Gale Crater

Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, ASU

This sharp view from the Thermal Emission Imaging System camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter is centered on 154 kilometer (96 mile) wide Gale crater, near the martian equator. Within Gale, an impressive layered mountain rises about 5 kilometers (3 miles) above the crater floor. Layers and structures near its base are thought to have been formed in ancient times by water-carried sediments.

In fact, a spot near the crater's northern side at the foot of the mountainhas now been chosen as the target for the Mars Science Laboratory mission. Scheduled for launch late this year, the mission will land Mars' next visitor from planet Earth in August of 2012, lowering the car-sized Curiosity rover to the martian surface with a hovering, rocket-powered skycrane. Curiosity's science instruments are intended to discover if Gale once had favorable environmental conditions for supporting microbial life and for preserving clues about whether life ever existed on the Red Planet.

Source: NASA Picture of the day

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Postage stamps of Pakistan of 1964 and my collection

The first set of two stamps of 1964 was issued on March 30 to join hands with the UNESCO to preserve the history and archaeological sites and Nubian Monuments in Egypt. The Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae consists of the Temples of Ramses II at Abu Simbel and the Sanctuary of Isis at Philae. 

The turq blue and red stamp (above left) priced at Paisa 13 depicted the Temple of Thot, while the purple and black stamp (above right) with a face value of Paisa 50 showed the Abu Simbel temple.

It may be mentioned here that the Nubian sites form part of the World Heritage Sites under protection of the UNESCO. 

The second issue of the year consisted of a set of two stamps which was issued on the eve of the New York World Fair. The stamps were issued on 22 April 1964. The stamp in ultramarine red-ora colour on top above priced at Rs. 1.25 showed the Pakistani pavilion. The Paisa 13 ultramarine coloured stamp (above bottom) also showed the Pakistani pavilion and the Unisphere.   

Shah Abdul Latif of Bhitt Shah in Sind Pakistan, also known as Shah Abdul Latif of Bhittai (1689 – 1752) was a great sufi scholar and poet of Sindhi language. As per Wikipedia, Bhittai's work has been frequently compared to that of Jalal ud Din Rumi and Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University, describes Shah Latif as a "direct emanation Rūmī's spirituality in the Indian world."

On the eve of the bicentenrial death anniversary of Shah Abdul Latif of Bhittai, a commemorative stamp showing his mausoleum was issued by Pakistan Post on June 25, 1964. 

1964 marked the 16th death anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. A set of two stamps showing the then under construction mausoleum of Jinnah, priced at Paisa 15 and 50 was issued on 11 September. The 15 Paisa stamp was emerald in colour, while the 50 Paisa stamp was in bronze green colour.

 On October 5, a stamp of 15 Paisa denomination was issued to celebrate the Universal Children Day. The brown coloured stamp showed two slates with Bengali and Urdu alphabets.

The last stamp of the year was issued on December 21 to commemorate the first convocation of the West Pakistan's University of Engineering Technology, Lahore. The largely red stamp bore the building of the university, which probably was the only engineering and technology university in Pakistan at that time. The stamp was priced at Paisa 15.

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Human flying jet machine

Man has always wanted to fly much before the Right Brothers' invention of a workable model of flying machine. But flying free as the wind has always been man's passion and dreams. Zooming past the formation of birds or high rising buildings or mountains continues to be adventurers' dream. Here is one such dream coming true.

Source: Techzug

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Delicious homemade protein shake recipes

Here are some simply delicious homemade protein shake recipes that you can whisk up in a jiffy.

Just about anybody who is into bodybuilding or body-sculpting – and there are legions of them these days – is well aware of the importance of including protein shakes as a diet supplement. This is because, whether the goal is to lose weight and body fat, or increase the size of your muscles and get stronger and bigger, protein is the vitally important ingredient in your diet. The building block of the muscles in our body is protein; hence, without adequate amounts of it, enough muscle simply will not be built by your body.

Although it is always best to get your protein from natural foods, however, it can often be an overwhelming task to prepare the amounts of protein foods necessary, and also to consume them in such large quantities. This is what has created a great demand for protein shakes, and there are a plethora of them available commercially. But these are expensive, and many simply find them too bland, or get bored by them. Therefore, more and more people are opting for homemade protein shakes. So, here are a few easy-to-make and yummy, high protein shakerecipes that you can whip up in a jiff at home.

Peanut Butter n’ Banana Protein Shake Recipe
8 oz skim milk
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 banana
2 scoops of whey protein powder

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. And there you have it, a delicious homemade power protein shake drink.

Fruit n’ Yogurt Protein Shake Recipe
1 cup strawberries
½ cup of orange juice
1 cup low fat yogurtt, vanilla flavor
1½ cups skim milk
2 scoops whey protein powder
1 tbsp honey

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Lemon Cheese Cake N’ Strawberry Protein Shake Recipe 
3 scoops lemon cheese cake ice cream
1 cup strawberries, frozen
3 tbsp evaporated milk
2½ cups milk
4 eggs

Put the milk and eggs first in a blender and blend them together. Then add the lemon cheesecake ice cream and continue blending. Lastly, add the evaporated milk and strawberries and blend. 

Strawberry n’ Pineapple n’ Apricot Protein Shake Recipe 
6 strawberries
¼ cup pineapple, crushed
1 apricot, fresh and diced
1 tbsp skim milk powder
1 tbsp protein powder
1 tsp flax seed oil
1½ cup water

Process the fruit along with the rest of the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Fruit n’ Bran Protein Shake Recipe 
1 cup apple juice
½ banana, fresh
1/3 cup peaches or blueberries
1 tsp bran
1-3 tbsp protein powder, made out of milk and egg
Some ice cubes

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until thick and smooth.

Tropical Protein Shake Recipe

4 strawberries, frozen
½ a banana, frozen
½ a mango
2 tbsp pina colada mix, frozen
1 tbsp protein powder
1 tsp flax oil
1¼ cup water 
6 cubes of ice

Blend all of the above ingredients in a blender until mixed thoroughly and serve in a tall glass.

Chocolaty n’ Minty Protein Shake Recipe

2 scoops chocolate protein powder
1 cup vanilla ice cream, sugar free
2 cups milk, non-fat 
1 cup oatmeal 
1 cup water 
a dash of peppermint extract

Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.

Recipe Source: Funzug

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Funny and creative chairs

Creativity and innovation when combine together provide leisure and more often than not add fun to our living. We come across chairs of various designs, based on standards. But the following chairs that combine ingenuity, creativity, innovation and aesthetics are fun to sit on. 

How would you like to sit on a pile of computers, a shopping trolley, a sink, a chair with broken legs or an octopus? Chose one from the following selection, if you want to have fun while relaxing...

Source: Techzug

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