End Of The World Predictions - Prophecies About The Earth's Doomsday

By Roberta Barrow

Everything in this world, even the world itself will certainly come to its end. When and how it is going to happen is a big question mark that many groups and individuals attempt to answer by giving their end of the world predictions. In fact, the earth's final day has actually been envisaged as early as 634 BCE by the ancient Romans. From then on, various predictions have been given, most of them failed while some are still awaiting their times to unfold. Below are some of them.

1st Century By The Early Christians

Christians during the first century had expectations of Jesus' return after a generation when He died. Even St. Paul the Apostle was believed to be one of these people.

Between 375-400 By St. Martin Of Tours

He stated that the world will be ending prior to the coming of year 400.

1033 By Various Christians

Many Christians during this time have all anticipated that Christ will once again come on His 1000th resurrection anniversary.

1284 By Pope Innocent III

The pope himself has his own predictions of the world's end after 666 years of the Islam religion's rising.

1346-1351 By Many Europeans

When the black plague has spread and affected most inhabitants of Europe, they thought that it was a sign, a beginning of the world's doomsday.

1600 By Martin Luther

He foretold that the year 1600 will not pass and the world will see its end.

1697 By Cotton Mather

He was a Puritan minister whose prediction was that the world will end on that year. What was interesting about this man was that after his 1697 prediction flopped, he once again released predictions about the world's final day twice (in 1716 and 1736).

December 25, 1814 By Joanna Southcott

She was a 64-year old woman who described herself as a prophet. She said that she was carrying within her womb the son of Christ. She proclaimed that the child will be born on Christmas day. This woman died on the day she had predicted and based on the result of her autopsy, it was found that she was not carrying a child.

February 13.1925 By Margaret Rowen

This Seventh Day Adventists woman claimed that she saw Angel Gabriel in her dreams where he told her that the world will end on the midnight of this foretold date.

February 4, 1962 By Jeane Dixon

This psychic foreseen that the world will be destructed when the planets will align themselves with one another.

January 1, 2000 By Various People

Many people believed that the computer virus Y2k will be the cause of numerous computer crashes. Since many systems at this time around the world has been automated by computers, the said malfunction brought about by Y2k was said to create major catastrophes resulting to mankind's end.

June30, 2012 By José Luis de Jesús

His prediction involved the failure of many governments and economies around the world. At such time, he along with his followers will be able to fly and also walk through walls.

On December 21, 2012 By Many Individuals

Many people and groups described different scenarios of the earth's doom such as galactic alignment, nuclear war, giant supernova and more. However, expert geologists and NASA scientists have all confirmed that these scenarios are unlikely to happen.

10100 Years By Various Scientists

The heat of the universe will cease and thus instigate the universe's end because life and motion will not anymore be sustained due to the absence of thermodynamics.

2012 Official Countdown is a complete package of text and audio materials revealing the truths regarding 2012. 2012 The Big Picture is also a similar resource that will show how the world might end according to the Mayan calendar.

How To Buy Centrifugal Fans

By Ador Talukdar

Centrifugal fans are built to be rugged, and are designed with different shapes of blades. They can range in diameter from 200mm to over 5 meters, and the configuration of the blades determines the operation of the fan.

Centrifugal fans may often resemble a paddle wheel and are sometimes referred, to as a squirrel cage. The air enters close to the centre of the wheel, and is turned 90 degrees, and then moves radically outward due to the centrifugal force that is created between the blades of the spinning impeller. The blades can be curved in a convex or concave design, in regard to the direction in which the rotation occurs, or they can be straight. Each design produces a distinctive performance. In order to determine the most suitable design of the centrifugal fans, there should be accurate measurements of the pressures and volumes of air that must be displaced in ventilation systems.

Finding a suitable fan will often entail searching through the catalogues created by the manufacturers of centrifugal fans. Since some customization may be necessary, contacting several companies are asking for quotations or inviting them to submit tenders for construction and installation of the fans, may be a more efficient process. However, additional information, such the pressures and volumes, must be provided, for more complete and appropriate tenders. Information should include temperatures, barometric pressures, humidities and, air densities.

In many situations, there are strict restrictions on the level of noise, that can be produced by the fans. Compliance to the restrictions is necessary, even if the fans are installed underground, and noise levels must be quantified. You may need to provide a plan that shows the proposed location of the fan along with any restriction in the use of space.

