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Solar Power Energy, Advatages And Disadvantages

June 25, 2011 By dsoutsid Leave a Comment

The reason of this article is to share some information related to solar, solar energy and its advantages and disadvantages.
Solar means relating to or derived from the sun or using the energies of the sun solar eclipse, solar energy, or proceeding from the sun For Example: the solar systems, solar street lights, solar heaters, solar rays, solar influence etc.

How solar cells works.
You might have seen solar cells on calculators that don’t required any batteries, these solar cells produce energy from light, these type of solar cells are called photovoltaic cells or modules.Photovoltaic is a combination of two words(Photo and Voltaic)photo means light and Voltaic means electricity. means. Modules means a group of cells electrically connected and packaged in a frame. Solar photovoltaic systems are simply use to convert sunlight directly into electricity. They could even provide enough electricity power for your house.

How do Solar Devices Work:

Solar Panels:
Light from the sun consist of particles called photons. As photons are absorbed by the solar panels, the photoelectric effect causes the fellow of free electrons (electricity)

Amp Meter:
There is a measure of instantaneous solar current output. you can Watch the current decrease as cloud cover comes over.

Grid Interactive Inverter
The grid inverter is the device where direct current (DC) from the solar panels is transformed into 240 volt alternating current (AC)at 50 Hertz suitable for running house hold appliances.

Kilo Watt Hour Meter (KWH)
The KWH is a cumulative measurement of solar electricity produced by the portable solar panel.

Main switchboard:
The main switchboard is the common link in the whole grid interactive solar system.

Electricity Load:
The electricity load is the electricity that appliances such as lights, computers and fridge are consuming. Electricity is supplied to the appliances via switchboard.

Solar Power Advantages:

no noise

no pollution, Environment friendly

Solar powered panels and products easy to install. Wires, cords and power sources are not required.

Renewable

Unlimited Fuel source

Save money on long term basis

Equipment needs little maintenance

You can store the collected solar power through solar power battery chargers.

We can use it for different purpose like solar cars.

Solar Power Disadvantages:

Large numbers of solar panels are required to produce enough amounts of heat or electricity.thus large land areas required to place solar panels.

Only can work on areas where sunlight suitable for power generation.

Need expensive investment for the Cost of the solar panels.

Only collect it  during the day time.

Dependable on the climate conditions, can not produce energy in cloudy and stormy days.

Written by robertsky

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Solar Energy in Spain

June 25, 2011 By dsoutsid Leave a Comment

Solar Energy in Spain

Spain is forging ahead with plans to build concentrating solar power plants, establishing the country and Spanish companies as world leaders in the emerging field. At the same time, the number of installed photovoltaic systems is growing exponentially, and researchers continue to explore new ways to promote and improve solar power.

This is the seventh in an eight-part series highlighting new technologies in Spain and is produced by Technology Review, Inc.’s custom-publishing division in partnership with the Trade Commission of Spain.

From the road to the Solúcar solar plant outside Seville, drivers can see what appear to be glowing white rays emanating from a tower, piercing the dry air, and alighting upon the upturned faces of the tilted mirror panels below.

Appearances, though, are deceiving: those upturned mirrors are actually tracking the sun and radiating its energy onto a blindingly white square at

the top of the tower, creating the equivalent of the power of 600 suns. That power is used to vaporize water into steam to power a turbine.

This tower plant uses concentrating solar technology with a central receiver. It’s the first commercial central-receiver system in the world.

Spanish companies and research centers are taking the lead in the recent revival of concentrating solar power (CSP), a type of solar thermal power; expanses of mirrors are being assembled around the country. At the same time, Spanish companies are investing in huge photovoltaic (PV) fields, as companies dramatically increase production of PV panels and investigate the next generation of this technology.

Spain is already fourth in the world in its use of solar power, and second in Europe, with more than 120 megawatts in about 8,300 installations. Within only the past 10 years, the number of companies working in solar energy has leapt from a couple of dozen to a few hundred.

Power from the Sun’s Heat

Southern Spain, a region known the world over for its abundant sun and scarce rain, provides an ideal landscape for solar thermalpower. The tower outside Seville, built and operated by Solúcar, an Abengoa company, is the first of a number of solar thermal plants and will provide about 10 megawatts of power.

The company Sener is completing Andasol 1, the first parabolic trough plant in Europe—a 50-megawatt system outside Granada that will begin operation in the summer of 2008.

Unlike photovoltaic panels, which harness the movement of electrons between layers of a solar cell when the sun strikes the material, solar thermal power works by utilizing the heat of the sun. CSP has until recently cost nearly twice as much as traditional naturalgas or coal power plants, and it is effective only on a large scale.

“You need a very large budget to set up a concentrated solar power system,” says Eduardo Zarza, director of concentrating solar research at the Solar Platform of Almería (PSA in Spanish), a research, development, and testing center.

“You need a great deal of land, a steam turbine, an electricity generator, power equipment, people in the control room, staff to run the system.”

