31 March 2011

Richard Dawkins: Religion vs Science

Interview with Scientist Richard Dawkins: 'Religion? Reality Has a Grander Magic of its Own' - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International

You may or may not agree with him, but you cannot fault the man for his convictions. He's the most strident atheist I have read.

Anton Hysén: Gay footballer

Anton Hysén: 'Anyone afraid of coming out should give me a call' | Football | The Guardian

The guy comes across as being extremely thoughtful and intelligent. If that in itself invites vitriol and hatred, and heaven forbid, actual violence, simply because of prejudices about his sexuality, then all of humanity should be ashamed.

No one I know would hurt or kill someone simply because he's gay. Or am I being idealistic?

25 March 2011

Natural disasters in 2011 - A year too early?

Just read that an earthquake has hit Myanmar earlier today - Earthquake Hits Myanmar.

By my own (not terribly accurate) count, there have been quite a few natural disasters in 2011 alone -

a. 11 March - The recent Japan quake/tsunami - BBC News
b. 22 February - Earthquake in Christchurch, NZ - Quakemap
c. 24 March - Tornado in Pennsylvania, US - Photoblog

Is this a sign of a coming apocalypse ala 2012, albeit a year early? ;-)

Of course, there are those who are already predicting the 2nd coming of Jesus.

:)ac

24 March 2011

‘Artificial Cooling Cloud’ In Development For Qatar World Cup

‘Artificial Cooling Cloud’ In Development For Qatar World Cup » Who Ate all the Pies


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This is apparently one of the ideas from Qatar University for dealing with the heat problems for World Cup 2022.

:-)

23 March 2011

Elizabeth Taylor, RIP


A silver screen legend. RIP, Ms Taylor.



A Parent's Struggle With a Child's iPad Addiction - NYTimes.com

A Parent's Struggle With a Child's iPad Addiction - NYTimes.com

I think my 6-year-old is addicted to the iPad.

He asks for it constantly. He wants to use it in the car. He wants to use it at every unscheduled moment at home. He brings it to the dinner table.

When I tell him it’s time to shut off the iPad and head up to bed, or put his shoes on, or head out to the bus, he doesn’t hear me the first three times I ask. Sometimes, he gets bizarrely upset when I say I have to take it away now — out-of-character upset. That’s what makes me think he’s addicted.

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I agree. My 3 year old is completely addicted to YouTube on his mother's iPhone 4 but he only watches ABC and other number counting songs and videos. Heck, he learned his alphabets and numbers from watching those very YouTube videos!

:)ac

Japan: The neighborhood shipwreck


AP photojournalist David Guttenfelder shares his experience covering the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

When we drove into the town of Kesennuma, Japan, we saw a massive ship and my AP colleague said, “That must be the port.” But we were far from the ocean and it just didn’t add up. As it turned out, the tsunami had deposited this ship in the middle of a suburban intersection, about 50 yards from a destroyed 7-Eleven. It was so absurdly out of context. Residents searching for whatever remained of their homes and possessions — including an elderly woman with a puppy peeking out from her backpack — stopped and stared in disbelief at the shipwreck in their front yards. I stared too, trying to make a picture that would show the scale of the ship and the strangeness of it all.

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Must be strange as hell waking up in the morning to see a ship outside your window...


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Japan: Recovering lost ones



David Guttenfelder / AP

Tayo Kitamura, 40, kneels in the street to caress and talk to the wrapped body of her mother Kuniko Kitamura, 69, after Japanese firemen discovered the dead woman inside the ruins of her home in Onagawa, northeastern Japan Saturday, March 19.

AP photojournalist David Guttenfelder shares his experience covering the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

I saw Tayo Kitamura picking through rubble in the leveled town of Onagawa. She was looking for her mother who'd been missing since the earthquake and tsunami struck. She told some Japanese firemen searching the area that she had a gut feeling her mother was buried in a house nearby. Her mother's house had mostly vanished, but she recognized part of the outer wall and some of her family belongings lying in a neighbor's yard. The firemen started digging, removing piles of wood and sea fish. They finally found a body of a woman. Everyone went silent.

Two firemen whispered to one another. They seemed to be talking about how to break the news. They carried the body to the road and held up a sheet while Kitamura checked. When she stepped away she turned to me and said, very stoically, "Yes, that's her." The firemen left Kitamura to be alone. She kneeled and began to caress her dead mother through the blue plastic, speaking to her in a whisper as she wept.

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An utterly heart-breaking moment.

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Singapore's inflation up 5% on-year in February - Channel NewsAsia

Singapore's inflation up 5% on-year in February - Channel NewsAsia

Inflation up again.... :(

Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers - Recap - March 22, 2011 - ESPN

Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers - Recap - March 22, 2011 - ESPN

Amazing 3OT game at the Staples. Whew!

:)ac