Maharani of Jaipur Gayatri Devi

People's princess, Rajmata of Jaipur, Gayatri Devi has left behind a timeless legacy of grace and beauty. Charismatic Jaipur royal Rajmata Gayatri Devi, a three-time MP and who was once named as ''World''s Ten Most Beautiful Women'' by ''Vogue'' magazine, died here today following a prolonged illness. She was 90.Gayatri, who became an extremely successful politician, breathed her last at Satokben Durlabh Memorial Hospital where she was readmitted yesterday for chest infection after she was discharged a few days ago. "She recovered from her gastrointestinal problems but yesterday she was detected with a lung infection.

Maharajah and Maharani of Jaipur at London Airport, May 17, 1956, to continue their annual European holiday. (AP Photo)

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, stand with their hosts Maharajah and Maharanee of Jaipur, in the forests of Rajsthan, India, Jan. 24, 1961. From left; Prince Philip, unknown, unknown child, Maharajah of Jaipur, Queen, Maharanee Gayatri Devi, rest are unamed. The tiger in the foreground was shot by Prince Philip and the elephants used in the hunt are seen at the back. (AP Photo)

The Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur during a press conference she gave on the lawns of her new home in New Delhi, India, Jan. 12, 1967. (AP Photo) With notebook in hand Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, right, is shown the sights of Jaipur, India's famed 'Pink City', by Gayatri Devi, the former Maharani of Jaipur, Jan. 17, 1984. Mrs. Onassis is on a private vacation in India. (AP Photo) Maharani Gayatri Devi, left, enquires the welfare of a child, below, during the Maharaj Prithi Singh Foundation Polo Cup in Jaipur, India, Sunday, March 19, 2006. The cup was organized in memory of Maharaj Prithi Singh of Baria who was a player in the Jaipur polo Team, the reigning world champions in the 1930's in the world. On right is Rajmata Niranjana Devi of Kushalgarh. (AP Photo) Jaipur's Rajmata Gayatri Devi, left, Rajmata Niranjana Devi of Kushalgarh, center, and Maharaj Bhawani Singh of Jaipur walk after the Maharaj Prithi Singh Foundation Polo Cup match in Jaipur, India, in this Sunday, March 19, 2006 file photo. Gayatri Devi, once counted among the ten most beautiful women in the world, is in a legal battle with her estranged grandchildren, born to Devi's son late Jagat Singh and his divorced wife Thai princess Priyananda Ringsit, over the Jai Mahal palace, now a heritage hotel. (AP Photo) 1977 portrait of Mrs. Gayatri Devi, former Maharani of Jaipur, India. (AP Photo)

Solar eclipse

A total solar eclipse is seen in Varanasi, India, Wednesday, July 22, 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swath of Asia from India to China into near darkness Wednesday as millions gathered to watch the phenomenon.

(AP Photo/Saurabh Das)

The first phase of the partial solar eclipse is seen at an observatory in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines on Wednesday July 22, 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swatch of Asia from India to china into near darkness as millions gathered to watch the phenomenon

Sun begins to partially eclipse over downtown Osaka, western Japan, Wednesday, July 22, 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swath of Asia into near-darkness after dawn, as millions watched the once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon Wednesday.

The moon passes between the sun and the earth during a solar eclipse as seen in Chongqing municipality July 22, 2009

A total solar eclipse is seen from an aircraft over Patna, India, Wednesday, July 22, 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swath of Asia into near-darkness after dawn, as millions watched the once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon Wednesday

A partial solar eclipse is seen through clouds in Hyderabad, Pakistan on Wednesday, July 22, 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swath of Asia into near-darkness after dawn, as millions watched the once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon Wednesday

A partial solar eclipse is seen in Hyderabad, Pakistan on Wednesday, July 22, 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swath of Asia into near-darkness after dawn, as millions watched the once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon Wednesday

