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Friday 29 April 2011

NASA TV Shuttle launch time at kennedy space center

Endeavour was to begin its final journey into space today from the Kennedy Space Center just a little before 4PM local time today. Just before noon time at KSC NASA officials announced that the launch would have to be scrubbed for today.

Coverage of the launch, and now the postponment, can be followed in real time on NASA TV, or on the internet via NASA TV on the NASA.gov web site.

Today’s space shuttle launch of STS-134, scheduled to be the final launch of space shuttle Endeavour at 3:47 p.m. ET was put on hold and scrubbed for today. NASA cited issues with the shuttle’s APU heaters as the reason for the cancellation of today’s launch.



During its 2 week mission the Endeavour is scheduled to visit the International Space Station delivering an EXPRESS Logistics Carrier-3 and an Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, as well as some supplies.
The date for the next launch attempt, of what will be the second to the last shuttle mission for NASA, has not yet been announced.

Thursday 28 April 2011

William and Kate Royal Wedding Gifts

William and Kate Royal Wedding Gifts

Prince William and Kate Middleton will ask their wedding guests to donate to their favourite charities rather than buy them toasters or tea sets. 

Search Amazon.com for William and Kate Royal Wedding Gifts 

 Commemorate with gifts of the Royal Wedding. Here you will find all types of memorabilia

Jay-Z and Beyonce may perform at wedding

Jay-Z and Beyonce may perform at Prince William and Kate Middleton wedding

It’s only a rumor at this time, but word on the street is that Prince William and Kate Middleton may have another power couple, Jay-Z and Beyonce, performing at the royal wedding reception. If you’re like us, you can definitely draw the connection between English royalty and American hip hop, so Prince William and Kate Middleton rocking out to Jay-Z and Beyonce totally makes sense.
According to (of course) an unnamed source, Prince William and Kate Middleton have tapped Jay-Z and Beyonce to perform “Crazy in Love” at the reception because of their high profile in the music business.

“They really wanted to make their big day even more special,” the source said of Prince William and Kate Middleton. “What better way than by getting pop royalty to perform at the party?”

The timing could work out, as the musical couple are in Europe promoting Beyonce’s music. Personally, we’re rooting for a special royalty-themed remix: “British Empire State of Mind”.

Wednesday 27 April 2011

Massive Sony PlayStation data theft

Sensitive personal details of tens of millions of internet users have been stolen by hackers in one of the biggest ever cases of data theft, it has emerged.

Fraudsters have obtained data on millions of online video gamers – including three million Britons - after targeting Sony’s PlayStation Network.

The electronics giant is contacting around 70 million customers warning that details including their names, addresses, dates of birth, passwords and security questions have been stolen.

Sony also admitted that the hackers may have gained access to people’s credit card details.

The network provides online video gaming services and allows streaming of films and music via the internet.

It requires members to submit credit card and personal details to subscribe.

White iPhone 4 April 27th release

Whether or not the rumors about the iPhone 4 headed to T-Mobile USA turn out to be true, here’s another buzzworthy item that appears almost certain: the iPhone 4 in white is headed to Best Buy this week.
After months of delays and almost silence on Apple’s part, news about the all-but-forgotten white version of the iPhone 4 popped back up on the radar. Bloomberg reported earlier in April that the Cupertino giant was ready to start shipping the alternative exterior option by the end of this month.
Fast forward to the present, and 9 to 5 Mac has published what look like leaked inventory screenshots revealing that Best Buy’s “in stock date” for the iPhone 4 in white (at least the 16GB option) as April 27th. It’s not clear if that is either the AT&T or Verizon model (or both). Considering that the white iPhone 4 has already been slated for launches in the United Kingdom with Vodafone and elsewhere in Europe on multiple carriers, it seems that this lighter version of the iPhone 4 might finally see store shelves soon.
Again, given how long we’ve been waiting for this smartphone, I won’t believe this until I see it, which will hopefully turn out to be this Thursday.

Tuesday 26 April 2011

Roberto Luongo will be in net for the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7

Roberto Luongo will start in net for the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of their NHL playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks tonight. 7pmin vancouver

That was the definitive word Monday from coach Alain Vigneault who had trouble maintaining a poker face in front of the media.
"We've discussed all the decisions but I can tell you right now, Louie's playing (Tuesday)," Vigneault said.
Of course, he also said Luongo would start Sunday's 4-3 overtime loss in Chicago, but rookie Cory Schneider got his first playoff start instead.
It wasn't Schneider's first appearance in the playoffs.
He mopped up for Luongo in lopsided losses in Games 4 and 5 as Chicago rallied in the best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final after Vancouver won the first three games.
"Positive," Vigneault said with a smile and a chuckle when asked if he was sure Luongo would play one of the most critical games in the franchise's 40-year history. "Would I lie to you?"

Jay-Z and Beyonce may perform at Prince William and Kate Middleton wedding

It’s only a rumor at this time, but word on the street is that Prince William and Kate Middleton may have another power couple, Jay-Z and Beyonce, performing at the royal wedding reception. If you’re like us, you can definitely draw the connection between English royalty and American hip hop, so Prince William and Kate Middleton rocking out to Jay-Z and Beyonce totally makes sense. You know the Queen is secretly a fan of HOVA.

According to (of course) an unnamed source, Prince William and Kate Middleton have tapped Jay-Z and Beyonce to perform “Crazy in Love” at the reception because of their high profile in the music business.
“They really wanted to make their big day even more special,” the source said of Prince William and Kate Middleton. “What better way than by getting pop royalty to perform at the party?”
The timing could work out, as the musical couple are in Europe promoting Beyonce’s music. Personally, we’re rooting for a special royalty-themed remix: “British Empire State of Mind”.
Search Amazon.com for Prince William and Kate Middleton

Sunday 24 April 2011

William and Kate Middleton Marry Friday

Prince William and Kate Middleton are set to tie the knot at their much anticipated Royal Wedding on Friday.

