Taj Mahal stands on the bank of River Yamuna, which otherwise serves as a wide moat defending the Great Red Fort of Agra, the center of the Mughal emperors until they moved their capital to Delhi in 1637. It was built by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in 1631 in memory of his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess. She died while accompanying her husband in Burhanpur in a campaign to crush a rebellion after giving birth to their 14th child. The death so crushed the emperor that all his hair and beard were said to have grown snow white in a few months.When Mumtaz Mahal was still alive, she extracted four promises from the emperor: first, that he build the Taj; second, that he should marry again; third, that he be kind to their children; and fourth, that he visit the tomb on her death anniversary. He kept the first and second promises. Construction began in 1631 and was completed in 22 years. Twenty thousand people were deployed to work on it. The material was brought in from all over India and central Asia and it took a fleet of 1000 elephants to transport it to the site. It was designed by the Iranian architect Ustad Isa and it is best appreciated when the architecture and its adornments are linked to the passion that inspired it. It is a "symbol of eternal love".The Taj rises on a high red sandstone base topped by a huge white marble terrace on which rests the famous dome flanked by four tapering minarets. Within the dome lies the jewel-inlaid cenotaph of the queen. So exquisite is the workmanship that the Taj has been described as "having been designed by giants and finished by jewellers". The only asymmetrical object in the Taj is the casket of the emperor which was built beside the queen’s as an afterthought. The emperor was deposed by his son and imprisoned in the Great Red Fort for eight years but was buried in the Taj. During his imprisonment, he had a view of the Taj.As a tribute to a beautiful woman and as a monument for enduring love, the Taj reveals its subtleties when one visits it without being in a hurry. The rectangular base of Taj is in itself symbolic of the different sides from which to view a beautiful woman. The main gate is like a veil to a woman’s face which should be lifted delicately, gently and without haste on the wedding night. In indian tradition the veil is lifted gently to reveal the beauty of the bride. As one stands inside the main gate of Taj, his eyes are directed to an arch which frames the Taj.
The dome is made of white marble, but the tomb is set against the plain across the river and it is this background that works its magic of colours that, through their reflection, change the view of the Taj. The colours change at different hours of the day and during different seasons. Like a jewel, the Taj sparkles in moonlight when the semi-precious stones inlaid into the white marble on the main mausoleum catch the glow of the moon. The Taj is pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines. These changes, they say, depict the different moods of woman.
Different people have different views of the Taj but it would be enough to say that the Taj has a life of its own that leaps out of marble, provided you understand that it is a monument of love. As an architectural masterpiece, nothing could be added or substracted from it.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tajmahal - A Great Building
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Google Opened Mapmaker for Pakistan
Google Map Maker is a tool which is based on Google Maps. With the help Google Map Maker, you can easily add or edit places, road, hospitals, businesses, parks, schools, community centers and even your home sweet home.
Google Maps does not have street level information about landmarks of many countries like Vietnam, Cyprus, Iceland and Pakistan, so they launched Map Maker to get street level information from above listed countries. Information posted on Map Maker is viewable and editable by other viewers as well.
Now that Google has opened the map maker to Pakistan, so we should build the map of Pakistan with this tool. We should spread the word around and add as much features and try to make it as much comprehensive as we can to complete the map of OUR PAKISTAN. I think we should learn from our neighboring countries like Iran and India as their maps are very comprehensive.
If we want full maps of our lovely country Pakistan on our mobile phone, anAndroid Application, location based services or GPS Devices, we should contribute to it as much as we can do. No individual or a group of people can make it happen, its a collective effort and a team work.
Use your Google account to contribute to this service atgoogle.com/mapmaker and help google to serve us better.
More details can be found at Google LatLong Blog
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Things To Do In The Morning
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The smallest USB
Edimax Technology has introduced the smallest USB adapter on the market - a model EW-7711Utn comes with 40x16x7mm dimensions are achieved by the fact that this device has no external antenna.
Precisely because of the minimum dimensions, is the ideal portable solution for all mobile users and the USB adapter needed only to put in the appropriate slot, after which users can connect to wireless networks. EW-7711Utn supports 802.11b / g standard and is compatible with 802.11n technology, which enables speeds up to 150 Mbps
Edge Tech 128GB USB Flash Drive
The DiskGO drive will come encased in a durable aluminum housing with encryption software thrown into the mix for added protection. Edge Tech is also offering protection for your data with the inclusion of CryptArchiver Lite encryption software, a trial version of CryptArchiver which allows users to encrypt up to 25MB of data using 128-bit AES encryption. Edge Tech offers the full version of CryptArchiver for download through its support site which can encrypt up to 32GB, and exceeds the U.S. government standard for encryption strength. Users can choose which cipher method they prefer: 256-bit AES or 448-bit Blowfish encryption.
USB mass Storage Device: Cannot Start. Code 10
This can be caused by a corrupted setup information (.INF) file.
