Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Old Fashioned High Resolution Photo Camera
Tired of trying to keep updated with the highest mega pixel resolution digital camera? Well even if one has tried to do that, most certainly he will soon find out that his few months old digital camera is outdated in terms of mega pixel resolution. It's an ever changing kind of product that has become very hard to keep updated, unless one is willing to spend more money by making purchases every six to twelve months.
If the main intention of purchasing a photo camera is enlarging the image, then mega pixel resolution indeed will become the main factor. In this case one might consider a different option, which will keep his product updated for years to come. I'm talking about a used 4x5" film photo camera, together with a high resolution flat bed film scanner. All of this for less than one thousand US dollars. With all of this, one will get over 100 mega pixels in fine detailed film resolution and fine scanned digital images that can be enlarged up to 30x40" in size with professional quality. These 4x5" film cameras have done a remarkable job in general personal and commercial photography such as wedding, portraiture, product, documentary, advertising and landscape for nearly a hundred years.
Where to find 4x5" used film cameras? Since some of these cameras were mostly used in the past, until the 1960's, it should be no problem in finding them in American auction web sites. Anyway, a good used 4x5" camera with lens can be found for less than four hundred US dollars.
As for the flat bed film scanner, one can find brand new ones for less than five hundred US dollars. Just make sure the scanner is able to scan films.
Whenever purchasing a 4x5" film camera, one should look for the following features: folds into a compact box, flexible bellows, lenses that can be easily interchanged, accepts sheet film, ground glass focusing screen, easily handheld and optical viewfinder accessory.
As for the lenses, there are four main categories: 1 - general purposes; 2 - wide field (mostly used for close up work and landscape); 3 - extreme wide angles lenses; 4 - special effects lenses (telephoto). However, one might use a general purpose 127 or 152mm lens for most of his photograph sessions. In cases where it requires special lenses, such as architecture or macro photography, one will still find lots of them available in auction sites. Used lenses for 4x5" cameras made after World War II have excellent performances comparable to today's modern lenses.
Whenever making a purchase of a 4x5" camera make sure that: 1 - the bellows have no light leaks, 2 - the lens shutter works accurate at all speeds; 4 - the lens elements have no fungus and scratches of any kind; 4 - the focus is working properly between the ground glass and the film.
The option of using a 4x5" film camera, together with a flat bed film scanner, for enlarging images with professional quality is viable and accessible. Cheaper than top digital cameras, the 4x5" film camera offers better image quality and will always be updated in the future, maintaining its original value.
For those who wishes the very most detailed image enlargement, one can always use the 8x10" film camera. Four times the physical film size of the 4x5", this option offers so much film resolution that it is considered by many as the ultimate step for photo image enlargement.
Sometimes analog products deliver better results that its digital counterparts. If you are doing the job of enlarging photo images, you should give it a try with a 4x5" camera. You might just surprise yourself.
If the main intention of purchasing a photo camera is enlarging the image, then mega pixel resolution indeed will become the main factor. In this case one might consider a different option, which will keep his product updated for years to come. I'm talking about a used 4x5" film photo camera, together with a high resolution flat bed film scanner. All of this for less than one thousand US dollars. With all of this, one will get over 100 mega pixels in fine detailed film resolution and fine scanned digital images that can be enlarged up to 30x40" in size with professional quality. These 4x5" film cameras have done a remarkable job in general personal and commercial photography such as wedding, portraiture, product, documentary, advertising and landscape for nearly a hundred years.
Where to find 4x5" used film cameras? Since some of these cameras were mostly used in the past, until the 1960's, it should be no problem in finding them in American auction web sites. Anyway, a good used 4x5" camera with lens can be found for less than four hundred US dollars.
As for the flat bed film scanner, one can find brand new ones for less than five hundred US dollars. Just make sure the scanner is able to scan films.
Whenever purchasing a 4x5" film camera, one should look for the following features: folds into a compact box, flexible bellows, lenses that can be easily interchanged, accepts sheet film, ground glass focusing screen, easily handheld and optical viewfinder accessory.
As for the lenses, there are four main categories: 1 - general purposes; 2 - wide field (mostly used for close up work and landscape); 3 - extreme wide angles lenses; 4 - special effects lenses (telephoto). However, one might use a general purpose 127 or 152mm lens for most of his photograph sessions. In cases where it requires special lenses, such as architecture or macro photography, one will still find lots of them available in auction sites. Used lenses for 4x5" cameras made after World War II have excellent performances comparable to today's modern lenses.
Whenever making a purchase of a 4x5" camera make sure that: 1 - the bellows have no light leaks, 2 - the lens shutter works accurate at all speeds; 4 - the lens elements have no fungus and scratches of any kind; 4 - the focus is working properly between the ground glass and the film.
The option of using a 4x5" film camera, together with a flat bed film scanner, for enlarging images with professional quality is viable and accessible. Cheaper than top digital cameras, the 4x5" film camera offers better image quality and will always be updated in the future, maintaining its original value.
For those who wishes the very most detailed image enlargement, one can always use the 8x10" film camera. Four times the physical film size of the 4x5", this option offers so much film resolution that it is considered by many as the ultimate step for photo image enlargement.
Sometimes analog products deliver better results that its digital counterparts. If you are doing the job of enlarging photo images, you should give it a try with a 4x5" camera. You might just surprise yourself.
The Role of Private Enterprise in Putting Man into Space
Has NASA, the monolithic space agency, failed in it's quest to put man out into the cosmos. Will profit coupled with mans need to explore be the driving engine which sends man into the cosmos. Think about what has moved technology forward within the American society over the past 100 years or so. Was Orville and Wilbur Wright employed by the government. Of course not. Most of their research and development for the invention of the airplane took place within a small bike shop in western Dayton, Ohio, the birth place of aviation. Thomas Edison, who is accredited with 1,093 patents earning him the nickname "The Wizard of Menlo Park" used his own money to build the Menlo Park research labs in New Jersey. In 1889 Thomas Edison established the Edison General Electric Company. Thomas Edison is considered the most prolific inventor of our time and his inventions were created within the realm of private enterprise. Did the seed for the invention of the personal computer germinate within a government lab. The invention of the personal computer came from an assortment of various inventions and from the tinkering of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in Job's garage in an area now called Silicon Valley. Their tinkering led to the development of Apple Computers. The story of Bill Gates and the development of the Microsoft family of operating systems took place within private enterprise. The Windows family of operating systems is the most widely used on earth and has been a major player in bringing information technology to the developed world.
Examples of major technological advancement within the realm of private enterprise are numerous. Most major technological advancements within society have occurred outside the purview of government intervention. Governments were intended to govern the people. The governments role is to preserve the environment of freedom and democracy so that intellectual curiosity can flourish within this environment. The governments role is also to provide funding, and should not be in the nuts and bolts operation of putting man into space. The ingenuity of man within the realm of private enterprise has resulted in most of the technological advancements we enjoy today.
The cosmos will be explored by man operating from the base of private enterprise and the technology needed to explore the cosmos will be developed within that enterprise. Why is this so. NASA is an agency driven by fear of tragedy. More mishaps will decrease the probability of sufficient government funding. This cycle of fear, mishaps, and the hope for continual funding is one that seems to have no end. But mishaps are part of the business of putting explorers into space. What can better withstand the expected mishaps. A government agency or private enterprise. If a private enterprise fails, it's competitor can step in to fill the gap and the engine of private enterprise can continue to push man into space. NASA is not a private enterprise competing within the world market place.
NASA is not what it used to be during the Apollo days. Given it's current mind set and culture, it will be difficult within this framework to send man out into the cosmos as true explorers. They have given the nuts and bolts of putting man into space to private contractors. But these NASA contractors have the same NASA mind set because they are under the dominion of NASA. There is a fear of mishaps within contractors without true competition within the market place. NASA awards contracts to the lowest bidder. Does the lowest bidder provide the highest level of safety. Once a company is awarded a contract, they remain a NASA contractor for many years and simply become an extension of NASA. Therefore NASA becomes a autocratic agency with it's arms extending outward to many companies. NASA's manned space flight program can do no more then low earth orbit. Year after year of low earth orbit does not excite the American people. Astronauts today are no longer household names. An American president here and there will give a speech saying we are going to Mars. Even President Bush's January 14, 2004 speech seems to have already been forgotten by the American public.
When we went to the moon this was the start of an exploration. A goal was set on May 25, 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, during a speech before a Joint Session of Congress, to reach the moon before the end of the decade. NASA kicked into high gear and achieved one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of mankind. We took the first step into space and then just stopped. Since then all of the manned space missions have never gone beyond low earth orbit, and the American public becomes bored easily. To gain the American interest and support of the Apollo days, we must send true explorers out into space. NASA wants to take such small, time consuming incremental steps that by the time comes when the really exciting work begins, the American support and interest may be eroded to the point where NASA may no longer have the financial means by which to accomplish such an endeavor. Hence, the need for private enterprise to accomplish such an endeavor. If we are going to go into the cosmos, then lets do it and stop the futile activity.
A private enterprise is not a bureaucracy. If safety issues arise from qualified personnel within a bureaucracy, these issues may not resonate to the proper people within the organization. A case in point, the knowledge of a strong potential for a O-ring failure at low temperatures between the segments for the solid rocket boosters of the space shuttle, existed within the bureaucracy of NASA before the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. More specifically, this critical information in terms of probability of O-ring compromise was expressed by engineers at Morton Thiokol, the contractor for the development and production of the solid rocket boosters. This information never percolated upward from Morton Thiokol to the proper people within the NASA organization.
In private enterprise, which is non-bureaucratic by nature, a relatively small group of people are working toward a common goal. In this situation, safety issues which arise will be known by all members of the organization. Safety issues will not get lost in a bureaucracy. NASA depends on it's contractors to deliver a high level of safety. A private enterprise depends on itself to provide a high level of safety. The structure of a private enterprise is more suited to the endeavor of sending out explorers into space. The government should award grants to the most promising companies with the understanding that the sending out of explorers into space does indeed benefit mankind.
Americans are at their best when they compete. Competition is an integral component of American society. What was the driving force that put us on the moon. It was the competition with the Russians. At the present moment in time, this type of competition does not exist. Although, it appears as if China may be a future competitor. Americans need to compete to accomplish something. It is competition which drives the advancement of technology. Why not let companies compete for government funding and let the research and development occur within these companies, and most importantly let them compete. These companies can have the same characteristics of any company that wants to produce a viable product. They will not be under contract from NASA and will operate as a separate private enterprise entity. A company can make money from space tourism and the same company can be involved in sending explorers out into space. Government grants can be awarded based on how strong the potential exists for space exploration. A company can be involved in space tourism, exploration, or can provide a research and development platform. This is the future of man's endeavor into space.
Man will be exploring the cosmos with private enterprise being the driving engine. If one enterprise fails, one of the competing enterprises will win out. Sure there will be some disasters and risks will be taken because that is the nature of the business. But when unfortunate disasters or mishaps do occur, the private enterprise engine will not grind to a complete halt. Burt Rutan and his Scaled Composites team have taken the first steps toward this archetypical dream of exploring the cosmos, and they did it with a fraction of the budget that NASA uses and with a team of 130 or so people to boot. They won the Ansari X-Prize by sending a man into space and returning him safely to earth and then they repeated this within two weeks. An absolutely unbelievable accomplishment given the facilities and resources which were available to them. This could only occur within a society where freedom and democracy are regarded as a right to all individuals. The United States is such a society.
Burt Rutan has said that he has never worked a day in his life. He only plays. His passion for his work is what produces results. Burt Rutan and his team represent the core of what makes the United States the greatest country in the world. May be terrorist can get it through their thick heads that freedom does work. Most importantly, Scaled Composites has shown the world what private enterprise can accomplish. Even if Scaled Composite's endeavors never go beyond earth orbit, they have taken the first step within the proper mind set and culture, and this is what will put man into the cosmos. This mind set and culture of pure unadulterated intellectual curiosity is what really will put man into the cosmos. Not NASA's mind set of fear.
NASA has played it's important role by lighting the torch in sending man to the moon. We are now at a point in the history of mankind where that torch should be passed to private enterprise. The developer of the Ansari X-Prize I'm sure shares my thoughts. God has placed the planets and all the stars within the universe there for a reason. It is God's intention for us to move outward into the final frontier. We do this to fulfill the natural curiosity that God has given to us and in the process we better the lot of mankind.
Examples of major technological advancement within the realm of private enterprise are numerous. Most major technological advancements within society have occurred outside the purview of government intervention. Governments were intended to govern the people. The governments role is to preserve the environment of freedom and democracy so that intellectual curiosity can flourish within this environment. The governments role is also to provide funding, and should not be in the nuts and bolts operation of putting man into space. The ingenuity of man within the realm of private enterprise has resulted in most of the technological advancements we enjoy today.
The cosmos will be explored by man operating from the base of private enterprise and the technology needed to explore the cosmos will be developed within that enterprise. Why is this so. NASA is an agency driven by fear of tragedy. More mishaps will decrease the probability of sufficient government funding. This cycle of fear, mishaps, and the hope for continual funding is one that seems to have no end. But mishaps are part of the business of putting explorers into space. What can better withstand the expected mishaps. A government agency or private enterprise. If a private enterprise fails, it's competitor can step in to fill the gap and the engine of private enterprise can continue to push man into space. NASA is not a private enterprise competing within the world market place.
NASA is not what it used to be during the Apollo days. Given it's current mind set and culture, it will be difficult within this framework to send man out into the cosmos as true explorers. They have given the nuts and bolts of putting man into space to private contractors. But these NASA contractors have the same NASA mind set because they are under the dominion of NASA. There is a fear of mishaps within contractors without true competition within the market place. NASA awards contracts to the lowest bidder. Does the lowest bidder provide the highest level of safety. Once a company is awarded a contract, they remain a NASA contractor for many years and simply become an extension of NASA. Therefore NASA becomes a autocratic agency with it's arms extending outward to many companies. NASA's manned space flight program can do no more then low earth orbit. Year after year of low earth orbit does not excite the American people. Astronauts today are no longer household names. An American president here and there will give a speech saying we are going to Mars. Even President Bush's January 14, 2004 speech seems to have already been forgotten by the American public.
