’s Palace situated beyond the Palazzo river. The name ‘Bridge of Sighs’ is an invention of Romantic literature: Legend has it that from this bridge one could hear the sighs of the condemned as they were led to prison.

What is the origin of the copyright symbol?

The copyright symbol originated in the US copyright law, according to which a work was required to have a proper copyright notice. Without this notice, the work would not be protected by copyright. The copyright symbol is C in a circle or), and its original meaning is to indicate that copyright has been obtained for the work on which it is displayed.

What is a cosmic microwave?

Just after the birth of the universe, the atmosphere was extremely dense and glowing white hot. Through the ages, the universe has been cooling — a process that is still going on. Light waves from a very distant part of the early universe reached the earth, making it possible to see the glow. However, since the universe is still expanding, the frequency of the waves of visible light changes to microwave frequency This occurs due to the relative motion of either the source or receiver of the waves or both, with respect to each other. These waves, originating in the early stage of the cosmos, are cosmic microwaves.

What is Fat Tuesday?

Fat Tuesday (also known as Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday among other names) is the name given to the last day of epiphany or the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent? The word Fat (Gras in French) referred to the ritual of eating sugary fat-filled foods before Lent, when rich foods are given up. In some customs, it refers to the entire season of epiphany where practices like wearing masks and costumes, dancing, sports competitions, parades, etc were held before the fasting and religious obligations of Lent. Fat Tuesday is also Mardi Gras, the festival in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Who invented soap bubbles?

The history of soap bubbles is as old as that of soap. But bubbles are no longer simply soap and water. Invented by Taiwanese bubble solution expert Jackie Lin, the top-secret solution contains a polymer that allows bubbles to resist evaporation. The polymer reacts with air to harden three to four seconds after a bubble is blown. With little or no disturbance, the bubbles can last as long as 10 days and can be caught with dry hands without popping.

What is latte art?

It is art in a coffee cup — the pattern is formed when milk and shots of espresso are poured into a cup of coffee. It could get a designer touch, depending on the expertise of the person serving it. This art could take the form of a creamy-looking heart, a flower, leaves, even cartoon faces, anything which can fit into the cup. All the artist needs is the espresso machine and a deft hand. Latte art takes its name from the Italian caffelatte, meaning coffee-milk.

Why is a theatre screen called silver screen?

Since the advent of films in the early 1900s, theatres have been trying to optimize their viewing quality During the 1920s, movie producers began to incorporate silver because of its reflective qualities, which delivered a better image. Eventually the use of silver lenticular screens would fall out of fashion as alternatives became available. But because of the early prevalence of silver in the production of screens, the term “silver screen” stuck.

Why are the Nazca drawings one of the great mysteries of archaeology?

In the hot deserts of southwest Peru are some immense, mysterious drawings called geoglyphs. Huge geometric patterns, spirals and figures of animals, and thousands of straight lines are immaculately drawn on the desert surface. Known as the Nazca Lines, after the Nazca Indians who lived there in ancient times, the drawings have mystified scientists ever since they were discovered in the 1920s. From the ground level, the drawings seem like a confused mass of lines. Only when viewed from the air, they convey a definite pattern. Scientists feel they could represent an astronomical calendar, or were part of a religious ritual.

Which plant has the biggest seed in the plant kingdom?

The nut of the coco de mer, also called giant fan palm, double coconut, Seychelles nut, or Maldive coconut, is considered to be the biggest nut in the entire plant kingdom. It is the size of a coconuty and weighs around 27 kg. The alm is found only in the islands of Praslin and Curieuse of Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, and its botanical name is Lodoicea Maldivica. It is a rare species. The nuts were well-known as they were always floating in the sea around Seychelles, but their source was discovered only in 1768.

What is cruel accounting?

There are two methods of maintaining accounts of a business enterprise, namely cash method and accrual method. In cash method, revenues/expenses are taken into account only when hard cash has been received/paid. In accrual method of accounting, revenues are recognized the moment goods or services are pr(|Mg

vided. Both revenue and expenses are

recorded, regardless of income or out go in terms of cash. The accrual method provides better matching of income and expenditure than cash method, but is complicated, errorprone and costly No wonder people call it cruel accounting.

What is a scale model?

A scale model is a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller in size. Its size is proportionate to the original size of the object that it represents. The proportion is often shown in some ratio eg 1:10, which means one inch of scale model is equivalent to 10 inches of original object. Very often, the scale model is smaller than the original and is used to represent an original object, an imagination or model for an upcoming project. Scale models are built for many cars, buildings, landscapes and huge projects.

What is cybertecture?

It is architecture in another form, the creation of living and working spaces which are a harmonious blend of technology, multimedia, intelligent systems and user interactivity. These spaces can be customized and the residents can claim to be the world’s most connected community. Cybertecture even allows a person to select preferred background music. One such cyberstructure is coming up on an area of 32,000 square metres in Mumbai called the Cybertecture Egg. It will have 13 floors of offices, and include a feature to monitor occupants’ health, besides virtual scenery which can be changed.

What was Indian mythological figure Rishyashringa or Shringirishi famous for?

Shringirishi, son of rishi Vibhandak and descendant of Lord Brahma, was a noble rishi. He was famous for performing Puttreshthi and Parjanya yagna. He performed Parjanya yagna to the rain god to help King Rompad overcome famine in his kingdom, Ang Desh (Bihar). On an invitation from rishi Vashishtha, he performed the uttreshthi yagna for King Dasharath, and four sons — Rama, Laxman, Bharat, and Shatrughna — were born to him. It is believed Rishyashringa led the way for the Mahanadi river from Sihoba, Chhattisgarh and em- phasized water management. There are 64 temples and ashrams dedicated to him.

How did the term French leave originate?

French leave primarily means taking leave without permission from work. Some believe it is meant to convey the act of leisurely desertion from a military unit. Being away on leave from one’s post or duties has its roots in the 17th century and does not so much have its origins in cowardice but in a French custom of leaving a party without saying goodbye or thanking the hosts. The term is still in use in the Indian Navy for sailors who overstay on land.

What is crowdfunding?

