The latest MicroMax mobile to be introduced in India is the new Micromax Eclipse Q66 and it is a Dual SIM GSM mobile phone. It is another one of those Micromax Mobile phone which has a swivel form factor and comes with a full QWERTY keypad. The latest MicroMax Eclipse Q66 is the a new model much similar the very popular Micromax Bling Q55 mobile phone which has received some great mobile phones reviews.

It also comes with SRS WOW HD Sound for better music experience. The new Micromax Eclipse is one of those micromax mobiles that comes with a lot of Social networking applications which provide a quick access to most of the major social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter and it also comes pre-installed with the Nimbuzz application which is a multi chat agent. It comes with a 2 mega-pixel camera and the option of an expandable memory of up to 8GB.

The new Micromax Eclipse Q66 Price is very favorable and it makes a great buy thanks to its specifications that include Dual SIM GSM compatibility along with a Slider QWERTY keypad. The phone comes with a Pre-loaded Opera browser and has the Social networking consortium application known has Snaptu which provides Quick access to popular Social networking websites. The Dimensions of the phone are 71 x 71 x 18 mm and has a Weight of just 118g.

The DISPLAY on this phone is a 2.4-inch QVGA screen with a resolution of 240 X 320 Pixels. It is powered by a 850mAh battery that provides a Talk Time of Up to 3.5 hours and a Standby Time of Up to 250 hours. The various Messaging options included in this phone are SMS, MMS, Email and Instant Messaging.

Ah, the holiday…if you’re like us, you’re looking forward to everything Christmas symbolizes.  Family, hope for the future, faith in God and of course, the incredible ways we can easily justify forgetting our diets – this all comes together and serves as a reminder to what we are truly here for.  And, too, if you’re like us, you know how difficult it can sometimes be to shop for the young people in your family who “have everything”.  We have a solution you might not have considered before.  It’s a gift from the heart, deeply symbolic and the perfect way to say “I love you”. 

At The Quiet Witness, we offer a selection of beautiful purity jewelry.  These make lovely gifts and the fact they’re given at such a special time of the year only reiterates the power of the message each purity ring and purity pendant carries.  A favorite for teens is the W8ing Medallion Pendant with chain. The elegant black script contrasts wonderfully with the rhodium finish over our exclusive bronze metal base.  It is guaranteed to keep its sparkling luster and won’t tarnish.  On one side of the charm, the message reads, “W8ing Psalm 25:21” and the flip side reads “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, I will wait for you”.  Many of our teens purchase these for themselves and their boyfriends or girlfriends so that the whole world knows they intend to w8 until marriage.  The matching rhodium chain is 16” and arrives with a 4” extender, providing versatility for the wearer.

The W8ing Contemporary Band with Gemstones provides a clean look that works well for either men or women and offers 4 diamond faceted Russian Formula Cubic Zirconia Gemstones.  It too offers the regal black scripting; again, it is just beautiful against the finish.  The face of the ring says “W8ing” while the inner engraving includes “Psalm 25:21”.  Our unconditional warranty ensures it’s a gift that will be treasured for a lifetime.   It’s available in most sizes and is a loving way to honor your teen as he or she sets out on that journey we call “life”.

Finally, don’t forget The Quiet Witness is an authorized carrier of the world’s only authorized version of Bella’s Engagement Ring.  The ring was designed with the author of Eclipse, Stephanie Meyer, and is an exact replica of the ring Edward presents to Bella in the movie.  It’s available in either yellow gold or white gold and makes an incredible gift for less than . 

What better way to celebrate abstinence than by memorializing it with beautiful jewelry?  Whether it’s a granddaughter, a son or your boyfriend you’re shopping for, The Quite Witness has the powerful gift you’ve been searching for.

Remember, many of these styles are offered in either a gold finish or the look of white gold, courtesy of the rhodium finish.  And while you’re on the TheQuiteWitness.com, be sure to download our purity vow and dating contract – these precious documents will work in tandem with the commitment you show the world every day in your jewelry choice.

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Some of the most alluring and attractive cars ever, have worn the Mitsubishi badge. One of the good examples of a car that is doing quite well in diverse markets is the Mitsubishi Eclipse, that came into being as a collaborative effort between Mitsubishi and Chrysler Corp. the car is available in North America, some Asian countries, and also in Brazil. Those who want to get into this car and drive on American roads, would need to essentially avail Mitsubishi Eclipse Insurance. This is absolutely essential in the best interests of car safety and the financial interests of the driver concerned. While some people think that car insurance is a necessary evil, one accident and they know its utmost importance.

There are quite a few other reasons why you should make an effort to get proper car insurance. There are a large number of car insurance dealers as well as agencies.

You should know which of these have your best interests in mind, and not be guided only by their own economic and profit based agenda. This is possible if you get some info and knowledge on how auto insurance works and what is on offer. And you can easily do this, if you just take a little bit of trouble to snoop around online for various auto insurance quotes.