When we went to the moon this was the start of an exploration. A goal was set on May 25, 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, during a speech before a Joint Session of Congress, to reach the moon before the end of the decade. NASA kicked into high gear and achieved one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of mankind. We took the first step into space and then just stopped. Since then all of the manned space missions have never gone beyond low earth orbit, and the American public becomes bored easily. To gain the American interest and support of the Apollo days, we must send true explorers out into space. NASA wants to take such small, time consuming incremental steps that by the time comes when the really exciting work begins, the American support and interest may be eroded to the point where NASA may no longer have the financial means by which to accomplish such an endeavor. Hence, the need for private enterprise to accomplish such an endeavor. If we are going to go into the cosmos, then lets do it and stop the futile activity.
A private enterprise is not a bureaucracy. If safety issues arise from qualified personnel within a bureaucracy, these issues may not resonate to the proper people within the organization. A case in point, the knowledge of a strong potential for a O-ring failure at low temperatures between the segments for the solid rocket boosters of the space shuttle, existed within the bureaucracy of NASA before the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. More specifically, this critical information in terms of probability of O-ring compromise was expressed by engineers at Morton Thiokol, the contractor for the development and production of the solid rocket boosters. This information never percolated upward from Morton Thiokol to the proper people within the NASA organization.
In private enterprise, which is non-bureaucratic by nature, a relatively small group of people are working toward a common goal. In this situation, safety issues which arise will be known by all members of the organization. Safety issues will not get lost in a bureaucracy. NASA depends on it's contractors to deliver a high level of safety. A private enterprise depends on itself to provide a high level of safety. The structure of a private enterprise is more suited to the endeavor of sending out explorers into space. The government should award grants to the most promising companies with the understanding that the sending out of explorers into space does indeed benefit mankind.
Americans are at their best when they compete. Competition is an integral component of American society. What was the driving force that put us on the moon. It was the competition with the Russians. At the present moment in time, this type of competition does not exist. Although, it appears as if China may be a future competitor. Americans need to compete to accomplish something. It is competition which drives the advancement of technology. Why not let companies compete for government funding and let the research and development occur within these companies, and most importantly let them compete. These companies can have the same characteristics of any company that wants to produce a viable product. They will not be under contract from NASA and will operate as a separate private enterprise entity. A company can make money from space tourism and the same company can be involved in sending explorers out into space. Government grants can be awarded based on how strong the potential exists for space exploration. A company can be involved in space tourism, exploration, or can provide a research and development platform. This is the future of man's endeavor into space.
Man will be exploring the cosmos with private enterprise being the driving engine. If one enterprise fails, one of the competing enterprises will win out. Sure there will be some disasters and risks will be taken because that is the nature of the business. But when unfortunate disasters or mishaps do occur, the private enterprise engine will not grind to a complete halt. Burt Rutan and his Scaled Composites team have taken the first steps toward this archetypical dream of exploring the cosmos, and they did it with a fraction of the budget that NASA uses and with a team of 130 or so people to boot. They won the Ansari X-Prize by sending a man into space and returning him safely to earth and then they repeated this within two weeks. An absolutely unbelievable accomplishment given the facilities and resources which were available to them. This could only occur within a society where freedom and democracy are regarded as a right to all individuals. The United States is such a society.
Burt Rutan has said that he has never worked a day in his life. He only plays. His passion for his work is what produces results. Burt Rutan and his team represent the core of what makes the United States the greatest country in the world. May be terrorist can get it through their thick heads that freedom does work. Most importantly, Scaled Composites has shown the world what private enterprise can accomplish. Even if Scaled Composite's endeavors never go beyond earth orbit, they have taken the first step within the proper mind set and culture, and this is what will put man into the cosmos. This mind set and culture of pure unadulterated intellectual curiosity is what really will put man into the cosmos. Not NASA's mind set of fear.
NASA has played it's important role by lighting the torch in sending man to the moon. We are now at a point in the history of mankind where that torch should be passed to private enterprise. The developer of the Ansari X-Prize I'm sure shares my thoughts. God has placed the planets and all the stars within the universe there for a reason. It is God's intention for us to move outward into the final frontier. We do this to fulfill the natural curiosity that God has given to us and in the process we better the lot of mankind.
Aliens: Where SETI Astronomers Can Find Them
SETI, or Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, has been an ongoing endeavor for many decades. In the early days, it was expected to be a quick success, so much so that national governments even helped fund these projects. Like the Moon race, there was something of a "find E.T." race. All that is gone now. Government funding has virtually evaporated around the globe. The explanation is simple: no one likes a perpetual failure. The few remaining SETI efforts have to count on private funding to scrape along. Well, the objective of this article is to come to the rescue of the last of the SETI astronomers, to tell them where they can find E.T. so that they can regain the world's respect.
That last sentence was not meant to be cynical. As noted in my article "Decoding Book Resurrects the Ancient Astronaut Theme," author Morten St. George claims that some of the prophecies of Nostradamus are of alien origin, and that those prophecies tell us how to calculate the galactic coordinates of where E.T. came from. In a follow-up interview, I posed the following question to St. George: Do you agree that contact with intelligent aliens could be of immense importance to humankind? He agreed. Then I asked: Do you agree that this is more important than your selling a few copies of your cryptic thinking book? He agreed. This article will be a little longer and a little more technical than the others.
According to St. George, three prophetic stanzas combine to provide information about E.T.'s location. The first of these is stanza number I-81. Here, the first four words of the fourth verse are the most relevant: "Kappa, Thita, Lambda, mors." St. George says he has an etymological dictionary that defines "mors" as the "bite of a scorpion." Consequently, Kappa, Theta, and Lambda are the names of three stars in the tail section of the constellation Scorpius. (Note that the use of Greek letters for star names postdates Nostradamus). It's a star arrow, and Lambda is the arrow head. Elsewhere, the prophecies name three cities to form an arrow circling around the globe; thus, St. George believes the three stars should be viewed as points on a sphere.
Where does the star arrow point? St. George says he followed the star arrow upwards on a star map and it hit or passed close to a dark cloud called Barnard 72, for which he already had other indications. So that's the answer. E.T. came from or near Barnard 72. But we're not done yet. We're looking for precise coordinates.
The second stanza is numbered IV-32. According to St. George's decoding, this stanza tells a story: Once upon a time, Triton, Pluto, and Charon formed a triple planet system with a distinct orbit around the Sun. Then one day, the aliens came along, grabbed hold of Triton, and pushed it into a retrograde orbit around the planet Neptune. In route to Neptune, Pluto and Charon hung on for a while, then broke loose and drifted off into a new orbit. When did this happen? St. George says the aliens were here in 580 A.D., so that would be his guess for the date of these planet manipulations.
I mentioned that I had read on the Internet that Pluto has been downgraded, that it is no longer considered a planet. St. George responded: "I believe that was because they found that Pluto didn't clear away debris in its orbit. But since 580 A.D., a contemporary date in terms of solar system history, Pluto in its new orbit would have made only a handful of complete orbits around the Sun, hardly enough time to clear away much debris. In any case, the astronomers got it all wrong. What they should really be looking for is Triton's original orbit, a cleared-out orbit with no planet in it. And I doubt that we're talking about an orbit at the outer edges of the solar system. Triton's original orbit may have been closer to the Sun than Neptune. They need to figure out where Triton could have been in 580 A.D., then they will know where to look for that orbit."
Why did the aliens move Triton? A display of power? St. George remarked that the star arrow only provides longitudinal coordinates. We also need to know the latitude . The planets have to be in the right position at the right time. And the three stars too, for that matter.
The last stanza of the three stanzas is numbered IV-33. It begins: Jupiter closer to Venus than to the Moon, appearing in full whiteness. According to St. George, Earth and Jupiter would have to be pretty much on opposite sides of the Sun for this to be true, and the full Moon (more likely seen from the Alien Planet than from Earth) serves as a timer. The alignment is Alien Planet, Sun, Moon.
The next line of IV-33 goes: Venus hidden under the whiteness Neptune (discovered more than two hundred years after the death of Nostradamus). Note that there's no "of" between whiteness and Neptune. Meanwhile, the French words following "hidden" (used elsewhere in the prophecies to cryptic ends), "soUS la bANcheUR," allows the extraction of "Uranus." Thus, the whiteness (partial rather than full) is Uranus, not Neptune, and we have a second alignment: Alien Planet, Uranus, Venus.
IV-33 has one more line: From Mars struck through the white granary. Since Neptune was left hanging at the end of the preceding line, it should come into play here, meaning Neptune from Mars struck through the white granary. According to St. George, the "white granary" refers to a star cluster called the Pleiades, which happens to lie at the opposite side of the sky from Barnard 72. Until recently, St. George thought the planetary arrow to Barnard 72 commenced with Mars, so he not yet had a chance to check out if a Mars, Neptune, Pleiades alignment, or a Pleiades, Mars, Neptune alignment, is even feasible.
Overall, there are only a limited number of possibilities. IV-33 gives us two inner planets, Venus and Mars, and two outer planets, Uranus and Neptune. Mars lines up with Neptune to hit the Pleiades, and Venus lines up with Uranus to hit the Alien Planet. Depending upon the Pleiades direction, Uranus and Neptune need to be together on the same side of the solar system or on directly opposing ends of the solar system. Also remember to check that you're viewing a full Moon from the Alien Planet, and that Jupiter is closer to Venus than the Moon at the same time. When? The skies and planets are in constant motion. In what year does all this happen?
St. George is convinced that the date of the given configuration should somehow or somewhere be provided in the prophecies. Other than the stanza number, 433, we have 580, 700, 703, 882, 883, 1204, 1559, 1571, 1607, 1609, 1649, 1666, 1689, 1690, 1700, 1727, 1781, 1813, 1832, 1858, 1859, 1861, 1928, 1952, 1955, 1979, 1982, 1999, 2001, and 2006. The years 1571, 1607, 1781, 1859, and 1982 were astronomy related. St. George suspects one of the later years is more likely mainly because astronomers may not have accurate data the position of the outer planets in earlier times. "We have to assume that they want us to get it right, and precision is clearly required here."
2006? What happened in 2006? St. George replied: "Absolutely nothing. 2006 was a second, inferable date in a London catastrophe stanza. The date does not necessarily have to come from an astronomy stanza. It can be provided elsewhere."
Please excuse the digression. My final question was: Do you realistically expect SETI astronomers to take you up on this coordinate stuff? St. George responded: "Yes. It would be foolish of them not to. The way they're going now, their odds of finding E.T. are not even one in a billion. If my theories merely reduce the odds to one in a thousand, their chances improve immensely. Moreover, I think they've forgotten; SETI was originally based on the premise that there are lots of intelligent civilizations out there, which in turn implies that at least one of them should have succeeded in exploring the entire galaxy by now."
So there you have it, SETI astronomers, go forth and become famous, work out the coordinates, point your radio telescope there, and tell the world you heard from E.T.!
That last sentence was not meant to be cynical. As noted in my article "Decoding Book Resurrects the Ancient Astronaut Theme," author Morten St. George claims that some of the prophecies of Nostradamus are of alien origin, and that those prophecies tell us how to calculate the galactic coordinates of where E.T. came from. In a follow-up interview, I posed the following question to St. George: Do you agree that contact with intelligent aliens could be of immense importance to humankind? He agreed. Then I asked: Do you agree that this is more important than your selling a few copies of your cryptic thinking book? He agreed. This article will be a little longer and a little more technical than the others.
According to St. George, three prophetic stanzas combine to provide information about E.T.'s location. The first of these is stanza number I-81. Here, the first four words of the fourth verse are the most relevant: "Kappa, Thita, Lambda, mors." St. George says he has an etymological dictionary that defines "mors" as the "bite of a scorpion." Consequently, Kappa, Theta, and Lambda are the names of three stars in the tail section of the constellation Scorpius. (Note that the use of Greek letters for star names postdates Nostradamus). It's a star arrow, and Lambda is the arrow head. Elsewhere, the prophecies name three cities to form an arrow circling around the globe; thus, St. George believes the three stars should be viewed as points on a sphere.
Where does the star arrow point? St. George says he followed the star arrow upwards on a star map and it hit or passed close to a dark cloud called Barnard 72, for which he already had other indications. So that's the answer. E.T. came from or near Barnard 72. But we're not done yet. We're looking for precise coordinates.
The second stanza is numbered IV-32. According to St. George's decoding, this stanza tells a story: Once upon a time, Triton, Pluto, and Charon formed a triple planet system with a distinct orbit around the Sun. Then one day, the aliens came along, grabbed hold of Triton, and pushed it into a retrograde orbit around the planet Neptune. In route to Neptune, Pluto and Charon hung on for a while, then broke loose and drifted off into a new orbit. When did this happen? St. George says the aliens were here in 580 A.D., so that would be his guess for the date of these planet manipulations.
I mentioned that I had read on the Internet that Pluto has been downgraded, that it is no longer considered a planet. St. George responded: "I believe that was because they found that Pluto didn't clear away debris in its orbit. But since 580 A.D., a contemporary date in terms of solar system history, Pluto in its new orbit would have made only a handful of complete orbits around the Sun, hardly enough time to clear away much debris. In any case, the astronomers got it all wrong. What they should really be looking for is Triton's original orbit, a cleared-out orbit with no planet in it. And I doubt that we're talking about an orbit at the outer edges of the solar system. Triton's original orbit may have been closer to the Sun than Neptune. They need to figure out where Triton could have been in 580 A.D., then they will know where to look for that orbit."
Why did the aliens move Triton? A display of power? St. George remarked that the star arrow only provides longitudinal coordinates. We also need to know the latitude . The planets have to be in the right position at the right time. And the three stars too, for that matter.
The last stanza of the three stanzas is numbered IV-33. It begins: Jupiter closer to Venus than to the Moon, appearing in full whiteness. According to St. George, Earth and Jupiter would have to be pretty much on opposite sides of the Sun for this to be true, and the full Moon (more likely seen from the Alien Planet than from Earth) serves as a timer. The alignment is Alien Planet, Sun, Moon.
The next line of IV-33 goes: Venus hidden under the whiteness Neptune (discovered more than two hundred years after the death of Nostradamus). Note that there's no "of" between whiteness and Neptune. Meanwhile, the French words following "hidden" (used elsewhere in the prophecies to cryptic ends), "soUS la bANcheUR," allows the extraction of "Uranus." Thus, the whiteness (partial rather than full) is Uranus, not Neptune, and we have a second alignment: Alien Planet, Uranus, Venus.
IV-33 has one more line: From Mars struck through the white granary. Since Neptune was left hanging at the end of the preceding line, it should come into play here, meaning Neptune from Mars struck through the white granary. According to St. George, the "white granary" refers to a star cluster called the Pleiades, which happens to lie at the opposite side of the sky from Barnard 72. Until recently, St. George thought the planetary arrow to Barnard 72 commenced with Mars, so he not yet had a chance to check out if a Mars, Neptune, Pleiades alignment, or a Pleiades, Mars, Neptune alignment, is even feasible.