When submitting the request for tender, all the quantities and concentrations of pollutants that will be handled by the fan must be clearly identified. They will often include materials such as gases, dust water vapour, and drops of water. Materials of any corrosive nature must also be clearly indicated. You can also indicate preferences for any materials in the manufacture of the impellers and housing assemblies, and you should also specify the type protective coatings or paints to be used in the process or protect.

If you have successfully completed all required back ground work, you may be in a position to specify the type of fan that would be most suited, however, the manufacturer can be asked to propose a suitable solution. The tender should be wide enough in scope to cover all the required aspects, that can include supplying and installation, as well as commissioning the new fan. Each item should be individually priced.

Installation and operation of the fan will require a transmission, motor, monitoring devices, and electrical accessories. These can either be included in the tenders, or they can be separately obtained. There may also be some restrictions on the voltage and available power that can be used in operation of the fans, and these should be clearly indicated. It may also require the use and installation of transformers for proper operation, this issue must also be addressed.

There are many different issued that should be addressed in the purchasing of centrifugal fan. It is always better to seek professional guidance when determining which of the centrifugal fan is best suited for your purpose.

Test passed? Japan's earthquake causes quick response near Fukushima (+video)

TOKYO

For thousands of people living in the region of Japan devastated by last year’s triple disaster, Friday’s earthquake served as an unwelcome reminder of their vulnerability to sudden, violent seismic shifts – and as a warning to the rest of the country.But thanks in large part to the sheer force of the March 11 tragedy, and painful memories of its human toll, people in the vicinity of the quake’s epicenter knew what to do as soon as TV stations issued a tsunami warning: Drop everything and head to higher ground.

As darkness descended, the sense on this occasion was one of relief, not the despair of 21 months ago. Two hours after the northeast coast was rattled by a magnitude-7.3 earthquake at 5:18 p.m. local time, it appeared that the region had escaped unscathed.

Coming at the end of a week in which questions were raised about the country’s infrastructure following last Sunday’s tunnel collapse, the absence of major damage from today's quake was testimony to Japan’s level of preparedness for powerful earthquakes – specifically, the unrivaled ability of its specially designed buildings to withstand violent seismic activity that would have far more devastating consequences in other countries.

QUIZ: How much do you know about Japan? Take this quiz

Japan’s advanced warning system gave people in the area as many as six minutes to take precautions between the first report of the quake and estimate of the its size and the actual arrival of the earthquake.

There were no signs of major structural damage, only a handful of reported injuries, and, while a tsunami did arrive, at a little over 3 feet in height, it paled in comparison to the huge waves that laid waste to the same area last year, killing almost 20,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.

Remember 2011

A third potential source of danger, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, also withstood Friday’s earthquake. The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power, said it had found no signs of damage to the site’s crippled reactors or of radiation leaks.

Workers at the plant, who are struggling to treat and dispose of huge quantities of contaminated water used to cool the reactors before they can begin the long, dangerous process of removing melted fuel, were ordered to take shelter inside the facility. No one was injured, according to plant workers.

But any notions that the battered northeast had seen the end of new fallout from last year’s disaster were quickly dismissed when the meteorological agency announced that Friday’s quake was not the result of fresh seismic activity, but an aftershock from March 11.There were other reminders of the tragedy after Friday’s earthquake struck out at sea, 176 miles east of the city of Sendai: TV announcers imploring viewers to remember last year's quake and tsunami, and the appearance on-screen of red and yellow lines marking out the areas most at risk. On Friday, as on the day of Japan’s worst disaster in more than six decades, the initial quake was followed by powerful aftershocks and the ever-present risk of another tsunami warning.

Narita Airport closed briefly for safety checks and phone lines were temporarily jammed by the sheer volume of calls. Several much smaller tsunami waves, measured in inches, arrived in other parts of the northeast coastline, including Soma city, which lies just outside the 12-mile evacuation zone imposed around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The earthquake measured a lower 5 in Miyagi Prefecture on Japan's scale of 1 to 7, which measures the amount of shaking a quake causes rather than its intensity.

Earthquakes of that strength can cause damage to older buildings and roads that do not have strict quake-resistant features introduced after more than 6,000 people died in an earthquake in Kobe in January 1995.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. Due to its location on the Pacific Ocean’s “ring of fire,” it accounts for about a fifth of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or higher, and experiences at least one tremor every five minutes.

