Pablo Escobar, The Deadliest Drug Lord From Colombia

Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was considered as the wealthiest criminal of his time. Apart from being a part of the riches clan, he was a Colombian Drug Lord and a narco-terrorist; well now you can assume from where did he get all the money rolling. He had an estimated net worth of 30 billion USD by early 1990's. Pablo was very much into the cocaine business that there was a time when he was also called as 'The King Of Cocaine'. He is the most popular drug criminal there has ever been in history.

The Drug Lord has also been the subject of various popular movies, TV shows, plays and other performances. The Netflix US television series 'Narcos' is said to be probably the most popular programme ever made on his life, which is set to return for its third season very soon.

Pablo Escobar had tremendous wealth which he earned from an illicit sale of narcotic drugs. He became the kingpin and drug lord smuggling almost 80% of the cocaine that went to the US. For seven years in a row, his name was included in the Forbes annual list of billionaires and world's richest persons with being at number 7 worldwide in 1989.

2. His property shocked the government

The Columbian government seized some of Pablo's property in the late 1980's. This included 20 helicopters, 32 yachts, 142 planes and 141 homes and offices.

3. The deadliest killer of all time.

Pablo Escobar was charged with killing at least 4,000 people including thousands of police officials, 200 court judges and several government officials and journalists. In 1989, he was determined to get rid of then presidential candidate Cesar Gaviria Trujillo and planned to plant a bomb in the flight, which Gaviria was supposed to take. Gaviria was stopped by the CIA official from taking the flight. Pablo Escobar ended up bombing the Avianca Flight 203, aircraft Boeing 727-7, killing 110 innocent people. This was the deadliest ever criminal attack in the history of Colombia.

4. The costliest rubber band ever used

Pablo used to spend around $2,500 a month on rubber bands to tie the money into a bundle.

5. Tyres, drugs and money

Escobar had an organised network of drug suppliers and smugglers named as, 'Medellin Cartel.' In his hey days, he smuggled up to 15 tonnes of cocaine each day. He even smuggled cocaine into plane tyres by giving an opportunity to earn as much as $500,000 per day for pilots depending on how much quantity pilots could fly.

6. Personal luxurious jail.

Escobar surrendered before Columbian authorities in 1991 on one condition that he will live in his luxury prison named as 'La Catedral'  he had built for himself. It was guarded by his own men and prison had a casino, spa, nightclub, bar, jacuzzi and all luxury items used at that time.

7. Biggest Shipment ever smuggled.

The largest single shipment of cocaine which was ever smuggled by Escobar to the US weighed 51,000 pounds.

8. His death drew humongous attention.

Pablo Escobar died at the age of 44 on December 2, 1993, in a shootout, which has never been proved whether he was shot dead or he killed himself. About 25,000 people attended his burial in Medellin. For his shootout, two American Drug Enforcement agents Steve Murphy & Javier Pena worked for years on the case of Pablo Escobar.

9. Luxurious Hacienda Napoles

He built numerous residences and safe houses but his most luxurious estate was 'Hacienda Napoles' in Puerto Triunfo. It was spread across 20 square kilometres, which include a Spanish colonial house, a sculpture park and other elegant possessions.

10. Subject to several art forms.

Various books, TV Series & Films have been made on The Colombian Drug Lord Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria.

4. The costliest rubber band ever used

Beautiful Art

Computer Recycling

Computers are an integral part of daily life, but as they and other electronic devices become obsolete more and more quickly, we're faced with the growing problem of disposing of all our e-waste properly. A UN initiative called StEP (Solving the E-waste Problem) estimates that by 2017 there will be 65.4 million tonnes of e-waste generated globally every year. And Australians contribute more than their fair share of that, with each of us generating 25 kilos a year.
e-waste, discarded computer equipment comprises monitors, printers, hard drives and circuit boards. Such items should on no account be thrown out with your household rubbish because they contain toxic substances, and are effectively hazardous waste. E-waste often ends up in the developing world, and the UN’s Environment Programme is alarmed by the amount of electronic goods which is improperly disposed of overseas. There is increasing concern about the pollution caused by hazardous chemicals and heavy metals in Africa, Asia and South America.

What’s in my PC?
Material	Proportion
Plastic Ferrous metals Non-ferrous metals Electronic boards Glass	23% 32% 18% 12% 15%

A single computer can contain up to 2kg of lead, and the complex mixture of materials make PCs very difficult to recycle.

Electronic products thrown into landfill leak toxic materials into soil and water, resulting in contamination of the food chain. Additionally, rare and non-renewable materials are wasted instead of being re-used. New government-backed recycling efforts have been put in place across most of Australia to meet the national e-recycling target of 80 per cent by the end of 2021.

Where to donate your computer to be refurbished in Australia

If your computer's not too old and still in good nick, there are some community recycling initiatives that refurbish computers and offer them to nonprofit groups.
Some Technical Aid to the Disabled organisations are registered refurbishers, while others may accept donations on a case-by-case basis. Contact your state or territory's branch and ask if they accept computer donations.

Other computer refurbishers include:

• Business to Community Recyclers (Vic) 
• Computerbank (Vic)
• Computerbank (Qld)
• Computerbank (Newcastle)

Planet Ark's Recycling Near You website lets you search by area or product to find a local recycling centre.
Give Now has a list of places that can refurbish computers nationally.