Overall, there are only a limited number of possibilities. IV-33 gives us two inner planets, Venus and Mars, and two outer planets, Uranus and Neptune. Mars lines up with Neptune to hit the Pleiades, and Venus lines up with Uranus to hit the Alien Planet. Depending upon the Pleiades direction, Uranus and Neptune need to be together on the same side of the solar system or on directly opposing ends of the solar system. Also remember to check that you're viewing a full Moon from the Alien Planet, and that Jupiter is closer to Venus than the Moon at the same time. When? The skies and planets are in constant motion. In what year does all this happen?
St. George is convinced that the date of the given configuration should somehow or somewhere be provided in the prophecies. Other than the stanza number, 433, we have 580, 700, 703, 882, 883, 1204, 1559, 1571, 1607, 1609, 1649, 1666, 1689, 1690, 1700, 1727, 1781, 1813, 1832, 1858, 1859, 1861, 1928, 1952, 1955, 1979, 1982, 1999, 2001, and 2006. The years 1571, 1607, 1781, 1859, and 1982 were astronomy related. St. George suspects one of the later years is more likely mainly because astronomers may not have accurate data the position of the outer planets in earlier times. "We have to assume that they want us to get it right, and precision is clearly required here."
2006? What happened in 2006? St. George replied: "Absolutely nothing. 2006 was a second, inferable date in a London catastrophe stanza. The date does not necessarily have to come from an astronomy stanza. It can be provided elsewhere."
Please excuse the digression. My final question was: Do you realistically expect SETI astronomers to take you up on this coordinate stuff? St. George responded: "Yes. It would be foolish of them not to. The way they're going now, their odds of finding E.T. are not even one in a billion. If my theories merely reduce the odds to one in a thousand, their chances improve immensely. Moreover, I think they've forgotten; SETI was originally based on the premise that there are lots of intelligent civilizations out there, which in turn implies that at least one of them should have succeeded in exploring the entire galaxy by now."
So there you have it, SETI astronomers, go forth and become famous, work out the coordinates, point your radio telescope there, and tell the world you heard from E.T.!
Decoding Book Resurrects the Ancient Astronaut Theme
Several decades ago, books by insurance salesman Erich von Daniken caused an international sensation as he depicted photographs of large-stone edifices hard to believe built by primitive humans. His dreams of ancient astronauts, however, soon faded into oblivion as archeologists came up with proof that primitive humans could have constructed the pyramids and like structures without alien assistance. Nonetheless, the possibility of other types of evidence for ancient astronauts cannot be discarded.
Overtly a cryptography and deception tactics book, Morten St. George's Incantation of the Law Against Inept Critics: A Guide to Cryptic Thinking takes up the ancient astronaut gauntlet. But there's no stone here. Now, it's not a question of what the ancient astronauts did, but of what they left behind. Deception cryptography leads the way. The only known deployment of this unique form of cryptography is to be found in forty two prophetic stanzas published by Nostradamus in the 16th century. So was Nostradamus an alien? Hardly, but St. George's book asserts he was the last guardian of an alien artifact.
What's the evidence?
First, a breakthrough decoding of the forty two stanzas in which numerous contemporary events are not only accurately recounted but also systematically dated. St. George concludes there is no longer any doubt about whether or not the future was foreseen. It was, and likewise we are witnessing the powers of a super-civilization.
Second, the discovery that the forty two stanzas (perceived as a book of divine revelation) were secretly guarded, known to, and commented upon by a cabalistic sect during medieval times. St. George says these forty-two revelations predate Nostradamus by centuries, and now there is a "book of light" in the picture, not "light" like in "enlightenment" but literally composed of light, black fire on top of white fire. This describes the artifact that survived to reach Nostradamus.
Third, back to the prophecies, which come forth and tell us the name of their author and when they were written. According to St. George, they were written in the sixth century, a thousand years before the time of Nostradamus.
Why is there no record of alien arrival in the sixth century? St. George responded we are referring to creatures with two arm appendages and four fingers at the end of each, but other than that, they landed as helmeted aquatics and didn't remotely look like humans. He says it is a myth that intelligent aliens have to be hominoids, and it is likewise a myth that the only road to technology is the road taken by humans. "In the Dark Ages, these aquatics would have been stoned as demons in most places, and if there were any reference to them, religious censorship would have obliterated it."
Then, how do you know that they had four fingers? St. George replied, "I said they would have been stoned as demons in most places, not in all places. Archaeologists are far from perfect. They have no idea how to distinguish the drawing of an aquatic extraterrestrial from the drawing of a masked witchdoctor. Maybe some of them had suspicions but didn't speak out, fearing for their career or whatever. Extraterrestrial intelligence and civilizations more advanced than ours are terrifying concepts for segments of human society."
There are many unsolved mysteries in world history. Is this another one? St. George emphatically asserts: "No! These extraterrestrials were no fools. Besides who and when, the prophecies also tell us where, that is, where they came from." He says the prophecies provide data for a star arrow rising upwards from southern skies and for a planetary arrow moving outwards from the solar system, and where these arrows collide would be the point of contact.
Then there will be contact? St. George has no doubts about the matter: "Yes. My unsophisticated astronomy software can only provide approximate coordinates, but one day astronomers will work out the precise coordinates and point a radio telescope there, and there will be contact. To provide us with coordinates and not allow contact would be deceitful, and they have no reason to be deceitful on this. Else, why bother to interfere with us at all?"
Overtly a cryptography and deception tactics book, Morten St. George's Incantation of the Law Against Inept Critics: A Guide to Cryptic Thinking takes up the ancient astronaut gauntlet. But there's no stone here. Now, it's not a question of what the ancient astronauts did, but of what they left behind. Deception cryptography leads the way. The only known deployment of this unique form of cryptography is to be found in forty two prophetic stanzas published by Nostradamus in the 16th century. So was Nostradamus an alien? Hardly, but St. George's book asserts he was the last guardian of an alien artifact.
What's the evidence?
First, a breakthrough decoding of the forty two stanzas in which numerous contemporary events are not only accurately recounted but also systematically dated. St. George concludes there is no longer any doubt about whether or not the future was foreseen. It was, and likewise we are witnessing the powers of a super-civilization.
Second, the discovery that the forty two stanzas (perceived as a book of divine revelation) were secretly guarded, known to, and commented upon by a cabalistic sect during medieval times. St. George says these forty-two revelations predate Nostradamus by centuries, and now there is a "book of light" in the picture, not "light" like in "enlightenment" but literally composed of light, black fire on top of white fire. This describes the artifact that survived to reach Nostradamus.
Third, back to the prophecies, which come forth and tell us the name of their author and when they were written. According to St. George, they were written in the sixth century, a thousand years before the time of Nostradamus.
Why is there no record of alien arrival in the sixth century? St. George responded we are referring to creatures with two arm appendages and four fingers at the end of each, but other than that, they landed as helmeted aquatics and didn't remotely look like humans. He says it is a myth that intelligent aliens have to be hominoids, and it is likewise a myth that the only road to technology is the road taken by humans. "In the Dark Ages, these aquatics would have been stoned as demons in most places, and if there were any reference to them, religious censorship would have obliterated it."
Then, how do you know that they had four fingers? St. George replied, "I said they would have been stoned as demons in most places, not in all places. Archaeologists are far from perfect. They have no idea how to distinguish the drawing of an aquatic extraterrestrial from the drawing of a masked witchdoctor. Maybe some of them had suspicions but didn't speak out, fearing for their career or whatever. Extraterrestrial intelligence and civilizations more advanced than ours are terrifying concepts for segments of human society."
There are many unsolved mysteries in world history. Is this another one? St. George emphatically asserts: "No! These extraterrestrials were no fools. Besides who and when, the prophecies also tell us where, that is, where they came from." He says the prophecies provide data for a star arrow rising upwards from southern skies and for a planetary arrow moving outwards from the solar system, and where these arrows collide would be the point of contact.
Then there will be contact? St. George has no doubts about the matter: "Yes. My unsophisticated astronomy software can only provide approximate coordinates, but one day astronomers will work out the precise coordinates and point a radio telescope there, and there will be contact. To provide us with coordinates and not allow contact would be deceitful, and they have no reason to be deceitful on this. Else, why bother to interfere with us at all?"
General Hydroponics
General Hydroponics was established in 1970's by a group of innovative scientists, engineers and technicians with a view to take forward the revolutionary concept of Hydroponics. Today General hydroponics is a leading name in the hydroponics field. They have factories all over North America and Europe. Hydroponic cultivation by NASA on the International Space Station is done with assistance from General Hydroponics.
Hydroponics is an innovative technique for soil-less cultivation of plants in nutrient rich solutions. Hydroponics has some typical advantages over the conventional methods like the plants are healthier and grow mature early. They require less space and even if the gardener is out for a long time the plants don't suffer. Hydroponics consume less space and water.
General Hydroponics products are used for hi-tech gardening, commercial crop production and for agricultural experiments in laboratories and Universities across the globe. The scientist and nutritionists at General Hydroponics are currently developing new hydroponic systems and perfecting nutrient formulas. These techniques and nutrient formulae will enhance yield, flavor and vitamin & mineral content in food crops. The Farm Division at General Hydroponics is testing many varieties of plants for growth rate, yield, flavor, nutrition, appearance, shelf life and hydroponic viability. Various techniques for growing top-quality crops of higher nutritional value are in experimental stages.
Three basic hydroponics techniques are used by General Hydroponics. In the first one, called nutrient film technique, roots of plants are suspended in nutrient mixture containing trough. The second one called aeroponics includes suspension of plants in mist and nutrients are supplied through an air pump. The third technique is aggregate system. The roots of plants are placed between inert materials like clay pebbles or foam chips dipped in nutrient solution.
Since hydroponics are not grown in soil they rely on nutrient solution mixed in water for their growth. Standard fertilizers are simply inadequate for them. Thus specially formulated fertilizers like General Hydroponics Nutrients are used for them. These are hydroponic fertilizer mixtures used under pH buffer of pH range 5 to 6. The nutrient mixture is changed every two weeks and during this time only more water is added to the plant. This is so because if the concentration of nutrient solution rises above a certain level this might burn the plant roots. General Hydroponics Nutrients are reliable, adaptable and pH buffered hydroponic nutrients. NASA uses their Flora-Series for space flight experiments.
Hydroponics is an innovative technique for soil-less cultivation of plants in nutrient rich solutions. Hydroponics has some typical advantages over the conventional methods like the plants are healthier and grow mature early. They require less space and even if the gardener is out for a long time the plants don't suffer. Hydroponics consume less space and water.
General Hydroponics products are used for hi-tech gardening, commercial crop production and for agricultural experiments in laboratories and Universities across the globe. The scientist and nutritionists at General Hydroponics are currently developing new hydroponic systems and perfecting nutrient formulas. These techniques and nutrient formulae will enhance yield, flavor and vitamin & mineral content in food crops. The Farm Division at General Hydroponics is testing many varieties of plants for growth rate, yield, flavor, nutrition, appearance, shelf life and hydroponic viability. Various techniques for growing top-quality crops of higher nutritional value are in experimental stages.
Three basic hydroponics techniques are used by General Hydroponics. In the first one, called nutrient film technique, roots of plants are suspended in nutrient mixture containing trough. The second one called aeroponics includes suspension of plants in mist and nutrients are supplied through an air pump. The third technique is aggregate system. The roots of plants are placed between inert materials like clay pebbles or foam chips dipped in nutrient solution.
Since hydroponics are not grown in soil they rely on nutrient solution mixed in water for their growth. Standard fertilizers are simply inadequate for them. Thus specially formulated fertilizers like General Hydroponics Nutrients are used for them. These are hydroponic fertilizer mixtures used under pH buffer of pH range 5 to 6. The nutrient mixture is changed every two weeks and during this time only more water is added to the plant. This is so because if the concentration of nutrient solution rises above a certain level this might burn the plant roots. General Hydroponics Nutrients are reliable, adaptable and pH buffered hydroponic nutrients. NASA uses their Flora-Series for space flight experiments.
Robot Toy: The New Generation Play Tool
Gone are the days when children satisfied themselves with simple games of hopscotch or tag. Heck, there are practically no more "simple toys" in the toy market nowadays wherein it's slowly being dominated by more and more complicated contraptions. From toy PDA electronic models to enhanced walkie talkies, children nowadays have more discerning taste when it comes to their playing pleasure. So in an age wherein cellphones and digital cameras are just all too common, what's really the buzz about the wonders of a robot toy? What makes a robot toy tick? And probably, most important, what makes a robot toy click? To put things simply, an electronic robot toy is an extremely sophisticated piece of technology especially for children who have always been used to playing with either plastic, wooden or plush toys.
Things are indeed a changin' nowadays, a robot toy is practically what each and every kid, well boys that is asks for in his wish list.
Starting with the very hip and ultra high-tech robot toy, Robo Sapien which promises to be a whole more than just a simple robot toy. A smart robot toy like this actually tries to break the mold ordinary plastic robot toys that only has blinking lights and beeping sound effects. Robot toys that are available in the market today are far more sophisticated than that especially since they've been able to make these robot toys more interactive. A very important factor when it comes to ensuring its saleability in this rapidly changing world of toy commerce.
Video games have been a common staple when it comes to electronic toy gadgets for children, however these cannot be considered as a robot toy. The once popular Tamagotchi may look and feel like a video game but it is actually in fact a robot toy as well. What's differentiates the Tamagotchi from being a video game you might ask? Well for one thing, video games are just electronic role playing mind games wherein you have a specific goal or task that must be taken care of while a robot toy like the Tamagotchi is actually highly dependent on the interaction between the Tamagotchi and the user. The Tamagotchi is actually a simulation of what is supposed to be of an animal, just like ordinary toy robots which are mock-ups of human beings while a video game is merely an audio visual device that is used to play games.
There are actually all sorts of robot toys available in the market today, from highly sophisticated, not to mention, costly, Robo Sapien to outdated Tamagotchis to high tech robot toy pets that have caused quite a stir even in Japan wherein people don't really have that much time to take care of a real dog. Robo pets have been creating a lot of buzz in the toy market because of its highly innovative design and almost life like actions, Robo pets usually comes in either a pet dog or a pet cat. It can play fetch, run, heel, even bark at you.