Added anxiety

Buildings swayed for several minutes as far away as Tokyo; nearer the epicenter, where last year’s tsunami turned coastal towns and villages into near-deserted swathes of flattened land, people quickly headed to higher ground.

For all the relief that catastrophe had been diverted, Friday’s earthquake only added to the anxiety felt by the 325,000 people in the region still living in temporary accommodation. (Readmore about life after Japan's 2011 quake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown)

"I was in the center of the city the very moment the earthquake struck,” Chikako Iwai, a resident ofIshinomaki, in Miyagi Prefecture told Reuters.

“I immediately jumped into the car and started running toward the mountains. I'm still inside the car. I have the radio on and they say the cars are still stuck in traffic. I'm planning to stay here for the next couple of hours," she said.

QUIZ: How much do you know about Japan? Take this quiz

Indian Railways to set up institute for accounting training

NEW DELHI: The railways is going to set up its own training institute to impart training and improve finance and accounting skills among its officials.

It will set up an Indian Railway Institute of Financial Management (IRIFM) at Secunderabad to train its officials in accounting and finance.

The state-run transporter will also start a specialized programme to depute middle-level finance officers abroad for training.

Announcing the decision on the occasion of Indian Railway Account Services (IRAS) day, Vijaya Kanth, financial commissioner of railways, asked IRAS officers to examine their role in public service that is meant to be efficient and effective with integrity.

She exhorted the officers to improve their skills which should keep pace with developments outside the finance world.

HDFC Life unveils 2 unit-linked pension plans

MUMBAI, DEC 3: 

HDFC Life has launched two unit-linked pension plans based on new guidelines by the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority.

HDFC Life Pension Super Plus is a regular premium unit-linked plan that offers death benefit of total premiums paid to date accumulated at a guaranteed rate of 6 per cent per annum.

HDFC Life Single Premium Pension Super, a single premium unit-linked plan, offers benefit of 101 per cent of total premiums paid on vesting, the company statement said.

The life insurance company has also launched a traditional annuity plan, HDFC Life New Immediate Annuity Plan. As per IRDA’s new guidelines, customers need to purchase immediate annuity from the proceeds of the Pension Plan from the same company.

A survey -- HDFC Life Value Notes Life Freedom Index -- conducted earlier this year revealed that consumers are sceptical about the adequacy of their financial plans to meet their desired standard of living throughout their lifetime, the company said.

According to the survey, about 13 per cent of youth and women and about 24 per cent of those 45 years and above are confident that they have adequate retirement planning in place. This reflects that planning for retirement among all customer segments needs significant improvement.

Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, HDFC Life said, “HDFC Life Single Premium Pension Super and HDFC Life Pension Super Plus are designed to build a sizeable corpus for post retirement income and offer assured vesting value with minimum guarantee benefits.”

‘Khiladi 786’ review: Akshay Kumar's return as 'Khiladi' marred by bad script!

 

Ananya Bhattacharya

When back in 2008, Rohit Shetty’s ‘Sunday’ pulled off an ingenious spoof on Bollywood’s quintessential pseudo-versatile-genius, people might have had a genuine laugh or two. Little did they know that while Arshad Warsi was caustically speaking about his partner, Irrfan Khan’s acting prowess as the music director who produces his own film, directs it on his own, provides music to it and acts in it; Himesh Reshammiya might actually have been eavesdropping. And perhaps the result of that overheard conversation is this gigantic pain in the neck called ‘Khiladi 786’.

Manshukh Desai (Himesh Reshammiya – need I say more?!) is a wedding planner, an aide in his father’s business. Just that all he can do is break up marriages with his incompetence or some gaffe or the other. So when one such wedding falls apart, Desai is kicked out of his home. Hitting the streets with a bottle of desi liquor and trying to re-enact a Devdas might be anybody’s forte but Himesh’s – the man makes sure of that with his forced acting. Enter Indu Tendulkar (Asin), the girl who nobody wants to enter wedlock with: reason – she’s TT’s (Mithun Chakraborty) sister. Tantiya Tukaram Tendulkar’s abbreviated name is enough to leave people in tatters. An underworld don, this man can just not be imprisoned.