Why is e-waste so bad?

Toxic materials and hazardous chemicals are often used in the manufacture of computer and electronic equipment, and when parts are disposed of improperly these chemicals can leach into soil and water and lead to environmental contamination.
To prevent hazardous chemicals from leaking into soil and storm water drains, computer and electronic equipment must not be thrown out with your rubbish. Also avoid leaving computer waste standing outside for long periods, particularly during wet weather.
While manufacturing methods are said to have improved, many companies continue to use toxic chemicals and primary materials over recycled parts.

What chemicals are in my e-waste?

The roll call of toxic materials is long and includes:

• Mercury (used in LCD screens)
• Lead 
• Cadmium (used in batteries) - known to cause cancer in humans
• Beryllium (found in motherboards) - a known carcinogen and can cause lung disorders if inhaled
• Chromium (used to prevent corrosion) - can cause liver and kidney damage as well as skin reactions
• Antimony - can cause gastrointestinal disorders
• Arsenic - a known carcinogen
• Brominated flame retardants (used in circuit boards, cables and plastic casing) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) (used in casing and connectors) - toxic when burned and can collect in the environment.

இராமேசுவரம் கோவில் வள்ளல் சீதக்காதி எனும் ஷேக் அப்துல் காதர் கட்டியதுதான்

தகவலுக்கு நன்றி Siddique Ahamed Anwar Raja
இந்து மக்களின் புனித தலமாக கருதபடும்
இராமேஸ்வரம் இராமநாதசுவாமி கோயிலை மன்னர் கிழவன் சேதிபதியுடன் இணைந்து பணியை மேற்கொண்டார் சீதக்காதி அவர்கள்

மற்றொரு தகவல் என்னவெனில் இராமநாபுர சமஸ்த்தானம் அரண்மணை கட்ட இவர் பொருளுதவி வழங்கியதாக மத்திய தொல்லியல் துறை சார்பாக கல்வெட்டு ஒன்று இராமநாபுர அரண்மனையிலே வைத்துள்ளது

வாய்ப்பு கிடைத்தால் சென்று பாருங்கள்

நான் படித்து புரிந்து கொண்ட வரையில் ரகுநாத சேதுபதி எனும் கிழவன் சேதுபதி காலத்தில் தான் ராமேசுவர கோவிலின் புகழ் பெற்ற சுற்று பிரகாரங்கள புதிய வடிவில் கட்ட பட்டன ...இதற்கு . நிதி கொடுத்து உதவியவர் சீதக்காதி வள்ளல் எனும் ஷேக் அப்துல் காதர் அது மட்டுமல்ல இவரது மேற்பார்வையில்தான் கட்டப்பட்டது .இந்த காலகட்டத்தில்தான் வைகை ஆற்றின் குறுக்கே அணை கட்டப்பட்டது . மிகவும் உறுதியான அரண்மனை சிவகங்கையில் கட்டப்பட்டது .முதன் முதலாக் முல்லை பெரியாறு அணை கட்டும் திட்டமும் இவர் அரசில் தான் முடிவெடுக்க பட்டது .சேதுபதி மன்னர்களின் ஆட்சியில் பொற்காலம் என்று கிழவன் சேதுபதி ஆட்சியைத்தான் சொல்கிறார்கள .இதில் மேலும் நான் ஆய்வு செய்ய இருக்கிறேன் . அதற்க்கான சில புத்தகங்கள் கேட்டேன் தோழர் யெஸ். பாலபாரதி எனக்கு அனுப்பி இருக்கிறார் .இணையத்தளத்தில் போதுமான தகவல்கள் இல்லை . இந்த விசயத்தில் நான் மிகவும் ஆர்வமாக இருப்பதற்கு காரணம் , இந்த மன்னனின் மூளையாக விளங்கி ஆட்சியில் சிறப்பு மிக்க வளர்ச்சிக்கு தான் சம்பாதித்த பணத்தையும் தாரளமாக நிதியாக கொடுத்து உதவியவர் சீதக்காதி வள்ளல் எனும் ஷேக் அப்துல் காதர். என்று நிரூபிக்க வேண்டும்எனது முல்லைபெரியாறு புத்தகம் எழுத ஆய்வு செய்தபோது இந்த சேதுபதி மன்னர் பற்றி தகவல்கள் சேகரித்தேன் . அதில் சேதுபதி மன்னரின் அமைச்சர் தான் முல்லை பெரியாறு அணை கட்டுவது பற்றி ஆய்வு செய்தார் என்று தெரிந்து கொண்டேன் .வள்ளல் சீதக்காதி பற்றி படிக்கும் போது இந்த மன்னரின் ஆட்சியில் அவரது பங்களிப்பு பற்றி தெரிந்து கொள்ள முடிந்தது .எல்லாவற்றையும் தொடர்பு படுத்தி பார்க்கும் பொது ராமேசுவரத்தின் அந்த அருமையான உள் பிரகாரம் கட்ட காரணமானவர் இஸ்லாமியரான சீதக்காதி என்று புரிந்து கொள்ள முடிகிறது . மிகப்பெரிய ஆச்சர்யம் இந்த மன்னரின் காலத்தில் கிருஸ்துவவளர்ச்சிக்கும் இடமளித்து இருக்கிறார் . இவர் மத நல்லிணக்கதை போற்றுபவராக இருந்து இருக்கிறார். தமிழும் தெலுங்கும் ஆட்சி மொழியாக வைத்து இருந்தவர் .இவறது வாரிசான விஜயரகுநாத சேதுபதி தனது மகன் பாஸ்கர சேதுபதியை ஆங்கில புலமையுடன் வளர்த்து இருக்கிறார். அவர் சுவாமி விவேகானந்தருக்கு அமெரிக்காவின் சர்வ மத சபையில் கலந்து கொள்ள நிதியுதவி செய்து , அவர் அமெரிக்காவில் இருந்து திரும்பி வரும் போது மிகப்பெரிய வரவேற்பை அளித்தவர் .சேதுபதி மன்னர்களின் சர்வ மத கொள்கையால் கவரபட்டே சுவாமி விவேகானந்தர் இவர்களுடன் மிகுந்த நெருக்கமான நட்புறவை கொண்டு இருந்தார் .வரலாறு மிக அருமையானதாக் நமக்கு நல்ல விசயங்களை தெளிவு படுத்துவதாக இருக்கிறது .ஆனால் அதன் முக்கிய சாராம்சங்களை அவ்வப்போது வந்த ஆட்சியாளர்கள் இருட்டடிப்பு செய்து வரலாற்றை திரித்து இருக்கிறார்கள் . இந்த வரலாறு சம்பந்தமாக ஏதாவது தகவல் தெரிந்தால் எனக்கு நண்பர்கள் கொடுத்து உதவ வேண்டுகிறேன்