This robot pet has certainly come a long, long way from the old wind-up robot toys that used to be every kid's fancy. Come to think of it, not only children are getting into the whole robot toy craze, with many grown adults now getting more and more hooked to the highly sophisticated robot toys in the market. Considering that adults do have the spending power as compared with children who are still reliant on their parents' mercy, toy companies are also trying to come out with robot toys that can be appreciated by adults as well.
Things are indeed a changin' nowadays, a robot toy is practically what each and every kid, well boys that is asks for in his wish list.
Starting with the very hip and ultra high-tech robot toy, Robo Sapien which promises to be a whole more than just a simple robot toy. A smart robot toy like this actually tries to break the mold ordinary plastic robot toys that only has blinking lights and beeping sound effects. Robot toys that are available in the market today are far more sophisticated than that especially since they've been able to make these robot toys more interactive. A very important factor when it comes to ensuring its saleability in this rapidly changing world of toy commerce.
Video games have been a common staple when it comes to electronic toy gadgets for children, however these cannot be considered as a robot toy. The once popular Tamagotchi may look and feel like a video game but it is actually in fact a robot toy as well. What's differentiates the Tamagotchi from being a video game you might ask? Well for one thing, video games are just electronic role playing mind games wherein you have a specific goal or task that must be taken care of while a robot toy like the Tamagotchi is actually highly dependent on the interaction between the Tamagotchi and the user. The Tamagotchi is actually a simulation of what is supposed to be of an animal, just like ordinary toy robots which are mock-ups of human beings while a video game is merely an audio visual device that is used to play games.
There are actually all sorts of robot toys available in the market today, from highly sophisticated, not to mention, costly, Robo Sapien to outdated Tamagotchis to high tech robot toy pets that have caused quite a stir even in Japan wherein people don't really have that much time to take care of a real dog. Robo pets have been creating a lot of buzz in the toy market because of its highly innovative design and almost life like actions, Robo pets usually comes in either a pet dog or a pet cat. It can play fetch, run, heel, even bark at you.
This robot pet has certainly come a long, long way from the old wind-up robot toys that used to be every kid's fancy. Come to think of it, not only children are getting into the whole robot toy craze, with many grown adults now getting more and more hooked to the highly sophisticated robot toys in the market. Considering that adults do have the spending power as compared with children who are still reliant on their parents' mercy, toy companies are also trying to come out with robot toys that can be appreciated by adults as well.
The Invisible Ether and Michelson Morley
The concept of the invisible ether or 'aether' is an old concept dating to the time of the ancient Greeks. They considered the ether as that medium which permeated all of the universe and even believed the ether to be another element. Along with Earth, Wind, Fire and Water Aristotle proposed that the ether should be treated as the fifth element or quintessence; this term which literally means 'fifth element' has even survived down to the present day to explain an exotic form of 'dark energy' which is crucial in some cosmological models. These ideas spread throughout the world until the advent of a new springtime in scientific thought. The first person in the modern era to conceive of the idea of an underlying ether to support the movement of light waves was seventeenth century dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens.
Many others followed in expressing their opinions on the ether concept. Whilst Isaac Newton disagreed with Huygens wave theory he also wrote about the 'aethereal medium' although he expressed his consternation in not knowing what the aether was. Newton later renounced the ether theory because in his mind the infinite stationary ether would interrupt the motions of the enormous masses (the stars and planets) as they moved in space. This rejection was reinforced by some other problematical wave properties which were not explicable at the time; most notably, the production of a double image when light passes through certain translucent materials. This property of matter known as 'birefringence' was an important hurdle to be overcome for a proper understanding of the wave nature of light.
Some time later (1720) whilst working on other astronomical issues related to light and the cosmos, English scientist James Bradley made observations in hopes of quantifying a parallax. This effect is an apparent motion of foreground objects in comparison to those in the background. Whilst he was unable to discern this parallax effect he happened to reveal another effect which is prevalent in cosmological observations; this other effect is known as stellar aberration. Bradley was able to easily describe this aberration in terms of Newton's particle theory of light. However, to do so in light of the wave or undulatory theory was difficult at best since to do so would have required a 'motionless' medium; the static nature of this ether concept was of course the property which had originally caused Newton's denial of the idea.
But Newton's acolytes would find themselves in a difficult position when it was shown that birefringence could be explained through another interpretation of the nature of light. If light was treated as being in a side to side action or 'transverse motion' then birefringence could be attributed to a light wave rather than the particle or corpuscular theory of Newton. This along with the detection of an interference effect for light by Thomas Young in 1801 renewed the ascendancy of the wave theory of light. These findings however carried with them all of the preconceived notions prevalent in the scientific mind. Since it was assumed that waves like water and sound waves required a medium of propagation, it was similarly assumed that light still needed a medium or ether for its waves to be transmitted across the universe.
However, further problems would afflict the ether theory. Because of the unique properties of a transverse wave it became apparent that this hypothetical explanation required the ether to be a solid. In response, Cauchy, Green and Stokes contributed theoretical and mathematical observations to an 'entrainment' hypothesis which later came to be known as the 'ether drag' concept. But nothing would give more impetus to these ideas than when James Clerk Maxwell's equations (1870s) required the constancy of the speed of light (c). When the implications of Maxwell's equations are worked out by physicists, it was understood that as a result of the need for a constant speed of light only one reference frame could meet this requirement under the teachings of Galilean Newtonian relativity. Therefore, scientists expected that there existed a unique absolute reference frame which would comply with this need; as a result, the ether would again be stationary.
As a consequence, by the late nineteenth century the aether was assumed to be an immovable rigid medium. However, earlier previous theories existed as to the nature of the aether. One of the most famous of these is known as the 'aether drag' hypothesis. In this concept, the aether is a special environment within which light moves. Also, this aether would be connected to all material objects and would move along with them. Measuring the speed of light in such a system would render a constant velocity for light no matter where one tested for light's speed. This 'aether drag' idea originated in the aftermath of Francois Arago's experiment which appeared to show the constancy of the speed of light. Arago believed that refractive indexes would change when measured at different times of the day or year as a result of stellar and earthly motion. In spite of his efforts, he did not notice any change in the refractive indexes so measured.
Many other experiments would follow; these were performed in order to find evidence of the aether in its many different abstractions. However the most important of these was conducted by american scientists Michelson and Morley. Their experiment considered another alleged effect of a different aether theory which came to be known as the aether wind. Since the aether permeated the entire universe, the earth would move within the ether as it spun on its axis and moved within the solar system about the sun. This movement of the earth with respect to the aether gave rise rise to the idea that it would be possible to detect an 'ether wind' which would be sensed because of the aforementioned movement. Thus, their experiment was essentially an attempt to detect the so-called ether wind. This mysterious zephyr would be nearly impossible to detect because the aether only infinitesimally affected the surrounding material world. Michelson first experimented in 1881 with a primitive version of his interferometer; a mechanism designed to measure the wave like properties of light. He would follow this by combining forces with Morley in the most famous 'null' experiment of physics.
In this investigation, Michelson utilized an improved version of his interferometer device. Michelson's apparatus would help him win the Nobel prize for his optical precision instruments and the investigations carried out with them. His most important study being what became known as the Michelson Morley experiment of 1887. Michelson and Morley used a beam splitter made of a partially transparent mirror and two other mirrors arranged horizontally and vertically from a light source. When a beam of light traveled from a source of coherent light to the half-silvered mirror (the semitransparent mirror) it is transmitted to either of the horizontal or vertical mirrors. When the light returned to the eyepiece of an observer the separately returning light waves would combine destructively or constructively. This phenomenon is known as the interference effect for light. It was hoped that a shifting of the interference fringes from that which was normally predicted would be able to ascertain the existence of the aether wind.
To detect this effect, the Michelson interferometer was prepared in such a manner as to minimize any and all extraneous sources of experimental error. It was located in a lower level of a stone edifice to eliminate heat and oscillatory effects which might comprise the experimental results. Additionally, the interferometer was mounted atop a marble slab that was floated in a basin of mercury. This was so that the apparatus could be moved through a variety of positions with respect to the invisible ether. But despite their many preparations the experiment did not yield the expected fringe patterns. Thus, Michelson and Morley concluded that there was no evidence for the existence of the ether. Others would replicate the experiment in different incarnations which modified the premise of the experiment. Each and every one returning a similar negative result. Modern theorists have taken these results and those of many other experiments as being indicative of the non-existence of the aether. However, even the negative result of Michelson Morley has come in to question as far back as 1933.
In that year, Dayton Miller demonstrated the fact that even though the duo's experiment had not specifically found the expected range of interference patterns, they had found an interesting little noticed effect. Miller then went on to suggest that Michelson Morley had found an experimental sine wave like set of data that correlated well with the predicted pattern of data. He also described how thermal and directional assumptions inherent in the experimental arrangement may have impacted badly on the fringe interference data. Thus, the test may have been performed in an imperfectly conceived experimental setup and with a built in mathematical bias against the detection of an appropriate outcome. Thus, in the future the aether theory in some form or another may still be sustainable as a foundational theory of physics.
Perhaps it is best to leave with these ideas as expressed in 1920 by Einstein who stated that he believed the ether theory to still be relevant to his ideas on space and time:
"More careful reflection teaches us, however, that the special theory of relativity does not compel us to deny ether. We may assume the existence of an ether"
he continued:
"Recapitulating, we may say that according to the general theory of relativity space is endowed with physical qualities; in this sense, therefore, there exists an ether"
and finally:
"According to the general theory of relativity space without ether is unthinkable; for in such space there not only would be no propagation of light, but also no possibility of existence for standards of space and time (measuring-rods and clocks), nor therefore any space-time intervals in the physical sense. But this ether may not be thought of as endowed with the quality characteristic of ponderable media, as consisting of parts which may be tracked through time. The idea of motion may not be applied to it."
Many others followed in expressing their opinions on the ether concept. Whilst Isaac Newton disagreed with Huygens wave theory he also wrote about the 'aethereal medium' although he expressed his consternation in not knowing what the aether was. Newton later renounced the ether theory because in his mind the infinite stationary ether would interrupt the motions of the enormous masses (the stars and planets) as they moved in space. This rejection was reinforced by some other problematical wave properties which were not explicable at the time; most notably, the production of a double image when light passes through certain translucent materials. This property of matter known as 'birefringence' was an important hurdle to be overcome for a proper understanding of the wave nature of light.
Some time later (1720) whilst working on other astronomical issues related to light and the cosmos, English scientist James Bradley made observations in hopes of quantifying a parallax. This effect is an apparent motion of foreground objects in comparison to those in the background. Whilst he was unable to discern this parallax effect he happened to reveal another effect which is prevalent in cosmological observations; this other effect is known as stellar aberration. Bradley was able to easily describe this aberration in terms of Newton's particle theory of light. However, to do so in light of the wave or undulatory theory was difficult at best since to do so would have required a 'motionless' medium; the static nature of this ether concept was of course the property which had originally caused Newton's denial of the idea.
But Newton's acolytes would find themselves in a difficult position when it was shown that birefringence could be explained through another interpretation of the nature of light. If light was treated as being in a side to side action or 'transverse motion' then birefringence could be attributed to a light wave rather than the particle or corpuscular theory of Newton. This along with the detection of an interference effect for light by Thomas Young in 1801 renewed the ascendancy of the wave theory of light. These findings however carried with them all of the preconceived notions prevalent in the scientific mind. Since it was assumed that waves like water and sound waves required a medium of propagation, it was similarly assumed that light still needed a medium or ether for its waves to be transmitted across the universe.
However, further problems would afflict the ether theory. Because of the unique properties of a transverse wave it became apparent that this hypothetical explanation required the ether to be a solid. In response, Cauchy, Green and Stokes contributed theoretical and mathematical observations to an 'entrainment' hypothesis which later came to be known as the 'ether drag' concept. But nothing would give more impetus to these ideas than when James Clerk Maxwell's equations (1870s) required the constancy of the speed of light (c). When the implications of Maxwell's equations are worked out by physicists, it was understood that as a result of the need for a constant speed of light only one reference frame could meet this requirement under the teachings of Galilean Newtonian relativity. Therefore, scientists expected that there existed a unique absolute reference frame which would comply with this need; as a result, the ether would again be stationary.
As a consequence, by the late nineteenth century the aether was assumed to be an immovable rigid medium. However, earlier previous theories existed as to the nature of the aether. One of the most famous of these is known as the 'aether drag' hypothesis. In this concept, the aether is a special environment within which light moves. Also, this aether would be connected to all material objects and would move along with them. Measuring the speed of light in such a system would render a constant velocity for light no matter where one tested for light's speed. This 'aether drag' idea originated in the aftermath of Francois Arago's experiment which appeared to show the constancy of the speed of light. Arago believed that refractive indexes would change when measured at different times of the day or year as a result of stellar and earthly motion. In spite of his efforts, he did not notice any change in the refractive indexes so measured.
Many other experiments would follow; these were performed in order to find evidence of the aether in its many different abstractions. However the most important of these was conducted by american scientists Michelson and Morley. Their experiment considered another alleged effect of a different aether theory which came to be known as the aether wind. Since the aether permeated the entire universe, the earth would move within the ether as it spun on its axis and moved within the solar system about the sun. This movement of the earth with respect to the aether gave rise rise to the idea that it would be possible to detect an 'ether wind' which would be sensed because of the aforementioned movement. Thus, their experiment was essentially an attempt to detect the so-called ether wind. This mysterious zephyr would be nearly impossible to detect because the aether only infinitesimally affected the surrounding material world. Michelson first experimented in 1881 with a primitive version of his interferometer; a mechanism designed to measure the wave like properties of light. He would follow this by combining forces with Morley in the most famous 'null' experiment of physics.
In this investigation, Michelson utilized an improved version of his interferometer device. Michelson's apparatus would help him win the Nobel prize for his optical precision instruments and the investigations carried out with them. His most important study being what became known as the Michelson Morley experiment of 1887. Michelson and Morley used a beam splitter made of a partially transparent mirror and two other mirrors arranged horizontally and vertically from a light source. When a beam of light traveled from a source of coherent light to the half-silvered mirror (the semitransparent mirror) it is transmitted to either of the horizontal or vertical mirrors. When the light returned to the eyepiece of an observer the separately returning light waves would combine destructively or constructively. This phenomenon is known as the interference effect for light. It was hoped that a shifting of the interference fringes from that which was normally predicted would be able to ascertain the existence of the aether wind.
