BLUE WHALES

Blue whales are the largest animals ever known to have lived on Earth. These magnificent marine mammals rule the oceans at up to 100 feet (30 meters) long and upwards of 200 tons (181 metric tons). Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant. Their hearts, as much as an automobile.

Blue whales are baleen whales, which means they have fringed plates of fingernail-like material, called baleen, attached to their upper jaws. The giant animals feed by first gulping an enormous mouthful of water, expanding the pleated skin on their throat and belly to take it in. Then the whale's massive tongue forces the water out through the thin, overlapping baleen plates. Thousands of krill are left behind—and then swallowed.

Blue whales appear blue underwater, but on the surface their coloring is more of blue-gray. Their underbellies take on a yellowish hue from the millions of microorganisms that take up residence in their skin. The blue whale has a broad, flat head and a long, tapered body that ends in wide, triangular flukes.

Blue whales live in all the world's oceans occasionally swimming in small groups but usually alone or in pairs. They often spend summers feeding in polar waters and undertake lengthy migrations towards the Equator as winter arrives.

These graceful swimmers cruise the ocean at more than five miles an hour , but accelerate to more than 20 miles an hour (32 kilometers an hour) when they are agitated. Blue whales are among the loudest animals on the planet. They emit a series of pulses, groans, and moans, and it’s thought that, in good conditions, blue whales can hear each other up to 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) away. Scientists think they use these vocalizations not only to communicate, but, along with their excellent hearing, to sonar-navigate the lightless ocean depths.

Really Big Babies

Blue whale calves enter the world already ranking among the planet's largest creatures. After about a year inside its mother's womb, a baby blue whale emerges weighing up to 3 tons (2.7 metric tons) and stretching to 25 feet (8 meters). It gorges on nothing but mother's milk and gains about 200 pounds (91 kilograms) every day for its first year.

Blue whales are  Earth's longest-lived animals. Scientists have discovered that by counting the layers of a deceased whale's waxlike earplugs, they can get a close estimate of the animal's age. The oldest blue whale found using this method was determined to be around 110 years old. Average lifespan is estimated at around 80 to 90 years.

Between 10,000 and 25,000 blue whales are believed to still swim the world's oceans. Aggressive hunting in the 1900s by whalers seeking whale oil drove them to the brink of extinction.  They finally came under protection with the 1966 International Whaling Commission, but they've managed only a minor recovery since then.

 Blue whales are currently classified as endangered on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List.

New Seven Wonders of the World

New Seven Wonders of the World was a project that attempted to update the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World concept. A popularity poll was led by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber and organized by the New7Wonders Foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland, with winners announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon. The New7Wonders Foundation is regulated by the Swiss Federal Foundation Authority as all nationwide-active foundations in Switzerland are.
They claimed that more than 100 million votes were cast through the Internet or by telephone. Nothing prevented multiple votes, so the poll was considered "decidedly unscientific". According to John Zogby, founder and current President/CEO of the Utica, New York-based polling organization Zogby International, New7Wonders Foundation drove "the largest poll on record".

The program drew a wide range of official reaction. Some countries touted their finalist and tried to get more votes cast for it (ex india), while others downplayed or criticized the contest. After supporting the New7Wonders Foundation at the beginning of the campaign, by providing advice on nominee selection, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) distanced itself from the undertaking in 2007.
The New7Wonders Foundation, established in 2001, relied on private donations and the sale of broadcast rights and received no public funding or taxpayers' money. After the final announcement, New7Wonders said it didn't earn anything from the exercise and barely recovered its investment.

In 2007 the foundation launched a similar contest, called New7Wonders of Nature, which will be the subject of voting until Nov. 11, 2011.

Demonoid

Demonoid is a website and BitTorrent tracker created by an anonymous Serb known only by the pseudonyms "Deimos" and "Zajson".its basic aim to find illegal sites related to torrent. The website indexes torrents uploaded by its members. Demonoid.com was ranked the 538th most popular website overall in December 2010, according to Alexa. Demonoid's torrent tracker had an estimated three million peers in September 2007. The site had over 252,427 torrents indexed as of May 3, 2009 .

Mumbai Indians beat RCB, win Champions League T20 2011 Cup

Lasith Malinga was the Man of the Series. Most wickets in the tournament and won games with the bat as well.
Malinga: "I am very happy. I am playing with MI as a bowler but a few times I had to get some runs, I am happy with the batting but I want to concentrate on bowling. Good feeling [to get Dilshan]. Have always enjoyed playing with MI."
Harbhajan Singh was declared as the man of the match. which obviously called for a big celebration.
Mumbai Indians. Perennial underperformers in the IPL became the Champions League winners. Couldn't have been more improbable. New captain, half-fit side, part-time misfiring keeper, strike bowler lead with the bat.

