Topics

31

Business / China tech firms shake up world's biggest car market.

« on: April 25, 2015, 09:27:52 AM »

Chinese technology giants Alibaba and Tencent are promising to build the cars of the future, vehicles linked seamlessly to the Internet and offering shopping and navigation help while on the road.

E-commerce company Alibaba and WeChat messaging app provider Tencent have both announced plans for cars in the past month, along with video streaming platform Letv.

The move could shake up the traditional industry in the world's largest auto market, but details of their automotive visions are still vague, analysts said.

At the Shanghai auto show this week, the stand of Letv's partner in the venture, BAIC Motor, displayed the concept for the vehicle, which has two front seats with a steering wheel and a futuristic screen control panel.

"In the mobile Internet era, the auto industry is facing a huge revolution," Letv CEO Jia Yueting said on his microblog. "The Chinese auto industry can subvert traditional European, American, Japanese and Korean giants."

A promotional film at the auto show said the Letv car would have features such as gesture recognition, automatic parking and a fingerprint recognition locking device.

"At the moment we haven't seen the products, this is all the sort of concept stage," Namrita Chow, principal analyst for IHS Automotive, told AFP.

In the United States, search engine Google has already made news with its plans for a "self-driving car", and Apple is reportedly planning to develop an electric car.

Alibaba, whose $25 billion US-listing last year was the world's largest, plans an "Internet car" that would use technology to provide a better driving experience including e-commerce, digital entertainment, map and communications services.

Powerful state partners

In one sense, Alibaba is already in the auto business. Its business-to-consumer platform Tmall.com is now offering for sale more than 30 new cars -- including a limited-edition Ford Mustang -- launched at the Shanghai auto show, which started on Monday.

Rival Tencent also has plans for an Internet-connected car, while Letv plans an electric vehicle.

China's market for fully electric vehicles and hybrids remains small, but the government is offering support to the emerging industry.

Both Alibaba and Letv have chosen powerful state-owned firms as partners for their projects, an odd match for the nimble private companies.

Alibaba is working with China's biggest auto maker, Shanghai-based SAIC Motor.

"The Internet will become a must-have feature of future cars," SAIC chief engineer Jing Lei said in a statement announcing the cooperation.

Last week, Alibaba also announced it had formed a strategic partnership with Shanghai General Motors -- a joint venture of General Motors and SAIC Motor -- for car finance, big data marketing, after-sales service and online to offline commerce.

Letv's partner BAIC Motor is the listed unit of Beijing Automotive Group, which reports directly to the central government.

"Production of the car will depend on demand," a BAIC Motor official told AFP, adding it could be on the market in as little as two years.

Analysts said partnering with an established auto company allows technology players to develop a car with a conventional combustion engine, as electric vehicles are currently the only area open to companies outside the industry under government rules.

Tencent has tapped less traditional partners, Apple supplier Foxconn of Taiwan and luxury car dealer China Harmony Auto, for its vehicle.

"Cooperation is still at a very early stage," a Tencent spokeswoman told AFP.

Link: http://en.prothom-alo.com/economy/news/64483/China-tech-firms-shake-up-world-s-biggest-car

32

Latest Technology / Facts about the Hubble space telescope

« on: April 23, 2015, 09:50:04 AM »

The world's first space-based optical telescope marks its 25th anniversary this week. Here are some facts about the Hubble Space Telescope. The telescope launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1990 and is named after US astronomer Edwin Hubble (1889-1953).About two months after launch, a problem with its primary mirror was discovered. It was repaired in 1993 by astronauts who traveled to the telescope aboard the space shuttle.Its main accomplishments include confirming the "expanding" universe, which provided the foundation for the Big Bang theory.The size of a bus, it is 43.5 feet (13.3 meters) long and its maximum diameter is 14 feet (4.3 meters).The telescope is so steady and accurate that it can take an image of a target without deviating more than 7/1000th of an arcsecond, or about the width of a human hair seen at a distance of one mile (1.6 kilometers), according to NASA. This is also like being able to shine a laser beam on a dime 200 miles away. Hubble orbits the Earth at an altitude of 340 miles, not much higher than the International Space Station. It completes one orbit every 95 minutes, and travels at a speed of 17,000 miles per hour. The telescope is unable to observe the sun or Mercury. However, it has peered into the very distant past, to locations more than 13.4 billion light years from Earth. Hubble sends back about 140 gigabits of raw science data every week, and has helped scientists publish more than 12,800 scientific papers, making it one of the most productive scientific instruments ever built, according to NASA. The telescope has five instruments that have been updated or added in space, as well as some others that have been removed over the course of five maintenance missions by astronauts on the space shuttles in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2009. It is powered by the sun, and its electricity is stored in six nickel-hydrogen batteries, the equivalent of 20 car batteries. Hubble's cost at launch time was $1.5 billion. It was built by NASA with contributions from the European Space Agency.

Source: AFP .United States

33

Latest Technology / গতির নতুন রেকর্ড গড়ল জাপানি ট্রেন

« on: April 23, 2015, 09:43:01 AM »

