Astrology

Astrology is in short a superstition that originated in Babylon around 1000BC. Having a look at the movement of the planets the ancients believed that the position of the planets during your birth determined your life. Though there are more complicated permutations behind the belief, the basis is the movement of the planets along the band of stars we know as the Zodiac.

Astronomy

Astronomy does not underline the existence nor does it recognize Astrology as anything but superstition. Astronomy focuses on the scientific study and mathematical calculations of everything above and below us. Astronomy is based on scientific evidence. Though there are many unexplained theories, they are mostly based on educated guesses originating from earlier observations and calculations.

Zodiac

The band of stars centered around the ecliptic, the area through which the sun appears to move. Appears to move, as the Earth is actually rotating around the sun. This movement and path, creates the illusion that the sun is doing the movement. One can check the compatibility of their love by using these signs. They can see which people will make good lovers, friends, and partners. Every person will have their own element, animal according to their birth. Each animal and element will have their own characteristics. Through this, one can check their compatibility with others by comparing their element and animal characteristics with the other.

Astrology and Astronomy differences

As pointed out the first is seen as superstition, the second as science. Astrology used 12 star signs to divide the zodiac and Astronomy used 13 signs. The constellation of Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer is a stretch of sky through which the planets and Sun seem to move. But thousands of paranormal and supernatural things remain the way they are- uncanny and unimaginable. No one has explanations. All the same, people love to know more and indulge in these pursuits. Very often we have astrologers predicting events. Most people love the opportunity to get one's palm read by an astrologer.
The fact that the year only has 12 months could have influenced the decision to leave out Ophiuchus.

In Conclusion

The predictions made by Astrologers are sometimes mind boggling correct, yet you will not find an astronomer that takes Astrology seriously. The contrary is my personal observation. You hardly find an Astrologer able to show you the planets in the sky. The vast distances in space make the influence of the planets on any living human a very debatable subject.

Author: Devraaj Khattri

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AUSTRALIA can be described as unique, with its magnificent marsupial the kangaroo and its cuddly koala, which is so much at home perched high in the plentiful eucalyptus trees. The original settlers, however, known as Australian Aborigines, are even more unusual than the country.

Aboriginal and Aborigine are not used in a derogatory sense. The terms come from the two Latin words ab origine, which mean from the beginning. These original, indigenous inhabitants of Australia are known as Aborigines--spelled with a capital A to distinguish them from the original occupants of other lands.

When the first European settlers arrived toward the end of the 18th century, the Aboriginal population was an estimated 300,000. Two hundred years later, a 1991 census lists fewer than 230,000 Aborigines out of a total Australian population of almost 17 million.

Who are these original inhabitants of Australia? Where did they come from? Why can they be described as unique? And what hope for the future do many of them now enjoy?

Early Life in Australia

Most anthropologists agree that the Australian Aborigines originally came from Asia. They probably made the final stage of their migration by raft or boat from southeast Asia, landing along the north coast of Australia. They were not complete nomads, Malcolm D.�Prentis pointed out in his book A Study in Black and White, but rather semi-nomadic: that is, they camped at different temporary campsites within their own identifiable territory.

The Aborigines were remarkable conservationists who cared well for the environment. An Aborigine explained: We cultivated our land, but in a way different from the white man. We endeavored to live with the land; they seemed to live off it. I was taught to preserve, never to destroy.

Prentis wrote in agreement: The well-being of the flora and fauna and that of the Aboriginal group were linked: prosperity for one meant prosperity for the other. This was practical: for example, flourishing kangaroos meant better food supplies for the Aborigines but the killing of too many kangaroos was in the long run not good for the Aborigines.

Aborigines also excelled in other ways. Linguist R.�M.�W.�Dixon noted in his book The Languages of Australia: In terms of social organisation, however, it is Europeans who appear to be primitive by comparison with Aboriginal Australians; all Australian tribes had elaborate and well-articulated kinship systems with precise rules for marriageability and for specifying roles for every sort of social occasion.

Music and Hunting

Unique to the Aborigines is a musical instrument called the didgeridoo, sometimes spelled didjeridu. The word literally means drone pipe, which fittingly describes the sound it produces. Rather than carrying the melody, the didgeridoo provides a type of bass and rhythm for ceremonial gatherings and night dances known as corroborees. The instrument usually provides a droning background for a songman with his clapping sticks.

