World's largest solar project prompts environmental debate

Panoche Valley, is a treeless landscape in eastern San Benito County that turns green every spring, but for much of the year looks like rural Nevada.

But now the remote valley 25 miles south of Hollister is finding itself at the centre of a new showdown.

A Silicon Valley company is proposing to build here what would be the world's largest solar farm - 1.2 million solar panels spread across an area roughly the size of 3,500 football fields.

"This is renewable energy. It doesn't cause pollution, it doesn't use coal or foreign oil, and it emits no greenhouse gases," said Mike Peterson, CEO of the company behind the 1.8 billion US dollar project.

But critics including some environmentalists say green energy isn't always green. In a refrain being heard increasingly across California, they contend the plan to cover this ranch land with a huge solar project would harm a unique landscape and its wildlife.

From the Bay Area to the Mojave Desert, green energy supporters are frustrated that a state that wants to lead the green revolution is facing roadblocks.

Peterson, looked across the Panoche Valley last week and noted its attributes. It sits 20 miles from the nearest town. It has 90 percent of the solar intensity of the Mojave Desert.

Five willing sellers, mostly longtime ranching families, have signed options to sell his company 18,000 acres. And huge transmission lines run through the site, negating the need to build the kind of costly and controversial new power lines that have stalled similar projects. "From our standpoint, this is a perfect place," he said. "If not here, where?"

The project would produce 420 megawatts of electricity, roughly the same as a medium-sized natural gas power plant, and enough to power 315,000 homes.

-Courtesy AP

Annular solar eclipse in five days

One of the longest annular solar eclipses to occur in a long time will take place on January 15 at 9.35 a.m. and continue till 3.37 p.m. on the same day, according to astronomer, Anura C. Perera.

He claims that Sri Lankans living in the region from Dambulla down to Dondra will be able to see it only as a partial solar eclipse, but as 95 per cent of the sun will remain eclipsed over northern Sri Lanka when it occurs, those in the North will be able to get the full view of it. They'll have the opportunity to witness the Sun being eclipsed for a period of ten minutes, starting from 1.19 p.m. and ending by 1.29 p.m. on January 15.

A total solar eclipse last occurred 54 years ago on June 20, 1955 and was a landmark event in the country.

Astronomers say it'll take another 370 years for another such total eclipse to take place. The last annular solar eclipse occurred 109 years ago on November 11, 1901.

Snoopy named top dog in US pop culture

The "Peanuts" comic strip character Snoopy was named the top dog in pop culture by the American Kennel Club on December 22, 2009 as part of its 125th anniversary celebration, beating out a college sports mascot.

Nearly 76,000 online voters chose their favorites from a list of pop culture dogs drawn from television, film, literature, sports and art, the kennel club said.Snoopy was the pensive dog whose best friend was a bird and who seemed to be smarter than his human master in the comic strip created by the late Charles Schulz, who died in 2000.

"Peanuts," which for close to five decades served as a mirror for the baby boom generation, appeared in 2,600 newspapers in 21 languages. Its daily readership was believed to be the most of any comic strip in history.Second place went to Texas A&M University's mascot Reveille, followed by Scooby Doo, the television cartoon character. - Reuters

* What do you call James Bond in the bath?

Bubble 07!

******

* Why couldn't they play cards on the ark?

Noah was sitting on the deck.

******

* What do you get if you cross a rabbit and a flea ?

Bugs Bunny !

******

* What do you get if Batman and Robin get smashed by a steam roller?

Flatman and ribbon.

******

* Why didn't Superman know he could fly?

Because he didn't know his Cape Abilities!

******

* Why wasn't Cinderella any good at soccer?

She kept running away from the ball!

******

* Teacher: Name two days of the week that start with "t".

Pupil: Today and Tomorrow.

******

* What school supply is always tired?

A knapsack!

******

*Teacher: I see you missed the first day of school.

Kid: Yes, but I didn't miss it much.

Herbal Plantations Programme:

To be launched in NCP schools too

by Ananda KANNANGARA

A massive Herbal Plantation programme at 50 public school premises in the North Central Province will be launched by the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine, this year.