জাপানের একটি ট্রেন ঘণ্টায় ৬০৩ কিলোমিটার গতিতে ছুটে চলার নতুন রেকর্ড গড়েছে। ম্যাগলেভ (ম্যাগনেটিক লেভিটেশন বা বিশেষ চৌম্বক প্রযুক্তি) ট্রেনটি মাউন্ট ফুজি পর্বতের কাছাকাছি এলাকায় গতকাল মঙ্গলবার পরীক্ষামূলকভাবে চালানো হয়।
সেন্ট্রাল জাপান রেলওয়ে নামের একটি প্রতিষ্ঠান ওই দ্রুতগামী ট্রেনটি পরিচালনা করে। প্রতিষ্ঠানটি জানায়, ট্রেনটি গতকাল প্রায় ১১ সেকেন্ড ছুটে ঘণ্টায় ৬০০ কিলোমিটারের বেশি গতি অর্জন করতে সমর্থ হয়। এটি এক সপ্তাহেরও কম সময় আগে ঘণ্টায় ৫৯০ কিলোমিটার গতিতে চলে ২০০৩ সালের রেকর্ড (ঘণ্টায় ৫৮১ কিলোমিটার) ভেঙেছিল।
ম্যাগলেভে রয়েছে সাতটি কামরা। বৈদ্যুতিক প্রক্রিয়ায় চার্জ করা চুম্বকের শক্তির সাহায্যে তীব্র বেগে ছুটে চলার সময় এটি রেললাইন থেকে প্রায় ১০ সেন্টিমিটার ওপরে ভেসে থাকে। গতকালের নতুন রেকর্ড গড়া যাত্রাটি উপভোগ করতে প্রায় ২০০ দর্শক উপস্থিত ছিলেন। ম্যাগলেভ ট্রেনটি ঘণ্টায় ৬০০ কিলোমিটারের বেশি গতি তোলার পর তাঁরা হর্ষধ্বনি দিয়ে স্বাগত জানান। একজন বৃদ্ধা দর্শক স্থানীয় গণমাধ্যম এনএইচকের সঙ্গে আলাপকালে বলেন, ‘আমি ইতিহাসের সাক্ষী হয়েছি। সত্যি আমি ট্রেনটিতে চড়তে চাই।’
অতি দ্রুতগামী ট্রেনে চড়ার অভিজ্ঞতা অনেকটা উড়োজাহাজে চড়ার মতোই, এএফপির একজন প্রতিবেদক এ ধরনের একটি ট্রেনে চড়ার অনুভূতি জানিয়ে মন্তব্য করেন। জাপানের রাজধানী টোকিওর দক্ষিণ-পশ্চিমে ম্যাগলেভ ট্রেনটির পরীক্ষামূলক চালনায় যুক্ত বিশেষজ্ঞদের প্রধান ইয়াসুকাজু এন্ডো গতকাল সাংবাদিকদের বলেন, দ্রুতগামী ট্রেন যত দ্রুত ছুটে চলে, তত স্থিতিশীলতা অর্জন করে। তিনি মনে করেন, ম্যাগলেভের মান আগের চেয়ে উন্নত হয়েছে।
সাধারণ যাত্রীরা অবশ্য ম্যাগলেভে চড়ে ঘণ্টায় ৬০৩ কিলোমিটার গতিতে চলার অভিজ্ঞতা নিতে পারবেন না। কারণ, এটি ঘণ্টায় সর্বোচ্চ ৫০৫ কিলোমিটারের বেশি গতিতে চালানো হবে না। এখন জাপানে যে ‘বুলেট ট্রেন’ বা শিনকানসেন ট্রেন চলে, তার গতি ঘণ্টায় ৩২০ কিলোমিটার।
সেন্ট্রাল জাপান রেলওয়ে টোকিও থেকে মধ্যাঞ্চলীয় শহর নাগোয়া পর্যন্ত ২৮৬ কিলোমিটার পথে ২০২৭ সালের মধ্যে ম্যাগলেভ ট্রেনটি নিয়মিত চালাতে চায়। তখন ঘণ্টায় ৫০০ কিলোমিটার গতিতে ট্রেনটি দুই শহরের মধ্যে মাত্র ৪০ মিনিটের যোগাযোগ স্থাপন করতে পারবে। এ ক্ষেত্রে এখন জাপানে যেসব বুলেট ট্রেন চলে, সেগুলোর চেয়ে অর্ধেকেরও কম সময় নেবে ম্যাগলেভ।
২০৪৫ সালের মধ্যে জাপানের টোকিও থেকে ওসাকায় যেতে ম্যাগলেভে সময় লাগবে মাত্র এক ঘণ্টা সাত মিনিট। এতে ওই দীর্ঘ পথে যাত্রার সময় এখনকার চেয়ে অর্ধেকে নেমে আসবে। তবে দ্রুতগামী ওই ট্রেনের জন্য রাস্তা বা রেললাইন তৈরির খরচ পড়বে অনেক, যা অনেকটা মহাকাশযানের ব্যয়ের সঙ্গে তুলনীয়। নাগোয়া পর্যন্ত লাইন স্থাপন করতেই আনুমানিক ব্যয় হবে প্রায় ১০ হাজার কোটি মার্কিন ডলার।
জাপান তাদের বুলেট ট্রেন এবং ম্যাগলেভ ট্রেনের প্রযুক্তি বিদেশে বিক্রি করতে চায়। দেশটির প্রধানমন্ত্রী শিনজো আবে এ লক্ষ্যে বিভিন্ন উদ্যোগও নিয়েছেন। তিনি চলতি সপ্তাহেই যুক্তরাষ্ট্র সফরে যাবেন। সেখানকার নিউইয়র্ক এবং ওয়াশিংটনের মধ্যে যোগাযোগ স্থাপনের লক্ষ্যে তিনি জাপানি উচ্চগতির ট্রেনপ্রযুক্তি বিক্রির প্রস্তাব দেবেন। জাপানে নিযুক্ত মার্কিন রাষ্ট্রদূত ক্যারোলিন কেনেডি গত বছর এ রকম একটি দ্রুতগামী ট্রেনে আবের সঙ্গে আরোহী হয়ে পরীক্ষামূলক যাত্রার অভিজ্ঞতা নেন।

সূত্র: এএফপি ও বিবিসি।

34

Multimedia Section / A Simple Guide To Understand 4K Video.

« on: April 22, 2015, 11:38:39 AM »

A lot of production companies, television networks and video editors have been working with the 4K video format worldwide. But it has been found that many general people just only know and pronounce the name ‘4K video,’ but they really don’t know/understand what is 4K video. Therefore, today we have come up with a simple guide to understand 4K video. Besides, it’ll help you decide if 4K video is right for any of your projects.

What is 4K Video?

4K is a new resolution standard designed for digital cinema and computer graphics. It has following advantages: higher image definition quality, more detailed picture, better fast-action and larger projection surface visibility. 4K video has a horizontal resolution of over 4,000 pixels and a vertical resolution of over 2000 pixels.

Importance of 4K

Mainly 4K is important for video recording. In 2K resolutions video quality is quite poor, but in 4K video, its quality is very high. Most of the time, cinematographers use the 4K to record when they capture super 35 film format to offset any resolution loss which may occur during video processing.