REFILE - ADDITIONAL CAPTION INFORMATION The sun emerges behind the moon just after totality during a total solar eclipse in North Iwojima island, Japan July 22, 2009. A total solar eclipse began its flight on Wednesday across a narrow swathe of Asia, where hundreds of millions of people watched the skies darken despite thick summer clouds. REUTERS/Kyodo (JAPAN ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY) JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. YES

A combination picture shows the sequence of a total solar eclipse as observed in Chongqing municipality July 22, 2009. The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century began its flight on Wednesday across a narrow path of Asia, where it was expected to darken the skies for millions of people for more than six minutes in some places

A partial solar eclipse is seen next to a mosque in Hyderabad, Pakistan on Wednesday, July 22, 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swath of Asia into near-darkness after dawn, as millions watched the once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon Wednesday

The minaret of a mosque is silhouetted against a partial solar eclipse seen from Banda Aceh, Aceh province, Indonesia, Wednesday, July 22, 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swath of Asia into near-darkness after dawn, as millions gathered to watch the once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon Wednesday

Aika Chiba, 10-month-old, falls asleep while wearing a pair of protective eyewear during a solar eclipse viewing event at the Sunshine International Aquarium in Tokyo July 22, 2009. A total solar eclipse began its flight on Wednesday across a narrow swathe of Asia, where hundreds of millions of people watched the skies darken despite thick summer clouds

The sun emerges after a total solar eclipse in Varanasi, India, Wednesday, July 22, 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swath of Asia from India to China into near darkness Wednesday as millions gathered to watch the phenomenon.

A partial solar eclipse is seen through clouds at Tatsugou town in Amamioshima, southern Island of Japan, Wednesday, July 22 , 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swath of Asia from India to China into near darkness Wednesday as millions gathered in the open to watch the once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon.

A combination picture shows the Bund on the banks of the Huangpu River during the various stages of a total solar eclipse in Shanghai July 22, 2009. A total solar eclipse began its flight on Wednesday across a narrow path of Asia, where it was expected to darken the skies for millions of people for more than six minutes in some places. (Top to bottom - picture shows before, during and after the total solar eclipse.

The moon nearly covers the Sun during the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century in Dhaka. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century cast a shadow over much of Asia on Wednesday, plunging hundreds of millions into darkness across the giant land masses of India and China.

Total Solar Eclipse on July 22nd 2009 – The Most Powerful Eclipse of the Year 2009

Followed by the lunar eclipse on July 07th 2009, the most powerful eclipse for this year happens on 22nd July 2009. This eclipse is called as total solar eclipse and it is sixth total solar eclipse for this decade. A total eclipse occurs when the Sun is completely hidden by the Moon. The intensely bright disk of the Sun is replaced by the dark silhouette of the Moon, and the much fainter ring called corona is visible. This eclipse is a 6-minute plus eclipse—the longest of the 21st century.

The eclipse is seen initially in India and it traverses through Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and China and across the Pacific Ocean. Hence the major part of the eclipse occurs at eastern Asia, Indonesia and Pacific Ocean.

It is safe to observe the total phase of a solar eclipse directly with the unaided eye, binoculars or a telescope, when the sun is completely covered by the Moo. In fact this cannot be viewed thorough the filters as the light will be very dim. At this point of total solar eclipse the sun will be completely hidden and just a ring will visible which is nothing but the corona of the sun.

When the shrinking visible part of the photosphere becomes very small, Baily’s beads will occur. It has been named so as the image formed because of the sun rays looks like beads. This is caused by the sunlight still being able to reach Earth through lunar valleys, but no longer where mountains are present. After this begins the Totality with the Diamond Ring Effect, which emits the last bright flash of sunlight.

Occurrences

The following are few of the places where the total solar eclipse on 22^nd July 2009 can be experienced. All timings mentioned here are local timings of that place.