Didgeridoos are made from carefully selected hollow tree branches. The most popular length is from 3 to 5 feet [0.9 to 1.5 m], but some instruments range up to 15 feet [4.5 m] long. Usually one end of the instrument rests on the ground while the seated player blows through the other end, which is held to his mouth with both hands.

Since the deep, resonant sound of the instrument is continuous, the player must blow into the mouthpiece end while at the same time taking in a fresh supply of air through his nostrils without any interruption to the sound. This is a skill similar to that which must be mastered by a musician playing a tuba. It is known among players of wind instruments as circular, or cyclic, breathing and is a skill not easily mastered.

For hunting, the Aborigines made good use of something else that is unique--the boomerang. It was developed as a hunting instrument and a weapon of war among the Aborigines. But for many tourists today, it has become another well-known symbol of Australia. The most familiar boomerangs are curved weapons that return to the thrower if thrown correctly. However, there are some varieties that are not the return-to-sender type. These are more accurately known as the kylies, or killer sticks.

Aboriginal Art

To begin with, Aborigine culture had no written form of communication. Thus, Kevin Gilbert, an Aboriginal poet and artist, explained: 'Art was the most effective language of communication for Aborigines and the most universally understood.' He claimed: Art communicates more effectively and has more significance than the written word.

Therefore, visual and performing art communication became intrinsically bound up with the way of life of Aborigines. This meant that their art served two purposes: It provided a means of reinforcing verbal communication, and it also served as a memory aid to recall stories of tribal history and traditional religious matters.

With the absence of canvas, paper, and the like, Aboriginal art was painted on rocks, in caves, and on bark. The predominance of colors common to the earth stand out in all their art. They used colors that were dominant in the area where the paintings were created. The paints were made from material of the ground.

Probably the most unusual feature of their art is that almost all painting consists of dots and lines. Even backgrounds, which at first may appear as a single color, on closer examination reveal an intricate pattern of dots of varying colors.

A workshop presentation titled Marketing Aboriginal Art in the 1990s says that in the 1980's Aboriginal art .�.�. made the quantum leap from 'ethnographic art' to 'commercial fine art.' Others tell of the demand for this acrylic dot-style painting and extol its rise in popularity.

Aboriginal Languages

White Australians generally have misconceptions about Aboriginal languages. Some, for example, believe there was only one Aboriginal language and that it was very primitive, consisting of only a few grunts and groans. But nothing could be further from the truth!

Actually, there were at one time an estimated 200 to 250 Aboriginal languages. However, more than half of these have become extinct. Today only about 50 of such languages are spoken by groups of 100 or more Aborigines. And the number of Aboriginal languages spoken by 500 or more persons is now less than�20.

Rather than being primitive, the spoken language of Aborigines is highly developed grammatically. In his book The Languages of Australia, Professor Dixon wrote: There is no language, among the 5,000 or so tongues spoken across the world today, which could be described as 'primitive.' Every known language has an intricate structure, so that description of the main points of its grammar requires several hundred pages; every language has thousands of lexical words in everyday usage.

Barry J.�Blake wrote in a similar vein of Aboriginal languages: They are highly developed instruments of communication, each just as adequate for describing Aboriginal experience as English or French is for describing European experience. Supporting this conclusion, Aboriginal journalist Galarrwuy Yunupingu stated: Very few white people have ever tried to learn our language, and English is incapable of describing our relationship to the land of our ancestors.

In the 19th century, translation of parts of the Bible into two Aboriginal languages was made. The Gospel of Luke was translated into the Awabakal language and parts of Genesis, Exodus, and the Gospel of Matthew were translated into the Narrinyeri language. Interestingly, these translations rendered the name of Almighty God as Yeh�a and Jehovah, with variations of the name according to the syntax that the language demanded.

Today, much emphasis is being placed on the restoration of Aboriginal languages and the creation of a greater awareness among the non-Aboriginal population of Australia of the value, richness, and beauty of these languages. Therefore, many are now pleased to know that the Australian Minister for Aboriginal Affairs has authorized the production of dictionaries in 40 Aboriginal languages. This will include not only those currently being spoken but also many no longer in use that are to be researched from archives and other historical sources.

Author: Flor Ayag

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A LIQUID for packaging and architecture, engineering and art! Essential to automobiles, radio, television and satellites, it is indispensable in hospitals, factories and homes. It can be as strong as steel, hard as gems, heavy as iron; or fragile as eggshells, soft as silk, light as cork. Supplied in abundance surpassed by few other materials, it is the liquid of antiquity--glass.