Size of 4K Files

4K files tend to be much larger than HD 1080P. At present, average file size of a 4K video is 816MB. The Blu-Ray files captures a size of 50GB, and BDXL discs are capable of holding up to 120GB of data in traditional way. But the density would have to be momentous in order to squeeze in three hours of 4K video content. BDXL requires a well-matched player that can read the higher compactness discs, that is why existing equipment must need to be upgraded.

Within very short time, 4K will become standard resolution for capturing video with lots of increasing number of feature films, television shows, broadcasting live videos, even amateur videos will be shot in this format. And it goes without saying that in 4K video, viewers get more lively capturing video.

Link: http://thetechjournal.com/tech-news/guide-to-understand-4k-video.xhtml?utm_content=buffere848d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

35

Heritage/Culture / Amazing Events Around the World

« on: April 22, 2015, 09:53:10 AM »

LA TOMATINA
(Bunyol, Spain — August 26th – 11am)

Every year 30,000 people assemble in the streets of Bunyol, Spain to participate in the largest tomato fight in the world. 125,000 kg of tomatoes are brought into the city via truck so ammunition is never short. 5 massive tomato-packed rockets are exploded in the air to commence the fight. There are only two rules:

1) You must squish each tomato before throwing it so that the force of the vegetable against you target’s head will not cause injury
2) Only tomatoes can be thrown.

BURNING MAN
(‘Black Rock City’, Nevada, USA — September 3rd-5th)

The official site for Burning Man describes the event as “a city in the desert dedicated to radical self reliance, radical self-expression and art.” Even that description cannot do Burning Man justice, however; there is just too much going on. Basically 50,000+ people swarm to the middle-of-no-where, Nevada and build a temporary city that they call Black Rock City. Those who attend are simply expected to contribute whatever they can to the Burning Man community.The name gets its roots from the giant wooden effigy that is ritually burned every year (as seen below). There is also a temple that has constructed and burned every year since 2000. Artists construct huge art pieces all over Black Rock City and music is always being played by musicians.

OKTOBERFEST
(Theresienwiese, Germany — Sept 19th to Oct 4th)

Oktoberfest, the celebration of beer, is the biggest festival in the world with over 6 million people attending annually. Reportedly over 6 million liters of beer are consumed within the beer gardens there. Yet despite all of the alcohol-consumption, Oktoberfest boasts a great family atmosphere with a huge fairground to entertain kids and adults alike. The event kicks off on the first Saturday with a huge procession of the tent concessionaires, all of which are pulled by those gigantic horses you see on beer commercials. Oktoberfest is nothing short of epic…especially if you’ve been participating in some of the beer-drinking activities.

CANNABIS CUP
(Amsterdam — November 22 – 26)

High Times magazine hosts the Cannabis Cup annually to celebrate the wonders of marijuana as well as the legalization movement. Participants are encouraged to purchase a judge’s badge which allows them access to all ceremonies, concerts, seminars, the expo and of course, the right to vote on the best strain of cannabis. The hundreds of different coffee shops in Amsterdam all create their own strains of marijuana (like micro-breweries for marijuana). While High Times states that samples must be purchased from the coffee shops, there are tons of booths at the expo that give out free samples including joints, small sacks and full vaporizer bags. The coffee houses take immense pride in their strains so they will do whatever possible to win the competition.

SONGKRAN
(Thailand — April 13-15)

Songkran is the celebration of the Buddhist New Year that takes over Thailand for 3 full days in April. The goal? To “cleanse” everyone and everything in sight. Yes, prayer is involved but the main way of cleansing is to douse everything in water. Participants are all armed with buckets, water guns, hoses and whatever they can get their hands on that can get others wet. Even the police are not spared from being soaked! You gotta love Thailand for that fact alone.

SAN FERMIN
(Pamplona, Spain — July 6-14)

Made famous by Ernest Hemingway’s ‘The Sun Also Rises,’ the festival of San Fermin is simply incredible. Most of you have heard of the running of the bulls, or ‘el encierro’ as it is called by the locals, which takes place each morning at 8am. After those wounded from the bulls have been removed from the streets, however, the real partying begins. Alcohol and great food are everywhere. The bars are open and filled with people by 9am so you can imagine the atmosphere of the festival’s entirety. Bull fights take place each night at 6:30pm which can usually only be attended if you buy tickets in advance. Make sure you wear all white with a red bandanna around your neck if you plan to attend or you will be the ONLY person there without such attire.

Link: http://www.highexistence.com/cool-events-around-the-world/

36

Place / Deepest Caves in the World

« on: April 22, 2015, 09:39:48 AM »

Krubera-Voronja Cave: Also known as the Cave of Kruber, Voronja is the deepest cave in the world with recent measurements extending to a total depth of 7188 feet (2191 m). It was the first cave to be explored to a depth of more than 2 km down. On August 5th 2007, an international expedition with 56 members went in and the interesting thing is, they said that the cave system could be deeper. “The caving game is far from over. It won’t be; not as long as deeper abysses call out to be explored” said Alexander Klimchouk, a renowned speleologist. The Crows’ Cave (that what it means) is located in Georgia in the Arabika Massif of the Gagra Range, near the coast of the Black Sea.

Illuzia-Snezhnaja-Mezhonnogo: Two times larger than the world’s deepest cave, the Illuzia-Snezhnaja-Mezhonnogo cave is the second deepest in the world. Located on the Bzyb massif in Abkhazia, Georgia, the cave is renowned for being dangerous and very difficult to work in. A team lead led by Aleksey Shelepin, in July 2007, came out with a very spectacular discovery giving birth to the cave system Illuzia-Sneznaja-Mezonnogo. Apparently there are two caves, Illuzia (Illusion) and Sneznaja (Snowy), that connect together and go down 5,751 feet (1,753 meters).

Gouffre Mirolda: From 9 to 12 January in 2003, an expedition exploring the Gouffre Mirolda cave in France, found that it was connected with the Lucien Coudlier, breaking the record for the world’s deepest cave . The cave measured 5685 feet (1733m) while the world record at the time was 5610 feet (Voronja cave). It was the first cave to be explored below 1 km. The record however, was beaten within a matter of years.

Vogelshacht and Lamprechtsofen: A Polish Expedition (pdf link) connected the two caves: Vogelshacht and Lamprechtsofen, located in the Leoganger Steinberger area, in Salzburg, Austria. The cave system has so far been proven to be 5354 feet (1632 m) deep. Incredible really, that’s over a mile. Notwithstanding this, explorations continue, so this could be only the tip of the iceberg.