And then there’s the Khiladi. The Punjab-da-puttar Bahattar Singh – 72 Singh as he’s better known as (Inane? You bet.) – Akshay Kumar in garish, loud kurtas knocking off the teeth and smashing the noses of every other bad guy in the village. One might go to the extent of mistaking him for the Robin Hood in uniform. Yes, he plays a cop here as well – seemingly so. From 71 to 75, all the males in the Singh family have their names firmly perched on a number. Khiladi Bhaiya hits people, loots trucks, keeps a considerable amount of the booty to himself and distributes the rest among the people.

Mansukh decides to get Indu and Bahattar hitched, and looks upon it as the wedding that would prove him as a man in front of his father. However, there are cock-and-bull stories to be concocted on the way and brash, rowdy people to be gotten rid of. Oh and there’s Indu’s gunda boyfriend too to be taken care of. Somewhere along the way, Khiladi Bhaiya’s philanthropy gets buried under layers of hallucinations involving him romancing Indu in some foreign land or singing sad songs, also in some foreign land. The Punjab da Puttar is careful about his imaginations: there are red Ferraris and exotic locales involved, always.

Himesh Reshammiya’s story zigzags through concealment of identities, servants trying to bring their employer’s empire down, and a wedding planner hoping that his endeavour doesn’t go in vain. But honestly, he could just have not bothered to go ahead with this waste of talent, money, and whatnot.

Photo Gallery

Click here for Photo Gallery

That Akshay Kumar as an actor is an exceptionally talented one has been proved time and again – given the man has a decent story to perform in. Not this one, though. The genre of action is the Khiladi’s forte, goes without saying; however, when it remains in the realm of the real. One single man taking on more than 200 goons and flattening them single-handedly – come on, haven’t we had too much of that already? When Akshay Kumar isn’t beating people up or thinking about Asin, which – by the way – hardly happens, he isn’t bad. Asin’s Marathi mulgi act is overshadowed by her tomboyish side; but when faced by solid patriarchy in the form of her brother, she hardly has anything to do. Her acting is good, but not one that deserves a standing ovation. Mithun plays off the stereotypical elder-brother-worried-about-sister’s-wedding well.

As far as Himesh Reshammiya’s talent (he’s the producer, storywriter, music director, singer and actor in the film) is considered – we might need to do an entire thesis on why does this man try and burn a little of his fingers everywhere! The old adage ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ might be able to do some justice to the fellow – hopefully.

The music of the film, by Himesh (yet again!) ranges from un-listenable to cringe-inducing songs. Numbers like ‘Hookah Bar’, ‘Fire Brigade’ and the like – absurd as they might appear – are catchy, and will definitely do a good job of staying on the music charts for some time. The other songs will hopefully be forgotten the way so many others are; and cheers to that!

Watch the film if you swear by Akshay Kumar. If you don’t, you’d be ill-advised to go into the theatres.

On Ada Lovelace's 197th birthday Google doodles the evolution of computers

New Delhi: From the first program that Ada Lovelace created for the Analytical Engine to present day laptops and tablet PCs, Google has doodled the evolution of computers on the occasion of the world's first computer programmer's 197th birth anniversary.

The doodle shows Ada Lovelace writing the pioneering computer program with a quill pen seated on a desk and the paper scroll she is writing her algorithm on twirls in the shape of the letters of the Google logo.

Ada King, the countess of Lovelace, was born on December 10, 1815 in Piccadilly Terrace, Middlesex, England and was the daughter of the famous poet Lord Byron, but as her parents separated soon after her birth and she did not get to know her father well.

Her original name was Augusta Ada Byron and on her marriage to William King she became Ada King and later her husband became an earl, she became the countess of Lovelace.

While she was educated at home by tutors, her mathematical skills were further honed by Augustus De Morgan, the first professor of mathematics at the University of London, who helped her in advanced studies.

Her association with Charles Babbage, father of the computer, began when she translated an article by Italian mathematician and engineer Luigi Federico on Babbage's proposed Analytical Engine. She not only translated the work but added her notes that were more elaborate and longer than the work she was translating.

Ada Lovelace died at the young age of 36 on November 27, 1852 of uterine cancer.

Charles Babbage called her the 'Enchantress of Numbers'. Though there has been some disagreements over the extent of Ada Lovelace's contribution to early computing, the computer language Ada is named after her and a medal is awarded in her name by the British Computer Society.