Govindarajan Vijaya Padma

Histrorical Photos of Ceylon

Animality

வியக்க வைக்கும் எனது மகாபாரதப் பயணம்

தமிழ் சிந்தனையாளர் பேரவை என்ற பெயரில், மகாபாரதம் குறித்த ஆராய்ச்சி சம்பந்தமான வீடியோ ஒன்றை பார்த்தேன் .இந்த ஆராய்ச்சி உண்மையா, பொய்யா என்பதை தாண்டி இந்த ஆராய்ச்சியாளரின் ஆய்வு அறிக்கை மிகவும் சுவாரசியமாக இருந்தது .அதாவது மகாபாரத போர் என்பது மேற்கு தொடர்ச்சி மலையை ஆண்ட நூறு குறுநில மன்னர்களுக்கும் ,மதுரையை ஆண்ட ஐந்து பாண்டவர்களுக்கும் இடையில் நடந்த யுத்தம் .இப்பகுதிகளுக்கு இடை ப்பட்ட நிலத்தில் வாழ்ந்த கோனார்கள் இப்போரில் நடுநிலை வகித்தார்கள் .அவர்களின் தலைவன் தான் கிருஸ்ணன் என...்கிறார் இவர் . இதற்கு சான்றாக "ஆதிச்சா நல்லூரில் " இருக்கும் நூறு ஏக்கர் சுடுகாடு ஒன்றையும் அத்துடன் இணைந்த பாண்டவர் கோவிலையும் முன் வைக்கிறார். இந்துக்களின் புனித நூல் எனப்படும் மகாபாரதம் உண்மையில் பாலியல் உணர்வுகளை அடிப்படையாக கொண்டது என்பது இந்நூலை முறையாக வாசித்த அனைவருக்கும் தெரியும் .இதை வெளிப்படையாக சொன்னால் கமல்ஹாசனுக்கு எதிராக கேஸ் போட்டதை போல போடுவார்கள் .மேலும் உக்கிரமாக போர் நடந்து கொண்டு இருக்கும் பொது , தனியாக தள்ளி கொண்டு போய் அர்ஜுனனுக்கு அறிவுரை சொன்னதாக சொல்லப்படும் கிருஷணனின் கீதையின் சாரம் குர்ரானிலும் , பைபிளிலும் சொல்ல பட்ட விசயங்களின் சாரத்துடன் கூடுதலாக சில விசயங்கலும் என்று பல கருத்துக்கள் ஏற்கெனவே வெளியில் வந்து இருக்கிறது . இப்பொழுது இது வேறு விதமான ஆராய்ச்சி .முடிந்தவர்கள் பாருங்கள் .முடிந்தால் "ஹிந்துத்வா " ஆட்களுக்கு சொல்லுங்கள்.இந்துக்களுக்கு என்று உருப்படியான புனித நூல் இல்லாமல் போனதற்கு உண்மையான காரணம் என்னவாக இருக்கும் .? என்ற கோணத்தில் சிந்தித்து உங்கள் பதில்களை கொடுங்கள் . ஒரு சுவாரசியமான விவாதம் ஒன்றை செய்யலாம் நண்பர்களே ! ஹர ..ஹர ..மகாதேவா ! .

Govindarajan Vijaya Padma

இந்தியாவையே அழிக்கும் கடுகு | Campaign against genetically-modified

Genetically modified foods or GM foods, also known as genetically engineered foods or bioengineered foods, are foods produced from organisms that have had changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering.