Reseau Jean Bernard: Also known as the Gouffre Jean-Bernard or simply Jean Bernard, this is a 5256 feet (1602m) deep cave in the French Alps, in Samoëns. The cave has at least 8 entrances and was first discovered by the Groupe Vulcain back in 1959. Until 1980, it was considered to be the deepest cave in the world. Despite this, professional cavers consider the Jean Bernard not very interesting to climb.

Torca del Cerro del Cuevon
(Also known as T-33 and La Torca de las Saxifragas): Together, these two form the deepest cave in Spain. Located in the Picos de Europa mountains in the northern coast of the country, there are very few entrances to the cave, thus rendering it incredibly difficult to explore, so much so, that is considered to be the most technically difficult in the world. It took explorers 3 days to go to 5213 feet (1589 m) down.

Sarma: The seventh deepest cave in the world is in the Caucuses range, in Abkhazia, Georgia and it goes down up to 5062 feet (1543 m). Speleologists that attended the expeditions from December 18, 2007 to January 12, 2008, mentioned that Sarma has the biggest potential to surpass Voronja and break the world record for being the deepest cave. They are still exploring the interior of this unfathomable enigma.

Shakta Vjacheslav Pantjukhina: As you notice from the next few items on the list, the Bzybsky Massif in Georgia is renowned and very rich in caves. More than 400 are present and just one of them that made it to our list of the deepest caves in the world is the Shakta Vjacheslav Pantjukhina. It’s 4948 feet (1508) m deep.

Sima de la Cornisa – Torca Magali: This is a caving system in the Picos de Europa mountains in Spain. An international team of speleologists including Valencian Silvino Villa and the Belgian Jan Masschelein explored the cave last summer and managed to go down, in what they call a “bottomless pit”, to 4944 feet (1507 m).

Cehi 2: Slovenia’s deepest cave was mapped by Italian explorers from the Club Alpino Italiano of Trieste. They published a very interesting document, called Progressione 50: although it’s in Italian, you can see how the expedition went inside the Cehi 2 (or Ceki 2). The cave, which is in the Canin Massif, is located in the Western Julian Alps, on the Italian-Slovenian border. The alpinists managed to go as deep as 4928 feet (1502 m). To put this in perspective, the depth is over twice the height of the tallest man-made structure in the world.

Link: http://scribol.com/outdoor-sports/10-deepest-caves-in-the-world/2

37

Environmental Science and Disaster Management / Top 10 Alternative Fuels on the Road Right Now

« on: April 21, 2015, 04:48:58 PM »

Coal: The final alternative fuel on our list is probably a surprise. So, how can coal fuel cars?
Technically, coal is a relatively new alternative fuel for cars -- indirectly, anyway. As electric cars, plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles become more common, coal will be fueling more and more cars. How exactly? Well, owners aren't going to have to shovel buckets of the stuff into incinerators, if that's what you're wondering.
Electric vehicles (for the most part), don't make their own electricity. They carry the energy in their charged batteries. And the batteries get their charge from a standard wall outlet, which gets its power from an electricity plant, which, in turn, gets its power from burning coal. In fact, 50 percent of all of the electricity in the United States comes from coal-fired plants [source: PBS.org]. That means that, when you go all the way down the energy chain, a lot of electric cars are actually coal-powered cars.
While coal has similar drawbacks to gasoline, it also has some benefits. On a per-mile basis, electricity from coal is a cheaper way to power a car than gasoline. Also, there's plenty of coal in the United States, so international relations shouldn't disrupt the supply too much. Also, people who get their electricity from other sources, such as hydro-electric power plants or nuclear power plants, can charge their electric cars without creating more coal emissions.
Still, the fact that some of the most anticipated clean cars heading to your local dealership will likely get their energy from a less-than-clean source just goes to show you that in the world of energy, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

Liquid Nitrogen: Liquid nitrogen is another alternative fuel. Like hydrogen, nitrogen is abundant in our atmosphere. Also like hydrogen, nitrogen-powered cars make fewer harmful emissions than gasoline or diesel. But while hydrogen is used in fuel cell cars as well as hydrogen-combustion engines, liquid nitrogen cars use a different type of engine altogether.
In fact, a liquid nitrogen car uses an engine similar to the engine used in a compressed-air car. In a liquid nitrogen car, the nitrogen is kept cold, keeping it in a liquid form. To power the car, the nitrogen is released into the engine where it is heated and it expands to create energy. While a typical gasoline- or diesel-powered engine uses combustion to move pistons, a liquid nitrogen engine uses the expanding nitrogen to power turbines.
While it's a clean an efficient way to power a vehicle, liquid nitrogen faces the same hurdles as many other alternative fuels: At this time, there's no nationwide network of fueling stations to deliver it to consumers.

Compressed Air: Air is everywhere, so why not use it to fuel cars? Well, compressed air cars can do just that.
In this type of vehicle, air is compressed in high-pressure tubes. While a typical engine uses air mixed with gasoline (or diesel fuel) which is then ignited with a spark (or high-pressure) to generate power, a compressed-air vehicle's engine makes use of the expansion of the compressed air as it's released from the high-pressure tubes to drive the engine's pistons.
But compressed-air cars don't run entirely on air. Electric motors are also on-board to compress the air into the car's high-pressure tubes. However, these cars can't be considered fully electric cars either, mainly because the motors don't directly power the wheels. The electric motors are much smaller than the electric motors used in other electric cars where the primary function of the motor is to power the wheels. Compressed-air cars do have to be charged, similar to an electric car, but because the motors use much less energy, the charge time tends to be much less, too.