Location	Start Time	End Time	Maximum Eclipse at
India	05:54	07:18:11	06:21:00
Bangladesh	05:59:16	08:04:39	06:58:14
Japan	09:55:39	12:30:19	11:13:00
Singapore	08:40:52	09:43:56	09:11:26
Indonesia	16:20:18	18:50:14	17:40:54
China	08:33:45	10:54:09	09:41:59

Photography

Photographing such total solar eclipse is possible with fairly common film camera equipment. In order for the disk of the sun/moon to be easily visible, a fairly high magnification telephoto lens is needed (70-200 mm for a 35 mm camera), and for the disk to fill most of the frame, a longer lens is needed (over 500 mm). For those who are interested in photographing the total solar eclipse, here are few tips to make your photographing fruitful.

Precautions

Viewing the Sun after totality can be dangerous. Hence do not view the sun after eclipse as it emits highly hazardous rays.

While in Photographing, do take proper precautions to safeguard your eyes. The sun when viewed through the view finder of the camera might affect the retina of the eyes, which might even be a cause for losing our eyes. One of the most widely available filters for safe solar viewing is shade number 14 welder’s glass, which can be obtained from welding supply outlets.

The Eclipse of the Century, 22 July 2009

Presenting…. the main event!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 — mark this date in your diaries because almost ten years after that historic eclipse of August 1999 in Europe, another event of equally great magnitude will occur — this time in ASIA.

On July 22, 2009 a total solar eclipse will be visible in northern India, Nepal, northern Bangladesh, Bhutan, the northern tip of Myanmar, central China and the Pacific Ocean, including Ryukyu Islands, Marshall Islands and Kiribati.

A partial eclipse will be seen in the larger part of Asia, including most of Southeast Asia, and even parts of Oceania.

What makes this event so special? 

This will be the longest total eclipse of the 21st century. 

Totality, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun, will last for a whopping 6 minutes and 39 seconds, and it will happen at 02:35:21 UTC.

How rare is such a long total eclipse? This duration will not be surpassed until June 13, 2132. Even if you live an exceptionally full and long life, that’s over a hundred years later.

In comparison, the total eclipse for last year’s event on August 1, 2008 lasted just 2 minutes.

The spectacular sight of this total eclipse can be experienced in many cities, such as Surat, Varanasi, Patna, Thimphu, Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan, Hangzhou and Shanghai, as well as over the Three Gorges Dam.

Astronomy buffs and eclipse enthusiasts plan these trips years in advance, and many have already secured their tickets and accommodations to their various destinations. If you live anywhere near these places, you have just a month left to secure your ticket.

Solar eclipse spreads darkness over Asia

 MUMBAI: The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century cast its shadow over western India Wednesday and headed for China on a path that was plunging hundreds of millions of people into temporary darkness. 

Ancient superstition and modern commerce came together in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which could end up being the most watched eclipse in history, due to its path over Earth's most densely inhabited areas. 

After forming over the sea west of India, the lunar shadow or "umbra" made landfall in India's Gujarat state shortly before 6:30 am (0100 GMT) and quickly swallowed the city of Surat, the country's diamond polishing centre. 

By eclipse standards, this is "a monster," NASA eclipse expert Fred Espenak and University of Manitoba meteorologist Jay Anderson wrote in the US magazine Sky & Telescope.

After an eight-minute journey across central India, it was to squeeze between northern Bangladesh and the eastern tip of Nepal and then slice through some of China's biggest cities, including Chengdu, Chongqing and Wuhan, before arriving at Shanghai, a city of 20 million souls. 

The umbra then flits across the islands of southern Japan and veers into the western Pacific, where at one point the duration of totality -- when the solar disc is wholly covered -- will be six minutes, 39 seconds. 

If the clouds hold back, it could be the most-watched eclipse in history, and we will have to wait until 2132 before the totality duration is beaten. 

The total transit will obscure the sun by 50 percent or more for an estimated two billion people, from the salt flat farmers of Gujarat to herdsmen in the foothills of the Tibetan Himalayas. 