Kate Middleton will arrive for her wedding to Prince William in a motor-car, not a carriage. This is seen as responsible behavior.

On the other hand, most people, even outside a time of austerity, do not fill Westminster Abbey for their weddings. The nation, of course, is delighted with the choice of the Abbey. A royal wedding there will cheer it up.


The aisle of Westminster Abbey will be covered for the Royal wedding
It will also help maintain cleanliness during the big day, with hundreds of guests due to file into the ancient royal church for the ceremony.

When it comes to the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, it seems two cakes are better than one. The main cake will be a fruity, floral masterwork, but William will get his childhood favorite chocolate biscuit cake, too.

Labels: Honeymoon in Australia, Kate Middleton, Kate to marry William, Prince William, Prince William and Kate Middleton, ROYAL WEDDING

Friday 22 April 2011

How to hard boiled eggs

Technique for hard boiled eggs:

Choose the right size pot to cook your eggs in: The eggs must not be stacked but be in one (1) layer only. Gently place the eggs in a single layer in a pan with enough cold water to cover eggs completely (approximately by 1 inch of water over the top of the eggs).

Too much water will take too long for the water to get boiling, which can throw off the timing and give you overcooked eggs. Too little water causes parts of the eggs to be exposed and end up undercooked.

If you have 2 or 3 layers of eggs stacked up in a small pot, they may cook unevenly. Use a large pan and limit cooking to two (2) dozen eggs at a time only.

Over high heat, bring water JUST to a rapid boil.

As soon as the water reaches a rapid boil, remove pan from heat and cover egg pan tightly with a lid.

Set timer for 17 minutes for large eggs or 20 minutes for jumbo eggs.

After 17 or 20 minutes (depending on size of your eggs), remove lid and drain off water from the eggs.

Watch the time when cooking the eggs carefully. Overcooking causes a green layer to form around the yolk. This layer is caused by a reaction between the iron in the yolk and the sulfur in the white. Heat speeds up this reaction, so the longer your eggs cook, the greater the chance of discoloration.

IMPORTANT - Stop the cooking process - Residual Heat or "Carry Over Heat."

After the eggs are removed from the heat source, some cooking will continue, particularly the yolk of the egg. This is due to residual heat called “carry over cooking,” For this reason, transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice cubes and/or cold water after the cooking time is over. While they're in the cold water, a layer of steam develops between the shell and the egg white. The steam helps make peeling an egg much easier.

Let eggs cool at least 10 minutes in cold water, then drain. Either store in refrigerator or peel the eggs (see below for How To Peel Hard-Cooked Eggs Easily).

A quick test to ensure that your eggs are hardboiled: When eggs have cooled, spin them on a hard surface (just like you would spin a top). If the eggs spins quickly without taking off or flying off in one direction, the egg is hard boiled and finished. Undercooked eggs (or uncooked eggs) will have a wobbly and unsteady spin.


Tuesday 19 April 2011

420 meaning 4 20 April 20

420, 4:20 or 4/20 (pronounced four-twenty) refers to consumption of cannabis and, by extension, a way to identify oneself with cannabis subculture. The notable day for these is April 20

What does 420 friendly mean? What is 420 friendly definition 420 friendly can easily be summed up in one sentence. Well…actually a few sentences. Obviously if you know what the number “420” means then you can figure out the rest. The definition of 420 is slang for marijuana. Click here to check out the origin and the definition of 420. Let’s start this again, “420” is code word for marijuana and the word “friendly” obviously means cordial. Put them together and you have the definition for 420 friendly.

April 20 4/20 in U.S. has evolved into a counterculture holiday, where people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis Some events have a political nature to them, advocating for the decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States

A large celebration is held every year on the University of Colorado's Boulder campus, with attendance reaching more than 11,000 in 2008. It has been estimated that in 2009 the crowd surpassed the 10,000 attendee mark that was set in 2008. This would make CU Boulder's celebration of the hopeful legalization of marijuana one of the largest such celebrations in the United States. University police have tried various methods to prevent the gathering, including photographing students participating in the event, but the crowd has grown every year. The university and police have taken a more hands-off approach since 2006, emphasizing event safety over possession citations. Recent growth of the medical marijuana industry in Colorado is expected to add momentum to future events.

On April 15, 2009, the Office of the Chancellor sent an e-mail to all CU students regarding the 2009 celebration of 4/20 stating that the event would debase "the reputation of your university and degree." The CU student newspaper disagreed with the Chancellor's analysis
No possession tickets were issued at the 2009 event
.Search Amazon.com for marijuana

Monday 18 April 2011

Blackberry Playbook Review and Specs

BlackBerry PlayBook Specs for launch April 19 Canada

The mild uptick came after RIM pegged April 19 as the day that the PlayBook would appear on shelves in more than 20,000 retail outlets across North America.
While Research In Motion is expected to report strong quarterly results on Thursday, the PlayBook is seen as a key to its future success.
It's expected to appeal more to business users, but the PlayBook will have to compete against Apple's iPad and tablets with Google's Android operating system in the consumer market.
RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky said he expects the PlayBook to make a strong debut with RIM shipping 500,000 of the devices in its first quarter this spring.
“Given stiff competition from iPad 2, Android, PlayBook will need to stake and hold its own ground in the rapidly expanding tablet market — and we think PlayBook will have a strong debut,” Mr. Abramsky said in a research note.
Mr. Abramsky estimates the PlayBook will add $3-billion in revenue for the Waterloo, Ont., company in its 2012 fiscal year.
The first generation of the PlayBook will rely on Wi-Fi short-range networks to connect to the Internet, initially without contracts with wireless carriers. It can be tethered to a BlackBerry to access email.
The units will range in price from $499 to $699 and be available at Best Buy and Future Shop stores in Canada beginning on April 19. However, the Waterloo-Ont.-based company says customers can place orders beginning today in stores or by ordering online.
The BlackBerry PlayBook will be available in three models, featuring 16, 32 and 64 gigabytes of storage capacity.