The crowdfunding approach has its precedent in charity. It is inspired by crowd sourcing, that describes the collective cooperation, attention and trust by people who network and pool their money together, usually via the internet, to support efforts by other people. Crowdfunding occurs for purposes like disaster relief, artistes seeking support from fans and political campaigns. Crowdfunding is now receiving attention from both commercial and social entrepreneurs, as social media, online communities and micropayment technology make it straightforward to secure donations from potentially interested supporters at very low cost.

What is guerrilla advertising?

Guerrilla advertising encompasses all forms of non traditional methods of communication. They can be open and honest like environmentally friendly high-impact street advertising or subversive like supermar kets pumping up the smell of fresh bread at the entrance. Guerrilla advertising is exposure that is unconventional and unexpected. It can be anything from street teams in costume to abnormal promotional exhibits to provocative street poster campaigns. Basically, guerilla advertising can be anything that is not used on a mass scale already.

What is the Sidewalk Catwalk?

The Sidewalk Catwalk is an unorthodox fashion show on display from June 24 to September 3. The show has a collection of 33 mannequins; each dressed by a designer and is staged on the streets of the Garment District in New York.

Who is the Omega man?

The Omega man is an ordinary, nextdoor, happy-go-lucky chap, who may or may not have a regular job, prefers to stay with his parents, and likes to stay single. He has no qualms about cooking his meals and doing his laundry The Omega man is the antithesis of the Alpha male. He does not set any goals for himself and stays out of the rat race. Yet, he does not consider this trait less masculine. This new-age man is finding voice in today’s movies.

What are cookies in computer language?

A cookie is a text string that is included with Hypertext Transfer Protocol requests and responses. Cookies are used to maintain information as you navigate different pages on a website or return to the website at a later time. Cookies cannot be used to run code (programmes) or deliver viruses to your computer. One of their primary purposes is to provide a convenience feature that you can use to save time — it tells the web server that you have returned to the page. If you personalize web pages or register for products and services, a cookie helps the page server recall your specific information, like billing address, shipping address.

Why do tornadoes usually spin anti-clockwise in the northern hemisphere, and clockwise in the southern hemisphere?

The spin in the two hemispheres is explained by the coriolis effect, which states that the earth, when viewed from the poles, rotates anti-clockwise in the northern, and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. Hence, thunderstorms (which usually travel from the equator to the poles) tend to veer to their left in the northern and right in the southern hemisphere. Tornadoes which occur in a particular area tend to inherit their spin from the direction of the prevailing winds, but this phenomenon is evident in only in large tornadoes.

What is albedo?

Albedo is a term used in reflectivity It is derived from Latin and means ‘whiteness’. The albedo of an object is a measure of how strongly it reflects light from sources like the sun. It is given as a number from 0 (dark) to 1 (bright). It is the ratio of total reflected to incident electromagnetic radiation, and is an important expression used in climatology, astronomy, computer graphics and computer vision.

Is smoking hookah better than smoking cigarettes?

It is a myth that smoking a hookah is safer than smoking cigarettes because hookah smoke is filtered through water before it is inhaled. Recent studies have found that hookah smokers actually inhale more nicotine than cigarette smokers because of the massive volume of smoke they inhale. A recent World Health Organization advisory laid that a typical one-hour hookah session exposes the user to 100-200 times the volume of smoke inhaled from a single cigarette. Even after passing through water, the smoke produced contains high levels of toxic corn pounds, including carbon monoxide heavy metals and carcinogens.

What is the Albertopolis?

Albertopolis is the nickname for the area around South Kensington in London, between Cromwell Road and Kensington Gore, which contains a large number of educational and cultural sites, including Imperial College, London, Natural History Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music, Royal Geographical Society, Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Albert Memorial.

What is neurolaw?

Neurolaw is a new discipline that studies the effect of neuroscientific evidence on law and legal cases. It also sets standards as to how neuroscience should be used in relation to the legal system. It is believed that neurolaw could play a more decisive role in cases involving rape and murder, where detection of the truth becomes im- perative. Proponents of neurolaw say neuroscience could have a huge impact on guilt, quantum of punishment, and detection of lies and biases.

What is a hermit crab?

The hermit crab is a type of crab that doesn’t have a very hard shell. Since its shell is not strong enough, it uses old shells of other animals for protection, especially that of old whelk. This habit of living in a second-hand shell gives rise to the popular name ‘hermit’ crab. Most hermit crab species live on the ocean floor, though there are many that live on land. Female terrestrial hermit crabs must return to the sea to breed. Hermit crabs are invertebrates, omnivores, and scavengers.

What is a banana problem?

The term comes from the story of the little girl who said, “I know how to spell ‘banana’, I just don’t know when to stop”. The banana problem basically means not knowing where or when to stop. It is usually used in computer programming when an algorithm with improper termination commands leads to repetition. It also applies to a web design, which is subjected to feature creep or the rapid expansion of features which complicate the simple design.

What is Operation Smile?

Based in Norfolk, Virginia (USA), Operation Smile is a non-profit medical charity NGO with branches in more than 50 countries, including India, providing remedial surgeries to children with cleft lips and cleft palates. Established in 1982 by Dr William Magee and Kathleen S Magee, Operation Smile organizes international volunteer missions, coordinates training for physicians and helps host countries in treating these medical complications. Operation Smile* has provided free cure to nearly 1,50,000 children and young adults across the world.

Who invented the kite and when?

No one knows exactly how or who invented the first kite. It is thought that the earliest use of kite s was among the Chinese, approximately 2,800 years ago. The kite was said to be the invention of the famous 5th century BC Chinese philosophers Mozi and Lu Ban. By 549 AD, paper kites were being flown — in that year a paper kite was used as a message for a rescue mission. Ancient and mediaeval Chinese sources list other uses of kite for measuring distances, testing the wind, lifting men, signalling, and military communication.

What is the White Revolution?

In India, Gujarat and Rajasthan has excess production as compared to local consumption of milk. In 1970, the National Dairy Development Board initiated activities like building veterinary centres, milk chilling centres, processing plants and strengthened the milk cooperative movement based on Anand Milk Union Limited (AMUL). This was done through Operation Flood, with aid from the Food and Agriculture Organisation in the form of butter oil and milk powder. This ushered in the White Revolution in India, making it the world’s largest milk producing country.

