historys

One of the vibrant and happening countries of Southeast Asia, Malaysia, has an impressive historical background. The warm tropical climate and natural prosperity of this country has invited many immigrants since it was discovered. Almost 5,000 years ago, the ancestors of Oranf Asli who are the locals of Peninsular Malaysia, settled here. They were the pioneers of general movement from China and Tibet. Malays followed them around the first century BC and they established a strong trading links with China and India. Their arrival brought about major cultural and social changes in the country. Along with Hindu and Buddhist culture, Islam also spread. Melaka Sultanate ruled both straits of Malaka over a hundred years.

Malaysian history is full of ruling and dethroning of several foreign kingdoms. A dramatic change was noticed when Europeans arrived there in 1511. Portuguese captured Maleka and they had to escape to Johor where they tried to establish a new kingdom. Resistance from the Europeans, Acehnese, Minangkabau and the Bugis resulted in sovereign units of the present-day states of Peninsular Malaysia. In 1641, the Portuguese tasted a defeat by the Dutch who colonized Melaka. British people acquired Melaka from the Dutch in 1824. Thereafter the influence of British kingdom reflected throughout the region and political integration of Malay states of Peninsular Malaysia started taking place.

When the World War II got over in 1945, the British created the Malayan Union which was abandoned in 148 and Malaya Federation emerged in its place. This federation got freedom from British rule in September 1963 and Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah, and initially Singapore came together to form Malaysiaa country with diverse culture, traditions and people.

For more information on malaysia visit: http://www.stayresmalaysia.com

Niraj Singh is working as Sr. SEO in Binary Semantics Ltd. Gurgaon, India. He has 5+ yrs. of experience in the field of Search Engine Optimisation. His expertise is in the travel domain make him specialist in the field of Websites related to Travels.

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Tao which is actually pronounced as “dow” is translated to mean the way or path in English. Tao in reality is not so easily definable. Tao is the power of the universe that encompasses and moves through all things, both living and non living. The Tao stands for balance and shows the harmony of opposite sides, such as light and dark, love and hate, male and female.

The founder of Taoism is believed by many to be Lao-Tse (604-531 BCE), a contemporary of Confucius. (Alternative spellings: Lao Tze, Lao Tsu, Lao Tzu, Laozi, Laotze, etc.). He was searching for a way that would avoid the constant feudal warfare and other conflicts that disrupted society during his lifetime. The result was his book: Tao-te-Ching (a.k.a. Daodejing). Others believe that he is a mythical character.

Taoism began as a mixture of psychology and philosophy but eventually evolved into a religious faith in 440 CE when it was adopted by China as a state religion. Taoism, along with Buddhism and Confucianism, became one of the three great religions of China. China’s support for Taoism stopped with the end of the Ch’ing Dynasty in 1911. Religious freedom became even further restricted after the Communist Party’s victory and takeover in 1949. Much of the Taoist heritage was lost in the Cultural Revolution that occurred from 1966 to 1976.

Tao is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life.
“The Tao surrounds everyone and therefore everyone must listen to find enlightenment.”

Each believer’s goal is to harmonize themselves with the Tao. Taoism has provided an alternative to the Confucian tradition in China. The two traditions have coexisted in the country, region, and generally within the same individual. The priesthood views their many gods as manifestations of the one Dao, “which could not be represented as an image or a particular thing.” The concept of a personified deity is foreign to them, as is the concept of the creation of the universe. Thus, they do not pray as Christians do; there is no God to hear the prayers or to act upon them. They seek answers to life’s problems through inner meditation and outer observation.

Some of the basic tenets of Taoism are the following:

Time is cyclical, not linear as in Western thinking.

Taoists strongly promote health and vitality.

Five main organs and orifices of the body correspond to the five parts of the sky: water, fire, wood, metal and earth.

Each person must nurture the Ch’i (air, breath) that has been given to them.

Development of virtue is one’s chief task. The Three Jewels to be sought are compassion, moderation and humility.

Taoists follow the art of “wu wei,” which is to let nature take its course. For example, one should allow a river to flow towards the sea unimpeded; do not erect a dam which would interfere with its natural flow.

One should plan in advance and consider carefully each action before making it.

A Taoists is kind to other individuals, in part because such an action tends to be reciprocated.

Taoists believe that “people are compassionate by nature…left to their own devices they will show this compassion without expecting a reward.”

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. .Get more information on Taoism at http://www.emerald-energies.com

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Concrete is the most widely used manmade product in the world. It powers a $35 billion industry, one of the largest on Earth. Concrete is used to make a variety of structures a which you use everyday.

Concrete is a construction material that consists of, in its most common form, cement, gravel and sand, and water. Concrete is the most highly used manmade product on Earth. It is used to make pavements, building structures, foundations, motorways/roads, overpasses, parking structures, brick/block walls and
footings for gates, fences and poles. Approximately six billion cubic metres of concrete are produced every year, which is one cubic metre per person on Earth! Concrete commands a $35 billion worldwide industry and employs, in the United States alone, 2 million people.

The origins of concrete can be traced back to the Babylonians, who used a clay-mix similar to concrete. However, the modern-day form of concrete was not invented till 1756, when British engineer John Smeaton pioneered the use of cement in concrete. His ingredients included pebbles and powdered brick as
aggregate. Nowadays, recycled materials are becoming increasingly more popular as ingredients in concrete due to higher public awareness about ecological sustainability and environmental damage.

The composition of concrete is traditionally relatively simple. However, modern concrete is often a complicated mix, ensuring durability and longevity. Cement is the main ingredient in concrete. Portland cement is the most common cement in circulation, which is just a basic mix of mortar and plaster.

Water is another ingredient in the manufacture of concrete. The w/c ratio (mass ratio of water to cement) is the key factor that determines the strength of Concrete. A lower w/c ratio will yield a concrete which is stronger, while a higher w/c ratio yields a concrete with a lower strength. Water also affects the workability and consistency of a concrete.This water and cement paste hardens over time, and both fine and coarse aggregates are added to provide bulk. Widely used aggregates include sand, gravel and crushed stone. Decorative stones such as, small river stones or crushed glass are sometimes added to the surface of concrete for a decorative “exposed aggregate” finish, popular among landscape designers.

Ad mixtures are also added to a concrete mix to give it certain characteristics not obtainable by basic production. Admixtures come in powder or paste form and generally consist of no more than 5% of the entire mixture.Concrete has many characteristics including:

Workability - ability to mould to certain shapes

Curing - keeping concrete under certain conditions till it hydrates

Strength - high compressive strength, low tensile strength

Elasticity - relatively low

Expansion and shrinkage - provisions must be made for both

Cracking - abnormal drying rate will result in cracks

Creep - the permanent movement of a slab of concrete

Concrete is used for many structures. Mass concrete structures are structures built with one, giant concrete slab so that there are no weak points, such as dams or shelters. Reinforced concrete structures have bars of steel running through the concrete to ensure strength and stability. Pre stressed concrete
structures have a predetermined stress level which will never be exceeded, as they will only carry their own weight. Concrete is an amazingly versatile material. Whether you are building some of the largest structures in the world or a small pathway, the evolution and discovery of concrete has changed our world

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