Suzuki Hazabusa 1300cc

The Hayabusa is designed with a view to be the fastest accelerating bike on the planet with fantastic wind-cheating ability. Its standout, bulbous, lengthy style is instantly recognisable.
An oversized but shapely mudguard goes upwards into the headlight cluster. The indicators sit flush in the fairing, while the pair of smoothly rounded rearview mirrors work well  at all speeds.

The bike comes with silver-outlined four-pod analogue instruments for the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge and temperature gauge. A centered LCD displays the bike’s odometre and twin trip readings as well as Suzuki’s Drive Mode Selector, which allows easy switching between three engine maps as can be operated on the fly. On offer are A mode for maximum performance, B for a relatively tame power curve, and C that subdues the Busa to make it as sedate as a Busa can possibly be. The Busa comes with beautifully sculpted, reach-adjustable, buffed alloy clutch and brake levers, comfortable grips and adequate switchgear bolted onto its clip-on bars. The tank area offers firm grip to the rider’s thighs, and the saddle is comfortably padded for both, rider and pillion.

The new Busa’s fuel tank is slightly lower than on the earlier model, while its visor sits 15mm higher, both combining to allow improved wind protection when a rider tucks in. An angular tail fairing section leads into its wide, easily distinguishable-at- night LED double lens taillight and oval turn indicators. Paint quality, fit and finish and overall quality are acceptable.

Yamaha R15 V2.0 review

Yamaha’s R15 has been the embodiment of their “Racing Instinct” tag line.  Technologies such as liquid cooling, a 4-valve head, a Deltabox frame, well tuned suspension and impressive rubber have made it a sublime race track focussed machine. In the real world, the R15 wasn’t as satisfying to use and lacked a bit of muscular appeal that riders expect from their sports bike. That, and keen competition has resulted in Yamaha upgrading the R15 to v2.0.

At first glance the R15 isn’t drastically different to look at, but extensive changes have been made. A new fairing design to improve aerodynamic efficiency, upsized tyres at the front and rear (a radial) and uprated discs are some of the new bits. There’s also a new longer aluminium swingarm, a new tail section, increased seat height for a sportier seating position and tweaked weight distribution. The ECU has been tweaked for better response, changed throttle mechanism for a more linear feel and revised final drive ratios round of the list of changes. We were taken to the MMST race track to experience the result of those changes.

A few laps astride the R15 v2.0 made it clear that Yamaha has managed to improve on the R15’s core strengths. On the dynamics front the new R15 is distinctly more stable, the longer wheelbase and bigger tyres make it very forgiving to ride hard. Although the r15 is still incredibly sharp and rewarding to ride hard around corners, it has lost some of the flickability of the earlier motorcycle. The engine felt more driveable than before too. It didn’t need to be wound all the way to the red line to get going.  

So the R15 is easier to ride faster around corners, it is better when powering out of corners and very stable down the straights. While the difference may not be startling Yamaha has managed to improve the R15 discernibly in every area. And, while that is no small feat, more performance is needed to really spice things up. The R15 V2.0 is priced at Rs9,500 premium over the out going model. For an in depth report, watch out for the November issue of Autocar India. 

Price Range (in lakhs)*
Ex-showroom Price	Rs.1,07,000 Ex-Showroom Delhi

the all new swift

The new Swift has finally arrived on Indian roads and we’ve just driven it. At first glance, it looks just like the earlier model but the changes are difficult to tell immediately. The fact is that this car is a grounds-up new generation of the Swift.

The new Swift is based on an all-new platform and is now both longer and wider. It gains 90mm in overall length and the wheelbase is 40mm longer. While overall width has increased by 5mm, height remains unchanged.

The benefits of the increased dimensions can be seen in the improved cabin space and the Swift now feels bigger inside, with more knee room for the rear passengers. This is aided, in part, by the indents in the back of the front seats. However, just like the old Swift, the rear still feels claustrophobic due to the small window area.

The Swift’s interior styling, which is heavily borrowed from its Kizashi sibling, is now plusher. The new instruments look superb and the steering-mounted controls feel good to operate. However, material quality hasn’t been improved substantially and the tiny boot space continues to disappoint.

The car is now sportier to drive and the 1.2 K-series petrol gets variable valve timing (VVT) to bump up power to 86bhp. The engine, which was a gem earlier, is simply brilliant now. It loves to be revved and refinement levels are a lot better than before. The addition of VVT has now rid the engine of the slightly weak bottom end. The torque curve is now much flatter and the power delivery more linear. The engine revs cleanly and is vibe-free all the way to the red line, sounding nice near the limit. Maruti says VVT on the 1.2 K-series engine has improved fuel efficiency by four percent and the Indian driving cycle economy figure is an impressive 18.6kpl.

