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Kate Gosselin: Jon Is Dealing "Very Poorly" With Being in the Public Eye

2009-05-08T08:49:00.001-07:00

Kate Gosselin of TLC's Jon & Kate Plus 8 said the focus on her current marital woes is "a result of our situation -- our very public lives."

"We, as you know, have a reality show," she said on Thursday's Larry King Live while promoting her new book, Eight Little Faces. "Everyone wants to know everything about us. And I feel like this is a situation where, you know, you can't believe everything that you read. You know that. I know that."

"And so we are dealing with it privately," she went on. "We are handling it one step at a time. And I think the important thing to remember is that we love our kids to pieces. They are safe and happy and healthy. And of all times, their birthday is coming up. And I'm just thanking God for five wonderful years with eight wonderful kids. And, you know, we're just -- we're focusing on them."

Look back at Jon and Kate through the years

Asked if their kids -- twins, 8, and sextuplets, 5 - are aware of coverage of her husband Jon's affair with 23-year-old school teacher Deanna Hummel, Kate said, "They attend a very quiet, private school where, you know, people aren't paying attention to that. They're investing their time in their kids' education and activities. And, no, they are, at this point unaware. But they are very aware that we love them very much."

King also read a statement from Jon, who -- despite video, pics and on-the-record interviews -- denies cheating on his wife. "These allegations are false and just plain hurtful," read the statement. "As I adjust to the attention that comes from being in the public eye, I need to be more careful and aware of who I'm associating with and where I'm spending my time. The bottom line is I did not cheat on Kate. I'm sorry for putting my family in this awkward position, given some poor decisions and bad judgments I've made recently. I'm working through this difficult time with my family and my family is my top priority."

See more controversial celeb couples

Asked by King what Jon meant by "bad judgment," Kate replied: "Well, this is a situation where, you have to understand, we are a couple, we are a family who didn't set out to live, you know, the celebrity lifestyle. We are living our lives like a normal family. Cameras come in and film us. And that, to the world -- to the public, makes us celebrities. I do not like that word."

See the ugliest celeb splits of all time

"I am not a celebrity..." she added. "I am a mom and a wife. And I feel that Jon is having difficult times realizing that, you know, you can't go to the grocery store without people whipping out their cell phones, calling everyone they know and taking pictures of you. He is dealing very poorly with it."

She added, "And I feel like these, you know, things are making him realize, oh, my gosh, I cannot go anywhere without everyone knowing..."

See more unforgettable celeb scandals

Despite her drama being unfolded in the public, she said is not sorry she signed up for their TLC show, for which she earns an estimated $50,000-$75,000 per episode.

"I look at life as a glass half full is my attitude," she told King. "And I feel like we have learned a lot, the kids have gained a lot. We have benefited a lot. And life lessons is -- you will see in our show. And this is full of life lessons."

"Life happens," she went on. "And, you know, we all have to react to what happens to us. And I choose happiness. And I choose to survive anything."

"Life happens," she went on. "And, you know, we all have to react to what happens to us. And I choose happiness. And I choose to survive anything."

She doesn't even mind criticism that she sometimes appears aggressive and mean toward her husband on camera.

Asked if she controls editing, she told King, "We do not. That's why those episodes still air."

"Once it's filmed, it's in the can ... it's airable," she went on, adding that she'll only ask scenes to be edited if they're inappropriate "from the kid's standpoint."

"But as far as myself, I don't know that I've ever asked that anything be changed about me, because I don't really care about me, she said. "I'm protecting the kids."

Can you Build Ships Out of Ice? The Mythbusters Investigate

2009-04-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

Supposedly, inventor Geoffrey Pyke once proposed building ships out of ice to patrol the North Atlantic for the British War Office. By the time two prototypes were built, long-range aircraft had already taken over the job—or so the story goes. Mythbusters Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage see if a ship made out of ice and sawdust—or, in this case, newspaper—is seaworthy. The full episode airs tonight, April 15, on the Discovery Channel.

By Jamie Hyneman

Photographs by Charlie Starr

A lot of mythology surrounds British inventor Geoffrey Pyke. He supposedly made people come to his bedside to see his designs because getting up and getting dressed took too long. It seems fitting somehow that such a quirky character could convince the British War Office in 1942 to test the concept of massive floating platforms made of ice—insulated and cooled “berg ships” up to 4000 feet long to be used as bomb- and torpedoproof aircraft carriers that would protect North Atlantic shipping lanes.

The following year, Pyke’s former professor and his assistant discovered that adding wood pulp or sawdust to water before freezing would make far stronger platforms. They named the material pykrete in honor of Pyke. By the time two small-scale prototypes were built, longer-range aircraft were patrolling the Atlantic, and the wild scheme was largely forgotten.

Mythology, strange materials, bombproof stuff—that’s all right down our alley, so I proposed taking on the story as an episode of MythBusters. The problem was, I couldn’t convince our producers to let Adam Savage and me build an aircraft carrier. A smaller boat, however, would present its own challenges: I was pretty sure its thin pykrete hull wouldn’t be strong enough for the job. So I started thinking about how to bolster it.

If you break it down, pykrete is really a type of particleboard that uses water as the binding agent instead of glue. But it’s weak like particleboard, which has limited structural strength. So what would be a stronger alternative? Plywood! Its layers of wood veneer and glue form a stable, sturdy sandwich. And since pykrete can be made with wood pulp—well, newsprint is made from pulp. We thought: What if we make a “plywood” boat out of frozen, laminated newspapers? That’s what we pitched to our producers, and that’s what we did. You may have already seen the episode (scheduled to air April 15 on the Discovery Channel). But, as usual, a lot happened that we couldn’t fit on the show.

First, we tested whether our newspaper variation was stronger than pykrete, which is surprisingly tough but brittle. You can break it with just a couple of hammer whacks. It turned out that our version was off the charts for strength. We stacked 400 pounds of lead on one end of a 2-inch-thick newsprint plank clamped to a workbench, and then hammered away. We finally gave up. Basically, it was about as strong as 2-inch-thick plywood. We called the new material super pykrete.

For the design, I drew on my days as a commercial captain and chose the Carolina skiff, a flat-bottomed boat that’s popular on the Chesapeake and throughout the Southeast. The flat bottom makes a stable work platform for clammers and other watermen; it also means you can plane with relatively little horsepower. Since super pykrete is on the heavy side, we wanted to make sure we had enough power to go fast without resorting to a massive engine.

The project depended on freezing newsprint and keeping it that way. So we needed cold—but not frozen—water to test the boat. Our staff zeroed in on Ketchikan, Alaska, which has ice-free waters in January and a high school with a wood shop where we could work. But the average temperature at that time of year is 38 degrees, so we had to rent a freezer truck. Go to Alaska to rent a freezer ... well, it’s not the strangest thing we’ve done on MythBusters.

The build was pretty simple. We started the mold by making a platform for the bottom—an enclosed box of 2 x 10s and 3/4-inch plywood about 8 feet wide and 20 feet long, just like the floor in a house but with plywood on all sides. It had to be nailed and glued so we could forklift it into the freezer truck. The sides were doubled-up 3/4-inch plywood held in place with galvanized brackets. We lined the mold with Visqueen, a light, flexible polyethelene film that would act as a water seal and mold release.

The newspaper was the hardest part of the build. We recruited an army of high school students to unfold 2000-plus pounds of the Ketchikan Daily News and other fine publications and dunk them in tubs of water. Lots and lots of tubs. Newspaper floats before it’s wet, so the kids had to keep pushing it down.

If you ever decide to build a boat out of wet newspaper, it’s important to remember to lay down the sheets like shingles on a house: One issue at a time, starting at the bow and moving aft, so water flows over the layers, not under them. After about four passes, we had a hull 2 inches thick. Another important thing to remember: Water expands as it freezes, so you need to keep pressure on the newspaper or else it delaminates. We built an inner mold to hold everything in place and hoisted the skiff into the freezer truck.

While the boat was in cold storage, we mounted the 150-hp four-stroke outboard motor that Yamaha loaned us and installed steering, a gas tank, a battery and running lights. Two days later, we drove the truck down to a breakwater and unloaded the mold. The boat slid right off the Visqueen plastic into the water and bobbed around like a normal boat.

Before the skiff melted, we put on Mustang survival suits that the local fishermen wear when something bad happens at sea and headed out as though it was a normal day of angling—except that we were in a paper boat in water just above freezing. I checked to see if Adam was ready and then gunned it, half expecting the 150-hp outboard to rocket forward into us at any minute.

But that didn’t happen. We were soon planing, going about 25 mph. Some leaks sprang here and there, but a few sprays from carbon-dioxide fire extinguishers sealed them pretty well, at least for a little while. Whizzing along on a plane with CO2 fog rolling out the stern—precious.

If I were reading this article I’d be wondering, why go to all that trouble to make something that will last an hour at most? Here’s the thing: It’s like climbing a mountain. For Adam and me, these are adventures. And anyway, who else gets to do this?

source : http://www.popularmechanics.com

The 10 Shows That Deserve to Return Next Fall (But Might Not)

2009-04-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

Will 'Kings' be dethroned?

NBC/Andrew Eccles

With plenty of our favorite shows in danger of falling through the network programming cracks, it's time to bring more attention to the series that deserve another season, but may not get one. We know, we know, wishin' and hopin' didn't do "Pushing Daisies" any good, but we're sending out a prayer to the TV powers-that-be anyway: when upfront time rolls around in a month or so, please let at least some of these shows reappear on your schedules.

1. "Chuck"
In short, this show is clever, all-around fun, with a great cast, stellar writing and lots and lots of heart. And Chuck and Sarah may be the TV couple we most enjoy seeing almost hook up, but not quite. Save that for season five or six.

2. "Life"
Charlie Crews, the fruit-loving L.A. detective with a Zen attitude, has become one of our favorite TV cops ever in just under two years, thanks to Damian Lewis' deceptively placid, quirky charisma. This season, the weekly cases got more creative, the supporting cast got stronger (partly due to the addition of Donal Logue and Gabrielle Union) and the underlying conspiracy plot got twistier.

3. "Fringe"
We tuned in because of Joshua Jackson, stuck around despite a slightly sluggish start, and were finally rewarded with some fun science fiction. We're just getting to the interesting mythology, and we're finally warming up to Anna Torv, mostly because she kicks butt. It's a little bit of Alias and a little bit of "X-Files", with some really gross/awesome monsters of the week, and just turning out to be a pretty enjoyable action series.

4. "Better Off Ted"
We need a good workplace comedy to make us laugh again, since "The Office" has been disappointing us lately. This one is more akin to "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" and is filled with that quirk and innate silliness that turns off the general public who prefer the more straight-forward sitcoms like "Rules of Engagement".

5. "Dollhouse"
We're still iffy on this show, but it took a while for "Angel" to really hit its stride, too. Even "Buffy" had some less-than-stellar first season episodes. Perhaps that's just part of Joss Whedon's style. It seems like Joss and Co. are making an active effort to work out the kinks to really get this series to meet the high standards his fans hold him to. It's getting there, but without a second season, we may never get to see that vision realized.

6. "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"
We've already lost one show with robots this season with the end of "BSG". Don't take our other one away from us. We need some robots kicking butt to really round out our weekly TV viewing. Seriously though, we love the idea of this show and every time it starts to wear our patience thin with family drama, they hook us again with more cool Terminator technology.

7. "Kings"
This ambitious series is bringing a whole world to life, and the twisted tale just started to get really juicy, with backstabbing and dirty deals. It may be based in history, but this tale of a rich, powerful, corrupt monarchy has an epic feel about it that shouldn't be confined to just a few episodes. Plus, we're so grateful to have Ian McShane back in a starring role again; to take the show away now would just reopen our old "Deadwood" wounds.

8. "Rock of Love"
Sure, Bret said that this "Bus" installment was his last chance at finding love, but we're not sure we love, or even like, any of the girls that are left. He can do better than that, for sure. And even if he can't, it would be great for us to see him try, because there's something disgustingly engrossing about his sweet nature and the skanky girls who compete for him.

9. "Celebrity Apprentice"
"The Apprentice" was getting to be a tired format. The addition of celebrities makes it infinitely more interesting, and these last two seasons have succeeded in making us actually enjoy this franchise again. But apparently we're in the minority, since the ratings are shrinking. Perhaps the problem is that they need a higher profile of celebrities to draw more viewers in the future, although the C-listers and sports stars (aside from Dennis Rodman) seem to be a scrappier bunch, willing to do what it takes to get 15 more minutes of fame.

10. "Southland"/"The Unusuals"
Neither of these shows have even premiered yet, but while they both have promising pilots that have us hooked, it is unlikely that they'll actually last. "Unusuals" has police cases with a healthy dose of comedy, which might be a little too oddball for the general public. And "Southland" is twisted and gritty, but with NBC's new schedule next fall, there's not really a lot of space for this show that needs to be in the 10 PM hour. We like them, but we're worried that they're doomed before they started.

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2009-04-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

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2009-04-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

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2009-04-08T13:49:00.001-07:00

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Vermont legalizes gay marriage with veto override

2009-04-07T14:46:00.001-07:00

MONTPELIER, Vt. – Vermont on Tuesday became the fourth state to legalize gay marriage — and the first to do so with a legislature's vote.

The House recorded a dramatic 100-49 vote, the minimum needed, to override Gov. Jim Douglas' veto. Its vote followed a much easier override vote in the Senate, which rebuffed the Republican governor with a vote of 23-5.

Vermont was the first state to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples and joins Connecticut, Massachusetts and Iowa in giving gays the right to marry. Their approval of gay marriage came from the courts.

Tuesday morning's legislative action came less than a day after Douglas issued a veto message saying the bill would not improve the lot of gay and lesbian couples because it still would not provide them rights under federal and other states' laws.

Douglas called override "not unexpected." He had called the issue of gay marriage a distraction during a time when economic and budget issues were more important.

"What really disappoints me is that we have spent some time on an issue during which another thousand Vermonters have lost their jobs," the governor said Tuesday. "We need to turn out attention to balancing a budget without raising taxes, growing the economy, putting more people to work."

House Speaker Shap Smith's announcement of the vote brought an outburst of jubilation from some of the hundreds packed into the gallery and the lobby outside the House chamber, despite the speaker's admonishment against such displays.

Among the celebrants in the lobby were former Rep. Robert Dostis, D-Waterbury, and his longtime partner, Chuck Kletecka. Dostis recalled efforts to expand gay rights dating to an anti-discrimination law passed in 1992.

"It's been a very long battle. It's been almost 20 years to get to this point," Dostis said. "I think finally, most people in Vermont understand that we're a couple like any other couple. We're as good and as bad as any other group of people. And now I think we have a chance to prove ourselves here on forward that we're good members of our community."

Dostis said he and Kletecka will celebrate their 25th year together in September.

"Is that a proposal?" Kletecka asked.

"Yeah," Dostis replied. "Twenty-five years together, I think it's time we finally got married."

Craig Bensen, a gay marriage opponent who had lobbied unsuccessfully for a nonbinding referendum on the question, said he was disappointed but believed gay marriage opponents were outspent by supporters by a 20-1 margin.

"The other side had a highly funded, extremely well-oiled machine with all the political leadership except the governor pushing to make this happen," he said. "The fact that it came down to this tight a vote is really astounding."

Also in the crowd was Michael Feiner, a farmer from Roxbury and gay marriage supporter, who took a break from collecting sap for maple syrup-making to come to the Statehouse.

"I'm taking a break to come and basically make sure that I was here to witness history," he said.

The House had initially approved the bill last week with a 95-52 vote. Smith and his leadership team worked through the weekend to try to persuade some legislators to change their minds.

One who did was first-term Rep. Jeff Young, D-St. Albans. He said he continued to be philosophically opposed to gay marriage, but decided that voting with his fellow Democrats would help him be an effective legislator in the future.

"You realize that, you know, it's a poker game in some ways," Young said. "Chips on the table. I'm a freshman. I have no chips. If I ... had 20 years of chips, I probably could play any card I want. I don't have that option."

Source : http://news.yahoo.com

Fidel Castro meets with 3 visiting US lawmakers

2009-04-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

HAVANA – Signaling its willingness to discuss improved relations with the Obama administration, Cuba on Tuesday granted three visiting members of the Congressional Black Caucus the first meeting with Fidel Castro by American officials since he fell ill in 2006.

The surprise meeting came a day after the full delegation of six representatives spent more than four hours talking privately with Cuban President Raul Castro, his first encounter with U.S. officials since formally replacing his brother as head of state nearly 14 months ago.

The sessions occurred as Washington discusses whether to warm up long chilly relations with Cuba. President Barack Obama has ordered an assessment of U.S. policy toward the communist nation and some members of Congress are pushing to lift a ban on Americans visiting the island.

Greg Adams, a spokesman at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, which Washington keeps here instead of an embassy, confirmed Rep. Barbara Lee and two other legislators met with the 82-year-old Fidel Castro, but had no other details. He couldn't provide the names of the two other lawmakers.

The visiting U.S. delegation, which was headed by Lee, a California Democrat, left Cuba without talking to reporters about the meeting with Cuba's former president. In Washington, J. Jioni Palmer, a spokesman for the Congressional Black Caucus, said he had no further information.

Adams said he expected the Cuban government to release details during the nightly newscast on state television, though it was not clear if photos or video of the encounter would be made public.

Fidel Castro has not been seen in public since undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006 and it was his first meeting in several years with American officials. Although he gave up his presidential duties after becoming ill, he remains an influential force in Cuba.

Among the last U.S. officials to see him face-to-face were state governors visiting the island separately on farm trade missions in 2005: Dave Heineman of Nebraska and Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana.

Lee's group was in Cuba five days on a trip meant to encourage dialogue between the United States and Cuba.

Jeffrey Davidow, the White House adviser for this month's Summit of the Americas, which Obama will attend, says the U.S. president has no plans to lift the 47-year-old trade embargo against Cuba. But he says Obama will soon ease travel and financial restrictions affecting the island as his administration reviews its Cuban policy.

Lee's delegation is sympathetic to Cuba, with most of its members openly praising the country's communist government while decrying U.S. policy.

Before the meeting with Fidel Castro was revealed, Lee said her group's talks with Raul Castro left lawmakers "convinced that President Castro sees normalization of relations and an end to the embargo as a benefit to both countries."

In commentaries Monday in state media, Fidel Castro said that Cuba is not afraid to talk directly to the United States and that the Cuban government does not thrive on confrontation as its detractors have long claimed. He also welcomed the visit by the U.S. lawmakers.

Opponents of the Castro government have long argued that while Cuban officials publicly call for an end to the trade embargo, they strive to antagonize Washington so it will keep the sanctions in place. The critics say Cuban leaders want to be able to blame the country's problems — from restricted public Internet access to chronic food shortages — on trade sanctions.

A member of the visiting U.S. delegation, Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois, said he found the 77-year-old Raul Castro "to be just the opposite of what is being portrayed in the media."

"I think that what really surprised me, but also endeared me to him, was his keen sense of humor, his sense of history and his basic human qualities," Rush said.

The American lawmakers were "in conversation with him as though we were old family members," said Rush, who was once a Black Panther.

"I intend to do everything that I can when we get back to the States to make sure that normalization with our relationship with Cuba is given proper consideration both within the House of Representatives and the neighborhoods of America," Rush added.

Bills in both houses of the U.S. Congress would effectively bar any president from prohibiting Americans from traveling to Cuba except in extreme cases such as war.

Lee predicted the measures will be approved, but said that will not spell the end of the trade embargo.

"This would be a wonderful step, allowing American citizens the right to travel to Cuba, but much would follow after that," she said in an interview.

The lawmakers' meeting with Raul Castro touched on few specific issues, especially thorny ones like Cuba's checkered human rights record.

"We did not come to negotiate, we came to associate and cultivate," said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri.

Lee said the legislators would use their visit to prepare a report for Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the situation in Cuba.

"Our basic message back to our country would be, it's time to talk to Cuba," Lee said. "The time is now."

Asked about the lawmakers' trip, before the session with Fidel Castro was reported, State Department spokesman Robert Wood said members of Congress are free to go where they want and to discuss issues with world leaders.

"And I'm sure that the members of that delegation will be raising some of the concerns that the U.S. government has with Cuba in terms of allowing Cubans to have the same rights and freedoms as (citizens of) other countries in the hemisphere," Wood said.

Source : http://news.yahoo.com

Italy rocked by strong aftershocks; Woman rescued

2009-04-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

L'AQUILA, Italy – Strong aftershocks Tuesday sent a fresh wave of fear across earthquake-shattered central Italy, and rescue crews pulled a young woman alive from a collapsed building about 42 hours after the main quake struck the mountainous region. Eleonora Calesini, a 20-year-old student, was found alive in the ruins of the five-story building in central L'Aquila, said her grandfather, Renato Calesini, in the seaside town of Mondaini.

"She's safe!" he told The Associated Press, adding that her father had gone to devastated city in the snowcapped Apennine mountains to try to locate the student, who wears a hearing aid. She reportedly had an arm injury but was in good condition otherwise.

The death toll from Italy's worst earthquake in three decades climbed to 235, with the bodies taken to a makeshift morgue in a hangar at a police officer's training school, the ANSA news agency reported. The dead included four students trapped in the rubble of a dormitory of the University of L'Aquila, ANSA said.

Rescue crews gave up gingerly removing debris by hand and brought in huge pincers that pulled off parts of the dorm roof, balconies and walls, showering debris down.

"Unless there is a miracle, I've been told (by rescuers) that they probably are dead," university rector Ferdinando Di Orio said.

A strong aftershock at 7:47 p.m. rained debris on screaming residents and rescue crews, who ran from the site.

"I want to go home! I want to go home!" screamed a woman identified only as Patrizia after chunks of facade rained down on them from a badly cracked building.

Her hands trembled as rescue workers gave her a cup of water. Her boyfriend, Agostino Paride, 33, an engineer, said they had driven to L'Aquila from Civitella Rovedo, some 45 miles away, to bring food and clothes to relatives in a tent camp.

To shelter the homeless against another chilly night in the mountains, some 20 tent cities sprouted in open spaces around L'Aquila and surrounding towns. Field kitchens, medical supplies and clowns with bubbles — to entertain traumatized children — were brought in.

Officials estimated Monday that 50,000 people had been left homeless by the quake. By Tuesday evening, that number was lowered to between 17,000 and 25,000, because many moved in with friends or relatives.

"I don't know how I'll make it," a dazed Pierina Diletti said as she stood in slippers and her nightgown outside her tent.

Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who visited one of the encampments, said an estimated 14,500 people were being sheltered in the blue tents.

Officials said some 10,000 to 15,000 buildings were either damaged or destroyed in the 26 cities, towns and villages around L'Aquila, a picturesque city of 70,000. Teams planned to begin surveying those buildings still standing on Wednesday to see if residents could move back in.

"The assessment will concern every room, every slit, every crack," Berlusconi told a news conference, adding that assessments of the region's prized cultural treasures — churches, monuments and other historical sites — would begin soon.

Berlusconi surveyed the devastated region by helicopter and said rescue efforts would continue for two more days — "until it is certain that there is no one else alive." At least 100 of about 1,000 injured people were in serious condition, he said.

Experts say the vast majority of buildings in the most vulnerable regions of earthquake-prone Italy don't meet modern seismic safety standards.

Nearly half of Italy is labeled "dangerous" in terms of seismic activity, according to a 2008 report by Enzo Boschi, president of the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology, and other Italian geologists and civil protection experts. But only 14 percent of buildings in that vulnerable swath were built to seismic-safety standards, the report said.

In the seaside town of Pescara, 16 families were sheltered at the Hotel Ambra, which offered free rooms to quake victims. "They are a little traumatized," hotel business manager Vincenzo Traversa said. "It is not a beautiful experience."

So far, 6,500 hotel beds across the Abruzzo region were made available and 4,000 filled by Tuesday afternoon, said Emilio Schirato, president of Abruzzo's hotel association. Schirato said the rooms were made available "spontaneously" by hotel owners as a gesture of solidarity.

But some people pretending to have lost their homes had sought to get free hotel rooms, Schirato said. Carabinieri police were trying to verify that people being housed were in fact deserving, he said.

In L'Aquila and surrounding towns, many took shelter in their cars.

"It was a bad night," said Francesco Marchi, 18, who slept in his car with his brother in a piazza far from buildings, fearing falling debris from aftershocks. "It was really cold, but we had sleeping bags."

Two buildings in the suburb of Pettino collapsed following one aftershock, ANSA reported, citing fire officials. No one was believed to be inside either building.

The ground shook in the nearly leveled town of Onna, about six miles away, but caused no panic. Onna residents walked around dazed, clutching whatever heirlooms they had managed to grab before their homes collapsed.

"We lost 15 members of our family. Babies and children died," 70-year-old retiree Virgilio Colajanni said as he choked back tears. Onna had about 300 residents and lost 40 to the quake.

Civil protection Maj. Cristina DiTommaso, who was helping coordinate the rescue in Onna, said search efforts were complicated by an unknown number of undocumented immigrants living there. Most of Italy's illegal immigrants are from Romania, the former Yugoslavia or northern Africa, and many work in the largely agricultural area as farm or manual laborers.

While the elderly, children and pregnant women were given priority at tent camps, others arranged to stay with relatives or in second homes out of the quake zone.

Ines D'Alessandro, 98, moved to her sister's home in nearby Sulmona after surviving her second devastating quake. Her first — a 1915 temblor that killed 30,000 people — occurred when she was just 4, ANSA reported.

"It is hard. I cry my heart out for all of these people struck by this tragedy, but one needs to have courage and I try to give it to others. I have fought all of my life," D'Alessandro told ANSA.

Six months pregnant, Sandra Padil spent the night in a tent without any covers as the temperatures dipped to 43 degrees.

"We are calmer out in the open," said Padil, a 32-year-old Peruvian who has been living in L'Aquila since 1996. "We didn't have blankets and it was cold, but at least this morning they gave us breakfast. Let's hope this ends quickly."

The main quake — which struck just after 3:30 a.m. Monday — registered magnitude 6.3, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Italy's National Institute of Geophysics, using the Richter scale, put it at 5.8.

It was Italy's deadliest quake since Nov. 23, 1980, when a 6.9-magnitude quake hit southern regions, leveling villages and killing about 3,000.

http://news.yahoo.com

Obama in Baghdad, tells troops Iraq must take over

2009-04-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

BAGHDAD – Flying unannounced into a still-dangerous war zone, President Barack Obama told U.S. troops and Iraqi officials alike Tuesday it is time to phase out America's combat role in a conflict he opposed as a candidate and has vowed to end as commander in chief.

Iraqis "need to take responsibility for their own country," Obama told hundreds of cheering soldiers gathered in an ornate, marble palace near Saddam Hussein's former seat of power.

"You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country. That is an extraordinary achievement," he told the troops, saluting their efforts during six years of American fighting and losses.

Just hours before he arrived, a deadly car bomb exploded in Baghdad, underscoring the continuing peril despite a recent decline in violence. But the mood was festive as Obama spoke to some 600 troops, quickly gathered for his visit.

"We love you," someone yelled from the crowd of photo-snapping men and women in uniform.

"I love you back," responded the president, repeating a sequence that played out at hundreds of campaign stops on his successful run for the White House last year.

Obama met with top U.S. commanders as well as senior Iraqi leaders on a visit of a little more than four hours that was confined to Camp Victory, the largest U.S. military base in a war that began in 2003 and has cost the lives of 4,265 members of the U.S. military. Many thousands more Iraqis have perished.

A helicopter flight to the heavily fortified Green Zone a few miles distant was scrapped, but White House aides attributed the change in travel plans to poor weather rather than security concerns.

After a session with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Obama said he had "strongly encouraged" Iraqis to take political steps that would unite political factions, including integrating minority Sunnis into the government and security forces.

Al-Maliki told reporters, "We assured the president that all the progress that has been made in the security area will continue."

American commanders told the president the country is experiencing a relatively low level of violence, although the car bomb explosion in a Shiite neighborhood of Baghdad was evidence of a recent resurgence. Obama flew from Turkey, the next-to-last stop on an eight-day itinerary that also included Britain, France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Aides said Obama chose to visit Iraq rather than Afghanistan, where U.S. troops are also in combat, in part because it was close to Turkey and in part because of upcoming Iraqi elections.

In his remarks to the troops, Obama made no mention of the Afghanistan conflict — where he has decided to commit 21,000 additional troops — and it was not known whether it came up in his meeting with Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander, and other officers.

Obama announced plans in February to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq on a 19-month timetable, although a force as large as 50,000 could remain at the end of that period to provide counterterrorism duties.

He said that for the next year and a half, the United States will be a "stalwart partner" to the Iraqis. And yet, he said, "they have got to make political accommodations. They're going to have to decide that they want to resolve their differences through constitutional means and legal means. They are going to have to focus on providing government services that encourage confidence among their citizens.

"All those things they have to do. We can't do it for them."

By contrast, little more than a week ago, the president announced a revamped Afghanistan strategy that calls for stamping out the Taliban and al-Qaida and broadening the mission to include pressure on neighboring Pakistan to root out terrorist camps in its lawless border regions.

"We spend a lot of time trying to get Afghanistan right, but I think it is important for people to know that there is still a lot of work to do here," Obama said shortly after Air Force One touched down in the Iraqi capital.

Earlier, before departing Istanbul, the president told students, "Moving the ship of state takes time." Referring to his long-standing opposition to the war, he said, "Now that we're there," the U.S. troop withdrawal has to be done "in a careful enough way that we don't see a collapse into violence."

The military is in the process of thinning out its presence ahead of a June 30 deadline under a U.S.-Iraq agreement negotiated last year that requires all American combat troops to leave Iraq's cities. As that process moves forward, the increase in bombings and other incidents is creating concern that extremists may be regrouping.

While Obama spent much of the past week overseas grappling with the worldwide economic crisis and the war in Afghanistan, a constant theme of the trip was his determination to turn a new page in U.S. relationships abroad after eight years of the Bush administration.

Nowhere was that intention more evident than in Iraq, where a Bush-ordered invasion in 2003 began as a quick rout of forces loyal to Saddam Hussein before gradually turning into a murderous environment for U.S. troops.

Obama said American forces had "performed brilliantly ... under enormous strain."

"It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis," he said as an estimated 600 troops cheered. "They need to take responsibility for their country."

In Europe, he and other world leaders pledged cooperation to combat a global recession, and he appealed with limited success for additional assistance in Afghanistan, a war he has promised to intensify. The new president drew large crowds as he offered repeated assurances that the United States would not seek to dictate to other countries.

"I am personally committed to a new chapter of American engagement. We can't afford to talk past one another, to focus only on our differences, or to let the walls of mistrust go up around us." Obama said before leaving Turkey. The visit to a nation that straddles Europe and Asia was designed to signal a new era. He had pledged as a candidate to visit a majority-Muslim nation in his first 100 days in office.

President George W. Bush paid several trips to Iraq while in office, and on his last, in December, he had to duck shoes hurled in his direction at a news conference by an Iraqi journalist. By coincidence, the Iraqi Supreme Court reduced the prison sentence Tuesday for the man, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, now sentenced to one year in jail rather than three.

Source : http://news.yahoo.com

Obama in Baghdad, tells troops Iraq must take over

2009-04-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

BAGHDAD – Cheered wildly by U.S. troops, President Barack Obama flew unannounced into Iraq on Tuesday and promptly declared it was time for Iraqis to "take responsibility for their country" after America's commitment of six years and thousands of lives.

"You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country," the president said as he made a brief inspection of a war he opposed as candidate and now vows to end as commander in chief. "That is an extraordinary achievement."

A total of 4,266 U.S. troops have lost their lives in Iraq since March 2003, and Obama said American forces had "performed brilliantly ... under enormous strain."

"It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis," he said as an estimated 600 troops cheered. "They need to take responsibility for their country."

Obama flew into Iraq shrouded by secrecy and was shielded by heavy security from the moment he stepped off a gleaming white and blue Air Force One.

The plane touched down a few hours after a car bombing in a Shiite neighborhood of the capital city punctuated a recent surge in violence in the war-ravaged country. Many thousands of Iraqis have died in the six years of war in addition to the American losses.

Obama spoke favorably of political progress but also expressed concern that recent gains could deteriorate with the upcoming national elections.

"It's important for us to use all of our influence to encourage the parties to resolve these issues in ways that are equitable. I think that my presence here can help do that," he said.

Obama wore a business suit as he descended the steps of his plane after a flight from Turkey. He shook hands with Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander in the country, then stepped into an SUV for a brief ride to Camp Victory, the main American military base in Iraq.

Under gray skies, the motorcade rolled past troops standing at attention. "It was wonderful to see the troops out there," Obama said. "I'm so grateful, they put their heart and souls into it."

Inside a marble palace, he was interrupted repeatedly with cheers from the troops.

"I love you," someone in the crowd shouted out. I love you back," the commander in chief replied. Scores of troops held digital cameras above their heads, snapping pictures and recording video of a day they would long remember.

Aides decided to scrap plans for a helicopter ride to the heavily fortified Green Zone a few miles away — but attributed the decision to poor visibility rather than security concerns.

Officials said Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was traveling by motorcade to meet with Obama, a change from their planned get-together in the Green Zone.

En route to Baghdad, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama chose Iraq rather than Afghanistan for a war-zone visit in part because it was near Turkey and also because progress "lies in political solutions."

"We spend a lot of time trying to get Afghanistan right, but I think it is important for people to know that there is still a lot of work to do here," Obama said.

Obama's visit came at the conclusion of a long overseas trip that included economic and NATO summits in Europe and two days in Turkey.

Shortly before leaving Turkey, the president held out Iraq as an example of the change he seeks in policies inherited from former President George W. Bush.

"Moving the ship of state takes time," he told a group of students in Istanbul. He noted his long-standing opposition to the war, yet said, "Now that we're there," the U.S. troop withdrawal has to be done "in a careful enough way that we don't see a collapse into violence."

In office only 11 weeks, Obama has already announced plans to withdraw most U.S. combat troops on a 19-month timetable. The drawdown is to begin slowly, so American forces can provide security for Iraqi elections, then accelerate in 2010. As many as 50,000 troops are expected to remain in the country at the end of the 19 months to perform counterterrorism duties.

Tuesday's trip was Obama's third to Iraq, and his first since taking office. He met with U.S. commanders and troops last summer while seeking the presidency.

Because of security concerns, the White House made no prior announcement of the visit, and released no advance details for his activities on the ground.

It was the last stop of an eight-day trip to Europe and Turkey during which Obama sought to place his stamp on U.S. foreign policy after eight years of the Bush administration.

He and other world leaders pledged cooperation to combat a global recession, and he appealed with limited success for additional assistance in Afghanistan, a war he has vowed to intensify. The new president drew large crowds as he offered repeated assurances that the United States would not seek to dictate to other countries.

Bush paid several trips to Iraq while in office, and on his last, in December, he was forced to duck shoes hurled in his direction at a news conference by an Iraqi journalist. By coincidence, the Iraqi Supreme Court reduced the prison sentence Tuesday for the man, Muntadhar al-Zeidian, now sentenced to one year in jail rather than three.

While U.S. casualties are down sharply from the war's height, there were constant reminders of violence. A half-dozen bombs rocked Shiite neighborhoods on Monday, killing 37 people. There was no immediate death toll available from the car bomb incident that occurred a few hours before the president arrived on Tuesday.

The military is in the process of thinning out its presence ahead of a June 30 deadline, under a U.S.-Iraq agreement negotiated last year that requires all American combat troops to leave Iraq's cities. As that process moves forward, the increase in bombings and other incidents is creating concern that extremists may be regrouping.

Little more than a week ago, the president announced a revamped Afghanistan strategy that calls for adding 21,000 troops, narrowing the focus from nation-building to stamping out the Taliban and al-Qaida and broadening the mission to include pressure on Pakistan to root out terrorist camps in its lawless regions.

Afghanistan was a big topic of conversation with fellow world leaders on the earlier portion of Obama's trip, particularly the part that took him to a NATO summit in Strasbourg, France.

Obama's opposition to the Iraq war helped him enormously in his campaign for the presidency. It helped him defeat former rival — now Secretary of State — Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Iowa caucuses that were the first test of the race, and aided his campaign against Republican Sen. John McCain last fall.

The end-the-war plan Obama announced in February was aimed at fulfilling his campaign promise to end combat in Iraq within 16 months of taking office. Contrary to hopes among some Democrats and grass-roots supporters, the plan calls for a 19-month timetable instead.

Lost to the sea

2009-03-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

Doomed Tuvalu and its 12,600 residents are the FIRST real victims of global warming as sea level rises.

Like the last man standing on the sinking wooden deck of the Titanic, sailor John Iakopo defiantly salutes the distant horizon and jolts his back upright as the warm debris-strewn water of the Pacific sloshes around his knees.

Across his 1920s-style seaman's hat the word Tuvalu has faded in the relentless sun that scorches the tiny spit of land we stand on.

"Listen to me," Lakopo tells us. "The good ship Tuvalu is going down. Yes sir. Surer that the sun rising over the sea in the morning."

This forgotten land and its people are the tragic proof that the world must act now to prevent another breathtaking view like this from vanishing off the face of this earth.

This Saturday you can do your bit by backing our Earth Hour Campaign. Simply switch off your lights from 8:30pm to 9:30pm - and remember the coral island of Tuvalu in the Pacific.

The fourth smallest country in the world after Vatican City, Monaco and Nauru, and one of the least populated, Tuvalu sits stranded halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand.

Today the island's residents are the most environmentally aware people on earth - their daily lives determined by tides and the greasy sea water that gathers around their feet every day.

The worst-case scenario? In the next decade Tuvalu, like many other islands around the Pacific, will be a distant memory on an out-dated world map.

The best-case scenario?

Tuvalu will last thirty years, but gripped by the sea and terrorised by king tides, its residents will be forced to bail into planes and lifeboats from their stranded island - and head for New Zealand as high seas refugees.
Rubble

Until then life must go on for the people of Tuvalu. The children skip to school in the spray of ocean salt that will burn their dark skin.

And fishermen, who once hauled their boats out to sea from a pristine beach, now stagger and stumble over rubble and bleached coral to their battered craft.

Tuvalu's castaway desert island beaches are largely gone, replaced by broken stones and dark, sinister-looking water that shadows the islanders every move . . . waiting.

At the entrance to Nauti Primary School in the capital Funafuti sea water bubbles up through parts of the porous coral ground on high tides forcing the children to wade through water to classes.

Nisha Tusitala, 10, is part of the last generation of schoolkids who'll grow up in Tuvalu.

HIGH TIDE: House is built on stilts but levels are rising
HIGH TIDE: House is built on stilts but levels are rising

She said: "We see the sea threaten us everyday but I feel it is part of me.

"The teachers ask us to draw pictures to capture our feelings. I drew a turtle rescuing me from my home, taking me out to sea to a safer place."

As she runs off to play with her friends in the rain, Nisha's teacher Fulitua Leiteni sighs: "Here is the truth - there won't be time for them to have children and grandchildren.

"Imagine living on a large football field with two angry rivers on either side about to burst their banks. A precarious existence unimaginable to most in the UK.

"It is the industrialised nations that have caused the problems. This is the generation that will pay the price."

Sailor Iakopo, part of Tuvalu's 100-strong reserve Navy, shares this anger: "We hardly have any cars or electricity.

"We have the world's most insignificant carbon footprint and yet we will be the first to go, the first victims of global warming.

"This is your fault! The British, the Americans, the developed world - you sealed our fate."

Last year the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations-sponsored group of 2,000 scientists, said global warming will cause oceans to rise as much as 3 feet in the next 50 years.

And if the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica don't hold up, the swell could be higher. Tuvalu, just THREE FEET above sea level in many places, will disappear - that much is certain.

SINKING SHIP: Sailor Lakopo salutes Tuvalu
SINKING SHIP: Sailor Lakopo salutes Tuvalu

Yet its residents are intensely divided over the endgame they will face.

First are the realists: Most of them, around 3,000, have left for New Zealand under an immigration arrangement called the Pacific Access Category.

Then there are the Christians - they believe that God will save the island from the floods.

Standing up to her ankles in sea water on the steps of her office, Meteorological officer Hilia Vavae explains how Christianity has gripped the islanders like a fever.

"The locals reckon the rainbow is a symbol of God's promise not the flood them," she explains. "Many have vowed to stay until the end, convinced God will divert the waters."

But as a dramatic cloudburst of rain opens up over Tuvalu, there is no sign of the rainbow.
Protection

The only sound in the air is the floating chorus of hymns coming from a local church hall. Outside, Polau Falaima, 11, skips stones in the water.

"We lost our first home to the sea," she tells me. "My father says we will move again but we will be safe because God will protect us with his rainbow in the sky.

"I read about Noah at school and how God protected his own. That will happen again to us."

Dan McDougall has been nominated for two prestigious awards in UK journalism for his work for the News of the World and other publications.

He's up for Journalist of the Year and Foreign Reporter of the Year. The British Press Awards are on March 31.

From : Click

Dam bursts, killing dozens in Indonesia

2009-03-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

A dam on the outskirt of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, burst early on Friday morning, killing 50 people and flooding hundreds of houses nearby, official said.

CIRENDEU, Indonesia - Torrential rain caused a colonial-era dam to burst its banks early Friday, sending a wall of muddy water crashing into a suburb of the Indonesian capital. The flood killed at least 58 people, left scores missing and submerged hundreds of homes.

Rescuers used rubber rafts to pluck bodies from streets that were transformed into muddy rivers littered with motorcycles, chairs and other debris.

They predicted the death toll would rise.

Gatorade, Quaker, Tropicana Will Eliminate Wood Pallets

2009-03-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Starting next month, PepsiCo's Quaker, Gatorade and Tropicana business units will begin switching away from wood pallets, and eventually ship all their products exclusively on plastic pallets from Intelligent Global Pooling Systems (iGPS).

Gatorade and Quaker start switching on April 1, and Tropicana's conversion begins May 1, and they expect to be fully converted as all existing inventory on wood pallets turns.

The plastic pallets from iGPS are about 30 percent lighter than wood pallets, can be fully recycled into new pallets when damaged. They are also embedded with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, making it easy for companies to track them throughout their supply chains.

Some Gatorade, Propel and Quaker Foods products have been shipped on plastic pallets since June 2007. Gatorade's Oakland plant was one of the initial test grounds for plastic pallets, and it found that switching to plastic cut down on pallet repair and inspection, eliminated safety concerns like wood pieces accidentally scattered on the ground, made shipments lighter to truck and greatly reduced the amount of shipments refused by customers.

With wood pallets, some customers would refuse shipments if wood pallets were missing pieces or had nails sticking out, but after the switch, no customers refused loads. Plastic pallets also reduced product damage and waste within the plant that was caused by wood pallet pieces snapping while loaded up with products.

The companies notified their customers of the pallet switch this month with instructions on how to handle the iGPS pallets.

From : Click

GreenBiz.com Launches a Blog with WEC President & CEO Dr. Terry F. Yosie

2009-03-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

"Adapting to Climate Change -- an Urgent Societal Priority" By Terry F. Yosie

As more definitive scientific evidence on the impacts of climate change at the global, regional and local levels continues to accumulate, a greater sense of urgency is arising across political capitals, in the business community and within civil society. Of special concern are studies which now conclude that climate impacts from greenhouse gas levels expected by 2050 will persist for about 1,000 years regardless of how well decision makers reduce future emissions.

MIT Professor Peter Senge and his colleagues have compared the atmosphere's capacity for absorbing greenhouse gas emissions to a bathtub. Like a bathtub filling up with water, there is a limit to the amount of carbon emissions that we can continue to pour into the atmosphere. While there is not an exact estimate of the amount of emissions that our atmospheric bathtub can hold, two conclusions can be stated -- we're not draining the bathtub to achieve a net reduction in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, and the effects of emissions already in the bathtub are already beginning to occur.

A growing number of scientists and business leaders have concluded that, in order to prevent our atmospheric bathtub from overflowing, there will need to be a 60 percent to 80 percent reduction in worldwide emissions in the next two to three decades, as Senge, Bryan Smith and Nina Kruschwitz wrote in their article "The Next Industrial Imperative" for Strategy + Business magazine last summer.

As scientists, economists, lawyers, diplomats and others intensify their efforts to achieve a truly global climate agreement by the end of this year, they also face a different set of realities that will reshape the outlook on Copenhagen and beyond. These realities can be expressed in three questions:

Will national and regional governments be able to implement new or even current climate mitigation commitments in the midst of an accelerating global economic crisis?
Given the increasing severity of climate change, both now and in the future, will a policy driven mitigation strategy alone prove to be too little and too late to avert the most harmful effects?
Is the risk of climate change to business beginning to outweigh the rewards of delaying a global agreement?

The answer to all three questions is an emphatic "yes!" Getting to yes, however, will require major alterations in our current mindset. Specifically, we need to change our thinking in three different ways:

First, a more concerted effort by leaders of government, business and NGOs has to be made to engage consumers as part of the climate solution. While consumers are increasingly aware of climate change, their understanding is episodic and has not fundamentally changed their purchasing patterns in enough market segments. When it comes to climate change and the future of the planet, consumers also have responsibilities. However, consumers need to know how they will be better off from behaving and purchasing more sustainably. To date, an effective climate conversation with consumers has not been developed. Business, government and the NGO community have a large role in better informing consumers on the choices and benefits of their decisions.

Second, we need to radically rethink the concept of innovation and the design of business models. The current economic crisis will undoubtedly stimulate such rethinking across a number of markets. Survival of many individual firms will demand it. New thinking on innovation focuses not just on products, technologies and financing but on supply chains, relationships and solutions to collective social problems. Successful business models will be those that satisfy the needs of one customer at a time and millions of customers at a time simultaneously. Ultimately, innovation must replace the industrial model of "more" with a model that expands the wealth of consumers and leads to the purchase of products and services with radically reduced resource intensities, as C.K. Prahalad and M.S. Krishnan affirm in their book, "The New Age of Innovation," and as A.G. Lafley and Ram Charan write in the "The Game-Changer."

Finally, we need to change our thinking about the importance of adapting to climate change. Until recently, adaptation was viewed with some skepticism because it was perceived by many stakeholders as a tactic to block aggressive mitigation measures. As the dire nature of current and future climate change has become more evident, two conclusions have also become increasingly clear: 1) the risks from climate change to the operations of global companies are rising, and 2) a public policy driven mitigation strategy alone can't alone solve the problem because the emissions reduction measures take too long to yield results. Adaptation initiatives offer the opportunity to take actions now even as international negotiations continue on a post-Kyoto framework.

Consider the following:

On the North Slope of Alaska, the number of days when ice roads can be used has declined significantly in recent years. Also, permafrost melt has begun to impact the operations and planning of current and future pipelines.
In other regions, companies face a growing challenge in gaining access to sufficient water resources to continue their operations and, in a growing number of locations, their need for water competes with that of local communities.
The frequency of hurricanes and other weather patterns is impacting the productivity of both onshore and offshore business operations and contributing to the rising cost of business through higher insurance premiums, repairs and lost productivity.

Such impacts on business create more opportunities for the private sector to mobilize climate friendly adaptation actions in a variety of ways. These include:

Redesigning manufacturing, storage, distribution, product development and other operations to reduce the use of energy, water, and other natural resources and raw materials. Such actions have the advantage of reducing costs, while paying for themselves in a relatively short period of time. At a time of economic crisis, lowering business costs is always a good idea.
Committing global supply chains to sustainability and climate friendly objectives. Companies such as Marks & Spencer and Wal-Mart in the retail sector, IBM, Intel, Philips Electronics and Ricoh in the technology sector and General Motors in the automotive industry have all undertaken major strategic initiatives to drive climate and sustainability performance improvements across their value chains. The opportunities to reduce greenhouse gases and develop more competitive small and medium scale enterprises through such supply chain initiatives is enormous.
Working with communities, NGOs and other stakeholders to improve emergency response capabilities, infrastructure planning, community health preparations, watershed management and information systems.

Many of these types of actions are unlikely to be initiated through a top down -- and much slower -- public policy driven mitigation process. An aggressive, properly designed and incentivized adaptation strategy can take advantage of already existing skills and technologies to build smarter cities with cleaner, more energy efficient transportation systems, intelligent utility networks, green information systems and data centers, and more sustainable water networks. Climate adaptation initiatives implemented today will also provide experience in product introductions and marketing strategies for customer acceptance of more radical innovations tomorrow. The beneficiaries of such actions are increasingly in developing countries in some of the areas of greatest vulnerability to a climate changed world.

Adaptation is no substitute for a global mitigation agreement, but neither does a future-oriented mitigation strategy solve the immediate problems that we face as a global community. Our primary goal is to drain the carbon from our atmospheric bathtub --here lies the opportunity for a grand bargain between proponents of mitigation and adaptation strategies to manage and reduce climate risks and impacts.

From : Click

Embassy Bomb Planner Remorseless in New Book

2009-03-15T23:12:00.000-07:00

A Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist on death row for the 2004 bombing of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta remains unrepentant about the deadly attack in a recently-released book, in which he states that jihad means killing those who don’t believe in Islam and says he will die a martyr.

The book, a copy of which was obtained by the Jakarta Globe, is likely to anger the country’s security authorities, who are attempting to halt the circulation of books written by the three Bali bombers prior to their execution in November 2008, to prevent the spread of violent messages.

Rois Abu Syaukat, also known as Iman Darmawan, argues that the enemy of Islam depends on one’s beliefs, in the
latest book, “What is Jihad?”

“Jihad is to wage war on the nonbeliever. It truly depends on Shariah [Islamic law],” he writes.

Jihad is to wage war on the nonbeliever. It truly depends on Shariah [Islamic law].

Rois Abu Syaukat, convicted Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist

“Jihad is not just [conducting missionary work] or building madrasahs [Islamic schools],” he adds.

According to the International Crisis Group, Rois was recruited by Malaysian terrorist suspect Noordin M. Top and was in charge of logistics for the Sept. 9, 2004, truck bombing, which killed nine Indonesian security guards and motorists.

Among Rios’s responsibilities were training the suicide bomber, Heri Golun, how to drive the Dai-hatsu delivery van and its one-ton load, and to monitor Heri’s state of mind in the moments before the attack. It has been reported that Australia’s role in supporting the United States during the invasion of Iraq was his motivation.

In his 224-page book, published by Jakarta-based publishers Pustaka Shotulhaq in January, Rois cites the Koran and Prophet Muhammad for justifying his actions, but during an exclusive interview with the Jakarta Globe from Cipinang Prison in Central Jakarta last Friday, he refused to elaborate on his role in the bombing. He has previously both confessed and denied involvement.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Just read my book,” he said. He is appealing his sentence.

In the 224-page book, Rois writes that legitimate targets for jihad include nonbelievers, Muslims who abandon their beliefs, killing others for money, hypocrites, those who disobey Islamic law and despotic governments.

For this reason, he wrote, the bombing of the Australian Embassy was justified.

Source : Click

$600m Lombok Resorts Scrapped

2009-03-15T23:10:00.000-07:00

Citing governmental paralysis and hinting that too many officials had their hands out, Dubai’s state-owned Emaar Properties PJSC has cancelled its massive $600 million property project that was to turn the pristine island of Lombok into another Bali.

“We have closed our office in Jakarta starting Friday,” said Elly Savitri, Emmar Indonesia’s human resources manager. “Emaar has pulled out of its operations in Indonesia because the government cannot comply with the terms of the agreement with our joint venture company.

“There have been too many delays on the realization of the project and the company just could not wait any more.”

Elly also said Emaar had spent Rp 50 billion ($4.2 million) in consultancy fees on master plans.

Winarno Sujas, the Tourism Ministry’s director for businesses and investment, told the Jakarta Globe on Friday that Vice President Jusuf Kalla had summoned the related ministries for a meeting this coming Wednesday in a bid to save the project.

The cancellation of the project — announced with great fanfare in May 2007 by Kalla — is an enormous black eye for the Indonesian government and the local government of Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara Province.

“Indonesia is our 16th global market and the Lombok development will scale up our property portfolio to a wider Southeast Asian region,” Muhammad Ali Al Abbar, Emaar Properties chairman, said at the project signing.

The announcement of the failure of the project follows the recent pullout of the Saudi Binladin Group from a project to invest as much as $4.3 billion in developing rice crops in Merauke, Papua Province.

The joint venture between Emaar and the state-owned Bali Tourism Development Corp. envisioned development of 1,200 hectares along seven kilometers of natural beachfront that would have transformed central Lombok’s Kuta and Tanjung An beaches over the next 12 years into a world-class resort and residential community consisting of 10,000 luxury villas, eight hotels and two 18-hole golf courses.

Emaar’s Elly said the agreement stipulated that the government would provide a detailed master plan by last November to support infrastructure including an international airport, an access road to the property and finalizations of land acquisitions. The finalizations, however, never materialized.

A plethora of government agencies failed to complete their part of the bargain and asked for an extension until this month. When Indonesian officials asked for another extension until June, Emaar called off its investment.

“You understand the Indonesian government,” said an Emaar executive who asked not to be named, in a veiled reference to allegations of corruption in the local and central governments.

Sumaryanto Widayatin, a special adviser to the Public Works Ministry, blamed unprofessionalism for the tangled negotiations.

“I think it’s because the Ministry of Finance was worried about selling the land cheaply to Emaar,” he said, adding that the global economic crisis had also cut into the company’s liquidity.

He said every large project in this country attracted officials who had their hands out.

“Where in Indonesia do we not have the problem of corruption?” he asked.

Facebook tweak: How to Modify the background color of your Facebook profile?

2009-02-19T20:49:00.000-08:00

While answering a few questions over at Yahoo Answers, I came across a considerable number of Facebook users who are looking for ways to accomplish one of the coolest Facebook tricks: to modify their profile layout. Unlike MySpace, Facebook doesn’t allow you to insert custom html codes to modify your profile. This is one of the features that makes Facebook so unique. Everyone has the same looking page pretty much which lowers loading times and is much easier to use and navigate.

Nevertheless, if you use Firefox as your web browser (if not i strongly recommend you to download and start using it:) ), you can leverage Greasemonkey and other custom JavaScript Facebook scripts in order to modify the color scheme of your Facebook layout. Greasemonkey is a Mozilla Firefox addin that lets you modify the way your Firefox pages look and run.

After you install Firefox and Greasemonkey, you can leverage the Facebook Auto Colorizer script, in order to have your profile color scheme changing based on your photo.

Please note that this hack will work only on PCs which have either Firefox, Greasemonkey and the Auto-Colorizer script installed, and won’t work when accessing Facebook through Internet Explorer.

London Online: Facebook is five! Ten facts you never knew about Facebook

2009-02-18T23:46:00.000-08:00

SOCIAL networking site Facebook was launched five years ago today. Here, we look at the phenomenon:

1 Founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, it was at first limited to his fellow Harvard University students.

2 It soon expanded to include uni students in the US, then high school students, and now boasts 150 million users worldwide.

3 The site has been translated into 35 languages with another 60 in development. But it is banned in Syria and Iran.

4 It is the most popular social networking site in the UK, with 8 million users. In the US, it has 36 million users while MySpace has 73 million.

5 The average user has 120 friends. More than 15m people update their status more than once a day.

6 More than 850m photographs are uploaded to the site each month.

7 Around 50 per cent of UK companies have banned staff from using the site at work, including Transport for London and the Met Police.

8 Last month, The Grey Coat Hospital School, in Westminster, suspended 29 pupils for posting malicious comments about a teacher.

9 Waitrose bosses launched an investigation after workers at the Finchley store were caught posting offensive and suggestive comments about some of the customers.

10 Pope Benedict XVI says Facebook can foster friendships and understanding, but can also isolate others.

From : Here

Get Your Own Home Gym

2009-02-07T00:17:00.000-08:00

People generally want the same things "they want to look good, so they firm up, tone, and lose weight whenever they need it. Unfortunately, less and less people are exercising and joining gyms in order to get back into shape. And in some ways, it makes sense. With monthly dues, joining a gym can be expensive.

Fortunately, joining a gym isn't the option available to get back into shape. In fact, there are several things you can do right inside your own home.

Treadmills: Doing a lot of cardiovascular exercises is the best way to burn calories, the most common being running. It "along with brisk walking" is something anyone can do, without having to use any gym equipment. The problem is, running is directly proportional to the type of weather you're having. So bad weather equals a missed workout.

An easy, and rather inexpensive way to get around this if by buying a treadmill, which allows you to run or walk as much as you want, come rain or shine. Not only is it a great workout, but you can cover a lot of distance, without ever going out of your house.

Elliptical: Elliptical machines is an excellent, low impact cardiovascular workout, ideal for people who can't use treadmills. Instead or running or walking, you swing your feet on pedals, minimizing the impact on your back and feet. If you have a knee injury or a series of joint problems that prevent you from doing high impact exercises like brisk walking and running, then getting an elliptical machine might be the best workout for you.

Exercise Bikes: Biking is one of the best low-impact cardiovascular activities that's designed to burn a lot of calories without adding too much muscle weights. All you need is an exercises bike, and you're good to go. One thing you should do when buying an exercises bike, is to choose one that's comfortable for you.

Most stores usually have a lot of models on stock, so make sure you try them before you make a purchase. A lot of them come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so it's not hard to find one that's ideal for you.

Home Gyms: A home gym is an ideal thing to have if you're looking to spend a lot of time working out to bulk up. Modern technology has made having a home gym a lot easier, with dozens of models destined to accommodate basic to advanced fitness routines, without taking up too much space.

If you're looking to buy a home gym, make sure you shop around first, and read user reviews of each equipment. Then decide which one suits your workout regimen"do you want weight stacks, resistance wheels, or maybe just resistance bands. All are designed to help you have the best workout experience from home.

Spinners: Spinning is a lot like riding a stationary bike, except it's a lot more challenging. What makes it different is that there's a setting in the bike that let's you adjust the amount of resistance you're pedaling, mimicking the biking conditions you would encounter outdoors. Think of it as indoor mountain biking. A lot of companies even offer spinning DVDs, which plays first-person perspective videos of different terrains. All you have to do is to program the bike to match the places found on the video, and you can enjoy the benefits of biking outside without even stepping foot out of the door.

Whatever your fitness goal is, whether it's losing weight or toning your body, there's a wide variety of workout equipment available for not a lot of money. So what are you waiting for? Start building your home gym now, and start working out in the comfort of your own home.

from :

Historical Of Lombok

2009-02-05T05:26:00.000-08:00

There is motto in vogue among tourism official and operator in Lombok: " Bali can be seen in Lombok, but Lombok cannot be seen in Bali "

Such is the cliché in a brochure advertising Lombok as a tourist destination. That is not without reason. In the western part of the island, Hinduism is heavily present alongside Islam. The island was Javanese prior to the Islamisation of Java, and as such subjected to the powerful influence of the Shiva Buddhist tradition from Java.

In the 17th century, the King of Karangasem invaded Lombok, turning into an important center of Hindu - Baliness power and culture. Such influences inter - wine history of Bali and Lombok.

The Balinese still makes up an important minority in the western part of the island. The city of Cakranegara is a mainly Balinese city. The Pura Meru Temple, built by Anak Agung Karang in 1720, is dedicated to the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Wisnu, and Shiwa.

Another sign of the effect of Karangasem is the famed Taman Namada, built 1727 by Anak Agung Gde Ngurah Karangasem as both a recreational garden and a place to Shiwa.

But despite the Hindu influence, Lombok is essentially a Muslim island. Islam come first from Java, and then from Sulawesi, whose sea - faring Bugis set up the eastern Kingdom of Selaparang in the 17th century. So the religious mix is remarkably complex.

Most of the Sasak people of Lombok follow a brand of Islamic orthodoxy professed by traditional teacher, which is known as "Tuan Guru". Other follow the syncretism tradition of ' Watu Telu". Instead of praying five times a day as Moslem usually do, they prey only three times a days, and have a cosmology influenced by Hinduism. There is even a temple in Lingsar where people from Hindu and Islamic traditional meet for common prayer. Besides the Balinese and Sasak, there are also Bugis in Lombok Island.

The Lesser Sunda is lands region, of which Lombok but apart, cover and area as wide as Java. It has great variety of ethnic groups, with an increased Melanesia influence the further one goes east. There is at least 33 main language. Some islands are highly Islamic (like Lombok and Sumbawa), while other mostly catholic (Flores) and still other are Protestant, (Sumba, Rote, and western Timor).

The area is no less varied geographically. The Nusa Tenggara islands are the most varied in Indonesia: their landscape ranges from Lombok's volcanoes to Sumba's and Flores' dry Savannah. There are also colorful atolls in many part of the region..

Lombok is where the transition towards eastern Indonesia begins, both naturally and culturally. The northern part of Lombok is mountainous and verdant with tall trees and shrubs covering the land. One finds none of the large Asian mammals. The western part of the island is the greenest and most humid. As one moves east, the dry season become more pronounced, and in many areas corn and sago instead of rice, are the staple foods.

Lombok Principal Mountain is the 3726-m Rinjani Mountain, third highest in Indonesia. Still active, it lasts erupted in 1901, 1994 and 2004. Mountains play an important role in sasak tradition. Both the Sasak and Balinese people have a yearly pilgrimage to Rinjani's summit, which has several sulfuric lakes with curative virtues. Mountain Rinjani also offers trekking through the rain forests.

Mataram the capital of west Nusa Tenggara, altogether with Ampenan, the old port, and Cakranegara, the old Balinese capital, make up the largest urban area in the province. Nearby Sweta has the largest tradition market including birds. Very different from the atmosphere of urban Lombok is a traditional village such as Sukarara; famous of the weaving, and Penujak, Banyu Mulek; famous for its pottery.

Lombok has large array of beautiful beach. Kuta beach (also known as Putri nyale beach), it on the south coast of Central Lombok. The answer to Bali's Kuta, albeit much less developed, kuta in one of the most scenic and unspoiled beaches on the island. From Kuta to Tanjung A'An, five kilometer away, there is an unbroken stretch of clean white sand. The Sea is safe for bathing and swimming.

Further to the west are several surfing and windsurfing beaches. Each year, on the 19th day of the tenth month of the sasak lunar calendar, when the Nyale fish come to the sea surface, Kuta beach host the famous Nyale festivel (Normally on February).

But Lombok's chief resort is Senggigi beach, offering range of accommodation, with the best Hotel on the island situated here. Coral can be seen in abundance just offshore.
Gili in the Sasak language means island. The three gili island, gili Air gili Meno and gili Trawangan, are idyllic islets just off the northern coast.

A favorite with back packers, the island abounds with coral garden. Gili air the nearest island can be reached in 15 to 20 minute by boat from the main land and 1,5 hours from Senggigi. One of the best way to enjoy the splendor and beauty of the Gili island is to go on cruise by Traditional boat from Senggigi. The blue tinted stag horn corals are one of the attractions here.

On Lombok, nature and you enter new geographical zone, the intermediate zone between Asia and Australia. The staple food is sago, corn, or cassava. There is little paddy, as cattle replace agriculture as the main activities of the local people. The other important economic activity is the making of pottery, which is gaining worldwide fame.

Pottery is produced mainly in the village of Banyumulek, Masbagik Timur and Penujak. Here, women have been involved in this craft since the decline of the Hindu Kingdom of Majapahit in the early 16th century. Technically, there are few differences in processes used in the three villages except that the designs of the pots are different.

Since 1988, the Lombok craft project, jointly run by the Government of the Republic Indonesia and of New Zealand, has been provided technical and marketing assistance to these women potters. It has assisted them to process their clays in way which produce a stronger product.

The earthenware clay used is grayish brown in its natural state but becomes a beautiful rich brown when fired. Finished pots are coated with a slip made from the same clay, sieved to produce a fine surface which is later burnished with stone. The clay used to produce Sasak pottery has been approved for food safety by the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Such pottery items, ranging from food storage containers to cooking utensils and water jars. Totally hand - crafted, Sasak pottery is intrinsically fragile but if handled with care will last many years.

Another island in the Nusa Tenggara chain is Sumbawa, whose 2200-m Mount Tambora, erupted in the 18th century, killing most of the local population (about 30.000 people). The biggest town is Sumbawa Besar. The island is predominantly Moslem, with some Christian communities. The palace belonging to the ancient Bugis Sultan of Sumbawa, Dalam Loka can be visited. As can Bima and Sape two other interesting places.

Flores means "Flower" in Portuguese, and the island which take this name is one of the main island in East Nusa Tenggara. It was a Portuguese colony for long time before the dutch took over. Many of the local people are of Portuguese descent and still retain Portuguese names. Catholicism is the main feature in the many villages of the flores and of same of the small islands nearby. Every year the Paso Easter procession in held in Larantuka, the town house of the black Madonna of Flores.

This westernized island has many untouched beaches and pristine underwater coral garden. There are shark hunter villages in Lamalera and Small Island of Lambata.

The mainland is famous for its tricolor Caldera Lake on Mt. Kalimutu, whose combinate of colors change according to the volcanic activity. The women made ikat weaving from flores are well known amongst collectors. It has many styles as there are dialect: about 15 altogether.

Between Sumbawa and Flores is Komodo and Rinca Island, a Jurassic Park of an Island, home to the Giant four meters long Komodo dragon lizard, which cam weigh up to 150 kilogram. June till September is the best months to observe this endangered prehistoric monster up close. When watching this living dinosaurs, visitor offer goats as bait to make the monster demonstrate their "beastliness". But be careful! ( There are stories of European tourists whose cameras were the only things which returned home. Unusually, the sand on this island's beach has pink hue.

On each island of Nusa Tenggara, the traditional are particularly beautiful and the traditional markets unique. Apart from the larger islands of Nusa Tenggara, there are many smaller island ready to uncover their beauty and richness. They represent future challenges for the Indonesia tourism industry.

from : http://info2lombok.com

A Guide to Cairo, Egypt

2009-02-04T07:19:00.000-08:00

You won't want to miss one of Egypt's top attractions, the last surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid of Giza. There are in fact three main pyramids in Giza; the Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops), The Pyramid of Kafhre and the smaller Pyramid of Menkaura. Each Pyramid is a tomb to a different King of Egypt. In front of the pyramids lies the Sphinx, or Abu al-Hol in Arabic, "Father of Terror". Carved out of a single block of stone, this enormous cat-like sculpture has mesmerized millions of visitors.

Giza's three pyramids and the Sphinx were thought to have been constructed in the fourth dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom, arguably the first great civilization on earth. For most of us that translates in to about 5000 years ago. Even though there is still debate about how the pyramids at Giza were built, most are in agreement it wasn't by aliens . It is believed about 20,000 laborers were used and approximately 2 million blocks of stone, each weighing 2.5 tons, just to build the Pyramid of Khufu. For an in depth account of how they were built and a virtual tour inside the Great Pyramid (Khufu) explore the Pyramids with Nova and PBS.

Getting Around and Going Inside the Pyramids

Getting around the pyramids is easy enough, you can walk, take a horse and buggy or take a camel ride. A couple tips on the camel ride:

Bargain hard before you get on the camel.
Don't take a photo of the camel unless you are prepared to pay.
If you are feeling harassed then grab your nearest Antiquity Policeman to help you out.
Enjoy the ride, it is a once in a lifetime experience and worth a few bucks.

Climbing Up
I have some shaky Super 8 footage of myself as a six-year-old clambering up Khufu but that practice has been strictly forbidden since the 1980's. Some intrepid folks attempt to climb up the sides of the Pyramids late at night, but really, it isn't worth ruining a Wonder of the World just for the thrill of it.

Going In
You can go inside the pyramids, but beware if you suffer from claustrophobia. The climbs are very steep and narrow so your knees have to be in good shape. Here is a decent account of one person's experience inside Khufu (Cheops). You have to get a separate ticket to enter the pyramids and they are limited to 300 per day so get there early.

Sound and Light Show

A sound and light show centered around the Sphinx is a nightly occurrence. Although it may sound too touristy for some, everyone ends up learning some interesting facts about the Pyramids and shows are in several different languages.

How to get to the Pyramids:

A taxi from the center of Cairo is probably the easiest way to get to the Pyramids, although mini and micro buses also make frequent trips. An air-conditioned bus also departs regularly from the Midan Tahrir. For advice on getting to the Pyramids from other parts of Egypt check out this site.

Saqqara

If you are interested in seeing the forerunner to the Great Pyramid head to Saqqara to see the 'Step Pyramid'. It is considered to be the first pyramid ever built and it dates to around 2800 BC.

from : http://goafrica.about.com

Tips Traveling in Hawaii

2009-02-04T07:13:00.000-08:00

Getting to Hawaii

Honolulu International Airport (HNL) on Oahu is Hawaii's major airport, serving as the entry point for most of Hawaii's visitors. All twenty-three major domestic carriers and sixteen international carriers serve Oahu, so you can get here from just about anywhere.

There are also direct flights from the mainland to Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii's Big Island, but for the most part, you may need to connect through Oahu to get to the neighbor islands.

Staying in Hawaii

Finding accommodations is easy in Hawaii. You'll find everything here from historic hotels and boutiques, to bed and breakfasts, rental condos, and luxury resorts. You'll find more than 30,000 hotel rooms on Oahu alone.

Anytime of year is a good time to visit Hawaii. Summer, between April and November, is warmer and drier (average temperature is 75˚-88˚ F) while winter, between December and March, is a bit cooler (68˚-80˚ F). Trade winds keep things comfortable year-round.

Traveling in Hawaii

To really experience all that Hawaii offers, you should consider renting a car. Many visitors also enjoy taking bus tours to conveniently explore the Islands. Shuttles, taxis, and public transport are available on most islands.

Top 10 US Cities for a Winter Trip

2009-02-04T07:09:00.000-08:00

Chicago, Illinois

In conversations about cities to check out, Chicago always gets a mention. Whether for its ideal location, right smack in between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, or for its happening nightlife, Chicago is a place worth visiting. Often referred to as the "birthplace of jazz", Chicago is known for its amazing live music venues as well as its cutting edge architecture, which is best experienced in Millennium Park, an outdoor shopping area full of top-rated restaurants and modern art visual effects.

San Francisco, California

For those seeking a city experience with a touch of hometown wonder, San Francisco is the place to see! Situated with the Pacific Coast to the left and the San Francisco Bay to the east, this well-known city is treasured for its rolling hills and welcoming nature. The Golden Gate Bridge is a highlighted landmark, as well as Market Street, a downtown hotspot featuring the famous trolley cars and street vendors.

Washington DC, District of Columbia

Nestled between Virginia, Maryland and the Potomac River sits our nation's capital city, Washington, D.C. Known for her political prestige, Washington, D.C. is a sight to see. Considered one of the most traveled cities, especially in the spring when cherry blossoms line the streets, Washington, D.C. offers you a chance to see change in the making with tourist attractions like The White House, The Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Art Museum. You can also appreciate glimpses of the past through landmarks such as the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument.

Denver, Colorado

Sometimes referred to as the middle city of our nation, Denver is situated along the iconic Rocky Mountains, and offers its tourists an average of 300 days of sunshine a year. Whether you are visiting to ski or snowboard some of the best snow trails in the U.S., or simply sit by a fire and enjoy the view, Denver won't disappoint.

Los Angeles, California

Much of California is noted for its beautiful beaches and warm weather; however its largest city, Los Angeles, offers all that and more. With its sprawling city limits, Los Angeles is considered a crossroads of international culture, cuisine, entertainment, and fashions. Landmarks are sprinkled all over the city, some of which are the famous Hollywood sign, Kodak Theatre, and the Frank Gehry designed Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Boston, Massachusetts

Although typically known as a college town, Boston is the largest city in New England and brings with it a deep sense of history and beauty. Situated with its skyline set along the Boston Harbor, the city offers an array of shopping districts, coffee shops, and bars. When visiting, be sure to stop by the famous Faneuil Hall for a day of sightseeing along cobblestone streets. Other great spots to visit include the Boston Opera House, the Charles River, and the Cutler Majestic Theatre.

New York City, New York

Recognized as "The Big Apple" for its magnificent nature, New York City offers an ideal destination for those seeking a nightlife-oriented getaway full of live music, world-class restaurants, Broadway shows, and bright city lights. New York City offers a list of landmarks that can't be missed like The Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Island.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Here is a city that needs no introduction. Las Vegas, considered the "Entertainment Capital of the World" is famous for its bright lights, unparalleled gambling scene, and extravagant restaurants. It's worth visiting if only for the bragging rights and photo opportunities in front of the Bellagio Fountains or the White Tigers at the Mirage Hotel. For a momentary break from the poker tables, The Grand Canyon and Hoover Damn are popular day trips for tourists of Las Vegas.

Seattle, Washington

For those rolling their eyes at the mention of a city often noted for its rainy days and coffee addicts, Seattle makes the list for its beautiful city skyline and outdoor adventures. This city offers the "outdoorsy types" everything from sailing to camping to bicycling. For those that are searching for a more cultural adventure, Seattle's Pike Place Market, and the famous Space Needle can't be missed.

Miami Beach, Florida

Although much of Miami is visited year-round, no part of the city is as frequently traveled and enjoyed as South Beach. This over-the-top beach is the oldest section of Miami and is best known for its popular restaurants, and vibrant nightlife scene. South Beach is also famous for beautiful people, its landmark brightly-colored lifeguard stands, and of course the sunshine enjoyed year-round.

from : http://www.onetime.com

Eiffel Tower

2009-02-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

Believe me it was not my intention to write the 945th tip about la Tour Eiffel but when I came out of the Musée de la Marine at the Trocadero I could not avoid the best view on the Eiffel Tower.

I just realized standing on the esplanade between the Palais de Chaillot that I had never been to the top. I have been more than a dozen times on the Champ de Mars and each time the queues discouraged me. I like to stand at the bottom of the tower and look up to the biggest "Mecano" structure in the world.

As on the day before I had visited the Invalides Army museum and the WW II department with documents of the German occupation, I realised that it was from that Trocadero Esplanade at the exact place where tourists are now viewing the Tour Eiffel that on Sunday June 23, 1940 around 8 am, Adolf Hitler was standing there to view the Tour Eiffel and the occupied Paris (photo 2). (He would never come back to Paris).

These 4 years were the worst for France and the Tour Eiffel.
They ended with the liberation of Paris by the French 2e Division Blindée under command of general Leclerc on August 25, 1944 and the famous discourse of General De Gaulle:
"Paris outragé ! Paris brisé ! Paris martyrisé ! mais Paris libéré !"

There was fierce fighting at the Champ de Mars when a platoon of Spahis from the 2e DB attacked the Ecole Militaire where 250 Germans resisted during 4 hours against the French troops.

At 12.30 h on August 25, 1944 the French flag was put again on the top of the Tour Eiffel by 6 Sapeurs-Pompiers from the fire brigade of Paris. It took them 25 minutes to climb the 1665 steps under the fire of the German soldiers.

The good years for tourism at the tour Eiffel were back with more than 6.7 millions entries in 2006!

Recently (July 2008) I read in the French press that the access to the Tour Eiffel will be improved in order to reduce the queuing.

It is also the intention to have visitors spend more money once in the tower by offering more catering possibilities. Somebody at the management realised that the prices of the upper restaurant are not for budget travellers!

We'll see next year.

Looking Paris Hotels

from : http://www.virtualtourist.com

Lombok

2009-02-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

Think of Lombok as Bali's quieter, less crowded counterpart, with terrific beaches, world-class diving and snorkeling, beautiful scenery, and an interesting local culture. If you're seeking a place to rest and recharge, you can't do better than Lombok.

Geography and People

A fishing boat puts out to sea from Lombok (flickr user yeowatzup)

Just a few miles to the east of Bali and slightly bigger, Lombok is roughly circular, with a population of nearly 3 million people.

The island's topography is dominated by the centrally-located Gunung Rinjani (Mount Rinjani), a volcano which rises to 12,224 feet, making it the third-highest volcanic mountain in Indonesia. The most recent eruption of Rinjani was in the summer of 1994. The volcano and its sacred crater lake, Lake Segara Anak, are protected by a national park established in 1997. The southern part of the island is a fertile plain where corn, rice, coffee, tobacco, and cotton are grown.

At over 12,000 feet, Gunung Rinjani cuts a striking profile as it looms over Lombok (flickr user bicrom)

Interestingly, the Lombok Strait--the passage between Bali and Lombok-separates the fauna of the Indonesian and Malaysian ecosystem from the very different fauna of Australasia. This division is known as the Wallace Line, named for Alfred Russel Wallace, the 19th century naturalist who first remarked on the distinction. Scientists theorize that the Lombok Strait was too broad and deep for animals coming from Java and Bali to swim across, enabling the evolution of different species of animals on Lombok and islands to the east.

Lombok's people are 85% Sasak, culturally and linguistically closely related to the Balinese, but unlike Bali's largely Hindu population, they are Muslims. A notable non-orthodox Islamic group found only on Lombok are the Wektu Telu ("Three Prayers"), who, as the name suggests, pray only three times daily, instead of the five times required in the Quran. About 10-15% of the population is Balinese, with the small remainder being Chinese, Arab, Javanese, and Sumbawanese.

Lombok children smile during a local festival (flickr user praziquantel)

The more Islamic culture on Lombok compared to Bali may explain why Lombok is quieter than Bali in terms of parties and nightlife, which can be either a positive or a negative depending on your point of view. Lombok is also becoming increasingly popular for honeymooners.

Things to See and Do on Lombok

The most-developed center for tourist services, although not necessarily the most beautiful spot, is Senggigi, spread along an eight mile strip along the coastal road north of the main city of Mataram. Backpackers and those seeking serious peace and quiet congregate in the Gili Islands off the west coast.

Sightseeing highlights include:

Kuta (no connection to Bali's overdeveloped Kuta beach). The surfing here is considered some of the best in the world. Kuta, on Lombok's south coast, is also famous for its beautiful, untouched beaches.
Tanjung Aan, a beautiful bay near Kuta beach, noted for its unusual, pepper-like sand. But be prepared for lots of hawkers (mainly children) selling souvenirs.

The curious sand of Tanjung Aan

Taman Narmada. Located about eight miles east of Mataram, this park has a Hindu temple and a small pond replicating in miniature the crater lake at Gunung Riniani. The Balinese Pujawali festival takes place here every year. If you haven't located the fountain of youth elsewhere, visitors can drink from the one here to secure long life.

Fierce statuary guards the temple complex of Taman Narmada (flickr user yeowatzup)

Pura Lingsar. Built in 1714, Pura Lingsar is a spiritual center for both Balinese Hinduism and the Wektu Telu religion, with temple buildings dedicated to both faiths. You can feed eggs (available for sale outside) to holy eels in an enclosed pond dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The best time to visit the temple is December, where Hindu and Wektu Telu believers parade in traditional costumes and throw ketupat (sticky rice in coconut leaves) at each other.
Shopping. High quality handicrafts and textiles are produced all over the island. Sukarare village is a good place to see these items being made, and the prices should be cheaper than in Senggigi shops.

A Lombok weaver at her loom (flickr user The Shopping Sherpa)

Snorkeling and diving.. The clear, warm waters off Lombok's coast offer limitless snorkeling and diving adventures. The Gili Islands, discussed below, offer particularly good options.
Massage. You'll probably be offered massages right on the beach, but if you want to ensure a quality experience, ask your hotel to recommend a masseuse.

The Gili Islands

The three delightful Gili Islands, just a few miles off the west coast of Lombok, are a small-scale backpacker mecca and Lombok's most popular tourist destination. The islands are very relaxed and laid-back, with countless little beachside cafes playing reggae and serving up banana pancakes, and no cars or motorbikes to disturb the peace. The beaches are without a doubt better than anywhere on Bali or Lombok, although there's not much to do except enjoy the beaches and the water.

Neatly arrayed like giant stepping stones, the Gili Islands are the place to go for pure relaxation (flickr user yeowatzup)

From west to east, the islands are:

Gili Trawangan, or "Gili T," is by far the most developed with plenty of backpacker options and one swanky resort. Gili Trawangan is known as more of a party island and activities tend to revolve around the bar scene. There are no dogs on the island but according to one local, there are more cats than people. The local population is around 800.
Gili Meno, the smallest and quietest of the islands, low-key with some simple places to stay.
Gili Air, closest to the mainland and with the largest local population.

The crystalline waters of the Gili Islands

Strictly speaking, the name "Gili Islands" is rather redundant as gili simply means "small island" in Sasak, but the name has stuck and is universally used and understood in Lombok.

In a rare display of foresight, all forms of motorized transport are banned from the islands; your only choice of transportation is horse-drawn carts, known as cidomo, which are used to shuttle around people, diving gear and other supplies. However, as the islands are only a few miles in diameter, it's entirely possible just to walk instead.

Cidomo are an environmentally sensitive way of getting around the islands (flickr user wiendietry)

Numerous boats leave from mainland Lombok and Bali to the islands daily (but only during daylight hours). Traveling between the islands requires either catching the infrequent shuttle boats or chartering one to take you across. The distances between the islands may seem swimmable, but do not attempt it--the currents can be fierce and several backpackers have died trying.

Things to See and Do on the Gili Islands

There are no sights as such on the islands themselves, but the snorkeling and diving are a major draw. You can rent masks and fins off the beach, or contact any of the numerous dive shops to arrange snorkeling or diving at choice spots nearby. Sea turtles are a common sight, especially around Turtle Point just north of Gili Meno.

It's also nice to walk around the islands. The perimeters of the islands are conducive to a two or three hour leisurely walk with no strenuous hills. Just follow the coastline and put on your sunscreen for a nice morning stroll.

Gili Meno has a "bird sanctuary," which is more like a bird zoo since the birds are caged. Access to the site is a short walk inland from the main strip on the west of the island.

The Gili Islands are also a great place to do nothing at all. Leave your watch in your bungalow, find a little beachside restaurant and enjoy a cool drink while you read or simply soak up the tranquility.

Sip your drink for as long as you want in little cafes like this one, right on the beach. No extra charge for the view

Eating and Drinking on Lombok

Despite the fact that the very word lombok means "chili pepper," the local cuisine isn't quite as spicy as you might expect. Probably the best known local dish is ayam taliwang, chicken stewed in a rich sauce of galangal, turmeric and (of course) chili. One very reliable meal choice is nasi campur, which is rice with any variety of side dish. There are also restaurants where the food is presented on a pyramid of plates within a window, with the price depending on which plate you choose.

Trying traditional Indonesian foods such as these will be a memorable part of your travel experience (flickr user feryindrawan)

Alcoholic drinks are not available everywhere throughout the island, as Lombok is mostly Muslim. However, local supermarkets offer a variety of local as well as international beers. The island's most touristic city, Senggigi, has numerous bars and clubs with the usual international favorites. The local favorite, though, is tuak, a red or white fermented palm wine.

The sunsets are a highlight of any visit to Lombok (flickr user Julia Koefender)

from : http://www.indonesia.com

Crisis 'has hit China's economy'

2009-01-31T08:49:00.000-08:00

The global financial crisis has had "a rather big impact" on China's economy, the country's Premier Wen Jiabao said in a major World Economic Forum speech.

Speaking in Davos in Switzerland, he said the crisis had placed the world economy in the most difficult situation since the Great Depression.

In China, he said, there was rising unemployment in rural areas and "downward pressure on economic growth".

But he added that China's economy was in good shape "on the whole".
Mr Wen said that among the reasons behind the current global downturn were "inappropriate macro economic policies in some economies, characterised by [a] low savings rate and high consumption".

He also pointed to a "failure of financial supervision and regulation to keep up with innovation which allowed financial derivatives to spread".
'Downward pressure'

China's economy grew by 9% in 2008, but only by 6.8% in the final quarter of the year, as overseas demand for China's exports shrank.

"The Chinese economy is now under mounting downward pressure," said Premier Wen Jiabao.
We are full of confidence

China's Premier Wen Jiabao"We are targeting a growth rate of about 8% in 2009. It will be a tall order, but I hold the conviction that through hard work, we can reach the goal."

As the demand for China's exports shrinks, he said that as part of relaunching the economy, the country had to focus now on expanding domestic consumer demand.

There would also be a sustained package of measures aimed at increasing economic growth, as well as a series of policy measures in the financial sector to boost economic growth.

New technology
In addition, there would be industrial restructuring - with the phasing out of backward production practices - and particular attention would be paid to the key industries of cars, iron and steel.

An "extensive use of new technology would increase competitiveness", as would an upgrading of science and technology, he said.

"Will China's economy continue to grow fast and steady? Some people may have doubts about it, yet I can give you a definite answer," he said.

"Yes, it will, we are full of confidence."

He said China would "take prompt, forceful and effective measures" to ensure the health of its economy.

from : http://www.news.bbc.co.uk/

Obama promises lower mortgage costs, new loans

2009-01-31T08:43:00.000-08:00

By PHILIP ELLIOTT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Saturday promised to lower mortgage costs, offer job-creating loans for small businesses, get credit flowing and rein in free-spending executives as he readies a new road map for spending billions from the second installment of the financial rescue plan.

The White House is deciding how to structure the remaining half of the $700 billion that Congress approved last year to save financial institutions and lenders. An announcement was possible as early as this coming week on an approach that would use a range of tools to unfreeze credit, helping families and businesses.

At the end of a week that saw hundreds of thousands of people lose their jobs, Obama also used his Saturday radio and Internet address to tell that nation that "no one bill, no matter how comprehensive, can cure what ails our economy."

During the final three months of 2008, the economy recorded its worst downhill slide in a quarter-century, stumbling backward at a 3.8 percent pace, the government reported Friday. It could get worse.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is trying to finish a plan to overhaul the bailout program begun in the Bush administration. Geithner has said the administration is considering using a government-run "bad bank" to buy up financial institutions' bad assets. But some officials now say that option is gone because of potential costs.

Many ideas under consideration could end up costing hundreds of billions beyond the original price tag. Aides would not rule out the possibility that the administration would seek more than the $350 billion already set aside.

Obama said Geithner soon would announce a new strategy "for reviving our financial system that gets credit flowing to businesses and families. We'll help lower mortgage costs and extend loans to small businesses so they can create jobs. We'll ensure that CEOs are not draining funds that should be advancing our recovery."

His administration "will insist on unprecedented transparency, rigorous oversight and clear accountability so taxpayers know how their money is being spent and whether it is achieving results."

Obama's message, largely repackaged from a week of White House statements, was as much for the country as it was for lawmakers: Pass the separate American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan or things are going to get worse.

"Rarely in history has our country faced economic problems as devastating as this crisis," the president said. "Now is the time for those of us in Washington to live up to our responsibilities."

Obama last week won passage of a separate $825 billion economic stimulus plan in the House without a single Republican vote. It now heads to the Senate, where Vice President Joe Biden predicts the measure will fare better among GOP lawmakers.

Republicans pledged to work with Obama. But they cautioned against treating government spending like a "trillion-dollar Christmas list" and renewed their opposition to much in the bill.

"A problem that started on Wall Street is reaching deeper and deeper into Main Street. And the president is counting on members of Congress to come together in a spirit of bipartisanship to act," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in the GOP radio address. "Unfortunately, the plan that Democrats in Congress put forward this week falls far short of the president's vision for a bill that creates jobs and puts us on a path to long-term economic health."
Obama has signaled his willingness to compromise. His chief spokesman said the president hoped to "strengthen" the bill as it headed toward a Senate vote in the week ahead.

Republicans said they hope the administration takes into account their wishes.

"Every day brings more news of layoffs, home foreclosures and shuttered businesses," McConnell said. "And across the country, employers are cutting to the bone even at businesses that most Americans never thought were vulnerable."

Republicans, however, kept putting forward their own plans. McConnell promoted a mortgage program for creditworthy borrowers, offering fixed-rate 4 percent loans designed to increase housing demands and lending.

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.whitehouse.gov&usg=AFQjCNHgSAnXex327cSIwDOWRh8pOW_jDA

Iran hails Turkish PM for Gaza walkout

2009-01-31T08:41:00.000-08:00

TEHRAN (AFP) — Iranian leaders hailed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday for his spat with Israel over its deadly offensive on Gaza.

"The Zionist regime's behaviour is an insult to humanity... I thank Mr Erdogan for his act," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, describing Erdogan's storming off the stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos as a "very valuable act".

The Turkish premier walked out of the forum on Thursday saying Israel had committed "barbarian acts" during its war on Gaza war, which killed more than 1,300 Palestinians, a third of them children.

Iran is a staunch supporter of the Islamist Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip and does not recognise Israel.

Islamist students staged a demonstration outside the Turkish embassy in Tehran, chanting "Erdogan, Erdogan, We support you," and "Death to Israel! Death to America!," the Fars news agency reported.

Former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was quoted as saying that Erdogan's action "exploded like a bomb around the world."

Ahmad Janati, a hardline cleric who heads the powerful Guardians Council in Iran, sent a message to Erdogan hailing him for his "courageous stand... against the Israeli criminals."

"The epic position you took will make Hamas and their supporters happy," he added.

"We hope Turkey will take a bold step and cut its political ties with Israel and kick out the ambassador of the Zionist regime," prominent MP Kazem Jalai told the Mehr news agency.
Ahmadinejad has drawn international condemnation by repeatedly predicting the Jewish state is doomed to disappear and branding the Holocaust a "myth".

Italy

2009-01-29T09:57:00.000-08:00

Italy - Territory from the Alps Mountains down to the Mediterranean Sea - about 300 thousand sq. km. In the northwest it borders on France, in north - with Switzerland, in east - with Slovenia. While predominantly on a penninsula, it is equally sea and mountain country. Within the limits of Italy the states San-Marino and Vatican are located. The Capital - Rome.

Climate - The country settles down in moderate and subtropical belts(zones). The seasons are basically spring and autumn. In the area around Milan the foggy winters and hot summers are characteristic. In other portions of the territory of Italy the winter is mild, and the summer is hot and dry. The greatest number of solar days are registered along the southeast coast of Sardinia.

Population - Current population of Italians is about 60 million.
Religion - Roman Catholic, however there are supporters of other religions, but they are limited.

Language - Official language is Italian. In hotels, restaurants, and tourist centres English, French and German are widely understand particularly at resorts on the Northern Adriatic and in mountains.

Festivals and exhibitions - Carnival in Venice - before a post (February - March). In April in Milan the world exhibition is scheduled. The international film-festival is held in Venice at the end of August. There is a biennial - exhibition of modern international art in Venice from June till September on even calendar years.

Transport - the trains and buses are most convenient for trips between cities. The underground railroad is in Rome, Milan, Naples. The tickets on a tram and bus can be purchased in newspaper and tobacco boothes, and these tickets are valid for trips with changes within 90 minutes. The taxi can be ordered on the phoneand can be found in special parking or can be flagged to stop on a road by sticking pointing (not middle) finger high into the air. The standard tariff is often displayed on the screen in a taxi, plus surcharges are customary for night time, luggage, and trips to the airport.

Public telephones are available on streets and are operated on toll cards bought in tobacco or journal boothes. Coins can also be directly deposited into some of the older public telephones. The wirless service has wide use of cellular systems GSM - without problems.

Customs rules - No duties are charged for up to two cartons of cigarettes, 5 litres wine, 1,5 litres of strong alcoholic drinks, or 750 ml. of alcoholic spirits.

Tips - Waiters, taxi drivers - expect up to 10 %, This is also common expectation in hotels for tips to a parlourmaid and the senior waiter of restaurant, the hotel porter - before departure, and private guides in museums and galleries - for personal display of exhibits.

Clothes - Since May till September - light and casual clothes are everywhere but in October-November do not forget umbrellas (parasols) and raincoats because of rainy season. Women should be aware that in the church or cathedral guards will not let in short shorts and too openly exposed dresses. Conservative dress is appreciated at church and business.

Credit cards - Visa, American Express, Master Card, Dinner’s Club, and Carte Blanche are most popular. At filling stations cash is required.

Rules of behaviour - If the young woman travels without the man in the south of Italy, she still can expect to be confronted by the macho Itallian men with the raised man’s attention; it is bothersome at times but is not really dangerous. They have wonderful humor and just love to watch and compliment pretty ladies. It is their way and they appreciate a quick wit, a flirty smile and harmless but playful banter.

Water - Is is possible to drink public water safely even from public fountains, and if it is impossible - you will see an inscription Acqua non potabile. Often if you want to purchase bottled water it is sold virtually everywhere there is a retail outlet or small roadside storefront.

from : http://travelidea.wordpress.com/

Mount Everest

2009-01-29T09:18:00.000-08:00

Mount Everest, also called Sagarmatha (Nepali: meaning Head of the Sky) or Chomolungma, Qomolangma or Zhumulangma (in Tibetan: in Fēng) is the highest mountain on Earth, as measured by the height of its summit above sea level, which is 8,848 metres (29,029 ft). The mountain, which is part of the Himalaya range in High Asia, is located on the border between Sagarmatha Zone, Nepal, and Tibet, China.

In 1856, the Great Trigonometric Survey of India established the first published height of Everest at 29,002 ft (8,840 m), although at the time Everest was known as Peak XV. In 1865, Everest was given its official English name by the Royal Geographical Society upon recommendation of Andrew Waugh, the BritishSurveyor General of India at the time. Waugh was unable to propose an established local name because Nepal and Tibet were closed to foreigners at the time, although Chomolungma had been in common use by Tibetans for centuries.

The highest mountain in the world attracts climbers of all levels, from well experienced mountaineers to novice climbers willing to pay substantial sums to professional mountain guides to complete a successful climb. The mountain, while not posing substantial technical climbing difficulty on the standard route (other eight-thousanders such as K2 or Nanga Parbat are much more difficult), still has many inherent dangers such as altitude sickness, weather and wind. By the end of the 2007 climbing season, there had been 3,679 ascents to the summit by 2,436 individuals. Climbers are a significant source of tourist revenue for Nepal, whose government also requires all prospective climbers to obtain an expensive permit, costing up to US$25,000 per person.[4] Everest has claimed 210 lives, including eight who perished during a 1996 storm high on the mountain. Conditions are so difficult in the death zone that most corpses have been left where they fell, some of which are visible from standard climbing routes.

Identifying the highest mountain

In 1808, the British began the Great Trigonometric Survey of India to determine the location and names of the world's highest mountains. Starting in southern India, the survey teams gradually moved northward using giant 1100 pound (500 kg) theodolites (each requiring 12 men to carry) to measure heights as accurately as possible. They reached the Himalayan foothills by the 1830s, but Nepal was unwilling to allow the British to enter the country because of suspicions of political aggression and possible annexation. Several requests by the surveyors to enter Nepal were turned down.

The British were forced to continue their observations from Terai, a region south of Nepal which is parallel to the Himalayas. Conditions in Terai were difficult owing to torrential rains and malaria — three survey officers died from malaria while two others had to retire owing to failing health.

Nonetheless, in 1847, the British pressed on and began detailed observations of the Himalayan peaks from observation stations up to 150 mi (240 km) away. Weather restricted work to the last three months of the year. In November 1847, Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India made a number of observations from Sawajpore station located in the eastern end of the Himalayas. At the time, Kangchenjunga was considered the highest peak in the world, and with interest he noted a peak beyond it, some 140 mi (230 km) away. John Armstrong, one of Waugh's officials, also saw the peak from a location further west and called it peak 'b'. Waugh would later write that the observations indicated that peak 'b' was higher than Kangchenjunga, but given the great distance of the observations, closer observations were required for verification. The following year, Waugh sent a survey official back to Terai to make closer observations of peak 'b', but clouds thwarted all attempts.

In 1849, Waugh dispatched James Nicolson to the area. Nicolson was able to make two observations from Jirol, 118 mi (190 km) away. Nicolson then took the largest theodolite and headed east, obtaining over 30 observations from five different locations, with the closest being 108 mi (174 km) away from the peak.

Nicolson retreated to Patna on the Ganges to perform the necessary calculations based on his observations. His raw data gave an average height of 30,200 ft (9,200 m) for peak 'b', but this did not take into account light refraction which distorts heights. The number clearly indicated, however, that peak 'b' was higher than Kangchenjunga. Unfortunately, Nicolson came down with malaria and was forced to return home, calculations unfinished. Michael Hennessy, one of Waugh's assistants, had begun designating peaks based on Roman Numerals, with Kangchenjunga named Peak IX, while peak 'b' now became known as Peak XV.

In 1852, stationed at the survey's headquarters in Dehradun, Radhanath Sikdar, an Indian mathematician and surveyor from Bengal, was the first to identify Everest as the world's highest peak, using trigonometric calculations based on Nicolson's measurements.[7] An official announcement that Peak XV was the highest was delayed for several years as the calculations were repeatedly verified. Waugh began work on Nicolson's data in 1854, and along with his staff spent almost two years working on the calculations, having to deal with the problems of light refraction, barometric pressure, and temperature over the vast distances of the observations. Finally, in March 1856 he announced his findings in a letter to his deputy in Calcutta. Kangchenjunga was declared to be 28,156 ft (8,582 m), while Peak XV was given the height of 29,002 ft (8,840 m). Waugh concluded that Peak XV was "most probably the highest in the world". In actuality, Peak XV was found to be exactly 29,000 feet (8,839 m) high, but was publicly declared to be 29,002 ft (8,840 m). The arbitrary addition of 2 feet (60 cm) was to avoid the impression that an exact height of 29,000 feet was nothing more than a rounded estimate.

With the height now established, what to name the peak was clearly the next challenge. While the survey was anxious to preserve local names if possible (e.g., Kangchenjunga and Dhaulagiri were local names), Waugh argued that he was unable to find any commonly used local name. Waugh's search for a local name was hampered by Nepal and Tibet being closed to foreigners at the time. Many local names existed, with perhaps the best known in Tibet for several centuries being Chomolungma, which had appeared on a 1733 map published in Paris by the French geographer D'Anville. However, Waugh argued that with the plethora of local names, it would be difficult to favour one specific name over all others. So, he decided that Peak XV should be named after George Everest, his predecessor as Surveyor General of India.

He wrote:

I was taught by my respected chief and predecessor, Colonel Sir George Everest to assign to every geographical object its true local or native appellation. But here is a mountain, most probably the highest in the world, without any local name that we can discover, whose native appellation, if it has any, will not very likely be ascertained before we are allowed to penetrate into Nepal. In the meantime the privilege as well as the duty devolves on me to assign…a name whereby it may be known among citizens and geographers and become a household word among civilized nations.

George Everest opposed the name suggested by Waugh and told the Royal Geographical Society in 1857 that Everest could not be written in Hindi nor pronounced by "the native of India". Waugh's proposed name prevailed despite the objections, and in 1865, the Royal Geographical Society officially adopted Mount Everest as the name for the highest mountain in the world.[6]

Naming

Aerial view of Mount Everest from the south

The Tibetan name for Mount Everest is Chomolungma or Qomolangmaཇོ་མོ་གླིང་མ, which means "Saint Mother"), and the Chinese transliteration is Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng (simplified Chinese: 珠穆朗玛峰; traditional Chinese: 珠穆朗瑪峰), which refers to Earth Mother; the Chinese translation is Shèngmǔ Fēngsimplified Chinese: 圣母峰; traditional Chinese: 聖母峰), which refers to Holy Mother. According to English accounts of the mid-19th century, the local name in Darjeeling for Mount Everest was Deodungha, or "Holy Mountain". ( (

In 1865, the mountain was officially given its English name by the Royal Geographical Society after being proposed by Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India.[6] Waugh chose to name the mountain after George Everest, first using the spelling Mont Everest, and then Mount Everest. However, the modern pronunciation of Everest IPA: /ˈɛvərɪst, ˈɛvrɪst/[12] is in fact different from Sir George's own pronunciation of his surname,

In the late 19th century, many European cartographers incorrectly believed that a native name for the mountain was "Gaurisankar".[14] This was a result of confusion of Mount Everest with the actual Gauri Sankar, which, when viewed from Kathmandu, stands almost directly in front of Everest.[citation needed]

In the early 1960s, the Nepalese government gave Mount Everest the official name Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा). This name had not previously been used; the local inhabitants knew the mountain as Chomolungma. The mountain was not known and named in ethnic Nepal (that is, the Kathmandu valley and surrounding areas).[citation needed] The government set out to find a Nepalese name for the mountain because the Sherpa/Tibetan name Chomolangma was not acceptable, as it would have been against the idea of unification (Nepalization) of the country.[citation needed]

In 2002, the Chinese People's Daily newspaper published an article making a case against the continued use of the English name for the mountain in the Western world, insisting that it should be referred to by its Tibetan name. The newspaper argued that the Chinese (in nature a Tibetan) name preceded the English one, as Mount Qomolangma was marked on a Chinese map more than 280 years ago.

Measurement

Another aerial view of Mount Everest from the south, with Lhotse in front and Nuptse on the left

In 1856, Andrew Waugh announced Everest (then known as Peak XV) as 29,002 feet (8,840 m) high, after several years of calculations based on observations made by the Great Trigonometric Survey.

More recently, the mountain has been found to be 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) high, although there is some variation in the measurements. On 9 October 2005, after several months of measurement and calculation, the PRC's State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping officially announced the height of Everest as 8,844.43 m ± 0.21 m (29,017.16 ± 0.69 ft). They claimed it was the most accurate and precise measurement to date.[17] This height is based on the actual highest point of rock and not on the snow and ice covering it. The Chinese team also measured a snow/ice depth of 3.5 m,[18] which is in agreement with a net elevation of 8,848 m. The snow and ice thickness varies over time, making a definitive height of the snow cap impossible to determine.

The elevation of 8,848 m (29,029 ft) was first determined by an Indian survey in 1955, made closer to the mountain, also using theodolites. It was subsequently reaffirmed by a 1975 Chinese measurement.[18] In both cases the snow cap, not the rock head, was measured. In May 1999 an American Everest Expedition, directed by Bradford Washburn, anchored a GPS unit into the highest bedrock. A rock head elevation of 8,850 m (29,035 ft), and a snow/ice elevation 1 m (3 ft) higher, were obtained via this device.[19] Although it has not been officially recognized by Nepal,[20] this figure is widely quoted. Geoid uncertainty casts doubt upon the accuracy claimed by both the 1999 and 2005 surveys.

A detailed photogrammetric map (at a scale of 1:50,000) of the Khumbu region, including the south side of Mount Everest, was made by Erwin Schneider as part of the 1955 International Himalayan Expedition, which also attempted Lhotse. An even more detailed topographic map of the Everest area was made in the late 1980s under the direction of Bradford Washburn, using extensive aerial photography.

It is thought that the plate tectonics of the area are adding to the height and moving the summit northeastwards. Two accounts suggest the rates of change are 4 mm (0.16 in) per year (upwards) and 3-6 mm (0.12-0.25 in) per year (northeastwards),[19][22] but another account mentions more lateral movement (27 mm/1.1 in),[23] and even shrinkage has been suggested.

The Mount Everest region, and the Himalayas in general, are thought to be experiencing ice-melt due to global warming.

Comparisons

Everest is the mountain whose summit attains the greatest distance above sea level. Several other mountains are sometimes claimed as alternative "tallest mountains on Earth". Mauna Kea in Hawaii is tallest when measured from its base;[26] it rises over 10,200 m (6.3 mi) when measured from its base on the mid-ocean floor, but only attains 4,205 m (13,796 ft) above sea level. By the same measure of base[26] to summit, Mount McKinley, in Alaska, is also taller than Everest. Despite its height above sea level of only 6,193.6 m (20,320 ft), Mount McKinley sits atop a sloping plain with elevations from 300-900 m (1,000-3,000 ft), yielding a height above base in the range of 5,300-5,900 m (17,300-19,300 ft); a commonly quoted figure is 5,600 m (18,400 ft).[27] By comparison, reasonable base elevations for Everest range from 4,200 m (13,800 ft) on the south side to 5,200 m (17,100 ft) on the Tibetan Plateau, yielding a height above base in the range of 3,650 m (12,000 ft) to 4,650 m (15,300 ft).[21]

The summit of Chimborazo in Ecuador is 2,168 m (7,113 ft) farther from the Earth's centre (6,384.4 km or 3,967.1 mi) than that of Everest (6,382.3 km or 3,965.8 mi), because the Earth bulges at the Equator. However, Chimborazo attains a height of only 6,267 m (20,561 ft) above sea level, and by this criterion it is not even the highest peak of the Andes.

Climbing routes

Southern and northern climbing routes as seen from the International Space Station.

Mt. Everest has two main climbing routes, the southeast ridge from Nepal and the northeast ridge from Tibet, as well as many other less frequently climbed routes.[28] Of the two main routes, the southeast ridge is technically easier and is the more frequently-used route. It was the route used by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953 and the first recognised of fifteen routes to the top by 1996.[28] This was, however, a route decision dictated more by politics than by design as the Chinese border was closed to the western world in the 1950s after Communist China took over the control Tibet from the Republic of China.[29]

View from space showing South Col route and North Col/Ridge route

Most attempts are made during May before the summer monsoon season. As the monsoon season approaches, a change in the jet stream at this time pushes it northward, thereby reducing the average wind speeds high on the mountain.[30][31] While attempts are sometimes made after the monsoons in September and October, when the jet stream is again temporarily pushed northward, the additional snow deposited by the monsoons and the less stable weather patterns (tail end of the monsoon) makes climbing more difficult.

Southeast ridge

The ascent via the southeast ridge begins with a trek to Base Camp at 5,380 m (17,700 ft) on the south side of Everest in Nepal. Expeditions usually fly into Lukla (2,860 m) from Kathmandu and pass through Namche Bazaar. Climbers then hike to Base Camp, which usually takes six to eight days, allowing for proper altitude acclimatization in order to prevent altitude sickness. Climbing equipment and supplies are carried by yaks, dzopkyos (yak hybrids) and human porters to Base Camp on the Khumbu Glacier. When Hillary and Tenzing climbed Everest in 1953, they started from Kathmandu Valley, as there were no roads further east at that time.

Climbers will spend a couple of weeks in Base Camp, acclimatizing to the altitude. During that time, Sherpas and some expedition climbers will set up ropes and ladders in the treacherous Khumbu Icefall. Seracs, crevasses and shifting blocks of ice make the icefall one of the most dangerous sections of the route. Many climbers and Sherpas have been killed in this section. To reduce the hazard, climbers will usually begin their ascent well before dawn when the freezing temperatures glue ice blocks in place. Above the icefall is Camp I at 6,065 metres (19,900 ft).

From Camp I, climbers make their way up the Western Cwm to the base of the Lhotse face, where Camp II or Advanced Base Camp (ABC) is established at 6,500 m (21,300 ft). The Western Cwm is a relatively flat, gently rising glacial valley, marked by huge lateral crevasses in the centre which prevent direct access to the upper reaches of the Cwm. Climbers are forced to cross on the far right near the base of Nuptse to a small passageway known as the "Nuptse corner". The Western Cwm is also called the "Valley of Silence" as the topography of the area generally cuts off wind from the climbing route. The high altitude and a clear, windless day can make the Western Cwm unbearably hot for climbers.[32]

From ABC, climbers ascend the Lhotse face on fixed ropes up to Camp III, located on a small ledge at 7,470 m (24,500 ft). From there, it is another 500 metres to Camp IV on the South Col at 7,920 m (26,000 ft). From Camp III to Camp IV, climbers are faced with two additional challenges: The Geneva Spur and The Yellow Band. The Geneva Spur is an anvil shaped rib of black rock named by a 1952 Swiss expedition. Fixed ropes assist climbers in scrambling over this snow covered rock band. The Yellow Band is a section of interlayered marble, phyllite, and semischist which also requires about 100 metres of rope for traversing it.[32]

On the South Col, climbers enter the death zone. Climbers typically only have a maximum of two or three days they can endure at this altitude for making summit bids. Clear weather and low winds are critical factors in deciding whether to make a summit attempt. If weather does not cooperate within these short few days, climbers are forced to descend, many all the way back down to Base Camp.

A view of Everest southeast ridge base camp. The Khumbu Icefall can be seen in the left. In the center are the remains of a helicopter that crashed in 2003.

From Camp IV, climbers will begin their summit push around midnight with hopes of reaching the summit (still another 1,000 metres above) within 10 to 12 hours. Climbers will first reach "The Balcony" at 8,400 m (27,600 ft), a small platform where they can rest and gaze at peaks to the south and east in the early dawn light. Continuing up the ridge, climbers are then faced with a series of imposing rock steps which usually forces them to the east into waist deep snow, a serious avalanche hazard. At 8,750 m (28,700 ft), a small table-sized dome of ice and snow marks the South Summit.

From the South Summit, climbers follow the knife-edge southeast ridge along what is known as the "Cornice traverse" where snow clings to intermittent rock. This is the most exposed section of the climb as a misstep to the left would send one 2,400 m (8,000 ft) down the southwest face while to the immediate right is the 3,050 m (10,000 ft) Kangshung face. At the end of this traverse is an imposing 12 m (40 ft) rock wall called the "Hillary Step" at 8,760 m (28,740 ft)

Hillary and Tenzing were the first climbers to ascend this step and they did it with primitive ice climbing equipment and without fixed ropes. Nowadays, climbers will ascend this step using fixed ropes previously set up by Sherpas. Once above the step, it is a comparatively easy climb to the top on moderately angled snow slopes - though the exposure on the ridge is extreme especially while traversing very large cornices of snow. With increasing numbers of people climbing the mountain in recent years, the Step has frequently become a bottleneck, with climbers forced to wait significant amounts of time for their turn on the ropes, leading to problems in getting climbers efficiently up and down the mountain. After the Hillary Step, climbers also must traverse a very loose and rocky section that has a very large entanglement of fixed ropes that can be troublesome in bad weather. Climbers will typically spend less than a half-hour on the "top of the world" as they realize the need to descend to Camp IV before darkness sets in, afternoon weather becomes a serious problem, or supplemental oxygen tanks run out.

Northeast ridge

Mount Everest north face from Rongbuk in Tibet

The northeast ridge route begins from the north side of Everest in Tibet. Expeditions trek to the Rongbuk Glacier, setting up Base Camp at 5,180 m (16,990 ft) on a gravel plain just below the glacier. To reach Camp II, climbers ascend the medial moraine of the east Rongbuk Glacier up to the base of Changtse at around 6,100 m (20,000 ft). Camp III (ABC - Advanced Base Camp) is situated below the North Col at 6,500 m (21,300 ft). To reach Camp IV on the north col, climbers ascend the glacier to the foot of the col where fixed ropes are used to reach the North Col at 7,010 m (23,000 ft). From the North Col, climbers ascend the rocky north ridge to set up Camp V at around 7,775 m (25,500 ft). The route crosses the North Face in a diagonal climb to the base of the Yellow Band reaching the site of Camp VI at 8,230 m (27,000 ft). From Camp VI, climbers will make their final summit push. Climbers face a treacherous traverse from the base of the First Step: 27,890 feet - 28,000 feet, to the crux of the climb, the Second Step: 28,140 feet - 28,300 feet. (The Second Step includes a climbing aid called the "Chinese ladder", a metal ladder placed semi-permanently in 1975 by a party of Chinese climbers. It has been almost continuously in place since, and is used by virtually all climbers on the route.) Once above the Second Step the inconsequential Third Step is clambered over: 28,510 feet - 28,870 feet. Once above these steps, the summit pyramid is climbed by means of a snow slope of 50 degrees, to the final summit ridge along which the top is reached.

Ascents

Main article: Timeline of climbing Mount Everest

Early expeditions

Rongbuk Monastery in Tibet with the north side of Everest in the background.

In 1885, Clinton Thomas Dent, president of the Alpine Club, suggested that climbing Mount Everest was possible in his book Above the Snow Line.

The northern approach to the mountain was discovered by George Mallory on the first expedition in 1921. It was an exploratory expedition not equipped for a serious attempt to climb the mountain. With Mallory leading (and thus becoming the first European to set foot on Everest's flanks) they climbed the North Col 7,007 metres (22,989 ft). From there, Mallory espied a route to the top, but the party was woefully unprepared for the enormity of climbing any further and descended.

The British returned for a 1922 expedition. George Finch ("The other George") climbed using oxygen for the first time. He ascended at a remarkable speed — 950 feet (290 m) per hour, and reached an altitude of 8,320 m (27,300 ft), the first time a human climbed higher then 8,000m. This feat was entirely lost on the British climbing establishment — except for its "unsporting" nature. Mallory and Col. Felix Norton made a second unsuccessful attempt. Mallory was faulted for leading a group down from the North Col which got caught in an avalanche. Mallory was pulled down too, but seven native porters were killed.

The next Expedition was in 1924. The initial attempt by Mallory and Bruce, was aborted when weather conditions precluded the establishment of Camp VI. The next attempt was that of Norton and Somervell who climbed without oxygen and in perfect weather, traversing the North Face into the Great Couloir. Norton managed to reach 8,558 metres (28,077 ft), though he ascended only 100 feet (30 m) or so in the last hour. Mallory rustled up oxygen equipment for a last-ditch effort. He chose the young Andrew Irvine as his partner.

On 8 June 1924 George Mallory and Andrew Irvine made an attempt on the summit via the North Col/North Ridge/Northeast Ridge route from which they never returned. On 1 May 1999 the Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition found Mallory's body on the North Face in a snow basin below and to the west of the traditional site of Camp VI. Controversy has raged in the mountaineering community as to whether or not one or both of them reached the summit 29 years before the confirmed ascent (and of course, safe descent) of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. The general consensus among climbers has been that they did not.

In 1933, Lady Houston, a British millionaire ex-showgirl, funded the Houston Everest Flight of 1933, which saw a formation of aircraft led by the Marquess of Clydesdale fly over the summit in an effort to deploy the British Union Flag at the top.

Early expeditions — such as Bruce's in the 1920s and Hugh Ruttledge's two unsuccessful attempts in 1933 and 1936 — tried to make an ascent of the mountain from Tibet, via the north face. Access was closed from the north to western expeditions in 1950, after the Chinese asserted control over Tibet. In 1950, Bill Tilman and a small party which included Charles Houston, Oscar Houston and Betsy Cowles undertook an exploratory expedition to Everest through Nepal along the route which has now become the standard approach to Everest from the south.

In the spring of 1952 a Swiss expedition, lead by Edouard Wyss-Dunant was granted permission to attempt a climb from Nepal. The expedition established a route through the Khumbu ice fall and ascended to the South Col at an elevation of 7,986 metres (26,201 ft). Raymond Lambert and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were able to reach a height of about 8,595 metres (28,199 ft) on the southeast ridge, setting a new climbing altitude record. Tenzing's experience was useful when he was hired to be part of the British expedition in 1953. He was born in the TibetanNepal. village of Moyez and raised in

First successful ascent by Tenzing and Hillary

In 1953, a ninth British expedition, led by John Hunt, returned to Nepal. Hunt selected two climbing pairs to attempt to reach the summit. The first pair (Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans) came within 100 m (300 feet) of the summit on 26 May 1953, but turned back after becoming exhausted. As planned, their work in route finding and breaking trail and their caches of extra oxygen were of great aid to the following pair. Two days later, the expedition made its second and final assault on the summit with its second climbing pair, the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay from Nepal. They reached the summit at 11:30 a.m. local time on 29 May 1953 via the South Col Route. At the time, both acknowledged it as a team effort by the whole expedition, but Tenzing revealed a few years later that Hillary had put his foot on the summit first.[39] They paused at the summit to take photographs and buried a few sweets and a small cross in the snow before descending.

News of the expedition's success reached London on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. Returning to Kathmandu a few days later, Hunt (a Briton) and Hillary (a subject of Elizabeth, through her role as head of state of New Zealand) discovered that they had been promptly knighted in the Order of the British Empire, a KBE, for the ascent. Tenzing (a subject of the King of Nepal) was granted the George Medal by the UK. Hunt was ultimately made a life peer in Britain, while Hillary became a founding member of the Order of New Zealand.

First ascents without supplemental oxygen

On 8 May 1978, Reinhold Messner (Italy) and Peter Habeler (Austria) made the first ascent without supplemental oxygen, using the southeast ridge route.[40][28] On 20 August 1980, Messner reached the summit of the mountain solo for the first time, without supplementary oxygen or support, on the more difficult Northwest route via the North Col to the North Face and the Great Couloir. He climbed for three days entirely alone from his base camp at 6,500 metres (21,300 ft).

1996 disaster

During the 1996 climbing season, fifteen people died trying to come down from the summit, making it the deadliest single year in Everest history. Eight of them died on 11 May alone. The disaster gained wide publicity and raised questions about the commercialization of Everest.

Journalist Jon Krakauer, on assignment from Outside magazine, was in one of the affected parties, and afterwards published the bestseller Into Thin Air which related his experience. Anatoli Boukreev, a guide who felt impugned by Krakauer's book, co-authored a rebuttal book called The Climb. The dispute sparked a large debate within the climbing community. In May 2004, Kent Moore, a physicist, and John L. Semple, a surgeon, both researchers from the University of Toronto, told New Scientist magazine that an analysis of weather conditions on 11 May suggested that freak weather caused oxygen levels to plunge approximately 14%.

The storm's impact on climbers on the mountain's other side, the North Ridge, where several climbers also died, was detailed in a first hand account by British filmmaker and writer Matt Dickinson in his book The Other Side of Everest.

2005 - Helicopter landing

On 14 May 2005, pilot Didier Delsalle of France landed a Eurocopter AS 350 B3[43] (without any witness) and took off after about four minutes. (His rotors were continually engaged, constituting a "hover landing", and avoiding the risks of relying on the snow to support the aircraft.) He thereby set rotorcraft world records, for highest of both landing (de facto) and take-off (formally). helicopter on the summit of Mount Everest

Delsalle had also performed, two days earlier, a take-off from the South Col; some press reports suggested that the report of the summit landing was a misunderstanding of a South Col one.[45]

2006 - David Sharp controversy

Double-amputee climber Mark Inglis revealed in an interview with the press on 23 May 2006[46], that his climbing party, and many others, had passed a distressed climber, David Sharp, on 15 May, sheltering under a rock overhang 450 metres below the summit, without attempting a rescue. The revelation sparked wide debate on climbing ethics, especially as applied to Everest. The climbers who left him said that the rescue efforts would be useless and only cause more deaths because of how many people it would have taken to pull him off.

Much of this controversy was captured by the Discovery Channel while filming the television program Everest: Beyond the Limit. A crucial decision affecting the fate of Sharp is shown in the program, where an early returning climber (Max Chaya) is descending and radios to his base camp manager (Russell Brice) that he has found a climber in distress. He is unable to identify Sharp, and Sharp had chosen to climb solo without any support, so he did not identify himself to other climbers. The base camp manager assumes that Sharp is part of a group that has abandoned him, and informs his climber that there is no chance of him being able to help Sharp [at 8000+ meters in altitude, barely anyone has the strength to help another man who is only semi conscious, and Max Chaya is only an amateur mountaineer]. As Sharp's condition deteriorates through the day and other descending climbers pass him, his opportunities for rescue diminish: his legs and feet curl from frost-bite, preventing him from walking; the later descending climbers are lower on oxygen and lack the strength to offer aid; time runs out for any Sherpas to return and rescue him. Most importantly, Sharp's decision to forgo all support leaves him with no margin for recovery.

As this debate raged, on 26 May, Australian climber Lincoln Hall was found alive, after being declared dead the day before. He was found by a party of four climbers (Dan Mazur, Andrew Brash, Myles Osborne and Jangbu Sherpa) who, giving up their own summit attempt, stayed with Hall and descended with him and a party of 11 Sherpas sent up to carry him down. Hall later fully recovered. Similar actions have been recorded since, including on 21 May 2007, when Canadian climber Meagan McGrath initiated the successful high-altitude rescue of Nepali Usha Bista.

2008 - Summer Olympic torch summit

China paved a 130 km (81 mi) dirt road from Tingri County to its Base Camp in order to accommodate growing numbers of climbers on the north side of the mountain. It will become the highest asphalt-paved road in the world. Construction began on 18 June 2007 at a cost of 150 million yuan (US$19.7 million). China also routed the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay over Everest, going up the South Col route and back down the North Col route, on the way to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.[47] A China Telecom cellular tower near the Base Camp provides phone coverage all the way to the summit.

Various records

According to the Nepalese government, the youngest person to climb Mount Everest was a 15-year-old Sherpa girl, and the youngest foreigner was 18-year-old Californian Samantha Larson in 2007.

The fastest ascent over the northeast ridge was accomplished in 2007 by Austrian climber Christian Stangl, who needed 16h 42min for the 10km distance from Camp III to the summit, just barely beating Italian Hans Kammerlander's record of 17 hours, accomplished in 1996. Both men climbed alone and without supplementary oxygen. The fastest oxygen-supported ascent over the southeast ridge was Nepalese Pemba Dorjie Sherpa's 2004 climb, using 8h 10min for the 17km route. The fastest ascent without supplementary oxygen over the southeast ridge was accomplished by French Marc Batard who needed 22h 30min in 1988.

The oldest climber to successfully reach Mt. Everest's summit is 76-year-old Min Bahadur Sherchan, who did so 25 May 2008 from the Nepal side. Sherchan beat the previous record set in 2007 by 71 year old Katsusuke Yanagisawa.

Death Zone

While conditions classifying an area as a death zone apply to Mount Everest (altitudes higher than 8,000 m/26,246 ft), it is significantly more difficult for a climber to survive at the death zone on Mount Everest. Temperatures can dip to very low levels, resulting in frostbite of any body part exposed to the air. Since temperatures are so low, snow is well-frozen in certain areas and death by slipping and falling can also occur. High winds at these altitudes on Everest are also a potential threat to climbers. The atmospheric pressure at the top of Everest is about a third of sea level pressure, meaning there is about a third as much oxygen available to breathe as at sea level.

In May 2007, the Caudwell Xtreme Everest undertook a medical study of oxygen levels in human blood at extreme altitude. Over 200 volunteers climbed to Everest Base Camp where various medical tests were performed to examine blood oxygen levels. A small team also performed tests on the way to the summit.

Even at base camp the low level of available oxygen had direct effect on blood oxygen saturation levels. At sea level these are usually 98% to 99%, but at base camp this fell to between 85% and 87%. Blood samples taken at the summit indicated very low levels of oxygen present. A side effect of this is a vastly increased breathing rate, from 20-30 breaths per minute to 80-90 breaths, leading to exhaustion just trying to breathe.

Lack of oxygen, exhaustion, extreme cold, and the dangers of the climb all contribute to the death toll.

People who die during the climb are typically left behind. About 150 bodies have never been recovered. It is not uncommon that corpses are visible from the standard climbing routes.

One sometimes deadly phenomenon, however, does not plague climbers as it usually does on mountains — lightning. Lightning does not strike Mount Everest. NASA's lightning detection system does record significant lightning in the Tibet plateau, but none along the high Tibetan mountains, from about 2,000 m (7,000 ft) and above.

Using bottled oxygen

Northern panoramic view of Everest from Tibetan Plateau

Most expeditions use oxygen masks and tanks above 8,000 m (26,246 ft).[56]weather, low temperatures, and steep slopes often require quick, accurate decisions. Everest can be climbed without supplementary oxygen but this increases the risk to the climber. Humans do not think clearly with low oxygen, and the combination of severe

The use of bottled oxygen to ascend Mount Everest has been controversial. George Mallory himself described the use of such oxygen as unsportsmanlike, but he later concluded that it would be impossible to summit without it and consequently used it.[57] When Tenzing and Hillary made the first successful summit in 1953, they used bottled oxygen. For the next twenty-five years, bottled oxygen was considered standard for any successful summit.

Reinhold Messner was the first climber to break the bottled oxygen tradition and in 1978, with Peter Habeler, made the first successful climb without it. Although critics alleged that he sucked mini-bottles of oxygen - a claim that Messner denied - Messner silenced them when he summited the mountain solo, without supplemental oxygen or any porters or climbing partners, on the more difficult northwest route, in 1980.

The aftermath of the 1996 disaster further intensified the debate. Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air (1997) expressed the author's personal criticisms of the use of bottled oxygen. Krakauer wrote that the use of bottled oxygen allowed otherwise unqualified climbers to attempt to summit, leading to dangerous situations and more deaths. The 11 May 1996 disaster was partially caused by the sheer number of climbers (34 on that day) attempting to ascend, causing bottlenecks at the Hillary Step and delaying many climbers, most of whom summited after the usual 2 p.m. turnaround time. He proposed banning bottled oxygen except for emergency cases, arguing that this would both decrease the growing pollution on Everest—many bottles have accumulated on its slopes—and keep marginally qualified climbers off the mountain.

The 1996 disaster also introduced the issue of the guide's role in using bottled oxygen.[58] Guide Anatoli Boukreev's decision not to use bottled oxygen was sharply criticized by Jon Krakauer. Boukreev's supporters (who include G. Weston DeWalt, who co-wrote The Climb) state that using bottled oxygen gives a false sense of security.[59] Krakauer and his supporters point out that, without bottled oxygen, Boukreev was unable to directly help his clients descend.[60] They state that Boukreev said that he was going down with client Martin Adams,[60] but just below the South Summit, Boukreev determines that Adams was doing fine on the descent and so descends at a faster pace, leaving Adams behind. Adams states in The Climb: "For me, it was business as usual, Anatoli's going by, and I had no problems with that."

2004 photo mosaic the Himalayas with Makalu and Mount Everest from the International Space Station, Expedition 8.

Thefts and other crimes

Some climbers have reported life-threatening thefts from supply caches. Vitor Negrete, the first Brazilian to climb Everest without oxygen and part of David Sharp's party, died during his descent, and theft from his high-altitude camp may have contributed.

In addition to theft, the 2008 book High Crimes by Michael Kodas describes unethical guides and sherpas, prostitution and gambling at the Tibet Base Camp, fraud related to the sale of oxygen bottles, and climbers collecting donations under the pretense of removing trash from the mountain.

Flora and fauna

Euophrys omnisuperstes, a minute black jumping spider, has been found at elevations as high as 6,700 metres (22,000 ft), possibly making it the highest confirmed non microscopic permanent resident on Earth. They lurk in crevices and possibly feed on frozen insects that have been blown there by the wind. It should be noted that there is a high likelihood of microscopic life at even higher altitudes. [64] Birds, such as the bar-headed goose, have been seen flying at the higher altitudes of the mountain, while others such as the Chough have been spotted as high as the South Col (7,920 m),[65] scavenging on food, or even corpses, left over by climbing expeditions.

Geology

The last rays of sunlight on Mount Everest on 5 May 2007

Geologists have subdivided the rocks comprising Mount Everest into three units called "formations".[66][67] Each of these formations are separated from each other by low-angle faults, called “detachments”, along which they have been thrust over each other. From the summit of Mount Everest to its base these rock units are the Qomolangma Formation, the North Col Formation, and the Rongbuk Formation.

From its summit to the top of the Yellow Band, about 8,600 m above sea level, the top of Mount Everest consists of the Qomolangma Formation, which has also been designated as either the Everest Formation or Jolmo Lungama Formation. It consists of grayish to dark gray or white, parallel laminated and bedded limestone interlayered with subordinate beds of recrystallized dolomite with argillaceous laminae and siltstone. Gansser reported finding visible fragments of crinoids in these limestones.[68] Petrographic analysis of samples of this Ordovician limestone from near the summit revealed them to be composed of carbonate pellets and finely fragmented remains of trilobites, crinoids, and ostracods. Other samples were so badly sheared and recrystallized that their original constituents could not be determined. The Qomolangma Formation is broken up by several high-angle faults that terminate at the low angle thrust fault, the Qomolangma Detachment. This detachment separates it from the underlying Yellow Band. The lower five metres of the Qomolangma Formation overlying this detachment are very highly deformed.

The bulk of Mount Everest, between 7,000 and 8,600 m, consists of the North Col Formation, of which the Yellow Band forms its upper part between 8,200 to 8,600 m. The Yellow Band consists of intercalated beds of diopsite-epidote-bearing marble, which weathers a distinctive yellowish brown, and muscovite-biotite phyllite and semischist. Petrographic analysis of marble collected from about 8,300 m found it to consist as much as five percent of the ghosts of recrystallized crinoid ossicles. The upper five metres of the Yellow Band lying adjacent to the Qomolangma Detachment is badly deformed. A 5–40 cm thick fault breccia separates it from the overlying Qomolangma Formation.

The remainder of the North Col Formation, exposed between 7,000 to 8,200 m on Mount Everest, consists of interlayered and deformed schist, phyllite, and minor marble. Between 7,600 and 8,200 m, the North Col Formation consists chiefly of biotite-quartz phyllite and chlorite-biotite phyllite intercalated with minor amounts of biotite-sericite-quartz schist. Between 7,000 and 7,600 m, the lower part of the North Col Formation consists of biotite-quartz schist intercalated with epidote-quartz schist, biotite-calcite-quartz schist, and thin layers of quartzose marble. These metamorphic rocks appear to the result of the metamorphism of deep sea flysch composed of interbedded, mudstone, shale, clayey sandstone, calcareous sandstone, graywacke, and sandy limestone. The base of the North Col Formation is a regional thrust fault called the “Lhotse detachment".'

Below 7,000 m, the Rongbuk Formation underlies the North Col Formation and forms the base of Mount Everest. It consists of sillminite-K-feldspar grade schist and gneiss intruded by numerous sills and dikes of leucogranite ranging in thickness from one cm to 1,500 m.

from : http://en.wikipedia.org

Great Wall of China

2009-01-29T09:06:00.000-08:00

The Great Wall of China, one of the greatest wonders of the world, was enlisted in the 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 6,700 kilometers (4,163 miles) from east to west of China. With a history of more than 2000 years, some of the sections of the great wall are now in ruins or even entirely disappeared. However, it is still one of the most appealing attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance.

History: Excitement abounds in the origin, vicissitude and nature of the great wall of the Qin, Han, and Ming dynasties.

The Great Wall was originally built in the Spring, Autumn, and Warring States Periods as a defensive fortification by the three states: Yan, Zhao and Qin. The Great Wall went through constant extensions and repairs in later dynasties. In fact, 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 after the unification of China. Since then, the Great Wall has served as a monument of the Chinese nation throughout history. A visit to the Great Wall is like a tour through the history backwards; it brings tourists great excitement in each step of the wall.

Construction: The mystery of the construction of the wall is amazing.

The construction of the Great Wall, 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 manifestation of the wisdom and tenacity of the Chinese people.

Sections: Ready to show you an incredible diversity of scenery and ethnic people along its way.

The Great Wall as we see today was mostly built during the Ming Dynasty. It starts from Shanhaiguan Pass in the east to Jiayuguan Pass in the west traversing provinces of Liaoning, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi and Gansu.

Protection: The China Great Wall Academy has called for greater protection of this important relic.

Following a forty-five 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 at the hand of mankind are bringing about the gradual reduction of its extent with the result that less than 30% remains in good condition. The Academy has called for greater protection of this important relic.

Culture: Unfolding a considerable part of Chinese culture beyond the wall.

The Great Wall has long been incorporated into Chinese mythology and popular symbolism. The most beautiful of several legends is about the collapse of a section of the Great Wall caused by Meng Jiangnu, who cried bitterly over the death of her husband in the construction of the Great Wall. This legend has been spread widely through textbooks, folk songs and traditional operas. It is well-known in China.

Travel of the wall: Make a trip to at least one section of the Great Wall should be a must for your China Trip. Elaborate tour plans make travel comfortable, memorable, enjoyable and informative. See details of our Memorable Highlights Tours.

If you prefer to see the wall in a relatively natural state, visit Simatai, 110km north-east of Beijing. This part of the Wall is the best choice, for it is still in its original state without being developed into a popular tourist attraction due to its distance and little public transportation options.

From : http://www.travelchinaguide.com

Alba schools Fox’s O’Reilly in WW II history

2009-01-29T08:15:00.000-08:00

Plus: Simpson won’t spin weight loss; Anderson finds trailer-park love

By Courtney Hazlett

Jessica Alba is setting the record straight: Sweden was neutral during World War II.

Alba and Fox TV show host Bill O’Reilly traded punches last week after the presidential inauguration. After Alba told a Fox reporter that O’Reilly was “kind of an a-hole;” he retaliated by calling her a “pinhead” for telling a reporter to “be Sweden about it,” assuming she meant Switzerland.

“I want to clear some things up that have been bothering me lately,” Alba blogged on MySpace Celebrity. “Last week, Mr. Bill O'Reilly and some really classy sites (i.e.TMZ) insinuated I was dumb by claiming Sweden was a neutral country. I appreciate the fact that he is a news anchor and that gossip sites are inundated with intelligent reporting, but seriously people... it's so sad to me that you think the only neutral country during WWII was Switzerland.”

Although Switzerland is more frequently cited as an example of neutrality, Sweden did indeed follow a policy of neutrality during World War II. History point to Alba.

Simpson not spinning weight loss into mag covers
Jessica Simpson has a new country album — and a new full-figured look to go with it, according to pictures of the apple-cheeked starlet nearly spilling out of her high-waisted jeans as she sang tracks from "Do You Know" at a chili cookoff in Florida over the weekend.

Before we pity the star for packing on unwanted pounds, let's remember how well weight gain-and-loss stories sell magazines.

"She's loving it," said a source close to Simpson, who suspects her weight gain is strategic. "It will probably get her back on covers right when she is a 'supporting' act on tour. I bet Joe (Simpson) has already sold the weight-loss story."

Despite the benefits of once again being a newsstand success, Simpson’s rep says rumors that dad is shopping around the story are “entirely untrue.”

Pam Anderson finds love in trailer park
One woman’s trailer trash is another woman’s treasure.
A source close to Pamela Anderson, 41, told Us magazine the star met her latest love interest in the Malibu trailer park where she’s been staying while work is done on her home.

Scuba diver Jamie Padgett, 42, picked Anderson up — in his golf cart — and offered her a ride to the beach.

“She is more in love than I have ever seen her before,” the source told Us. “He’s a totally moral, nice, normal guy.”

Aniston and Mayer break up (again)
Jennifer Aniston might turn 40 alone on Feb. 11.

Sources told Us that the actress has once again split with John Mayer, 31, because he “needed time to himself.”

“She’s a control freak, and he can be very incommunicative,” a source told the magazine. “Plus, she feels he plays games with her head.”

The couple already broke up/took a two-month hiatus once last August. Will this one stick?

“I would not go so far as to call this a breakup,” said a source close to Mayer. “They have different needs, and it’s hard making it work.”

from: http://www.msnbc.msn.com

White House unbuttons formal dress code

2009-01-29T08:09:00.001-08:00

WASHINGTON - The capital flew into a bit of a tizzy when, on his first full day in the White House, President Obama was photographed in the Oval Office without his suit jacket. There was, however, a logical explanation: Mr. Obama, who hates the cold, had cranked up the thermostat.

“He’s from Hawaii, O.K.?” said Mr. Obama’s senior adviser, David Axelrod, who occupies the small but strategically located office next door to his boss. “He likes it warm. You could grow orchids in there.”

Thus did a rule of the George W. Bush administration — coat and tie in the Oval Office at all times — fall by the wayside, only the first of many signs that a more informal culture is growing up in the White House under new management. Mr. Obama promised to bring change to Washington and he has — not just in substance, but in presidential style.

Although his presidency is barely a week old, some of Mr. Obama’s work habits are already becoming clear. He shows up at the Oval Office shortly before 9 in the morning, roughly two hours later than his early-to-bed, early-to-rise predecessor. Mr. Obama likes to have his workout — weights and cardio — first thing in the morning, at 6:45. (Mr. Bush slipped away to exercise midday.)

He reads several papers, eats breakfast with his family and helps pack his daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, off to school before making the 30-second commute downstairs — a definite perk for a man trying to balance work and family life. He eats dinner with his family, then often returns to work; aides have seen him in the Oval Office as late as 10 p.m., reading briefing papers for the next day.

“Even as he is sober about these challenges, I have never seen him happier,” Mr. Axelrod said. “The chance to be under the same roof with his kids, essentially to live over the store, to be able to see them whenever he wants, to wake up with them, have breakfast and dinner with them — that has made him a very happy man.”

In the West Wing, Mr. Obama is a bit of a wanderer. When Mr. Bush wanted to see a member of his staff, the aide was summoned to the Oval Office. But Mr. Obama tends to roam the halls; one day last week, he turned up in the office of his press secretary, Robert Gibbs, who was in the unfortunate position of having his feet up on the desk when the boss walked in.

Wow, Gibbs,” the press secretary recalls the president saying. “Just got here and you already have your feet up.” Mr. Gibbs scrambled to stand up, surprising Mr. Obama, who is not yet accustomed to having people rise when he enters a room.

Under Mr. Bush, punctuality was a virtue. Meetings started early — the former president once locked Secretary of State Colin L. Powell out of the Cabinet Room when Mr. Powell showed up a few minutes late — and ended on time. In the Obama White House, meetings start on time and often finish late.

When the president invited Congressional leaders to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue last week to talk about his economic stimulus package, the session ran so long that Mr. Obama wound up apologizing to the lawmakers — even as he kept them talking, engaging them in the details of the legislation far more than was customary for Mr. Bush.

“He was concerned that he was keeping us,” said Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the Republican whip. “He said, ‘I know we need to get you all out of here at a certain time.’ But we continued the discussion. What are you going to say? It’s the president.”

from : http://www.msnbc.msn.com

Ashlee Takes on a Weighty Subject: Jessica Simpson

2009-01-28T12:39:00.000-08:00

Ashlee Simpson-Wentz has a bone to pick with those who say her sister is looking a bit meatier than usual.

"I am completely disgusted by the headlines concerning my sister's weight," Simpson wrote Tuesday on her website. "A week after the inauguration and with such a feeling of hope in the air for our country, I find it completely embarrassing and belittling to all women to read about a woman's weight or figure as a headline on Fox News."

Sure enough, Fox's website reported today that Jessica Simpson shocked fans Sunday at Radio 99.9 Kiss Country's Chili Cookoff in Pembroke Pines, Fla., with her "noticeably fuller figure" and had apparently "eased up on her fitness regimen a bit."

Hmmph, says Ashlee.

"All women come in different shapes, sizes, and forms and just because you're a celebrity, there shouldn't be a different standard," the younger Simpson sis continued.

"Is this something you would say to your wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, or even a friend? I seriously doubt it. How can we expect teenage girls to love and respect themselves in an environment where we criticize a size 2 figure? Now we can focus on the things that really matter."

Well, some of us can.

In response to the hullabaloo caused by, at worst, a pair of unflattering high-waisted jeans, Simpson's former trainer told Extra that Jessica Simpson is perfectly healthy and "has curves where a woman needs to have curves.

"We all go a little bit up and a little bit down," Hollywood trainer Harley Pasternak said. "But she's healthy. She's still sexy. She's still a beautiful woman. And I have no problem with the way she looks. I think if more people looked the way she looks now, the country would be a lot healthier."

··· THEY SAID WHAT? Get today's most commented stories now at www.eonline.com

from : http://movies.yahoo.com

World Economy

2009-01-28T12:17:00.000-08:00

The world economy grew 5.2% in 2007 powered by growth in China (11%), India (9%) and Russia (8%). The global economy faces a real risk of 1970s style stagflation however, with resource constraints tighter than ever before.

Things could scarcely have looked rosier for the world economy at the start of 2007. The Emerging Markets, led by the giants of China, India, Russia and Brazil (the BRIC countries) had been posting 7%-10% grow rates for years. Property and stock market booms had brought consistent growth in North America and Europe. Investment was bringing economic development to much of the Middle East and Africa, and even Japan was recovering from its deflationary ‘Lost Years’.

Economic conditions within these countries play a major role in setting the economic atmosphere of less well-to-do nations and their economies. In many aspects, developing and less developed economies depend on the developed countries for their economic wellbeing.

Theories were even circulating that thanks to the growth of the developing world, we might enjoy years of unfettered growth, as new markets would go through successive growth spurts and counter the effects of slowing growth elsewhere. It was suggested that Asia was ‘decoupling’ from the US and able to grow under its own steam thanks to its two ‘Awakening Giants’.

What a difference a year makes.

The global economy has been hit by a rapid one-two punch that may be setting the stage for stagflation to make a come-back.

It started with the sub-prime crisis in the US, caused by loans to risky or ‘sub-prime’ mortgagees who did not have strong credit histories. While house prices were rising there wasn’t a problem. But as house prices slowed and then crashed to earth, default rates started to rise.

To add fuel to the fire, sub-prime loans had been packaged and re-packaged in a range of derivative financial instruments such as Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs). It was not always clear what the contents CDOs consisted of, as they were combined, sliced and re-sold between financial institutions and funds, and which in some cases allowed risky debt such as sub-prime loans to be packaged as part of low-risk instruments.

Vast swathes of CDO investments had to be written off, and banks became suspicious of investment, borrowing and lending, since it was not always clear what the underlying security was. Once banks stopped lending the Credit Crunch hit.

We then witnessed extraordinary scenes of government regulators in US and UK having to help save collapsing banks in order to avert a meltdown of the financial system, and to Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) from the developing world taking large stakes in venerable western banks like Citibank and UBS in return for keeping them liquid.

With house prices having fallen more than 20% in many areas of the United States, even prime mortgage holders now find themselves with negative equity. The federal government has been forced to step in and assume responsibility for both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, who between them back over half of all American mortgages.

The second part of the one-two punch has involved the rise of commodity prices. Just before the dawn of the 21st century, oil average $16 a barrel. By July 2008, less than 10 years later, oil hit a high of $146 a barrel – a stunning rise of more than 800%. From early 2007 to mid 2008 alone the price has risen more than threefold from the mid $40s.

During the Oil Crisis of the 1970s, oil spiked at a nominal peak of $38. In today’s prices (adjusted for inflation), that is $106, a figure that we blew past in early 2008.

The price of food has also started spiraling. Rice and other grain prices have doubled from 2007 - 2008, leading to food riots in a score of developing markets. Most agricultural and farm produce prices have been going through the roof. In fact almost all commodities, including those used for energy, construction and consumption, have been rising rapidly.

Price rises have been fueled by the demands of the emerging markets, particularly the BRIC nations, who together account for nearly 3 billion people. In order to maintain their high rates of growth and help lift more of their populace out of poverty, they require more and more commodities.

A bigger worry for economists, however, is whether the natural resources exist to meet these burgeoning demands.

A similar crisis was faced in the 1970s. After a period of strong global economic growth, when the world economy was averaging 5% a year GDP increases, the world hit supply constraints in oil and food. For the next fifteen years, global GDP growth slowed to an average of 3.2% per year.

This became known as the stagflation era. Growth opportunities were limited, but prices continued to rise with a continued lack of supply.

A great debate ensued as to whether we had reached the limits of the earth’s ability to support our growth. In 1972 the Club of Rome famously argued exactly that, saying that the global economy would collapse.

And yet the opposite happened. According to Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, world crude oil production grew from 21 million barrels per day in 1960 to 56 mbd in 1973, a growth of 166%. The stagflation crisis also brought about a ‘Green Revolution’ through fertilizer and irrigation development, and through the development of stronger seed strains. This led to much higher agricultural productivity levels.

Since 1970 however, crude oil production has only grown 30% worldwide. More worrying still is that crude oil production in the Middle East has peaked at 21 mbd in 1974 and remained stagnant, while mature fields in the North Sea, Norway and Alaska are all in decline.

In fact there is a growing school of thought known as ‘Peak Oil’ that believes we have – or will soon – reach peak oil production capabilities. In the 1950s Dr M. King Hubbert correctly predicted peak oil and decline rates for the mainland US oil industry. His model came to be known as The Hubbert Peak Theory. It predicts that world peak oil production will be reached sometime between 2000 and 2010, and will decline thereafter.

This impending crisis has also helped to raise the price of food, since increasing amounts of land are being devoted to biodiesel crop development, and since higher oil prices raise the cost of fertilizer (for which petroleum is a key ingredient) and food transportation.

It seems increasingly likely that a massive investment in renewable energy sources will be needed in order to avert another stagflationary period in the world economy, or even a global recession. The jury is still out as to how quickly oil supplies will decline or how fast alternative energy sources can be brought online.

World Economic Statistics at a Glance

World GDP (PPP): $65 trillion
GDP Growth Rate: 5.2%
Growth Rate of Industrial Production: 5%
GDP By Sector: Services- 64% Industry- 32% Agriculture- 4%
GDP Per Capita (PPP): $9,774
Population: 6.65 billion
The Poor (Income below $2 per day): 3.25 billion (approximately 50%)
Millionaires: 9 million (approximately 0.15%)
Labor Force: 3.13 billion
Exports: $13.87 trillion
Imports: $13.81 trillion
Inflation Rate – Developed Countries: 1% - 4%
Inflation Rate – Developing Countries: 5% - 20%
Unemployment – Developed Countries: 4% - 12%
Unemployment & Underemployment - Developing Countries: 20% - 40%

Sources: CIA World Factbook, IMF, UNDP (http://www.economywatch.com)

Borobudur

2009-01-28T12:12:00.000-08:00

The Structure
The form of Borobudur Temple is a combination of zigurat (middle Asian Pyramid) and Indian stupa. Perched atop a hill, the huge monument is built from volcanic rock. It is in the form of a colossal mandala, symbolically depicting the path to salvation.

The monument has nine concentric terraces. The upper three are circular while the six in bottom are square.

The Circumambulation
A pilgrim goes around the monument clockwise, starting with the reliefs on the eastern staircase. He circumambulates the monument before ascending to the next level.

Thus, going round and round the monument, he reaches the top. The total journey covers the distance of five kilometres.

Kamadhatu (World of Wishes)
The base of Borobudur, which was later covered by a platform to buttress the structure, contains Kamadhatu level. This level depicts the deeds of passion and worldly desires. At least 160 relief panels were carved around this level.

Rupadhatu (World of Forms)
The levels related to Rupadhatu display events related to the life of Siddartha or Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. The depiction starts with his birth and ends with the Buddha's last sermon which he delivered near Varanasi, a city of India.

Arupadhatu (World of formlessness)
The three circular terraces at the top of the monument represent the state of Arupadhatu. No reliefs are there to convey the point. Instead, they display life-size statues of the Buddha, either within the stupas or in niches in the walls.

Not To Miss
Meet Borobudur with her companions. For the tour of the great temple would not be complete without them.

Waisak Festival
Come May and Borobudur sinks in the sea of joy. For, in May, Borobudur celebrates Waisak festival to mark the birth of Buddha.

This is a colorful, multi-day event which ends with a long, candle-lit procession of saffron-clad monks from Candi Mendut to Borobudur. Surely a vision you will never forget!

Candi Mendut
Candi Mendut, a serene Buddhist temple, lies 3 km away from Borobudur. A temple with exquisite interiors, the temple hosts three magnificent Buddhist statues. A must-see for persons interested in heritage.

Candi Pawon
Pawon Temple, also built with volcanic stones, is one and half eastward from Borobudur Temple, on the way to Candi Mendup. A Buddhist temple, it is a blend of ancient Javanese and Indian art. It seems to be built for Kubera, the Hindu and Buddhist deity of fortune.

Elephant Safari
Manohar Hotel near Borobudur Temple, organises a tour on pachyderm express. The safari has three options:

Route I (Nglipoh Village, 2.5 hours, 7 km)
Takes you through swaying paddy fields to Tanjung Sari Village, then to Nglipoh Village, famous for its earthenware craft industry. The route will also cover Kali Tengah traditional market.

Route II (Pawon Temple, 2.5 hours, 6 km)
Journey through picturesque scenery with Borobudur Temple on left side and Manoreh Hill on the right side. Then a walk along Sileng River. Idyllic! Isn't it?

Route III (Borobudur Temple Park, 1.5 hour, 2 km, day & night)
A circumambulation of Borobudur Temple

Ship Museum
Samudra Raksha, the ship museum, is at hundred yards away from the colossal temple. An ancient ship depicted in a Borobudur relief was restructured. The ship traced the ancient Cinnamon route(Indonesia to Madagascar and Africa). Then it was dismantled and its key parts placed in the museum. Don't Miss.

Dieng Plateau
Dieng Plateau, an active volcanic area, which hosts mysterious lakes and the relics of Hindu Temples from the 7th century Sanjaya Dynasty. Hissing, boiling waters of the lakes is a sight you will never forget.

Making of The Borobudur

More than 2 million blocks of stone carried by hand from the Progo River to the building site.
Borobudur houses an amazing 1,460 individual narrative reliefs and 1,212 decorative ones, all ornately and intricately carved.
Constructed on a hill about 46 meters high, Borobudur has about 55,000 m3 or stones.
The whole structure is in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha.

Borobudur:Past and Present
It will be fascinating and relevant here to have a brief knowledge of the past and present of Borobudur.

Concise History
An inscription dated 842 AD, suggests that Borobudur was once a place for praying. The inscription mentions a place 'Bhumi Sambhara', which is considered by many the origin of Borobudur.

Most scholars agree that Borobudur Temple was build between 750-850 AD, under the reign of Sanmaratungga, a ruler of Shailendra dynasty in Central Java. Sanmaratungga belong to Mahayana sect of Buddhism.

Borobudur suffered indifference during the 10th and 11th centuries, because of the political turmoil in the region. The site also faced wrath of nature, like volcanic eruption. It vanished beneath the layers of volcanic ash and wild growth.

Rediscovery
Stories of a 'mountain of statues' lying buried went rounds for centuries. The stories were intriguing enough to compel Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles, the British Lieutenant-Governor to deploy his men to investigate the reported site. This was 1814. Their hard work eventually unravelled a collosal mountain of statues.

Restoration
Thanks to to efforts of Theodor van Erp, a Dutch engineer, in 1907-1911, Borobudur attained its previous glory to some extent. But the monument was face to face with a grave danger. Mosses and wild vegetation had made it their home. Torrential tropical rains were also playing their part in gradual collapsing of the monument.

The UNESCO took note of the situation and undertook the renovation and restoration work 1973-1984 on a grand scale. It now adorns the UNESCO world heritage list.

Quotes Unquotes
Arnold Toynbee (Historian)
As the equal of the Parthenon.

How to Reach
Air: JogJakarta Airport serves Borobudur. Fleet of buses and cabs travel to Borobudur from there.
Taxi: You can rent a car in JogJakarta and keep it for your stay in Borobudur. If yop want to drop-off, you can have metred taxis.
Bus: Number of buses from JogJakarta's Giliwangan Bus Terminal travel daily to Borobudur Bus Stop. Then you can walk to the temple site, which is 1 ½ km away.

from : http://www.tourism-asia.net

YOGYAKARTA - JOGJAKARTA

2009-01-28T12:10:00.001-08:00

Yogyakarta Special Region (Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, DIY) is officially one of Indonesia's 32 provinces. Yogyakarta is one of the foremost cultural centers of Java. This region is located at the foot of the active Merapi volcano, Yogyakarta was in the 16th and 17th centuries the seat of the mighty Javanese empire of Mataram from which present day Yogyakarta has the best inherited of traditions. The city itself has a special charm, which seldom fails to captivate the visitor. This province is one of the most densely populated areas of Indonesia. The city came into being in 1755, after the Mataram division into the Sultanates of Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Solo). Gamelan, classical and contemporary Javanese dances, wayang kulit (leather puppet), theater and other expressions of traditional art will keep the visitor spellbound. Local craftsmen excel in arts such batiks, silver and leather works. Next to the traditional, contemporary art has found fertile soil in Yogya's culture oriented society. ASRI, the Academy of Fine Arts is the center of arts and Yogyakarta itself has given its name to an important school of modern painting in Indonesia, perhaps best personified by the famed Indonesian impressionist, the late Affandi.

Yogyakarta is often called the main gateway to the Central Java as where it is geographically located. It stretches from Mount Merapi to the Indian Ocean. There is daily air service to Yogya from Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali as well as regular train service and easy accessibility by road. Yogyakarta is commonly considered as the modern cultural of Central Java. Although some may prefer Solo as a good runner up, Yogyakarta remains the clear front-runner for traditional dance, Wayang (traditional puppetry) and music.

Yogyakarta has more than just culture though. It is a very lively city and a shopper's delight. The main road, Malioboro Street, is always crowded and famous for its night street food-culture and street vendors. Many tourist shops and cheap hotels are concentrated along this street or in the adjoining tourist area such Sosrowijayan Street.

The key attraction of Yogyakarta is 'Kraton' (the Sultan's Palace). The Sultan's palace is the centre of Yogya's traditional life and despite the advance of modernity; it still emanates the spirit of refinement, which has been the hallmark of Yogya's art for centuries. This vast complex of decaying buildings was built in the 18th century, and is actually a walled city within the city with luxurious pavilions and in which the current Sultan still resides. Yogyakarta is also the only major city, which still has traditional 'Becak' (rickshaw-style) transport.

Geographically
Yogyakarta Special Region is geographically located almost equidistant from Indonesia's two most important international gateways, about 600 km from Jakarta and 1000 km from Bali. Yogyakarta also has excellent transport connections by bus, train or plane to the rest of Java, Sumatra, Bali and Lombok. Yogyakarta's Adisucipto Airport is in the process of changing its status in order to receive not only domestics' flights from Bali and Jakarta, but also direct charter and scheduled flights from other countries.

Geographically, Yogyakarta Special Province is situated in the Southern part of Central Java and lies between 7 degree 33' and 8 degree 12', South altitude between 110 degree and 50' East longitude. Some regencies of central Java Province surround the administrative boundaries of this region:
Southern East: Wonogiri Regency
Eastern: Klaten Regency
Northwestern: Magelang Regency
Western: Purworejo Regency
The Indonesian Ocean borders the Southern part of Yogyakarta. The borderline of the seashore stretches from West to East of which the length is around 100 km, started from Congot Beach in Kulon Progo Regency and ended at Sadeng Beach in Gunung Kidul Regency.

Because of its location, Yogyakarta is strategically positioned for the economic activity network in Java as well as for the tourist destination area. The special region of Yogyakarta lies midway on the axis of several main tourist destination areas, Jakarta and West Java westward, Central Java northward, East Java and Bali eastward. It is linked by regular rail, road and air services to other parts of Indonesian archipelago.

Climate and Weather in Yogyakarta
The average daily temperature range between 26 degree and 28 degree Celsius with its minimum 18 degree C and maximum 35 degree C respectively. Average humidity is 74% with its minimum of 65% and maximum 84% respectively. The Yogyakarta Special Region lays approximately 7 South of the equator line and is bathed in tropical; sunshine along the year. This region has a tropic climate the daily atmosphere feels a little bit hot and humid. These are only two seasons along the year, the wet or rainy seasons and dry monsoon. Usually the wet seasons begin at September and lasts about August. Generally there is no rainfalls from may to August and there fore the atmosphere feels hot and humid on the day and cool in the night and early morning. The monthly rain falling Yogyakarta varies between 3mm and 496mm in which those above 300mm take place during the month of January up to April. The heaviest rainfall usually occurs in February while the lowest commonly happens between May and October Average annually rainfall is about 1,900mm.

Populations of Yogyakarta
Based on 2000, the total population of Yogyakarta special Region amounted to 3.311.812. Yogyakarta Municipality that has 461,800 inhabitants spread over 32,50 kilometers or the average population density is thus over 14,200 persons per square kilometer. The least densely populated districts is in Gunung Kidul regency which has 720.643 inhabitants and cover 1,485 square kilometers or the density rate is 485 persons per square kilometer. Since a very long time ago the Provincial territory of Yogyakarta Special Region and its surrounding has been decently populated.
The majority residents of Yogyakarta Special Region are Javanese whose language derives from ancient Sanskrit. However, as Yogyakarta is considered to be "Indonesia's academic city" due to the numerous centers for higher learning, many of the inhabitants are student who come from all over Indonesia to study.

Culture of Yogyakarta
The culture Yogyakarta province with its status as a special region lies in the Southern part of Central Java, in the heartland of Javanese culture. As the former capital and the center of several kingdoms in the past, this region and its people are very rich in a variety of cultures. It is widely known from to historical records that the civilization, art and culture had developed well in the center of those kingdoms respectively in the Ancient Mataram Kingdom (8th - 10th Century) era, the second Mataram Kingdom (17th - 18th Century) and Sultanate Ngayogyokarto from the mid of 18th Century up today.

It should be noted that the cultural heritage from the past includes the magnificent temples, the ruins of palaces and monasteries, the various kind of traditions, cultural events, traditional folk and performing arts, architecture and other traditional activities. It is important to note that this is all part of the living culture of Yogyakarta, color of daily activities of live and the local inhabitants behavior, particularly the Javanese community with its traditional way of life and customs. Therefore, because of its culture richness and heritage, Yogyakarta has long been known as the cradle of Javanese culture.

The other legendary name for Yogyakarta City, among the elders as well as the youth generation that is the City of Art and Culture. Traditional and modern exhibition are held almost every day and night about the art of theater, pantomime, music, classic and contemporary dances, poems, etc. Those are flow in the heart of the city. Even more, there are abundant of cultural ceremony, such as Sekaten, Gunungan, Labuhan, Malioboro Fair, etc, which make the city has high value of tradition, art, and culture.

from : http://www.indonesia-tourism.com

Bali

2009-01-28T12:07:00.000-08:00

Bali Island, the perfect holiday destination for all ages offers something for everyone. Bali offers not just various customs but also various "adrenalin pump" parks. Many exciting amusements are available in Bali, with something new opening all the time. The number of offshore and inland attraction are on the rise because many tourists want them. This tropical paradise has a unique blend of modern tourist facilities combined with wonderful shopping and a rich past and heritage. After white water rafting that has gained popularity in Bali, comes offshore rafting or ocean rafting. The more adventurous sort of amusement has now become an alternative sport for tourists. Meanwhile white water rafting is still a popular activity with trips on Ayung, Telaga Waja, Unda Rivers, etc. The tourists can refresh their mind by watching beautiful scenery along the route. Those are not enough, some of the best surfing beaches in the world can be found on the western side of the island whilst conversely the eastern side is a wonderful haven for families, with beautiful white sand beaches and gentle seas.

Bali is small island, just 140 Km by 80 Km and lies between Java, the most highly populated and influential of all the islands, and Lombok, one of the quieter and moderately slower paced islands. Like many islands, Bali has developed a world of its own. It not only captures what is special about Indonesia but also has a uniqueness of its own.

The culture of Bali is unique. People say that the Balinese people have reached self-content. The Balinese people are proud of having preserved their unique Hindu culture against the advance of Islam, the dominant religion throughout Indonesia. This is still reflected in days to day life and can be seen in the numerous ceremonies, Balinese festivals and magnificent temples and palaces. The Balinese are skilled artisans, particularly in woodcarving and in fashioning objects of tortoiseshell and of gold, silver and other metals. The Balinese are noted for their traditional dance, the distinctive music of the gamelan and for their skills in weaving cloth of gold and silver threads, Songket, as well as for embroidering silk and cotton clothing. Stone and woodcarvings, traditional and modern paintings and intricately designed jewelry in gold and silver are readily available in shops and galleries throughout the island.

As for recreation, there is no shortage of options. Nature walks, horseback riding, diving, surfing - even bungy jumping and white water rafting - await the adventurous here.

Geographically
Bali is volcanically active and extravagantly fertile. Bali has an area of 5620 sq km, measures approximately 140 km by 80 km and is just 8 degrees south of the equator. Mount Agung known as the 'mother mountain' is over 3000 meters. South and north of the central mountains are Bali's fertile agricultural lands. The southern region is a wide, gently sloping area where most of Bali's abundant rice crop is grown. The south-central area is the true rice basket of the Island. The northern coastal strip is narrower, rising more rapidly into the foothills of the central range, but the main export crops, coffee, copra and rice, are grown here. Cattle are also raised in this area.

Climate
Bali has a climate that is tropical all year. The average temperature hovers around 30 degrees Celsius year-round. There are dry and wet seasons -dry from April to September and wet from October to March- but it can rain at any time of year and even during the wet season rain is likely to pass quickly. In general May to August are the best months in Bali. At that time of year the climate is likely to be cooler and the rains lightest. Around the coast, sea breezes temper the heat and as we move inland we also move up so the altitude works to keep things cool. It can get very cool up in the highlands and a warm sweater can be a good idea in mountain villages like Kintamani or Bedugul.

Population
With 2.5 million people, Bali is a very densely populated island. The population is almost all Indonesian, with the usual small Chinese contingent in the big towns, a sprinkling of Indian merchants, plus a number of more or less permanent visitors amongst the Westerners in Bali.

Culture
Each stage of Balinese life is marked by a series of ceremonies and rituals known as Manusa Yadnya. They contribute to the rich, varied and active life the average Balinese leads. There are ceremonies for every stage of Balinese life but often the last cremation ceremony is the biggest. A Balinese cremation can be an amazing, spectacular, colorful, noisy and exciting event. In fact it often takes so long to organize a cremation that years have passed since the death. During that time the body is temporarily buried. Of course an auspicious day must be chosen for the cremation and since a big cremation can be very expensive business many less wealthy people may take the opportunity of joining in at a larger cremation and sending their own dead on their way at the same time. Brahmans, however, must be cremated immediately. Apart from being yet another occasion for Balinese noise and confusion it's a fine opportunity to observe the incredible energy the Balinese put into creating real works of art which are totally ephemeral. There are a lot more than a body gets burnt at the cremation. The body is carried from the burial ground (or from the deceased's home if it's an 'immediate' cremation) to the cremation ground in a high, multi-tiered tower made of bamboo, paper, string, tinsel, silk, cloth, mirrors, flowers and anything else bright and colorful we can think of. The tower is carried on the shoulders of a group of men, the size of the group depending on the importance of the deceased and hence the size of the tower. The funeral of a former rajah high priest may require hundreds of men to tote the tower.

from : http://www.indonesia-tourism.com

West Java

2009-01-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

WEST JAVA

Of the 17,000 islands that make up the archipelago of the Republic of Indonesia, Java has historically been considered the heartland. Where Java has led-culturally, economically and politically down through the centuries, other regions have followed. On Java, still the most densely populated island of Indonesia, there are five Provinces. West Java is the largest, with the greatest population, and, some would claim, with the most pride.

West Java Province is located at part of western Java Island. The enchanting of Sunda land stretches from Sunda Strait in the west to the borders of Central Java in the east. The locals' people know West Java Province as the Land of Sunda. The region is primarily mountainous, with rich green valleys hugging lofty volcanic peaks, many of which surround the capital of West Java province. The history of West Java is a story of trade, spices, and the rise and fall of powerful kingdoms. In the late 1500's the region was ruled from mighty Cirebon, which still survives as a sultanate today, although a shadow of its former glory. West Java was of the first contact points in Indonesia for Indian traders and their cultural influences, and it was here that the Dutch and British first set foot in the archipelago.

This province has its own unique culture and language, both called Sundanese that is also used to call its people. The ancient kingdoms of Tarumanegara, Pajajaran, Banten and Cirebon would make interesting studies for the student of archaeology. Cirebon is located on the border between West and Central Java, having a mixed culture originating from the ancient Cirebon and Banten kingdoms, resulting in similar customs and dialects of the two people, although Banten is located at the extreme western part of the province.

West Java province its self, is formed based on the Constitution number 11/1950 on the establishment of West Java. With the issuance of Constitution number 23/2000 on Banten Province, West Java Governor Assisting Territory I Banten was inaugurated as Banten Province with its territories comprising Serang Regency, Pandeglang Regency, Lebak Regency, Tangerang Regency and Mayoralty, and Cilegon Mayoralty. After the change, at present West Java consists of 18 regencies, nine mayoralties, 584 districts, 5,201 villages and 609 sub districts.
The capital city of West Java province is Bandung city. Bandung is situated 180 km southeast of Jakarta. The city gamed fame in 1955 as the venue for the first Afro-Asian Conference, which brought together the leaders of 29 Asian, and African nations with the aim to promote economic and cultural relations and take a common stand against colonialism.

The road from Jakarta to Bandung passes through a beautiful panorama of mountains, paddy fields and small holiday resorts. An expressway connects the crowded capital city with Bogor and the mountain areas, and onward to Bandung. It has a number of sea resorts on its western and southern coasts, which have modern hotels and are popular during the weekends. The Sundanese people are soft-spoken. The women of the Bandung region are known for their beauty. A lighthearted people who have a love for bright colors, their mournful "kecapi" music is memory of beautiful legends.

Geographically
Geographically, West Java Province is situated between 5 50'-7 50' South parallels and 104 48'-104 48 East meridians.
West Java Province is bordered of:
North side: Java Sea and Jakarta
West side: Banten Province and Hindia Ocean
South side: Hindia Ocean
East side: Central Java Province.
This strategic geographical condition is an advantage for West Java particularly in communication and transportation. Northern region is plain area, while southern part is a hilly area with beaches, and the middle region is mountainous area. But after the establishment of Banten Province, the size of West Java becomes 35,746.26 kilometer square.

Topography
West Java has a characteristic as part of a volcanic belt, which spans from Sumatra Island to the northern part of Sulawesi Island. Its land can be divided into a region with steep mountains with altitude of more than 1,500 meter above the sea level in the South, moderate hill with elevation of 100 to 1,500 meters, and plain region in the north with elevation between 0 and 10 meters and river region.

Climate
West Java has tropical climate with temperature reaching 9 degrees Celsius at the Peak of Mount Pangrango and 34 degrees Celsius in north beach. The average rainfall is at 2,000 millimeters per year, but in the mountainous areas the rainfall could reach 3,000 to 5,000 millimeters per year.

Population
Based on the national census in 1999, West Java population after the separation of Banten stood at 34,555,622 people. In 2000, based on another census, the population grew to 35,500,611 people with population density of 1,022 inhabitants per square kilometer. The population growth between 1990 and 2000 reached 2.17 %. In 2003, the population has increased to 38,059,540 people with population density of 1,064 inhabitants per square kilometer.

from : http://www.indonesia-tourism.com

What’s new in Europe for 2009

2009-01-28T11:55:00.000-08:00

By Rick Steves

Tribune Media Services

updated 11:15 a.m. ET Jan. 28, 2009

Every year when I update my guidebook series, I find out what's new in Europe. Here's a review of what Americans can expect the next time they cross the Atlantic. Note that this is a continent-wide look at the latest in Europe. In upcoming columns, I'll cover what's new per major country.

In 2009, it's not the “old Europe” anymore as countries continue to open up their borders. Several Eastern European countries, including Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Baltic States, have recently done away with border controls for travel within Europe. This means you can now go from country to country without stopping to show your passport. Switzerland plans to join in as early as March.

Clean air has come to once-smoky Europe. Trains used to have both smoking and nonsmoking compartments, but now entirely smoke-free cars are standard in much of Europe. Smoking is not allowed anywhere on trains in Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden or Poland. Smoking areas (clearly marked) are still offered on some trains in Spain, Denmark, Finland and most of Eastern Europe.

Because of the high cost of hotels and the sinking economy, short-term apartment rentals are becoming more popular. Budget travelers can stay in spacious accommodations with a kitchen (generally stocked for a self-service breakfast) for the price of a moderate hotel room. I used an apartment as my base several times last year. It gave me a good excuse to shop in the local markets, enjoy the economy of eating in and bask in the feeling of being a “temporary local.”

Cell phones are becoming a necessity — I'll never travel again without one. While many American cell phones work overseas, the per-minute cost can add up. Save money by purchasing a phone abroad (you'll also gain a local phone number so your new European friends can call you without paying to call the United States). You can buy a basic cell phone in most countries for $40 to $50, which typically includes some call time. The EU is looking into standardizing roaming fees across Europe. But for now, when you cross a border, you'll need to buy a SIM card, a small chip with a country-specific phone number that costs $10 to $20. In 2008 I routinely purchased SIM cards from dispensing machines at train stations after arriving in a new country.

Users of some handheld wireless devices (most notably the iPhone) have been surprised with astronomical bills for unintentional roaming — such as when the phone constantly checks for new e-mails. This default feature can be turned off to avoid per-kilobyte charges. If you are going to use your smart phone, be sure to call your provider to activate international service before you leave — and to ask about extra charges for international roaming and data transfer.

The cheapest way to call between Europe and the United States is using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), such as Skype and Google Talk. If you make a lot of calls to someone in Europe, both of you have good Internet connections and you don't use this ... then you're throwing away money.

And no one wants to throw away alcohol. Given the stringent U.S. rules on limiting liquids on flights, many travelers have purchased duty-free alcohol — only to be forced to dump it out, even if it's sealed in a special security-friendly bag. It usually happens to those with a layover (in Europe or the U.S.) who have to go through a new round of security checkpoints. If you want to purchase duty-free liquor, buy it at your final stop in Europe or from the flight attendants on the plane during the last leg of your journey, and don't open the specially sealed bag. If you have a layover in the United States before your final destination, put your liquid duty-free purchases into your checked bags as soon as you clear customs.

Each year a few tried-and-true travel tips become worthless as technology changes the way we live. I finally deleted all discussion of traveler's checks and film cameras in my guidebooks, relegating that information to the trash heap of tourism history. I will never sign a traveler's check again, as ATMs are now the only way for travelers to change money smartly. Anyone with a camera in Europe should bring an extra digital memory card or stick.

The biggest change for 2009 is the European interest in our recent presidential election. When you travel, expect friendly smiles and lots of questions about our new president.

from : http://www.msnbc.msn.com

Iran calls for US to end support of Israel

2009-01-28T11:54:00.000-08:00

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's president called Wednesday for "profound changes" in U.S. foreign policy including an end to support for Israel and an apology to the Islamic republic for past misdeeds.

Hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also urged Washington to withdraw its troops stationed around the world. He said Iran would be closely watching what President Barack Obama's new administration does and would welcome a real shift in its approach.

"Change means giving up support for the rootless, uncivilized, fabricated, murdering ... Zionists and letting the Palestinian nation decide its own destiny," Ahmadinejad said. "Change means putting an end to U.S. military presence in (different parts of) the world."

His comments come as Obama was reaching out to Muslims. He has stressed the importance of engaging Iran, a country the Bush administration often singled out as the most dangerous in the Middle East. In his inaugural address, Obama addressed leaders of hostile nations by saying "we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."

Without mentioning Obama by name, Ahmadinejad repeatedly referred to those who want "change," a buzzword of Obama's election campaign.

"When they say 'we want to bring changes', change may happen in two ways: First is profound, fundamental and effective change ... the second ... is a change of tactics," he told thousands of people in the western city of Kermanshah in a speech broadcast live on state television.

"We will wait patiently, listen to their words carefully, scrutinize their actions under a magnifier and if change happens truly and fundamentally, we will welcome that," he added. "The change will be to apologize to the Iranian nation and try to compensate for their dark records and the crimes they have committed against the Iranian nation."

Ahmadinejad cited the U.S.-backed coup that toppled the elected government of Prime Minister Mohamed Mossadegh in 1953, its support of the unpopular shah, its backing of Saddam Hussein during Iraq's war with Iran in the 1980s and the downing of an Iranian airliner in 1988 by a U.S. naval ship.

In an interview with Al-Arabiya news channel that aired Tuesday, Obama condemned Iran's threats to destroy Israel and its alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons, but added: "It is important for us to be willing to talk to Iran, to express very clearly where our differences are, but where there are potential avenues for progress."

Later Tuesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters the U.S. administration is undertaking a wide-ranging and comprehensive assessment of American foreign policy options toward Iran.

Clinton also said Iran had a "clear opportunity" to demonstrate some willingness to engage meaningfully with the international community.

Washington is at odds with Iran over its nuclear ambitions and its threats to destroy Israel as well as Tehran's support of the militant groups Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories.

The U.S. broke off diplomatic relations with Iran after hardline students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.

from : http://apnews.myway.com

US envoy calls for end to Hamas weapons smuggling

2009-01-28T11:51:00.000-08:00

JERUSALEM (AP) - President Barack Obama's new Mideast envoy called Wednesday for an end to Hamas weapons smuggling and a reopening of Gaza's borders, seeking to strengthen the shaky cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants thrown into turmoil by new violence.

Hours before George Mitchell met with Israeli leaders, warplanes pounded Gaza smuggling tunnels in retaliation for a Palestinian bombing on Tuesday that killed an Israeli soldier.

After talks in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Mitchell said consolidating the cease-fire is "of critical importance." He said a longer-term truce should be based on "an end to smuggling and reopening of the crossings" into Gaza. Egypt and Israel have kept their borders with Gaza largely closed since Hamas seized control of the territory by force in 2007.

Mitchell's tour launches the first Mideast foray of the Obama administration. Obama said his envoy would listen to all sides to then craft a way forward with stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Mitchell said that after finishing his consultations in the region and with Europeans, he will report to Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on his conclusions for the next steps.

"The United States is committed to vigorously pursuing lasting peace and stability in the region," said Mitchell, who met earlier Wednesday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, the first stop on his Mideast tour.

He was expected to meet pro-Western Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank on Thursday. But Mitchell has no plans to meet with Hamas, which the U.S., Israel and European Union consider a terrorist group.

Hamas seized Gaza from forces loyal to Abbas in June 2007. Its control of the territory of 1.4 million and refusal to recognize Israel's right to exist are major obstacles to peace efforts.

The flare-up of violence was the worst since Israel and Hamas separately declared cease-fires on Jan. 18 to end a three-week offensive against the Palestinian militant group in the Gaza Strip. Since withdrawing its troops, Israel has threatened to retaliate forcefully for any violations.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak canceled a planned trip to Washington this week to deal with the crisis, defense officials said.

By Wednesday afternoon, when Mitchell arrived, there were signs the flare-up may have calmed. The Israeli military said it did not carry out any further action in Gaza after airstrikes in the early morning.

The soldier was killed Tuesday on Israel's frontier with Gaza by a roadside bomb planted on the Gaza side and set off by remote control, the military said. Three other soldiers patrolling the border were injured.

Israel responded swiftly, sending tanks and bulldozers into northern Gaza to plow up the attack site and launching an airstrike that wounded a Hamas militant who the military said "was prominent in the organization accountable for the attack." the military said.

Hamas said the Israeli strike injured one of its men as he rode a motorcycle in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis.

Airstrikes early Wednesday targeted the network of tunnels used to smuggle arms, money and people into Gaza from Egypt. Israel bombed the tunnels heavily during the war, but smugglers resumed work after the cease-fire.

There was no claim of responsibility for Tuesday's bombing, but Ramattan, a Palestinian news agency, released a video of it allegedly filmed by militants it did not identify.

"Hamas unfortunately controls the Gaza Strip and is directly responsible for all hostile fire from Gaza into Israel," government spokesman Mark Regev told The Associated Press.

"Israel wants the quiet in the south to continue but yesterday's attack is a deliberate provocation designed to undermine and torpedo the calm. If Hamas acts to undermine the cease-fire, it will have no one but itself to blame for the consequences," he said.

France's Foreign Ministry said Israeli soldiers fired two rounds of warning shots at a diplomatic convoy that included the French consul general in Jerusalem. The ministry said the convoy was blocked by Israeli authorities for more than six hours Tuesday as it tried to leave the Gaza Strip after an evaluation mission. It was not immediately clear when the shots were fired.

The ministry told a news briefing Wednesday that France summoned Israel's ambassador to protest against the "unacceptable incident."

Before Mitchell's tour, Israeli officials said the envoy would discuss ways to solidify the cease-fire into a longer term truce - a complicated prospect that will require international arrangements to ensure that Gaza border crossings are opened while preventing Hamas from rearming by smuggling in weapons.

The Israeli offensive killed nearly 1,300 people, including hundreds of civilians, and caused an estimated $2 billion in damage.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Israel had promised him in talks Wednesday to increase the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza. Aid groups have complained that not enough supply trucks are getting through those crossings controlled by Israel.

"We've been talking about how to be able to accelerate the arrival of the humanitarian aid, how it can be distributed faster," Solana told reporters in Amman, where he visited after Jerusalem.

Israel has said an average of around 150 trucks a day are entering Gaza. Solana said he hoped that number would jump to 400.

Meanwhile, Israel's Foreign Ministry said it ordered Venezuelan diplomats to leave the country. The move comes in retaliation for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's decision to sever ties earlier this month to protest Israel's offensive. Venezuela's government called the expulsion of its envoy an "honor."

from : http://apnews.myway.com

250 civilians die in Sri Lanka clashes

2009-01-28T11:45:00.000-08:00

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - A government health official said Wednesday that witnesses reported 250 to 300 civilians were killed in fighting over the past week in northern Sri Lanka and said hospital records showed that more than 1,100 were wounded.

The report came as the government pledged to refrain from launching attacks inside a civilian refuge area set up in the war zone.
Concerns have grown over the safety of civilians trapped inside rebel-held territory amid a government offensive aimed at crushing the Tamil Tigers. The Red Cross estimates 250,000 civilians have fled to the jungle where fighting is taking place.
Dr. Thurairajah Varatharajah, the top government health official in the Mullaittivu district, told The Associated Press by telephone that at least 1,140 civilians — 248 of them younger than 15 — were wounded in the fighting and brought to three hospitals in the district, according to official figures from those hospitals.

The number killed was difficult to count because many civilians had stopped bringing dead relatives to the hospital amid the heavy fighting, he said.

"In my opinion, there are a lot of deaths. More than 250 to 300," he said, adding his estimate was based on reports from residents who came to the hospitals from the war zone.
U.N. workers come under fire

The United Nations said dozens of its workers and their relatives came under artillery fire they believed was from government troops as they sought refuge inside the government declared "safe zone" for ethnic Tamil civilians over the weekend.

The military denied firing into the area during its offensive to root the Tamil Tiger rebels from the northeast.

"If they came under fire, then definitely it has been done by the LTTE," military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said, referring to the rebels by their formal name, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Amid the reports of rising casualties, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee rushed to Sri Lanka on Tuesday night to meet with top officials, including President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The conflict is of special concern to India, home to some 56 million Tamils.

During the late-night meeting, Rajapaksa gave assurances Sri Lankan forces would respect the safe zone to "minimize the effects of conflict on Tamil civilians," according to nearly identical statements released by India and Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

"We are concerned with the civilians. I requested to the president to take care of these civilians," Mukherjee told reporters Wednesday.

'Carnage'
The United Nations' local office sent a private e-mail to its New York headquarters, describing how its staff in the "safe zone" came under fire several times over the weekend. The memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday, said the staff believed the fire was from Sri Lankan troops.

"Fortunately, because of good preparation, all staff and dependents were in hastily built bunkers and only one staff member was injured in the leg," the memo said. "But all around them was the carnage from casualties from people who may have thought they would be safer being near the U.N. Sadly, they were wrong that night."

Human rights groups and diplomats have expressed concerns for the civilians trapped in the shrinking territory still under rebel control — an area of about 115 square miles.

U.N. spokesman Gordon Weiss said his staff has seen "dozens of people killed and wounded" in the refuge over the past few days, including 10 civilians killed Monday. He said he did not know who was responsible for firing in the area.

But a local health official, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from the government, said he believed the government was responsible for the casualties because of the direction from which the fire came.

'Caught in the crossfire'
The Red Cross appealed to both sides Tuesday to allow the civilians to flee to safety.
"People are being caught in the crossfire, hospitals and ambulances have been hit by shelling and several aid workers have been injured while evacuating the wounded," said Jacques de Maio, the International Committee of the Red Cross head of operations for South Asia.
Nanayakkara, the military spokesman, said 3,141 civilians have fled to the government-controlled territory this month.
Rebels continue to pull their forces and civilians into the last remaining areas of dense jungle still under their control. Government forces captured Mullaittivu, the last town held by the rebels, on Sunday.
The Tamil Tigers have fought since 1983 to create a separate state for minority Tamils, who have suffered decades of marginalization at the hands of governments controlled by the Sinhalese majority. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the civil war.

from : http://www.msnbc.msn.com

Al-Qassam Brigades: Eight Israeli soldiers killed during operation in Beit Lahiya

2009-01-11T00:12:00.000-08:00

Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades (Photo: AFP)

Date: 09 / 01 / 2009 Time: 19:47
Gaza – Ma’an – Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades reported to have killed eight Israeli soldiers taking cover in a home in Beit Lahiya on Friday.

The Brigades added in a statement that a Special Force of fighters attacked the soldiers “in a quick and qualified operation.”

The fighters broke into the home, killed at least eight soldiers and confiscated their weapons. The home the soldiers were taking cover in was in the As-Salteen neighborhood of Beit Lahia in the western Gaza Strip.

A spokesperson with the Israeli army denied the report. So far Israel has confirmed the death of ten soldiers in the Gaza invasion.

Why Israel's war is driven by fear

2009-01-11T00:06:00.000-08:00

Outrage at Israeli actions has mounted across the world as the Gaza conflict goes on. But as Israel expands its military action, support for the aggressive strategy is growing, while sympathy for Palestinians is receding. And, with an election looming, political attitudes are hardening

Yeela Raanan says she would prefer not to know about the war in Gaza. She doesn't want to see the pictures of dead children cut down by Israeli shells or read of the allegations of war crimes by her country's army as it kills Palestinians by the hundreds.

But there is no escape. Raanan can hear the relentless Israeli bombardment by air, sea and land from her home, just three miles from the Gaza border. Hamas rockets keep hitting her community. And somewhere in the maelstrom of Gaza, her 20-year-old son is serving as an Israeli soldier.

"I'd rather not know. I can't do anything about it. We didn't see the pictures of the Palestinian kids who were killed. It's easier not to feel," she said. "I just turn on the news for five minutes a day and that's it, just to see if anybody says anything about my kid."

But when Raanan thinks about her son - whom she prefers not to name - she also thinks about Palestinian mothers and their sons in Gaza. And that's when she finds her herself out of sync with the neighbours. "I don't talk to the neighbours about it any more," she said. "Hamas is violent. Hamas is stupid. I don't like what they are. But I don't feel angry towards them. I understand why they were elected, I understand why they act as they do."

Attempting to understand has earned Raanan, a former operations officer in the Israeli air force, denunciations as a traitor and accusations of "selling her nation to the devil". Doesn't she love her son?, they ask.

The world has reeled in horror at revelations of Israeli atrocities as the Palestinian death toll has climbed toward 800. The International Red Cross was so outraged it broke its usual silence over an attack in which the Israeli army herded a Palestinian family into a building and then shelled it, killing 30 people and leaving the surviving children clinging to the bodies of their dead mothers. The army prevented rescuers from reaching the survivors for four days.

Israel's shelling of a UN school that had been turned into a refugee centre near Gaza city, killing 42 people who had fled the fighting, drew further accusations of indifference to civilian lives. And Israel has struggled to justify the eradication of entire families, including small children, in pursuit of Hamas officials.

But ordinary Israelis have been told little about this and when they are they generally brush it aside with assertions that it is sad but Hamas has brought it on the Palestinian people. Israel is the real victim, they say. The mainstream Israeli press has stuck firmly to the official line that it is a war of defence, a moral conflict forced on Israel by Hamas rocket fire.

The scale of Palestinian civilian casualties is played down. The dead are overwhelmingly described as terrorists. The accounts of entire Palestinian families being wiped out are buried beneath stories of the Israeli trauma at Hamas attacks.

"The news said the Israeli army had killed 100 'terrorists' and also a bomb fell and 40 lost their lives," said Raanan about the shelling of the UN school. "That was more or less the rhetoric that was used, so the focus was on the fact that we had managed to kill terrorists rather than we had also killed 40 other people. We weren't told who they were." There are alternative voices in the press, but they are mostly dismissed or shouted down. Israeli Arabs who protested against the war have been arrested for undermining national morale. Television anchormen berate critics of the onslaught on Gaza, questioning their patriotism.

The paradox of Israel is that most of its citizens tell the pollsters they agree with Raanan and the peace lobby that there should be a negotiated agreement of the establishment of a Palestinian state. But a significant number of Israelis now question whether this is possible. They view the continued conflict after Ariel Sharon pulled Jewish settlers and the military out of Gaza in 2005 as evidence that Arabs don't want peace; that giving up territory does not bring security.

Support for the vague notion of peace has been further buried under the rhetoric of the looming Israeli election, where the right in particular, led by a former prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, is playing on fear of a nuclear Iran in league with Hamas. Netanyahu, who is likely to win the 10 February ballot, has no intention of dismantling settlements or relinquishing the control that Israel exercises over the lives of Palestinians on the West Bank. He dances around the issue of a Palestinian state and has made clear in the past that what he wants to see amounts to a canton or bantustan (homeland) surrounded by Israeli control.

And so the vast number of mainstream Israelis, while saying they support peace, once again find themselves in bed with the settlers and on the side of oppression. "I hate to say we told you so," said Yisrael Medad, a prominent Jewish settler from Shilo, deep inside the West Bank. "Now you hear all the time that it was a mistake to pull out of Gaza. You hear it on the television when it was never discussed before. More of the anchors are willing to ask that question. They would never ask that a year or two ago. They used to say ours was the extreme view. Now I would say that it's the mainstream, that no matter what we have done territorially speaking it's not going to satisfy them [the Palestinians]. They are always going to attack us."

The settlers might be an extreme minority, but their views as to why Israeli soldiers are fighting in Gaza are not exceptional. Raanan lives in Ein Habsor, a moshav or cooperative agricultural community of about 1,000 people. It suffers regular hits from Hamas rockets. "In the last few days we've had two a day. In the vicinity. A couple inside. Close enough that it could have been your house," she said. No one was hurt but a student at the nearby Sapir college, where Raanan teaches public policy and administration, was killed by a Hamas rocket in February. Roni Yechiah, a 47-year-old father of four, died after the missile hit the car park.

About a quarter of the families in Ein Habsor have left. "They didn't so much go because of the rockets. It was because of the war and being really scared. They closed the schools. Those with little kids have mostly gone," said Raanan. It's not an atmosphere in which to question whether Israeli troops should be in Gaza. Most of the residents of Ein Habsor see the assault as a straightforward and necessary response to Hamas rockets, uncomplicated by issues such as occupation or the Israeli blockade of Gaza.

But Raanan does question. She wants to see a government willing to negotiate seriously with the Palestinians, and she takes the view that just because Israel is strong enough to get one over on the Palestinians, that does not mean that it is in its interests to do so. Raanan also wants other Israelis to understand what the Palestinians are suffering. "My moshav is quite right-wing," she said. "They believe in using power and they don't particularly like Arabs. I don't talk to my neighbours much about these things.

"If you do open your heart to the fact that 40 completely innocent people in a United Nations school were killed you have a very hard time. It's difficult to open your heart to that place and also hold on to wanting the soldiers to succeed. It's a very hard split in personality. I think it's necessary but it's a difficult thing to do." Raanan says Israelis have dehumanised Palestinians to such an extent that they are no longer sensitive about who they kill. "It's so difficult for them to put themselves in the place of someone who lives in Gaza. I guess you have to be able to dehumanise to be able to accept this type of war," she said.

"Israelis think of Hamas as a terrorist group and therefore anything we do to Hamas is OK. But the question is, why do we think it's OK also to kill civilians while we're killing or destroying Hamas? We rationalise; they do it to their own people. That's the rhetoric in Israel. It makes it OK to do what we're doing. In Israel we're brought up to be afraid of Arabs. It's a short step to hating them. It's unusual for people not to have hostile feelings toward Arabs, and it's racist feelings because it's a whole group."

In Shilo, Medad finds himself in agreement with Raanan on one thing. He sees Israeli public opinion as increasingly indifferent to Palestinian suffering. But he says it is because of foreign criticism of Israel's actions. "With the harshness of the criticism, they're slowly but surely turning off more Israelis to elements of humanity, consideration, so eventually they say: who the hell cares?" he said. "We don't see the human face. In that situation we can do anything we want. There's a lack of identity of who the enemy is. He's not human any more."

You might not know there was a war on while visiting Jerusalem's restaurants, Tel Aviv's frantic bars or the Azrieli shopping centre. The mall is one of the largest in Israel. Next door is the Kirya military headquarters, which houses Israel's defence ministry and the country's top military officers. The two buildings are linked by a bridge.

Through the Gaza war, Israel has accused Hamas of endangering civilians by establishing military installations in populated areas. It has been a central justification by the army for the killing of Palestinian civilians. The shoppers at the Azrieli mall see no contradiction between that claim and Israel building its defence headquarters next door to a shopping centre. "They might have a point if they attacked it," said Yoni Ahren, a computer engineer sipping coffee. "But they don't. Instead they send suicide bombers to blow us up in the mall. The Palestinians set out to kill any Jew. The Israeli army sets out to kill Hamas and, yes, innocent Palestinians get killed. But that is not why the army is in Gaza."

A soldier with Ahren, who declined to be identified because he was in uniform, said the Palestinians brought it on themselves. "They voted for Hamas and then Hamas attacked Israel so it's their problem," he said. "I don't know if this [attack on Gaza] will solve anything. Probably not. We cannot get rid of Hamas. But the lesson we've learnt is that we can't trust the Palestinians. We knew that with Arafat. Now we know it again."

That is the upside of the conflict in Gaza for Medad. He believes it could help assure the future of the West Bank settlements by reminding Israelis that control over what Israelis call Judea and Samaria is what keeps Hamas rockets from falling on Tel Aviv. "Things are changing. It's Gaza that's changed things," he said.

Shilo sits alongside the main road from Ramallah to Nablus, a long way from the "security barrier" Israel has built through the West Bank and Jerusalem. Shilo's residents are religious and mostly assert Israel's claim to all of the territory west of the Jordan river. A Palestinian presence is tolerated at best.

When Ariel Sharon pulled Jewish settlers out of Gaza in 2005, he called it a painful sacrifice for peace. Another view was that he had run out of political options and the pull-out was a way to stave off international pressure to talk to the Palestinians. What the dismantling of the Gaza settlements did not do was end the expansion of colonies on the West Bank. Shilo has grown by about 25% since 2005. The "outposts" around it, which are illegal even under Israeli law, have been expanding so fast that the "Shilo block", with about 10,000 residents, is now as large as the main settlement that was dismantled in Gaza.

Most Israelis tell the pollsters they would sacrifice Shilo for peace. But influential voices are against it, among them the man tipped to be Netanyahu's defence minister. Moshe "Bogie" Yaalon, the former military commander in the West Bank, pressed the government for months to attack Gaza, and is against a withdrawal from the West Bank.

Medad is confident that Yaalon's views will prevail. "If you don't have control over a population, you suffer. You want to call it occupation... fine. But there has to be some sort of control, supervision," he said. Yaalon recently asked: "What is the big difference between Gaza and Judea and Samaria - Judea and Samaria we can go in at night, we know where they are, and pick them up. In Gaza we can't do that."

It is a view largely shared by Netanyahu, who has called for the assault on Gaza to be carried through until it forces Hamas from power. Most Israelis may not want to go as far as Netanyahu, but he remains ahead in the polls. Even on the left, attitudes have hardened. Support for Ehud Barak, the Labour party leader and defence minister, has risen sharply because of the assault on Gaza.

Jeff Halper, a veteran peace campaigner, says this is further evidence that Israeli public opinion is principally shaped by fear. "The Israeli public is being held hostage by its own leadership," he said. "This whole idea there's no partner for peace has been internalised by Israelis. Everything has been reduced in Israel to terrorism because Israel has eliminated the political context of occupation and claims it only wants peace and has made generous offers and the Arabs always reject them."

"Seventy per cent of Israeli Jews say they don't want the occupation. They would be happy with the two-state solution. But what they say to us is: 'You don't have to talk to me about peace, I want peace. The Arabs won't let us because the Arabs are just terrorists.' There is in Israel a deeply held assumption that Arabs are our permanent enemies."

Raanan hopes not. She is counting the days until the Gaza assault is over and her son is pulled out. But the personal trauma will not be over if and when that happens. Her second son is due to be called up in six months. The way things are, he could be following his brother into Gaza.