'Glass--a liquid?' you may ask in disbelief. Yes, when glass is formed from a white-hot mixture of molten ingredients its atoms and molecules retain the random pattern of a liquid even though it becomes as rigid as ordinary solids. A liquid that looks, feels and behaves like a solid seems fantastic, but the peculiar properties of its unique state make glass one of your most versatile and valuable servants.

Glassmaking is one of the most ancient industries. It is also very modern. Man has used glass for more than thirty-five centuries, but he barely 'scratched the surface' of its versatility until about seventy-five years ago. In fact, it was not until 1903 that a glass bottle was produced entirely by automation, and a machine for flat-drawing window glass was not a commercial reality until about 1916. Since then increased knowledge and better means to utilize this amazing liquid have allowed mass production to transform glass from a treasured luxury to a servant in myriads of forms.

Continuous Production

The basic ingredients of glass have remained unchanged for thousands of years. Silica sand, lime and soda still make about 90 percent of the world's glass, but the production scale has been considerably increased to meet modern demands. Today's glassmakers scrupulously select tons of pure raw materials, weigh them to the ounce, thoroughly mix them and then feed the mixture, or batch, to gigantic tank furnaces that can hold more than 1,000 tons of molten glass. Although added cullet, or scrap glass of the same formula to be manufactured, speeds the melting process, the furnace must be heated to about 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit! So corrosive is molten glass at this temperature that the process has been compared to melting a block of ice in a container of sugar. The heat-resistant furnace walls must usually be replaced every two to four years.

However, once the process is in operation it continues day and night, week after week, until repairs or changes in formula force a shutdown. The batch is continuously fed into one end of the furnace while workable glass, mixed and refined to uniform viscosity, free of bubbles and impurities, is drawn from the other. The red-hot liquid is then ready to be drawn, pressed or blown into your service.

Window Glass

Although some fashionable Roman homes during the first century C.E. boasted almost transparent glass windows, little more than a century ago they were still considered a luxury. Today the annual production of window glass would stretch for thousands of miles as the ancient liquid is drawn, cut and framed to provide light, reduce noise, keep heat in and cold out.

Ordinary window glass is drawn from the drawing kiln, a small extension of the furnace. To begin production an iron grill bait is lowered into the melt and slowly raised. The molten glass is fluid enough to flow, yet viscous enough to adhere to the bait so that it rises vertically in a continuous sheet! The bait is knocked off as electrically driven rollers carry the hardened liquid some thirty feet straight up to a cutting loft where the fire-polished sheet is cut into standard lengths.

The surfaces of sheet glass produced by this method are not perfectly parallel, causing slight visual distortion through the glass. For optically superior windows and mirrors, flat glass, drawn from the furnace, moves horizontally as a continuous ribbon a thousand feet long through gigantic grinders. It is ground on both sides simultaneously to near perfect flatness. The plate glass is then cut into sections and polished to provide an undistorted view of the road for some motorist, or to fascinate a little child with his flawless rosy-checked image in the glass.

Float Glass

A revolutionary new process for the manufacture of quality plate glass was announced in 1959. Called the float process, it eliminates entirely the costly grinding and polishing procedures.

Molten glass flows from the furnace in a continuous strip directly onto the surface of an enclosed pool of molten tin. The glass is kept hot enough for all irregularities to melt out while the surfaces become perfectly flat and parallel. The glass is carefully cooled as it progresses along the float bath to emerge distortion free with hard fire-polished surfaces.

Float glass has been met with enthusiasm, especially by the automobile industry, which gobbles up about 50 percent of all the flat glass manufactured annually.

Author: Flor Ayag

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THOUGH one hears little about them today, they have left indelible traces on the Western world. They came on the scene over 2,500 years ago. They have influenced European history, art, and religious customs. And strange as it may seem, they have also affected our daily lives. They were of Indo-European origin, and at the height of their glory, they dominated a great stretch of the ancient world from the Atlantic to Asia Minor, from northern Europe to the Mediterranean Coast. Who were they? The Celts.

Without realizing it, we see traces of the Celts every day. It was they, for example, who spread the use of trousers in the Western world; they were also the ones who invented barrels. There are other more visible evidences of their passage through history. In areas of Europe, you can still see hundreds of fortified hills, or hill forts, and burial mounds, or barrows, covering ancient tombs--all left by the Celts. Many cities or regions today have names of Celtic origin, for example, Lyons and Bohemia. If your community has the custom of memorializing the dead at the end of October or the beginning of November, you may be sure that centuries ago the Celts did the same thing. Also, if you know the stories of England's King Arthur or well-known fables like Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella, then you are acquainted with more or less direct legacies of that Celtic civilization.