The 1.3 diesel Multi-jet engine remains largely unchanged but the carmaker’s effort to make the cabin a quieter place is evident. The motor, which is still mated to a fixed geometry turbo and develops the same 74bhp, feels more refined than before. There is a bit of lag initially but once past that, it makes good progress. Surprisingly, the diesel has lost its strong mid-range and we found ourselves downshifting more often than we did before. Maruti informs us that the engines have been tuned more for efficiency, which has compromised their flexible nature to some extent but not so much that it would bother most Swift owners.

Ride and handling is substantially improved. Turn-in is sharp, there’s grip to spare and body roll is progressive enough. The ride quality is much improved in terms of bump absorption over big road undulations and the car feels less fidgety at highway speeds as well.

Suzuki has also reworked the steering and the new Swift gets a new variable-gear ratio design and low-play joints. The steering now feels a lot more positive around the centre position and a quicker ratio allows for sharper directional changes. However, it still lacks consistency. It is quick enough but becomes very light and disconnected for a moment after turn-in before it weights up.

Overall, the all-new Swift is lighter, longer and more spacious than before, delivering improved performance, driver dynamics and enhanced fuel economy. Suzuki has done well to iron out most of the flaws in the earlier Swift while retaining all the really good bits. That’s an extremely practical and effective way to ensure that the new Swift will start from where the old one left – right on the top of its class. 

crazy politics

• In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.
• Li’l fascist: Benito Mussolini was expelled from school for stabbing another kid in the buttocks.
• One reason why Fidel Castro grew a beard: The US embargo cut off his razorblade supply.
• Winston Churchill had a heart attack in the White House while straining to open a bedroom window.
• Members of the U.S. Congress are the world’s highest paid legislators.
• Iceland is the world’s oldest functioning democracy.

crazy health facts

• If a man with normal vision and a color-blind woman have children, the daughters will have normal vision and the sons will be color-blind.(amazing fact)
• According to the Worldwide Penis Size Map, men in Congo have the largest penis size. US men are 95th, just after the Russians.
• Cigarettes can contain more than 4,000 ingredients, which, when burned, can also produce over 200 ‘compound’ chemicals. Many of these ‘compounds’ which lead  to lung damage.
• Chickens can suffer from depression.
• Having orgasms prevent men from prostate cancer. Two large studies, reported in 2003 and 2004, found that middle-aged men who had (or at least remember having) at least four orgasms a week throughout their 20s, 30s and 40s had a reduced risk of prostate cancer by as much as one-third. Some researchers speculate that ejaculations may clear the prostate of carcinogens.
• In 1962, an epidemic of laughing broke out in Tanganyika (now Tanzania). Starting among a group of schoolgirls, the laughter spread rapidly, eventually infecting neighbouring villages and forcing schools to close. It lasted for at least six months.
• Anton-Babinski syndrome is a rare condition in which a blind person doesn’t realise that they are blind. They usually insist they can see perfectly well, and make up excuses for why they make errors – such as blaming the quality of light in the room, or saying they’re a bit tired.
• The best way to tell if you have bad breath is to lick your wrist, let you saliva dry, and then smell it.
• If you are locked in a sealed room, you will die of carbon dioxide poisoning before your brain starves from oxygen deprivation.
• Monday is the day of the week when the risk of heart attack is greatest.
• A man once sued his doctor because he survived his cancer longer than the doctor predicted.
• In 1980, a Las Vegas hospital suspended workers for betting on when patients would die.
• Madeline Mitchell overcame a 12-day coma, 21 days on a respirator, two months in a wheelchair and a femur broken in 12 places to become Miss Alabama USA and compete in Miss USA 2011 two years later.

Haemophilia

Haemophilia is a group of hereditary genetic disorders that impair the body's ability to control blood clotting or coagulation, which is used to stop bleeding when a blood vessel is broken. Haemophilia A (clotting factor VIII deficiency) is the most common form of the disorder, present in about 1 in 5,000–10,000 male births. Haemophilia B (factor IX deficiency) occurs in around 1 in about 20,000–34,000 male births.
Like most recessive sex-linked, X chromosome disorders, haemophilia is more likely to occur in males than females. This is because females have two X chromosomes while males have only one, so the defective gene is guaranteed to manifest in any male who carries it. Because females have two X chromosomes and haemophilia is rare, the chance of a female having two defective copies of the gene is very low, so females are almost exclusively asymptomatic carriers of the disorder. Female carriers can inherit the defective gene from either their mother or father, or it may be a new mutation. Only under rare circumstances do females actually have haemophilia.