To resolve this behavior, follow these steps and delete the C:\Windows\INF\INFCache.1 file:
1. Double-click the My Computer icon from the desktop or Start menu.
2. Click Tools on the Menu bar, and then click Folder Options.
3. Click the View tab.
4. Under Hidden Files And Folders click the button next to ´Show hidden files and folders´.
5. Click to clear the check boxes next to Hide extensions for known file types and Hide protected operating system files if necessary.
6. Double-click the My Computer icon from the desktop or Start menu.
7. Double-click the hard drive icon that Windows is installed in.
8. Double-click the inf folder icon.
9. Scroll up the list to find the file INFCACHE.1, then right-click it and choose Delete.10. Restart your system
NOTE: After you deleted the file, please be sure to return step 1-5 of these settings to their previous condition.
Test your device and removed and put it back in a few times. I found that the infcache.1 would corrupt if not removed properly so I created a batch file to delete it to make it easier.
cd c:\
del INFCACHE.1
USB mass Storage Device: Cannot Start. Code 10
This can be caused by a corrupted setup information (.INF) file.
To resolve this behavior, follow these steps and delete the C:\Windows\INF\INFCache.1 file:
1. Double-click the My Computer icon from the desktop or Start menu.
2. Click Tools on the Menu bar, and then click Folder Options.
3. Click the View tab.
4. Under Hidden Files And Folders click the button next to ´Show hidden files and folders´.
5. Click to clear the check boxes next to Hide extensions for known file types and Hide protected operating system files if necessary.
6. Double-click the My Computer icon from the desktop or Start menu.
7. Double-click the hard drive icon that Windows is installed in.
8. Double-click the inf folder icon.
9. Scroll up the list to find the file INFCACHE.1, then right-click it and choose Delete.10. Restart your system
NOTE: After you deleted the file, please be sure to return step 1-5 of these settings to their previous condition.
Test your device and removed and put it back in a few times. I found that the infcache.1 would corrupt if not removed properly so I created a batch file to delete it to make it easier.
cd c:\
del INFCACHE.1
MAKE YOUR WINDOWS XP TALK TO YOU
Open a text file in notepad and write:
copy from here:-
Dim msg, sapi
msg=InputBox("Enter your text","Talk it")
Set sapi=CreateObject("sapi.spvoice")
sapi.Speak msg
Save the file with a (*.vbs) extension, it will create a VBScript File.
It will prompt you for a text, input the text and press ok.
Cheaper Solar Power
Dr Wayne Campbell and researchers in the centre have developed a range of coloured dyes for use in dye-sensitised solar cells.
The synthetic dyes are made from simple organic compounds closely related to those found in nature. The green dye Dr Campbell (pictured) is synthetic chlorophyll derived from the light-harvesting pigment plants use for photosynthesis.
Other dyes being tested in the cells are based on haemoglobin, the compound that give blood its colour.
Dr Campbell says that unlike the silicon-based solar cells currently on the market, the 10x10cm green demonstration cells generate enough electricity to run a small fan in low-light conditions – making them ideal for cloudy climates. The dyes can also be incorporated into tinted windows that trap to generate electricity.
He says the green solar cells are more environmentally friendly than silicon-based cells as they are made from titanium dioxide – a plentiful, renewable and non-toxic white mineral obtained from New Zealand’s black sand. Titanium dioxide is already used in consumer products such as toothpaste, white paints and cosmetics.
“The refining of pure silicon, although a very abundant mineral, is energy-hungry and very expensive. And whereas silicon cells need direct sunlight to operate efficiently, these cells will work efficiently in low diffuse light conditions,” Dr Campbell says.
“The expected cost is one 10th of the price of a silicon-based solar panel, making them more attractive and accessible to home-owners.”
The Centre’s new director, Professor Ashton Partridge, says they now have the most efficient porphyrin dye in the world and aim to optimise and improve the cell construction and performance before developing the cells commercially.
“The next step is to take these dyes and incorporate them into roofing materials or wall panels. We have had many expressions of interest from New Zealand companies,” Professor Partridge says.
He says the ultimate aim of using nanotechnology to develop a better solar cell is to convert as much sunlight to electricity as possible.
“The energy that reaches earth from sunlight in one hour is more than that used by all human activities in one year”.
The solar cells are the product of more than 10 years research funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.
how the data is stored on a CD.
Data Capacity of CDs
Why Should I Study Abroad?
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Bio Diesel
If you've read or watched the news lately, you've probably come across some article, snippet or sound bite related to oil and oil prices. Even in your daily routines, there's a good chance of someone mentioning it. Whether it's in automotives, economics, history, geography or politics, oil has managed to filter into almost every aspect of our daily lives. It's one of the most discussed (and controversial) commodities that consumers rely on daily. All of this talk about oil sparks continued interest in gasoline alternatives. Things like electric cars and hydrogen fuel cells are being talked about as feasible alternatives to oil. As technology improves, these concepts could become reality. But what about now?
Lost in the mix are the biofuels, fuels made from biological ingredients instead of fossil fuels. These starting ingredients can range from corn to soybeans to animal fat, depending on the type of fuel being made and the production method.