Car insurance companies will give you quite a few Mitsubishi Eclipse Insurance quotes. It would do you well to look at these quotes and read the fine print, so that you know as to what is exactly on offer. There are so many things that you should know, so that you are not taken for a ride, and so that you get the very best deal possible. After all, car insurance is not just about taking a policy, but to also ensure that you get good service, the best advice and lots of info to keep you updated and well informed.

The Mitsubishi Eclipse made its debut in 1990. The new car was a brainchild of an alliance between Chrysler and Mitsubishi. These companies had joined to form Diamond Star Motors.

The car itself was not a brand new design but rather a new spin on a car that had already appeared under several other names. The twins to the Eclipse are known to the general population as the Eagle Talon and the Plymouth Laser, however due to some slight design changes and heavier advertising, it was the Mitsubishi Eclipse that would prove to be the most popular of the three. The all three versions of the vehicle would be produced at the same plant in Illinois and all were introduced at the same time.

The design of the Mitsubishi Eclipse has been a popular one with younger consumers as it was intended to compete as entry-level sports coupe. The Eclipse itself was originally offered with four different packages.

The car is a study in smooth lines, upscale interior and powerful engines all the while retaining the affordability that makes it within reach of up and coming twenty something’s. By remaining true to the original style lines that have made the car so popular, Mitsubishi has been able to retain its hold on this portion of the sports coupe market.

Named after a racehorse from the eighteenth century that won an astounding 26 races in one year, the sports car has eclipsed most other vehicles in its class.

The original two versions of the car were kept very similar to hold down design costs and indeed most parts from these first generations are interchangeable. They are easily identifiable by their pop up headlights, a design that lends sleekness to the cars lines but have a tendency to show problems with the motor responsible for opening the headlights.

Although most cars today have converted over to front wheel drive, the Eclipse has not. It has instead retained a rear wheel drive system that has proven to be reliable and needs very little repair. It has been suggested that Japanese auto makers had long been seeking to create their own version of the pony car and indeed many feel that with this Mitsubishi sports coupe that goal has been reached.

There have been several technological changes to the cars and several additions to body styles. 1996 saw the first major body style changes. Popularity of the vehicle slipped somewhat and many felt this was due a key body change. The 1996 version was shorter and thicker leading some to predict that this particular version of the Eclipse would be its last. The chief complaint seemed to be that long lean lines of its predecessor were lost. Although it would take some time, Mitsubishi heeded the call of consumers and by the year 2000, the sports car once again had longer lines that are more curvaceous.

From 2000 through 2005, the car would retain the hatchback style. Although there had been some talk among executives of dropping the manual transmission and offering the car solely as an automatic, this never materialized and all trim models continued to be offered with both five speed manual transmissions as well as a four speed automatic.

Although the sports coupe has received slight body style redesigns with added standard equipment, it remains virtually unchanged since 2006. The car still holds a firm share of sales for its division and the car should continue to be produced for several years into the future.

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1. Smallpox
(430 BC – 1979) killed over 300 million people

Smallpox is highly contagious (infectious) virus infection, which affects only human. It is caused by two types of virus: Variola major (20-40% mortality rate, according to some estimates – up to 90%) and Variola minor (1-3% mortality). People, who survive smallpox, may be partially or completely lose their vision, and almost always on the skin are numerous scars in the places of former ulceration. 

In the XVIII century English physician Edward Jenner invented the smallpox vaccine, which had been vaccinated in Europe en masse. In Russia, the vaccination was carried out following the death from smallpox of French King Louis XV. First vaccinated against smallpox were Catherine II the Great, Grand Duke Paul Petrovich, Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna, and a few days and grandchildren of Catherine Alexander and Konstantin Pavlovich. Markov, a peasant boy, on which was vaccinated Empress, was awarded the nobility, the surname «Оспенный» (Smallpox-y) and emblem. 

In America, Asia and Africa, smallpox was kept for nearly two hundred years. In the XX century from smallpox died 300-500 million. Since 1970 she is defeated, vaccination against smallpox ceased in the USSR in 1976 [citation needed]. Last Variola major infection observed in Bangladesh in 1975; year-old girl was saved, and in 2000 the woman was still alive. Officially, the elimination of smallpox was declared in 1979. 

In 2001, however, U.S. President George W. Bush ordered all military personnel to instill smallpox, after being sent anthrax spores and the threatened use of smallpox as a biological weapon.

2. Spanish Influenza

(1918 –1919) killed 100 million people in 2 years

Spanish influenza or «Spanish flu» (in French “La Grippe Espagnole”, or Spanish “La Pesadilla”) was most likely the worst pandemic in human history. In 1918-1919 (18 months) throughout the world from the Spanish flu died approximately 50-100 million people, or 2.6-5.2% of the population of the world. Were infected about 400 million people, or more than 20% of the population of the Earth. The epidemic started in the last months of World War I and quickly eclipsed it the largest-scale massacre victims. 

