The Great Wall, one of the greatest wonders of the world, was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987. Just like a gigantic dragon, the Great Wall winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, stretching approximately 8,851.8 kilometers (5,500 miles) from east to west of China. With a history of more than 2000 years, some of the sections are now in ruins or have disappeared. However, it is still one of the most appealing attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance.

 Great Wall Facts:
Chinese Name: 长城/万里长城
Chinese Pinyin: Cháng Chéng/Wàn Lǐ Cháng Chéng
Length: 8,851.8 km (5,500 miles)
Construction Period: About 2,000 years from the Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC) to Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

 Great Wall Tour Tips:

Having a wonderful Great Wall tour is a must for your China Trip. Want to discover the charm of the wall with TravelChinaGuide? Please see our Memorable Discovery Tours. Practical travel tips are offered including the best travel time, packing list as well as health and safety concerns.  Recommended Tours: Beijing Highlights Tour: 4 Days to Badaling ... Beijing One Day Tours: 16 Itineraries, $39 Up Golden Triangle: 9 Days Luxury China Trip to Badaling, Terracotta Warriors Museum, the Bund... More Tour Packages  Hiking Routes: 9 Itineraries

Tourists on the Mighty Jinshanling

Great Wall FAQ

 Great Wall Sections:

The Wall we see today was mostly built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). It starts from Hushan in the east to Jiayuguan Pass in the west traversing Liaoning, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Gansu and Qinghai. Here lists the famous sections for you to know the incredible diversity of scenery along the wall and practical travel tips.  Badaling  Gubeikou  Huanghuacheng  Huangyaguan  Jiankou  Jiayuguan  Jinshanling  Juyongguan  Mutianyu  Shanhaiguan  Simatai  Yangguan  Yanmenguan  Yumenguan  Zhenbeitai  More Sections

Jinshanling, Beijing

 History:

Excitement abounds regarding the vicissitude of the Wall of the Qin, Han, and Ming Dynasties. The Great Wall was originally built in the Spring and Autumn, and Warring States Periods as a defensive fortification by the three states: Yan, Zhao and Qin. It went through constant extensions and repairs in later dynasties. It began as independent walls for different states when it was first built, and did not become the "Great" wall until the Qin Dynasty. Emperor Qin Shihuang succeeded in his effort to have the walls joined together to fend off the invasions from the Huns in the north. Since then, the Wall has served as a monument of the Chinese nation throughout history.

Crenel Stone Used to Build the Wall

 Construction:

The mystery of the construction of the wall is amazing. The construction, which drew heavily on the local resources for construction materials, was carried out in-line with the local conditions under the management of contract and responsibility system. A great army of manpower, composed of soldiers, prisoners and local people, built the wall. The construction result demonstrates the wisdom and tenacity of the Chinese people.

 Culture:

Great Wall carries a considerable part of Chinese culture. It has long been incorporated into Chinese mythology and symbolism. The most well-known legend is about the collapse of a section of the Wall caused by Meng Jiangnu, who cried bitterly over the death of her husband after he died while building the wall. This legend has been spread widely through textbooks, folk songs and traditional operas.

 Protection:

Following a 45-day long survey of 101 sections of the Wall in different provinces, the China Great Wall Academy reported on December 12, 2002 that the forces of nature and destruction by mankind are bringing about gradual reduction of extent of the Wall with the result that less than 30% remains in good condition. The Academy has called for greater protection of this important relic. Shandan Wall in Danger In July 2009, TravelChinaGuide (abbr. TCG) sent a survey group to investigate the condition of the Wall in Shandan County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province. This was our second visit there after 2002. The situation was alarming. After comparing the current wall to the wall pictures taken in 2002, it was found that many sections have become shorter, smaller or have disappeared!

Shandan Wall in Danger, Gansu

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History: Harmandir Sahib - Golden Temple Amritsar....