Search Amazon.com for BlackBerry PlayBook



Height 5.1" / 130mm
Width 7.6" / 194mm
Depth 0.4" / 10mm
Weight 0.9 lbs / 425g
7" LCD display, 1024 x 600 screen resolution
Multi-touch capacitive screen
Professional grade performance
Full computing power in a tablet format
1 GHz dual-core processor
1 GB RAM
Symmetric multi-processing
Web without limits

Games, media, apps and everything the real Internet offers
Full Adobe® Flash® 10.1 enabled
Built-in support for HTML 5
No-compromise rendering of text, graphics and video
3 MP high-definition forward-facing camera
5 MP high-definition rear-facing camera
Codec support for superior media playback, creation and
video calling

1080p HD video; H.264, MPEG4, WMV HDMI video output
Micro USB and Micro HDMI ports

High-speed connections
BlackBerry PlayBook tablets will offer support for network configurations as follows:
BlackBerry PlayBook with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
BlackBerry 4G PlayBook with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n + WiMax
BlackBerry 4G PlayBook with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n + LTE
BlackBerry 4G PlayBook with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n + HSPA+
All BlackBerry PlayBook tablets support Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR
 Search Amazon.com for BlackBerry PlayBook tablets

Full Tilt Poker U.S. Account Withdrawal Update

Today Casino Scam Report received a brief update from Full Tilt Poker basically saying what we already know. U.S. account holders are locked out of their accounts (meaning software won’t load and there is no way to view player accounts) and they do not know when the money in the player accounts will be available. The do however mention in the email that ALL player funds are safe. So hopefully this means that players will be able to withdrawal soon. Still no word from Poker Stars, Absolute Poker or Ultimate Bet
.
✖ In the day’s least surprising news, those US land-based casino giants are all disavowing the online poker deals they struck just weeks ago. Wynn Resorts says it has “terminated” its deal with PokerStars, while Fertitta Interactive says its deal with Full Tilt was always contingent on the poker company getting a US gaming license, and so the deal has thus “expired.” We take that definition as having nothing to do with anything time-related, but more to do with the ‘breathing its last’ connotation.
Full Tilt’s CEO Raymond Bitar has released a statement saying he is “surprised and disappointed by the government’s decision to bring these charges,” although he is looking forward “to my exoneration.” In the meantime, Full Tilt recognizes that it “must suspend ‘real money’ play in the US until this case is resolved.”
PokerStars has also suspended US real money play and changed the default URL on its associated sites to PokerStars.eu. Money transfers have also been disabled. ESPN’s Andrew Feldman is speculating that the affected poker sites will shut down across the globe within 48 hours.
✖ Chad Elie, the payment processing figure (and former Intabill staffer) arrested in Nevada, appeared in US Magistrate Court in Las Vegas on Friday, and was subsequently released on his own recognizance (and, presumably, that of his FBI shadow) with a hearing scheduled in a New York court for this Tuesday (19th).
✖ Richard Perkins, the former Nevada politician and current PokerStars lobbyist, claims the push to pass the PokerStars-sponsored intrastate poker legislation AB 258 will soldier on despite the day’s events, as the bill “is not just about this company, it is about the policy of this state.”
✖ The Poker Players Alliance released a statement saying, in part, they were “shocked” by the DoJ’s actions. The PPA was good enough to note that “online poker is not a crime” but that’s not exactly what the DoJ is alleging here.
✖ Former Intabill head Daniel Tzvetkoff – who handled hundreds of millions for PokerStars, Full Tilt and others, plus allegedly funneling millions more into his own pockets — is being fingered as the canary singing loudest into DoJ ears. (Australia’s Courier Mail has a feature detailing the payment processing boy-wonder/Icarus and his subsequent fall from grace.)
✖ The scope of the internal company emails the DoJ has in its possession appears formidable. Our current personal favorite is the Sept. 29, 2009 message in which John Campos, the SunFirst Bank vice-chairman arrested in Utah on Friday, refers to a lawyer warning Campos of the risks involved in processing online gambling payments as a “wet blanket.”
✖ Among the details revealed in the emails is the wide variety of e-commerce websites used by the poker sites to handle transactions, including sites purporting to sell flowers, pet supplies, golf clubs, bicycles, clothing and/or jewelry. There was also a Green2YourGreen site that claimed to be a “direct sales” business in which consumers purchased enviro-friendly household products for resale to other customers in return for commissions. The site allegedly went as far as to include bogus ‘testimonials’ from satisfied customers re the green products. A DoJ sting apparently had two gamblers send queries to these phony co’s customer service re the charges that appeared on their bank statements, only to receive replies sent from PokerStars’ customer service.
✖ Worse, these emails directly indicate the poker companies’ complicity in these schemes, with PokerStars documents admitting that they were employing company names that “strongly imply the transaction has nothing to do with PokerStars” and that they used whatever names “the processor can get approved by the bank.”
✖ Is anyone buying the DoJ claim that these poker companies took in “one-third or more of the funds deposited by gamblers” via the rake? Makes the French regulated market look positively generous.
✖ It remains to be seen how foreign governments will react to the DoJ’s call for arrests of the indicted figures living outside the US, and for assets abroad to be seized.

Friday 15 April 2011

Full Tilt Poker FBI crackdown

Major online gambling sites are shut down and their founders charged with bank fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors are seeking to recover $3 billion from the Internet poker sites.