Due to technological advances (trains, airships, and high-speed vessels) disease has spread rapidly across the globe. In some countries public places, courts, schools, churches, theaters, cinemas have been closed. Sometimes, merchants did not allow buyers to enter the stores. Orders were executed on the street. In some countries, the military regime was introduced. In one of the cities of the U.S. handshaking was prohibited. The only localities which have not undergone a pandemic was an island called Marazho in Brazil. In Cape Town train driver said the death of six passengers on a site only in 5 km away. In Barcelona, 1,200 people were dying daily. In Australia, the doctor counted on a single street 26 funeral processions in one hour.Entire villages were dying from Alaska to South Africa. Therewere cities where there was not even one healthy physician.Mass graves were dug, using a steam shovel. Dozens of people were buried without a coffin and funerals. Influenza during the first 25 weeks has killed 25 million people. It took 25 years to AIDS to kill 25 million people. The massive troop movement of the participating countries of the First World War led to the acceleration of the spread of influenza. The immune system soldiers who participated in World War I, has been weakened by chemical attack. This caused a terrible epidemic of influenza among the troops. In Indian army 22% of the troops were infected. Most of them died.

3. Plague

              (1340 – 1771) killed more than 75 million people

Plague is a disease known since ancient times. The first possible information about the disease originates at the end of II and the beginning of III century BC. Most famous was the so-called “Justinian” Plague (551-580), which originated in the Eastern Roman Empire and swept the whole Middle East. The epidemic killed more than 20 million people. In the X th century was a great plague in Europe, particularly in Poland and Kiev. In 1090 the plague killed more than 10 000 people in 2 weeks in Kiev. In the XII century plague epidemic occurred several times among the Crusaders. In the XIII century in Poland and in Russia there were several explosions plague. In the XIV century, Europe went through a terrible epidemic of “black death”, which began in Eastern China. In 1348 it killed nearly 15 million people, which was a quarter of the population of Europe. In 1346, the plague has been brought to the Crimea and in 1351 in Poland and Russia. Later, in Russia, there were outbreaks of plague in 1603, 1654, 1738-1740 and 1769. Epidemic of bubonic plague swept through London in the years 1664-1665, killing more than 20% of the population. The last case of infection of bubonic plague was reported in 2002 in the United States. 

In the middle Ages, the plague mostly because of unsanitary conditions that prevailed in the cities. There was no sewerage, and all the wastes ran straight along the street, which served as an ideal environment for the rats. In addition, in many places, the cause of plague were announced cats, which were claimed to be the servants of the devil and infect humans. Mass extermination of cats led to a further increase in the number of rats. Cause of infection is most often flea bites, which had previously lived in the infected rats.

4. Malaria

           (2700 BC – nowadays) kills over 2 million people every year

Mortality is expected to double in the next 20 years. There is an assumption that people suffer from malaria for the past 50,000 years. It is believed that malaria’s birthplace is West Africa (P. falciparum) and Central Africa (P. vivax). Molecular genetic data suggest that the ancestor of Plasmodium was the simplest free-living, capable of photosynthesis, which is adapted to live in the intestines of aquatic invertebrates. He could also live in mosquito larvae family called “Diptera”, which appeared 150-200 million years ago, quickly gaining the ability to have two hosts. With the appearance of human, malaria parasites have evolved, capable of changing the host between man and mosquito genus Anopheles. The oldest fossils of mosquitoes found with the remains of malaria parasites are aged 30 million years. 
The first chronicles of fever caused by malaria have been found in China. They date from about 2700 BC, the time of the dynasty Cya.

5. AIDS

      (1981 – nowadays) killed over 25 million people all over the world

World Health Organization (WHO) called AIDS ”plague of the XX century”. AIDS is the world’s fourth-largest cause of mortality. Today, there are approximately 40 million HIV - positive patients, but many people live with the disease, not knowing that they are infected.

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Definition of an eclipse: An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when one object in the sky moves into the shadow of another. The term is most often used to describe either a solar eclipse, i.e. when the Moon’s shadow crosses Earth’s surface, or a lunar eclipse, i.e. when the Moon moves into the shadow of Earth.

Spiritual angle: Eclipses are significant events at a spiritual level. There is an increase in raja-tama which has negative effects on humanity. Ghosts take advantage of the heightened raja-tama to create a variety of issues that have global negative repercussions. Regular spiritual practice ensures that we are insulated from its subtle (intangible) harmful effects.

Types of eclipses

The first thing that came to light through spiritual research is that physical (apparent to our eyes) eclipses as mentioned above are not the only type of eclipses.

There are subtle (intangible) eclipses too. These subtle eclipses are caused by the powerful ghosts (demons, devils, spirits, etc.) called sorcerers (mantriks) from the 5th to 7th region of Hell by the use of their supernatural powers and are only apparent to those with an advanced and active sixth sense.

Out of all the eclipses that take place 70% are subtle eclipses and 30% are physical eclipses. The negative impact of a subtle eclipse on mankind is 9 times more powerful than a normal physical solar or lunar eclipse.

Spiritual significance of an eclipse

Due to the Sun being obscured by a subtle barrier in front of the gross Sun or subtle Sun during an eclipse, there are two significant spiritual impacts:

The environment becomes conducive for negative energies to amass black energy. Black energy is a type of spiritual energy that is the primary weapon of attack of ghosts.
The environment is most conducive for negative energies to utilize their black energy to harm mankind during the period of the eclipse as well as to sow seeds of destruction for mankind.