History

Harmandir Sahib - Golden Temple Amritsar

Amritsar is one of Punjab´s principal cities, dating back in history over 400 years. It is known more for the world famous Golden Temple, the seat of Sikh religion.Situated on the north-western border of India, the city is also gateway for the travelers on the overland route through Pakistan. The Wagah border, which is the check-post is about 29 kms away. Amritsar literally means "the pool of nectar", the name derived from a pool constructed at the sacred site in the 16th century, gifted by the Mughal Emperor Akbar to Guru Ramdas, the fourth preceptor of the Sikh faith.

Under instructions from Guru Amar Das Sahib, this city was founded by Guru Ram Das Sahib in 1574, on the land bought by him for an amount of rupees 700 from the owners of the village Tung. (Earlier Guru Ram Das Sahib had begun building Santokhsar Sarovar, near erstwhile village of Sultanwind in 1564 {according to one source in 1570}. It could not be completed before 1588). In 1574, Guru Ram Das Sahib built his residence and moved to this place. At that time, it was known as Guru-Da-Chakk. (Later, it came to be known as Chakk Ram Das). Guru Ram Das Sahib began excavation of the Amritsar Sarovar (tank) in 1577. It was ready by 1581. This tank was renovated by Guru Arjun Sahib in 1586. Since then this city is known as Amritsar (after the name of the Sarovar). The foundation of the Darbar Sahib had been laid by Guru Arjan Sahib on January 3, 1588. (Later, it was propagated that the foundation stone of Darbar Sahib was laid by Sain Mian Mir, a Muslim holy man. Sain Mian Mir was very friendly with Guru Sahib but the foundation of Darbar Sahib was laid by Guru Sahib himself). In 1590, Guru Arjan Sahib moved to village Wadali where Guru Hargobind Sahib was born on June 19, 1590. By 1601, the Darbar Sahib was fully ready. In 1603-04, the first volume of Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures, was prepared in this city and was installed at Darbar Sahib on August 16, 1604.

It is here that Akal Takht Sahib (Throne of the Almighty) was revealed by Guru Hargobind Sahib in 1609. Two flags representing temporal and spiritual authority (Sikh sovereignty) have been set up in front of Akal Takht Sahib. Here Guru Hargobind Sahib wore two swords of Miri and Piri (temporal and transcendental authority). The building of Akal Takht Sahib was twice demolished by Afghan armies and was very badly damaged by the Indian regime (in June 1984). The Indian government repaired in in September 1984. The Sikhs began demolishing it on January 26, 1986. The present structure has been constructed by five service-groups headed by Baba Thakar Singh of Bhindran-Mehta Jatha.
On April 13, 1634, the Mogul army attacked Guru Hargobind Sahib here. From 1635 to 1698, Amritsar remained in the control of the Mina family (descendants of Pirthi Chand). During this period, on November 23, 1664, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib visited the town. In April 1698, Bhai Mani Singh was appointed as the caretaker of the shrines of Amritsar.

The Mogul chief of Patti tried to occupy Amritsar several times. One such attempt was made in April 1709. The Sikhs, under the command of Bhai Mani Singh and Bhai Tara Singh of Dall-Wan, repelled this attack. When Baba Banda Singh Bahadur occupied several areas in the Punjab, Bhai Mani Singh chose to leave Amritsar in order to avoid the Mogul attacks.

On December 30, 1711, the Mogul emperor, Bahadur Shah, granted Ajit Singh Palit the charge of Amritsar in order to use him against Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. After the death of Bahadur Shah, Ajit Singh Palit returned to Delhi. In 1721, Bhai Mani Singh returned to Amritsar and re-started regular worship. His first act was to solve a dispute between so-called Tat Khalsa and so-called Bandai Khalsa for the right to the management of the shrines at Amritsar.

On March 29, 1733, a major gathering of the Sikhs was held here in front of Akal Takht Sahib. During the same time a Sarbat Khalsa gathering was also held. It discussed the Mogul offer of Nawab-hood. In April 1734, Bhai Mani Singh was arrested and was martyred at Lahore on June 24, 1734.