To detect this effect, the Michelson interferometer was prepared in such a manner as to minimize any and all extraneous sources of experimental error. It was located in a lower level of a stone edifice to eliminate heat and oscillatory effects which might comprise the experimental results. Additionally, the interferometer was mounted atop a marble slab that was floated in a basin of mercury. This was so that the apparatus could be moved through a variety of positions with respect to the invisible ether. But despite their many preparations the experiment did not yield the expected fringe patterns. Thus, Michelson and Morley concluded that there was no evidence for the existence of the ether. Others would replicate the experiment in different incarnations which modified the premise of the experiment. Each and every one returning a similar negative result. Modern theorists have taken these results and those of many other experiments as being indicative of the non-existence of the aether. However, even the negative result of Michelson Morley has come in to question as far back as 1933.
In that year, Dayton Miller demonstrated the fact that even though the duo's experiment had not specifically found the expected range of interference patterns, they had found an interesting little noticed effect. Miller then went on to suggest that Michelson Morley had found an experimental sine wave like set of data that correlated well with the predicted pattern of data. He also described how thermal and directional assumptions inherent in the experimental arrangement may have impacted badly on the fringe interference data. Thus, the test may have been performed in an imperfectly conceived experimental setup and with a built in mathematical bias against the detection of an appropriate outcome. Thus, in the future the aether theory in some form or another may still be sustainable as a foundational theory of physics.
Perhaps it is best to leave with these ideas as expressed in 1920 by Einstein who stated that he believed the ether theory to still be relevant to his ideas on space and time:
"More careful reflection teaches us, however, that the special theory of relativity does not compel us to deny ether. We may assume the existence of an ether"
he continued:
"Recapitulating, we may say that according to the general theory of relativity space is endowed with physical qualities; in this sense, therefore, there exists an ether"
and finally:
"According to the general theory of relativity space without ether is unthinkable; for in such space there not only would be no propagation of light, but also no possibility of existence for standards of space and time (measuring-rods and clocks), nor therefore any space-time intervals in the physical sense. But this ether may not be thought of as endowed with the quality characteristic of ponderable media, as consisting of parts which may be tracked through time. The idea of motion may not be applied to it."
Galactic Mystery - Matter - On the Dark Side
Heralding a new age in the cosmos, Norwegian Kristian Birkeland predicted that the universe likely consisted of an exotic component that would later be called dark matter. His comments about this subject matter appeared in a description of the Norwegian Aurora Polaris Expedition (1902-1903). Birkeland's ideas about the Expedition were published in the fateful year of 1913 which would see the rise of the socialist Federal Reserve System and the Income Tax in the United States of America, two key components of the communist manifesto. Evolutionary processes were in motion throughout all fields of endeavor. Economics, politics, science and the hearts and minds of men and women were in the balance whilst relativism not truth held sway over the modern imagination. Cosmology would suffer from the same 'evolutionary' mindset and Birkeland wrote as much:
"We have assumed that each stellar system in evolutions throws off electric corpuscles into space. It does not seem unreasonable therefore to think that the greater part of the material masses in the universe is found, not in the solar systems or nebulae, but in "empty" space."
In this fashion, Birkeland predicted that because of the 'evolutions' present within the cosmos most of the matter in the universe must be found in 'empty' space rather than that which is observable in stellar objects. It is currently believed that only four percent of the universe is of this ordinary visible stellar type. Further, about a quarter of the universe is made up of the ubiquitous dark matter with the rest of the cosmos being filled with the even more bizarre dark energy. It was Fritz Zwicky, a swiss astrophysicist working for Caltech, who would further the concept of dark matter through the aegis of the Virial Theorem.
This mathematical relation is a formula which bounds the energy of a set of particles. In another dark year in the steady evolution to slavery since 1933 saw the removal of gold from the accounts of american citizenry, Zwicky used the Virial Theorem in an attempt to ascertain the validity of the dark matter hypothesis. He focussed his attention on the Coma galactic cluster and his analysis provided prima facie confirmation for the existence of dark matter. By evaluating the amount of movement of those galaxies at the periphery of the cluster he was able to approximately surmise the aggregate of all the matter therein.
He was astonished to learn that this sum total of mass is different from a separately computed estimate. This other value was obtained by analyzing the sum total of galaxies and the brightness of the Coma cluster. Juxtaposing this value with the periphery computation he observed that there was a discrepancy of at a minimum four hundredfold. Since the galaxies were insufficiently massive to cause the computed orbital velocities there must be some other mechanism to explain this phenomena. This conundrum became in the scientific lexicon the missing mass problem. Zwicky had established the need for the existence of an invisible source of mass hitherto unknown which must provide the necessary gravitational effect for the cluster.
Thus, it is a fact of the current state of cosmology that the greatest set of evidence for dark matter comes from this galactic gravitational data. Scientists have even made galactic curves describing the rotational properties of stars versus the distance from the galactic center. When the gravitational data is plotted it can be shown that only a small portion of the observed speeds are explicable by classical computations. In other words, there is a scarcity of visible mass in the observed galaxies to attribute the sum total of gravitational effects to visibly observable stars planets and galaxies. Thus, the simplest way to explain this galactic mystery of insufficient mass is to hypothesize a non-detectable type of mass known as dark matter which can be the cause for the gravitational effects.
As more and more data is collected on these and other aspects of the universe, formulae and cosmological postulates are generated describing the results so obtained. Fulfilling the requirements of the aforementioned aspects leads some scientists to propose several different types of dark matter. The four main types of dark matter are called 1- baryonic dark matter; 2- warm dark matter; 3- cold dark matter and 4- hot dark matter. Dark matter ranges from the known to the predicted, from black holes to brown dwarfs to the massive compact halo objects (MACHOs), the neutrino, axions, WIMPS or weakly interacting massive particles and the esoteric neutralino. However, there is an alternative explanation for the gravitational effects which originally created the dark matter concept.
If an incomplete understanding of gravitation is factored into the picture, then it can be asserted that the dark matter interpretation is incorrect because some other cause is generating these phenomena. Several different contending theories have been developed to describe the observed galactic data. In particular, one of the main competing explanations is given by scalar tensor theories which try to combine the teachings of quantum mechanics with gravity. Amplifying these ideas leads to a variety of exotic ideas which challenge our most fundamental notions of physics and astronomy. Other concepts go even further and have been the subject of interest for astronomers like Dr. Riccardo Scarpa since these allow for a cosmology without the inclusion of the enigmatic dark matter.
Dr. Scarpa works at the European Southern Observatory in Santiago Chile using the Very Large Telescope Array at Paranal. With all of his experience in this field, it is interesting to note some of his most recent comments on the superfluous dark matter:
"Dark matter is the craziest idea we've ever had in astronomy. It can appear when you need it, it can do what you like, be distributed in any way you like. It is the fairy tale of astronomy."
In view of these comments one should ask if another scientific idea might be on the verge of collapsing. Indeed, astronomers are routinely using these other theoretical principles on a daily basis in infrared observatories around the world. Thus, it is very likely that we are simply wrong about all of this dark matter. It is within all probability that the only dark matter that we will ever find is that ignorant dark matter between our ears.
"We have assumed that each stellar system in evolutions throws off electric corpuscles into space. It does not seem unreasonable therefore to think that the greater part of the material masses in the universe is found, not in the solar systems or nebulae, but in "empty" space."
In this fashion, Birkeland predicted that because of the 'evolutions' present within the cosmos most of the matter in the universe must be found in 'empty' space rather than that which is observable in stellar objects. It is currently believed that only four percent of the universe is of this ordinary visible stellar type. Further, about a quarter of the universe is made up of the ubiquitous dark matter with the rest of the cosmos being filled with the even more bizarre dark energy. It was Fritz Zwicky, a swiss astrophysicist working for Caltech, who would further the concept of dark matter through the aegis of the Virial Theorem.
This mathematical relation is a formula which bounds the energy of a set of particles. In another dark year in the steady evolution to slavery since 1933 saw the removal of gold from the accounts of american citizenry, Zwicky used the Virial Theorem in an attempt to ascertain the validity of the dark matter hypothesis. He focussed his attention on the Coma galactic cluster and his analysis provided prima facie confirmation for the existence of dark matter. By evaluating the amount of movement of those galaxies at the periphery of the cluster he was able to approximately surmise the aggregate of all the matter therein.
He was astonished to learn that this sum total of mass is different from a separately computed estimate. This other value was obtained by analyzing the sum total of galaxies and the brightness of the Coma cluster. Juxtaposing this value with the periphery computation he observed that there was a discrepancy of at a minimum four hundredfold. Since the galaxies were insufficiently massive to cause the computed orbital velocities there must be some other mechanism to explain this phenomena. This conundrum became in the scientific lexicon the missing mass problem. Zwicky had established the need for the existence of an invisible source of mass hitherto unknown which must provide the necessary gravitational effect for the cluster.
Thus, it is a fact of the current state of cosmology that the greatest set of evidence for dark matter comes from this galactic gravitational data. Scientists have even made galactic curves describing the rotational properties of stars versus the distance from the galactic center. When the gravitational data is plotted it can be shown that only a small portion of the observed speeds are explicable by classical computations. In other words, there is a scarcity of visible mass in the observed galaxies to attribute the sum total of gravitational effects to visibly observable stars planets and galaxies. Thus, the simplest way to explain this galactic mystery of insufficient mass is to hypothesize a non-detectable type of mass known as dark matter which can be the cause for the gravitational effects.
As more and more data is collected on these and other aspects of the universe, formulae and cosmological postulates are generated describing the results so obtained. Fulfilling the requirements of the aforementioned aspects leads some scientists to propose several different types of dark matter. The four main types of dark matter are called 1- baryonic dark matter; 2- warm dark matter; 3- cold dark matter and 4- hot dark matter. Dark matter ranges from the known to the predicted, from black holes to brown dwarfs to the massive compact halo objects (MACHOs), the neutrino, axions, WIMPS or weakly interacting massive particles and the esoteric neutralino. However, there is an alternative explanation for the gravitational effects which originally created the dark matter concept.
If an incomplete understanding of gravitation is factored into the picture, then it can be asserted that the dark matter interpretation is incorrect because some other cause is generating these phenomena. Several different contending theories have been developed to describe the observed galactic data. In particular, one of the main competing explanations is given by scalar tensor theories which try to combine the teachings of quantum mechanics with gravity. Amplifying these ideas leads to a variety of exotic ideas which challenge our most fundamental notions of physics and astronomy. Other concepts go even further and have been the subject of interest for astronomers like Dr. Riccardo Scarpa since these allow for a cosmology without the inclusion of the enigmatic dark matter.
Dr. Scarpa works at the European Southern Observatory in Santiago Chile using the Very Large Telescope Array at Paranal. With all of his experience in this field, it is interesting to note some of his most recent comments on the superfluous dark matter:
"Dark matter is the craziest idea we've ever had in astronomy. It can appear when you need it, it can do what you like, be distributed in any way you like. It is the fairy tale of astronomy."
In view of these comments one should ask if another scientific idea might be on the verge of collapsing. Indeed, astronomers are routinely using these other theoretical principles on a daily basis in infrared observatories around the world. Thus, it is very likely that we are simply wrong about all of this dark matter. It is within all probability that the only dark matter that we will ever find is that ignorant dark matter between our ears.
NLP evolution
Developed in 1976 by a professor at the UC Santa Cruz and a graduate student whose names need no mentioning, NLP has grown to be much appreciated. NLP is not based on a certain theory, but consists of models, techniques and their creation processes. NLP has progressed over the years through empiric and pragmatic knowledge. The entire field is only 3 decades old so methods have to be improved and researched continuously.
NLP represents the progress of techniques that originate from other fields like Ericksonian Hypnosis and Classical Conditioning. These techniques are refined and remodeled and their methodology for apprehension is accelerated. So, there is a strong bound between NLP and hypnosis. Bandler's and Grinder's book "Patterns of the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton H. Erickson, Volume I" is proof of the connection between these two. There is also a strong bound between NLP and Psychology. Research made in the Psychological field was used as theoretical support for some NLP techniques. Please consider as an example the "Submodalities".
The NLP name itself (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) comes from the influences other disciplines have had over this field. Because Richard Bandler was an information scientist and John Grinder a linguist, it is obvious that these two fields influenced the birth and development of NLP. Making use of the sciences in which they specialized and combining their knowledge with techniques used in Behavioral Psychology and Systems Theory, they created NLP. Their goal was to discover and use information regarding how communication impacts the subjective experience and influences behavior.
The created models consist of tools that work, but still need research done about them. Though successful, NLP needs to progress continuously and prove its theories because its research is still in infancy. The early research made at the University of California at Santa Cruz, based on the work of a family therapist, an anthropologist, a hypnotist and the founder of Gestalt therapy (Virginia Satir, Gregory Bateson, Milton Erickson and Frits Perls), is no longer enough. Without forgetting the purpose of NLP techniques meaning effective, quick, permanent and natural benefits for those who need them, new developments have to be made:
* NLP has to eliminate failure (though very rare) and replace it with constant success.
* Very rapid systemic changes have to be possible when dealing with the multiple problems of one person.
* Methods and processes have to be improved for a more systematic NLP
* More systemic and holistic maps have to be made
* Though the general approach of NLP is of solving people's problems, the possibility to "create generative change" has to be taken into consideration also.
The NLP development work has to divide itself between these 3 parts: the theory, the application and the modeling or map creation. All these aspects are interconnected and test each other. Each theory has to be useful in applications and help develop effective processes.
Some areas of NLP are currently being explored. Questions like: how much longevity is influenced by NLP and how come childhood memories are still able to represent a totally changed mature person, have to be answered. There are many studies made on volitional and automatic processes, on kinesthetic systems, on adaptation of NLP to group intervention, on mind distinction between reality and imagination and on elicitation. Volunteers and NLP experts work alike so that people can get the results they want. The hope is that in the near future more things will be cleared out in the benefit of those using NLP.
NLP still has a lot to work on, but, until now, its results have been amazing. More and more people appeal to NLP nowadays because of its safe and healthy way of dealing with problems and because of its curative successes. NLP promises a lot to the future because of its past and the continuous struggle of improvement.
NLP represents the progress of techniques that originate from other fields like Ericksonian Hypnosis and Classical Conditioning. These techniques are refined and remodeled and their methodology for apprehension is accelerated. So, there is a strong bound between NLP and hypnosis. Bandler's and Grinder's book "Patterns of the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton H. Erickson, Volume I" is proof of the connection between these two. There is also a strong bound between NLP and Psychology. Research made in the Psychological field was used as theoretical support for some NLP techniques. Please consider as an example the "Submodalities".