The costs are also front-loaded, unlike those of traditional plants: the fuel is free, unlike oil, gas, or coal, but the up-front development expense is significantly higher.

During and immediately following the energy crisis of the 1970s, nine solar thermal plants were built in California to produce a total of 350 megawatts, but until this year no new commercial plant had been built, anywhere in the world, for

15 years.

PV costs run nearly double those of solar thermal for a power plant of a similar size, but PV has the advantage of modularity; panels can be incorporated into individual homes, companies, and buildings or installed in small spaces.

This micro power approach has helped the market for PV explode in the past five years, while solar thermal remained moribund. With gas costs rising and the world sharpening its focus on global warming, and governments around the world making a concerted attempt to invest in alternative energy sources on a larger scale, solar thermal is attracting new attention.

In Spain in particular, the technology has been assisted by Royal Decree 436,

implemented in March 2004, which approved a feed-in tariff (a guaranteed price) for solar thermal power. The feedin tariff made building this type of power plant economically viable. The government also recognizes that, as with wind, support is necessary at the beginning to enable the creation of new plants—which will most likely drive down prices, as has happened in Spain with wind power.

Solar Energy in Spain

Spain is forging ahead with plans to build concentrating solar power plants, establishing the country and Spanish companies as world leaders in the emerging field. At the same time, the number of installed photovoltaic systems is growing exponentially, and researchers continue to explore new ways to promote and improve solar power.

This is the seventh in an eight-part series highlighting new technologies in Spain and is produced by Technology Review, Inc.’s custom-publishing division in partnership with the Trade Commission of Spain.

From the road to the Solúcar solar plant outside Seville, drivers can see what appear to be glowing white rays emanating from a tower, piercing the dry air, and alighting upon the upturned faces of the tilted mirror panels below.

Appearances, though, are deceiving: those upturned mirrors are actually tracking the sun and radiating its energy onto a blindingly white square at

the top of the tower, creating the equivalent of the power of 600 suns. That power is used to vaporize water into steam to power a turbine.

This tower plant uses concentrating solar technology with a central receiver. It’s the first commercial central-receiver system in the world.

Spanish companies and research centers are taking the lead in the recent revival of concentrating solar power (CSP), a type of solar thermal power; expanses of mirrors are being assembled around the country. At the same time, Spanish companies are investing in huge photovoltaic (PV) fields, as companies dramatically increase production of PV panels and investigate the next generation of this technology.

Spain is already fourth in the world in its use of solar power, and second in Europe, with more than 120 megawatts in about 8,300 installations. Within only the past 10 years, the number of companies working in solar energy has leapt from a couple of dozen to a few hundred.

Power from the Sun’s Heat

Southern Spain, a region known the world over for its abundant sun and scarce rain, provides an ideal landscape for solar thermalpower. The tower outside Seville, built and operated by Solúcar, an Abengoa company, is the first of a number of solar thermal plants and will provide about 10 megawatts of power.

The company Sener is completing Andasol 1, the first parabolic trough plant in Europe—a 50-megawatt system outside Granada that will begin operation in the summer of 2008.

Unlike photovoltaic panels, which harness the movement of electrons between layers of a solar cell when the sun strikes the material, solar thermal power works by utilizing the heat of the sun. CSP has until recently cost nearly twice as much as traditional naturalgas or coal power plants, and it is effective only on a large scale.

“You need a very large budget to set up a concentrated solar power system,” says Eduardo Zarza, director of concentrating solar research at the Solar Platform of Almería (PSA in Spanish), a research, development, and testing center.

“You need a great deal of land, a steam turbine, an electricity generator, power equipment, people in the control room, staff to run the system.”

The costs are also front-loaded, unlike those of traditional plants: the fuel is free, unlike oil, gas, or coal, but the up-front development expense is significantly higher.

During and immediately following the energy crisis of the 1970s, nine solar thermal plants were built in California to produce a total of 350 megawatts, but until this year no new commercial plant had been built, anywhere in the world, for

15 years.

PV costs run nearly double those of solar thermal for a power plant of a similar size, but PV has the advantage of modularity; panels can be incorporated into individual homes, companies, and buildings or installed in small spaces.

This micro power approach has helped the market for PV explode in the past five years, while solar thermal remained moribund. With gas costs rising and the world sharpening its focus on global warming, and governments around the world making a concerted attempt to invest in alternative energy sources on a larger scale, solar thermal is attracting new attention.

In Spain in particular, the technology has been assisted by Royal Decree 436,

implemented in March 2004, which approved a feed-in tariff (a guaranteed price) for solar thermal power. The feedin tariff made building this type of power plant economically viable. The government also recognizes that, as with wind, support is necessary at the beginning to enable the creation of new plants—which will most likely drive down prices, as has happened in Spain with wind power.

RunGreenPower.com will teach you how to build solar & wind power systems for
your home within a weekend.
Check It Now: Homemade Soalr panels

Written by YoniL

Filed Under: Solar System Tagged With: , ,

Paper on Solar System

June 25, 2011 By dsoutsid Leave a Comment

Sample Term Paper

Words 1,320

This chapter is an overview of the Solar system discussing the system and the planets and other bodies existing in the solar system.