In 1740, Massa Ranghar, a debauched official, desecrated Darbar Sahib. He was punished by Bhai Sukkha Singh and Bhai Mahtab Singh, on August 11, 1740. In 1757 Afghan army demolished Darbar Sahib and Akal Takht Sahib. Baba Dip Singh led several thousand Sikhs against the Afghan. A major battle was fought on November 11, 1757. Baba Dip Singh and several thousand Sikhs embraced martyrdom. Again, in 1762, the Darbar Sahib complex was demolished by Afghan army. On December 1, 1764, the Afghan army made another attack. 30 Sikhs, led by Jathedar Gurbakhsh Singh, fought against mammoth Afghan army and embraced martyrdom. In 1765, the Sikhs began re-construction of the shrines. The central part was ready by 1776. Around 1830, Ranjit Singh gold-plated some part of the inner section of the Darbar Sahib. (It harmed this Sikh institution as some ignorant people began unjustly calling it Golden Temple).

In 1846, the British established themselves in the Lahore Darbar, with a Resident in the Court; and, Amritsar became a place of frequent visits by the British. In order to keep sanctity of the city, H. M. Lawrence, the British Resident, issued an order, dated March 24, 1847, asking the English people to follow the Sikh protocol while visiting the Sikh centres. In 1858, a Municipal Committee was set up here. In 1862, train services between Lahore and Amritsar were started. Khalsa College, the first Sikh college was established here in 1892. [In 1969 Guru Nanak University was established here]. In 1913, the city was electrified. In September 1915, the British declared Amritsar a "Holy City". (This order was undeclaredly annulled after August 15, 1947 by the Indian regime). On April 13, 1919, General Dyer opened fire on the gathering, at Jallianwala Bagh, near Darbar Sahib, killed 379 people and wounded another 1200. The the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S.G.P.C.) and the Shiromani Akali Dal were established here in 1920. 

CURRENT AFFAIRS......

Current Affairs - Current Affairs 2013

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Top tech cos join hands to launch ‘Internet.Org’

August 24th, 2013

Seven of the world’s tech giants (Ericsson, MediaTek, Nokia, Opera, Qualcomm and Samsung) collaborated to launch Internet.org with an aim to make Internet access affordable for people across the globe.

• The initiative will be headed by Facebook Founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg.

What is “Internet.org” ?

• Internet.org is an initiative of Facebook and six other technology giants, namely Ericsson, MediaTek, Nokia, Opera, Qualcomm and Samsung.
• The partners will collaborate towards developing lower-cost, higher-quality smartphones and deploying Internet access in undeserved communities.
• The endeavour is to overcome current challenges, including developing technologies that make mobile connectivity more affordable and decrease the cost of delivering data to people worldwide.
• The partners will develop joint projects, share knowledge, and mobilise industry and governments to bring the world online.
• Focus will be on developing technologies that make mobile connectivity more affordable and decrease the cost of delivering data to people worldwide.
• Sharing tools, resources and best practices, Internet.org partners will explore solutions in three major opportunity areas:affordability, efficiency, and business models.

In order to achieve its goal of connecting the two-thirds of the world who are not yet online, internet.org will focus on three key challenges in developing countries:

1. Making access affordable (Affordability)
2. Using data more efficiently (Efficiency)
3. Helping businesses drive access (Business Models)

AFFORDABILITY

No one should have to choose between access to the internet and food or medicine. Internet.org partners will join forces to develop technology that decreases the cost of delivering data to people worldwide, and helps expand internet access in underserved communities.

EFFICIENCY

Transmitting data—even a text message or a simple web page—requires bandwidth, something that’s scarce in many parts of the world. Partners will invest in tools and software to improve data compression capabilities and make data networks and services run more efficiently.

BUSINESS MODELS

Connecting billions of people will be a massive global effort that requires ongoing innovation. Developers, mobile operators and device manufacturers will work together to introduce business models that give people more ways to go online.

