Avinash

No, Solstice does not mean daytime. Solstice means the time of a year when the Sun is at its greatest angular distance from equator. Solstice is also defined as the time of a year when daytime and nighttime are most unequal. These two definitions are equivalent as explained below:- There are two kinds of solstices: winter solstice and summer solstice. On winter solstice, nighttime is the longest and also the Sun is at its southernmost point in the celestial hemisphere. On summer solstice, daytime is the longest and also the Sun is at its northernmost point in the celestial hemisphere. If there is summer solstice in a hemisphere, then there is winter solstice in the opposing hemisphere and vice-versa. The two solstices occur on June 21 and December 22. June 21 is Northern hemisphere summer solstice or Southern hemisphere winter solstice. December 22 is Northern hemisphere winter solstice or southern hemisphere summer solstice. When people simply mention summer solstice or winter solstice without specifying the hemisphere, then the hemisphere is implied to be northern. So, we can say that Jume 21 is summer solstice and December 22 is winter solstice. On summer solstice, daytime is the longest. On winter solstice, nighttime is the longest.

Does it mean that if the left hand of one body moves, then the left hand of another body moves too?

But isn't it true that other bodies also work as if they are real?

Some forms of Krsna or Visnu do have more arms than two. Hence, pictures show this. It is quite common to see a picture of Visnu that shows him with four arms.

I have read that some yogis could be in two bodies at one time. What happened to the soul then? Did the same soul exist in both the bodies?

Many significant incidents happened on this day though not all in the same year. Diwali is of a few days duration but the main is on new moon (amawasya) day of Karthik month. On this day Sri Rama defeated Ravana and returned to Ayodhya. On the previous day (though not in the same year), Krsna killed Narakasura. This day is celebrated as Narak Chaturdashi. One day after the new moon day is Bali Pratipada. On this day Lord Visnu sent demon king Bali to Sutal loka.

When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. I have tasted the flight, but I don't walk with eyes turned skeyward. /images/graemlins/smile.gif May be that Leonardo was talking about flying with one's own wings rather than in an aircraft.

Rather than only saying "if larger", "if smaller", it would be better to mention "larger by how much' and "smaller by how much".

Could it be that the perception of space is due to matter?

According to Dirac's theory, what we call as vacuum is not really empty. It is full of particles, which are continuously being created and destroyed.

The reason I mentioned vacuum is because, according to Special relativity theory, speed of light in vacuum is independent of the frame of reference and is a constant.

By lowering the electrical current applied to a vertical cavity surface emitting laser - the same type of laser used in an optical mouse - the researchers were able to use the device as an amplifier to pump up the signals of the light passing through it. As the electrical current injected into the laser cavity increases, the velocity of light decreases. This shows that the speed of light in that device (and not in vacuum) was reduced.

From The Times Of India NEW DELHI: A four year old girl named Manisha walked into the arms of a couple on the shraddh of their daughter Suman who died about five years ago. Manisha claimed that she was their deceased daughter Suman, who had died of typhoid at the age of 15 on December 14, 2000. The infant, who has vivid memories of her last birth, took to her "past-life parents" as her own. "She ran into our arms when she saw us. She pointed to me and said voh nahi yeh mere papa hai (not he but this is my father)," says Chaudhary Kamal Singh, her father of the last birth. Manisha was born to Rampal and Khilli Devi in a little village called Milakpur near Alwar, Rajasthan. At the age of two, just the time that she learnt how to speak, she told her parents that she was Suman and not Manisha. As she grew older, she started recollecting more about her past birth and told her "new"" parents that her father"s name was Kamal and her mother was Santosh. She told them that she stayed in a three-storeyed house located near a lotus temple with three brothers. "She would tell us the colours of her school belt and tie. We couldn't understand her since she had not even started going to school. She said she had died of typhoid", said Mallo, her grandmother of this birth. The news about the girl spread in the neighbouring villages and she got to her "old" parents through some relatives. Suman's family have removed the garland that adorned Suman"s photograph in their living room and are ecstatic.

I look at it this way. Visnu approves or disapproves of people's actions and not people themselves. What this means is that if somebody does something right, then Visnu approves of it. If the same person does something wrong, then He disapproves of it. Indira is the ruler of Swarga-loka. Bali defeated Indra in a war and snatched Swarga from him. Visnu did not like it. He wanted to give Swarga back to Indra and this is what He did. What this incodent teaches us is that one cannot say he is a devotee and, therefore, Visnu will take his side no matter whatever he does. As I wrote above Visnu took the kingdom of Swarloka from Bali and gave it back to Indra. But Bali was Visnu's devotee. So, Visnu did not want send Bali to undergo extreme torture in some hell. Rather He made Bali the king of beautiful Sutal loka. Since Bali wanted to be the king of Swarga, Visnu decided to fulfill even this desire of his. But He did not like the idea of Bali snatching kingdom of heaven from Indra. Therefore, Visnu will make Bali the king of heaven (swarga-loka) in the next Manvantara.

Where did you get the word "evadya"? Is it in some verse?