The FBI on Friday shut down the websites of all three poker firms, replacing their home pages with the message: "This domain name has been seized by the F.B.I. pursuant to an Arrest Warrant."
In a news release, Full Tilt called online poker "a game of skill enjoyed by millions of people" and said it remained committed to preserving the rights of poker fans "to play the game they love online."
"Mr. Bitar and Full Tilt Poker believe online poker is legal -- a position also taken by some of the best legal minds in the United States," the company said.
Bitar added in the statement: "I am surprised and disappointed by the government's decision to bring these charges. I look forward to Mr. Burtnick's and my exoneration."
 

FBI shuts down Full Tilt Poker

After the indictment of its chief executive in a federal crackdown on Internet poker sites, Full Tilt Poker defended its business as a legal and harmless game enjoyed by players around the world.
Raymond Bitar, the company's chief executive, and employee Nelson Burtnick were charged Friday in New York with bank fraud and money laundering, along with nine other people, including executives at rival sites PokerStars and Absolute Poker.
Bitar and Burtnick are outside the country and have yet to be arrested, the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan said. The government also filed a civil suit seeking to recover $3 billion from the companies.
The FBI on Friday shut down the websites of all three poker firms, replacing their home pages with the message: "This domain name has been seized by the F.B.I. pursuant to an Arrest Warrant."
In a news release, Full Tilt called online poker "a game of skill enjoyed by millions of people" and said it remained committed to preserving the rights of poker fans "to play the game they love online."
"Mr. Bitar and Full Tilt Poker believe online poker is legal -- a position also taken by some of the best legal minds in the United States," the company said.
Bitar added in the statement: "I am surprised and disappointed by the government's decision to bring these charges. I look forward to Mr. Burtnick's and my exoneration."
Founded in Los Angeles, Full Tilt moved to Dublin, Ireland, after Congress enacted a 2006 law that bans businesses from taking payments for "unlawful" online gambling.

Emancipation Day 2011 Tax Deadline Extension

2011 Tax Filing Deadline Extension Gives Taxpayers Three Extra Days to File

Three extra days given to taxpayers in observation of Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in the District of Columbia which extends to the rest of the country when it falls on April 15. 

When Thomas Jefferson wrote that all men were created equal, it was not quite an accurate statement and it has taken over 200 years for America to achieve a semblance of true equality. About a hundred years after America was founded, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that ended slavery, but it took nearly another hundred years for the Civil Rights movement to bring near-equal rights to African Americans. The Emancipation Day holiday this year is a reminder that although technically free, many Americans do not enjoy equal rights or opportunities because of a deep-seated belief the Black race is inferior and not worthy of the Constitution’s equal rights protections.
There is a disease-like sentiment among many in the South that races other than white are inferior, and it is quite possible that if given the opportunity, these Southerners would revoke the Emancipation Proclamation and return to the Founding Fathers’ time when African American slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person. Many of the Draconian spending cuts the Republican majority in the House proposed target poor minorities and women because for whatever reason, those groups are not considered equal to white males. Racial discrimination is so ingrained in many Americans’ minds that they believe interracial marriage is wrong.
In a recent poll, 46% of Mississippi Republicans said that interracial marriage should be illegal and 14% were not sure if the idea is acceptable. The poll targeted Republican voters, but the numbers are surprisingly high suggesting that many Americans, regardless of party affiliation, have a negative view of interracial marriage and by extension, other races. Many of the anti-miscegenationists, persons opposed to interracial marriage, cite scriptures from the bible to support their opposition, although many theologians dispute the Christian bible’s meanings in scriptures that forbid marriage outside of one’s own race.  The disapproval and resistance to interracial marriage seems to hinge on the belief that the white race is superior and not to be polluted with an inferior race. It is not, however, surprising that Republicans do not believe non-white people deserve freedom or equal treatment.
Women are increasingly the target of assaults by Republicans in Congress and state legislatures that are meant to keep women in a subservient role much like slavery. In 1920 women won the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment but it took until the 1960’s when the women’s liberation movement lobbied for equal pay, equal rights in law, and the freedom to plan their families or not have children at all that women made some real strides. However, women still have not been emancipated from male-dominated society and suffer from discrimination in health care, equal pay, and the right to choose their reproductive health at the hands of Republicans.
2011 tax deadline, tax deadline 2011, tax due date 2011, tax deadline, tax day 2011,Emancipation Day,2011 Tax

Thursday 14 April 2011

All My Children', 'One Life To Live' Canceled

ABC has canceled two of its longest-running programs, daytime soap operas "All My Children" and "One Life to Live."
The network announced Thursday that the two soap operas would end, with "All My Children" going off the air in September and "One Life to Live" going off the air in January.
In their place, a Mario Batali-hosted food show called "The Chew" will premiere in September, and a health/lifestyle transformation show tentatively called "The Revolution" will premiere in January.
"General Hospital" will remain on the network.

"All My Children" has been the subject of cancellation rumors of late, with Deadline.com's Nellie Andreeva reporting last month that the show might be replaced by a talk show.
"While we are excited about our new shows and the shift in our business, I can't help but recognize how bittersweet the change is," Brian Frons, ABC's daytime department president , said in an announcement. "We are taking this bold step to expand our business because viewers are looking for different types of programming these days. They are telling us there is room for informative, authentic and fun shows that are relatable, offer a wide variety of opinions and focus on 'real life' takeaways."
The first of those new shows to premiere, "The Chew," will be hosted by Batali, "What Not To Wear" host Clinton Kelly, "Top Chef" alumna Carla Hall, restaurateur Michael Symon and "Dorm Room Diet" author Daphne Oz.