Bradley Manning sentenced to 35-year imprisonment

August 24th, 2013

The U.S. soldier Bradley Manning was convicted of the biggest disclosure of classified data in the nation’s history by leaking files to WikiLeaks and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Who is Bradley Manning?

Bradley Manning is a United States Army soldier who was arrested in May 2010 in Iraq on suspicion of having passed classified material to the website WikiLeaks. He was ultimately charged with 22 offenses, including communicating national defenceinformation to an unauthorized source and aiding the enemy. He was convicted in July 2013 of most of the charges, including several violations of the Espionage Act, but was acquitted of aiding the enemy, the most serious charge.

Manning in 2010 turned over more than 700,000 classifiedfiles, battlefield videos and diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks,a pro transparency website. He was working as a low-level intelligence analyst in Baghdad when he handed over the documents thereby catapulting WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange into the international spotlight.

India urges U.S. to renew GSP scheme

August 24th, 2013

India has expressed to the United States that it must issue an immediate renewal of the US Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme that expired on July 31, 2013.

What is the importance of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme?

The GSP programme helps developing countries expand their economies by increasing exports to the U.S. It also aids U.S. businesses by lowering the cost of imported goods that are used as inputs in value-added US production. U.S. businesses imported $19.9 billion worth of products under the GSP programme in 2012, including many inputs used in U.S. manufacturing.

As per the recently released Trade Policy Agenda of the U.S. administration, helping developing countries grow and expand their economies through trade would also help the U.S. by providing its exporters greater opportunity to sell products to billions of new consumers abroad.

The U.S. holds 16 % of India’s total services imports. Indian imports of US services is expected to rise sharply in the coming years as India’s middle class market expands and key services sectors bring in further reforms.

Maharashtra govt. clears anti-superstition law

August 24th, 2013

The Maharashtra government decided to promulgate an ordinance to enact a long-pending bill to uproot black magic, blind faith and superstitious beliefs. The step has come following the death of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar . A prime supporter of the law, Dabholkar was shot dead in Pune which led to sparking outrage across the state. The Anti-Superstition Bill was first introduced in 1995 in the state legislature and was redrafted at least 29 times. Its clearance was delayed several times due to stiff opposition from various quarters’ especially Hindu groups which claimed it to be “anti-Hindu”.

Who was Narendra Dabholkar?

Narendra Achyut Dabholkar was an Indian rationalist and author from Maharashtra. He was the founder-president of Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) -”Committee for Eradication of Superstition in Maharashtra”, and campaigned against superstitions, confronting dubious tantriks and claimed holy men who promised ‘miracle cures’ for ailments. He criticized the country’s “godmen”, self-styled Hindu ascetics who claim to perform miracles and have many followers.

He was the founding member of Parivartan, a rehabilitation centre located in Satara and served as vice president of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA). Dabholkar was the editor of a renowned Marathi weekly Sadhana.

GOVERNMENT JOB VS PRIVATE JOB.....

What Influences Candidates Towards Government Jobs?

Traditionally, government jobs have been considered safe with no or little threat of job loss, especially when job opportunities in the private sector were not. There was a time when governments, both Federal and State, were the biggest employers. Then, job seekers and believed that bagging a government job made their or their children's lives more secure.

Nevertheless, Government jobs have traditionally offered many perks which private jobs do not. Here are a few job benefits and reasons for choosing a government job over a one in the private sector.

1.Pension; this is one of the attractions.
2.Financial services, such as mortgages at a low rate of interest offered by the respective department where the employee is working.
3.Promotions and pay raises offer immediate social recognition/status to employees at specified intervals.
4.Higher positions often entail unmatched administrative power.
5.Relatively stronger immunity against job loss.
6.Some governments promise employment to relatives of employees. 
7.More relaxed, congenial working style.

Are There Any Negatives To Government Jobs?

Of course, there are a few downsides to government positions, too. Government jobs offer a low starting salary, in comparison to private employers. Salary hikes are sometimes meager as they are regulated by standardization. Career growth opportunities can be few and far between, as promotions are standardized and often based on seniority. Another aspect of government jobs is that they may be perceived as less challenging. A common complaint about government jobs is that the routine and mundane nature of the job often leads to complacency.

