After various school shooting accidents including Columbine's, two fathers came up with an idea of using a bulletproof material inside backpacks. "Are you kidding me?", would say the rest of the world. However, for North American environment, especially United States with their open minded gun control policies, this seems to be normal. Living in Canada for the last nine years I understand that this might be a very useful invention and a great business case for the two "worrying fathers". I would not be surprised if bulletproof backpacks will become popular among students in the next ten years.
[source: The Boston Channel]
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Lunar Eclipse
Finally! It'll happen this upcoming Tuesday!
http://www.universetoday.com/2007/08/03/upcoming-total-lunar-eclipse-on-august-28th-2007
http://www.universetoday.com/2007/08/03/upcoming-total-lunar-eclipse-on-august-28th-2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Waterfalls
While planning a trip to Strathcona Provincial Park located at the heart of Vancouver Island, BC, I've looked at different waterfalls and compared them to Della Falls, which is considered to be the tallest in Canada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Della_Falls). It is 440 m high. There are other waterfalls in BC which reach up to 600 m. However, Della Falls wins with its continuous drop.
Niagara Falls - 51 m high, 792 m wide (Horseshoe, Canadian part) and 323 m wide (US). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Falls
Victoria Falls - 108 m high, 1.7 km wide, making it the largest sheet of falling water in the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_falls).
Niagara Falls - 51 m high, 792 m wide (Horseshoe, Canadian part) and 323 m wide (US). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Falls
Victoria Falls - 108 m high, 1.7 km wide, making it the largest sheet of falling water in the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_falls).
Online Organizer
This is an update to my previous online organizer post about www.stikkit.com. After using it for a few months, I found out that some of the features were still buggy. Send sms reminder feature did not work with my Vancouver Rogers number.
One of the things that I really wanted to see with this software is the ability to clean up your emailbox just by forwarding emails to StikkIt (allowing you to safely delete the email) and letting the tool parse the keywords to add reminders, phone numbers, links, etc. However, it is not there yet. Email forwards just get appended to a particular note, but without the ability to merge it with the main one or, more frustratingly, to modify the forward.
I believe it will reach the perfection in future. In the meanwhile, I am moving to Google Notes, which also has the feature of sharing it with others, but no text parsing (making sense of text that makes StikkIt so attractive).
One of the things that I really wanted to see with this software is the ability to clean up your emailbox just by forwarding emails to StikkIt (allowing you to safely delete the email) and letting the tool parse the keywords to add reminders, phone numbers, links, etc. However, it is not there yet. Email forwards just get appended to a particular note, but without the ability to merge it with the main one or, more frustratingly, to modify the forward.
I believe it will reach the perfection in future. In the meanwhile, I am moving to Google Notes, which also has the feature of sharing it with others, but no text parsing (making sense of text that makes StikkIt so attractive).
Growth of India, France's views on US
India
The economic growth in India brings in such elements of capitalism as stock market to poor folk. BBC's reporter describes it as a gentrified slum. On the other hand, BBC reports that availability of newer technologies and medical instruments increased abortion rates, especially of female foetuses. It is considered that a female is a burden to a family and once the gender of foetus is known, many decide to go for abortion. Economic development has its positive and negative effects. (BBC)
France
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president from May 2007, has different views on US than his predecessor, Jacques Chirac. He said that US can consider France its friend, unlike country's previous stance where it critiqued US is its foreign affairs. Current French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, visited Iran last week to support its political transition. (BBC)
The economic growth in India brings in such elements of capitalism as stock market to poor folk. BBC's reporter describes it as a gentrified slum. On the other hand, BBC reports that availability of newer technologies and medical instruments increased abortion rates, especially of female foetuses. It is considered that a female is a burden to a family and once the gender of foetus is known, many decide to go for abortion. Economic development has its positive and negative effects. (BBC)
France
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president from May 2007, has different views on US than his predecessor, Jacques Chirac. He said that US can consider France its friend, unlike country's previous stance where it critiqued US is its foreign affairs. Current French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, visited Iran last week to support its political transition. (BBC)
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Lava Tubes
From my Seattle friends, I've heard of amazing caving experience they've had not far from Seattle. The decision has been made. The originally planned road trip to the famous Long Beach at the South West boarder of Washington with Oregon was expanded to include a day drive Mt. St. Helens - the home for Ape Cave.
Ape Cave is the third-longest continuous lava tube in US and one of the longest in the world (3,976 m). About 2000 years ago during the basalt flows, it hardened on the outside. When it drained, hot gases melted the inside surface again, creating stalactites on the ceiling and leaving flow marks on the sides.
This was the first time in my life when I've experienced a hike in a complete pitch black darkness for over 2 hours. The temperature in the cave was around 5 degrees (Celsius). There were 3 of us. To remember it better, we stopped for a minute somewhere about an 1-2km deep in the cave, turned off our flashlights and listened. All I could hear was teammates breathing, water dripping and a slight breeze of air. The experience was unforgettable.
Above is the basalt ceiling of the cave.
The tunnel, previously river of lava.
Fallen ceiling - stones over 2 meters each.
A first glimpse of a light we saw after 2 hours. It was not the exit yet.
I highly recommend this cave as an easy hike without the need for a guide. Recommendations: flashlights, extra batteries, warm clothes, good flash for pictures.
Links:
http://lewisriver.com/apecave.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ape_Cave
St. Helens: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mt._St._Helens
Ape Cave is the third-longest continuous lava tube in US and one of the longest in the world (3,976 m). About 2000 years ago during the basalt flows, it hardened on the outside. When it drained, hot gases melted the inside surface again, creating stalactites on the ceiling and leaving flow marks on the sides.
This was the first time in my life when I've experienced a hike in a complete pitch black darkness for over 2 hours. The temperature in the cave was around 5 degrees (Celsius). There were 3 of us. To remember it better, we stopped for a minute somewhere about an 1-2km deep in the cave, turned off our flashlights and listened. All I could hear was teammates breathing, water dripping and a slight breeze of air. The experience was unforgettable.
Above is the basalt ceiling of the cave.
The tunnel, previously river of lava.
Fallen ceiling - stones over 2 meters each.
A first glimpse of a light we saw after 2 hours. It was not the exit yet.I highly recommend this cave as an easy hike without the need for a guide. Recommendations: flashlights, extra batteries, warm clothes, good flash for pictures.
Links:
http://lewisriver.com/apecave.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ape_Cave
St. Helens: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mt._St._Helens
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