The solar system is composed of the sun and all the objects in its orbit like the planets the moons and other objects in the interplanetary space. Comparative planetology compares and contrasts the solar system with other systems in the universe to understand the development and growth and formation of planets.

Asteroids are small bodies that are no larger than the size of earth’s moon and they orbit the sun in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Comets on the other hand are pieces of ices found in the outer side of the solar system and thought to be leftover since the creation of the solar system.

All of the large  planets orbit the sun counterclockwise  and mercury and Pluto have the greatest orbital inclination.

Density of a planet ca be found by dividing the total mass of a planet by its volume. The four innermost planets density is similar to earth’s and have rocky terrain. The outer planets have lower density and are made up of gaseous material. Apart from Pluto, the first four plates are rocky terrestrial planets and the other four are gaseous Jovian planets.

The Jovian planets are larger move more quickly and have stronger magnetic fields. Thy also have several moons and rings around them.

All the planets except for Pluto have been visited by unmanned spacecrafts probes. Spacecrafts have landed on Venus and Mars.

And in some cases spacecraft trajectories have had  gravitational assists from other planets.

 

Please visit http://www.papersunlimited.biz for further academic assistance.

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Top 10 Best Universities And Colleges in The World

June 25, 2011 By dsoutsid Leave a Comment

1. Stanford University

Stanford University was founded in the year 1885. The Motto of this University is “The Wind of Freedom Blows” . The colors like cardinal red and white makes it a beautiful University. The president of the University is John L. Hennessy. Endowment of University is US .9 billion. The faculty staff is about 1910. The students it cover are 15,319.  

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Motto of the University is “Mine and Hand”. The President is Susan Hockfield. The colors of the University is Cardinal red and street gray. Endowment of University is US .3 billion. Having a academic staff of 1009 and students of 10384. Having mascot as Tim the Beaver. It has total area of 168 acres. 

3. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a public university located in Mexico City. The Motto of the University is “The spirit shall speak for my race”. The President is Jose Narro Nebles. The colors of the University is Blue and Gold.Having a academic staff of 35,679 and students of 314,557. Having mascot as Puma. It has total area of 7.3 square km.

4. University of California, Berkeley

University of California is a public research university located in Berkeley, California. The Motto of the University is “Let There be light”. The Chancellar is Robert J. Birgeneau. The colors of the University is Yale Blue and California Gold. Endowment of University is US .34 billion. Having mascot as Oski the Bear. It has total area of 27 square kms.

5. Peking University

Peking University is a major research university located in Beijing, China.The President is Zhou Qifeng.Having a academic staff of 4,206 and students of 30,384. It has total area of 2.73 square km.

6. Michigan State University

Michigan State of Technology is a public research university located in Michigan , USA. The Motto of the University is “Advancing Knowlegde and Transforming Lives”. The President is Dr. Lou Anna Simon. The colors of the University is Green and White. Endowment of University is US .05 billion. Having a academic staff of 5000 and students of 47,278. Having mascot as Sparty. It has total area of 10,000 acres.

7. Yale University

Yale University is a private university located in New Haven, Connecticut. The Motto of the University is “Light and Truth”. The President is Richard C. Levin. The colors of the University is Yale Blue. Endowment of University is US .3 billion. Having a academic staff of 3619 and students of 11,584. Having mascot as Handsome Dan. It has total area of 837 acres.

8. Indiana University

Indiana University is a campus university located in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. The Motto of the University is “Light and Truth”. The President is Michael McRobbie. The colors of the University is Cream and Crimson. Endowment of University is US .23 billion. Having a academic staff of 2965 and students of 42,347. It has total area of 1937 acres.

9. Purdue University

Purdue University is a flagship university of six-campuses located in West Lafayette, Indiana, US. The President is France A. Cordova. Endowment of University is US .43 billion. Having a academic staff of 6614 and students of 39,697. Having mascot as Boilermaker Special. It has total area of 2,474 acres.

10. Duke University

Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. The Motto of the University is “Knowledge and Faith”. The President is Richard H. Brodhead. The colors of the University is Duke Blue and White. Endowment of University is US .8 billion. Having a academic staff of 2,887 and students of 13,662. It has total area of 8610 acres.

Written by jontymagicman
Professional Writer

See How Big The Universe Is

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Great Info For International Students on How to Apply For an M.s. Program in U.s. Universities

June 25, 2011 By dsoutsid Leave a Comment

In the U.S., there are hundreds of universities, which attract many international students. The cost of education, however, in America is very high. Further, the financial aid opportunities for foreign students are limited. If you’re an international student who is planning to apply for admission or has been admitted—without funding—for a M.S. program in a U.S. university, you’ve come to the right place for a variety of info on graduate education in America.

How to Select U.S. Universities to Pursue M.S. / Ph.D.?