Repercussions of an eclipse

1. Raja-tama increase assists activities of ghosts (demons, devils, spirits. etc.)

During an eclipse period, the power of distressing energies increases by 1000 times as compared to other times. This is because ghosts harness the excess raja-tama generated by the eclipse to amass black energy either by utilizing the conditions to do more spiritual practice to gain negative spiritual black energy or by stealing the spiritual energy of seekers of God.

In the subtle negative regions of Hell, higher order ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies etc.) called sorcerers (mantriks) (i.e. from the 2nd region of Hell downwards) make use of the increased raja-tama during the eclipse to do spiritual practice like sacrificial fires (yadnyas) or meditation to harness spiritual black energy. The black energy generated by various sorcerers flows towards the 7th region of Hell where it is stored.

2. Impact at an individual level

At the time of an eclipse, people are more likely to be affected by their departed ancestors. To do this departed ancestors take advantage of the excess raja-tama and the heightened black energy created by ghosts at the time of an eclipse. It is for this reason people may experience lethargy, tiredness, sickness etc. at a physical level. At the psychological level, there are excess emotional and negative thoughts, especially about spiritual practice. The moon is known to affect the mind. During a full moon, the effect is even more pronounced. This is further accentuated when there is lunar eclipse. Thus the combination of the full moon and lunar eclipse is severe.

There is a general decline in decision-making capacity and people are more likely to make incorrect decisions as the intellect is also affected.

3. Impact at the level of mankind

Eclipses contribute in a large way by providing circumstances conducive to amassing the black energy that ghosts have. They use this black energy to harm mankind in various ways. They do this by sowing seeds of destruction and harm at a subtle intangible level that only manifest in the physical plane after a gestation period. This gestation period can be anywhere from a few days to several years. Examples of this would be sowing seeds of pandemics of contagious diseases like Bird Flu and the Ebola Virus or sowing seeds of the third World War.

In summary

An eclipse is an important spiritual event that has lasting adverse effects that are capitalized upon by ghosts.
One needs to take all spiritual precautions especially if the eclipse is visible over where one lives.
Regular spiritual practice done throughout the year helps to reduce the adverse effect of an eclipse. In addition if one does intense spiritual practice during the eclipse it can even be positive, so far as individual spiritual growth is concerned.

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Introduction

What is an eclipse of the Sun? What causes eclipses and why? How often do eclipses happen and when is the next eclipse of the Sun? You’ll learn the answers to these questions and more in MrEclipse’s primer on solar eclipses. Before we learn more about the eclipses of the Sun, we need to first talk about the Moon.

Phases of the Moon.

Phases of The Moon

The Moon is a cold, rocky body about 2,160 miles (3,476 km) in diameter. It has no light of its own but shines by sunlight reflected from its surface. The Moon orbits Earth about once every 29 and a half days. As it circles our planet, the changing position of the Moon with respect to the Sun causes our natural satellite to cycle through a series of phases:

New Moon > New Crescent > First Quarter > Waxing Gibbous > Full Moon >
Waning Gibbous > Last Quarter > Old Crescent > New Moon (again)

The phase known as New Moon can not actually be seen because the illuminated side of the Moon is then pointed away from Earth. The rest of the phases are familiar to all of us as the Moon cycles through them month after month. Did you realize that the word month is derived from the Moon’s 29.5 day period?

To many early civilizations, the Moon’s monthly cycle was an important tool for measuring the passage of time. In fact many calendars are synchronized to the phases of the Moon. The Hebrew, Muslem and Chinese calendars are all lunar calendars. The New Moon phase is uniquely recognized as the beginning of each calendar month just as it is the beginning on the Moon’s monthly cycle. When the Moon is New, it rises and sets with the Sun because it lies very close to the Sun in the sky. Although we cannot see the Moon during New Moon phase, it has a very special significance with regard to eclipses.

Geometry of the Sun, Earth and Moon During an Eclipse of the Sun
The Moon’s two shadows are the penumbra and the umbra.
(Sizes and distances not to scale)

The Moon’s Two Shadows

An eclipse of the Sun (or solar eclipse) can only occur at New Moon when the Moon passes between Earth and Sun. If the Moon’s shadow happens to fall upon Earth’s surface at that time, we see some portion of the Sun’s disk covered or ‘eclipsed’ by the Moon. Since New Moon occurs every 29 1/2 days, you might think that we should have a solar eclipse about once a month. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen because the Moon’s orbit around Earth is tilted 5 degrees to Earth’s orbit around the Sun. As a result, the Moon’s shadow usually misses Earth as it passes above or below our planet at New Moon. At least twice a year, the geometry lines up just right so that some part of the Moon’s shadow falls on Earth’s surface and an eclipse of the Sun is seen from that region.