Private Sector Jobs: Why Should You Choose Them

The private sector offers the maximum number of employment opportunities. This is true for any developing or developed country. Private sector jobs, even though they do not guarantee job security, offer high career potential growth opportunities. This is by far the biggest reason for their popularity along with the huge demand that they create. Job seekers often opt for private sector employment because of their fast paced and modern recruitment procedures. In the private sector, true talent is recognized and sought out by various selection techniques.

1.Selection procedure provides an even playing field for all applicants. This is unlike the government sector, where selection is often made based on seniority or knowing someone in a particular agency.
2.True talent is unearthed before the selection through interviews and brainstorming.
3.Lucrative starting salaries and high growth potential through what is called "merit based" promotions and salary hikes.
4.Fast paced working style and environments give employees job satisfaction and eventually fosters loyalty and dedication.

There are downsides to private sector jobs as well, such as long working hours-depriving employees of a meaningful family life. Mental stress and early aging are said to be byproducts of private sector jobs

HITLER'S DEATH.... A BRIEF HISTORY....

Dental detective work gets to the root of Hitler mystery

By Roger Highfield, Science Editor

A NEW portrait of Adolf Hitler's last days before he committed suicide in the Berlin bunker emerged yesterday, revealing how the Nazi leader was tormented by tooth decay, abscesses and gum disease that caused "terrible bad breath".

The whole tooth: Prof Michel Perrier with some of the photographic evidence used to confirm that remains found in 1945 were Hitler's The study of film footage of Hitler, enhanced by a computer, has confirmed that remains found by the Russians in 1945 were his, helping to end half a century of speculation about his fate and validating an identification technique of increasing value to forensic scientists.

A paper was presented yesterday at an international conference in London by Prof Michel Perrier, 52, of the University of Lausanne, and will be published in the Journal of Forensic Science. It links newsreel footage with X-rays of Hitler's skull, jaw remains found in the bunker beneath the Reich Chancellery garden and his dental records.

Even if Hitler had a double, so many characteristics in his teeth match in each source of evidence that Prof Perrier said yesterday he had no doubt that Hitler died in the bunker.

Hitler married his mistress, Eva Braun, during the night of April 28/29, as Soviet troops advanced towards his bunker complex. On April 30 he committed suicide with his wife. In accordance with his instructions, their bodies were burned.

Russian forces found the remains and conducted the autopsy of the bodies the following month, said Prof Perrier. "What they found were charred pieces of bone, such as pieces of skull, the lower jaw and part of the upper jaw consisting of a bridge with nine units."

Nothing was revealed to the public until 1968, fuelling speculation about Hitler's fate. That year a book by Lev Bezymenski contained a description of Hitler's autopsy and his remains.

The jaw remains were compared with dental evidence given to the Americans by Hitler's American-trained dentist, Hugo Blaschke, who had been arrested in 1945. Blaschke, an SS general, had treated Hitler from 1934 until shortly before his death.

When his testimony was added to that of his assistant, Kate Hausermann, there was a great deal of material to check the jaw remains against, and they seemed to match. "Hitler had very bad teeth. He had periodontal disease. He had many reconstructions, some done before the time of Blaschke," said Prof Perrier.

There were no X-rays of Hitler's jaw available at the time, which could have helped to provide even better confirmation. Then, in 1972, archives in Washington released five X-rays of Hitler's head, taken on July 20, 1944. They revealed bridge work, periodontal (gum) disease and "very unusual dental work", said Prof Perrier. These matched Blaschke's evidence and the Russian autopsy.

Prof Perrier has now provided further evidence to link the remains in the bunker to footage of the Führer. He combed Swiss archives for newsreels of Hitler and produced computer-enhanced images of his teeth to compare with the autopsy, X-rays and Blaschke's report. Prof Perrier found clear-cut matches between the computer-enhanced footage of Hitler's teeth and the bunker remains.