Here are useful tips on how to choose American universities to pursue an M.S. / Ph.D. program. These steps also help you to select and designate four universities to receive official GRE scores, at no extra cost, during GRE registration:

1. First, identify you areas of interest of research / specialization

2. Next, decide whether you want to apply for top 25 universities or other universities. Base your decision, among others, on your

Academic profile

Projects

Research / teaching potential

Internship (if any)

Work experience (if any)

Published papers (if any)

Co-curricular activities

Your estimation of how much you would score on the GRE also plays a key role in the selection of universities for specifying the same during GRE registration. Aim for the highest scores on the GRE.

Visit http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/national-universities-rankings/ to search for top universities in the U.S. for your M.S. / Ph.D.

3. Third, search for U.S. universities which has in its program curriculum the topics of your interest and or where professors are engaged in your areas of research interests. Your search also helps you to apply for RA / TA. The websites of the universities usually list / detail the areas of research engaged by their faculty.

The crucial function in this step is you’ve to use top search engines like Google and Bing and use the most relevant keywords / key phrases to identify a few universities that has programs / research that align with your academic and specialization interests.

Another useful resource to find universities that offer graduate programs, in various areas, leading to M.S. /Ph.D. is gradschools.com.

4. Talk to your professors / managers (if you’re working) and check whether they recommend any universities that match your interested fields of research / specialization.

5. Your friends, classmates, relatives who are in the U.S. for their M.S. / Ph.D. may also be a valuable source of information regarding their universities.

Getting Financial Aid to Study at American Universities: Tips For International Graduate Students

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Steps to Apply for an M.S. Program in a U.S. University

Step 1: Identify your aptitude and interest area to pursue an M.S. program in that field in an American university

Step 2: Select at least four U.S. universities that offer the graduate program you wish to pursue. Why four universities? Because you can send official GRE scores to four universities at no extra cost. Read How to Select U.S. Universities to Pursue M.S. / Ph.D. above.

Step 3: Take GRE and TOEFL

Step 4: Prepare your resume and statement of purpose (SOP)

Step 5: Apply online through the website of the university at least six months before the intended semester of enrollment.

Step 6: Ask your professors to recommend you for admission by uploading / sending the letters of recommendation (LOR) to the university

Step 7: Send a bank statement and other related documents, as required by the university, which certify that you’ve the funds available to pursue the M.S. program. Note that not all universities require that you send the financial proof along with your application. Such universities will need the bank statement only if you’re admitted to their M.S. program. You don’t have to send the financial proof at all if you’re awarded full financial aid; if you receive partial financial aid, you’ve to show the availability of funds only for the balance amount.

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How to Prepare a Resume to Apply for M.S. / Ph.D. in U.S. universities?

Many universities in America require the resumes of applicants for M.S. / Ph.D. programs. The admission committees in U.S. universities use the resumes as a tool to evaluate students for admission.

If you’re a recent graduate, you may use the following format for your resume to upload it online with your application for M.S.:

1. Name, address, telephone numbers: cell and land line, and e-mail ID
2. Summary of your academic projects, internship experience (if any), published papers (if any), and academic accomplishments
3. Objective of pursuing the M.S. program, with emphasis on why you want to pursue the M.S. in the specific university
4. Awards
5. Internship experience
6. Published papers
7. Project Work: Detail the benefits and technological significance, your role in the project, list the corporate sponsor (s) (if any), and other relevant information
8. Core Courses: Highlight the important courses with ref to the M.S. program you’re interested in, particularly those in the last two years of study
9. Co-curricular achievements
10. Extra-curricular activities

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Credit Hours Explained

In the U.S. education system, a course is usually worth three credit hours. Some courses, however, can be worth four, two or one credit hour(s).

Let’s assume that all the courses you’ve take to get a M.S. degree from a U.S. university are each worth three credit hours. If a program requires 36 credit hours for an M.S. degree, you’ve to take 12 courses to earn the same. If you take four courses each semester, you can complete the courses for the master’s degree in three semesters.

If you choose a non-thesis option for your M.S. degree, you most likely will have to take a comprehensive exam during your final semester. Check with the website of the university / department you’re interested in for details.

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In-State and Out-of-State Tuition in U.S. Universities for Pursuing an M.S. Program

U.S. universities charge two types of tuition: in-state and out-of-state. In monetary terms, out-of-state tuition is much higher than in-state tuition.

American students residing in an U.S. State–for a particular period of time–are eligible to pay the in-state tuition for their undergraduate or graduate studies in universities located in that state. Students from other states of America are required to pay the out-of-state tuition.

International students also need to pay the out-of-state tuition. However, foreign students who receive an out-of-state tuition waiver pay only the in-state tuition for their M.S. program.

If you receive an out-of-state tuition waiver, your overall cost of pursuing an M.S. program reduces drastically.

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Out-of-State Tuition Waiver for International Students

International students awarded a TA / RA / GA also receive out-of-state tuition waiver. Some international students even receive an in-state tuition waiver with their TA / RA, which means they do not have to pay any tuition at all.

Out-of-state tuition waiver may also be granted without a TA / RA / GA.