Compressed Natural Gas: What if, instead of heading to the gas station when you needed to fuel up your car, you had a fuel line running to your house, ready whenever you needed it?
With a compressed natural gas (CNG) car, you already do (well, probably). Compressed natural gas is the same fuel you might use in your home for cooking and heating, and it runs to your home in a line supplied by the gas company. For a CNG vehicle, the gas is stored in high-pressure cylinders. When you have a compressed natural gas vehicle, there's actually a little more to the process than just hooking up to the nearest stove fitting. You'll also need a fueling station in your house that's capable of compressing the gas. The compressed gas is then stored in the car's fuel tank (or tanks), as CNG takes up a greater amount of space than gasoline does.
Honda introduced the Honda Civic GX in 1998. The Civic GX is a regular Honda Civic that runs on compressed natural gas. As CNG is cheaper and burns cleaner than gasoline, these types of cars may gain popularity -- especially if the initial expense of installing a fuel station in a home is offset by savings on fuel. One downside, however, is that there isn't yet a nationwide network of fuel stations offering compressed natural gas -- which means that if you run out of fuel when you're far from home, you're simply out of luck.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas: If you've been to a cookout recently, you're probably familiar with our next alternative fuel: liquefied petroleum gas, or LP gas. Still not sure if you've seen it? Well, do you ever grill with propane?
Propane is the common name for liquefied petroleum gas, although that's not exactly right. LP gas is a hydrocarbon gas under low pressure. It's made up mainly of propane, but it also includes other hydrocarbon gases. LP gas is kept pressurized in order to keep it in liquid form. Similar to liquefied natural gas, keeping LP gas liquefied makes it more energy dense, and thus more useful for powering cars and trucks.
LP gas powers a car through an internal combustion engine that's been engineered for that type of fuel. While this type of fuel isn't widely used for cars in the United States, LP gas accounts for 10 percent of automotive fuel in the Netherlands, and lots of other counties have experimented with it, too [source: California Energy Commission].

Liquefied Natural Gas: Not to push the cooking theme too hard, but the next alternative fuel that's already on the road is similar to stuff you may have in your kitchen as well. Unlike ethanol or biodiesel, it's not created using something you could eat or drink, but it is something that top chefs insist on cooking with: natural gas.
Natural gas is a fossil fuel that's found between layers of underground rock. It's drilled for, like oil, but there's a lot more of it available here in the United States and it burns cleaner than oil or gasoline. The natural gas that you may use to cook your food and heat your bathwater is natural gas in a very low-pressure form. That keeps this particular fuel in a gaseous state and means that it releases a relatively small amount of energy when it's burned.
However, if you cool natural gas, it becomes liquefied. And when it's liquefied, it becomes much more energy dense. When liquefied natural gas (LNG) is burned, it releases much more energy. So, for example, instead of simply heating up some soup, like low-pressure natural gas is capable of doing quite well, liquefied natural gas can power large equipment, like a truck. And that's just what it's used for -- powering heavy-duty trucks over long distances.

Ethanol: So now you know that you can run a car on fry grease, but what if you're a little more heath conscious and don't necessarily want to drive around town smelling of fries? What are your other options? Well, how about making sure your car gets its fresh vegetables, too?
Ethanol is an increasingly common alternative fuel. In fact, it's often added to gasoline in the summertime to help cut emissions. Ethanol is a type of alcohol (but don't even think about drinking it) that's made from plant matter. In the United States it's commonly made from corn, while in other countries, like Brazil, it's made from sugar cane.
Lots of automakers offer their cars with flex-fuel engines. These engines can run on either standard gasoline from the pump or E85 ethanol, a fuel blend that's 15 percent gasoline and 85 percent ethanol. Ethanol has been widely hailed as a good way to end America's addition to foreign oil. After all, we can grow this fuel domestically, and it's not a finite resource like oil is. Still, it takes a lot of energy to create ethanol. Also, some people say that since farmers can make more money growing crops for ethanol, they'll stop growing crops for food, which could drive food prices up.
Despite these concerns, ethanol offers a lot of benefits as an alternative fuel, and the network of ethanol fueling stations continues to increase.

Biodiesel: We hope you've gotten the message that a low-fat diet with limited quantities of fried foods is good for your health. However, the same doesn't necessarily hold true for your car.
Biodiesel is a type of fuel made from cooking oil and grease. Any car with a diesel engine can run on it -- but don't start wringing the napkins from your last McDonald's run into your fuel tank. In order to power the car, the oil and grease need to be converted into biodiesel through a chemical process.
The process itself can actually be done at home. In fact, a lot of biodiesel enthusiasts make their own fuel using cooking oil from local restaurants. However, there is a little risk involved with the process. If you get it wrong, you could do a lot of damage to your vehicle (not to mention your house and yourself). Before trying to make biodiesel on your own, it's a good idea to train for a while with someone who's successfully done it before.
Biodiesel enthusiasts swear by the stuff. Not only is it much cheaper and cleaner than fossil diesel, but it'll make your car smell like french fries, too. No kidding! Just make sure you and your car can handle it before you brew up a batch.

Electricity: It may seem like electric cars have been a long time coming, but the fact is, some of the earliest automobiles used electric motors. However, it's only due to recent developments that electric cars have become a more viable method for everyday travel.
So, what's been the hold up? Battery technology. Moving a car takes a lot of power, and having to do it at high speeds and over long distances can significantly drain an electric car's batteries. In the past, electric cars couldn't go very far, and once their batteries were dead, they could take hours and hours to recharge.
However, with new battery technology, some automakers are overcoming these limitations. The new batteries (lithium-ion batteries, to be exact) are the same kind that power your cell phone or laptop. They charge quickly and the charges last longer, too. Cars like the Tesla Roadster use them to get supercar performance from their electric motors. Other cars that are soon to be on the market, like the Chevy Volt, for example, use these types of batteries in combination with an internal combustion engine to create a new class of automobile called an extended-range electric vehicle. The batteries can be charged by plugging the car into a regular wall outlet; however, when the battery power begins to fade, an onboard gasoline generator switches on to recharge the batteries and keep the car going.

Hydrogen: Using hydrogen to fuel your car may conjure up "Oh the humanity!" images of the Hindenburg, but it's actually quite safe. Hydrogen can actually fuel two different types of cars: fuel cell vehicles and vehicles that have an internal combustion engine that's been engineered to use hydrogen instead of gasoline.
In a fuel-cell vehicle, the hydrogen is used to generate electricity that's then used to power electric motors. So, rather than running strictly off of battery power alone, a hydrogen-powered car uses a fuel cell to generate its own electricity. In a chemical process within the fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen are combined to create electricity, and the only byproduct of this process is water vapor. The Honda FCX Clarity uses this technology and is currently being leased to drivers in southern California.
In a hydrogen combustion engine, the car uses an internal combustion engine just like a gasoline-powered car, but instead of gasoline, hydrogen is the fuel source. Instead of harmful CO2 emissions, like gasoline cars produce, again, hydrogen cars produce only water vapor. Lots of automakers are currently testing hydrogen vehicles. Currently, the BMW Hydrogen 7 is perhaps the most famous; the company has leased several to high-profile individuals in Germany and the United States, and some tests have even shown that the car actually cleans the air around it [source: U.S. News Rankings and Reviews].
Hydrogen cars aren't widespread largely because there isn't the necessary infrastructure of hydrogen fueling stations. But our next alternative fuel is somewhat easier to find -- in fact, you're using some right now.