Hitler once referred to his dental problems openly, albeit indirectly, after negotiations with General Franco. Hitler's interpreter, Paul Schmidt, wrote that "they talked to or rather at one another" until 2am and failed to agree on anything. Hitler later told Mussolini he would "rather have two or three teeth out than go through that again".

HISTORY OF ANDROID.......

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GOOGLE'S TOP PRODUCT

Google's top product of I/O 2013: You

Instead of gadgets, the message is clear: Google's personalized services are aiming to get into your head and be a part of you...and your social life.

by Scott Stein May 17, 2013 3:50 PM PDT

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(Credit: Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

As I sat through the last half hour of a nearly 4-hour keynote, sweat pouring through my shirt, my attention waned. Most people's did. Where were the gadgets? Last year, Google seemed like the hottest (or, most conversation-starting) hardware company around. This year, the only hardware mentioned was the 3-month-old Chromebook Pixel. I wanted new, weird products: watches, new evolutions of Glass, crazy convertible tablets. I wanted to see what Google's next products are.

Yet, you can see the message. In the people wearing Glass -- of which I was one, sheepish, awkward. In the customized, personalized Maps. In the focus on Hangouts and game-matchmaking, social music subscriptions, and the continuous, unending emphasis on the never-die Google+.

For Google, in 2013, the product is you.

Seven awesome Google I/O innovations (pictures)

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Google: From separate apps and resources to a personalized all-in-one experience
The you-oriented approach is the underpinning of the predictive Google Now, and that folds into the interface for Google Glass. Yes, Glass has been overdiscussed, overexposed, but consider what it represents as an interface: that ping-to-you card-based system, the timeline that's personalized and decays, yet keeps a record back in the cloud, the nearly app-free way that services just appear and integrate, exemplify the present-moment person-centric style of a lot of the Google services at the show. Glass is a metaphor for Google's new outlook.

The new Google Maps doesn't seem as instantly mind-blowing as you'd think, but the very fact that it can emphasize places and streets specifically relevant to you suggests that Maps will eventually be totally tied to your Google account, too.

(Credit: CNET)

Related stories:

• Google Music adds All Access streaming music
• OK, Google: Now app offers glimpse of hands-free future of search
• Play Google's Chrome Racer game across multiple screens

Google Now wants you to be always-on and connected to your Google account, your search history active and your transactions flowing through Google. The Glass-like reinvention of Google Now voice search, with its Siri-like feel, is a post-app service: it's everything, really. I used to just use Google for search, e-mail, and documents, but the deeper layer of connective tissue between services means you don't want to stop being logged in...ever. And it continues, across platforms. Hangouts, as a chatlike app, takes on Facebook. And so on. I kept coming up against the Inevitable Everywhereness of Google.

Chrome, the big-push OS of the show at an event that had no new version of Android, might be the ultimate vision of Google You. The account-tied cloud log-in, the ways in which apps give way to a seamless bleed of services -- a year ago I found myself wondering why Chrome existed, and suddenly I have a feeling Chrome will outlast Android.

(Credit: CNET)

Where are we going?
But, going back to Glass. Seeing everyone wandering around with their Explorer Edition Glass units on, at Moscone and around San Francisco, was a statement. Right now, Glass doesn't do that much. But it's the idea of a pervasive, you-focused Google that Glass is being a vehicle for. Google Now is its engine, and if it's processing what we're saying in an ever-more predictive way, then all our gadgets that funnel into Google will engage with it, in new and connected ways. Glass and its personalized worldview, however limited at the moment, seem like the dream doorway for that.

I'm not sure I even want that world -- I like some separation. I don't want to be Google. I don't want to be Facebook, either. I like being me. The new landscape in software involves folding social-networking services into the batter inextricably, making for a skin that slips over you and envelops you. Facebook's doing it. Google's doing it, too. Apple's personality-driven products and software have been doing this for years, but they're not social like Google's are.

You and I are Google's living hardware, and I have a feeling Glass is just our first accessory