The Department for which you’re applying for M.S. in the U.S. University considers your academic performance prior to awarding tuition waivers. Many international students receive tuition waivers, which are not guaranteed, from the second semester, based on their first semester GPA.

Getting Financial Aid to Study at American Universities: Tips For International Graduate Students

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Nine Tips to Complete M.S. on a Fast Track in a U.S. University

Here are nine tips to get your M.S. from an U.S. university faster and in an economical way:

1. Take more courses per semester. Be careful, however, not to overload yourself. Too many courses each semester could affect your health and grades.

2. Enroll for courses in the summer term also. Further, some courses may be offered in the summer term only.

3. If you don’t have a Graduate Assistantship (GA) / Research Assistantship (RA) / Teaching Assistantship (TA), try to get an on-campus job. It can cover at least some of your educational and living expenses.

4. Try to get an out-of-state tuition waiver from at least the second semester, if not from the first. Tuition waiver can sharply reduce your overall cost of M.S. in the U.S. Note that the higher the grades in your courses in the first semester, the better the chances of you receiving an out-of-state tuition waiver from the second semester.

5. Text books are very expensive in the U.S. Here are some strategies to acquire text books at a lower cost for your M.S. in America:

a) Check if you can borrow / buy the books from your friends.

b) Find out whether you can borrow the books you need from the library. You may also want to reserve the text books in advance.

c) If the book(s) are not available in your university libraries, ask the librarian whether the book you need can be acquired through other university libraries by Inter Library Loan (ILL), which is quite a popular service of university libraries.

d) If you can’t get the book at all through libraries, buy used books. Many U.S. universities organize used books sale, which is an opportunity for you to buy the books at lower rates.

6. Share your apartment with other students and reduce your rent expenses.

7. Use e-mail, chat, video conferencing as much as possible, rather than telephone calls, for communicating with your parents and others in India.

8. Avoid / minimize travel expenses.

9. Use public transportation, if possible, rather than own or share a car.

Getting Financial Aid to Study at American Universities: Tips For International Graduate Students

Written by S Viswakumar
Professional Content Writer and E-Learning Developer

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The World’s Oldest Universities

June 25, 2011 By dsoutsid Leave a Comment

The oldest university in the Philippines is the University of Santo Tomas (UST) which was established by Spanish missionaries during the 16th century. UST is 25 years older than the oldest university in the USA – Harvard university. Compared to the oldest universities in the world, UST and Harvard University are much younger. Here are the 10 oldest universities in the world.

1. University of Padua: Italy

Image Source

The University is founded by a large group of students and professors leaving University of Bologna for more academic freedom. School operations were suspended in 1237-61, 1509-17 and 1848-50. This university is located in Padua, Italy and was founded in the year 1922.

2. University of Montpellier: France

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This university is founded in 1220 and located in Montpellier in France. The university was closed in 1793 due to the French Revolution, and its faculties reintegrated under the Imperial University of France in 1808. The university is considerably older than its formal founding date, associated with a bull issued by Pope Nicholas IV in 1289, combining all the long-existing schools into a university.

3. University of Salamanca: Spain

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The University of Salamanca is the oldest university in current operation of Spain. It is located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid and one of the oldest universities in Europe… It was founded by Alfonso IX Leon in1218 as a “General School”. This foundation did not last and the university was re-founded by Alfonso’s son, King St. Ferdinand III in 1243.

4. University of Cambridge: England

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The University of Cambridge was founded in 1209 by scholars leaving Oxford after a dispute. It is located in Cambridge, England and is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is considered as one of the world’s premier academic institutions. Academically, Cambridge is consistently ranked in the world’s top 5 universities.

5. University of Modena and Reggio Emilia: Italy

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The University of Modena and Reggio Emilia is located in Modena and Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, is one of the oldest universities in Italy, founded in 1175, with a population of more than 16,000 students. The medieval university disappeared by 1338 and was replaced by “three public lectureships” which did not award degrees and were suspended in the 1590s “for lack of money”. The university was not reestablished in Modena until the 1680s and did not receive an imperial charter until 1685.

6. University of Oxford: England

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The exact date of the university’s founding is uncertain. Before 1167, teaching existed since 1096. Teaching had been suspended twice; in 1209 (due to town execution of two scholars) and 1355, due to the St. Scholastica riot. Oxford is regarded as one of the world’s leading academic institutions and considered as the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It has 38 independent colleges.

7. University of Paris: France


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There was no exact date on the foundation of this university but founded before 1150. Teaching was suspended in 1229 and was split into 13 universities in 1970. The historic University of Paris first appeared in the second half of the 12th century, but was in 1970 reorganized as 13 autonomous universities

8. University of Bologna: Italy

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The University of Bologna is the first university founded in the Western World and one of the oldest continually operating degree-granting universities in the world. The University of Bologna received a charter from Frederick I Barbarossa in 1158, but in the 19th century, a committee of historians traced the birth of the University back to 1088, making it arguably the longest-lived university in the West.

