Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Bonsai Art - Bonsai Tray Cultivation, Ancient Art Of Growing Trees, Worlds Most Famous Bonsai Trees

Bonsai Art - Bonsai Tray Cultivation, Ancient Art Of Growing Trees


Bonsai is an ancient art of growing trees; it is a practice borrowed from the ancient oriental Japanese culture.It is assumed that the original Bonsai art was done by Chinese but was better developed by the Japanese. Bonsai involves the raising of trees in a miniature, and displaying them in more decorative and shallow containers. The Bonsai Art incorporates the unfolding of given dwarfed tree in a more idealized form. One can choose either to develop a more complex or uncomplicated one wishes it to be. The plant material or pot used does not matter; what Bonsai is out to portray is to express the beauty of nature. A well created Bonsai is beautiful to behold and leaves a fulfilling experience to the beholder. The art behind Bonsai can delight, silence, sober, and charm up any individual. Sometimes Bonsai can make one to shudder with the realization of the brevity and transitory nature of life itself.


For many years the Japanese developed Bonsai using indigenous small trees but this later changed as demand surpassed the supply. It prompted the Japanese Bonsai gardeners to develop new ways of developing bonsai from other native trees. They made several shapes using the trees to come up with the illusion of age. However the bonsai art, has come of age and new developments incorporated particularly in America. It is much complex and freer in concept and style than that done by ancient Japanese bonsai gardeners.

To develop and express the artful and beautiful bonsai, the type of tree is very essential. This is simply because not all plants are ideal and effective in developing bonsai. The concept behind Bonsai is to create a realistic expression of a mature tree, therefore all parts of the ideal bonsai such as a trunk, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruits, buds, and roots should be symmetrical to the size of the tree used. Infact the plants you select and use in creating bonsai should have small leaves. Those plants with larger leaves, such as the avocado, sycamores or mangoes, will be unproportional if used in developing bonsai. Species of plants such as maple or oak trees are the best, when used they respond well and create the ideal bonsai culture. This is because these trees have leaves that are in proportion. Other species of plants that creates a required bonsai culture includes the spruce, pine, zelkova, and pomegranate.

Bonsai creation is an art; hence the plants selected should give that artistic expression. They should have an attractive bark; similarly the trunk must express the illusion of maturity. In some cases the main branches should be shortened. This tries to emphasize the vertical line of the trunk and also gives the trunk a proportional appearance.

As you plan to express the age appearance, then exposing the upper one-third of the root structure of a mature bonsai is necessary. The branches and the overall part of the bonsai tree should demonstrate the art of balancing to an extent one may think that the bonsai tree is floating in the air. Keep in mind that it is the branches that give the bonsai’s dimension establishing the tree’s original form. It’s therefore wise to ensure that the branches are proportional to each other.



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Holi - Colorful Festival of India, Festival of Colors in India, biggest color festival in the world

Holi - Colorful Festival of India



Holi, also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India, Nepal, Srilanka, and countries with large Hindu diaspora populations, such as Suriname, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, UK, USA, Mauritius, and Fiji. In West Bengal of India and Bangladesh it is known as Dolyatra (Doul Jatra) or Basanta-Utsav ("spring festival"). The most celebrated Holi is that of the Braj region, in locations connected to the god Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandagaon, and Barsana. These places have become tourist destinations during the festive season of Holi, which lasts here to up to sixteen days.

The main day, Holi, also known as Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing colored powder and colored water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad accomplished when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of god Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion. Holika Dahan is referred to as Kama Dahanam in Andhra Pradesh.

Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna (February/March), (Phalgun Purnima), which usually falls in the later part of February or March. In 2011, Holi (Dhulandi) is on March 20 and Holika Dahan was on March 19.

Rangapanchami occurs a few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of festivities involving colors.

There are many stories of the origin of Holi. The most widely held belief is that Holi marks the day when the devotee of lord Vishnu, Bakt Prahlad, seated on the lap of demoness Holika, was saved from the effect of the fire by God and the demoness got burnt instead. Other stories relate to the death of demon Putana at the hands of lord Krishna and to the burning of demoness Hoda by children. Some link the festival with the worship of Karma, God of pleasure and destiny. 
 