Superstition has always haunted the moment when Earth, Moon and Sun are perfectly aligned. The daytime extinction of the Sun, the source of all life, is associated with war, famine, flood and the death or birth of rulers. 

Desperate for an explanation, the ancient Chinese blamed a Sun-eating dragon. In Hindu mythology, the two demons Rahu and Ketu are said to "swallow" the sun during eclipses, snuffing out its light and causing food to become inedible and water undrinkable.

Ahead of Wednesday's eclipse, some Indian astrologers had issued predictions laden with gloom and foreboding, while superstition dictated that pregnant women should stay indoors to prevent their babies developing birth defects.

Total Solar Eclipse On 22 July, 2009

On Wednesday, July 22, 2009, some parts of the world will be witnessing one of the most spectacular celestial phenomenon of total solar eclipse of the 21st century. This total solar eclipse which will occur due to the hiding of the Sun behind the Moon will turn the day into dark for about 6 minutes and 58 seconds. This total solar eclipse will be visible in India, especially in the following cities-Surat, Baroda, Indore, Bhopal, Varanasi, Patna, Danapur and Guwahati. A partial eclipse can be seen in Southeast Asia including over entire India and China. People of the Udupi district can also see nearly 75 per cent of the solar eclipse. According to a report the greatest phase of partial eclipse will be at 6 hours 20 minutes and will last till 7 hours 16 minutes. The Taregna village near Danapur in the district of Patna in Bihar has become the focus of the astronomers as they believe that the total solar eclipse can be seen in its full glory. It is said that the ancient astronomer, Aryabhatta, who was born in Pataliputra (modern Patna) in 476 AD used to observe the heavenly bodies from this village

The latest technology around the world

You could be in office on a holiday or chit chatting with friends, technology has not just made things easier but more fun. And of course the GenNext swears by it. The number of gadgets in the market is increasing more rapidly than the consumers. Here's a look at what can serve most of your purposes. The must haves...(AP Photo) The Apple iPhone 3GS is different from the previous version of iPhone 3G as it includes common features like MMS and video recording. It has same look and feel like its first version. The upgraded iPhone runs faster and has more battery life. The other common features like USB transfer and storage are still missing from the latest version of the iPhone.(AP Photo) Sony products continue to amuse its consumers. The 80 GB version of one of the most wanted gaming consoles was launched in February this year. The latest version of PS3 comes with an extra space of 20 GB. It has a user friendly interface and requires no external power supply. It also has the benefit of a free online play.(AP Photo) It looks like the veteran E90 Communicator. Communicator was launched solely for business purposes and Nokia N97 serves the same purpose but in a different era. The huge difference between the two phones is the touch screen feature. But when touch screen phones are thronging the markets, N97 cannot boast about this feature with its not so user friendly touch screen. This phone, however, has a proximity sensor which switches off the screen when you receive a call to prevent the opening of unwanted application like a music player while talking.(AP Photo) It gives you real time turn by turn directions through the Global Positioning System (GPS). The device uses satellite to determine the important highways and national highways and landmarks in India.(AP Photo) HD TV offers you a picture resolution comparable to a 35mm movie screen. It also removes the jarring effect from the screen. In India, National Geographic is coming up with its popular HD TV service. Recently, Samsung launched its HD LED TV in India, Samsung became the first company to do so. HD LED TV display is completely different from LCD televisions and Plasma screens. Samsung’s latest technology will bring a sea change in flat panel displays in Indian market. The next technology which is knocking the Indian doors is OLED screens.(AP Photo)

Lamborghini Reventon

OVERVIEW

Lamborghini revealed its new Reventon supercar at the Frankfurt auto show in 2007 and a week later in the U.S. at the Los Angeles Auto Show. By that time, most of the planned production units were already spoken for. 

Based on the Murcielago sports car, the Reventon is said to be inspired by the F-22 Raptor fighter jet.

Recent reports indicate the car will cost nearly $1.6 million -- significantly above the Murcielago $300,000 MSRP. In fact, anyone who wants the car has been asked to put down a deposit of nearly that amount.