The NLP name itself (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) comes from the influences other disciplines have had over this field. Because Richard Bandler was an information scientist and John Grinder a linguist, it is obvious that these two fields influenced the birth and development of NLP. Making use of the sciences in which they specialized and combining their knowledge with techniques used in Behavioral Psychology and Systems Theory, they created NLP. Their goal was to discover and use information regarding how communication impacts the subjective experience and influences behavior.
The created models consist of tools that work, but still need research done about them. Though successful, NLP needs to progress continuously and prove its theories because its research is still in infancy. The early research made at the University of California at Santa Cruz, based on the work of a family therapist, an anthropologist, a hypnotist and the founder of Gestalt therapy (Virginia Satir, Gregory Bateson, Milton Erickson and Frits Perls), is no longer enough. Without forgetting the purpose of NLP techniques meaning effective, quick, permanent and natural benefits for those who need them, new developments have to be made:
* NLP has to eliminate failure (though very rare) and replace it with constant success.
* Very rapid systemic changes have to be possible when dealing with the multiple problems of one person.
* Methods and processes have to be improved for a more systematic NLP
* More systemic and holistic maps have to be made
* Though the general approach of NLP is of solving people's problems, the possibility to "create generative change" has to be taken into consideration also.
The NLP development work has to divide itself between these 3 parts: the theory, the application and the modeling or map creation. All these aspects are interconnected and test each other. Each theory has to be useful in applications and help develop effective processes.
Some areas of NLP are currently being explored. Questions like: how much longevity is influenced by NLP and how come childhood memories are still able to represent a totally changed mature person, have to be answered. There are many studies made on volitional and automatic processes, on kinesthetic systems, on adaptation of NLP to group intervention, on mind distinction between reality and imagination and on elicitation. Volunteers and NLP experts work alike so that people can get the results they want. The hope is that in the near future more things will be cleared out in the benefit of those using NLP.
NLP still has a lot to work on, but, until now, its results have been amazing. More and more people appeal to NLP nowadays because of its safe and healthy way of dealing with problems and because of its curative successes. NLP promises a lot to the future because of its past and the continuous struggle of improvement.
Biodiesel, What Is It?
In today's world, one can hardly escape the subject of fuel prices and fuel supply. For a number of different reasons people have turned from standard petroleum based fuel sources and looked for a reliable alternative-fuel. Biodiesel is one such fuel that experts and enthusiasts have embraced as not only their idea of a fuel of the future, but is also their choice for a fuel for today. But, what is Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a fuel containing some of the same traits as conventional diesel fuel. Biodiesel is made from high quality vegetable oils through a manufacturing process that can be done on a large scale - such as a refinery, or on a small scale - such as a home Biodiesel kit. The primary use for Biodiesel right now is as a substitute for petroleum based diesel fuel.
In different parts of the world, different plants are used as the source for the vegetable oil that is made into Biodiesel. Theoretically, any vegetable grown can be broken down and turned into Biodiesel, but right now most Biodiesel producers use one primary crop as their source. In America, the primary crop grown for Biodiesel production is corn. Corn, being one of the more common crops grown in American, provides a readily available supply of vegetable matter for Biodiesel manufacturers. In much of Europe, rapeseed is used in the production of Biodiesel. And, in Southeast Asia the primary plant grown for the manufacture of Biodiesel is Soybeans. After going through the manufacturing process, there is little difference in the properties of Biodiesel made from one plant over another.
The process used to manufacture Biodiesel from pure vegetable oil is called ester interchange. In the process the vegetable oil is combined with a much smaller amount of Methanol. Methanol can be manufactured by the fermentation of starch or sugar and it can also be produced from natural gas. The vegetable oil and methanol are placed in a small quantity of an alkaline catalyst and it is in this process that the chemical makeup of the vegetable oil is altered. The result is a clean burning fuel with a viscosity (flow properties) approximating that of standard diesel fuel. During this process, approximately 90% of what is manufactured is Biodiesel fuel, while the remaining 10% is in the form of the glycerine that was broken down from the vegetable matter. This glycerine can also be used in other applications in the chemical industry, making the manufacture of Biodiesel practically waste-free.
The current uses for Biodiesel are mainly limited to that of being a cleaner burning replacement for petroleum based diesel fuel. Biodiesel can be both economically viable and highly efficient for most mobile applications. There will be some performance and usage differences between diesel and Biodiesel and they will vary from vehicle to vehicle as expected. It is possible for most modern diesel engines to burn standard Biodiesel. Currently, Biodiesel is also marketed as a Biodiese/Ethanol mix or a Biodiesel/Diesel mix.
Still a young industry by any measure, Biodiesel is on it's way to becoming one of the brightest lights in the search for a viable alternative-fuel.
Biodiesel is a fuel containing some of the same traits as conventional diesel fuel. Biodiesel is made from high quality vegetable oils through a manufacturing process that can be done on a large scale - such as a refinery, or on a small scale - such as a home Biodiesel kit. The primary use for Biodiesel right now is as a substitute for petroleum based diesel fuel.
In different parts of the world, different plants are used as the source for the vegetable oil that is made into Biodiesel. Theoretically, any vegetable grown can be broken down and turned into Biodiesel, but right now most Biodiesel producers use one primary crop as their source. In America, the primary crop grown for Biodiesel production is corn. Corn, being one of the more common crops grown in American, provides a readily available supply of vegetable matter for Biodiesel manufacturers. In much of Europe, rapeseed is used in the production of Biodiesel. And, in Southeast Asia the primary plant grown for the manufacture of Biodiesel is Soybeans. After going through the manufacturing process, there is little difference in the properties of Biodiesel made from one plant over another.
The process used to manufacture Biodiesel from pure vegetable oil is called ester interchange. In the process the vegetable oil is combined with a much smaller amount of Methanol. Methanol can be manufactured by the fermentation of starch or sugar and it can also be produced from natural gas. The vegetable oil and methanol are placed in a small quantity of an alkaline catalyst and it is in this process that the chemical makeup of the vegetable oil is altered. The result is a clean burning fuel with a viscosity (flow properties) approximating that of standard diesel fuel. During this process, approximately 90% of what is manufactured is Biodiesel fuel, while the remaining 10% is in the form of the glycerine that was broken down from the vegetable matter. This glycerine can also be used in other applications in the chemical industry, making the manufacture of Biodiesel practically waste-free.
The current uses for Biodiesel are mainly limited to that of being a cleaner burning replacement for petroleum based diesel fuel. Biodiesel can be both economically viable and highly efficient for most mobile applications. There will be some performance and usage differences between diesel and Biodiesel and they will vary from vehicle to vehicle as expected. It is possible for most modern diesel engines to burn standard Biodiesel. Currently, Biodiesel is also marketed as a Biodiese/Ethanol mix or a Biodiesel/Diesel mix.
Still a young industry by any measure, Biodiesel is on it's way to becoming one of the brightest lights in the search for a viable alternative-fuel.
Vedic Medical Astrology
Medical Astrology is that branch of Astrology dealing with Health. The 12 Signs of the Zodiac are linked to the Twelve Limbs of the body. The Ascendant rules the Head and the 12th House, the Feet. The Law of Correspondences of Classical Philosophy has another term "The Doctrine of Signatures". This doctrine states that objects - animate and inanimate - are governed by planets and Classical Astrology has taken this concept beyond "The Law of Cause and Effect" and has defined it as Archetypal or Psychological.
Reflections of the intrinsic qualities of the planets can be seen in people, plants, animals & minerals. All that we see, touch, consume & harvest has a correspondence. By knowing our own planetary signature, we can consume those materials which correspond to our planetary signature and thus a healthy balance can be maintained. (In my horoscope, Jupiter is posited in Cancer and hence powerful in positional as well as directional strength. If I am afflicted by any sort of disease, the escape route is the Jupiterian Way - viz consuming more vegetables and fruits, as he rules fruits and vegetables. If I do that, I will be implementing what the Great Seers said long ago "Naturopathic food is medicine and medicine is food" )!
Since the Zodiacal Signs represent the Five Elements (Ether, Fire, Air, Earth & Water), the ancient astrological savants assigned everything in the Universe to a planetary ruler, and considered all as the manifestation of the Elemental Five and their respective qualities - hot and dry, cold and dry, hot and humid, cold and humid. Jupiter rules "Kapha" and the Sun "Pitta" (the three humors of Ayurveda). These elements were understood in a physical & metaphysical sense, as per the principle "As Above, So Below". Many body constitutions are defined in Ayurveda. The Phlegmatic (predominance of Kapha), the Bilious ( preponderance of Pitta) & the Windy (predominance of Vata). There are 4 types of Body Constitution in Western Holistic Medicine - Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Choleric and Melancholic.
Ayurvedic Therapy
The Seven Planets correspond to the Three humours (Doshas) in Ayurveda
In the Ayurvedic Model, the Seven Revolving Heavens are classified thus (Vatam Pittayutha Karothi Dinakrith)
Jupiter Kapha
Sun Pitta
Moon Vata & Kapha
Mars Pitta
Mercury Pitta, Vata & Kapha
Venus Vata & Kapha
Saturn Vata
The seven planets correspond to the Seven Gross Tissue - elements (dhatus) thus
Jupiter Fat
Saturn Veins &
Mars Bone Marrow
Sun Bones
Moon Blood
Mercury Skin
Venus Seminal Energy
By analysing the horoscope, the astrologer can discern the badly placed planet and the corresponding Dhatu which has caused the problem and can prescribe Ayurvedic remedial measures ("Dushthithasyadi Dhatustho Rogeenam Roga Eeryatham")
Medical Astrology's perspective about the 12 Houses of the Zodiac
House Organ
First House Head
Second House Face
Third House Throat
Fourth House Heart
Fifth House Place beneath the heart
Sixth House Stomach
Seventh House Generative Organ
Eighth House Upper Thigh
Ninth House Thigh
Tenth House Knee
Eleventh House Calf
Twelfth House Feet
If the 6 H is afflicted, there can be digestive tract disorders. Natural malefics in the 6 H may create hyperacidity and gas trouble. Affliction either to the 7th house means disorders of the digestive tract, hyperacidity and gas trouble (Papa Saptamagah Tadodara Ruja). The same holds good for the 6 H (Papa Shashtagatha Tadodararuja). If the 6 H or the 7 H is afflicted, one should be very careful about the body's acidity level. The body's PH value should be kept at 7. Anything less than 7 is dangerous. The 80% alkaline nature of the body should be kept up & acidity should not be above 20%. The best foods to be taken are Vedic Foods, which are low acidity, low cholesterol diet.The Acidity - Alkalinity ratio should be kept at 80% -20%. That ratio can be maintained if you consume 100 grams fruits and 300 grams vegetables daily and avoid non-natural food. Natural foods are alkaline and non-veg basically acidic. From experience, it can be discerned that not only malefic planets bring in problems from enemies, but also problems to the stomach (Pape Shashtopagathe Vrina Bhayaschora Satru Peeda Cha).
If the 12 H is afflicted by malefic planets, there can be affliction to the feet. We have seen many a patient suffering from 12 H affliction and which manifests as problems on the feet.
Similarly, 4 H affliction means trouble to the Heart. I knew one patient with heart problem who had the North Node in the Fourth. He had a heart surgery. The North Node in the Heart region in the horoscope had effectuated this problem.
There are some astrologers who take this from the Horoscope of the Cosmic Man, that is from His Ascendant Aries. This method also yields results but from our experience, we follow the dictum of Natal Astrology that it is the Ascendant of the native which is the head and the Descendant the stomach region. I know many an astrologer who follow this from Aries Asc & if a malefic is posited in Virgo, in the 6 H of the Kalapurusha (Cosmic Man), he predicts stomach problems for the native. (Kalanarasya Avayavath Purushanam Kalpayeth). Or if a malefic is posited in Taurus, he predicts wounds on the face for the native.
Affliction to any house indicates affliction to the corresponding part of the body. North Node - or any other malefic - in the Sixth is indicative of stomach trouble & ulceration. Fourth house affliction means that the heart is afflicted and first house affliction means that the head is afflicted. (Pape Lagnagathe Parajaya Bhaya Siroruja)
The planets correspond to the different systems of Man thus
Sun The Bone System
Moon The Circulatory System
Mars The Muscular System
Mercury The Veins
Venus The Reproductive System
Jupiter The Digestive System
Saturn The Excretory System
From experience, Vedic Medical Astrology is found to be very accurate. In my father's horoscope, he had a specific yoga for Arthritis with Jupiter in Libra Asc and Saturn in Aries. My mother has Saturn in the 12 H; she has a problem in the leg. My co-brother has Mars in the 12 H; he is suffering from some nerve problem on the feet. I personally have the North Node in the 6 H and I have hyperacidity and gas trouble (Papa Shashtagatha Tadodararuja)!
Ayurvedic Gem Therapy
The following stones are prescribed in Ayurveda for specific disorders
Cancer Emerald
Allergy Hessonite
Skin Diseases Cat's Eye, Lapis Lazuli
Insomnia Pearl
Paralysis Amethyst
Nervous Blue Sapphire
Rheumatism Blue Sapphire, Ruby
Arthritis Blue Sapphire
Impotence Topaz Coral
Diabetes White Coral, Diamond, Emerald, Topaz
Liver problems Coral
Jaundice Coral, Emerald, Topaz
Hyperacidity Hessonite
Gastric Ulcer Blue Sapphire
Flatulence Jade, Lapis Lazuli
Dyspepsia Jade
Dysentry Emerald
Colic Cat's Eye
Cholera Cat's Eye, Topaz
Abdominal Complaints Emerald
Heart Troubles Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, Lapis Lazuli
Penumonia Diamond
Palpitation Topaz
Tuberculosis Blue Sapphire
Chest Pain Emerald, Ruby
Reflections of the intrinsic qualities of the planets can be seen in people, plants, animals & minerals. All that we see, touch, consume & harvest has a correspondence. By knowing our own planetary signature, we can consume those materials which correspond to our planetary signature and thus a healthy balance can be maintained. (In my horoscope, Jupiter is posited in Cancer and hence powerful in positional as well as directional strength. If I am afflicted by any sort of disease, the escape route is the Jupiterian Way - viz consuming more vegetables and fruits, as he rules fruits and vegetables. If I do that, I will be implementing what the Great Seers said long ago "Naturopathic food is medicine and medicine is food" )!