The main day, Holi, also known as Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing colored powder and colored water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (death of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad had when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion. 
 
Holika Dahan is referred to as Kama Dahanam in Andhra Pradesh. Holi festival has an ancient origin and celebrates the triumph of 'good' over 'bad'. The colorful festival bridges the social gap and renews sweet relationships. It is the second most important festival of India after Diwali. Holi in India is a festival of fun and frolic and has been associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha. The exuberance and the festivity of the season are remarkable. On this day, people hug and wish each other 'Happy Holi'. People rub 'gulal' and 'abeer' on each others' faces and cheer up saying, "bura na maano Holi hai". 
 
Holi also gives a wonderful chance to send blessings and love to dear ones wrapped in a special Holi gift. Unlike all the other festivals of India, Hindu Holi festival is one such festival where one can put down the social taboos and indulge in the intoxicating drinks and sweets prepared by using opium. It is a festival of romance often represented by the love-play of Radha and Krishna. Brij Holi is famous all over the world for its gaiety in spirit. Each year, young and old, men and women, all indulge themselves in the spirit of colors and for once forget the social taboos. There are mouthwatering delicacies to savor such as 'Gujhias' and 'Papris' and there are interesting traditions and customs of Holi that have their own regional variances. We will also talk about making natural and healthy colors and safety precautions that one must take to enjoy Holi.








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Monday, October 17, 2011

Worlds Most Dangerous Plants & Deadliest Plants on the Earth

Worlds Most Dangerous Plants & Deadliest Plants on the Earth
Over millions of years, plants have developed some crafty ways to fend off hungry animals. Deadly neurotoxins, thorns capable of puncturing car tires, and powerful digestive enzymes are just a few. Following the recent discovery of Nepenthes attenboroughii, a giant pitcher plant large enough to digest rodents, PM tracked down poison-plant aficionado Amy Stewart to discuss some of the world's deadliest plants. Stewart, who is the author of Wicked Plants: A Book of Botanical Atrocities, lives in Eureka, Calif., where she tends a garden that contains more than 30 different species of poisonous plants.
1. Most likely to eat a rat
Giant Pitcher Plant: Nepenthes attenboroughii


Discovered more than 5000 feet above sea level on Mount Victoria in the Philippines, the giant, carnivorous pitcher plant secretes a nectar-like substance to lure unsuspecting prey into a pool of enzymes and acid. A series of sticky, downward ribs makes it nearly impossible for trapped prey to escape. The plant's 30-centimeter diameter is large enough to trap unlucky rodents, but insects are its most common meal. Pitcher plants, of which there are about 600 different species, tend to grow in nitrogen-deficient environments, and therefore get their nutrients from decaying victims. 
2. Most likely to be in your garden now
Castor Bean Plant: Ricinus communis

Castor-bean plants can be purchased at just about any garden center, despite containing the deadly poison ricin. Amy Stewart, author of Wicked Plants and poisonous plant expert, has an affinity for the plant and grows several in her poison garden. Concerned gardeners can simply pluck the seeds off the plant, Stewart says, which is where the ricin is stored. Though the process to extract enough ricin and process it into a weapon is complex, Las Vegas authorities have discovered the toxin in a hotel room in February 2008, and the KGB used it to permanently silence opposition. 
3. Most violently toxic plant in North America
Western Water Hemlock: Cicuta douglasii

Deemed the most "violently toxic plant that grows in North America" by the USDA, the water hemlock contains the toxin cicutoxin, which wreaks havoc on the central nervous system, causing grand mal seizures--which include loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions--and eventually death, if ingested. Water hemlock is different from poison hemlock, Socrates' notorious killer, in that it contains coniine alkaloids that kill by paralyzing the respiratory system. Both are members of the carrot family. 
4. The plant that killed a president's mother
White snakeroot: Eupatorium rugosum