9. Al-Azhar University: Cairo, Egypt


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Al-Azhar University is an Egyptian institution of higher learning. It is connected to Al-Azhar mosque in Old Cairo. Al-Azhar (in Arabic: the most flourished and shining) was so called either because it was surrounded by great glittering places, or as a hopeful disposition, or after the name of Sayeda Fatima Al-Zahra’, daughter of the Prophet Mohammed. The mosque was built in two years from 969 AD, the year in which its foundation was laid. The Madrasah connected with it was founded in 988 AD. Studies began in Al-Azhar in Ramadan by October 975 AD, when Chief Justice Abul Hasan Ali ibn Al-No’man started teaching the book “Al-Ikhtisar”, on the Shiite jurisprudence.

10. University of Al-Karouine: Fes, Morocco

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This university is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest continuously-operating, degree-granting university.

The University of Al-Karaouine is located in Fes, Morocco. It was founded in 859 and the university is one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the Muslim world and is considered the oldest continuously operating institution of higher learning in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records.

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The Month of June: History, Holidays and Personalities
The Month of May: History, Holidays and Personalities
Who is the Most Unforgettable and Unforgivable Leader in History
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The Suez and Panama Canals: Two Shipping Canals of Great Importance
10 Dynasties That Reigned the Longest in History
Unusual Amendments to the US Constitution
The Most Horrifying Mass Killings of Civilians (by Bombing) in History
The Most Horrifying Political Mass Murders in History
Why is Greenland Just an Island Not a Continent?
Philippine Events with Great Impact and Significance in World History

Written by nobertbermosa
I am a Secondary School Head Teacher III and currently enrolled for my doctorate degree at Araullo University. I also contribute to Triond and Factoid

The Known Universe takes viewers from the Himalayas through our atmosphere and the inky black of space to the afterglow of the Big Bang. Every star, planet, and quasar seen in the film is possible because of the world’s most complete four-dimensional map of the universe, the Digital Universe Atlas that is maintained and updated by astrophysicists at the American Museum of Natural History. The new film, created by the Museum, is part of an exhibition, Visions of the Cosmos: From the Milky Ocean to an Evolving Universe, at the Rubin Museum of Art in Manhattan through May 2010. Data: Digital Universe, American Museum of Natural History www.haydenplanetarium.org Visualization Software: Uniview by SCISS Director: Carter Emmart Curator: Ben R. Oppenheimer Producer: Michael Hoffman Executive Producer: Ro Kinzler Co-Executive Producer: Martin Brauen Manager, Digital Universe Atlas: Brian Abbott Music: Suke Cerulo For more information visit www.amnh.org
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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Battle: Los Angeles Review. Pure Gritty Military Combat –With Aliens!

June 25, 2011 By dsoutsid Leave a Comment

“This is a military invasion” announces one character in the movie, and pretty much describes the entire movie. It even spells it out for you in the movie’s title itself. “World Invasion, Battle: Los Angeles” is pure combat, war action, and in this movie, the alien sci-fi aspect actually takes a secondary description.

What seems at first like a meteor shower, turns out as an entry of alien armies on a blitzkrieg attack on numerous parts of planet Earth. The movie focuses on Los Angeles, California where an alien battalion has began decimating the population. We, the audience, follow a military platoon dispatched to locate surviving civilians, and battle the attacking aliens.

This is all-gritty combat movie, as it is all told from the soldier’s perspective; no scientists, no overheroic civilians, and we don’t even get to see the enemy point of view. The movie wastes no time in lingering too much on what these aliens are and why they are trying to wipe out all humans. The movie just tells you flat out the details in a couple of seconds, and then goes back to the action. It reminds me of Vietnam War movies where the focus is generally on the protagonist soldiers, their interactions with one another, and there’s not much of a focus on what the enemy looks like or what the enemy motivation really is. It’s very much war drama – with aliens.

There is a specific focus on the military unit. We follow them throughout the movie. Through their moments of suspense, drama, and action, we are there with them. And because of this, we get to share the character’s fears and paranoia of what is out there, and the anticipation of getting to shelter and safety as soon as possible, as well as the fears and questions of how this violent menace can be stopped.

The script of the movie is its weak point, with lines that are dull and traditional. It’s a good thing Aaron Eckhart was able to deliver those badly-written lines. His impressive acting boiled down the cheesiness of the script. The rest of the cast were good enough to be satisfactory. But then again, this is a movie that is not meant to rely too much on the script, but more on the emotions of the characters and what happens to them visually.  

The character development of the story lasted for some very few scenes, and felt like it did not need to elaborate on their personalities too much. The film accomplishes a decent character development for its handful of main cast in a mere couple of minutes. Even Michelle Rodriguez’s character which was introduced late, had her fair amount of time with character development.

The director Jonathan Liebesman employs a “shaky camera” documentary-looking style that remind you of Paul Greengrass’ Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum, Neill Blomkamp’s District 9, and actual marine footages during the Iraq war. This emulates the grit and the realism of a real world being menaced by an alien attack, and how the military would actually counter-act to this menace. Just like the other films of similar styles, the use of news reports to view the attacks simulate the shock, awe, and horror of an actual alien attack.  As I was watching many of the scenes on this movie, I could not help but be reminded of footages of the US invasion of Iraq. There are elements of the story that seem to allude to that, but it is not crow-barred in to be annoying, and becomes nothing more than a coincidental similarity.