Collected from: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/hybrid-technology/10-alternative-fuels-on-the-road.htm#page=1

38

Animals and Pets / Snake farm in Bangladesh and it’s future.

« on: April 21, 2015, 04:27:05 PM »

Snakes, The most valuable and high economically important reptiles. Live snakes are in great demand and are purchased for various purposes like venom extraction and other requirements. The snakes are even exported to foreign countries for exhibition shows, zoological gardens and manufacture of leather goods. Snake venom is in great demand for the manufacture of antivenin. High amount of potassium cyanide collect from cobra that is used in preparing medicine. By exporting venom, we can add remitance.But due to unavailability of commercial snake farm in Bangladesh, we are greatly losing remittance.

The skin of snakes is in great demand and is exported in various countries. In west European countries the leather products of snake skins are very popular. They prepare belts, wallets, purses, combs and cigarette cases, tobacco pouches and cufflink heads. In Japan wine is prepared in Snake Institutes. In USA canned garter snakes are sod as food. Rattle snake meat is rated to be most palatable. The eggs ofsnakes are also eaten. It also keep the populations of their various prey species under control. That is why snakes are termed “top-of- the-food-chain predators”. About 15 venomous snakes found among 90 species in Bangladesh. but Some dishonest persons continue sell venom to south asian & European country in illegal way. The proper managemental system & unabundant help of Govt & scarcity of trained person is also responsible for this condition. In Gazipur,  there a project going on under The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries. Some private farm in Thakurgaon and Patuakhali starting rearing snake. But these private farm need more help from Govt. Govt. should pass legal snake farming law for upgrade this golden future. Snake farming are availablein many countries like India, Thiland, China, Uk etc. So, it is time to establish more snake farm in Bangladesh to get benefit as well as snake conservation.

See more at: http://www.environmentmove.com/2013/05/4184/#sthash.xMRVzxUr.dpuf

39

Internet / How Too Much Information Shared Through Social Media Can Really Hurt You.

« on: April 20, 2015, 10:05:11 AM »

Social media is a great tool. But like every tool people use in life, it comes with its own set of dangers. Of particular note are the threats brought about by the information people share on social media.

This infographic from Trend Micro explains the Risk of Posting in Social Networks.

The infographic lists six particular risks that can happen to anyone because of the information they post on social networks.

The first of these is Social Engineering. Sure, social engineering can happen even with the barest information available to criminals through social network. However, the more things people post online about themselves, the better crafted social engineering schemes will be.

“Cybercriminals have prepared schemes two weeks before a big event. They’ve also created schemes 3 hours after an incident,” the infographic notes.

Another “backlash”, as the infographic calls these threats, is Identity Theft. According to Trend Micro, 30 percent know someone who fell victim of identity theft.

Furthermore, 13 percent have been victims of identity theft. In fact, this author knows someone who just recently discovered there was another Facebook account with  similar name which uses her pictures which she set to public.

The third “backlash” people can get from posting too much information online is Cyber Bullying. The things people post on social media can be used by bullies for their schemes, the infographic reminds.

Trend Micro also lists some alarming facts: 88 percent of teens and 69 percent of adults have witnessed cruel behavior on social media sites.

Another threat brought about by the information we share on social networks is Damaged Reputation.

“Posting content related to alcohol, illegal drugs, and profanity could damage your reputation,” the infographic notes. We are not exactly sure why we should warn people about this but if it wasn’t obvious enough, let us stress that these not only hurt your reputation, they may also be ways you put recruiters off.

And that is exactly the point of these data shared by Trend Micro: about 3/4 of hiring managers check the social media profiles of candidates, 78 percent of recruiters frowned upon social media posts containing references to illegal drugs, 47 percent looked down on content referencing alcohol consumption.

The fifth “backlash” listed by the infographic is about Targeted Ads. “Your listed preferences may lead to targeted ads,” it says. Not that targeted ads are such a bad thing to all. The infographic notes that 1 in 4 actually like targeted ads.

The last but definitely not the least threat brought about by information shared through social media is the rise of Real-World Threats. “Posting upcoming plans may open you up to real-world threats like burglary or stalking,” it notes.

There is an abundance of information people share online. According to this, 1 in 4 users location tag their posts each month. An Average user has 229 Facebook friends who may see this. Furthermore, the infographic says that more than 20 million users in the US include their birthday and year in their profile.

Look at the infographic to see more information shared online by people via their many social network accounts.

These data is the key to all these threats, the infographic notes. “The information you share can often answer security questions,” it stresses. “Which information do people share the most [which can answer security questions?”

According to this, 63 percent share birthdays, 61 percent share schools, 51 percent share family members, 48 percent share hometowns, 44 percent share favorite TV shows, 38 percent share favorite musicians, 33 percent share favorite books, 26 percent share vacation plans, and 23 percent share pet names.

If one thought privacy settings out to be enough to stop the leakage of important information, they would be wrong. Half of people say they check their Facebook privacy settings at least every 2 – 3 months but most do not change these settings.

Read the infographic below and start thinking about ways to safeguard yourself especially when you are about to share some personal information through social media.

Collected from: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/how-too-much-information-shared-through-social-media-can-really-hurt-you-infographic

40

Common Forum / weird and wonderful things

« on: April 13, 2015, 11:39:21 AM »

click the link: http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150320-weird-and-wonderful-photo-quiz?ocid=fbert, and find out what are the weird and wonderful things.