Drinking milk from a cow that decided to chow down on white snakeroot could lead to deadly milk sickness, as was the case with Abraham Lincoln's mother Nancy Hanks. Every part of this perennial plant contains tremetol, an unsaturated alcohol that can cause muscle tremors in livestock before killing them. "People were trying desperately throughout the 19th century to figure out what was poisoning their animals," Stewart says. It wasn't understood until the turn of the century, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture pinpointed the cause and quickly got the word out. Now, white snakeroot still grows wild, but more control in the agricultural industry has helped to prevent cows from eating it. 
5. The best plant to murder a dinner guest with
Monkshood: Aconitum napellus



Stewart was once asked what the best plant would be to murder a dinner guest with--after much deliberation she landed on monkshood. "You could just chop up the roots and make a stew," she says. "You don't need a chemistry plant to do it." The vibrant purple plant, commonly found in backyard gardens, is loaded with the poisonous alkaloid aconite, which tends to cause asphyxiation. While Stewart is certainly joking about cooking up a batch of monkshood stew, she urges anyone who has the plant in their garden to wear gloves when handling it. 
6. Most gruesome killer
Common Bladderwort: Utricularia macrorhiza

This aquatic meat eater relies on several submerged bladders to capture prey such as tadpoles and small crustaceans. An unsuspecting passerby will brush against an external bristle-trigger, causing the bladders to  spring open and capture it. Once inside, the victim dies of suffocation or starvation and then decays into a liquid that is sucked up by cells on the walls of the bladder. 
7. Most animal-like
Venus flytrap Plant: Dionaea muscipula



With the ability to clamp shut in a half-second, the Venus flytrap's reaction time seems fit for the animal kingdom. Insects need to touch two of the flytrap's hairs consecutively in order for the plant to react, but the precise mechanism that shuts the trap remains unclear. The Botanical Society of America notes that early theories suggested that a sudden change in the water pressure of cells triggered the response, but this theory has since been abandoned. It now seems that when the plant is touched, the electrical potential of the leaf is altered, triggering a host of cellular-level events. 
8. The most likely plant to turn a person into a zombie
Angel Trumpet: Brugmansia


The droopy, gorgeous angel trumpet, native to regions of South America, packs a powerful punch of toxins, containing atropine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine. As documented in the 2007 VBS.tv documentary "Colombian Devil's Breath," criminals in Colombia have extracted scopolamine from the plant and used it as a potent drug that leaves victims unaware of what they are doing but entirely conscious. Scopolamine can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes, allowing criminals to simply blow  the powder in a person's face. The documentary is filled with scopolamine-related horror stories, including one account of a man moving all of his possessions out of his apartment (and into the hands of his robbers) without remembering any of it. 
9. The most enticing poison
Oleander: Nerium oleander




This extremely common evergreen shrub is one of the most poisonous plants in the world. "If I were a parent and covering every electrical outlet in the home to protect the kids, I would really have to ask myself why I had an oleander plant growing," Stewart says. The leaves, flowers and fruit contain cardiac glycosides, which have therapeutic applications but are likely to send someone into cardiac arrest should he eat part of the plant. Stewart points out that there is a woman in California currently on death row for trying to poison her husband with the plant, and two young boys were found dead after ingesting oleander a few years back. "People tend to be blasé, because the flowers are bright and pretty, sort of candy-colored. But it is a very poisonous plant that will stop your heart." 
10. Best home-security system
Mala Mujer: Cnidoscolus angustidens

Stewart describes this garden plant as more painful than poisonous. Mala mujer, which translates to "bad woman," can be found in parts of the southwest and Mexico and is covered with nasty thorns, which could be turned into makeshift barbwire if needed. The real danger, however, comes from the caustic, milky sap that can leak from the plant. The sap, a common feature among many plants in the Euphorbia genus, can cause painful skin irritations and unsightly discoloration. "I've had several people tell me they had euphorbia saps in their eyes," Stewart says. "And they had pretty surprisingly long-term eye damage."
READ MORE - Worlds Most Dangerous Plants & Deadliest Plants on the Earth

5 Strange Buildings in the World

A building is man's testament to engineering. But what of the arts? Here's a couple of strange buildings that separate themselves from the pack.