The specific details on the aliens, as to the alien creature designs, and its vehicles and weapons, are not being spotlighted too much. Although you do get to see the aliens and its vehicles, you really don’t get to see every bit of detail of what the aliens look like. Mainly because the design of the aliens does look out-of-this world, and you can’t easily compare its appearance to some existing animal. We don’t get to see the aliens actually spell out what their motivations are, yet the story does get to address that. Unlike many alien invasion movies, these are not all-too invulnerable aliens; we don’t get to waste time trying to figure out how to kill an alien; rather, it boils down to combat sensibilities, with the question: how do you win the battle?

For me, this is the first big explosive movie of 2011. High points on visual impact and tense military combat action. A spectacular movie to check out. I give it a two thumbs up!

Written by Reymundo Salao

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Free Monsters vs. Aliens coloring pages

June 25, 2011 By dsoutsid Leave a Comment

                 Have you seen the new movie Monsters vs. Aliens yet?  This movie hit the theaters yesterday. After being so busy looking for a new house my husband and I decided to take a break and take the 3 kids to see Monsters vs. Aliens. When we first got to the movie theater we weren’t even sure there was going to be any more sits available that’s how packed the theater was. We waited in line for tickets for 30 minutes hoping Monsters vs. Aliens will be worth the wait, especially because my 3 little ones were getting very antsy waiting to see their favorite character named B.O.B played by Seth Rogen.

               When the movie first started it was actually quite boring and I though “My poor kids are going to hate this movie”, because little kids aren’t going to understand how Gignormica played by Reese Witherspoon became ginormous. After that scene was over the movie started to get funny, more animated, and the kids all had smiles on their faces and were finally enjoying themselves. Monsters vs. Aliens actually turned out to be a really well put together movie and now one of my kid’s favorites besides WALL-E. Was Monsters vs. Aliens better than WALL-E? As an adult opinion I favored Monsters vs. Aliens, but as a child’s opinion mine loved all the cute monsters but will always have WALL-E as their favorite for now anyway. My kids told me that Monsters vs. Aliens is now their 5th favorite movie. So at least I know this movie will soon be added to our movie collection and of course watched 100 times or more.

               After the movie was over we went out to dinner. While eating my one son asked me” Mommy can you get me some Monsters vs. Aliens games”? So I told him as soon as we get home mommy will look on the computer to see what Monsters vs. Aliens stuff they carry. When we got home I stared to look for free Monsters vs. Aliens coloring pages, activities, games, and printables. This is what I came up with.

                Monsters vs. Aliens games can be found at Amazon.com, Best Buy, Costco, Game Stop, K-Mart, Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, and Sears. You will be able to get the game in the DS, Wii, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, and PC.

                 Cheatmasters.com- On this website you will be able to find out all the secrets, codes, and cheats for Monsters vs. Aliens game. Also on this website there is a Monsters vs. Aliens FAQ section to help guide you through with the cheats or questions you may have.

                 Hellokids.com- Your little monsters fans can play a real fun game called “Monsters vs. Aliens ooze Gonna Save Us”, watch the Monsters vs. Aliens movie trailer, and checked out some beautiful colored pictures of all your favorite monster characters.

                http://hubpages.com/hub/FREE-Printable-Monsters-Vs-Aliens-Coloring-Pages – Get your crayons out to color Ginormica, Dr. Cockroach, Insectosaurus, B.O.B. and more. 5 great looking Monsters vs. Aliens coloring pages that you can print out and have fun with.

                Monsters vs. Aliens coloring can also be found on Blogspot.com posted by Rainbow. I will give you all the links at the end of this article.

                 Curlyqcuties.com- How would you love to design your own monster? On this website your child can create their monster of choice by picking out their own nose, shape, eye shape, body shape, lip shape, eye color, etc by clicking on the monster maker tab at the top of the page. Once you choose how you would like your monster to look for fun click on the printable tap. Print it out and hang it up. If you like the way your monster looks you can have it made up into a plus toy for . They also have 4 collectable monsters that are already made for you. The names are Mr. Happy, Dizzy, Mr. Peepers, and Splotch. Prices range from -.

              Softpedia.com- On this website you can download “Little Monsters at Play” coloring book, which has 50 wonderful pages of cute monsters at play. This will cost you .95, but if this keeps your kids entertained for hours it’s well worth it.

             For more http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1603580/free_monsters_vs_aliens_coloring_pages.html?cat=40

Written by 3lilangels

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10 Horror Movies With Aliens In Them

June 25, 2011 By dsoutsid Leave a Comment

1. Alien (1979)


An alien attacks each member of a mining ship that lands on a distant planet to investigate an SOS signal coming from the planet. This movie stars Sigourney Weaver as the sole survivor of this alien movie.