Since the Zodiacal Signs represent the Five Elements (Ether, Fire, Air, Earth & Water), the ancient astrological savants assigned everything in the Universe to a planetary ruler, and considered all as the manifestation of the Elemental Five and their respective qualities - hot and dry, cold and dry, hot and humid, cold and humid. Jupiter rules "Kapha" and the Sun "Pitta" (the three humors of Ayurveda). These elements were understood in a physical & metaphysical sense, as per the principle "As Above, So Below". Many body constitutions are defined in Ayurveda. The Phlegmatic (predominance of Kapha), the Bilious ( preponderance of Pitta) & the Windy (predominance of Vata). There are 4 types of Body Constitution in Western Holistic Medicine - Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Choleric and Melancholic.
Ayurvedic Therapy
The Seven Planets correspond to the Three humours (Doshas) in Ayurveda
In the Ayurvedic Model, the Seven Revolving Heavens are classified thus (Vatam Pittayutha Karothi Dinakrith)
Jupiter Kapha
Sun Pitta
Moon Vata & Kapha
Mars Pitta
Mercury Pitta, Vata & Kapha
Venus Vata & Kapha
Saturn Vata
The seven planets correspond to the Seven Gross Tissue - elements (dhatus) thus
Jupiter Fat
Saturn Veins &
Mars Bone Marrow
Sun Bones
Moon Blood
Mercury Skin
Venus Seminal Energy
By analysing the horoscope, the astrologer can discern the badly placed planet and the corresponding Dhatu which has caused the problem and can prescribe Ayurvedic remedial measures ("Dushthithasyadi Dhatustho Rogeenam Roga Eeryatham")
Medical Astrology's perspective about the 12 Houses of the Zodiac
House Organ
First House Head
Second House Face
Third House Throat
Fourth House Heart
Fifth House Place beneath the heart
Sixth House Stomach
Seventh House Generative Organ
Eighth House Upper Thigh
Ninth House Thigh
Tenth House Knee
Eleventh House Calf
Twelfth House Feet
If the 6 H is afflicted, there can be digestive tract disorders. Natural malefics in the 6 H may create hyperacidity and gas trouble. Affliction either to the 7th house means disorders of the digestive tract, hyperacidity and gas trouble (Papa Saptamagah Tadodara Ruja). The same holds good for the 6 H (Papa Shashtagatha Tadodararuja). If the 6 H or the 7 H is afflicted, one should be very careful about the body's acidity level. The body's PH value should be kept at 7. Anything less than 7 is dangerous. The 80% alkaline nature of the body should be kept up & acidity should not be above 20%. The best foods to be taken are Vedic Foods, which are low acidity, low cholesterol diet.The Acidity - Alkalinity ratio should be kept at 80% -20%. That ratio can be maintained if you consume 100 grams fruits and 300 grams vegetables daily and avoid non-natural food. Natural foods are alkaline and non-veg basically acidic. From experience, it can be discerned that not only malefic planets bring in problems from enemies, but also problems to the stomach (Pape Shashtopagathe Vrina Bhayaschora Satru Peeda Cha).
If the 12 H is afflicted by malefic planets, there can be affliction to the feet. We have seen many a patient suffering from 12 H affliction and which manifests as problems on the feet.
Similarly, 4 H affliction means trouble to the Heart. I knew one patient with heart problem who had the North Node in the Fourth. He had a heart surgery. The North Node in the Heart region in the horoscope had effectuated this problem.
There are some astrologers who take this from the Horoscope of the Cosmic Man, that is from His Ascendant Aries. This method also yields results but from our experience, we follow the dictum of Natal Astrology that it is the Ascendant of the native which is the head and the Descendant the stomach region. I know many an astrologer who follow this from Aries Asc & if a malefic is posited in Virgo, in the 6 H of the Kalapurusha (Cosmic Man), he predicts stomach problems for the native. (Kalanarasya Avayavath Purushanam Kalpayeth). Or if a malefic is posited in Taurus, he predicts wounds on the face for the native.
Affliction to any house indicates affliction to the corresponding part of the body. North Node - or any other malefic - in the Sixth is indicative of stomach trouble & ulceration. Fourth house affliction means that the heart is afflicted and first house affliction means that the head is afflicted. (Pape Lagnagathe Parajaya Bhaya Siroruja)
The planets correspond to the different systems of Man thus
Sun The Bone System
Moon The Circulatory System
Mars The Muscular System
Mercury The Veins
Venus The Reproductive System
Jupiter The Digestive System
Saturn The Excretory System
From experience, Vedic Medical Astrology is found to be very accurate. In my father's horoscope, he had a specific yoga for Arthritis with Jupiter in Libra Asc and Saturn in Aries. My mother has Saturn in the 12 H; she has a problem in the leg. My co-brother has Mars in the 12 H; he is suffering from some nerve problem on the feet. I personally have the North Node in the 6 H and I have hyperacidity and gas trouble (Papa Shashtagatha Tadodararuja)!
Ayurvedic Gem Therapy
The following stones are prescribed in Ayurveda for specific disorders
Cancer Emerald
Allergy Hessonite
Skin Diseases Cat's Eye, Lapis Lazuli
Insomnia Pearl
Paralysis Amethyst
Nervous Blue Sapphire
Rheumatism Blue Sapphire, Ruby
Arthritis Blue Sapphire
Impotence Topaz Coral
Diabetes White Coral, Diamond, Emerald, Topaz
Liver problems Coral
Jaundice Coral, Emerald, Topaz
Hyperacidity Hessonite
Gastric Ulcer Blue Sapphire
Flatulence Jade, Lapis Lazuli
Dyspepsia Jade
Dysentry Emerald
Colic Cat's Eye
Cholera Cat's Eye, Topaz
Abdominal Complaints Emerald
Heart Troubles Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, Lapis Lazuli
Penumonia Diamond
Palpitation Topaz
Tuberculosis Blue Sapphire
Chest Pain Emerald, Ruby
Basics of Western Astrology Explained
Introduction
This article covers the basics of Astrology and how they are inter-related. Astrology is defined as 'the art or practice of determining the supposed influences of the planets and their motions on human affairs and human disposition'. From this practice a horoscope can be produced - a diagram (or chart) of the relative positions of planets and signs of the Zodiac at a specific time, usually the time of birth. A forecast can then be produced.
The Zodiac
Western Astrology originated way back, around 500 BC, with a concept called the Zodiac being developed. This comprised of an imaginary sphere surrounding the earth, which followed the path of the Sun through the constellations during the year. The Zodiac was split into twelve sections, each named after the specific constellation noted in that area.
Elements
Many ancient philosophies used a set of classical elements to explain the way nature behaved. Each sign was connected to one of the classical elements (fire, earth, air, or water) and was also related to a region of focus; social, personal or universal.
* Water signs are related to growth processes, identification and emotion. In tandem with the other elements, water feels that fire will make it boil, air will evaporate it, but earth will shape and channel it.
* Fire signs are related to action, passion, and energy. In tandem with the other elements, fire feels that earth will smother it, water will drown it, but air will fan and enliven it.
* Air signs are related to thought, perspective and communication. In tandem with the other elements, air feels that water will obscure it, earth will suffocate it, but fire will inspire and uplift it.
* Earth signs are related to sensation, stability, and practicality. In tandem with the other elements, earth feels that air will dry it, fire will dry it, but water will refresh and nourish it.
Modalities
Each sign is connected to one of three modalities; cardinal (sometimes referred to as movable), fixed, and mutable.
There are four quadrants following the order of the zodiacal signs, with three signs in each. Each quadrant describes a season, beginning with a cardinal sign, continuing to a fixed sign, and ending with a mutable sign.
Modalities and Related Zodiac Signs
* Mutable signs are related to adaptability, resourcefulness and holism. They are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.
* Fixed signs are related to determination, focus and individuality. They are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.
* Cardinal signs are related to creativity and initiation. They are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.
Summary of Zodiac Sign Characteristics
* Aries (cardinal, fire, personal): defensive, energetic, head down, assertive, impulsive.
* Taurus (fixed, earth, personal): patient, indulgent, resourceful, thorough, devoted.
* Gemini (mutable, air, personal): quick, logical, inquisitive.
* Cancer (cardinal, water, personal): clinging, protective, sensitive.
* Leo (fixed, fire, social): theatrical, generous, proud.
* Virgo (mutable, earth, social): critically, practical, efficient.
* Libra (cardinal, air, social): lazy, co-operative, fair.
* Scorpio (fixed, water, social): anxious, passionate, sensitive.
* Sagittarius (mutable, fire, universal): careless, free, straightforward.
* Capricorn (cardinal, earth, universal): suspicious, prudent, cautious.
* Aquarius (fixed, air, universal): detached, democratic, unconventional.
* Pisces (mutable, water, universal): distracted, imaginative, sensitive.
This article covers the basics of Astrology and how they are inter-related. Astrology is defined as 'the art or practice of determining the supposed influences of the planets and their motions on human affairs and human disposition'. From this practice a horoscope can be produced - a diagram (or chart) of the relative positions of planets and signs of the Zodiac at a specific time, usually the time of birth. A forecast can then be produced.
The Zodiac
Western Astrology originated way back, around 500 BC, with a concept called the Zodiac being developed. This comprised of an imaginary sphere surrounding the earth, which followed the path of the Sun through the constellations during the year. The Zodiac was split into twelve sections, each named after the specific constellation noted in that area.
Elements
Many ancient philosophies used a set of classical elements to explain the way nature behaved. Each sign was connected to one of the classical elements (fire, earth, air, or water) and was also related to a region of focus; social, personal or universal.
* Water signs are related to growth processes, identification and emotion. In tandem with the other elements, water feels that fire will make it boil, air will evaporate it, but earth will shape and channel it.
* Fire signs are related to action, passion, and energy. In tandem with the other elements, fire feels that earth will smother it, water will drown it, but air will fan and enliven it.
* Air signs are related to thought, perspective and communication. In tandem with the other elements, air feels that water will obscure it, earth will suffocate it, but fire will inspire and uplift it.
* Earth signs are related to sensation, stability, and practicality. In tandem with the other elements, earth feels that air will dry it, fire will dry it, but water will refresh and nourish it.
Modalities
Each sign is connected to one of three modalities; cardinal (sometimes referred to as movable), fixed, and mutable.
There are four quadrants following the order of the zodiacal signs, with three signs in each. Each quadrant describes a season, beginning with a cardinal sign, continuing to a fixed sign, and ending with a mutable sign.
Modalities and Related Zodiac Signs
* Mutable signs are related to adaptability, resourcefulness and holism. They are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.
* Fixed signs are related to determination, focus and individuality. They are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.
* Cardinal signs are related to creativity and initiation. They are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.
Summary of Zodiac Sign Characteristics
* Aries (cardinal, fire, personal): defensive, energetic, head down, assertive, impulsive.
* Taurus (fixed, earth, personal): patient, indulgent, resourceful, thorough, devoted.
* Gemini (mutable, air, personal): quick, logical, inquisitive.
* Cancer (cardinal, water, personal): clinging, protective, sensitive.
* Leo (fixed, fire, social): theatrical, generous, proud.
* Virgo (mutable, earth, social): critically, practical, efficient.
* Libra (cardinal, air, social): lazy, co-operative, fair.
* Scorpio (fixed, water, social): anxious, passionate, sensitive.
* Sagittarius (mutable, fire, universal): careless, free, straightforward.
* Capricorn (cardinal, earth, universal): suspicious, prudent, cautious.
* Aquarius (fixed, air, universal): detached, democratic, unconventional.
* Pisces (mutable, water, universal): distracted, imaginative, sensitive.
How Tarot Cards Can Help You... Really!
What Are Tarot Cards?
Made up of no less than seventy-eight cards, each deck of Tarot cards are all the same. Tarot cards come in all sizes with all types of artwork on both the front and back - some even make their own Tarot cards. The meaning and the message of each one of those seventy-eight cards, however, always remains the same.
Tarot cards were first used by the Celtic people more than two thousand years ago. Many believe that Tarot cards serve only to tell the future, but this is not true. When used traditionally, Tarot cards speak of the past and present, and are supposed to give clues and ideas about the future that you are potentially heading into.
What's In the Cards?
Tarot cards are made up of four suits - much like any regular deck of cards. In fact, Tarot cards have all the same values as traditional playing cards: ace through king for each suit. Only one extra card is added to the royal family in Tarot cards - the squire, his position is just under that of the knave (also known as the jack).
The suits are as follows: wands, which in general speak of esoteric issues such as spirituality or creativity; swords, which speak of conflicts and tensions; cups (or pentacles), which are always about money; and cups, which deal in relationship matters and love. The other twenty-two cards of the standard Tarot deck are called the Major Arcana cards, and are all very specific. Cards such as the Devil, the Tower, and Death are in the Major Arcana.
How Could a Tarot Card Reading Actually Help Me?
When done traditionally, a Tarot card reading can put everything into perspective in a clear and understandable way. Every Tarot card reading is prefaced by a question, one that you do not have to reveal to your Tarot card reader but that you keep to yourself. Each card will come up in the past, present, or future position and will shed some light on the topic of your question.
Whether or not you believe in spiritual or esoteric things, or even in the art of telling the future, a Tarot card reading can help you better understand your own thoughts. You'll realize potentially dangerous patterns in your life, and get a better understanding of self. Even the question that you ask in your mind can help you understand something about yourself, and in this way a Tarot card reading can truly help you.
Can Anyone Read Tarot Cards, Or Do I Have To Call Someone or Go Online?
Anyone can learn how to read Tarot cards. There are many books available, both in online and physical bookstores that will tell you the meaning and message of each and every card. Every card in Tarot has a card-specific meaning, and a message or warning. The good news is, there's no secret about what these cards mean to convey - so you, too, can learn how to read the Tarot.
Once you know the meaning of the cards (and it's not something you have to memorize; it's perfectly okay to keep notes by you when you try to give yourself a Tarot card reading), you can read the Tarot for yourself or for others. Any book you read about the Tarot will explain the spreads to use - the way to lay the cards out to understand their meaning and placement in the scheme of your question.
An Ancient Mystery
Tarot cards are more ancient than religion. Tarot cards are older than most languages and most writing, and yet they are still around and are still being used today the exact same way they were used thousands of years ago. If Tarot cards didn't help people, why would they still be used and still be so popular?
Made up of no less than seventy-eight cards, each deck of Tarot cards are all the same. Tarot cards come in all sizes with all types of artwork on both the front and back - some even make their own Tarot cards. The meaning and the message of each one of those seventy-eight cards, however, always remains the same.