41

Animals and Pets / মহাশূন্যেও তৎপর পিঁপড়া

« on: April 13, 2015, 10:01:48 AM »

পিঁপড়াগুলো দেয়াল থেকে খসে খসে পড়ে। তার পরও বেয়ে ওঠে। কিন্তু আট সেকেন্ডের মধ্যেই আবার পড়ে যায়। কারণ, জায়গাটা মহাশূন্য। তাই সেখানে মাধ্যাকর্ষণ নেই। আন্তর্জাতিক মহাকাশ স্টেশনে (আইএসএস) পরীক্ষামূলকভাবে নেওয়া হয়েছিল ছোট প্রাণীগুলোকে। পরিবেশটা অপরিচিত হলেও সেগুলো এখনো দলবদ্ধভাবে কাজকর্ম করতে পারে।
জীববিজ্ঞানীরা বলছেন, আইএসএসের ওই পরিবেশে পিঁপড়ার ‘সংঘবদ্ধ অনুসন্ধান’ ব্যাহত হলেও একেবারে থেমে যায়নি। তাঁরা ভিন্ন ভিন্ন পরিবেশে প্রাণীটির সহযোগিতামূলক আচরণের কৌশল নির্ণয় এবং অনুসরণ করে একই ধরনের সামর্থ্যের রোবট তৈরির
চেষ্টা করছেন।
রসদ পরিবাহী একটি রকেটে করে গত বছরের জানুয়ারিতে ওই পিঁপড়াগুলোকে মহাশূন্যে পাঠানো হয়। সেখানে প্রাণীগুলোর ওপর পরিচালিত বিভিন্ন পরীক্ষা-নিরীক্ষার ফলাফল ফ্রন্টিয়ার্স ইন ইকোলজি অ্যান্ড ইভল্যুশন সাময়িকীতে প্রকাশিত হয়েছে। গবেষকেরা এখন একটি নাগরিক বিজ্ঞান প্রকল্প শুরু করতে যাচ্ছেন, যার আওতায় স্কুলগামী শিশুরাও নিজেদের ক্লাসরুমে বিচরণকারী পিঁপড়াদের সম্পর্কে বিভিন্ন তথ্য-উপাত্ত সংগ্রহের কাজে সহায়তা করতে পারবে। আর মহাশূন্যে পিঁপড়াদের গতিবিধি পর্যবেক্ষণের জন্য নভোচারীরা তো রয়েছেনই।
যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের স্ট্যানফোর্ড বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের জীববিজ্ঞানী ডেবোরাহ গর্ডন বিবিসির সঙ্গে আলাপকালে বলেন, পৃথিবীর নানা ধরনের পরিবেশে টিকে থাকার মাধ্যমে পিঁপড়ারা নিজেদের তৎপরতার প্রমাণ দিয়েছে। কিন্তু আইএসএসের অত্যন্ত হালকা মাধ্যাকর্ষণে প্রাণীটির তৎপরতা সম্পর্কে কিছুটা নতুন ধারণা মিলেছে। সেখানে পিঁপড়ারা কী রকম আচরণ করবে, সে সম্পর্কে গবেষকদের কোনো ধারণাই
ছিল না।
বারবার পড়ে যাওয়ার ফলে পিঁপড়াগুলো আইএসএসের ভেতরের পরিবেশে সহজে পারস্পরিক যোগাযোগ রাখতে পারছিল না। তবে সেখানকার কঠিন পৃষ্ঠতলে তারা ‘উল্লেখযোগ্য সামর্থ্যের’ প্রমাণ দিয়েছে। প্রায় ১০ শতাংশ পিঁপড়া যেকোনো সময় শূন্যে ভাসছিল। কখনো কখনো তারা অন্য পিঁপড়ার গায়ের ওপর গিয়ে পড়ছিল। আবার কখনো তারা নিচে কোনো কিছু আঁকড়ে থাকার চেষ্টা করছিল। গবেষকেরা মনে করেন, প্রাণীটির এ ধরনের কৌশল বেশ আকর্ষণীয়।
প্রায় ৮০টি পিঁপড়ার জন্য গবেষকেরা আটটি পথ তৈরি করে দেন। সেগুলো ছিল স্বচ্ছ প্লাস্টিকের তৈরি। প্রতিটির ভেতরে আবার প্রাণীটির ‘বাসা’ বা থাকার জায়গাও ছিল। পরীক্ষার শুরুতে সব বাধা সরিয়ে পিঁপড়াগুলোকে নতুন এলাকা অনুসন্ধানের সুযোগ করে দেওয়া হয়। কয়েক মিনিট পর দ্বিতীয় প্রতিবন্ধকতাটিও তুলে নেওয়া হয় এবং প্রাণীটির জন্য আরও বড় বিচরণক্ষেত্র উন্মুক্ত করে দেওয়া হয়। এভাবে প্রায় পাঁচ মিনিটে প্রতিটি পিঁপড়া ওই ক্ষেত্রের প্রায় প্রতিটি কোনা অন্তত দুবার ঘুরে আসে। একই প্রক্রিয়ায় পৃথিবীতে বসবাসরত একদল পিঁপড়ার ওপরও পরীক্ষা চালানো হয়। তুলনামূলক ওই দুটি পরীক্ষার পরিপ্রেক্ষিতে গবেষকেরা বলেন, মহাশূন্যের পিঁপড়াগুলো অনুসন্ধানী তৎপরতায় অচেনা বাধা সত্ত্বেও সর্বোচ্চ চেষ্টা করেছে। তবে পৃথিবীর স্বাভাবিক মাধ্যাকর্ষণে তাদের সামর্থ্য নিঃসন্দেহে অনেক গুণ বেশি। মহাশূন্যে প্লাস্টিকের পৃষ্ঠতলে নিজেদের পা আটকে রাখতে হিমশিম খেতে হয়েছে প্রাণীটিকে। তার পরও তারা সেই প্রতিকূল পরিবেশের বিরুদ্ধে লড়াই করে বেশ ভালো সামর্থ্যের পরিচয় দিয়েছে।
মহাশূন্যের পরিবেশটা ওই পিঁপড়াগুলোর জন্য ছিল একেবারেই নতুন। তাই সেখানে প্রথম পা ফেলেই তারা ইতিহাস সৃষ্টি করেছে। পৃথিবীর প্রতিটি স্থানে অন্তত একটি হলেও পিঁপড়া রয়েছে, যাদের মোট প্রজাতি সংখ্যা প্রায় ১৪ হাজার। ভিন্ন ভিন্ন স্থানে তারা ভিন্ন ভিন্ন কৌশল প্রয়োগ করে চলাফেরা করে। যেমন মহাশূন্যে নিয়ে যাওয়া ইউরোপীয় পিঁপড়াগুলো নতুন জায়গায় গিয়ে সোজা কোনাগুলোর দিকে ছুটে যায়। আর আর্জেন্টিনা থেকে নিয়ে যাওয়া একটি প্রজাতির পিঁপড়ারা নতুন জায়গাটির মাঝ বরাবর ধীরে ধীরে চলে এবং প্রতিটি ইঞ্চি স্পর্শ করে যায়। গর্ডন বলেন, সব পিঁপড়াই সংঘবদ্ধ অনুসন্ধানী তৎপরতা দেখায়। ব্যাপারটা এখনো রহস্যময়। হয়তো এ ব্যাপারে তাদের কোনো সমন্বিত কৌশল রয়েছে, যা এখনো অনাবিষ্কৃত।
সূত্র: বিবিসি

