Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Hajj Pilgrimage in 1953 - Rare Old Pictures


The pilgrimage is associated with the life of Muhammad, but the ritual of the Hajj itself was considered ancient even during his lifetime in the 7th century. Many Muslims believe that it goes back to the time of Abraham in 2000 BC. Pilgrims would join processions of tens of thousands of people, who would simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals. Each person would walk counter-clockwise seven times about the Kaaba, the cubical building towards which all Muslims pray, kiss the sacred Black Stone on its corner, run back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, drink from the Zamzam Well, go to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, then proceed to Muzdalifah to gather pebbles, which they would throw at a rock in Mina to perform the ritual of the Stoning of the Devil. The pilgrims would then shave their heads, perform an animal sacrifice, and celebrate the three day global festival of Eid ul-Adha. via:wikipedia
























Most Poisonous Animals In The World

It is really hard to tell which animal is the most poisonous in the world. The one that has the most toxic chemicals? The one that kills the biggest amount of people a year? Or maybe the one with the biggest amount of poison?

First of all, I have to admit that the title is a bit incorrect, because there is a difference between poisonous and venomous animals. A poisonous animal carries harmful chemicals called toxins primarily used for self defense. Therefore venomous animals deliver their toxins by stinging, stabbing, or biting. So poisonous animals are passive killers, while venomous animals are active killers.

Nevertheless, theory aside, they are all really dangerous. So look really closely at each photo, cause next time you meet them can be the last thing you ever see.

1. Box Jellyfish



The top prize for “The World Most Venomous Animal,” would go to the Box Jellyfish. It has caused at least 5,567 recorded deaths since 1954. Their venom is among the most deadly in the world. It’s toxins attack the heart, nervous system, and skin cells. And the worst part of it is that jelly box venom is so overpoweringly painful, that human victims go in shock, drown or die of heart failure before even reaching shore. Survivors experience pain weeks after the contact with box jellies.

You have virtually no chance to survive the venomous sting, unless treated immediately. After a sting, vinegar should be applied for a minimum of 30 seconds. Vinegar has acetic acid, which disables the box jelly’s nematocysts that have not yet discharged into the bloodstream (though it will not alleviate the pain). Wearing panty hose while swimming is also a good prevention measure since it can prevent jellies from being able to harm your legs.

Jelly box can be found in the waters around Asia and Australia.

2. King Cobra


The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the world’s longest venomous snake – growing up to 5.6 m (18.5 ft) in length. Ophiophagus, literally means “snake-eater” as it eats other snakes. One single bite of this deadly snake can easily kill a human. This snake is even capable of killing a full-grown Asian Elephant within 3 hours if the larger animal is bitten in a vulnerable area such as the trunk.

It’s venom is not as toxic as other venomous snakes, but King Cobra is capable of injecting 5 times more venom than black mamba and can result in mortality up to 5 times faster than that of the black mamba. It is quite widespread, ranging across South and South-east Asia, living in dense highland forests.


3. Marbled Cone Snail


This little beautiful looking Marbled Cone snail can be as deadly as any other animal on this list. One drop of its venom is so powerful that it can kill more than 20 humans. If you ever happen to be in warm salt water environment (where these snails are often found) and see it, don’t even think of picking it up. Of course, the true purpose of its venom is to catch its prey.

Symptoms of a cone snail sting can start immediately or can be delayed in onset for days. It results in intense pain, swelling, numbness and tingling. Severe cases involve muscle paralysis, vision changes and breathing failure. There is no antivenom. However, only about 30 human deaths have been recorded from cone snail envenomation.


4. Blue-Ringed Octopus

The Blue-Ringed Octopus is very small, only the size of a golf ball, but its venom is so powerful that can kill a human. Actually it carries enough poison to kill 26 adult humans within minutes, and there is no antidote. They are currently recognized as one of the world’s most venomous animals.

Its painless bite may seem harmless, but the deadly neurotoxins begin working immediately resulting in muscular weakness, numbness, followed by a cessation and breathing and ultimately death.

They can be found in tide pools in the Pacific Ocean, from Japan to Australia.