What is a nap pod?

A nap pod is a sleep chair designed like a cocoon to allow office-goers a power nap. Companies are opting for nap pods as part of their furniture, as a cat nap is being increasingly believed to refresh a person and increase productivity. The chairs are designed ergonomically to improve blood supply to the back and head; the cocoon-like structure keeps out office noise. There is also an alarm to wake up the sleeper.

What are transparent soaps made of?

Transparent soaps are made of glycerin, and are partly soap and partly solvent. Sodium hydroxide causes crystals to form in soap, which is why the soap becomes opaque. In order to make it transparent, the soap has to be dissolved in enough solvent to make the crystals so small that light passes freely through, making the soap look transparent. There is no magic number when it comes to the quantity of solvent required. A good way to find the right quantity of solvents is to start by calculating a 60:40 soap-solvent ratio and then changing it to a 50:50 soap-solvent ratio.

How does a computer or laptop keep track of time even when it is switched off?

A desktop PC has a lithium cell or battery (the same is used in digital diaries) called a BIOS cell inside the CPU, and attached to the motherboard, which keeps track of time even after the computer is powered down, whereas in laptops, the battery of the laptop itself is used to keep track of time. This battery also saves the settings required during a boot operation.

What is carnival glass?

Carnival glass is pressed glass, meaning that hot molten glass which may or may not contain colour of its own is poured into metal moulds and conforms to their shape. While the glass is still hot, various solutions of metallic salts are sprayed onto the surface and the piece is reheated. The result is a piece of iridescent glassware with a rainbow-hued finish. Many pieces of carnival glass feature a distinctive marigold colour with random swirls of other colours strewn throughout the glass. Carnival glass originated as a glass called Iridill, produced in 1908 by the Fenton Art Glass Company. Iridill was inspired by the fine blown art glass of makers like Tiffany and Steuben, but Fenton sold it cheap. They were used as carnival prizes and thus the name.

What is the origin of the term chutzpah?

The word chutzpah entered the English language in the late 19th century It is supposed to have been derived from khutspe, belonging to the Yiddish language Khuptse means impudence or gall. Khuptse itself was derived from the Hebrew word hutspah. Today, chutzpah means supreme self-confidence, courage bordering on arrogance, audacity or nerve. The words chutzpa, hutzpah and hutzpa are its variants.

What is Germany’s official name?or gall

Because of Germany’s geographic position in the centre of Europe and its long history as a disunited region of distinct tribes and states, it has many varying names in different languages, perhaps more than for any other European nation. For example, in German, the country is known as Deutschland, in French as Allemagne, and in Polish as Niemcy However, the official name of Germany is Bundesrepublik Deutschland. It is also known as the Federal Republic of Germany.

What is a halfalogue?

It is half a dialogue. For a person lis- tening in on a phone conversation, only half is audible. This audible half is termed halfalogue. Those who listen in — or are forced to simply because they happen to be in the vicinity — on such conversations generally find a halfalogue irritating. But a one-sided conversation usually piques a person’s interest into overhearing what is being said.

Who is a soul surfer?

The first published mention of soul surfer was in 1963, in an instrumen-tal ‘Soul Surfer’ by Southern Californian surf guitarist Johnny For-tune. It was intended to harness the popularity of the ’soul’ movement in music, m 1969, theologian Tom Blake’s ‘Voice of the Wave’ examined the re-

ligious elements of surfing. The Soul Surfer expresses himself through his unity with the breaking wave, using his body to translate the essence of the wave’s spirit into art with no care for fame.

What is a bonobo?

The bonobo (pan paniscus) is a great ape most closely related to the chimpanzee. It is the least known of the great apes because it lives in a remote rain-forest region of central Africa, and was identified as a species only in 1933. Because of the similar morphological traits (physical appearance) between bonobos and humans, some anthropologists consider the bonobo to be the best living prototype for the common ancestor of humans.

What is the ‘Thor’s Hammer’?

Mjollnir is the hammer of Thor, a major god associated with thunder in Norse mythology. Distinctively shaped, Mjollnir is depicted as one of the most fearsome weapons, capable of levelling mountains. Thor is associated with strength and the protection of mankind. Ultimately stemming from Proto-Indo-European religion, Thor is a prominently mentioned god throughout the recorded history of the Germanic peoples.

How did the handshake originate?

The origin of the handshake is difficult to specifically determine. Herbert Spencer in his book “The Principles of Sociology”* mentions that two Arabs met in a desert, accepting that they wouldn’t kiss each other’s hand and only clasp it, as kissing was consid ered an insult. A more practical ori gin comes from mediaeval Europe, where kings and knights would extend and grasp each other’s hand as a demonstration that they did not pos sess concealed weapons and intended no harm to each other.

From which language is the term ‘gymnastics’ derived?

The term ‘gymnastics’ is derived from the Greek word ‘gymnos’, meaning to exercise naked, a rule that applied in ancient Greece to all exercises practised in the gymnasium by male athletes. It was done so as to increase an appreciation of the male body and as a tribute to the gods. Of the modern events currently considered to be gymnastics, only tumbling and a primitive form of vaulting were known then.

What is email apnea?

Email apnea is the stress caused by the inability to process emails and connect even as mails flood the inbox. It is marked by a suspension of breathing, shallow breathing or hyperventilating while checking mail. Researcher Linda Stone coined this term after realizing that many people go through this process every morning, the mind whirling from mail to mail, filing, forwarding etc. She also found the effect of this kind of apnea on general health to be negative in the long term.

— Sanjay Singh, Bhopal

What is time dilation?

In the theory of special relativity the slowing down of a clock as determined by an observer who is in relative motion with respect to that clock, is called time dilation. In this phenomenon, a person finds a clock (or other time device) similar or identical to their own, ticking at a slower pace, making the observer believe that time has “slowed down” for the other clock but in reality, tune passes at a constant rate. For example, as a spacecraft approaches, to an observer on earth, if he watches the clock on a spacecraft, it will seem that the clock is ticking slower than their own, as a result of relative motion.

What is marketing myopia?