Wednesday 13 April 2011

The Aurora Borealis Nature's Fabulous Light Show

The Aurora Borealis,often referred to as the Northern Lights, is a mesmerising, colourful, eerie display of light in the northern polar sky. It is caused when solar wind from the sun collides with the Earth's outer magnetic atmosphere and releases its energy. It can last for hours - and it will fill you with wonder!
WHEN CAN I SEE IT?
It happens on a regular basis, day and night, all year round. But, like the moon and stars, it is only visible when the sky is dark. The northern skies don't get very dark in summer - so the best time to see The Aurora is on a clear winter's night. November, December, January and February offer good views - but this far north the winter nights are dangerously cold! So September, October, March and April are the best months.
WHERE ARE THE BEST PLACES TO VIEW IT?
The further north the better! If you were to ask ten Aurora watchers to name the best spot - you would probably get ten different answers. These are my favourite spots.
TROMSO NORWAY
Tromso, in the far north of Norway, is beyond doubt the finest city in the world, north of the arctic circle. Vibrant, sophisticated, stunningly attractive - it is often referred to as The Paris of the north. Tromso has all the facilities you could possible wish for - and with its major airport and its magnificent harbour it is a very easy place to get to. Best of all, at 400km inside the Arctic Circle it is far enough north to pretty much guarantee great views of the Aurora on almost any clear winter's night. Tromso, in my opinion, is the easiest, safest, most comfortable place in the world to view the Aurora Borealis.
CANADA
Yellowknife, on the shores of the Great Slave Lake, way up in the North Western Territories, is a wonderful, vibrant town, and it is far enough north to guarantee views of the Aurora on most clear nights.
Blachford Lake. A short hop in a ski-plane from Yellowknife, s a great place to stay for a genuine, rustic frontier experience. It is also away from any light-pollution from the city, so the skies are dark, and the viewing is fabulous.
Canada's Yukon has some of the best viewing in the world. This is a BIG, territory. Bigger than California, Arizona, Delaware and West Virginia added together! Most of Europe would vanish into it without a trace! Yet the population of the entire territory is just 40,000. You don't see many people here!
Watson Lake, with its Northern Lights Space and Science Centre is a fine place to view the Aurora - and there are some great places to lodge. Among of the best is Nugget City Cabins. Another place I have tried and can recommend is Air Force Lodge. It is friendly, welcoming, clean, warm, comfortable, and remarkably inexpensive for this part of the world.
A short hop north in a float-plane from Watson Lake will get you to isolated and truly beautiful Frances Lake Wilderness Lodge. There are no roads here - this is wilderness country, but the Lodge is warm!
And if you want a wilderness adventure in the truest sense of the word - take a trip to...
NUNAVUT
Nunavat is the best place in North America to see the Aurora. It is Canada's newest, biggest, and most exciting territory. It spans the Arctic Circle, and includes the magnetic North-Pole. Parts of this beautiful region are so far north - that the best way to see the Aurora - is by looking SOUTH! It has islands bigger than Britain - with nobody living on them! And its interior contains lakes so remote that they don't even have names yet!
Nunavut (Our Land) only became a territory in its own right in 1999 when the Inuit Tribe won the biggest land claim in history. They have now formed a territorial government in the capital Iqaluit.They are building their own schools, their own roads, and their own tourist industry. Tourism is just getting started here - and there is a lot of work to be done. Most of Nunavut is only accessible by aircraft or dog-sled!
But if you have that pioneering spirit of adventure - this is place! The Inuit people will take great care of you, and you'll get the best Aurora views on the planet!
ALASKA
Fairbanks in Alaska has a real Northern Lights culture. It is a great place to stay, easy(ish) to get to, and the views of the Aurora are excellent. To share your viewing with other enthusiasts - this is the place!
Bettles, north of Fairbanks is excellent too. The Bettles Lodge is wonderful. They even have their own plane - so they can fly you from Fairbanks airport, right to the front door of your hotel
Those are my favourite places. If I had to recommend jsut one for your first Aurora Experience - I would say Tromso in Norway. It is the easiest, most comfortable and safest place of all.
HINTS, TIPS & WARNINGS.
KEEPING WARM.
The Arctic is one of the harshest environments on the planet - and if you do not take measures to keep yourself warm - the weather here could kill you.
CLOTHING
The most important principle of cold-weather dressing is to trap warm air close to your body.
The best way to trap this warm air is with multiple layers of clothing.
Three or four thin layers are much better than one or two thick layers.
Your first layer should be some kind of full-length underwear. Cotton long-johns are cheap, easy to find, and will do the job. However, there are lighter (and more expensive) alternatives, and these are worth considering if you plan to be participating in any strenuous outdoor activity. Mountaineering or skiing underwear is designed to wick sweat away from your skin and prevent you from becoming wet from your own perspiration.
It is vital to cover your whole body evenly. There is no point wearing five layers on your top half - and just a pair of jeans on your legs! Your body will lose heat from any area that is not properly protected. Pyjama pants make excellent mid-layers, as do track-suit pants or joggers. Your neck and head are major areas of heat loss, so hats, scarves, masks and hoods are essential. Two hats are better than one - a thin cotton or synthetic skullcap with a thick wool hat on top is ideal. You can also cover your face with a ski-mask. Good synthetics are best for this. Cotton or wool will absorb your breath and it will quickly turn to ice. Ski goggles are also a good idea - even your eyes can freeze here if the wind-chill is strong enough.
Overlap the ends of your clothing to stop the wind from entering. Tuck your first pair of socks into your long-johns, your second pair of socks should overlap the ends of your long-johns, and your third pair should overlap the ends of your trousers.