5. Death Stalker Scorpion


Contrarily to the popular belief most of the scorpions are relatively harmless to humans as stings produce only local effects (pain, numbness or swelling). However, the Death Starker Scorpion is highly dangerous species because its venom is a powerful cocktail of neurotoxins which causes an intense and unbearable pain, then fever, followed by coma, convulsions, paralysis and death. Fortunately, while a sting from this scorpion is extremely painful, it would be unlikely to kill a healthy, adult human. Young children, the old, or infirm (with a heart condition) are at the biggest risk.

Death stalker scorpions are spread in North Africa and Middle East.


6. Stonefish


Maybe Stonefish would never win a beauty contest, but it would definitely win the top prize for being “The World Most Venomous Fish”. Its venom causes such a severe pain that the victims of its sting want the affected limb to be amputated. It is described as the worst pain known to man. It is accompanied with possible shock, paralysis, and tissue death. If not given medical attention within a couple of hours It can be fatal to humans.

Stonefish stores its toxins in gruesome-looking spines that are designed to hurt would-be predators.

Stonefish mostly live above the tropic of Capricorn, often found in the shallow tropical marine waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans, ranging from the Red Sea to the Queensland Great Barrier Reef.


7. The Brazilian wandering spider


The Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria) or banana spider appears in the Guinness Book of World Records 2007 for the most venomous spider and is the spider responsible for most human deaths.

This spider is believed to have the most potent neurotoxic venom of any living spider. Only 0.006mg (0.00000021oz) is sufficient to kill a mouse. They are also so dangerous because of their wandering nature. They often hide during daytime in highly populated areas inside houses, clothes, boots, and cars.

Its venomous bite causes not only intense pain, the venom of the spider can also cause priapism – uncomfortable erections lasting for many hours that lead to impotence.


8. Inland Taipan


The prize for “The World’s Most Venomous Snake” goes to the Inland Taipan of Australia. Just a single bite from this snake contains enough venom to kill 100 human adults or an army of 250,000 mice. Its venom is at least 200 – 400 times more toxic than a common cobra. The Inland Taiwan’s extremely neurotoxic venom can kill an adult human in as little as 45 minutes. Fortunately this snake is very shy and there have been no documented human fatalities (all known bites were treated with antivenin).


9. Poison Dart Frog


If you ever happen to be running through the rain forests somewhere in Central or South America, do not ever pick up beautiful and colorful frogs – it can be the Poison Dart Frog. This frog is probably the most poisonous animal on earth.The 2 inch long (5cm) golden poison dart frog has enough venom to kill 10 adult humans or 20,000 mice. Only 2 micrograms of this lethal toxin (the amount that fits on the head of a pin) is capable of killing a human or other large mammal. They are called “dart frogs” because indigenous Amerindians’ use of their toxic secretions to poison the tips of their blow-darts. Poison dart frogs keep their poison in their skins and will sicken or kill anybody who touches or eats it.


10. Puffer Fish


Puffer Fish are the second most poisonous vertebrate on earth (the first one is golden dart Frog). The meat of some species is a delicacy in both Japan (as fugu) and Korea (as bok-uh) but the problem is that the skin and certain organs of many puffer fish are very poisonous to humans.

This puffy fish produce rapid and violent death..Puffer’s poisoning causes deadening of the tongue and lips, dizziness, vomiting, rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, and muscle paralysis. Victims die from suffocation as diaphragm muscles are paralyzed. Most of the victims die after four to 24 hours. There is no known antidote, Most deaths from fugu happen when untrained people catch and prepare the fish.

Statistics show that there were 20 to 44 incidents of fugu poisoning per year between 1996 and 2006 in all of Japan and up to six incidents per year led to death. Since Fugu’s poison can cause near instantaneous death, only licensed chefs are allowed to prepare it.

Vodka Eyeballing

'Vodka eyeballing', as it is known in student circles, is the latest drinking craze to sweep through Britain's universities.

Those who do it claim that it induces feelings of drunkenness at break-neck speeds, providing an instant high.

But the devastating long-term damage it causes is becoming a major concern among doctors and university authorities who already worry that Britain's student drinking culture is out of control.
Vodka Eyeballing
Vodka Eyeballing : Doing Vodka Shots Through Your Eyes


Melissa, who left university last summer and is now 22, believes they are right to be worried. Her constantly watering left eye has been left permanently scarred by her antics. More worryingly still, she has been warned that her eyesight may deteriorate further as she gets older.