The term was first used by Theodore Levitt, an economist and editor of Harvard Business Review, who is also famous for the term ‘globalization’. Management gurus define marketing myopia as a company’s short-sighted, ternporary or narrow-minded approach while marketing their product. Companies need to adapt themselves to the changing market. When a firm changes its marketing focus from customer to its product or the company itself, it is also called myopia. A classic example is Hindustan Motors, which failed to change with the economy

How is market size calculated?

Market size refers to the total revenue generated through the sales of a par- ticular good or commodity The most basic methodology is to multiply customer base with its wallet share for a typical customer. For instance, to calculate market size of toothpaste in India, we need to find the product of the number of toothpaste buyers across India with the price of toothpaste. A more accurate estimate can be found by segmenting the customer base as per income or geography, as they dictate the money spent on a particular commodity

What is the anti-sense gene?

The term anti-sense comes from the fact that messenger RNA is synthesized from one of the two strands of the DNA double helix — that strand is called the template, or sense strand. The complementary strand of DNA is called the anti-sense strand. The two DNA strands— sense and anti sense -—are complementary toeach other and form a double helix. The two RNA strands produced from these DNA strands are also complementary When bound into a double helix, the RNA strands cannot function to produce proteins.

How is the date of Buddha’s birthday celebration determined?

Traditionally Buddha’s birthday is known as Vesak or Visakah Puje Vesak is the major Buddhist festivel of the year as it celebrates the birth enlightenment and death of the Bud dha on the one day, the first full moon day of the sixth month of the Bud

dhist lunar calendar, or the fourth month of the Chinese calendar or in May, (except in a leap year when the festival is held in June). This celebration is called Vesak, the name of the month in the Indian calendar.

What is sunlighting?

A take-off from moonlighting — which means taking up a second job in the evening — sunlighting means taking time off from one’s day job to fit in other work and be paid for it. Sunlighting has a slightly adverse meaning: a person takes up a second job, and it begins interfering with the first job. Sometimes, moonlighting stretches into the day, and turns into sunlighting.

What is sweat equity?

The phrase ’sweat equity’ refers to equity shares given to the company’s employees on favourable terms, in recognition of their work. With sweat equity, employees become part owners and participate in the profits, apart from earning salaries. The Companies Act defines ’sweat equity shares’ as shares issued to employees or directors at a discount, for providing knowhow or making available intellectual property rights or value additions.

What is a super galaxy?

A galaxy is a group of large number of stars in the sky which have generally the same origin of evolution, such as our Milky Way. A galaxy may contain billions of stars. A cluster of galaxies, which may have up to 10 or even more galaxies is called a local group. Clusters of galaxies are known as a super galaxy, or a super cluster. This may have up to 50 or even 1,000 galaxies. The Milky Way is a member of the Virgo super cluster.

Who is dubbed patient zero?

Patient zero is the first patient who indicates the outbreak of a disease, and may help indicate its source and possible spread. The term was used by Dr William Darrow to refer to the spread of HIV in North America, which showed how ‘patient zero’ had infected multiple partners with HIV, and how the virus had spread across the world. Journalist Randy Shilts wrote about patient zero, Gaetan Dugas, a promiscuous flight attendant, based on Darrow’s findings.

What is a Jovian planet?

Jovian planets, also known as gas giants, is a collective term for Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The term Jovian came from planet Jupiter, which describes the other gas giants in our solar system which are like Jupiter. These planets are surrounded by a number of moons and rings and their rotation is faster than terrestrial planets. Jovian planets have a dense core surrounded by a huge layer of gas which is made up of hydrogen and helium.

What is a baker’s, dozen and how did the phrase originate?

Baker’s dozen means 13, instead of 12. The tale behind its origin is that a mediaeval law specified the weight of bread loaves, and any baker who supplied less to a customer was in for dire punishment. So bakers would include a thirteenth loaf with each dozen just to be safe. It is said that during good harvests, bakers sold one excess loaf to middlemen. A baker’s dozen takes on importance in large families, where that little extra goes a long way

What is a vaudeville show?

Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s to early 1930s. Each performance was a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together. They included popular and classical musicians, dancers, comedians, magicians, female and male impersonators, acrobats, even scenes from plays and movies. Called “the heart of American show business”, vaudeville was very popular.

Who is a downager?

A downager is a person who acts younger than his or her age. There is a growing trend among women aged over 60 to live it up, hence the term dowager has been reinvented as downager. A study of independent, socially active Australian women found them working, studying, starting businesses and changing careers at the age of 60 and above. Downager reflects the “act younger, live younger” attitude of women who were earlier thought of as grandmotherly, retired individuals.

How does calcium carbide ripen mangoes?

For reasons of safe transportation of fruits, mangoes, bananas etc are picked before they ripen fully Slightly green harvested mangoes are subjected to small containers of calcium carbide (CaC2) with a plastic covering. CaC2 reacts with the moisture in the air to release acetylene (or ethyne) gas, which like ethyleneis — a chemical substance produced by fruits to accelerate the normal process of fruit maturation — is a ripening hormone. Industrial-grade calcium carbide contains arsenic and phosphorus, and its use for the purpose of ripening is illegal in many countries.

What is wet wing in aeronautical terms?

A wet wing is an aerospace engineering technique where an aircraft’s wing structure is sealed and used as a fuel tank. By eliminating the need for fuel bladders, aircraft can weigh less and offer improved performance. Wet wings are common among civilian designs, from airliners to small general aviation aircraft. Because tanks are an integral part of the structure, they cannot be removed, and require access panels for routine maintenance and visual inspections.

Who, or what, is Attaboy?

Attaboy is an alteration of ‘That’s the boy!’ It Is used to cheer somebody on and to express enthusiastic encouragement or approval to a man or boy. It is an act of congratulating somebody on an achievement. Example: he received several attaboys from the top management after the presentation.

What is gas flaring and why is it done?

In chemical factories, oil refineries, oil wells, rigs and landfills, gaseous waste products and sometimes even non-waste gases produced are routed to an elevated vertical chimney called a gas flare and burnt off at its tip. This is called gas flaring. Waste gases are subjected to such a process either because the gases are waste or it is difficult to store and transport them. Non-waste gases are burnt off to protect the processing equipment when unexpected high pressure develops within them. Gas flaring in oil rigs and wells contribute significantly to greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.