Like many other peoples, the Celts, in time, came to be viewed in different ways depending on who described them. Plato (Greek, fourth century�B.C.E.) described them as a drink-loving, warmongering people. In the eyes of Aristotle (Greek, fourth century�B.C.E.), they were a people who scorned danger. According to the Greek-Egyptian geographer Ptolemy (second century�C.E.), the Celts feared only one thing--that the sky would fall on their heads! Their enemies generally presented them as cruel, uncivilized barbarians. Today, thanks to progress made in Celtic studies, we can paint a very different picture of the Celts from what we could have done only twenty years ago,says Venceslas Kruta, one of the most authoritative scholars in this field.

Their Rise and Fall

The Celts were actually a collection of tribes held together by a common language and style of craftsmanship, military structure, and religious beliefs that were sufficiently unitarian to be recognizable.(I Celti, La Stampa supplement, March 23, 1991) It is therefore more accurate to speak of Celtic culture than of an ethnic group. Gauls, Iberian Celts, Senones, Cenomani, Insubres, and Boii were the names of some of the tribes who inhabited what we now know as France, Spain, Austria, and northern Italy. Others, in the course of time, colonized the British Isles.

It seems that the original Celtic nucleus spread from central Europe. There is no mention of them in historical writings before the sixth century�B.C.E. Greek historian Herodotus was among the first to mention them, describing them as the farthermost inhabitants of western Europe.Ancient historians recall more than all else their military exploits. Various Celtic tribes marched against the Etruscans in northern Italy and then against Rome at the beginning of the fourth century�B.C.E., conquering it. According to Latin chroniclers, such as Livy, the Celts left only after a suitable ransom had been paid and after Brennus, the Celts' leader, had pronounced the words vae victis, woe to the vanquished.Even in modern times, the Celts are remembered by those who read the adventures of the fictional Gaulish warriors Asterix and Obelix, featured in comic books in many languages.

Greece's turn to know the Celts came about 280�B.C.E., when another Celtic Brennus reached the doors of the famous Delphi sanctuary without, however, succeeding in capturing it. In that same period, some Celtic tribes, referred to by the Greeks as Galatai, crossed the Bosporus and settled in northern Asia Minor, in the region that subsequently came to be called Galatia. In 50-52�C.E., some early Christians lived in that area.--

The Celts were known in ancient times as bold warriors, endowed with great physical strength. Not only did they have an imposing physique but, to strike terror in their enemies, they would wet their hair with a chalk and water mixture that, when dry, gave them a particularly ferocious appearance. And that is exactly how they were represented in ancient statues, with plaster-cast hair.Their physique, their ardor in fighting, their weapons, the way they wore their hair, and their typical long mustaches all helped to forge that image of Gallic fury so feared by their adversaries and epitomized in the Asterix sagas. This was probably why many armies back then, including the one led by the Carthaginian commander Hannibal, enlisted Celtic mercenaries.

Toward the end of the first century�B.C.E., however, the power of the Celts began inexorably to be subdued. The Gaul campaign of the Romans, led by Julius Caesar and other commanders, brought the Celtic military apparatus to its knees.

Author: Flor Ayag

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When it comes to interiors, nothing compliments a well dressed room better than a modern rug. With all stylish rooms, getting the flooring right is essential for the overall look and feel of the room. When you first walk into a hallway, a modern rug can make it all the more inviting as well as creating a bit of style and adding extra warmth to your home.

Wooden flooring can appear great in the summer months but sometimes leave your home feeling cold in the winter. This is why adding a nice modern rug creates an appealing snug and warm feel to your home, as well as adding a touch of style. In fact, a rug can finish off a rooms design very nicely. Rooms that are very natural in color can look a bit bland, but add in a colorful rug and you have an interior look right out of a designer magazine.

Modern rugs come in all shapes, sizes and patterns and can be made from natural fibres as well as synthetic ones. The most popular materials which rugs are made from now are wool, acrylic and cotton. Whether you chose a traditional hand made wool rug or a lavish leather one, a modern rug will set off any interior. Rugs can transform any room in the home for a very affordable price. Modern rugs are known for their creativity in design and have to stay that way to ensure that they are at the forefront of any fashion trend.