'I'm in constant pain because of what I did,' she says. 'And I'm terrified that it will get worse. I wish I could turn the clock back and change things. But I can't.'

It would be easy, of course, to dismiss Melissa as nothing more than a silly 'ladette'. But it is hard to reconcile that stereotype with the young woman she is today, fresh out of university in London with a first-class English degree, the privately-educated daughter of financiers, and an aspiring writer.

In short she is not the kind of young woman who might naturally be associated with Britain's spiralling binge-drinking youth culture.

The question is then, why would an intelligent, seemingly sensible woman do something so foolhardy and so grotesque as 'vodka eyeballing'. And what can be learnt from her story?

It is a question she wrestles with every day.
Vodka Eyeballing
Crazy Drinking Habits: Vodka Eyeballing


'I know people will say that their son or daughter wouldn't do anything so stupid, but really I don't think parents have any idea what goes on at university and what pressures their children will come under to do stupid things,' says Melissa, who shares a flat with friends in South London.

'The student drinking culture has got completely out of hand and I know because I saw it. I regarded myself as a normal, sensible teenager, but I got pulled into it myself.'

She hasn't yet told her parents about her eye. 'I've put off telling them about it before now because I didn't want to worry them,' she says simply, but it's not hard to imagine how distressed they will be. Leaving home for the first time and going to university plunged Melissa into a world of almost unchecked social high-jinks.

Vodka Eyeballing
vodka eyeballing craze that started in the U.S. and has now spread to the university party scene in Britain


'Being at university is like being in a bubble,' she claims. 'You live for the moment. It's very carefree. You want to try new things and don't think about what will happen afterwards.'

Looking back, she can see how she put common sense to one side as she tried to fit in with the other students.

The social environment at university was, she says, 'bawdy and competitive'. For those who did sports, it was even more so.

When she joined the netball team, she had no idea that her drinking skills off the court would be as scrutinised as her agility on it. Overnight, she found herself swiftly drawn into the university drinking culture.
Vodka Eyeballing
Young people 'drinking' neat vodka alcohol Shot in eyes to get drunk


Vodka Eyeballing
Vodka eyeball shots a dangerous way to imbibe Pictures


'It's especially difficult if you do sports because the element of competition you see in your game is transferred to the bar,' she says. 'I felt very pressured at the beginning. When we were travelling back from a game on the coach, there was a tradition whereby you had to down lots of port.'

The weekly 'Athletics Union' nights held in the Students' Union bar were even more depraved.

'The rugby players were the worst,' she says. 'But because of feminism, you're expected, as a woman, to keep up with them. The guys set a precedent and you have to follow. That's what drives the whole ladette culture. Women believing they have to be equal in every single way.'

What made matters worse for Melissa was that, by her own admission, she has always been highly competitive. It is a trait that in other areas of her life, her schooling, exams, has served her well.

Under the influence of alcohol, it was disastrous. Challenged to undergo a 'vodka eyeball', she was determined to impress her friends.

'Vodka eyeballing' is believed to have emerged as a dangerous trend in the U.S., where it is a popular nightclub trick performed by waitresses for tips in resorts such as Las Vegas.

Critics have also blamed the 2000 film Kevin And Perry Go Large, starring Harry Enfield as 'Kevin the Teenager', for encouraging the practice. In the film, actor Rhys Ifans plays a character called DJ Eyeball Paul, who performs the stunt in nightclubs.

While medical experts say it is still a relatively new phenomenon, a quick glance at the internet reveals how rife it has become among young drinkers in Britain.

The website YouTube, for example, features more than 800 clips of young men and women pouring vodka into their eyes - usually in their own homes. And these are just the ones stupid enough to film themselves and post their clips online.

Another woman I spoke to this week recalled seeing her former boss, a senior figure at a well-known advertising agency, 'drinking' vodka through his eye at an advertising party.

There are also pages on Facebook and other social networking sites set up by 'fans' of 'eyeballing', in which people seem to revel in the dramatic inebriation which seems to follow this dangerous practice.

In Scotland, concerns have been expressed by charities and campaign groups over a similar stunt using the highly alcoholic cinnamon-flavoured schnapps Aftershock instead of vodka.