It is said that over 200 schools in other parts of the country have already begun the `Herbal Plantation Programme' in their school premises

The programme, which was initially started on a directive of Indigenous Medicine Minister, Tissa Karalliyadda will also be extended even to urban schools in Colombo, Kandy and Galle.

Speaking to Junior Observer, Minister Karalliyadda said that it was great to note that a large number of schools in Colombo, Kandy and the suburban areas have already started the herbal plantation programme.

"We have an idea to carry out this programme on a large scale, since our main objective is to educate the younger generation about the importance of planting herbal trees even in their home gardens along with fruits and vegetables.

The Minister also said that each school is given 35 varieties of herbal nurseries under the programme.He said any school in the country, interested in the `Herbal Plantation Programme' could contact his Ministry officials for further details and assistance in this regard.

He added that the Ministry has also planned to popularise the 'Kola Kenda' (Herbal drink) distribution programme, currently carried out in many schools, especially in urban schools.

"Our objective is to popularise this `Kola Kenda' programme at almost all leading schools in Colombo from this year". Minister Karalliyadda also said that there was a great demand for local herbal medicinal, drinks (arista) and oil in foreign countries and assured that more indigenous medicine sales centres will be established in countries such as Japan, France, Germany and Italy.

Asked about the setting up of herbal villages (Osu Gammana) in villages, he said the Osu Gammana project was started several years ago at 102 villages countrywide and presently, the cultivation is mainly done at Medawatchchiya, Padaviya, Deraniyagala, Kandy, Karuwala Gedara Meegastanna and Suriyawewa areas. Meanwhile, a senior IMM official said a farmer could earn about Rs. 30,000 a month and the Ministry provides them with necessary plants, seeds, and utensils. We have a buy back agreement with the Ayurvedic Corporation, he added.

Thai Pongal dawns in four days

Thai Pongal which is one of the most important Tamil festivals observed in the Tamil month of Thai which falls on January 14.It is dedicated to Lord Surya or the Sun God and is a harvest festival which comes after the winter solstice.

The date of the festival is derived from solar calendar hence it usually remains same. For Hindus the date of Pongal is extremely auspicious and astronomically significant.

Celebration of Pongal lasts for four days from the last day of the Tamil month Maargazhi (December-January) to the third day of Thai that is the month of January - February according to the Western Calendar. It is the second and the main day of the festival that is celebrated as Pongal every year.

Our Hindu readers will be preparing for this festival in a grand manner now that the ethnic war is over and there is peace in our Motherland.

The four day festival is as follows.The first day is Bhogi Pongal, it is observed on the last day of the Margazhi month.

The second day is Pongal or Thai Pongal or Perum Pongal and is the most important day. The third day is Mattu Pongal. The fourth and final day of celebration is Kaanum Pongal.

Beautiful kolams (rangolis) are drawn in front of homes. Various farm products including sugarcane are displayed on plantain leaves. Offerings are made to Lord Surya, Ganesha and other gods.

The most important event on the day is the cooking of Pongal dish, which is done during the auspicious moment when the Thai month begins. The Pongal is prepared in a fresh earthen vessel, which is adorned with flowers, turmeric leaves and roots.We wish our Hinu readers a Happy and prosperous Thai Pongal!

Higher education to be given a boost

The higher education advancing project 'Higher Education for 21st Century' is to be funded by the World Bank.

This was agreed upon following a meeting with Higher Education Minister Prof. W. A. Wiswa Warnapala and the World Bank.

Accordingly the Bank will fund the project without any counterpart funds from the Sri Lankan Government.

The necessity of implementing this project in Sri Lanka, following the successful progress of the, 'Improve the Relevance and Quality of Undergraduate Education' project, had been stressed by the Minister during the meeting.

The special objective of this project is to develop the foundation of the higher education sector in Sri Lanka while improving the quality, economic and social relevance of the service offered by Sri Lankan universities.

Meanwhile, the project also aims to develop an alternative higher education sector and to strengthen the organisational capacity and human resources of the higher education sector.

Considerable attention will also be paid to promoting the standards of higher education in the country.