People have been manipulating the genetic make-up of plants and animals for countless generations. This is referred to as traditional cross breeding and involves selecting plants and animals with the most desirable characteristics (e.g. disease resistance, high yield, good meat quality) for breeding the next generation.

 

Today’s techniques use new ways of identifying particular characteristics and transferring them between living organisms. For example, it is now possible to make a copy of a particular gene from the cells of a plant, animal or microbe, and insert the copy into the cells of another organism to give a desired characteristic.

 

Foods derived from genetically modified organisms are called ‘GM foods’. All of the GM foods approved so far are from GM plants, for example corn plants with a gene that makes them resistant to insect attack, or soybeans with a modified fatty acid content that makes the oil better suited for frying. Plants that use less water to grow have also been developed so they are more suitable for changing climatic conditions.

How are GM foods regulated?

GM foods are regulated under Standard 1.5.2 – Food produced using Gene Technology, in the Food Standards Code. The standard has two provisions – mandatory pre-market approval (including a food safety assessment) and mandatory labelling requirements. This standard ensures that only assessed and approved GM foods enter the food supply. Approved GM foods are listed in Schedule 26 of the Food Standards Code. Anyone seeking to amend the Code to include a new GM food should refer to the Application Handbook.

 

Details on FSANZ's assessments of GM foods and current approvals can be found here.

 

Not every approved GM food enters the marketplace. Many GM crops approved for use as food, are grown for animal feed and some GM approved plants don’t make it to market because of a variety of reasons, for example if they are not commercially viable. 

 

In Australia, the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) oversees the development and environmental release of GM organisms under the Gene Technology Act 2000. In New Zealand, similar functions are undertaken by the Environmental Protection Authority, under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996.

Stevia Sweet Plant Subtitute for Suger இனிப்பு துளசியின் மகத்துவம்.

Stevia (/ˈstiːviə/, /ˈstiːvjə/ or /ˈstɛviə/) is a sweetener and sugar substitute extracted from the leaves of the plant species Stevia rebaudiana.

The plant Stevia rebaudiana has been used for more than 1,500 years by the Guaraní peoples of South America, who called it ka'a he'ê ("sweet herb").^[9 The leaves have been used traditionally for hundreds of years in both Brazil and Paraguay to sweeten local teas and medicines, and as a "sweet treat". The genus was named for Spanish botanist and physician Petrus Jacobus Stevus (Pedro Jaime Esteve 1500–1556), a professor of botany at the University of Valencia.

The active compounds of stevia are steviol glycosides (mainly stevioside and rebaudioside), which have up to 150 times the sweetness of sugar, are heat-stable, pH-stable, and not fermentable. These steviosides have a negligible effect on blood glucose, which makes stevia attractive to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets. Stevia's taste has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar, and some of its extracts may have a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste at high concentrations.
The legal status of stevia extracts as food additives and supplements varies from country to country. In the United States, stevia was banned in 1991 after early studies found that it might be carcinogenic; after additional studies, the FDA approved some specific glycoside extracts for use as food additives in 2008.The European Union approved stevia additives in 2011, and in Japan, stevia has been widely used as a sweetener for decades

You need not be a South American planter to be a successful stevia grower. While the herb’s native locale may make it appear somewhat exotic, it has proved to be quite adaptable and capable of being cultivated in climate zones as diverse as Florida and southern Canada.
True, home-grown stevia may lack the potency of refined white stevia extract; whole stevioside content generally ranges from 81 to 91 percent, as compared to a leaf level of approximately 12 percent. But it can provide you with a quantity of freshly harvested stevia ‘tea leaves’ to augment your supply of commercial stevia sweeteners.
Organic gardeners in particular should find stevia an ideal addition to their yield. Though nontoxic, stevia plants have been found to have insect-repelling tendencies. Their very sweetness, in fact, may be a kind of natural defense mechanism against aphids and other bugs that find it not to their taste. Perhaps that’s why crop-devouring grasshoppers have been reported to bypass stevia under cultivation.
Then, too, raising stevia yourself, whether in your back yard or on your balcony, is another positive way you can personally (and quite legally) protest the wrongheaded government policies that have for so long deprived the American people of its benefits — a kind of contemporary Victory Garden.

Steviol, the basic building block of stevia's sweet glycosides

How to Start Your Own Stevia Patch

It would be difficult, at best, to start a stevia patch from scratch — that is, by planting seeds. Even if you could get them to germinate, results might well prove disappointing, since stevioside levels can vary greatly in plants grown from seed.
The recommended method is rather to buy garden-ready ‘starter’ plants, which given stevia’s ‘growing’ popularity, may well be obtainable from a nursery or herbalist in your area — provided you’re willing to scout around a bit. If you’re not, or are unsuccessful in locating any, there are at least three growers of high-quality stevia who will ship you as many baby plants as you’d like.
Keep in mind that not all stevia plants are created equal in terms of stevioside content, and, hence, sweetness. It’s therefore a good idea to try to determine if the plants you’re buying have been grown from cuttings whose source was high in stevioside.
Because tender young stevia plants are especially sensitive to low temperatures, it’s important that you wait until the danger of frost is past and soil temperatures are well into the 50s and 60s before transplanting them into your garden.
Once you begin, it’s best to plant your stevia in rows 20 to 24 inches apart, leaving about 18 inches between plants. Your plants should grow to a height of about 30 inches and a width of 18 to 24 inches.