Certainly, in recent years, ' eyeballing' has become a regular feature in university bars which are often run by students themselves and therefore difficult to police.

Melissa was partly reassured by the fact that many of her peers were doing it.

'I saw people I respected, intelligent students from normal, sensible backgrounds like me, behaving like this. I know it sounds stupid, but it made you feel it was OK. You felt that if other people were doing it with no serious side-effects, then somehow you were all right.

'I felt very buoyed up by everyone else. Your inhibitions have gone. It was exciting to push yourself.

'People will wonder why you'd do something so unpleasant to yourself, but it's almost a masochistic thing, a test of your endurance in front of your peers.' Not surprisingly, the pain was excruciating.

'It did sting. It was really painful. But bearing the pain is part of the competitiveness .'

Devotees claim that 'vodka eyeballing' induces drunkenness faster than drinking it can, because it passes easily through the mucous membrane and enters the bloodstream directly through veins at the back of the eye, although some experts are sceptical about the claims and believe that since those who do it are usually already drunk, they simply convince themselves that it's having such an effect.

Professor Robin Touquet, consultant in emergency medicine at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, says: 'At 40 per cent pure ethanol, vodka in the eye would create inflammation and thrombosis - clotting of the blood vessels - such that very little alcohol would be absorbed. Unlike the stomach, the eye does not have a gastro-intestinal lining to protect it and aid absorption.

'I am absolutely horrified that someone would even think of putting vodka in their eye. It's self-abuse.

'In the past, vodka has been used as a disinfectant. At 40 per cent proof, imagine what it can do to an area as sensitive as the eye? It is highly toxic.

'Poured into the eye over a period of time, it could cause serious damage to both the cornea and the sclera, the white of the eye.'

Not surprisingly then, the following morning after her first 'vodka eyeball', Melissa's eye was severely bloodshot and sore.

'The pain went on for a long time, but I thought it was partly due to my hangover.' Nevertheless, she underwent the process again and again. In the weeks that followed, it became her party trick.

'I was very competitive,' she admits. 'Some people might do it once or twice - I did it quite a lot. I don't think I did more than three shots in a night, but I've got so much alcohol-related amnesia that I have completely blank periods of memory.'

On one level, of course, it is hard to comprehend how an intelligent young woman could be so irresponsible. But what is clear too is that Melissa's story is by no means unique.

'Vodka eyeballing was quite mainstream really,' she says. 'It went on all the time. Men and women were doing it. It was mostly the men, but the more competitive girls were trying to keep up with them. There was a sense that it was harmless fun. And although it was going on in the students' union bar, it was mostly run by students.'

It took only a month for Melissa to realise that she had damaged her eye. 'It got more and more sore and bloodshot,' she says. 'It was as if I had conjunctivitis all the time. It was sore and weepy, very sensitive. I was really frightened.'

Not surprisingly, her doctor was stunned when she went to see him. Melissa, who previously had perfect eyesight, was referred to an ophthalmologist, who told her that she had permanent scarring on the cornea of her left eye.

'She'd heard about vodka eyeballing going on in America, but she'd never seen a case in Britain,' says Melissa.

'She said vodka was so corrosive that it had literally seared its way through the cornea. But there was nothing she could do. You can't repair the cornea. I've been told it could lead to complications and can cause blindness, which is terrifying.

'At the moment, my vision is blurred in that eye, but that's because it's watering all the time. It's really sore and weepy. I've got used to the pain now. I just have to bear it. I don't think people can tell looking at me, but it is more bloodshot than the other one. It's never a clear white colour. It's hard to wear eye make-up because if anything goes in it, it's really painful and starts watering.'

Alarmingly, some of her friends have also suffered after-effects.

'I've told them to seek medical help, but they're too scared,' she says. Melissa is speaking out now because she wants to warn other students of the dangers and the pressures of the university drinking culture.

'The damage I've done to my eye is irrevocable. It's like someone damaging their liver. I really do want to get the message across,' she says.

She still drinks alcohol although never vodka, but keeps within the recommended NHS limits.

'I can't bear not feeling in control now,' she says. 'I hate the fact that there are nights out, periods of time that I simply can't remember.'

But there are also things that she can't forget.

And while most people are able to put their youthful misdemeanours behind them, Melissa is reminded of hers every day, with every blink of her eye.