What is Bafana Bafana and how does it get its name?

The word ‘Bafana’ is a Zulu word, plural for ‘umfaan’, meaning boy. There is also a movie about Mandela in jail called “Goodbye Bafana”. Bafana Bafana is the national football team of South Africa and is controlled by the South African Football Association, which will be hosting the 19th FIFA World Cup in June 2010. Bafana Bafana, meaning Boys Boys, was coined by three Sowetan sports reporters in 1992, shortly after the readmission of South Africa to world football. South African football team members wear blazers with a springbok on the left breast pocket and are also referred to as Springboks.

What is an aggressocracy?

Aggressocracy is a society in which the most aggressive members rise to the top. The Greek lexicon describes it as a social sphere or group consisting of or dominated by predatory or conquest-oriented individuals. Aggressocratic hierarchies were once structured by penis length, but that was later changed.

Who won the first Paime d’Or at Cannes?

The Palme d’Or (Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded to the director of the best feature film at the annual Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the organizing committee, and the first was awarded to director Delbert Martin Mann Jr for his film “Marty”. The Palme d’Or was established as the film festival’s highest award until 1964, when it temporarily resumed awarding Grand Prix due to copyright problems with the Palm. In 1975, the Paime d’Or was reintroduced and became the symbol of the Cannes Film Festival.

What is biomagnification?

Some compounds are neither recycled by decomposers nor are they released into the atmosphere. Instead, they remain in the ecosystem in virtually unchanged form as they are passed from one organism to another by predation. For example, if a large fish consumes five small ones every day for several years, some of the compounds in their flesh is transferred to the larger fish. Over time, the larger fish accumulates these compounds. An example is the pesticide DDT — its toxic effects may not be apparent in the little fish but accumulation in the larger fish allows the effects to be magnified. Hence, the term biomagnification.

What is apogee?

Apogee is the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited. With reference to earth, it is the point in the orbit of a heavenly body, especially the moon, or a man-made satellite, which is farthest or most distant from the centre of the earth. It is also the farthest or highest point — the apex or climax. Perigee is the opposite of apogee and is the point in the orbit which is nearest to the earth.

What is the difference between rights and bonus issue?

Bonus issues are shares issued free of charge to shareholders. When a company accumulates a large fund from profits, much beyond its needs, the directors may decide to distribute a part of it among the shareholders in the form of bonus. Once a bonus is issued, the price of the shares is likely to drop as the value of the company’s assets is now spread over larger number of shares. Right shares are issued to existing shareholders who have the privilege to buy a specified number of new shares from the firm at a specified price within a specified time. A company can opt for a rights issue to raise capital under secondary market offering.

What is the Yellow Revolution?

The growth, development and adoption of new varieties of oilseeds and complementary technologies nearly doubled oilseeds production from 12.6 mt in 1987-88 to 24.4 mt in 1996-97, catalyzed by the Technology Mission on Oilseeds, brought about the Yellow Revolution.The term also stands for the People Power Revolution in Phillipines in 1986 against then President Ferdinand Marcos. It was a series non-violent protests where demonstrators used yellow ribbons during the arrival of Ninoy Aquino.

What is rumourtrage?

Rumourtrage is the practice of spreading false news about a company, leading to a drop in its stock price, and followed by increased trade in its shares. This is usually done before a takeover bid. Rumourtrage is common in the corporate world and authorities have found it tough to stamp out the practice as it hinges on hearsay. It is especially used by traders when the market is volatile.

Why do people sweat when theyare frightened?

Fight or flight are two universal responses to any stressful or life-threatening situation in every animal, including humans. In case of severe stress, the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, which is meant for tackling such situations. It causes the release of adrenaline or epinephrine from the adrenal gland and nerve endings, this results in manifestations of symptoms of fright like sweating, increased heart rate, nervousness, pupil dilation, goose bumps, increased muscular and mental activity and blood supply to the brain and muscles.

What is the Kuiper Belt?

The Kuiper belt is a region of the solar system beyond the planets, extending from the orbit of Neptune. It is similar to the asteroid belt, although it is far larger — 20 times as wide and 200 times as massive. Like the asteroid belt, it consists mainly small bodies or remnants from the solar systern’s formation. The Kuiper belt objects are composed largely of frozen volatiles (termed ‘ices’), such as methane, ammonia and water. It is home to at least three dwarf planets — Pluto, Haumea and Makemake. Pluto, discovered in 1930, is considered its largest member.

Which was the first major language of Europe?

Most historians agree that Semitic was the mother of all European languages, including a few Asiatic languages. But Semitic had its birth in Asia (Syria and Palestine), so it cannot be called the first indigenous language in Europe. The first recorded indigenous language in Europe was an evolved form of ancient Phoenician, which later travelled north and west to the budding civilization in Greece where this language (crude with just around 22 characters) was developed by the addition of vowels. Thus, ancient Greek was the first major language of Europe.

Who invented the helmet and what is it made of?

The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900 BC. They wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from blunt objects, sword blows and arrows in combat. Soldiers still wear helmets, now often made of lightweight plastic material, to protect the head from bullets and shell fragments. Today’s armed services use high-quality helmets made of ballistic materials such as Kevlar, which have excellent bullet and fragment stopping power.

What is a coco taxi?

Coco taxis are the Cuban equivalent of a rickshaw — a three-wheeled, fibre glass egg-shaped vehicle with two seats glued to a moped. They are called so because they are almost like spherical giant coconuts. Their plastic and fibre glass body, which looks round from the back and sides, forms a protective canopy around the passengers. They tend to flock around busy tourist areas in Cuban cities. Coco taxis, powered by a 75cc two-stroke petrol engine are noisy and more affordable than a regular taxi.

What are time dollars?

Time dollars are the credit a person earns hourly in a Time Bank, set up to facilitate people in a community. A member of a Time Bank earns it by doing something for someone in the community, like baby-sitting or running an errand. After the time dollars are credited in the member’s account, he can spend it on whatever he needs. It is a sort of barter system which is serving to bond communities and has turned into a social change movement in 22 countries.