The Moon’s shadow actually has two parts:

The Moon’s faint outer shadow.
Partial solar eclipses are visible from within the penumbral shadow.
The Moon’s dark inner shadow.
Total solar eclipses are visible from within the umbral shadow.
1. Penumbra
2. Umbra

When the Moon’s penumbral shadow strikes Earth, we see a partial eclipse of the Sun from that region. Partial eclipses are dangerous to look at because the un-eclipsed part of the Sun is still very bright. You must use special filters or a home-made pinhole projector to safely watch a partial eclipse of the Sun (see: Observing Solar Eclipses Safely).

What is the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse? A lunar eclipse is an eclipse of the Moon rather than the Sun. It happens when the Moon passes through Earth’s shadow. This is only possible when the Moon is in the Full Moon phase. For more information, see Lunar Eclipses for Beginners.

Total Solar Eclipse and Path of Totality

Total Solar Eclipses and the Path of Totality

If the Moon’s inner or umbral shadow sweeps across Earth’s surface, then a total eclipse of the Sun is seen. The track of the Moon’s umbral shadow across Earth is called the Path of Totality. It is typically 10,000 miles long but only about 100 miles wide. It covers less than 1% of Earth’s entire surface area. In order to see the Sun become completely eclipsed by the Moon, you must be somewhere inside the narrow path of totality.

The path of a total eclipse can cross any part of Earth. Even the North and South Poles get a total eclipse sooner or later. Just one total eclipse occurs each year or two. Since each total eclipse is only visible from a very narrow track, it is rare to see one from any single location. You’d have to wait an average of 375 years to see two total eclipses from one place. Of course, the interval between seeing two eclipses from one particular place can be shorter or longer. For instance, the last total eclipse visible from Princeton, NJ was in 1478 and the next is in 2079. That’s an interval of 601 years. However, the following total eclipse from Princeton is in 2144, after a period of only 65 years.

2006 Total Solar Eclipse
A composite image reveals subtle structure in the Sun’s corona.
(click to see more photos)

Awesome Totality

The total phase of a solar eclipse is very brief. It rarely lasts more than several minutes. Nevertheless, it is considered to be one of the most awe inspiring spectacles in all of nature. The sky takes on an eerie twilight as the Sun’s bright face is replaced by the black disk of the Moon. Surrounding the Moon is a beautiful gossemer halo. This is the Sun’s spectacular solar corona, a super heated plasma two million degrees in temperature. The corona can only be seen during the few brief minutes of totality. To witness such an event is a singularly memorable experience which cannot be conveyed adequately through words or photographs. Nevertheless, you can read more about the Experience of Totality in the first chapter of Totality – Eclipses of the Sun.

Scientists welcome the total eclipse as a rare opportunity to study the Sun’s faint corona. Why is the corona so hot? What causes it to spew massive bubbles of plasma into space through coronal mass ejections? Can solar flares be predicted and what causes them? These major mysteries may eventually be solved through experiments performed at future total eclipses.

For amateur astronomers and eclipse chasers, an eclipse of the Sun presents a tempting target to photograph. Fortunately, Solar Eclipse Photography is easy provided that you have the right equipment and use it correctly. See MrEclipse’s Picks for camera, lens and tripod recommendations. For more photographs taken during previous lunar eclipses, be sure to visit Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery. It’s also possible to capture a solar eclipse using a video camcorder.

The most recent total solar eclipse occurred on March 29, 2006 and was visible from Africa and central Asia. Fred Espenak led a Spears Travel tour to Libya to witness the event. You can see a collection of his photographs at 2006 Eclipse Gallary. Reports (with photos) from some of his earlier eclipse expeditions include 2001 Eclipse in Zambia, 1999 Eclipse in Turkey, 1998 Eclipse in Aruba and 1995 Eclipse in India.

The next two total eclipse of the Sun are both visible from China: 2008 and 2009. Join Fred Espenak on a Spears Travel tour to witness one (or both!) of these spectacular events.

Annular Solar Eclipse and the Path of Annularity

Annular Solar Eclipses

Unfortunately, not every eclipse of the Sun is a total eclipse. Sometimes, the Moon is too small to cover the entire Sun’s disk. To understand why, we need to talk about the Moon’s orbit around Earth. That orbit is not perfectly round but is oval or elliptical in shape. As the Moon orbits our planet, it’s distance varies from about 221,000 to 252,000 miles. This 13% variation in the Moon’s distance makes the Moon’s apparent size in our sky vary by the same amount. When the Moon is on the near side of its orbit, the Moon appears larger than the Sun. If an eclipse occurs at that time, it will be a total eclipse. However, if an eclipse occurs while the Moon is on the far side of its orbit, the Moon appears smaller than the Sun and can’t completely cover it. Looking down from space, we would see that the Moon’s umbral shadow is not long enough to reach Earth. Instead, the antumbra shadow reaches Earth.

The track of the antumbra is called the path of annularity. If you are within this path, you will see an eclipse where a ring or annulus of bright sunlight surrounds the Moon at the maximum phase. Annular eclipses are also dangerous to look directly with the naked eye. You must use the same precautions needed for safely viewing a partial eclipse of the Sun (see: Observing Solar Eclipses Safely).

