Orion MPCV, Preparing for Testing...[ 2396 ]

The Orion MPCV, ( Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle)

Preparing for Testing

Standing five stories tall fully stacked, the Launch Abort System was mounted atop the Orion MPCV, or Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, last week at the Lockheed Martin’s facilities near Denver. Orion is being prepared for the next round of testing in an acoustic chamber. Each test will expose the Orion MPCV and its launch abort system to acoustic levels exceeding 150 decibels while instruments record the vehicle’s response.
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The test vehicles will provide critical data used to model the spacecraft's capabilities to perform deep space exploration missions. 
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The vehicles will undergo testing at sound pressure levels that emulate those experienced at launch and in the event an abort is needed to carry the crew to safety away from a potential problem on the launch pad or during ascent.
Image Credit: Lockheed Martin

Cheap holidays, for Britons !!!...[ 2395 ]

British holiday makers head for Rwanda and Bosnia

Bargain-hunting holidaymakers are heading to former warzones, including Rwanda and Bosnia, for cheap holidays, according to new statistics.

By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent

The Telegraph., 4:50PM BST 15 Aug 2011

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Destinations in the Baltic states like Serbia and Montenegro, that were once considered too dangerous because of civil war, are now offering a cheap to alternative to Greece.
 (Blogger;s remark:
-It is surprising how a serious newspaper like "The Telegraph" accommodates an article of this Louise Gray, who must be completely ignorant of  any Geographical  knowledge, when she says the ..."the Baltic States like Serbia and Montenegro" !!!!!! .
- Somebody must explain to her that Serbia and Montenegro, use to be and still are  in the Balkan peninsula  together with the small new state of Fyrom that she  insists  to call it twice as... Macedonia. 
- I cannot see how this article of this woman can be useful to any body , however I post it here as is, and i leave the rest for " The Telegraph " /

Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel site, has seen an increase of almost 50 per cent in searches for Macedonia as holiday makers seek out lakeside beaches and ancient sites.

The main attraction of holidays in previously off-limit destinations is the price. Bosnia Herzogovina, that has seen a 39 per cent increase in searches, offers cheap ski-ing holidays. There is also an interest in looking at the history of cities like Sarajevo, where tourists can still see the spots where mortar shells landed.

El Salvador, that has seen a 28 per cent increase in searches as the state becomes safer, offers exotic beaches and surfing for much less that more well known South American destinations.

One of the most extreme examples is Rwanda, that has seen a 656 per cent increase in searches as the country moves on from a traumatic past.

The African country not only offers safari for a much cheaper price than more mainstream African destination but gorilla watching.
Other destination that have overcome wars in the recent past include Croatia, Cuba and Vietnam.
However some countries do not remain popular for long. Libya, that was enjoying a boom in tourists coming to see Roman ruins is now off limits again and Syria, that was a popular for short breaks to Damascus, has been hit by civil unrest.
Tourists are advised to always check the security situation before travelling with the Foreign Office.
Emma O’Boyle, of TripAdvisor, said British holiday makers are becoming more adventurous.
“As Brits look for their next great travel experience, it seems destinations that only a few years ago would never have been an option are now being considered,” she said.
“We’re seeing rapidly growing interest in destinations like Rwanda and the Republic of Macedonia, showing that British travellers may be becoming more intrepid and looking for something different t

Japan,The Fukushima's ,school pools...[ 2394 ]

Radiation contamination leaves Fukushima schools unable to drain pool water

An educator checks the state of contaminated pool water at Watari Elementary School in Fukushima on Aug. 4, 2011. (Mainichi)