What is the origin of the term Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is the anglicized form of the Danish word Bletand — Ble meaning blue — the victory title given to the 10th century King Harald Gormsson. Harald was born in circa 935 and ruled as King of Denmark around 958 and as King of Norway around 970. Bluetooth technology was invented in 1994 by Swedish company Ericsson, which found it appropriate to name it after the Scandinavian king who had united several Danish tribes and parts of Norway into a single kingdom. The implication is that a Bluetooth does the work of uniting different communication protocols into one universal standard.

What is the Lady Macbeth Effect?

Lady Macbeth, a character from Shakespear’s play “Macbeth”, had plotted to kill the king and would repeatedly wash her imaginary bloodstained hands, hoping it would wash away her sins. The Lady Macbeth Effect describes a psychological condition in which people who have done something wrong feel a need to wash their hands or body in order to clear their conscience. They tend to think that physical cleanliness can be a substitute for moral purity.

What is a barcode?

A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data on certain products. It can be read by optical scanners called barcode readers or scanned from an image by special software. It is the small image of lines (bars) and spaces affixed to retail store items, identification cards and postal mail to identify a particular product number, person or location. The code uses this sequence to represent numbers and other symbols. A barcode symbol typically consists of five parts: a quiet zone, a start character, data characters (including an optional checkcharacter), a stop character, and another quiet zone. There is no standard barcode.

What is brand interest?

Establishing a brand in the market is the true art of marketing. It’s not the product being consumed, but rather the image one has of it. Building a brand is not simply giving a product a name, but also creating an experience. This means keeping in mind the contact people have with the brand. A brand is a name, but when it is powerful, it makes a person think of much more: this is brand interest.

What does breaking bread mean?

Breaking of bread refers to the rite of Holy Communion by Christians. In the Gospel of St Mathew, 26:26, it is mentioned: While they were at supper, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to his disciples and said: ‘Take this and eat it, this is my body’. In other places also in the Bible, wherever the breakingof bread is mentioned, it refers to the celebration of the Holy Communion by Christ himself, or by the early Christians.

About the Author
Dr. Ashok Kumar Sharma, Taxidermist, M.A.(History); Certificate in Taxidermy(Madras); Certifate in Library Science (TOPPER-ML Sukhadia Uni. Udaipur,(Rajasthan) INDIA. Hobby: Cricket; Postal Stamp Collection and Collection of Quotations since 1981.

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About the Author

Dr. Ashok Kumar Sharma, Taxidermist, M.A.(History); Certificate in Taxidermy(Madras); Certifate in Library Science (TOPPER-ML Sukhadia Uni. Udaipur,(Rajasthan) INDIA. Hobby: Cricket; Postal Stamp Collection and Collection of Quotations since 1981.

Korean War Caps

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Korean War caps

Style Wars

$17.61

Some call it tagging, some call it writing, still others call it bombing–it’s all graffiti. Whether it’s art or not is another matter, but it’s undeniably illegal. Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant’s historic PBS documentary Style Wars tracks the rise and fall of subway graffiti in New York in the late 1970s and early 1980s. At the peak of its popularity, graffiti was as much a part of B-boy cult…

GI Joe – Korean War 7th Infantry Soldier

$29.95

12″ Military Action Figure – For the United Nations, fighting a war in Korea was no easy task. While battling the elements, Chinese and North Korean troop strength greatly outnumbered UN forces and added to the UN’s difficulty. Among the many American units that served in Korea, the 7th Infantry Division represented the United States heroically and distinctively. During the Korean War, it was part…

The Mosin-Nagant Rifle, 5th Edition (For collectors only)

$15.40

Although the Mosin-Nagant rifle was in use for more than sixty years by half the world’s military forces, no book in the English language has ever traced its development and identified all its models and variations as manufactured around the world, including in the United States. No provided the part-by-part information needed by the collector and shooter. This is the first book in English, ever w…

US Army Uniform: Korean War

$29.95

With his exhaustive research, author Shelby Stanton pieced together the history of the development and distribution of U.S. Army clothing and equipment during the Korean War. The vast differences in temperature and climate in Korea presented Army quartermasters with a unique challenge. Complete with many previously unpublished photos and comprehensive coverage of both summer and winter unifo…

Soft Cap Chronicles

$17.95

The oral history of a unique unit in the Korean War, where they were known by many names but the enemy simply referred to them as the dreaded Soft Caps….

CAPs Soldiers of Color pt 1.mpg

Army Combat Uniform – waist seal and girdle – medical bellyband manufacturer

Patterns Universal Camouflage Pattern Main article: Universal Camouflage Pattern The ACU uses a new military camouflage pattern called the Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP), which blends green, tan, and gray to work effectively in desert, woodland, and urban environments. Similar to the United States Marine Corps MARPAT and Canadian CADPAT camouflage schemes that preceded it, the pattern design is based on research into Dual Texture (Dual-Tex) Camouflage conducted in the 1970s. The color scheme of the Army Combat Uniform is composed of a slate gray, desert sand and foliage green pixel pattern, which becomes darker or lighter depending on exposure to sunlight.[citation needed] The color black was omitted from the uniform, because it is not commonly found in nature. Pure black, when viewed through night vision goggles, appears excessively dark and creates an undesirable high-contrast image.