42

Self Improvement / Share your feelings.

« on: April 12, 2015, 09:52:03 AM »

Why is it so important to share your feelings?

-- Sharing your emotions helps release any anxiety you may be having. It can also help improve communication between people.

Talking about something makes you see things in a different light and helps you sort things out. it's the same for feelings. Telling somebody that you are sad can take some of the sadness away and sharing joy will add more joy. Humans often crave closeness to other people and sharing feelings helps.

It is important to share you're feelings with others so that they can help you to the best of their ability and try to understand what you are going through, Keeping things bottled can be unhealthy and could lead to depression if you don't talk to someone, not everyone understands what you are going through, but opening up to others just to let your feelings out and vent about a problem that has been building is a great way to release all that tension that has been building for so long. If you do not feel comfortable talking to a close friend or family member you can always come here to vent out any problems you are dealing with, the last thing we want if for you to face them on your own, either that or you could seek professional support from a counsellor, doctor or nurse. There is always help and support out there when you need it, and by looking at our self help guide above you could find some tips that maybe useful to yourself, or visit websites such as getconnected.org to speak to someone for free and have a confidential chat with them about your worries.

Sharing your feelings can help you to feel that you have support, and someone to listen to you. It also helps you to feel better instead of holding things in.

"Because if we keep them bottled up, They become anchors and they drown us down at the sea".


collected: http://www.7cupsoftea.com/qa-managing-emotions-4/why-is-it-so-important-to-share-your-feelings-1408/

43

Story, Article & Poetry / Investment of film industry

« on: April 09, 2015, 10:24:20 AM »

We have always seen the film industry for entertainment, but have we ever thought how much money is being invested by them on the actors and earning huge profits every single year. See below the in the investment the industry made, wherever you go its all BUSINESS. 

Bollywood films, played an important role behind the star abhinayasilpira booming business. Much of the success of a film depends on the film, the inclusion of the most popular stars. Like many of the stars knows very well. And so they sat in the sky hemke fees. Sometimes after they took the bull. But much more than running star actresses in Bollywood fees are ahead of the star performers. Bollywood is one of the leading actors in the report how much the market value of the car, it was brown.

Salman Khan at the box office by storm in the last few years, one after another, going through photos of gifts 'Dabangg' star Salman Khan. Salman Khan is a film you know, fall visitors to see the movie. Award as recognition of the work is not very much, in spite of the popularity of Bollywood Salman sky. Competed with the popularity of Salman Khan speaks to Yuna fees are increasing day after day. Currently, 60 million rupees chabiprati taking 49-year-old actor. Of the highest paid actor in Bollywood, has established himself as Khan Sahib.

Aamir Khan began as a child actor in Bollywood. Was released in 1988, 'the Last Judgment on the shelves of the' extraordinary film starring Aamir everyone was stunned. In recognition of India's National Film Award for Special Jury Award was given to him from the room. The best newcomer actor Filmfare award, he said. Later, gave numerous commercially successful pictures. Bartanirbhara films have been praised by the different trends and stories. His character in the film is not willing to make concessions to portray realistically Amir. For 'Mr. perfectionist' branded sitting next to his name. Although more than one or two films a year, audiences are looking forward to see the picture of the Amir. Prior to the release of photos of different reasons, such as starring in his campaign was rocked as hulusthula fell after release. These are few reasons not Aamir speaks to Yuna fees. Each film was getting paid around Rs 45 crore.

'Khiladi' Akshay Kumar's popularity is evident from the star. Bollywood star to be a need, all things in His. He has won countless fans and played flowing through the heart of the audience. The film received a 47-year-old Akshay great success action genres. He has acted in a business like the last few pictures. Latest Pictures action-thriller genres Akshay 'baby'. The film was released in January, has moved well at the box office. Currently, 40 to 45 million rupees chabiprati hamkachena eternal reward.

Shahrukh Khan Bollywood King Shahrukh Khan said. Individual acting extraordinary screen presence and popularity over the years, upholding the 'Chennai Express' star. Standing in the heart of the fans of the 49-year-old actor asanao lay. If he was troubled to see the silver screen and the audience of his fans. Despite the popularity of the scale, that is to say a little bit more than his remuneration contemporary actors. He is getting paid around Rs 35 crore chabiprati.

Hrithik Roshan, the son of the legendary actor and filmmaker Rakesh Roshan. Released 15 years ago, 'Do Naa Kaho Pyaar Hai' was impressed by the film looking hrtikake visitors. Go to the movies for the welfare of the family, the son Hrithik movie stardom overnight. Filmfare Award for Best Actor, as well as recognition of the work program and the best newcomer of the year, he was given the Best Actor award. Handsome and hard hrtikake Greek gods compared with others. Starting from the romantic character of the unique role played by the superhero has to prove his versatile abhinayapratibhara 41-year-old 'thin' star. Dance has been praised for his extraordinary competence darsakamahale. Bollywood is one of the most handsome actor in countless fans. Films as well as the fans love kari kari hindurajaniti the money. Hrithik takes chabiprati 5 crore.

collected from: http://www.prothom-alo.com/entertainment/article/498172/%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E2%80%93%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%96%E2%80%93%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%B0