Posted Mon 15 Aug 2011
Many schools in Fukushima Prefecture are at a loss over what do to with their swimming pools, which can't be used or drained because the water is tainted with radioactive materials from the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant, it has emerged.
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The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has said schools should obtain consent from farmers when draining pool water into agricultural waterways, but the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education has not formed any guidelines on the concentration of radiation in water that is drained -- leaving locals to sort out the issue themselves.
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According to the education board, about 600 of the 735 pools at public kindergartens, elementary schools, junior high schools and high schools in Fukushima can't be drained. Most of these pools are located in eastern parts of the prefecture near the damaged nuclear plant or in central Fukushima Prefecture. 
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One-third of the pools are designed to drain their water into sewage systems, while the rest have to drain the water directly into agricultural waterways or rivers.
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The Education Ministry's School Health Education Division says there are no legal guidelines for draining pool water. The ministry instructed the prefectural education board to obtain consent from farming and other related organizations when draining pool water into rivers and agricultural waterways, and the board passed the information on to schools in May, but farmers have been reluctant to allow schools to drain pool water into waterways. 
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There are also many cases in which schools have the option of draining water into sewage lines, but they have not done so out of consideration for local residents.
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At Fukushima Daiichi Elementary School in the city of Fukushima, the bottom of the school pool is darkened with dust contaminated with radioactive materials, and algae has turned the water green.
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"We're concerned about health, too, so we want to drain the pools quickly, but we don't know the extent of contamination of the water and the sludge, and we can't cause trouble for people around the school," the school's principal commented.
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In the cities of Date and Minamisoma, decontamination work using zeolite and other agents that can absorb radioactive materials has been carried out, but the cost of such work is said to reach several million yen per pool.
Since May, the prefectural board of education has asked the Education Ministry to present standards and methods for draining pool water, but ministry officials have merely responded that they will consult with related government ministries and agencies, and have provided no response.
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A representative of the ministry's School Health Education Division commented, "Creating standards is difficult, and there is no option but to have schools and other related parties come to an agreement."
When asked about the radiation, a representative of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said, "We are not considering any particular response for pools alone."
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Meanwhile, a representative of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which is in charge of sewage, said, "There is no problem with draining water into sewage lines, but when it comes to making arrangements with locals, that's out of our jurisdiction."
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Muneyuki Shindo, a former Chiba University professor, said guidelines on decontamination should be provided.
"If jurisdiction over different parts of the work is divided, then officials should measure the concentration in accordance with clear instructions from the Cabinet, and present methods of decontamination," he said. "This is a typical scenario highlighting the government's lack of ability to make decisions and get things done."
Click here for the original Japanese story
(Mainichi Japan) August 13, 2011

Indiana fair stage 'snaps like a toothpick'...[ 2393 ]

5 dead, dozens hurt after Indiana fair stage 'snaps like a toothpick'

By the CNN Wire Staff

August 14, 2011 2:46 p.m. EDT

High winds topple stage at Indiana fair

(CNN) -- Forecasters warned that heavy rain and strong winds would hit the Indiana State Fair nearly two hours before the storm hit, causing the collapse of a concert stage that killed at least five people and injured 40 others Saturday night.
Metal scaffolding fell onto the "Sugarpit," a section usually occupied by Sugarland's most ardent fans, about four minutes after an Indiana State Police captain took the stage to warn the crowd to seek shelter, according to a timeline of events released by investigators Sunday.
Sugarland, an Atlanta-based country duo, escaped injury since they had not yet come onstage. They later posted a message on Twitter saying they were "stunned and heartbroken for the fans."
 ...........

CNN's Holly Yan, Chelsea J. Carter, Leslie Tripp and David Williams contributed to this report.

Read more 

• 5 dead, dozens hurt after Indiana fair stage 'snaps like a toothpick'

Syrian navy bombs city of Latakia .[ 2392 ]

Syrian navy bombs coastal city of Latakia ; Obama ‘deeply concerned’ over violence

Posted August 14, 2011 by josephwouk
Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News.

President Assad’s forces shell Mediterranean port city Latakia; White House says violence must end immediately.

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By Reuters

Syrian navy ships shelled two densely populated residential districts in the country’s main Mediterranean port city Latakia on Sunday, residents and rights campaigners said, in the second day of a military assault to crush protests.

“I can see the silhouettes of two grey vessels. They are firing their guns and the impact is landing on al-Raml al-Filistini and al-Shaab neighborhoods,” one witness told Reuters by phone from Latakia, where tanks and armored vehicles deployed three months ago to crush dissent against President Bashar Assad.

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	A tank at Al-Bahra roundabout in Hama in a still image taken from video made available on August 3, 2011.
	Photo by: Reuters	-

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Residents said at least six people were killed in the two districts from tank fire on Sunday morning, bringing the total killed since the beginning of the assault on Saturday to six. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said six civilians were killed on Sunday.

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Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama discussed the ongoing violence in Syria with British Prime Minister David Cameron and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah in separate phone calls Saturday, the White House said.

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Obama and Abdullah “expressed their shared, deep concerns” about President Assad’s use of violence against civilian protesters and agreed it must end immediately, a statement from the White House said.

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Abdullah earlier this week recalled the kingdom’s ambassador to Syria and issued the harshest condemnation yet by a regional leader against Damascus.

Cameron and Obama also reiterated their concern about the violence and agreed “the Syrian people’s legitimate demands for a transition to democracy should be met.” The two leaders said they would continue to monitor developments in Syria and consult about possible further steps.

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Obama also told Cameron he welcomed the return to calm following looting in Britain this week, while Cameron expressed his condolences over the deaths of 30 members of the US military whose helicopter was shot down over Afghanistan a week ago.