The Care and Feeding of Stevia

Stevia plants do best in a rich, loamy soil — the same kind in which common garden-variety plants thrive. Since the feeder roots tend to be quite near the surface, it is a good idea to add compost for extra nutrients if the soil in your area is sandy.
Besides being sensitive to cold during their developmental stage, the roots can also be adversely affected by excessive levels of moisture. So take care not to overwater them and to make sure the soil in which they are planted drains easily and isn’t soggy or subject to flooding or puddling.
Frequent light watering is recommended during the summer months. Adding a layer of compost or your favorite mulch around each stevia plant will help keep the shallow feeder roots from drying out.
Stevia plants respond well to fertilizers with a lower nitrogen content than the fertilizer’s phosphoric acid or potash content. Most organic fertilizers would work well, since they release nitrogen slowly.

Gathering Autumn Stevia Leaves

Harvesting should be done as late as possible, since cool autumn temperatures and shorter days tend to intensify the sweetness of the plants as they evolve into a reproductive state. While exposure to frost is still to be avoided, covering the plants during an early frost can give you the benefit of another few weeks’ growth and more sweetness.
When the time does come to harvest your stevia, the easiest technique is to cut the branches off with pruning shears before stripping the leaves. As an extra bonus, you might also want to clip off the very tips of the stems and add them to your harvest, as they are apt to contain as much stevioside as do the leaves.
If you live in a relatively frost-free climate, your plants may well be able to survive the winter outside, provided you do not cut the branches too short (leaving about 4 inches of stem at the base during pruning). In that case, your most successful harvest will probably come in the second year. Three-year-old plants will not be as productive and, ideally, should be replaced with new cuttings.
In harsher climates, however, it might be a good idea to take cuttings that will form the basis for the next year’s crop. Cuttings need to be rooted before planting, using either commercial rooting hormones or a natural base made from willow tree tips, pulverized onto a slurry in your blender. After dipping the cuttings in such a preparation, they should be planted in a rooting medium for two to three weeks, giving the new root system a chance to form. They should then be potted — preferably in 4.5-inch pots — and placed in the sunniest and least drafty part of your home until the following spring.

Unlocking the Sweetness in Your Harvest

Once all your leaves have been harvested you will need to dry them. This can be accomplished on a screen or net. (For a larger application, an alfalfa or grain drier can be used, but about the only way an average gardener might gain access to such a device is to borrow it from a friendly neighborhood farmer). The drying process is not one that requires excessive heat; more important is good air circulation. On a moderately warm fall day, your stevia crop can be quick dried in the full sun in about 12 hours. (Drying times longer than that will lower the stevioside content of the final product.) A home dehydrator can also be used, although sun drying is the preferred method.
Crushing the dried leaves is the final step in releasing stevia’s sweetening power. This can be done either by hand or, for greater effect, in a coffee grinder or in a special blender for herbs. You can also make your own liquid stevia extract by adding a cup of warm water to 1/4 cup of fresh, finely-crushed stevia leaves. This mixture should set for 24 hours and then be refrigerated.

Growing Stevia Without Land

Just because you live within the confines of an apartment or condominium doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the benefits of stevia farming. This versatile plant can be grown either in pots on your balcony or any sunny spot, or else in a hydroponic unit. Stevia plants also do quite well in “container gardens.” A 10″ to 12″ diameter container filled with a lightweight growing mix is an ideal size for each plant. A little mulch on the top will help retain the moisture in the shallow root zone. A properly fertilized hydroponic unit or container garden can provide you with as much stevia as an outdoor garden, if not more.

Sources for mail-order stevia plants

The Herbal Advantage is a Missouri herb supplier offering 2 1/4″ pot size stevia plants ready for planting in your garden. For information and prices, call 800-753-9929, or write to them at Rte. 3, Box 93, Rogersville, MO 65742
Richter’s Herbs, a Canadian business, offers plants in 2 1/2″ pots via courier to customers in the U.S. and Canada. For information and prices, you can call (905) 640-6677 or fax them at (905) 640-6641 or write them at 357 Highway 47, Goodwood, Ontario L0C-1A0
Well Sweep Herb Farm is another source offering plants in 3″ pots either via mail order or to customers who stop by. It is located at 205 Mt. Bethel Road, Port Murray, NJ 07865 or can be reached at (908) 852-5390 Reprinted from The Stevia Story, copyright 1997 by Donna Gates. Photos courtesy Agriculture Canada.

What are solid waste fuels?

Waste-to-energy is an important part of the waste industry in Europe. Significant demand for heat means efficient and tightly controlled waste incinerators are common. However, Australia lacks an established market, with low levels of community acceptance and no clear government policy encouraging its uptake.

But the federal announcement, coupled with an uptake in state funding, a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry and several new projects in the pipeline, signals a growing interest in waste-to-energy and waste-to-fuels.

But what is solid waste fuel, and where does it fit in a sustainable future for Australian waste management?

What are solid waste fuels?

Australians are becoming more wasteful. The amount of rubbish we produce is growing more rapidly than both our population and our economy.