Annularity can last as long as a dozen minutes, but is more typically about half that length. Since the annular phase is so bright, the Sun’s gorgeous corona remains hidden from view. But annular eclipses are still quite interesting to watch. You can read reports about the annular eclipses of 1999 in Australia and 2003 in Iceland. More recently, visit the 2005 Annular Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery.

2005 Annular Solar Eclipse
This sequence shows the eclipse just before, during and after annularity.
(click to see more photos)

The “Oddball” Hybrid Eclipse

There’s one more type of solar eclipse to mention and its a real oddball. Under rare circumstances, a total eclipse can change to an annular eclipse or vice versa along different sections of the eclipse path. This happens when the curvature of Earth brings different points of the path into the umbral (total) and antumbral (annular) shadows, respectively. Hybrid eclipses are sometimes called annular/total eclipses. The last hybrid eclipse was in 2005 and the next one is in

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Summary: The third installment in the saga is set to achieve greater heights as well as get darker and deeper into the characteristics. Bella (Kristen Stewart) is forced to choose between her love for Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner) amid a string of mysterious killings and malicious vampire’s quest for revenge. 

    2. Inception

Summary: Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a skilled thief enters people’s dreams through the use of sophisticated techology to steal their secrets and given a task to plant dangerous ideas into someone’s subconscious.

     3. Predator

Summary: On an alien planet, a mercenary (Adrien Brody) and his group of fighters struggle to survive against onslaught of fearsome alien warriors who hunt them for sport.

      4. Iron Man 2

Summary: Tony Stark (Robert Downer Jr.), the billionaire weapon inventor, is now recognised by the world as Iron Man, must forge new alliances and deals with powerful and deadly enemy.

      5. Toy Story 3

Summary: The movie is possibly the best of the trilogy where the main characters Woody (Tom Hanks), his best friend, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and the rest of the toys finds themselves accidentally being dumped in the SunnySide Day Care center after their owner, Andy leaves for college.

Hollywood is filled with the most beautiful people in the planet (or so “they” say…). Beauty, however, neither equates with talent nor with great movies. And the most talented actors in the glittery world of Hollywood don’t really seem to get the recognition that they deserve. Regrettably, despite the brilliant character performance and the flawless “stage” presence, these actors remain underrated. To give them, in some small measure, the praise they have justly earned and denied by Hollywood, here’s a list of the Most Underrated Actors in Hollywood

Underrated Actors in Hollywood No. 1: Gary Oldman

Actor Gary Oldman has predominantly played morally corrupt roles like Lee Harvey Oswald in the movie, “JFK,” and the violent pimp with Jamaican dreadlocks in “True Romance.” The movie he is most renowned for is Francis Ford Coppola’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” where he played the ultimate villain of all time – the love-struck Count Dracula. At present, he is associated with more “wholesome” movies such as the “Harry Potter” and “Batman” Franchises, where he portrays Sirius Black and James Gordon respectively. Oldman is also admired for his natural aptitude to adopt different accents: Transylvanian (as Dracula), Russian (as Russian terrorist Ivan Korshunov in the movie, “Air Force One”), and German (as world-renowned pianist, Beethoven in the movie, “Immortal Beloved”). His versatility as an actor is marvelous. Despite the substance and depth of a majority of his roles, Oldman remains underrated, and has never been nominated for an Academy Award.

Underrated Actors in Hollywood No. 2: Christian Bale

Actor Christian Bale, even before getting involved in the big-budget franchise, “Batman,” has already made a mark in the film arena. As a young child of 13, Bale became the star of one of Steven Spielberg’s masterpieces, “Empire of the Sun,” which featured the adventures and misadventures of an English boy, Jamie in a Japanese internment camp during World Ward 2. Bale’s youthful charm, aura of child-wonder, and passion for discoveries, made Jamie an enduringly lovable kid. As the actor evolved into adolescence, Bale played more seriously dramatic roles such as Thomas in the movie, “Swing Kids” where he had to choose between his fellow dancing friends or the Nazi cause. The “Matrix”-eclipsed movie, “Equilibrium” (and one of the most underrated movies, for that matter) seemed to foretell his expertise as an action-hero. As Cleric John Preston in the movie, Bale was featured effortlessly executing defensive moves with military precision and efficiency. As Patrick Bateman in the movie, “American Psycho,” Bale convincingly depicted the complexity of an elegantly-dressed narcissistic yet deeply insecure serial killer. Bale also earned undervalued credits for drastically losing weight to the point of looking like an emaciated corpse for the movie, “The Machinist.” His extraordinary talent coupled with classic good looks has not yet earned him an Academy Award. He remains unjustly underrated.