The engine hood made of glass laminate with open ventilation slits offering a glimpse at the large 6.5-liter V12 engine. The Reventon delivers 650 horsepower and 487 pound-feet of torque. Lamborghini will only build 20 Reventons, with all being spoken for. Eleven of the 20 cars will be U.S.-bound.

The headlights are powerful Bi-Xenon units. The daytime running lights consists of seven LEDs per side and a further nine diodes for the indicator and hazard lights. The taillights are also LED-based.

Created using Alcantara, carbon fiber, aluminium and leather, the interior is inspired by modern aircraft cockpits. Three LCD screens feature a variety of readouts useful to the driver. The instruments are housed in a structure milled from a solid aluminium block, protected by a carbon fibre casing. 

The G-Force-Meter is also completely new: this display shows the dynamic drive forces, longitudinal acceleration during acceleration and braking, as well as transversal acceleration around bends. These forces are represented by the movement of an indicator on a graduated 3D grid depending on the direction and intensity of the acceleration. A similar instrument can be found in the airplanes. Formula One teams also use a similar device to analyze dynamic forces.

ENGINE

 

Engine Type

Gasoline V12

Displacement

6.5L/396

Fuel System

SEFI

SAE Net Horsepower @ RPM

650 @ 8000

SAE Net Torque @ RPM

487 @ 6000

TRANSMISSION

 

Drivetrain

All Wheel Drive

BRAKES

 

Disc - Front (Yes or )

Yes

Disc - Rear (Yes or )

Yes

EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS

 

Wheelbase (in)

104.9

Length, Overall (in)

185

Width, Max w/o mirrors (in)

81

Height, Overall (in)

44.7

INTERIOR DIMENSIONS

 

Passenger Capacity

2

SUMMARY

 

Body Style

2 door coupe

 

Taller men 'make more money'

Washington, July 13 (ANI): Taller men are able to earn more money than their shorter counterparts, according to a study.

The study suggests that taller people make more money simply because they are perceived to be more intelligent and powerful.

The study, conducted in Australia, found that men who are 6-foot tall had annual incomes nearly 1,000 dollars more than men two inches shorter.

"Our estimates suggest that if the average man of about 178 centimetres [5 feet 10 inches] gains an additional five centimetres [2 inches] in height, he would be able to earn an extra 950 dollars per year - which is approximately equal to the wage gain from one extra year of labour market experience," Live Science quoted study co-author Andrew Leigh, an economist at the Australian National University, as saying.

Arianne Cohen, author of 'The Tall Book' said: "The truth is, tall people do make more money. They make 789 dollars more per inch per year."

Cohen says there's nothing else that differentiates these people other than their height.

"They're not nicer. They're not prettier. They're not anything else. But they've sort of gotten a halo in society at this point," Cohen said.

Cohen crafted out her book using a 2003 review of four large U.S. and UK studies led by Timothy Judge, a management professor at the University of Florida.

Judge and his colleague concluded that someone who is 7 inches taller - for example, 6 feet versus 5 feet 5 inches - would be expected to earn 5,525 dollars more per year.

Height was found to be more important than gender in determining income and its significance doesn't decline with age.

Judge said that being tall might boost self-confidence, helping to make a person more successful and also prompting people to ascribe more status and respect to the tall person.

Of course all such studies generate averages. A shorter person can certainly beat the odds, and not every tall person is raking it in.

Cohen says the pay advantage is conferred partly because taller people tend to exude leadership.

"Tall people tend to act like a leader from a very young age because other children relate to them like a slightly older peer. In the workplace, when you're automatically acting as a leader, that's really important when it comes time for promotion," she said.

The study has been published in The Economic Record by Wiley-Blackwell

Talking cars that will avoid crashes!

NEW YORK: Talking cars aren't science fiction anymore - thanks to scientists who have developed a set of algorithms that will allow robotic cars of the future to communicate with each other to help avoid collisions.