Recycling has been the main approach for recovering resources and reducing landfill over the past 20 years, but a lot more needs to be done.

One part of the solution is “waste-to-energy”: using a range of thermal or biological processes, the energy embedded in waste is captured, making it available for the direct generation of heat and electricity, or for solid fuel production (also known as “processed engineered fuel”).

Waste-to-fuel plants produce fuels from the combustible (energy-rich) materials found in waste from households and industry. Suitable materials include non-recyclable papers, plastics, wood waste and textiles. All of these typically end up in landfill.

These materials are preferably sourced from existing recycling facilities, which currently have to throw out contaminated matter that can’t be recycled.

Solid waste fuels are produced to specified qualities by different treatment methods. These include drying, shredding, and compressing into briquettes or fuel pellets. Fuels can be specifically tailored for ease of transportation and for different uses where industrial heat is required. This make them suitable alternatives to fossil fuels.

What are solid waste fuels used for?

As a replacement for coal and gas, solid waste fuel can be burned to generate electricity with a smaller carbon footprint than fossil fuels.

In addition to the power sector, other industries requiring high-temperature heat use solid waste fuels – for example, in cement works in Australia and around the world. There may also be scope to expand their use to other energy-intensive industries, such as metals recycling and manufacturing industrial chemical products.

What are the key benefits?

The primary environmental benefit of solid waste fuel comes from the reductions in landfill emissions and fossil fuel use.

Biodegradable carbon sources decompose in landfill, creating methane. This is a greenhouse gas with a warming potential 25 times that of carbon dioxide. Technology already exist for capturing and converting landfill gases to energy, but waste-to-fuel is a complementary measure that limits landfill in the first instance.

Waste-derived fuel can also have a smaller carbon footprint than fossil fuels. This depends on the carbon content of the fuel, and whether it is derived from biological sources (such as paper, wood or natural fibres). Even though carbon dioxide is emitted when the fuel is burned, this is partly offset by the carbon dioxide captured by the plants that produced the materials in the first place.

In these cases, solid waste fuels are eligible for renewable energy certificates. More advanced closed-loop concepts achieve even better carbon balances by capturing the carbon dioxide released when the fuel is used. This can used for other processes that require carbon dioxide as an input, such as growing fruit and vegetables.

Further environmental benefits can come from the management of problem wastes such as treated timbers, car tyres, and e-plastics. Converting them into fuel prevents the leaching of harmful substances into the environment, and other potential problems.

What are the challenges?

Communities are legitimately concerned about energy recovery from waste owing to public health risks. Without appropriate emission control, burning solid fuel can release nitrous oxides, sulphur dioxides, particulate matter and other harmful pollutants. But, with solid regulation and the best available pollution-control technology, these emissions can be managed.

The recycling industry is also worried that energy recovery has the potential to undermine existing recycling by diverting waste flows. Famously, solid waste fuel is so important to Sweden it actually imports garbage from other European countries.

These challenges point to the importance of investing in the appropriate infrastructure at the right size, and creating regulations that balance the needs of existing recycling processes. With careful planning, waste-to-fuel can be an important part of a broad strategy for transitioning towards a zero-landfill future. 

The cement industry, in cooperation with the waste management sector, has developed pre-treatment practices, such as screening, blending and shredding, to produce suitable materials from waste that meet cement kiln requirements. This close cooperation with the waste industry allows selected waste streams to be converted for use in cement kilns. Acceptance of these materials requires strict compliance with the agreed specifications. Examples of waste used by CEMBUREAU members include used tyres, solid recovered fuels, used oils, animal meal, sewage sludge, foundry sands, fly ashes and filter cakes. Extensive monitoring of all the input materials is a feature of modern cement production. This high standard of quality control ensures our cement products are manufactured in compliance with European Cement Standards.
The alternative materials are fully consumed in the cement clinker manufacturing process. The combustible part provides the heat needed for the process and the mineral part is transformed into cement. In this way co-processing in the cement industry provides society with significant benefits: safe and efficient local waste treatment options, diversion of waste from landfill, energy recovery, recycling of discarded resources, district heating and all using existing facilities and infrastructure.
thanks
 http://amp.weforum.org/

Power of Tamil

Zones of Sedimentation Basin

Sedimentation basins have 4 zones
1. The Inlet zone,
2. The Settling zone,
3. The Sludge zone, and
4. The Outlet zone.
Each zone should provide a smooth transition between the zone before and the zone after.

Zones in Rectangular Sedimentation Basin

Each and every zone has its own unique purpose. All zones are in a rectangular sedimentation basin.

Zones in a Circular Sedimentation Basin

In a square or circular basin (clarifier), water typically enters the basin from the center rather than from one end and flows out to outlets located around the edges of the basin. But the four zones can still be found within the clarifier the above figure.
Inlet Zone
The two primary purposes of the inlet zone of a sedimentation basin are to distribute the water and to control the water’s velocity as it enters the basin. In addition, inlet devices act to prevent turbulence of the water. The incoming flow in a sedimentation basin must be evenly distributed across the width of the basin to prevent short-circuiting. Short-circuiting is a problematic circumstance in which water bypasses the normal flow path through the basin and reaches the outlet in less than the normal detention time. In addition to preventing short-circuiting, inlets control the velocity of the incoming flow. If the water velocity is greater than 0.15 m/ see, then floes in the water will break up due to agitation of the water. Breakup of floes in the sedimentation basin will make settling much less efficient.