Tarot cards were first used by the Celtic people more than two thousand years ago. Many believe that Tarot cards serve only to tell the future, but this is not true. When used traditionally, Tarot cards speak of the past and present, and are supposed to give clues and ideas about the future that you are potentially heading into.
What's In the Cards?
Tarot cards are made up of four suits - much like any regular deck of cards. In fact, Tarot cards have all the same values as traditional playing cards: ace through king for each suit. Only one extra card is added to the royal family in Tarot cards - the squire, his position is just under that of the knave (also known as the jack).
The suits are as follows: wands, which in general speak of esoteric issues such as spirituality or creativity; swords, which speak of conflicts and tensions; cups (or pentacles), which are always about money; and cups, which deal in relationship matters and love. The other twenty-two cards of the standard Tarot deck are called the Major Arcana cards, and are all very specific. Cards such as the Devil, the Tower, and Death are in the Major Arcana.
How Could a Tarot Card Reading Actually Help Me?
When done traditionally, a Tarot card reading can put everything into perspective in a clear and understandable way. Every Tarot card reading is prefaced by a question, one that you do not have to reveal to your Tarot card reader but that you keep to yourself. Each card will come up in the past, present, or future position and will shed some light on the topic of your question.
Whether or not you believe in spiritual or esoteric things, or even in the art of telling the future, a Tarot card reading can help you better understand your own thoughts. You'll realize potentially dangerous patterns in your life, and get a better understanding of self. Even the question that you ask in your mind can help you understand something about yourself, and in this way a Tarot card reading can truly help you.
Can Anyone Read Tarot Cards, Or Do I Have To Call Someone or Go Online?
Anyone can learn how to read Tarot cards. There are many books available, both in online and physical bookstores that will tell you the meaning and message of each and every card. Every card in Tarot has a card-specific meaning, and a message or warning. The good news is, there's no secret about what these cards mean to convey - so you, too, can learn how to read the Tarot.
Once you know the meaning of the cards (and it's not something you have to memorize; it's perfectly okay to keep notes by you when you try to give yourself a Tarot card reading), you can read the Tarot for yourself or for others. Any book you read about the Tarot will explain the spreads to use - the way to lay the cards out to understand their meaning and placement in the scheme of your question.
An Ancient Mystery
Tarot cards are more ancient than religion. Tarot cards are older than most languages and most writing, and yet they are still around and are still being used today the exact same way they were used thousands of years ago. If Tarot cards didn't help people, why would they still be used and still be so popular?
Astrology and Mankind
American Heritage Dictionary defines Astrology as the study of the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs. Planetary observation is the basis of Astrology. The practice of astrology was prevalent in the ancient times as well. History of Astrology is an important part of civilization and goes back to the early days of the human race. Some of the well-known civilizations of the world used this field extensively. For example, the ancient Chinese civilization, the Egyptian civilization, the ancient Indian civilization, etc all practiced astrology at some point or the other. Arabs too practiced Astrology before the advent of Islam. Arabs were quite advanced in the field of Astronomy.
The ancient Babylonians were probably the first to use Astrology. The Babylonians were the first to name the days of the week after the Sun, Moon, and planets. They were also the first to set out the twelve houses of the horoscope. Baghdad and Damascus were known as centers of Astrology and Astronomy in olden times. Egypt contributed a lot towards the development of Astrology. It is thought that some of the astrological signs of the zodiac originated in Egypt.
Greek astronomer Ptolemy was the first ever person to write a book on Astrology. He codified the sun sign astrology that we know today. Ptolemy tried to predict the positions of celestial bodies relative to each other and the earth through knowledge of their orbital motions. During his time, astrology was a part of astronomy. Later, astronomy became an exact science and Astrology remained a part of Theology.
Chinese astrology stresses on the five elements, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Even the zodiac signs used by them are also different from other forms of astrology.
India has a rich history of Astrology. Astrology was practiced even in the Vedic times in India. Astrology is one of the six disciplines of Vedanga. Ancient Hindu Scriptures too give a lot of importance to the various aspects of planetary motions and its effects on humans. Astrology is still studied and practiced by many in India. It is regarded as vital in Indian culture. It is used to make decisions about marriage, starting of new businesses, and moving into a new house etc. The Hindus believe that human fortune or misfortune in life is due to karma, and karma is believed to be influenced by the movements of the planets. Among the Hindus, Brahmins are considered to be the best authorities on astrology. The astrologers in India claim that it is a scientific method to predict the future. They still club this field of study within the parameters of Hinduism. Hindus almost unanimously believe in astrological predictions. In fact, religious Hindus cannot imagine life without Astrology. More and more Indians have started to build their houses according to the principles of Vastu Shashtra. This ancient Indian tradition is also governed by astrological implications. Hindus believe that the overall prosperity and benefits of the occupants is dependant on the Vastu principles while building the house. Indian Astrologers claim that they can prove that astrological predictions are indeed scientific.
Horoscope is a part of Astrology. Reading the horoscope daily has become a trend even in the developed countries of the West. The Western mind has always put everything subject to scrutiny and they tend to rely solely on scientific facts. But that is not preventing the western people from being obsessed with their horoscopes. Suddenly, the western world has woken up to the possibility of knowing and improving their future with the use of astrology. More and more westerners have started to believe in the possibility of getting affected by the powerful planets and stars. Western scholars have included the subject of astrology in their research. Astrology was never scrutinized and researched ever before the way it has been done over the last few years. In this regard, the Indian astrologers should come forward and show the world the power that astrology holds.
The ancient Babylonians were probably the first to use Astrology. The Babylonians were the first to name the days of the week after the Sun, Moon, and planets. They were also the first to set out the twelve houses of the horoscope. Baghdad and Damascus were known as centers of Astrology and Astronomy in olden times. Egypt contributed a lot towards the development of Astrology. It is thought that some of the astrological signs of the zodiac originated in Egypt.
Greek astronomer Ptolemy was the first ever person to write a book on Astrology. He codified the sun sign astrology that we know today. Ptolemy tried to predict the positions of celestial bodies relative to each other and the earth through knowledge of their orbital motions. During his time, astrology was a part of astronomy. Later, astronomy became an exact science and Astrology remained a part of Theology.
Chinese astrology stresses on the five elements, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Even the zodiac signs used by them are also different from other forms of astrology.
India has a rich history of Astrology. Astrology was practiced even in the Vedic times in India. Astrology is one of the six disciplines of Vedanga. Ancient Hindu Scriptures too give a lot of importance to the various aspects of planetary motions and its effects on humans. Astrology is still studied and practiced by many in India. It is regarded as vital in Indian culture. It is used to make decisions about marriage, starting of new businesses, and moving into a new house etc. The Hindus believe that human fortune or misfortune in life is due to karma, and karma is believed to be influenced by the movements of the planets. Among the Hindus, Brahmins are considered to be the best authorities on astrology. The astrologers in India claim that it is a scientific method to predict the future. They still club this field of study within the parameters of Hinduism. Hindus almost unanimously believe in astrological predictions. In fact, religious Hindus cannot imagine life without Astrology. More and more Indians have started to build their houses according to the principles of Vastu Shashtra. This ancient Indian tradition is also governed by astrological implications. Hindus believe that the overall prosperity and benefits of the occupants is dependant on the Vastu principles while building the house. Indian Astrologers claim that they can prove that astrological predictions are indeed scientific.
Horoscope is a part of Astrology. Reading the horoscope daily has become a trend even in the developed countries of the West. The Western mind has always put everything subject to scrutiny and they tend to rely solely on scientific facts. But that is not preventing the western people from being obsessed with their horoscopes. Suddenly, the western world has woken up to the possibility of knowing and improving their future with the use of astrology. More and more westerners have started to believe in the possibility of getting affected by the powerful planets and stars. Western scholars have included the subject of astrology in their research. Astrology was never scrutinized and researched ever before the way it has been done over the last few years. In this regard, the Indian astrologers should come forward and show the world the power that astrology holds.
Maturity Effects of Planets and Houses
What makes Vedic Astrology superior to other Divination systems, including Western Astrology, is its level of accuracy and precision in prediction. Predictive methods are based on very complex calculations and there are numerous methods which will pinpoint timing down to the exact minute. However there is a simple method which gives remarkable results and should be taken into account when seeing a chart.
Planets and houses are said to give their maturity effects at certain ages in a person's life. The planets are more significant in this regard.
When a planet matures at a certain age, the full potential of the planet will be able to manifest at that time. Whatever a planet promises in the chart, will be clearly visible in a person's life at that age.
This is a very important method of prediction and can often work like magic.
In some cases just knowing a person's age without having access to their chart can give you a strong idea of what they are experiencing in life and how that planet corresponding to their age actually functions in their chart.
The maturity planet will show its intrinsic nature as well as the results of its chart placement. The intensity of its effects will last until the next planet matures.
AGE WHEN PLANETS GIVE THEIR FULL EFFECTS
Jupiter Matures at 15 - 20 years of age (peak 16)
Sun Matures at 22 years of age
Moon Matures at 24 years of age
Venus Matures 25 - 27 years of age (peak 25)
Mars Matures at 28 - 31 years of age (peak 28)
Mercury Matures at 32 - 35 years of age (peak 32)
Saturn Matures at 36 - 39 years of age (peak 36)
Rahu Matures at 42 - 47 years of age (peak 42)
Ketu Matures at 48 - 54 years of age (peak 48)
Jupiter's maturity age (15th birthday) 16th year, will often give some special opportunities, wealth, or higher learning (Jupiter's natural significations) and whatever else it indicates in the chart.
Sun's maturity age (21st birthday) 22nd year, will bring out the person's underlying tendencies to the fore, and if well placed is an important time for professional advancement, along with whatever else Sun indicates in the chart.
Moon's maturity age (23rd birthday) 24th year, will show some psychological maturity. Whatever else the Moon indicates in the chart will come to the fore.
From one's 24th birthday (25th year) Venus will mature. As a natural significator of love a person will generally expect some romance even marriage in their life, if supported by the main horoscope. Venus will also give the effects of its chart placement.
Mars maturity age (27th birthday) 28th year, will see a person developing more initiative and independence in their life. Mars will also give the effects of its chart placement.
Mercury's maturity age (31st birthday) 32nd year, will see more intellectual development and important communication activities taking place. Mercury will also give the effects of its chart placement.
Saturn's maturity age (35th birthday) 36th year, can usher in important changes. A person may experience some form of upheaval or find more security and stability in their life. Whatever a person has been working hard towards in the house that Saturn occupies, will give its full results at this age.
Rahu's maturity age (41st birthday ) 42nd year, can make one more focused on the opportunities for growth that Rahu signifies in the chart.
Ketu's maturity age (47th birthday) 48th year, is an important time for introspection and reflection on how one has developed up till now in their lives. It can be an important spiritual turning point.
If a planet is afflicted in a chart, when it reaches maturity the full negative potential of that planet will be able to manifest.
As an example, if Saturn were badly placed in the 4th house of a horoscope, at the age of 36 a person will have some kind of emotional crisis or difficulties with property matters. Saturn is sure to show its more negative inherent traits such as obstacles, delays, miserliness, over attachment and poverty. If this Saturn were also ruler of the 5th and 6th house it will show obstructions in love affairs, creativity, children (5th house) and problems with debts, enemies and health (6th house).
On the other hand if Saturn is a strong benefic or yogakaraka then one may see a sudden rise in fortune at the age of 36.
MATURITY AGE OF HOUSES
Houses are said to mature at certain times in a person's life also. If a person has a particularly strong or weak house it will show its effect quite obviously during the period of its duration, alongside other more important predictive factors.
9th House Maturity Age (1-24 yrs)
10th House Maturity Age (25 - 26 yrs)
11th House Maturity Age (27 -28 yrs)
12th House Maturity Age (29 - 30 yrs)
1st House Maturity Age (31 - 33 yrs)
2nd House Maturity Age (34 - 36 yrs)
3rd House Maturity Age (37 - 39 yrs)
4th House Maturity Age (40 - 45 yrs)
5th House Maturity Age (46 - 51 yrs)
6th House Maturity Age (52 - 57 yrs)
7th House Maturity Age (58 - 65 yrs)
8th House Maturity Age (66 yrs onwards)
Up to 24 years of age when the 9th house is giving effects, a person will be very much at the mercy of their fortune or misfortune, depending on the strength of the 9th house in the chart. This is a timr when a person develops
their main outlook and approach to life , and finds their destined path or general life direction.
From one's 24th birthday to 26 years of age, one's career often becomes an important point of focus, and trying to attain professional recognition.
From one's 26th birthday to 28 years of age, social opportunities may manifest, along with focusing on one's ability for wealth and profits and trying to achieve major ambitions and long term goals.
From one's 28th birthday to 30 years of age, a person may have to deal with issues of loss, long distance travel may be important, along with spiritual awakening and seeking a greater meaning to existence.
From one's 30th birthday to 33 years of age, a person may be trying to formulate their self identity and become more independent.
From one's 33rd birthday to 36 years of age, a person may be focused on earning money, development of speech and acquiring knowledge.
From one's 36th birthday to 39 years of age, a person may be fostering their independence and initiative, and learning to handle communication in a more effective manner. New creative skills may be taken up at this time.
From one's 39th birthday to 45 years of age, a person may be concerned more about inner stability and settling down in a permanent home.
From one's 45th birthday to 51 years of age, new creative activities may spring up, along with concentration on one's children and their lives.
From one's 51st birthday to 57 years of age, a person may have to focus more on their health and whatever else their 6th house indicates in the chart.
By one's 57th birthday to 65 years of age, a person has learnt to deal with relationships in a certain way.
From one's 65th birthday onwards a person has to confront issues about death and the mysteries of life.
What is the Secret of SUCCESS?
What is the Secret of SUCCESS...?
" RIGHT DECISIONS"
How do you make Right Decisions...?
"EXPERIENCE"
How do you get Experience... ?
"WRONG DECISIONS"
" RIGHT DECISIONS"
How do you make Right Decisions...?
"EXPERIENCE"
How do you get Experience... ?
"WRONG DECISIONS"
END Is Not End
END Is Not End..
In Fact.. It Means..
"Effort Never Dies..!"
So Keep On Working...
Take Care Friends...
In Fact.. It Means..
"Effort Never Dies..!"
So Keep On Working...
Take Care Friends...
We either make
We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.
Leaders aren't born
Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.
Coming together
Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.
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