Protect your extremities! Fingers, ears, toes, and noses are the first things to drop off from frost-bite.
Good footwear is vital. Always boots - never shoes. Moon boots are very good - but make sure they are proper moon-boots and not just fashion accessories. Your Boots should be big enough to let you wear heavy wool socks over your two pairs of regular socks. Better to have boots that are too big than too small. Good circulation is crucial - so don't wear tight boots!
Keeping your fingers warm is not easy if you are taking photographs of the aurora. Thin gloves inside loose, heavily insulated mittens are the best way to go. Only remove the mittens to take your picture, and then put them on again quickly.
The wind is the real killer here. It can reduce the temperature more than you could possibly imagine.So you will need a wind-proof outer layer. It is best if it is also waterproof - and it should be made from a fabric that "breathes". Gore-Tex or similar allows your perspiration to evaporate, but it does not allow the wind or the rain to get inside.
FUEL FOR THE BODY
Eat like crazy!When you are outside, the only heat available to you is generated by your own body. The correct clothing will help store that heat - but to create it in the first place, your body needs fuel. You burn a lot more calories in these cold conditions, so don't worry about your waistline! This is about survival - so you have the best possible excuse for pigging out!
Drink plenty! Dehydration can be a serious problem here. You use a lot of water just breathing in dry winter air. And extreme cold suppresses your thirst reflex, so you don't think about drinking. When your body starts to dehydrate, it conserves fluids by reducing circulation to the extremities, so your fingers toes and ears will drop off quicker! The best thing to drink is water at as close to body temperature as possible. Drink plenty of water before you go out.
If you find yourself in a survival situation -DO NOT EAT SNOW - no matter how thirsty you feel.
Snow uses so much body heat to melt, it will induce rapid hypothermia and make your problems worse!
STAYING SAFE
Always plan for the worst case scenario.If you go out on foot - plan what you'll do if you get lost. If you are in a car - plan what you'll do if you break down. Think through the chain of possible events and be prepared for problems. Also, tell somebody where you are going and what time you expect to be back.
Take a survival kit with you - a sleeping bag, a space-blanket, some water, some food, some matches and a candle are essential.A mobile phone is a good idea too!
If your car breaks down - stay inside!
It provides a dry, wind-proof shelter, and the rescue services can see it from the air far easier than they can see a person on foot. If you wander off into the wild, you could easily become part of the permafrost and nobody will find you for a thousand years! They will dig you up in some future era, perfectly preserved, and put you on display in a museum, "Aurora-Man!"
Hopefully you will never be in a survival situation.Such emergencies are extremely rare. With a little planning and common sense, your nights under the Aurora will bring you nothing but pleasure!
ENJOY YOUR TRIP!
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The Aurora Borealis, often referred to as the Northern Lights, is a mesmerising, colourful, eerie display of light in the northern polar sky. It is caused when solar wind from the sun collides with the Earth's outer magnetic atmosphere and releases its energy. It can last for hours - and it will fill you with wonder!
WHEN CAN I SEE IT?
It happens on a regular basis, day and night, all year round. But, like the moon and stars, it is only visible when the sky is dark. The northern skies don't get very dark in summer - so the best time to see The Aurora is on a clear winter's night. November, December, January and February offer good views - but this far north the winter nights are dangerously cold! So September, October, March and April are the best months.
WHERE ARE THE BEST PLACES TO VIEW IT?
The further north the better! If you were to ask ten Aurora watchers to name the best spot - you would probably get ten different answers. These are my favourite spots.
TROMSO NORWAY
Tromso, in the far north of Norway, is beyond doubt the finest city in the world, north of the arctic circle. Vibrant, sophisticated, stunningly attractive - it is often referred to as The Paris of the north. Tromso has all the facilities you could possible wish for - and with its major airport and its magnificent harbour it is a very easy place to get to. Best of all, at 400km inside the Arctic Circle it is far enough north to pretty much guarantee great views of the Aurora on almost any clear winter's night. Tromso, in my opinion, is the easiest, safest, most comfortable place in the world to view the Aurora Borealis.
CANADA
Yellowknife, on the shores of the Great Slave Lake, way up in the North Western Territories, is a wonderful, vibrant town, and it is far enough north to guarantee views of the Aurora on most clear nights.
Blachford Lake. A short hop in a ski-plane from Yellowknife, s a great place to stay for a genuine, rustic frontier experience. It is also away from any light-pollution from the city, so the skies are dark, and the viewing is fabulous.
Canada's Yukon has some of the best viewing in the world. This is a BIG, territory. Bigger than California, Arizona, Delaware and West Virginia added together! Most of Europe would vanish into it without a trace! Yet the population of the entire territory is just 40,000. You don't see many people here!
Watson Lake, with its Northern Lights Space and Science Centre is a fine place to view the Aurora - and there are some great places to lodge. Among of the best is Nugget City Cabins. Another place I have tried and can recommend is Air Force Lodge. It is friendly, welcoming, clean, warm, comfortable, and remarkably inexpensive for this part of the world.
A short hop north in a float-plane from Watson Lake will get you to isolated and truly beautiful Frances Lake Wilderness Lodge. There are no roads here - this is wilderness country, but the Lodge is warm!
And if you want a wilderness adventure in the truest sense of the word - take a trip to...
NUNAVUT