Inlet arrangement for a rectangular basin

The inlet of rectangular basin is shown in Fig. 13.9. The stilling wall, also known as a perforated baffle wall, spans the entire basin from top to bottom and from side to side. Water leaves the inlet and enters the settling zone of the sedimentation basin by flowing through the holes evenly spaced across the stilling wall.
The second type of inlet allows water to enter the basin by first flowing through the holes evenly spaced across the bottom of the channel and then by flowing under the baffle in front of the channel.
The combination of channel and baffle serves to evenly distribute the incoming water.
Settling Zone
After passing through the inlet zone, water enters the settling zone where water velocity is greatly reduced. This is where the bulk of settling occurs and this zone will make up the largest volume of the sedimentation basin. For optimal performance, the settling zone requires a slow, even flow of water. The settling zone may be simply a large area of open water.
Outlet Zone
The outlet zone controls the amount of water flowing out of the sedimentation basin. Like the inlet zone, the outlet zone is designed to prevent short-circuiting of water in the basin. In addition, a good outlet will ensure that only well-settled water leaves the basin and enters the filter. The outlet in the form of overflow weir can also be used to control the water level in the basin. The best quality water is usually found at the very top of the sedimentation basin, so outlets are usually designed to skim this water off the sedimentation basin.

Outlet arrangemenfin rectangular basin

A typical outlet zone begins with a baffle in front of the effluent. This baffle prevents floating material from escaping the sedimentation basin and clogging the filters. After the baffle, the effluent structure, which usually consists of a launder, weirs, and effluent piping, is located.A typical effluent structure is shown the figure.
The primary component of the effluent structure is the effluent launder, a trough which collects the water flowing out of the sedimentation basin and directs it to the effluent piping. The sides of a launder typically have weirs attached. Weirs are walls preventing water from flowing uncontrolled into the launder. The weirs serve to skim the water evenly off the tank.

Finger weirs in rectangular basin

A weir usually has notches, holes, or slits along its length. These holes allow water to flow into the weir. The most common type is the V -shaped notch shown on the picture above which allows only the top few centimeters of water to flow out of the sedimentation basin. Conversely, the weir may have slits cut vertically along its length, an arrangement which allows for more variation of operational water level in the sedimentation basin.
Water flows over or through the holes in the weirs and into the launder. Then the launder channels the water to the outlet pipe. This pipe carries water away from the sedimentation basin and to the next step in the treatment process. The effluent structure may be located at the end of a rectangular sedimentation basin or around the edges of a circular clarifier. Alternatively, the effluent may consist of finger weirs an arrangement of launders which extend out into the settling basin as shown below.
Sludge Zone
The sludge zone is found across the bottom of the sedimentation basin where the sludge is collected temporarily . Velocity in this zone should be very slow to prevent resuspension of sludge.
A drain at the bottom of the basin allows the sludge to be easily removed from the tank. The tank bottom should slope toward the drains to further facilitate sludge removal. In some plants, sludge removal is achieved continuously using automated equipment. In other plants, sludge must be removed manually.
Thanks http://www.thewatertreatments.com

Water board Vacancy for Engineers

இலக்கிய கலாநிதி வ.அ.இராசரெத்தினம்

இலக்கிய கலாநிதி வ.அ.இராசரெத்தினம் அவர்களின் 92 வது பிறந்த நாள் இன்று 05.06.2017என் தமிழ் ஆசான் தமிழ் மீதான காதலை ஏற்படுத்தி வாசிப்பு அனுபவத்தையும் பழந்தமிழ் இ...லக்கியம் உலக இலக்கியம் எல்லாவற்றையும் நான் அறிய திறவுகோலாய் இப்போதும் எனக்குள் என் நினைவுகளில் சிம்மாசனமிட்டிருக்கும் இலக்கிய ஆளுமை.
என் கையயைப் பிடித்து இந்த வழி போ என தடமிட்டு தந்த ஆசான் .
மண் மணம் செறிந்த எழுத்துக்களைத் தந்து ஈழத்து இலக்கியத்துக்கு செழுமை சேர்த்த படைப்பாளி.
சிறுகதை
நாவல்
நாடகம்
உரைச்சித்திரம்
கவிதை
உரை
என எல்லாம் கைவரப் பெற்ற புலமையாளன் .திருகோணமலை மாவட்டத்தில் இலக்கிய கலாநிதி பட்டம் பெற்ற ஒரே ஒரு படைப்பாளியாய் கொட்டியாரத்துக்கு பெருமை சேர்த்த இலக்கிய நாயகன்.
இவர் எழுத்துக்கள் பெரும்பாலானவற்றில் கொட்டியாரத்தின் அழகை தித்திக்க தித்திக்க தேன் சுவை சொட்ட எடுத்துச் சொல்லியிருப்பார்.மாவலியாள் இவர் எழுத்துக்களில் கரை புரண்டோடுவாள் கங்கையின் அலயடிப்பும் கொட்டியாரக் குடாக் கடலின் ஆர்ப்பரிப்பும் இவர் எழுத்தாணியில் நடமிடும்.