In my travels I've come across more strange structures that can only leave you asking, "what were they thinking/smoking/trying?" To some people, planning a masterpiece and marrying it with structural functionality is a great way to make a living.

Don't believe me? Then how can you explain the following strange buildings?

San Francisco's House of Falling Furniture
 
 

A quaint little building by the corner of 6th and Howard has, since 1997, had several of its furniture running amuck along its sides. Conceived by local artist Brian Goggin, tables, lamps, chairs, and even a grandfather clock are suspended in mid-air, seemingly in the process of jumping/being thrown out a window. "Defenestration," as its theme explains that fact. It's a pretty strange sight for first-time-defenestrated-furniture spotters, but the fact that the locals don't really react much to this strange building makes it seem like "furniture jumping out a window" is a pretty normal thing in 'Cisco.

Crooked House in Poland 
 

You may need to scratch your eyes a bit when you see this gorgeous architectural marvel. (And ask yourself, "am I high?") Located in Bohaterrow Monte Casino street, this extension to the shopping center of the street provides a refreshing take on buildings. While you may think that this was an LSD-trip-brought-to-life, the Crooked House is actually in reference to the out-of-this-world art of Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg.

The Crazy House in Vietnam 
 The 'Crazy House' - DalatThe 'Crazy House' - Dalat
 
While there're structures that are typically designed to look "industrial" or "futuristic," there are strange buildings that go the "organic" route. That's probably the thought in Dr. Dang Viet Nga's mind when she designed the place. (Doesn't it remind you of an old, old Outer Limits episode?) The aptly-named building is actually a Villa, with 10 fully-themed rooms. And no, it doesn't look like that on the inside!

Hundertwasser Building in Austria

 
Located in Darmstadt, this strange funhouse-like building was built by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, a famous Austrian painter and architect. This building called the "Waldspirale" or "Forest Spiral" has 105 apartments and wraps around a courtyard with a running stream. The continuous spiraling roof, whose highest part reaches the 12th floor, is covered by a garden, which has beech, maple and lime trees.

Santa Monica Civic Center Parking Garage
 

What appears to be a strange building tribute to Christmas lights is actually the parking structure for the Santa Monica Civic Center. What makes it so special is that it is actually on its way to becoming the first-ever LEED-certified building of its kind. (that's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design to you) Being LEED-certified is kind of a big deal, because it would mean that this is building was designed with the environment in mind. The roof is covered in solar panels, to generate clean electricity, it also doubles as the shade for the vehicles. The insides of the structure is cleverly designed to let natural light in during day time, and uses efficient fluorescent lighting when needed.
READ MORE - 5 Strange Buildings in the World

Amazing 3D Virtual Street Reality - Amazing 3D Street Illusion Painting, Virtual Street Reality Paintings

3D Virtual Street Reality - Amazing Street Paintings

Street Painting has been recorded throughout Europe since the 16th century. Street painters in Italy are called madonnari.because they often created pictures representing the Madonna. Historically, madonnari were itinerant artists who lived a life of travel and freedom. Aware of the festival and holy days (holidays) in each province and town, they traveled to join in the festivities. They created images in public squares and in front of the local church using bits of broken roof tiles, charcoal, and some white chalk. Passersby would often leave a bit of bread or olive oil for the artist along with an occasional coin. The artists were often commissioned to create votos and ex-votos, and after the festivities or with the first rain, both the painting and the painter would vanish.

A recent development in the Street Painting art form in the twenty first century is the use of user generated video, blogging, and podcasting of Street Painting artists at all levels of ability and their fans worldwide. This new technological advance offers opportunity for all Street Painting, artists, festivals, and fans to allow a window not only to their latest image or festival appearance but a chance to let others know why they street paint and to encourage others – especially the younger generation of street painters to become known and grow in experience.
These are some amazing 3D drawings on the sides of street and pavements at various spots, I dont know the artist as I got this by Email but whoever he is he is truly awesome and a sheer genius . These 3D images give the real virtual experience .
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