Generally speaking, biodiesel is an alternative or additive to standard diesel fuel that is made from biological ingredients instead ofpetroleum (or crude oil). Biodiesel is usually made from plant oils or animal fat through a series of chemical reactions. It is both non-toxicand renewable. Because biodiesel essentially comes from plants and animals, the sources can be replenished through farming and recycling.
Biodiesel is safe and can be used in diesel engines with little or no modification needed. Although biodiesel can be used in its pure form, it is usually blended with standard diesel fuel. Blends are indicated by the abbreviation Bxx, where xx is the percentage of biodiesel in the mixture. For example, the most common blend isB20, or 20 percent biodiesel to 80 percent standard. So, B100 refers to pure biodiesel.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Make Your Own Solar Charger
Build a Solar Power Station
Cost: $150
Time: 3 Hours
Easy | | | | | Hard
- A. Bamboo scraps ($7; local flooring store)
- B. Sunforce five-watt, 12-volt solar panel ($48; amazon.com )
- C. Quarter-inch plastic mono plug (50¢; allelectronics.com; #SPH)
- D. Solar DC charger controller for solar panel ($28;allelectronics.com; #SCN-2)
- E. 12-volt 12AH rechargeable battery ($36;allelectronics.com; #GC-1214)
- F. Four feet of 18-gauge wire ($5.65; allelectronics.com; #WRB-18)
- G. Two female terminal disconnects (23¢; jameco.com; #109112)
- H. 15-amp DC panel meter ($12; allelectronics.com; #PMD-15A)
- I. Reese "Towpower" connector ($9; local auto-parts shop)
- J. Cigarette-lighter "Y" adapter ($3.65; allelectronics.com; #CLP-Y)
- Build the case
To make a cheap, eco-friendly case, we glued up bamboo flooring scraps (bamboo is fast-growing and renewable). Cut holes in the box for airflow and easy carrying, and build frames to hold the DC charger controller and the battery. - Add the panel
Attach the solar panel at an angle roughly equal to your latitude for optimum charging (go to census.gov/cgi-bin/gazetteer to find yours). Add a tilt bracket for additional adjustability. Leave space underneath both the panel and the controller for airflow. - Wire it up
Snip off the cigarette-lighter plug and solder the quarter-inch mono plug onto the "Y" adapter. Insert the mono plug into the 12-volt output outlet on the controller. Connect all four power leads from the battery and the solar panel to the controller's input terminals. Hook up the meter to the controller's input terminal for the solar panel. For more power, attach additional solar panels, and add extra batteries—but don't exceed the 12-volt rating of the controller. - Connect the battery
Test all connections with a volt- meter before attaching the battery. Connect the red wire with a female- terminal disconnect to the battery's positive (+) terminal, and connect the black wire to the negative (–) terminal. Place the station in the sun, and plug something in.
Basic SEO Tips
People round the world target three major search engine Google, Yahoo and MSN. The main idea is to drive in maximum traffic through these Search Engines. But how do you actually get to rank on all the three.
The page should be properly structured along with quality content. By quality content I mean content which should be unique and should contain targeted keywords distributes according to the need of the page. But this does not mean that you should start spamming the page with keyword spamming.
The navigation of the page should be user friendly with no flashy images or javascript buttons. And even if they are used then it should be kept in mind that the noscript tag should be used for search engine bots to crawl the links.
The images should have proper Alt Attributes to explain the image and not just put in long list of keywords to fool the Search Engines. Remember that Search Engine are smarter.
Build quality links to you pages. This will help gain trust in the eyes of the Search Engines. Links build on the basis of quality content or editorial links stands out. Otherwise you deal with link farms and link building partners and get banned by Search Engines in the near future.
Make sure that your site is submitted to quality directories. By quality directories I mean quality and they are very few. Do not submit to directories that ask for a reciprocal link back. Also, make sure you learn the pros and cons before submitting to a particular category.
Now to sum up the main points that affect the Search Engines I have listed them down in point wise to make a better understanding.
On Page Optimization
Title Tag – Should be compact and should only contain targeted keywords. It is one of the main criteria’s so should be handles effectively. Do not try to spam the page title with lots of keywords or repetitive keywords. You should always try to limit your keywords in the title to less than three.
Meta Description – Another important tag that helps search engines to denote the content of the page.
Meta Keywords – This should actually contain the targeted keywords and the keywords used in the page. Should not be huge list of keywords or occurrence of keywords. Remember GOOGLE, google, GoOgLe all them gives the same result. Try it out at Google.
Heading Tag – It is equally important as rest of the tags. Should be considered as the heading of the content and should be generated down the order.
Image Alt Attribute – Provide this tag for each of the image used in the site. This should depict the content of the image.
Off Page Optimization
Link Building – As discussed by Matt Cuts. Editorial links are always preferred. But quality links gathered through unique content on the site is also favorable.
Anchor Text – Anchor Text is another very important factor. The anchor text should be very well chalked out according to the need of the optimization plan.
Page Targeting – It is always considered to be of utmost importance that you should try to target two to maximum three keywords per page. This way you can target most keywords to your site rather than targeting 10 keywords per page.