Haemophilia lowers blood plasma clotting factor levels of the coagulation factors needed for a normal clotting process. Thus when a blood vessel is injured, a temporary scab does form, but the missing coagulation factors prevent fibrin formation, which is necessary to maintain the blood clot. A haemophiliac does not bleed more intensely than a person without it, but can bleed for a much longer time. In severe haemophiliacs even a minor injury can result in blood loss lasting days or weeks, or even never healing completely. In areas such as the brain or inside joints, this can be fatal or permanently debilitating.

Signs and symptoms:

Characteristic symptoms vary with severity. In general symptoms are internal or external bleeding episodes, which are called "bleeds". Patients with more severe haemophilia suffer more severe and more frequent bleeds, while patients with mild haemophilia typically suffer more minor symptoms except after surgery or serious trauma. Moderate haemophiliacs have variable symptoms which manifest along a spectrum between severe and mild forms.
Prolonged bleeding and re-bleeding are the diagnostic symptoms of haemophilia. Internal bleeding is common in people with severe haemophilia and some individuals with moderate haemophilia. The most characteristic type of internal bleed is a joint bleed where blood enters into the joint spaces. This is most common with severe haemophiliacs and can occur spontaneously (without evident trauma). If not treated promptly, joint bleeds can lead to permanent joint damage and disfigurement. Bleeding into soft tissues such as muscles and subcutaneous tissues is less severe but can lead to damage and requires treatment.

Like most aspects of the disorder, life expectancy varies with severity and adequate treatment. People with severe haemophilia who don't receive adequate, modern treatment have greatly shortened lifespans and often do not reach maturity. Prior to the 1960s when effective treatment became available, average life expectancy was only 11 years. By the 1980s the life span of the average haemophiliac receiving appropriate treatment was 50–60 years. Today with appropriate treatment, males with haemophilia typically have a near normal quality of life with an average lifespan approximately 10 years shorter than an unaffected male.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma, more precisely malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many of the body's internal organs, the mesothelium. It is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.
Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart), or the tunica vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the testis).
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. It has also been suggested that washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases the risk of other asbestos-induced cancers.[4] Those who have been exposed to asbestos have collected damages for asbestos-related disease, including mesothelioma. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in law practices regarding mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).
The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms or signs of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years (or more) after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space (pleural effusion) are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.
Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:
Chest wall pain
Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
Shortness of breath
Fatigue or anemia
Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)
In severe cases, the person may have many tumor masses. The individual may develop a pneumothorax, or collapse of the lung. The disease may metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body.
Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:
Abdominal pain
Ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
A mass in the abdomen
Problems with bowel function
Weight loss
In severe cases of the disease, the following signs and symptoms may be present:
Blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs
Jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
Low blood sugar level
Pleural effusion
Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
Severe ascites
A mesothelioma does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.

Cause:

1. Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma.
2. Exposure to asbestos fibers has been recognized as an occupational health hazard since the early 20th century. Numerous epidemiological studies have associated occupational exposure to asbestos with the development of pleural plaques, diffuse pleural thickening, asbestosis, carcinoma of the lung and larynx, gastrointestinal tumors, and diffuse malignant mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, gaskets, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation.
3. Family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos related diseases.This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibres, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.
4. Many building materials used in both public and domestic premises prior to the banning of asbestos may contain asbestos.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history. A history of exposure to asbestos may increase clinical suspicion for mesothelioma. A physical examination is performed, followed by chest X-ray and often lung function tests. The X-ray may reveal pleural thickening commonly seen after asbestos exposure and increases suspicion of mesothelioma. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI is usually performed. If a large amount of fluid is present, abnormal cells may be detected by cytopathology if this fluid is aspirated with a syringe. For pleural fluid, this is done by thoracentesis or tube thoracostomy (chest tube); for ascites, with paracentesis or ascitic drain; and for pericardial[disambiguation needed] effusion with pericardiocentesis. While absence of malignant cells on cytology does not completely exclude mesothelioma, it makes it much more unlikely, especially if an alternative diagnosis can be made (e.g. tuberculosis, heart failure). Unfortunately, the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma by cytology alone is difficult, even with expert pathologists.
Generally, a biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. A doctor removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. Alternatively, the chest surgeon might directly open the chest (thoracotomy). If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a laparoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small incision in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
Immunohistochemical studies play an important role for the pathologist in differentiating malignant mesothelioma from neoplastic mimics. There are numerous tests and panels available. No single test is perfect for distinguishing mesothelioma from carcinoma or even benign versus malignant.

treatment includes surgery , chemotherapy, radiation , immunotherapy ,multimodality therapy.