Underrated Actors in Hollywood No. 3: Edward Norton

Actor Edward Norton – grandson of the developer of the City of Columbia, Maryland, a Yale graduate, United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity, and surprisingly, a fluent Japanese speaker – is one of the most talented yet underrated actors in Hollywood. In the 1996 movie, “Primal Fear,” Norton played the role of a seemingly vulnerable stuttering altar boy named “Allan” who had a brutally sadistic and murderous alter ego, “Roy.” Norton’s ability to shift from the innocence of Allan to the ferocity of Roy was sheer genius. Another breakthrough performance was in the movie, “American History X” where he plays an extreme Neo-Nazi. With his shaved head, huge Nazi tattoo and menacing grin, Norton was able to transform into a nerve-wracking and simply frightening figure that you don’t want to mess with. He has played other memorable roles such as Graham, the FBI agent in the Dr. Hannibal Lecter movie “Red Dragon,” and the green monster, Hulk in “The Incredible Hulk.” Although this Hollywood Actor has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in the movie, “American History X,” and for Best Supporting Actor in the movie, “Primal Fear,” his enduring brilliant talent needs so much more consideration.

This article is an addendum to the series entitled, “Underrated Actors in Hollywood.” When you get the time to relax and enjoy a movie, try watching one from these actors to witness their versatility and brilliance.

Who’s your favorite underrated Hollywood actor?

Three sheet movie poster: The Ten Commandments (1956)

Epic religious movies, the vast majority of which are of the Christian persuasion, are legendary in motion picture history. We are talking about the big, sweeping movie spectaculars set in ancient times which often boast of “a cast of thousands” and carry the tagline, “Only the big screen…”

Here are ten religious movie spectaculars that no serious film buff should ever miss. Cecil B. DeMille commands you…

The Ten Commandments (Paramount, 1956)

Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments remains one of the most impressive movies ever made. Charlton Heston has the starring role of Moses, with an ‘A’ list cast comprised of Yul Brynner (Rameses), Anne Baxter (Nefretiri), Edward G. Robinson (Dathan), Yvonne De Carlo (Sephora), Debra Paget (Lilia), John Derek (Joshua), Cedric Hardwicke (Sethi), Nina Foch (Bithia), Martha Scott (Yochabel), Judith Anderson (Memnet) and Vincent Price (Baka) in stunning support. The parting of the Red Sea, the pestilence of death and Moses’ encounter with the burning bush, to name just a few memorable scenes, make The Ten Commandments the movie to watch come every Easter.

Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Best Color Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Special Effects (won), Best Color Art Direction/Set Decoration, Best Color Costume Design, Best Sound

Great line: “If this god is God, he would live on every mountain, in every valley. He would not be the god of Ishmael or Israel alone, but of all men.” – Charlton Heston as Moses

Director: Cecil B. DeMille

On DVD: The Ten Commandments 50th Anniversary Collection (Paramount, 2006)

Ben-Hur (MGM, 1959)

Charlton Heston has the title role of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince banished into slavery who eventually wins his freedom to take on the friend who betrayed him. The backdrop of “A Tale of the Christ” (the film’s official subtitle) provides the picture’s stirring religious backdrop. An all-star cast comprised of Jack Hawkins (Quintus Arrius), Haya Harareet (Esther), Stephen Boyd (Messala), Hugh Griffith (Sheik Iderim), Martha Scott (Miriam) and Cathy O’Donnell (Tirzah) complement Heston’s outstanding performance. The sea battle, the fabulous chariot race and the miraculous crucifixion aftermath are just a few scenes from Ben-Hur that will live on in motion picture immortality.

Academy Award nominations: Best Picture (won), Best Actor (Heston, won), Best Director (won), Best Supporting Actor (Griffith, won), Best Writing, Best Sound (won), Best Music Score (won), Best Film Editing (won), Best Color Cinematography (won), Best Color Art Decoration/Set Decoration (won), Best Color Costume Design (won), Best Special Effects (won)

Great line: “He gave me water, and the heart to live. What has he done to merit this?” – Charlton Heston as Ben-Hur on Christ’s impending crucifixion

Director: William Wyler

On DVD: Ben-Hur Four-Disc Collector’s Edition (Warner, 2005)

Promotional still: Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur (1959)

The King of Kings (Pathe, 1927)

H.B. Warner (Jesus, the Christ) and Dorothy Cumming (Mary) head the cast in this silent movie epic made for a then staggering .5 million. The movie follows the story of Christ as he gathers his disciples, spreads the gospel and works his miracles, culminating in the crucifixion and resurrection. Two of the more memorable scenes include the casting out of demons from Mary Magdalene and the terrifying earthquake sequence that accompanies the crucifixion.

Great line: “Harness my zebras – gift of the Nubian King! This carpenter shall learn that he cannot hold a man from Mary Magdalene!” – Jacqueline Logan as Mary Magdalene

Director: Cecil B. DeMille

On DVD: The King of Kings (Criterion, 2004)

The Robe (Twentieth Century-Fox, 1953)

Richard Burton stars as Marcellus Gallio, a Roman tribune who supervises the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. While gambling with other Roman soldiers, a drunken Marcellus wins the robe that Christ was wearing. The robe takes on a supernatural aura for Marcellus, burning him when he uses it to cover himself in a rainstorm. Demetrius (Victor Mature), a follower of Christ, takes possession of the robe, with a determined Marcellus later following his trail as he tries to unravel the mysteries surrounding the garment. Jean Simmons (Diana), Michael Rennie (Peter) and Jay Robinson (Caligula) appear in handsome support.

Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Burton), Best Color Cinematography, Best Color Art Direction/Set Decoration (won), Best Color Costume Design (won)

Great line (to Richard Burton’s Marcellus): “You crucified him. You, my master. Yet you freed me. I’ll never serve you again, you Roman pig. Masters of the world, you call yourselves. Thieves! Murderers! Jungle animals! A curse on you! A curse on your emprie!” – Victor Mature as Demetrius

Director: Henry Koster

On DVD: The Robe (Twentieth Century-Fox, 2001)

1963 reissue insert movie poster: The Robe (1953)

Quo Vadis (MGM, 1951)

Robert Taylor stars as Marcus Vinicius, a Roman commander who falls in love with devout Christian Lygia (Deborah Kerr) in first century Rome. Peter Ustinov plays the mad emperor Nero, with the struggle pitting early Christianity against a decadent Rome serving as the backdrop. The visual scenes are stunning, including the Roman legions returning home on the dusty Appian Way, the gruesome Christians versus lions spectacle in the coliseum and of course the burning of Rome itself. Quo Vadis – Latin for “Where are you going?” – was made for .623 million.

Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Ustinov, Leo Genn), Best Music Score, Best Film Editing, Best Color Cinematography, Best Color Costume Design, Best Color Art Direction/Set Decoration

Great line: “It is not enough to live well. One must die well.” – Leo Genn as Petronius

Director: Mervyn LeRoy

On DVD: Quo Vadis Two-Disc Special Edition (Warner, 2008)

The Sign of the Cross (Paramount, 1932)

Charles Laughton stars as Emperor Nero, who once again torches Rome, blaming the evil deed on the Christians. Fredric March (Marcus), Claudette Colbert (Poppaea), Ian Keith (Tigellinus), Harry Beresford (Flavius) and Elissa Landi (Mercia) appear in strong support. The Sign of the Cross chronicles Christianity versus Rome in the year 66 A.D., with the latter’s decadence on infamous display via sex slaves, palace orgies and “sport” in the coliseum where Christians are fed to lions, gladiators fight to the death and African pygmies battle strapping Amazons. Say what you want about the Romans as depicted in this film, but they never lacked for imagination.

Academy Award nomination: Best Cinematography

Great line (spoken while soaking in a tub of ass’s milk to Vivian Tobin’s handmaiden Dacia): “Dacia, you’re a butterfly with the sting of a wasp. Take off your clothes. Get in here and tell me all about it.” – Claudette Colbert as Empress Poppaea

Director: Cecil B. DeMille

On DVD: The Cecil B. DeMille Collection (Universal, 2006)

Australian daybill movie poster: The Sign of the Cross (1932)

The Bible (Twentieth Century-Fox, 1966)

The Bible comes to the big screen in this ambitious million partial retelling of the Old Testament. John Huston (Noah), Michael Parks (Adam), Richard Harris (Cain), Ulla Bergyd (Eve), Stephen Boyd (Nimrod), George C. Scott (Abraham), Ava Gardner (Sarah), Peter O’Toole (The Three Angels) and Franco Nero (Abel) head the all-star cast. The special effects are outstanding, depicting such biblical events as Adam and Eve’s banishment from the Garden of Eden, the Great Flood, the Tower of Babel and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Bible scholars may be disappointed in that only the first half of Genesis is covered, but unlike the Christians’ God Almighty Hollywood has time constraints.

Academy Award nomination: Best Original Music Score

Great line: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” – Richard Harris as Cain

Director: John Huston

On DVD: The Bible…In the Beginning (Twentieth Century-Fox, 2001)

Samson and Delilah (Paramount, 1949)

Victor Mature (Samson) and Hedy Lamarr (Delilah) garner the title roles in this epic story featuring the two Old Testament figures. It’s replete with dangerous sexual undercurrents and the usual mass carnage, including the scene where Samson commandeers the jawbone of an ass and decimates the opposing Philistine army. Count this one as a kind of biblical battle of the sexes, with Samson trying to gain the upper hand through supernatural intervention. “No man leaves Delilah,” the formidable seductress declares, which is why Samson beseeches God’s assistance.

Academy Award nominations: Best Color Cinematography, Best Color Art Direction-Set Decoration (won), Best Color Costume Design (won), Best Music Scoring, Best Special Effects

Great line: “The oldest trick in the world. Silk trap, baited with a woman.” – Victor Mature as Samson

Director: Cecil B. DeMille

On DVD: Not commercially available 

Lobby card: Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr in Samson and Delilah (1949)

Barabbas (Columbia, 1961)

Anthony Quinn has the title role, playing the thief who, according to Scripture, is granted a reprieve in place of Jesus Christ. Silvana Mangano (Rachel), Arthur Kennedy (Pontius Pilate), Katy Jurado (Sara), Harry Andrews (Peter), Jack Palance (Torvald) and Ernest Borgnine (Lucius) appear in support in this Italian-made epic from producer Dino De Laurentis. The crucifixion scene (in which the cameras captured an actual full solar