2. The Abyss (1989)


In this movie, a team of rescuers sent to retrieve nuclear missiles on board a submarine that crashes into the abyss found themselves up against a formidable alien being which lives deep in the abyss. This movie stars Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Michael Biehn.

3. Signs (2002)


Directed by the talented horror director M. Night Shymalan, Signs is about a family who lives on a farm where one day mysterious crop circles begin to appear. The crop circles begin to appear all over the world and start a media frenzy culminating in the protagonist’s discovery of the truth behind the crop circles. This movie stars Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix. M. Night Shymalan makes an appearance in the movie. Watch out for him.

4. Dreamcatcher (2003)

Based on the novel by Stephen King, Dreamcatcher is about how four friends acquire strange supernatural powers after helping a seemingly retarded boy. During an annual hunting trip, they encounter a horrifying adventure which include an attempted alien invasion. They have to pool their resources to fight the alien invasion of the human world. This movie stars Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane and Jason Lee.

5. Feeders (1996)


This alien movie shows aliens at their worst. While on a road trip, two friends pass through a town where aliens are landing and eating the civilians. This movie stars Jon McBride and John Polonia.

6. The Astronaut’s Wife (1999)


A couple of astronauts went out of their spacecraft to repair a satellite. An explosion occurs. NASA loses contact with them but strangely they come home to earth safely. However, changes are noticed with the two astronauts. And it’s clear that they’ve been possessed by alien creatures. This movie stars Johnny Depp and Charlize Theron.

7. Fire in the Sky (1993)


This movie is based on a true story about a group of man whose friend is abducted by aliens. When the missing friend cannot be found, the men are accused of murder. Eventually the friend reappear but he cannot remember what has happened to him but with time his memories recover. This movie stars D. B. Sweeney and Robert Patrick.

8. Altered (2006)


After being abducted by aliens, the lives of four men change forever because one of their friends is killed by the aliens. Somehow, they manage to capture one of the alien creatures and thus begins their quest for vengeance. This movie stars Misty Rosas and Paul McCarthy-Boyington.

9. Pandorum (2009)


On a trip to a new planet, a couple of crew members wake up from suspended animation to discover that the ship has been populated by alien creatures. This movie stars Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster.

10. Metamorphosis : The Alien Factor (1990)

A bio-researcher turns into a monster when an alien virus infect him. The chief researcher wants to keep the experiment from the authorities and the public but he soon discovers that the monster cannot be subdued easily. This movie stars Matt Kulis and Patrick Barnes.

Written by UmiNoor
I would like to think of myself as an educator. I love to share what knowledge I have so everyone will benefit from it.

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Bobcat Kittens “the Outside World”

June 25, 2011 By dsoutsid Leave a Comment

Domestic Cat Rescues Baby Bobcats!

With a gun in one hand and a sack of bobcat kittens in the other, an Alabama hunter proudly plopped the newborns down on the counter and asked the veterinary assistant to raise them up for him so he could give them to his kids as pets.

The vet tech was stunned, but quickly recomposed herself to tell the hunter she would do it for him so as to rescue the babies from such an awful fate. She immediately began scouring the Internet for an expert in rehab and release. When she called Carole Baskin of Big Cat Rescue it was agreed that the kittens would come to Florida, be raised for re-release back to the wild and the paperwork began.

It took three days to secure the Florida import permit and time was of the essence. The only kitten formula available to the clinic was one that often causes serious dehydration in bobcat kittens. The second more critical factor was that their eyes would be opening any day and if they were to ever live free it was imperative that they not bond to humans. They never make good pets, but the bonding that takes place during the nursing stage could make them fearless of people and that would get them into trouble as adults.

While Big Cat Rescue President and resident Rehabber, Jamie Veronica, hit the road to begin a 24 hour road trip to rescue the baby bobcats, Big Cat Rescue put out a call to all of the Tampa animal based charities and on all of their social networks that they needed a nursing mother cat who had kittens of her own. Jack Talman of FosteringIsCool.com found a mother cat but her kittens were too old and she was going into heat so there was concern that she may not have milk nor interest for new babies.

Big Cat Rescuer, Merrill Kramer, called on Rick Chaboudy, CEO of Suncoast Animal League in Palm Harbor, FL and he said he thought he had a good candidate. Her name was Bobbi because of her half tail and she had given birth to 6 kittens of her own and then adopted two more. He found foster parents for all but two of the kittens and brought Bobbi and her brood over to see what she thought of diversifying her family.

Introductions like these can be very scary because the mother cat can be overly protective of her own kittens and fatally strike out at the new comers. President, Jamie Veronica, has had a considerable amount of experience in this area though and had taken every precaution to make sure it went as well as it possibly could. Bobbi turned out to be a dream come true for three little orphaned bobcats though. She immediately pulled them in close to nurse and began to bathe them. The little bobcat babies were so startled that they hissed at her!
She ignored their resistance and just kept on loving on them. Once they figured out that this strange smelling “bobcat” mom had the real deal to offer at her breasts, they were in love too.

Written by BigCatRescue
I love Big Cat Rescue

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