An international team, led by Indian-origin scientists Dr Bhibhya Sharma and Dr Utesh Chand of the University of the South Pacific, has developed the mathematical equations which would also instruct robotic cars how to change lanes safely.

According to Dr Sharma, the series of mathematical equations would instruct robotic cars when and how to merge lanes, which could lead to less accidents and ease traffic congestions.

"Flocking is a biologically inspired technique and a strategy commonly used in robotics. One of the advantages of flocking is that robots can work together and achieve what would take individuals far longer," he said.

In fact, according to the scientists, each car will be controlled by a centralised brain guided by a series of algorithms. The brains will talk to each other and instruct the cars to merge lanes and move in formation together.

The team demonstrated the technique using computer simulation and is currently trialling it in two wheel robots.

Team member Dr Chand has said that the cars have targets they move towards and maintain and when the cars find themselves in a merging situation, one of them will be given the position of leader, the rest will follow.

The team has written equations for attraction towards the target, enabling cars to stay inside their lanes and avoid crashing into each other. The challenge now is to allow the robot to automatically plan how to avoid crashing with the side of the road and cars travelling close by, they said.

The scientists have presented their findings at the 1st Rim Mathematical Association (PRIMA) conference in Sydney. 

World's Most Extreme Bodybuilders

World's Most Extreme Bodybuilders Here are pictures and information on extreme bodybuilders, namely Gregg Valentino, Markus Rühl, Ronnie Coleman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno & Johnnie O. Jackson. These guys have pushes their bodies to extraordinary limits! Gregg Valentino: World's Biggest Biceps Gregg Valentino is one of the most controversial yet popular bodybuilding icons. He started bodybuilding at the age of 13. After over 23 years of training naturally Gregg decided to experiment with steroids. During this time his arms grew from an impressive 100% natural 21" to an in-human 28". So how much can Greg bicep curl? A whopping 300 pounds! Markus Rühl: some of the biggest shoulders in history Well known for his freakish size, german Markus Rühl is a former IFBB professional bodybuilder. He possesses some of the biggest shoulders in bodybuilding history, and is one of the strongest bodybuilders alive along with Johnnie O. Jackson and Ronnie Coleman. Ronnie Coleman: eight straight wins as Mr. Olympia Born May 13, 1964 in Bastrop, Louisiana, Coleman is a retired American professional bodybuilder who shares the record of eight straight wins as Mr. Olympia. He also holds the record for most wins as an IFBB professional with 26 wins. Coleman graduated Cum Laude from Grambling State University with a degree in accounting. Arnold Schwarzenegger: youngest Mr. Universe at age 20, then won Mr. Olympia seven times Before becoming a famous actor and a controversial politician, Schwarzenegger was considered to be one of the greatest and most influential names in the field of body building to this day. Schwarzenegger began weight-training at 15 and became the youngest Mr. Universe at age 20 and going on to win Mr. Olympia a total of seven times. Schwarzenegger has remained a prominent face in the bodybuilding sport long after his retirement, and has written several books and numerous articles on the sport. Lou Ferrigno: the Incredible Hulk Known for being long time bodybuilding rival of Arnold Schwarzenegger and the original Hulk on the TV show, Lou Ferrigno was also a deputy sheriff. After graduating from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1969, Ferrigno won his first major titles, IFBB Mr. America and Mr. Universe, four years later. In 1974, he came in second on his first attempt at the Mr. Olympia competition. He then came third the following year, and his attempt to beat Arnold Schwarzenegger was the subject of the 1975 documentary Pumping Iron. Following this, Ferrigno left the competition circuit for many years, and went for his acting career. Johnnie O. Jackson: notable powerlifter As you can see, Johnnie O. Jackson may not be the biggest bodybuilder around, but the thickness and density of his muscles are mind blowing. They pop out and he isn't even flexing them. Just sitting relaxed. He won the 2006 Montreal Pro, 2001 NPC USA Championships, among others.

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