Mahabali snatched swarga-loka from Indra. Visnu wanted to give swarga back to Indra (till the next Manvantara). So, Mahabali had to be sent to some other place. Visnu sent him to Sutal loka. Of course, swarga-loka is beautiful. Sutal-loka is also very beautiful.

>>There is a proven phenomenon in which photons themselves can exceed the normal speed of light in vacuum. Only at that speed it loses the power to carry any information! << Yes, I agree. Since information is not carried at that speed, theory of relativity is not violated.

Tell your friend to stop doing such bad things. Use whatever negotiation techniques you deem fit. If, after all your tries, he does not stop, then you must report to authorities. Do not think that it will be bad for your friend. Think about those who are getting affected by these drugs. You should oppose evil even if it is being done by your friend. Bhism Pitamah took the side of Kauravas because he had taken a vow to this effect. Guru Drona took the side of Kauravas because he was indebted to Dhritarashtra. But, in spite of these, Lord Krsna said that they were not taking the side of dharma.

I agree with Theist that you should associate yourself with nice people. Now, did you do the right thing? The answer is yes. As per the law, your friend could be saved by informing the authorities about the big seller. This was as per rules. You just followed the rules. But I am not sure about the motive. If the motive was just to make your friend escape by any means, then it was bad. As an example, if you had bribed the authorities or implicated someone else falsely, then I would have considered it bad? But since you did not tell lies and you followed rules, what you did was the right thing.

A 600, 000 year old skull has been found in India. The CT-scan report of the skull, found by the Geological Survey of India in 1982 may shed a new light on the evolution of man. The scan on the skull was carried out at a hospital in Kolkata on 7 Sept 2005. According to the modern theory of evolution, the evolutionary lines of apes and early humans diverged around seven million years ago. Some two million years ago, Homo erectus expanded out of Africa into Europe and Asia. Over the next 1.5 million years the populations of these three continents followed different evolutionary courses and became distinct species. Europe’s became the Neanderthals, Asia’s remained Homo erectus, but Africa’s evolved into Homo sapiens, from where it spread again to the rest of the world. Former GOS Nagpur director Arun Sonakia said the skull was not of a homo sapien. He added that a study of the skull’s lobe structure, as revealed by the scan, can show which faculty of man was more developed at the time. All interpretations will be done in association with experts from the Institute of Human Paleontology, France. Three experts from the institute — Henry de Lumley, Madamme Lumely and Emily Vialet — were present at the time of the scanning.

So what do you think accounts for the difference? First let me accept a few things. Even though I have not personally witnessed the situation in North Orleans, I am aware from media reports that the situation there is far worse than it was in Mumbai during recent flood. I also accept that corruption is quite rampant in India at various levels. But the situation in Mumbai did give people chance to indulge in looting if they so wished. But they did not. Rather they were helping one another. Some restaurant owners were giving free food to passers by. A few years back, during Bhuj earthquake also, this kind of humanity was witnessed. I believe that many in NO also must be providing service to others. They should not be talked of in the same breath as the loothers and they must be praised for what they are doing. Now, why the difference? I personally feel the difference is mainly because of close ties that Indian society has. Of course, the ties are getting diluted over time, but these are still present to a large extent.

>>He said that folks in SE Asia all just pulled together almost immediately, without the degree of lawlessness we see in the US. Interesting, I think. << Even in Mumbai, the situation was better. After the recent flood, people were helping each other and there was no looting. They pulled themselves up and now, they are back to their work.

A rhythmic chanting of Vedic mantras greets anybody entering the Navi Mandal Veda Vidya Mandir in the heart of Ujjain. Inside, 80 boys, between 8 and 18, in white dhoti and kurta with tricolour angavastrams recite the shlokas in unison. Their heads are shaved, save for a tuft of hair tied in a knot at the back. There are no desks and chairs; pupils sit on the floor to study. In this ancient holy city, there are several schools where students are taught the Vedas. According to the principals of these schools, the courses are recognised by the union HRD. The students stay in the hostel where food is strictly vegetarian and are permitted to go home for a 15-day summer vacation and five days for Diwali. The syllabus consists of Yajurveda and Sanskrit along with English, history, geography and the sciences. Yajurveda is compulsory as it is the complete scripture for pujas, yajnas and all arts and mantras meant to appease the Hindu gods. If a student is extraordinarily bright, he is given an additional Veda to study. After six years, a student is given a certificate equivalent to higher secondary education. Then he can take admission in a college for a BA in Sanskrit. The students are mostly the children of priests who wish their sons to carry forward the tradition of their ancestors. Admission is open to boys between 8 and 12. There is no school fee, but they have to pay a security deposit of Rs 10,000, which is returned on completion of the course. The school runs on government grants and donations. The first lesson is the Gayatri mantra. A student is judged from the recitation of this mantra. His dedication and his voice are tested. Rigveda is taught only to very bright students as the teachers consider it to be the toughest.

>>but they wont let us die,<< When we are in hell, then we are already dead.

Garuda is a bird whom Lord Visnu uses as His vehicle.