If you want to create a modern, stylish room or a more natural looking room you can be sure that there is a rug out there to suit you and your home. Remember, rugs come in many different shapes and sizes so ensure you know exactly what size you need. The prices vary vastly too, hand made wool rugs are much more expensive than manufactured synthetic rugs. The cheaper priced rugs are still made to a high standard though and with a bit of care can last for years.

Modern rugs are available in three different yarn categories such as wool rugs, nylon rugs and polypropylene rugs. Wool rugs are made of natural fibers. Wool rugs provide soft and natural flexible; on walking over it gives a cushioning effect. Wool rugs also have very long life. Due to these factors and the safety factor included, most house owners lean towards wool rugs. Wool rugs are flame retardant, thus they prevent burning or melting of a surface.

Beauty in a house is determined by ones ability to decorate using various items. Modern rugs are one of these items. The good thing about them is that, they are available in a wide variety of styles, designs, colors, and sizes to choose from. This makes it easy for you to choose one that will blend, with the items in your house.
Rug manufacturers offer timely discounts and excellent deals during special occasions and stock clearance sales. Many believe that these offers may not always showcase the true price on a rug, and are mere gimmicks to make people think that they are getting a deal. Cheap rugs attract a large number of clients and are an ideal platform to advertise and exhibit more expensive rugs.
Cheap rugs can be purchased at company closeouts. At times, credit card companies declare money back offers on billings during a certain period. Rugs purchased within this time prove to be cheaper, as a part of the market price is refunded. Customer awareness can help people locate cheap rug stores and it is worth comparison-shopping to evaluate features and company policies and reputation. The advantage of such an approach is that customers can easily find rug stores that offer rugs at discounted prices. Inexpensive rugs are a great way of saving money and can also be used as gifts.

There are many different braiding styles that be used to make a variety of different shapes. So when you are shopping online for quality braided rugs, remember that these classic rugs are available in a variety of weaves, colors, sizes and shapes.

Traditional braided area rugs are most often seen in round and oval shapes, but the selection does not stop there. Braided rugs can also be found in squares and as long braided runners. Heart shaped rugs are quaintly romantic and are very popular.

Many Cheap rugs can be found using a round braid. The braid is very often made up of four weaves of yarn wrapped around a solid center core. Regardless of the shape, the braids of cheap rugs will often wear through, exposing the center core. It does not make sense to invest your hard earned money in a rug that will survive everyday wear and tear.

Author: alnur

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The shape of the modern rugs usually determines the type of braid that is used. A very popular shape for cheap rugs is rectangular and made up of smaller squares closely resembling the beauty of a patchwork quilt.

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Nothing is more contrasting like the happenings of human life. Ups and downs are the part of life. Everybody knows the fact but only a few remain composed when anything odd happens in life. In such situation, inspiration acts as a healing balm.

Inspiration through words and images has a significant role in boosting the moral, strength, attitude and way of life of human beings. The power of image and word has played a vital role in the emancipation of human mind. Take the example of the survey done by Mutrie and Blamey, of the University of Glasgow. In an underground station, they placed a motivational poster in front of an escalator and a parallel staircase. The amount of stair use became almost double after the poster was placed.

There are scores of example glorifying the impact of motivational vintage posters on human life. Some of the common areas where these posters have immense impact are

Right attitude

Motivational vintage posters have a positive role in mending the attitudinal problems (if any) that blocks your road to success. They educate you how to remain calm and composed when overwhelming challenges disrupt the smooth functioning of life.

Good parenting

Childhood lays the foundation of a successful human being Children have an inclination towards images. You can capitalize this inclination to educate your child with the help of motivational vintage posters. There are some instances where repeated instructions by parents create negative impacts in the mind of the child and make him/her more rigid and tenacious. If it is the situation, place a motivational poster in your son/daughter's room and help him/her to have a self-study for career building.

Creating better study atmosphere

Schools and other educational institutes may take the help of inspirational vintage posters to create a better study atmosphere. Online vintage posters on a wide range of topics like self-care to academic integrity, diversity issues to alcohol use are available now. They are immensely beneficial for students, faculty and staff to be mindful regarding the choices they make in life and the values they hold and how this affects their quality and future of life.

Author: Prashasti

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Poster Group has everything you need to know about Vintage poster and every poster to buy that you can think of. You can also directly check out Vintage posters and all Poster Online by clicking www.postergroup.com.

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