MultiCam Pattern Main article: MultiCam Soldiers operating in Afghanistan will soon be issued a more appropriate “MultiCam” pattern. The ACU U.S. Soldiers patrolling the streets of Baghdad, Iraq wearing the Army Combat Uniform with matching Interceptor body armor. Soldiers have reported that the nylon cotton fabric does breathe better than the cotton Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCUs) and results in a cooler uniform in high temperature climates.[citation needed] The uniform features hook-and-loop fasteners on the pockets. IR tab closed (left) and opened (right) The cost to each soldier is $76 per uniform, compared to $58 for a BDU, but clothing allowances in soldiers’ pay have been adjusted to compensate for the increased cost. Insignia and tags, such as name and branch tapes, are extra purchases. Uniforms purchased from commercial websites and surplus stores that sell to the general public do not include the IR squares, which are restricted to military personnel because of their sensitive nature. Jacket U.S. Army soldier in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Soldier from 10th Mountain Division. The ACU jacket uses hook-and-loop-backed attachments to secure items such as name tapes, rank insignia, and shoulder patches and tabs, as well as recognition devices such as the American flag patch and the infrared (IR) tab. Near Infrared (NIR) Signature Management Technology is incorporated to minimize the infrared silhouette. Permanent IR IFF squares are sewn to each shoulder to help identify friendly personnel when night vision devices are used, and are protected by Velcro tabs in garrison or when not in use. Three U.S. flag insignia are authorized for wear with the ACU: full-color, full-color IR, and subdued IR. The U.S. flag insignia (full-color or subdued) is worn on the right shoulder pocket flap of the ACU coat. The subdued version is only worn as directed under tactical or field conditions. On the right shoulder of the ACU, the U.S. flag is depicted with the union (stars) to the viewer’s right, instead of the usual left (flag’s own right); this is to give the impression of the flag moving forward with the wearer. Subdued shoulder sleeve insignia are always worn. The jacket’s Mandarin collar is worn up in combat to fit with the Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) body armor, and worn in the down position otherwise. The front closure is zippered and reinforced with velcro, designed for use with OTV. The tilted chest pockets, cuffs, and elbow pad insert pockets also utilize hook-and-loop closure. There is a three slot pen pocket on the left arm of the jacket, and blouse bellows for increased mobility. Only pin-on skills badges are authorized for wear on the ACU, and no more than 5 may be worn at any one time. Skills tabs, such as the President’s Hundred Tab, Special Forces, Ranger, and Sapper are worn on the left sleeve pocket flap, and are subject to a 3 tab only rule. A tab that is an integral part of a unit patch, such as the “Mountain” or “Airborne” tab, is not counted against the rule. The U.S. Army Chaplain insignia is the only authorized branch insignia to be worn on the ACU. It is centered 1/8 inch above the right name tape. The insignia may be the metal pin-on variety or the black embroidered insignia on digitized fabric with hook and loop (Velcro) fasteners. Current regulations require the jacket to not extend below the top of the cargo pocket and not be higher than the bottom of the side pocket. Sleeves are to be worn down at all times, in contrast with the earlier Army BDU policy which authorized sleeve-folding for the summer uniform. In the field, the jacket may be replaced by the flame resistant Army Combat Shirt when worn directly under the IOTV. Field Jacket M-1965 field jacket in ACU pattern. Note the lack of shoulder epaulets, but velcro rank slide on the storm flap to take its place. The M65 Jacket comes in the ACU pattern but this time with no shoulder epaulettes, unlike the previous M81 BDU field jacket. All four front pockets are kept, velcro patches were added to the sleeves and front with a small tab in the centre for rank slides much like the British Combat 95’s. The jacket has an optional foliage green liner. It is going to be replaced by a jacket from the ECWCS line of clothing. Trouser The ACU trouser is worn with a two-inch nylon web belt, and features Velcro pouches for knee pad inserts, two forward-tilted thigh storage pockets with elastic drawstring and Velcro for closure during movement, and two calf storage pockets one on each pant leg with a Velcro closure. In addition, the pants legs can be bloused and must not extend past the third eyelet of the boots as per AR 670-1. Army Combat Pants, which are identical to the ACU trousers except for their flame resistant materials, are being issued for use in Iraq and Afghanistan. Headgear A U.S. Army soldier wearing a MICH TC-2000 Combat Helmet with ACU cover. In the field, the ACU is worn with the MICH TC-2000 Combat Helmet, a patrol cap, or a boonie hat as appropriate. In garrison, the maroon paratrooper, tan United States Army Rangers, green United States Army Special Forces or black conventional unit beret or patrol cap is worn. The patrol cap is a straight-sided, flat-topped soft cap, with a double thick bill and internal pocket. The foliage green or black micro fleece cap or a black knit cap is authorized in cold climates. The name tape is worn on the back of the patrol cap. Sew-on rank is recommended but pin-on rank is authorized on the ACU Patrol Cap and ACU Boonie Hat. The MICH (Modular Integrated Communications Helmet) Camouflage cover rank must be sewn on if worn but is often not used as the Night Vision Device mount would obstruct it. T-Shirt The ACU is worn with a moisture-wicking sand colored T-shirt. A Foliage Green T-shirt, which is 100% cotton, has been authorized for wear by select soldiers. Also under some training environments or special occasions custom black and tan unit shirts are worn. Footwear The ACU is worn with tan Army Combat Boots and moisture wicking socks. Commercial versions of this boot are authorized without limitation, complying with the following regulations be at least 8 inches in height, be made of tan rough side out cattle hide leather with a plain toe and tan rubber outsoles, and be without zippers, metal cleats, or side tabs. Uniform care U.S. Army soldiers wearing ACU uniforms with MICH TC-2000 Combat Helmets and Interceptor Body Armors in Baghdad, Iraq. Although common practice (though not required by regulation) with the BDUs, ACUs are not to be starched. As per the ALARACT message in effect until a new revision of AR 670-1 is released, “Soldiers will not starch the Army Combat Uniform under any circumstances. The use of starch, sizing, and any process that involves dry-cleaning or steam press will adversely affect the treatments and durability of the uniform and is not authorized.” Starching the uniform has been shown to cause discoloration. It enhances the IR signature, making the uniform inappropriately bright under night vision viewing. Personnel have been instructed that the uniform must be washed with a mild detergent that does not contain “optical brighteners.” Detergents with optical brighteners may cause discoloration of the uniform, which would nullify the purpose of the very specific camouflage design and result in possible unwanted detection of personnel using the uniforms in combat. Some detergents have phosphorescent properties which enhance an enemy’s ability to see the soldier when viewed with Night Vision Devices. Soldiers have expressed concern about the velcro on the ACU. Dirt and mud can clog the hooks and loops or they can wear out with use, requiring the use of cleaning brushes for clearing the velcro as part of daily maintenance. Zippers have also been a topic of concern. Soldiers also express concern because the zippers (as with any zipper) can bind up, and render the uniform uncomfortable to wear, especially with Body Armor. According to the Program Executive Office Soldier “Commercial Velcro will be sold in clothing sales for the repair/replacement of Velcro. Additionally soldiers have been using the small weapons cleaning brush to clean out any sand and dirt from the pile and it has been working very well.” Initial fielding The process of replacing the Army’s Woodland (in use since 1982) and Three Color Desert pattern BDU with the ACU was to begin in April 2005; however, the process began two months earlier through the Rapid Fielding Initiative. Soldiers from the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were the first Army unit, active or reserve, to receive the ACU, subsequently deploying the entire Brigade into OIF combat in May 2005.