Nunavat is the best place in North America to see the Aurora. It is Canada's newest, biggest, and most exciting territory. It spans the Arctic Circle, and includes the magnetic North-Pole. Parts of this beautiful region are so far north - that the best way to see the Aurora - is by looking SOUTH! It has islands bigger than Britain - with nobody living on them! And its interior contains lakes so remote that they don't even have names yet!
Nunavut (Our Land) only became a territory in its own right in 1999 when the Inuit Tribe won the biggest land claim in history. They have now formed a territorial government in the capital Iqaluit.They are building their own schools, their own roads, and their own tourist industry. Tourism is just getting started here - and there is a lot of work to be done. Most of Nunavut is only accessible by aircraft or dog-sled!
But if you have that pioneering spirit of adventure - this is place! The Inuit people will take great care of you, and you'll get the best Aurora views on the planet!
ALASKA
Fairbanks in Alaska has a real Northern Lights culture. It is a great place to stay, easy(ish) to get to, and the views of the Aurora are excellent. To share your viewing with other enthusiasts - this is the place!
Bettles, north of Fairbanks is excellent too. The Bettles Lodge is wonderful. They even have their own plane - so they can fly you from Fairbanks airport, right to the front door of your hotel
Those are my favourite places. If I had to recommend jsut one for your first Aurora Experience - I would say Tromso in Norway. It is the easiest, most comfortable and safest place of all.
HINTS, TIPS & WARNINGS.
KEEPING WARM.
The Arctic is one of the harshest environments on the planet - and if you do not take measures to keep yourself warm - the weather here could kill you.
CLOTHING
The most important principle of cold-weather dressing is to trap warm air close to your body.
The best way to trap this warm air is with multiple layers of clothing.
Three or four thin layers are much better than one or two thick layers.
Your first layer should be some kind of full-length underwear. Cotton long-johns are cheap, easy to find, and will do the job. However, there are lighter (and more expensive) alternatives, and these are worth considering if you plan to be participating in any strenuous outdoor activity. Mountaineering or skiing underwear is designed to wick sweat away from your skin and prevent you from becoming wet from your own perspiration.
It is vital to cover your whole body evenly. There is no point wearing five layers on your top half - and just a pair of jeans on your legs! Your body will lose heat from any area that is not properly protected. Pyjama pants make excellent mid-layers, as do track-suit pants or joggers. Your neck and head are major areas of heat loss, so hats, scarves, masks and hoods are essential. Two hats are better than one - a thin cotton or synthetic skullcap with a thick wool hat on top is ideal. You can also cover your face with a ski-mask. Good synthetics are best for this. Cotton or wool will absorb your breath and it will quickly turn to ice. Ski goggles are also a good idea - even your eyes can freeze here if the wind-chill is strong enough.
Overlap the ends of your clothing to stop the wind from entering. Tuck your first pair of socks into your long-johns, your second pair of socks should overlap the ends of your long-johns, and your third pair should overlap the ends of your trousers.
Protect your extremities! Fingers, ears, toes, and noses are the first things to drop off from frost-bite.
Good footwear is vital. Always boots - never shoes. Moon boots are very good - but make sure they are proper moon-boots and not just fashion accessories. Your Boots should be big enough to let you wear heavy wool socks over your two pairs of regular socks. Better to have boots that are too big than too small. Good circulation is crucial - so don't wear tight boots!
Keeping your fingers warm is not easy if you are taking photographs of the aurora. Thin gloves inside loose, heavily insulated mittens are the best way to go. Only remove the mittens to take your picture, and then put them on again quickly.
The wind is the real killer here. It can reduce the temperature more than you could possibly imagine.So you will need a wind-proof outer layer. It is best if it is also waterproof - and it should be made from a fabric that "breathes". Gore-Tex or similar allows your perspiration to evaporate, but it does not allow the wind or the rain to get inside.
FUEL FOR THE BODY
Eat like crazy!When you are outside, the only heat available to you is generated by your own body. The correct clothing will help store that heat - but to create it in the first place, your body needs fuel. You burn a lot more calories in these cold conditions, so don't worry about your waistline! This is about survival - so you have the best possible excuse for pigging out!
Drink plenty! Dehydration can be a serious problem here. You use a lot of water just breathing in dry winter air. And extreme cold suppresses your thirst reflex, so you don't think about drinking. When your body starts to dehydrate, it conserves fluids by reducing circulation to the extremities, so your fingers toes and ears will drop off quicker! The best thing to drink is water at as close to body temperature as possible. Drink plenty of water before you go out.
If you find yourself in a survival situation -DO NOT EAT SNOW - no matter how thirsty you feel.
Snow uses so much body heat to melt, it will induce rapid hypothermia and make your problems worse!
STAYING SAFE
Always plan for the worst case scenario.If you go out on foot - plan what you'll do if you get lost. If you are in a car - plan what you'll do if you break down. Think through the chain of possible events and be prepared for problems. Also, tell somebody where you are going and what time you expect to be back.
Take a survival kit with you - a sleeping bag, a space-blanket, some water, some food, some matches and a candle are essential.A mobile phone is a good idea too!
If your car breaks down - stay inside!
It provides a dry, wind-proof shelter, and the rescue services can see it from the air far easier than they can see a person on foot. If you wander off into the wild, you could easily become part of the permafrost and nobody will find you for a thousand years! They will dig you up in some future era, perfectly preserved, and put you on display in a museum, "Aurora-Man!"
Hopefully you will never be in a survival situation.Such emergencies are extremely rare. With a little planning and common sense, your nights under the Aurora will bring you nothing but pleasure!
ENJOY YOUR TRIP!