1. இவரது தோணி சிறுகதை உலக மொழிகளில் மொழி பெயர்க்கப் பட்டது.
   ''சந்தானாள் புரவியில்'' மூதூரின் பழைமையயயயும் கொட்டியாரக் குடாக் கடலின் அழகையும் பல சிறு கதைகளில் மூதூரின் கிராமங்கள் பலவற்றின் சிறப்புக்களையும் படம் பிடித்திருப்பார்.
2. ''ஒரு வெண்மணற் கிராமம் காத்துக் கிடக்கிறது'' எனும் நாவலில் ஆலங்கேணி எனும் அழகு தமிழ் கிராமத்தை அதன் பண்பாட்டை நம்முன் கொண்டு வந்து நிறுத்தியவர்.
3. ''கிரவுஞ்சப் பறவைகள்'' எனும் வரலாற்றுப் புதினத்தின் மூலம் வரலாற்று நாவல் இப்படித்தான் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்பதை நமக்கு பாடமாக விட்டுச் சென்றுள்ளார்
4. சேனையூர் மத்திய கல்லூரியில் சிறப்புறு தமிழ் ஆசானாய் பிரதிஅதிபராய் கடமையாற்றி எம் கல்லூரிக்கு பெருமை சேர்த்தவர்.

1. Balasingam Sugumar

உலகையே மிரளவைத்த இராஜேந்திர சோழனின் முதல் போரை பற்றி தெரியுமா.....???

காயா

~~~~~
மலைப்பாதைகளில் தந்திரக்காரனின் விரல்களென
அசைகின்றன பெரணிச்செடிகள்
நீரூற்றின் துளிகள்
கற்களைத் துளையிடும் இடத்தில்
நீராயுதம் என்ற சொல்லையும்
அதன் உக்கிர உருவத்தையும் மறைத்து வைக்கின்றன
எதிர்க்கையில் எனது உக்கிரம்
தீயையும் மறையச் செய்யும்
என்கின்றன துளிகள்
கரையெங்கும் விரிந்து கிடக்கும்
Rhodo dendron குறுமரப் பூக்களை
தேவகி என்றுதான் தொடுவேன்
காட்டுத்தீயை அணுகவிடாமல் தடுக்கும் இம்மரங்களை
பின் எப்படி வணங்குவது முத்தமிடுவது
ஏழிலைப் பாலை மரங்களில் பேய்கள் வசிப்பதாய்
சொல்லப்படுவதை நம்பமுடிந்ததில்லை இதுவரை
எல்லா மரங்களும் தன் அகத்தில் மூதாதையர்களை
ஒளித்து வைத்திருக்கின்றன
அங்கே அவர்கள் உறங்குகிறார்கள்
இம்மரத்தில் பலகைகள் செய்து படித்தார்கள் அமர்ந்தார்கள்
கடுங்காய்சலுக்கு மருந்தை கண்டறிந்தார்கள்
பின் எப்படி இதில் பேய் வசிக்கும்
பேய் எங்கும் இல்லை
மலைகளெங்கிலும் இல்லை
எல்லா பனிப்பொழிவையும் கடந்துவிட்ட
காயா மரத்தின் கருநீலப் பூக்கள்
தீட்டிய வாளெனப் பாயும் சிற்றோடையின் உக்கிரத்தை
நொடியில் மழுங்கச் செய்கின்றன
காயா மலர்கள் முல்லை நிலத் தெய்வத்தின் சொற்கள்
அப்பூக்களின் நிறம் தான் கடவுளின் தேகம்
மாயோன் மறுகும் மணிநீல மகரந்த ஊசிகள்
அகம் மொய்க்கும் திரு எனும் மந்திரம்
பூவெடுக்கும் எல்லாக் கிளைகளும்
இருள் விரட்டும் உடுக்கைகள்
காயா உதிர்வது காட்டில் தேவதைகளின் கும்மி
காயாவிடமிருந்து பெற்ற மொழி கசம்
இருளின் பேரகராதி இவள் தான்
பின் காயா தான் மையானாள்
எனக்குள் காளியானாள்
மனக் கசப்பின் குறியீடானாள்
விதையின்றித் தாயாகி விளைந்துகொண்டே இருக்கிறாள்
- தேன்மொழி தாஸ்
12.10.2016

East-West Center Master Degree and PhD Fellowship in USA (Fully Funded)

The East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship provides master and doctoral funding for graduate students. So, are you planning in pursuing next degree soon? Check out this fellowship application now if you please.

Where: University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Hawaii

Nationality: This application are available for applicants from Asia, the Pacific, and the United States only

Award for the scholarship: the scholarship will cover the cost of tuition and fees, books, housing in an East-West Center dormitory, and funding toward meals, health insurance, and incidental expenses.

Applicants from Asia, the Pacific, and the United States

Be able to attend a full-time graduate degree in the University

Have graduated a four years bachelor program abroad

Applicant must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (4.0=A scale) 

How to apply: you ought to apply for both the University of Hawai‘i and East-West Center. For more information regarding applying, please go to

Click here to apply for this fellowship

Deadline: 1 November 2017
Click here to go to official website