Initial reception of the ACU was mixed, with complaints of insufficient durability and excessive maintenance. The use of multiple camouflage patterns within an organization is now seldom seen, as the ACU has been widely fielded. Users Bahamas – Royal Bahamas Police Drug Interdiction Unit Canada – Canadian Security Intelligence Service Chile Cte d’Ivoire Cyprus Dominican Republic – Dominican Navy Indonesia Iraq (Iraqi National Police) Malaysia – Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) STAR Peru Philippines Serbia Singapore Thailand United States – United States Army and various civilian SWAT units and Texas State Guard. See also Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Army Combat Uniform Current Airman Battle Uniform Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform Navy Working Uniform MICH TC-2000 Combat Helmet Improved Outer Tactical Vest List of camouflage patterns Near Infrared (NIR) Signature Management Technology CADPAT FDF digital M05 pattern Uniforms of the United States Military Uniforms of the United States Army U.S. Army Service Uniform Army Combat Shirt Former U.S. Army trial patterns Battle Dress Uniform Chocolate-chip camouflage Desert Night Camouflage Sources ^ ALARACT 078/2005 ^ USA Contracts for New Army Combat Uniforms in ACUPAT Camo – Defense Industry Daily ^ Dual Texure (Dual-Tex) U.S. Army Digital Camouflage History ^ Lopez, C. (February 20, 2010). “Soldiers to get new cammo pattern for wear in Afghanistan”. US Army. US Army. http://www.army.mil/-news/2010/02/20/34738-soldiers-to-get-new-cammo-pattern-for-wear-in-afghanistan/?ref=news-home-title0. Retrieved February 22, 2010. ^ ALARACT 164/2006 ^ Army Combat Uniform Ensemble, paragraph 5L. ^ Paragraph 5S. ^ Army Combat Uniform (ACU) ALARACT Message 007/2006 ^ a b PEO Soldier to Unveil New Army Combat Shirt ^ ECWCS GENERATION III Olive-Drab.com ^ Fleece/Knit Cap Authorization for the ACU ^ http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/Foliage Green t-shirt ALARACT message.doc ^ a b c FROM ^ a b Hirschman, Dave, Some Georgia Troops Blister Tattered Desert Uniforms, Atlanta Journal Constitution (17 July 2005) http://www.ajc.com/news/content/custom/blogs/guard/entries/2005/07/17/some_ga_troops.html ^ http://peosoldier.army.mil/pmequipment/faqs.asp#Q66 External links Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier PEO Soldier- Army Combat Uniform Factsheet PEO Soldier- Army Combat Uniform FAQ GlobalSecurity.org page on ACU (with pictures) ACU Brief (ArmyStudyGuide.com) – details of proper wear and care of the ACU Army page on ACU 48TH Brigade Combat Team Receives New Army Combat Uniform 48th Brigade Combat Team – First Field Reports on ACU Soldiers to test new Army Combat pants Army Times v d e Uniform of the United States Army Uniforms of the United States Military ( Air Force Army Marines Navy ) Uniforms Combat Army Combat Uniform (ACU) (2005-) Garrison Army Service Uniform (ASU) (2008-) Formal None Exercise Army Improved Physical Fitness Uniform (IPFU) (2000-) Special Flight MultiCam Band Cadet Insignia Branch Insignia I.D. Tag Medals and Ribbons Tabs Badges Coat of Arms Insignia Shoulder Patch (Left; Headquarters Insignia) (Right; Former Wartime Headquarters Insignia) Overseas Service Bar Service stripe Beret Flash Rank ( Officer ) ( Warrant Officer ) ( Enlisted ) Headgear Berets Boonie Patrol cap Cavalry hat Garrison cap Campaign hat Footwear Combat boot Jungle boot Jump boot Tanker boot Armor Improved Outer Tactical Vest MICH Helmet Modular Body Armor Vest (MBAV) Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) Retired: Interceptor body armor PASGT Vest (-2003) PASGT Helmet (1985-) M1 Helmet (1942-) M1C Helmet (WWII Era) M1917 Helmet (WWI Era) M-69 Fragmentation Protective Body Armor (Vietnam War Era) M-1952A Fragmentation Protective Body Armor (Korean War Era) Equipment Carrier Load-Bearing Vest (LBV) Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) Retired: Load-Bearing Equipment (LBE) Load-Carrying Equipment (LCE) Modern Load-Carrying Equipment (MLCE) Retired Uniforms Combat Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) (1981-2008) Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) (1993-2008) Desert Battle Dress Uniform (1981-1993) OG-107 (1952-1989) Garrison Green Service Uniform (1954-2014) Tan Service Uniform (1942-1956) Formal Dress White Uniform (1902-2014) Dress Blue Uniform (1954-2014) Exercise Physical Fitness Uniform (PFU) (-2003) Special Categories: American military uniforms | United States Army uniformsHidden categories: Articles to be merged from April 2008 | All articles to be merged | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from February 2009 | Articles with unsourced statements from October 2007

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Does america think that just by electing a black President, the world view america in a different light?

If you add up the numbers of humans killed by Americans starting from the massacres of the red indians, black slaves, japs,koreans,vietnamese, central and sounth americans, arabs, persians, afghans, plus millions of other deaths contributed by the C.I.A ’s involment ,does it take a blind man to see that nearly 95% of hmuans killed in america’s history hve been non white. Just to cap it off ,it was Prescott Bush (George Bush’s grandfather) who funded hitler and his nazis that resulted in world war 2 and over 30 million people dieing. the link is below.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hkojpgNZD9I&feature=related

yes that blady racist, they used a black man Colin Powell to tell lies to the U.N that iraq had 200,000 litres of anthrax so useing that as an excuse to invade iraq and grab it’s oil.Usieng a black man there made the world think america’s forgien policy is not racist~”

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