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Monday 11 April 2011

Japan level 7 Disaster like Chernobyl

Japan level 7 disaster like Chernobyl

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano speaks at a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, April 12, 2011. Japan nuclear agency announced on Tuesday that it has raised the severity level of the accident at the crippled Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant to 7, the worst on an international scale, from the current 5.

According to Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, the amount of radiation emissions released at the Fukushima plant was equivalent to 10 percent of Chernobyl.

The level has so far only been applied to the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe. The current assessment is at the same level with the Three Mile Island accident in the United States in 1979.

Japan to evacuate locals outside 20km radius of crippled nuke plant

The Japanese authorities have been battling to keep the troubled Fukushima No.1 nuclear plant crippled by the March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami under control. The plant has been leaking radioactive substances into environment.

TOKYO, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Locals in some areas outside the 20km radius of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant will have to be evacuated due to accumulating radiation, Japan's top government spokesman Yukio Edano said Monday.
People living within 20 kilometers around the plant already have been ordered to leave because of concerns about radiation. Other people within 30 kilometers radius had been advised to stay indoors.
Edano said, however, that residents of five communities, some more than 30 kilometers from the plant, are being urged to leave within a month, as high radiation levels have been detected in some places and there are concerns about long-term health risks.
He also said residents of another five localities should be prepared to evacuate in case of emergency.
Thousands of people remain missing and workers are still struggling to regain control of the crippled nuclear power plant one month after a devastating earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern regions of Japan on March 11.
Radioactive water leaks found at Onagawa nuke plant after Thursday's quake
TOKYO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Radioactive water leaks were found Friday at Onagawa nuclear power plant in Miyagi prefecture after the 7.4-magnitude aftershock shook northeastern Japan Thursday night, Kyodo News Agency reported.
Radioactive water spilled from pools holding spent nuclear fuel rods at the power plant. It was observed inside the buildings at all three reactors at the Onagawa plant, which has suspended operations since the mega earthquake and tsunami on March 11, according to the nuclear safety agency.

Friday 8 April 2011

The latest shutdown developments

The latest shutdown developments
"While the current Continuing Resolution (CR) expires at midnight tonight, Congress has indicated that it has reached agreement on a funding bill for the rest of the fiscal year. Earlier this evening, the Senate passed a short term CR that will extend current funding levels until the full-year bill can be passed and enacted next week. We expect the House to take up the CR shortly and for the President to sign this CR no later than tomorrow. As a result, at this time agencies are instructed to continue their normal operations," Lew wrote.
LIVE BLOG: The latest shutdown developments
12:37 a.m. ET - The House approved a short-funding extension 348-70.

12:28 a.m. ET
- A senior White House official told CNN White House Correspondent Dan Lothian that President Obama is expected to sign the short term continuing resolution into law sometime Saturday.
12:23 a.m. ET - Office of Management and Budget Director Jack Lew in a memo told federal agencies to "continue their normal operations."
"While the current Continuing Resolution (CR) expires at midnight tonight, Congress has indicated that it has reached agreement on a funding bill for the rest of the fiscal year. Earlier this evening, the Senate passed a short term CR that will extend current funding levels until the full-year bill can be passed and enacted next week. We expect the House to take up the CR shortly and for the President to sign this CR no later than tomorrow. As a result, at this time agencies are instructed to continue their normal operations," Lew wrote.
12:14 a.m. ET @deirdrewalshcnn: House voting now on stopgap bill funding government until Friday 4/15 – #shutdown averted

12:03 a.m. ET
- @LisaDCNN: Technically, WE ARE IN #SHUTDOWN: for just a few minutes. Until House vote magically erases it.
11:58 p.m. ET @LisaDCNN: 2 minutes to #shutdown, House still not back in session. #arrgh

11:49 p.m. ET
- From CNN White House Correspondent Dan Lothian: A senior administration official sais this is a "very good night for the country."
Asked "Why didn't they wage a battle early on?" the officials responded "We did things in the interest of having a night like tonight".
The official said that means cutting spending, keeping investments for the future and not giving in to demands on social issues.
A second senior official told reporters "Every time it (the negotiations) got bogged down the president would pick up the phone" and push both sides.
The president made it clear, this official said, that "he did not want this to become a family planning bill. He wanted this to be a spending bill."

11:34 p.m. ET
- @LisaDCNN: CONFIRMED: Sen. Rand Paul voted 'no' to Senate CR. In statement, said the bill does not fix spending and debt problems. #tcot #p2 #teaparty
Paul entered a statement into the Senate record explaining his vote: "Mr. President, I voted against this short-term continuing resolution for the same reason I voted against the last one and the one before that – because it does not set us on a path to fixing the spending and debt problems our country is facing. As I have said before, there is not much of a difference between a $1.5 trillion deficit and a $1.6 trillion deficit – both will lead us to a debt crisis that we may not recover from. "
11:27 p.m. ET - House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi released a statement Friday night: “President Obama and Leader Reid should be commended for their leadership and perseverance to keep the government open. House Democrats look forward to reviewing the components of the final funding measure. The American people’s top priority is creating jobs, and we will continue to measure every proposal by whether it creates jobs, strengthens the middle class and responsibly reduces the deficit.”
11:18 p.m. ET - The Senate has passed a short-term budget deal that will keep the government funded through next Thursday.

The measure still has to be approved by the House of Representatives.

11:17 p.m. ET
- @LisaDCNN: MEANWHILE, House mems told to standby for a vote there, @deirdrewalshcnn has learned. GOP whip McCarthy: We hope to meet the deadline.
11:13 p.m. ET - McConnell returned the thank you to Reid but added that this is "just the beginning of what we need to do to get our fiscal house in order."
11:10 p.m. ET - Reid read the joint statement on the Senate floor and thanked Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for his work during the process.

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Thursday 7 April 2011

Government Shutdown 2011- 800,000 federal workers in the dark

The US Federal government is facing a shutdown because of a budget problem for 2011 as they work out a new budget. Both Republicans and Democrats have not come to an agreement, and this could cause the federal government to stop functioning on April 8, 2011.
The government shutdown could happen, but only if the lawmakers do not come to an agreement in time. In 1995, the government shut down for a short time period over a similar disagreement.

A survey from the People-Press Pew Research Center said that the American people would blame both sides for the government shutdown. The survey they conducted showed 39 percent of the respondents would blame Republicans for not coming to an agreement on the budget, 36 percent said they would blame the Obama administration, and 16 percent said that both sides were to blame.
The potential government shutdown would affect contractors that do business with the federal agencies.
Social Security Offices nationwide are going to be protesting with a ‘National Call-In to Legislators Day’ on Wednesday April 6, 2011 between 12:00 and 1:00 pm. This protest is because of the proposed $1.7 billion reduction in funding for the rest of 2011.
On April 4, 2011, House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers introduced a continuing resolution which is a temporary funding solution that would prevent the government shutdown for one additional week. In addition, the measure would also cut $12 billion in discretionary spending.
To learn more about the Federal Government budget visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget.