BEAUTY OF PAKISTAN

The ISA 120 really is one of a kind. The sophisticated looking and technologically advanced yacht was built in the 45,000 square foot International Shipyard in Ancona, Italy. It is a streamlined, slim design with 3 decks and spacious, well-designed interiors. The ISA 120 has avant-garde propulsion and stabilization systems, and truly exceptional performance in addition to its stunning looks.

Now three years since its debut, the ISA 120, fiberglass planning yacht is the absolute jewel in the crown of the Ancona shipyard. This is the 9th incarnation of the yacht.

The yacht has exceptional peak speed - 36 knots, for a 120 foot yacht: The engine is a 3 Mtu 16V 2000 M93, each 1790 kW, coupled to 2 KaMeWa hydrojets and 1 central booster makes the boat extremely agile and maneuverable, with quick acceleration, gentle deceleration and turning.

Under the scope of constant innovation, the shipyard has chosen to develop and install the new stabilization system Quantum Zero Speed™ on the latest ISA 120. The active fins react instantly to the demands of the wave movement, contrasting it and reducing rolling during cruising to a minimum, making the yacht very stable also at anchor, thanks to the fact that when the yacht is moored the fins unfold to a wing, thereby increasing the active surface area by one third.

Another important feature is the use of Quantum stabilizers even in speedy cruising. There is no perceivable reduction in speed, as the yacht easily maintains speeds in excess of 33 knots.

There is a balanced ratio of external and internal space: large sea terraces with teak decks, the cockpit and flying-bridge are offset against the enormous light and airy indoor lounge area and the spacious cabins.

click on the images to enlarge

Aft deck and alfresco dining:

Foredeck:

The interiors can be fully customized. The owner’s cabin, for example, laid out on two floors, makes the best possible use of the bow area of the main and lower decks. Below are some shots of the interior.

click on the images to enlarge

Living and lounging areas:

interior dining:

Guest cabins and baths:

Crew cabins:

galley:

The Saloon /Kitchen:

The Master Cabin and bath:

Miss Beauty Arab World Contest 2009

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:17:00 +0000

Miss Beauty Arab World Contest 2009

Mawadda Nour, from Saudi Arabia, receives congratulations from other contestants as she wins the "Miss Arab World 2009" pageant in Cairo, November 11, 2009.

Unusual wedding all over the world

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:12:00 +0000

Unusual wedding all over the world

Two trends are tying the knot: adventure travel and destination weddings. For some, a Caribbean beachfront wedding -- long the staple of destination nuptials -- has grown too tame. Too common.

"Couples are looking for any type of way to be original," said WeddingChannel.com senior editor Christa Vagnozzi. "They really want to showcase their style and originality."

So, while one in couples now plans a destination wedding, according to a 2007 survey a select crop of them are adding adventure to their nuptials, with ceremonies underwater, on skis and glaciers, in the stratosphere and the African bush.

Mona Lisa Painting made with coffee Cup

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:03:00 +0000

The Mona Lisa, one of the world's most famous paintings, has been recreated with 3,604 cups of coffee - and 564 pints of milk.

It measures 20 feet high and 13 feet wide and took a team of eight people three hours to complete

The different colours were created by adding no, little or lots of milk to each cup of black coffee.

It measures an impressive 20 feet high and 13 feet wide and took a team of eight people three hours to complete.

It was created for The Rocks Aroma Festival in Sydney, Australia, and seen by 130,000 people who attended the one-day coffee-lovers event.

Elaine Kelly, from event organisers the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, was delighted with the result.

She said: "Each coffee cup was filled with varying amounts of milk to create the different sepia shades of the painting.

"We wanted to create an element of surprise and a sense of fun in the way we engaged with the public.

"Once we had the idea of creating an image out of coffee cups we searched for something iconic to reproduce - and opted for the most iconic painting in history.

"The Mona Lisa has been reproduced so many times in so many different mediums but, as far as we know, never out of coffee.

"The result was fantastic.

"After much planning it was great to see if coming together so well and the 130,000 people who attended the event certainly enjoyed it."

Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda, is the 16th century portrait painted in oil by Leonardo Da Vinci during the Italian Renaissance.

The work is owned by the French government and hangs in the Musee du Louvre in Paris, France, with the title Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

It measures 770 millimetres by 530 millimetres and has prompted debate for years over the reason for her famously enigmatic smile.

Extensive scrutiny using X-ray apparatus suggests that restoration work has resulted in the original being painted over three times.

Bible Art

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:49:00 +0000

Welcome to the Bible pages. So many illustrators did Biblical
(and extra-Biblical) themed pieces, depicting Bible stories,
spiritual life in America, songs, and poems,
that I couldn't resist dedicating a spot to this wealth of beautiful artwork.

Herbert Paus, Into the Soul of America (1924) Bible - 001A
W T Benda, Hearst's International, "Armageddon" (1917) Bible - 002
J C Leyendecker, Christmas Hymn (1905) Bible - 003
Anton Otto Fischer, "In Extremis" (1940s) - 004 Scan and text are from Fischer's biography by his daughter, Katrina Sigsbee Fischer, "Anton Otto Fischer, Marine Artist," published in 1984 Caption: When A.O.F. showed this picture to Oswald Brett, he remarked "This painting was to show the tough nuts that, in the last extremity, they always get down to first principles ."
Walter Everett, "A Prayer for Peace" (1911) Bible - 005
Amos Sewell, Saturday Evening Post, "Christmas Sermon" (1948) Bible - 006
Ralph Pallen Coleman, The Way, The Truth, and the Life, "Ruth Clave Unto Naomi" Ruth 1:16 (1958) Bible - 007
Frank Schoonover, Ladies' Home Journal "Leading Them Back Home for Christmas" (1918) Bible - 008
Robert Maguire, "Church Entrance" Christmas Card (c1965) Bible - 009
Dean Cornwell, Christ's Feet Are Washed (1920s) Bible - 010
Arthur Rackham, Woman's Home Companion, "To Bethlehem: A Christmas Masque" (1931) Bible - 011
Howard Chandler Christy, "For Thine is the Kindgom and the Power and the Glory Forever" War Poster (c.1942) Bible - 012
H J Soulen, Ladies' Home Journal, "The Temple Area, Jerusalem" (1926) Bible - 013
Alex Ross, Good Housekeeping (1953) Bible - 014
Herbert Paus, The Delineator. "Pilate's Judgement" (1907) Bible - 015
Howard Chandler Christy, Sunday News, "Peace On Earth" (1948) Bible - 016
Harry Anderson, Woman's Home Companion (1949) Bible - 017
Dean Cornwell, American Weekly, "The Holy Land" (1947) Bible - 018
Ralph Pallen Coleman, The Way, The Truth, and the Life, "The Lonely Christ" Matthew 21:17 (1958) Bible - 019
Mead Schaeffer, Saturday Evening Post, "Christmas" (1944) Bible - 020
Henry Clive, American Weekly, "Give - Blessed Are The Merciful" (1949) Bible - 021
Douglas Crockwell, Avondale Fabric (1948) Bible - 022
R G Harris, McCall's (1945) Bible - 023
Copping, Ladies' Home Journal, "Lord, Help" (1945) Bible - 024
Edwin Georgi, Woman's Home Companion (1935) Bible - 025
Harry Anderson, The 10 Commandments (19??) Bible - 026
Jerry Allison, 027John 1:14 (19??) Bible - 027 " The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
James Bingham, Coronet, "Christmas Eve" (1946) Bible - 028
Jon Whitcomb, Collier's, "Chamorro" (1944) Bible - 029

100 + Amazing Photos Of One Of The Greatest Cities In The World:Spectacular Chicago

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Which way is up?

Toy boats float on a Navy Pier reflecting pool in Chicago on a summer evening.

Glow pod

Parkgoers pack into Zaha Hadid's pavilion during the public opening as part of the centennial celebration of Daniel Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago in Millennium Park.

Mirror, mirror

A river taxi gets distorted in a mirrored surface underneath the Michigan Avenue Bridge underpass in Chicago.

City slickers

Pedestrians cross Monroe Street at Michigan Avenue during the rainy commute.

Summer fog

Marilou Tibayan fishes on Lake Michigan near Montrose Harbor as clouds roll through downtown.

Hitchcock at the Park

The infamous shower scene from "Psycho" plays on an outdoor screen at Grant Park.

By dawn's early light

As the sun comes up over the lake, triathletes begin the swim portion of the 27th Chicago Triathlon.

Beach season

Morgan Flarity of Tampa, Fl., serves during a qualifier of the AVP Chicago Open at Oak Street Beach.

Afternoon glow

The sun reflects off buildings, illuminating Illinois Street near Michigan Avenue.

Buzzing the city

An Oracle bi-plane circles downtown Chicago during practice for the Chicago Air and Water Show.

Wheel in the sky

Storm clouds pass over the Chicago.

Trumped by fireworks

In this view from the 90th floor Trump Tower, holiday fireworks are dwarfed by the surrounding buildings.

Hoops

Young boys play basketball in Pilsen's Dvorak Park against the red painted wall of the fieldhouse.

Hitting the bricks

A fire escape makes for a graphic pattern against the side of the Chicago Theater.

Cruise control

A cruise boat makes its way west on the Chicago River.

Pacing himself

A lone runner makes his way along the lakefront adjacent to the Shedd Aquarium.

Clunkervision

A junkyard on Chicago's South Side takes on a graphic beauty when viewed from the air.

Scoreboard drama

Dusk over Wrigley provides a gorgeous distraction as the Cubs battled the Houston Astros in July.

Take me to the River

Pedestrians stroll along a newly opened portion of the Riverwalk along the Chicago River.

Wheels keep on turnin'

Bikers take in their morning exercise along the Lake Michigan shoreline south of downtown.

Sweet relief

Children enjoy Crown Fountain during a hot spell.

Interior drama

A woman views the inside of the Zaha Hadid's pavilion. It opened to the public in August in conjuction with the centennial celebration of Daniel Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago in Millennium Park.

Head in the clouds

Chicago's John Hancock building is enveloped by a small patch of fog.

Morning fog

The sun rises behind the Hancock Building as a light fog settles over downtown on a day that's supposed to the warmest in weeks.

Field Museum

The Field Museum of Natural History for the background for the Annual Venetian Night boat parade at Monroe Harbor in Chicago.

Calder in the rain

The Alexander Calder "Flamingo" sculpture rises above a glistening Federal Plaza in Chicago as a light drizzle falls.

Whimsy in the wind

People young and old enjoy a funky, giant kite while visiting the Annual Kids and Kites Festival at Montrose Harbor.

Lost in the clouds

The John Hancock Center on Chicago's Gold Coast is partially enshrouded on a cool, damp summer morning.

Setting sun

The setting sun can make even the traffic home look good: looking west on Roosevelt Road near Canal.

Point plunge

University of Chicago students take a quick, chilly dip in Lake Michigan off Promontory Point.

Wrigley when it sizzles

Lightning strikes northeast of Wrigley Field during a Cubs-Padres game.

Cloud Gate

Cloud Gate shot from the 5th floor of the Cultural Center, is British artist Anish Kapoor's first public outdoor work installed in the United States. The 110-ton elliptical sculpture is forged of a seamless series of highly polished stainless steel plates, which reflect the city's famous skyline and the clouds above.

Wintering tradition

A mini armada of sailboats wait for the bridges to open as they leave Lake Michigan to go to winter berths in October 2002.

nuevo leon

Many of the buildings in the Pilsen neighborhood sport colorful murals. This one adorns the exterior of Nuevo Leon on 18th Street.

sunrise

Cyclists along Lake Michigan near 39th Street at sunrise in March 2008.

Bandshell

The Millennium Park opening gala features Carlos Kalmar conducting the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra

chinatown

At Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chinatown, the reflection of the Riverplace building makes a psychedelic background for ducks swiming in the Chicago River.

Thaddeus statue

Heavy fog blankets the Chicago area as the statue of Thaddeus Kosciusko stands in the heavy mist near the John G. Shedd Aquarium on Solidarity Drive.

Picasso

The Picasso statue wears the home team hats at the Play Ball Chicago festival in Daley Plaza.

Statue of Nicolaus Copernicus

A gull seeks the center of the universe, as it lands on the statue of Nicolaus Copernicus in front of the Adler Planetarium..

surf

Surfin' Chicago: a man and his board off Promontory Point.

Trees

Shown here: A storm rolls over a farm field in Plainfield, Ill.

Lightning

A vast lightning show erupted over most the south suburban and northwest Indiana area.

Pagoda

Chinese pagoda-style buildings along Wentworth Avenue in Chinatown stand in contrast to the Sears Tower.

Baha'i Temple/wide view

The Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, which is known as the "Mother Temple of the West."

shore walk

Strolling the shoreline at Northerly Island.

blue sky

Crisp winter temperatures often make the city twinkle a bit more, including the north end of Millennium Park.

Millennium Park bridge

Pedestrians stroll the serpentine bridge that connects Millennium Park with Daley Bicentennial Plaza.

northerly island

Canada Geese pop up like periscopes in the tall grass of Northerly Island.

Fireworks

Independence Day fireworks erupt over the Chicago skyline.

Fireworks

Fireworks burst over Lake Michigan as Chicago celebrates Independence Day on July 3, 2007.

Fireworks

The Wrigley Building is illuminated by fireworks as the clock strikes 12:01 a.m. Jan 1, 2000.

pow

Fireworks over Lake Michigan as Chicago celebrates Independence Day in 2007.

visit

Buckingham Fountain captivates Chicagoans and visitors all summer long.

windy

A Chicago lifeguard watches over a wind-whipped Lake Michigan.

University of Chicago

A restful courtyard at the University of Chicago.

volleyball

A volleyball player gets ready to serve in a slice of sunlight at Oak Street Beach.

chiriver

Touring the Chicago River via the Chicago Architecture Foundation river cruise in 2004.

Cottage Grove mural

A youngster is nearly camouflaged by the mural at Cottage Grove and 113th.

Chicago Marathon

A swirl of runners surround Chicago Police officers on Columbus Drive in the midst of the Chicago Marathon in 2003.

sci and industry

A portion of the facade of the Museum of Science and Industry.

clouds

A striking sunset (no pun intended) over Wrigley Field in May 2004.

fog

The lake sends up a layer of fog in this view from Navy Pier, with the sculpture "Captain at the Helm," by Michael Martino, in the foreground.

steel

Steelworkers create a ribbon of light in 2003.

buck2

Buckingham Fountain in July 2004.

sky

A perfect day at Wrigley Field in September 2003.

skyway

Urban steel makes for an intricate silhouette along the Chicago Skyway in October 2007.

upper deck

Long shadows as fans make their way to Wrigley Field's upper deck.

park

Locals and tourists often splash their way around the Crown Fountain at Millennium Park.

northmich

The Water Tower and holiday lights along Michigan Avenue in December 2005.

escalator

Back when it was known as Marshall Fields, the State Street store sported a light show projected onto escalators.

trump

A statue appears to point towards the Trump Tower under construction and the famed Marina City towers.

buckingham

Buckingham Fountain is a great place to stop by for some cooling-off spray from the fountain's jets.

battle

Shoppers and commuters battle wind and weather along Michigan Avenue in December 2007.

SuperDawg

The fabulous SuperDawg drive-in on the Northwest Side of Chicago.

sears

The Kinzie Street bridge over the Chicago River's north branch makes for a great vantage point. A great scene from "High Fidelity" was filmed there.

umbrellas

Oakbrook Center in the rain.

puddle

Melting snow makes for great reflections at Millennium Park in 2008.

winterrrr

Millennium Park takes on an otherworldly glow in winter.

diversey

Diversey Harbor in the deep freeze, December 2004.

skate

Skating in the midst of Millennium Park.

ferris

"Bike the Drive".

cloud gate

Tourists and visitors to Millennium Park are reflected in Anish Kapoor's sculpture "Cloud Gate".

winter park

Millennium Park in winter.

light show

A flashback to "Flashdance"? A tourist poses in front of the Millennium Park fountain.

brown line

Commuters wait at the CTA stop at Fullerton and Sheffield.

chicago theater

Faded signage in Chicago's Theater district.

toll plaza

Who knew the Skyway could look gorgeous?

cool down

Cooling down in Millennium Park.

fireworks

New Year's Eve fireworks.

brilliant

Holiday time in Millennium Park, 2005.

glow

A tourist watches as the rising sun bathes the Chicago skyline in a warm glow while the moon sets in the west.

reflect

Buildings along Michigan Avenue are reflected in "Cloud Gate", also known as the "Bean".

lurie

An oasis in downtown Chicago: Millennium Park's Lurie Gardens.

breakup

The breaking up of the Chicago River makes for great reflections.

oakst

Oak Street Beach lifeguards have no one to guard on the chilly opening of Chicago Park District beaches.

fullerton

A woman walk a dog along Lake Michigan near Fullerton Ave. beach.

trudge

Commuters trudge through rain and snow in the afternoon rush hour.

storms

Low-hanging storm clouds roll into Chicago in July 2003.

rooftops

Rooftop celebrants along Sheffield Avenue outside Wrigley Field.

thompson

Pedestrian patterns in front of the Thompson Center.

glide

Skating away on a chilly November day in 2006.

cell

Fans rejoice at a Sox home opener.

diveee

Though signs warn against it, teens dive into Lake Michigan north of Oak Street Beach in 1998.

looper

Graphic signage in Chicago's Loop in 2004.

silhouette

A Cubs fan is silhouetted against the Wrigley Field sign as she stands on the roof of The Cubby Bear.

boatsssss

Bustling Navy Pier in 1998.

4th july

Fireworks over Lake Michigan for the 4th of July celebrations in 2003.

pink

Ascending the stairs to the CTA platform in Chicago's Loop.

loop2

Chicago's Loop is a wealth of light, shadow and color.

loop3

Colorful steps towards the CTA platform in the Loop in 2004.

waveland

A 2003 winter view of Southport near Waveland in Chicago's Wrigleyville neighborhood.

lakestreet

A commuter make his way to work over the Lake Street bridge and the Chicago River in the rain and fog

stairs

A pedestrian, bundled against the frigid temperatures, makes his way up the stairs from North Columbus Drive to East Wacker Drive shortly after sunrise.

steam

Steam rises from Lake Michigan, looking south towards downtown, as temperatures hover at -6 degrees.

river
The Chicago River thaws and ducks take a break.

foggy

Ice clinging to everything early on in the day at Wampum Lake Forest Preserve near Thornton, Il.

el

Under the El near Cottage Grove.

snow

Where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan snow covers benches and walkways.

river

The cold dawn light reflects off ice forming on the Chicago River.

wolves

Wolves pass the time at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

dolphin

A Pacific white-sided dolphin surfaces for air at the Shedd Aquarium.

blueprint

Buildings reflected in the 333 N. Wacker Drive building.

The Hancock casts a shadow across Lake Shore Drive.

19 Amazing Paintings, Not Photos

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:43:00 +0000

Paul Roberts

Roberto Bernardi

Doug Bloodworth

Eric Zener

Alyssa Monks

Gregory Thielker

Diego Gravinese

Halloween's Top 10 Scary Creatures

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:42:00 +0000

They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky. But Halloween's creepiest creature customs didn't appear out of thin air, not even the ghosts. Many of them once instilled real fear in medieval towns, when folklore reigned supreme and getting freaked out came easy. Here we offer up some real science and history of the scary stars of Oct. 31.

Goblins

Made famous in fairy tales, the small and furry goblin is more mischievous than menacing. Legend tells of goblins hiding out in forests, pulling pranks and sometimes switching human babies for their own changeling spawn. Unlike some of the other creatures mentioned here and probably because of their disconnect from religion, goblins never quite crossed the threshold from the imaginary to cause real panic in medieval towns.

Demons

One of those all-encompassing terms for an "evil spirit," a demon can represent anything from a malevolent ghost or fallen angel to a puppet of Satan. Like the notion of evil itself, they have ancient origins and appear in folklore and literature across the world. The demon that possessed Linda Blair in "The Exorcist" is probably pop culture's most famous and most talented, with levitation capability, rotating head and amazing, life-like spewing action!

Gargoyles

Theyere one way to add a little freaky je ne sais quoi to otherwise lovely architecture. But gargoyles, those frightening stone monsters protruding from cathedrals worldwide, do actually have a function. They were incorporated into gothic stonework as early as the 13th-century to keep rain water off cathedral roofs, their mouths serving as the ejector spout. More spiritually, gargoyles were supposed to protect the congregation from the ever-present evil forces lurking outside. Two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Zombies

Kings of the b-movie industry, zombies are individuals who've either had their souls sucked from their bodies or been revived from the dead through black magic. Zombie culture stems from the voodoo religion of Haiti, where it is still believed that people can fall into mindless trances just like the walking dead we've seen on film (minus the missing limbs and snacking on human flesh). An ethnobotanist investigating the claims in Haiti found a toxic drug that could actually induce a zombie-style catatonic state.

Werewolves

Typically normal and well-mannered until a Full Moon kicks in, werewolves are cursed shapeshifters that have appeared in the legend set of nearly every culture going back to ancient Greece. Like witches, they were hunted in medieval times and blamed for community murders that couldn't be explained otherwise. Though the violent werewolf stories of old seem to have fallen off the radar, except in Hollywood, there remains an excessive body-hair disorder lovingly nicknamed "the werewolf disease."

Jack-oe-Lanterns

A standout among freaks and monsters, the nutritious pumpkin may be Halloween's most famous symbol. The practice of carving and lighting the gourd is a Celtic custom brought to America by Irish immigrants, who used the more-plentiful turnip back home. Glowing, frightening faces emanating from the pumpkins were meant to frighten off the evil spirits thought to roam the streets on Oct. 31, the Celtic New Year's Eve.

Bats

They're blind, they hang out in caves and they inspire masked crusaders. But how did bats become associated with Halloween? The winged mammals can thank vampires for that. Like their Draculian counterparts, a small number of bat species actually subsist on animal bloode vampire bats have been known to attack humans on occasioneusing sharp teeth to cut into the sleeping victim. Their nocturnal ways and connection to Ozzy Osbourne probably don't help either.

Witches

Forget the pointy black hat and warty nose. Those popular associations are relatively recent compared with the long and often tragic history of witches across the globe. In the past, witches were thought to possess magical powers connected with the natural world. Like all pagans, they were demonized as heretics by the Christian church, a hunt that reached its apex in medieval Europe and 17th-century America. Good luck picking them out of a crowd today: witch costumes frequently top the list at Halloween.

Ghosts

Poke two eye holes in a bed sheet and you've got the easiest Halloween costume around. Becoming a real ghost is a bit more complicated. First you have to die, maybe tragically, then leave part of your soul hanging around earth to spook relatives and haunt houses. From a supposedly scientific angle, parapsychologists argue that energyeincluding what's in the bodyecan never be completely destroyed. Society seems to agree: various studies peg belief in ghosts at about 50 percent.

Vampires

They vant to suck your blood, and have for quite some time. Vampires have popped up in cultural folklore for thousands of years, though the fanged-and-coiffed version we know comes from the 18th and 19th-century myths of Eastern Europe. There, it was believed that someone who was born with deformities or died an irregular death could, after burial, rise again to terrorize the living. Vampires were considered eundeade and needed to feast on human blood to remain so.

13 Amazing Benefits of Laughter

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:41:00 +0000

Laughing is one of the most gifted qualities of human beings. Sadly, an adult human laughs only 10-15 times a day compared to a child who laughs up to 300 times. To enjoy the benefits that accompany this wonderful trait, one does not have to wait for hilarious moments. Simply faking a laugh for no reason can give you similar benefits as of a genuine laugh. . Laugh for no reason for 5 minutes and see the difference it makes to your psyche.

For those who insist to be serious, here are some benefits of laughter that should give you much needed boost:

Reduces risk of heart disease. Research shows that laughing expands the inner walls of the arteries thereby increasing the blood flow. Furthermore, this positive effect lasted for 30-45 minutes.
Checks blood pressure. When you laugh, the blood flow increases and the blood pressure rises. But when you stop laughing, blood pressure drops back to its baseline. This relaxing effect helps bring down blood pressure.
Laughing boosts the immune system. Laughing increases the amount of immunoglobulins and T cells in the body, our body’s natural defense mechanism.
Natural painkiller. Laughing helps people forget about pain. Studies show that children watching comedy films tolerate pain more easily. There are many more studies to validate the pain relieving effects of good laughter.
Massages the abdominal organs. Belly laughing gives a good massage to the abdominal organs, like liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen and adrenal glands. As a result, blood flow is increased and their functioning is improved.
Decreases stress. Laughing instantly reduces stress hormones levels and hence is one of the most effective ways to reduce effects of stress.
Helps keep diabetes under control. A study showed that people who watched a funny video after meal had comparatively lesser blood sugar level than those who watched a serious film.
Makes you look young. Laughing requires as many as 15 muscles to squeeze facial muscles in to a smile. This act increases the blood flow around the face making you look younger.
Is an effective anti-depressant. Laughter keeps depression and anxiety at bay by boosting the production of serotonin, a natural anti-depressant. It’s no surprise that people with a good sense of humor rarely get depressed. And even if they do get, they get over it quickly.
Acts like a cleansing and energizing breath. During stress, our breathing is shallow and there is a build up carbon dioxide and residual air in our lungs. Belly laughing forces the air out of lungs, until its empty, followed by a deep inhalation. Hence repeated laughing cleanses the body and energizes it with fresh oxygen.
Gives good sleep. One of the main factors responsible for sleep problems is stress and anxiety. Having a good laugh prior to sleep reduces stress and anxiety, promoting deep, restful sleep.
Families that laugh together, stay together. In most affluent families, each member have their own separate room and TV. Forget watching an entire movie, they hardly get time to sit together for a meal. As a result there is hardly any bonding between the members. On other hand, families that spend time together and have a laugh, gel together and have a greater degree of bonding.
Laughter is contagious. It not only lifts our spirits but also of others around us. Humorous are always in demand. A single humorous person lifts the spirit of everyone around him/her. Blessed are those who have such friends.

“Laughter brings inner energy to the fore. When you really laugh, for those few moments, you are in a deep meditative state. Thinking stops. Laughter is the best medicine. If you can laugh when you are ill, you will get your health back sooner. If you cannot laugh, even if you are healthy, sonner or later you will lose your health and you will become ill.”

10 Big Lessons From Little Kids

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:40:00 +0000

“You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.”

- Franklin P. Jones

Have you ever watched a child completely engrossed in a project? They have the unusual ability to be serious about what they’re doing without taking it too seriously. You can do the same with your life. You can live every day with more focus, and every week with more motivation.

Here’s what every child knows that you may have forgotten. See if you can apply some of these lessons to your adult life.

1. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Even when there’s not a prize in the bottom of the box.

Studies show that children who eat breakfast do better in school. It doesn’t take much further thought to know that adults will feel better and perform better at work as well. Researchers believe that eating first thing in the morning may help to stabilize blood sugar levels, which regulate appetite and energy. They suggest people who eat breakfast are less likely to be hungry during the rest of the day and are, therefore, less likely to overeat. So, tomorrow morning, remember that eating a healthy breakfast is the best way to start off your day, and be good to yourself by eating a healthy one.

2. Homework blows. Bring work home with you and it’ll ruin your night. And your marriage. And your family. And your life.

Don’t bring work home. If you are overloaded and don’t have enough time at work to do what is expected, talk to your supervisor to resolve the problem. Home should be your relaxation zone, not another workplace. Make sure you separate work and leisure time in your head – so that work doesn’t spill over into your fun. Even simple things like changing out of your work clothes and having a shower when you get home, or going to the gym after work can help you shake off the working day.

3. The only way to know how something works is to completely disassemble it. (This is still good advice when tackling a complex problem. Your plasma TV? Not so much).

Hard problem? Break it down! Writing a book seems daunting, so start by doing an essay. If an essay is too much, start by writing a paragraph summary. The important thing is to have something done right away. Once you have something, you can judge it more accurately and understand the problem better. It’s also much easier to improve something that already exists than to work at a blank page. If your paragraph goes well, then maybe it can grow into an essay and then into a book, little by little, a perfectly reasonable piece of writing all the way through.

4. There’s a reason they don’t give credit cards to 8-year-olds. You’re supposed to save up money before you buy a new toy.

Managing your money is an important life skill that few of us were ever taught. But it’s never too late to learn. Taking control of your money means knowing where it’s going. It’s all too easy to let your money fritter away without any real sense of what you’re spending. The key is to sit down and work it out. It’s a good idea to write down your spending, then you can review it and see where you could manage money better.

5. Asking questions is how you figure things out. Lots and lots of questions.

Why are taller buildings better? What is the purpose of curbs? Ask anything that comes to mind, and ponder the possible answers. Our brains are wired to be curious. As we grow up and “mature” many of us stifle or deny our natural curiosity. Let yourself be curious! Wonder to yourself about why things are happening. Ask someone in the know. The best way to exercise our curiosity is by asking “Why?” Make it a new habit to ask “why?” at least 10 times a day. Your brain will be happier and you will be amazed at how many opportunities and solutions will show up in your life and work.

6. The coolest adults were the ones who took the time to listen to you. You still want to grow up to be a cool adult, right?

When you’re feeling stressed, have had a particularly difficult day, or are facing a crisis, the ear of a supportive friend can be a lifeline to peace. A genuinely good listener is actually more rare than one would think, and also more valuable. Sometimes people feign listening, but they’re really just waiting for their friend to stop talking so they can say whatever they’ve been mentally rehearsing while they’ve been pretending to listen. People can usually sense this, and it doesn’t feel good. Learn how to be a truly supportive listener, and you may find yourself surrounded by others who are able to do the same.

7. Your body was designed for throwing baseballs, shooting hoops, and jumping off diving boards and stuff. In the secret language of children, the word “fitness” doesn’t exist. It’s called “having fun.”

Everything can be a game. Why slog through the same workout routines in boredom, when you can add a little fun? Make up rules, shoot for personal records, regain your competitive spirit. No fear, no self-doubts, no negative self talk, no self-criticism, no worries, no destructive anxieties or thoughts of failure. To a child, he/she can do anything. And do you know what? They’re right.

8. Playtime is important and laughter feels good.

We get so caught up in work, chores and a host of “have-to’s” that we forget to take time for ourselves. Not only does relaxing and regrouping make life worthwhile, it has real health benefits. Most of all, it will help you stay consistent and motivated. Kids also seem to inherently know that laughter can ease blood pressure, help your brain function, give you energy, and help you reach your goals. Smiling and enjoying yourself can be serious help.

9. Too much of anything will give you a tummy ache. Like, say, bourbon.

Those who over-exercise will burn themselves out. Those who site sedately all day suffer from atrophy. A boy who studies all the time has no friends. Another who only makes friends fails in his examinations. Staying too long under the sun can result in heatstroke and sunburn. Not going out at all makes the skin pale and pallid. Sharpening at all will render the knife useless. Being extreme is always the cause of pain. Moderation, then is the key of life. It is the way to live our lives as it is meant to be lived.

10. Try to be the friend you were when you were 12: fun-loving and loyal, with no strings attached.

The quality that tops the list in survey after survey of what people appreciate most about their friends is loyalty — support that you always give to someone because of your feelings of duty and love towards them. The famous maxim that “a friend in need is a friend indeed” is not the entire story of loyalty, however. A friend in triumph may be even harder to find. It takes twenty-four-karat loyalty for a friend to soar alongside us when we are flying high rather than to bring us down to earth. Loyal friends not only lend a hand when you’re in need; they applaud your successes and cheer you on without envy when you prosper. Be loyal.

When you act more like a kid, suddenly the world opens up, and you start enjoying yourself again!

Greatest Conspiracy Theories In History!

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:37:00 +0000

Chemtrails

Chemtrail conspiracy theorists believe that some contrails, which consist of ice crystals or water vapor condensed behind aircraft, actually result from chemicals or biological agents being deliberately sprayed at high altitude for some undisclosed purpose. The staple of right-wing radio shows in the US, there is fevered speculation that the chemicals being sprayed are part of a wider plot that involves the so-called New World Order and is being directed by shadowy forces within the government. The existence of chemtrails has been repeatedly denied by federal agencies and scientists.

Global warming is a hoax

Some climate change doubters believe that man-made global warming is a conspiracy designed to soften up the world's population to higher taxation, controls on lifestyle and more authoritarian government. These sceptics cite a fall in global temperatures since last year and a levelling off in the rise in temperature since 1998 as evidence.

28. The Aids virus was created in a laboratory

Based on the theories of Dr William Campbell Douglass, many believe that that HIV was genetically engineered in 1974 by the World Health Organisation. Dr Douglass believed that it was a cold-blooded attempt to create a killer virus which was then used in a successful experiment in Africa. Others have claimed that it was created by the CIA or the KGB as a means to reduce world population.
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HAARP

More than 200 miles east of Anchorage, Alaska, is the Pentagon's High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program, officially an enormous experiment to heat the ionosphere with radio waves. But conspiracy theorists believe the project is a weapon to bring down aircraft and missiles by lifting sections of the atmosphere, cause earthquakes or even a huge weather modification machine.

Plastic coffins and concentration camps

Just outside Atlanta, Georgia, beside a major road are approximately 500,000 plastic coffins. Stacked neatly and in full view, the coffins are allegedly owned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema). Conspiracy theorists believe that Fema has also set up several concentration camps in the US in preparation for the imposition of a state of martial law and the killing of millions of Americans. They suggest that the financial crisis will be used to justify the imposition of a police state.

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami

A popular theory in the Muslim world is that the tsunami could have been caused by an Indian nuclear experiment in which Israeli and American nuclear experts participated. Several newspapers in Egypt and the Middle East alleged that India, in its heated nuclear race with Pakistan, has acquired sophisticated nuclear technology from the US and Israel, both of which "showed readiness to co-operate with India in experiments to exterminate humankind," beginning with the heavily populated Muslim regions of southeast Asia, where the bulk of casualties took place.

Fluoridation

Fluoride is commonly added to drinking water as a way to reduce tooth decay. However, there has been some evidence that there could be some harmful side effects from fluoride and conspiracy theorists believe that this information is known and recognised by those responsible for adding the fluoride, but that they continue the practice regardless. Drug companies have been targeted as possible beneficiaries, as they will profit from a population with ill-health. Another motive is that fluoride lowers mental abilities thereby "dumbing down" the entire population.

Pan Am Flight 103

Pan Am Flight 103 was Pan American's third daily scheduled transatlantic flight from Heathrow to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport. On December 21, 1988, the aircraft flying this route - a Boeing 747 - was destroyed by a bomb, killing all 259 people on board and 11 people on the ground. The remains landed around Lockerbie in southern Scotland. A popular theory for which no evidence has been produced suggests that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had set up a protected drug route from Europe to the United States - allegedly called Operation Corea - which allowed Syrian drug dealers to ship heroin to the US using Pan Am flights. The CIA allegedly protected the suitcases containing the drugs and made sure they were not searched. On the day of the bombing, terrorists exchanged suitcases: one with drugs for one with a bomb. Another version of this theory is that the CIA knew in advance this exchange would take place, but let it happen anyway, because the protected drugs route was a rogue operation, and the American intelligence officers on the flight had found out about it, and were on their way to Washington to tell their superiors

The Philadelphia Experiment

Popularised by the Charles Berlitz novel of the same name, conspiracy theorists believe that during an experiment at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in October 1943, the US Navy destroyer Eldridge was rendered invisible. According to some accounts, the scientists on the experiment found a way to bend light around an object but that the experiment went wrong and Eldridge was transported through space and time, reappearing at sea. Several sailors, it is said, were badly hurt when the experiment went wrong and some were melded into the ship's superstructure. The US Navy has denied that the experiment ever took place.

Pearl Harbor was allowed to happen

Theorists believe that President Franklin Roosevelt provoked the Japanese attack on the US naval base in Hawaii in December 1942, knew about it in advance and covered up his failure to warn his fleet commanders. He apparently needed the attack to provoke Hitler into declaring war on the US because the American public and Congress were overwhelmingly against entering the war in Europe. Theorists believe that the US was warned by the governments of Britain, the Netherlands, Australia, Peru, Korea and the Soviet Union that a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was coming and that, furthermore, the Americans had intercepted and broken all the important Japanese codes in the run up to the attack.

The peak oil conspiracy

Peak oil (a theory in itself) is the supposed peak of oil production during and after which demand for oil outstrips supply sending prices through the roof. The peak oil conspiracy theorists believe that peak oil is a fraud concocted by the oil industries to increase prices amid concerns about future supplies. The oil industry is aware of vast reserves of untapped oil, but does not utilise them in order to maintain the illusion of scarcity, they claim.

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion

Despite being utterly discredited for at least 100 years, belief in this document has proved remarkably resilient on the internet. The text takes the form of an instruction manual to a new member of the "elders," describing how they will run the world through control of the media and finance, and replace the traditional social order with one based on mass manipulation. Scholars generally agree that the Okhrana, the secret police of the Russian Empire, fabricated the text in the late 1890s or early 1900s but belief in it still persists - particularly in the Middle East.

Harold Wilson was a Soviet agent

Soviet defector Anatoliy Golitsyn is thought to have claimed that Wilson was a KGB spy. He further claimed that Hugh Gaitskell was assassinated by the KGB so that he could be replaced as Labour leader by Harold Wilson. Furthermore, former MI5 officer Peter Wright claimed in his memoirs - Spycatcher - that he had been told that Wilson was a Soviet agent. MI5 repeatedly investigated Wilson over the course of several years before conclusively deciding that he had no relationship with the KGB. On the BBC TV programme, The Plot Against Harold Wilson, broadcast in 2006, it was claimed that the military was on the point of launching a coup d'état against Wilson in 1974. Wilson himself told the BBC that he feared he was being undermined by MI5 in the late 1960s after devaluation of sterling and again in 1974 after he narrowly won an election against Edward Heath.

Black or unmarked helicopters

The concept became popular in the American militia movement, and in associated political circles, in the 1990s as an alleged symbol and warning sign of a military takeover of part or all of the United States. Rumours would circulate that, for instance, the United Nations patrolled the US with black helicopters, or that federal agents used black helicopters to enforce wildlife laws. In Britain, a similar conspiracy theory known as "phantom helicopters" has been reported since the mid 1970s. This concept relates phantom helicopters to UFOs and alien invasion rather than to martial law.

The Moscow apartment bombings

Former GRU officer Aleksey Galkin and former FSB officer the late Alexander Litvinenko (who was killed with Polonium-210 in London in November 2006) and other whistle-blowers from the Russian government and security services have asserted that the 1999 Russian apartment bombings were operations perpetrated by the FSB, the successor to the KGB, to justify the second Russian war against Chechnya.

The July 7, 2005 Tube bombings

One of the supposed mysteries surrounding the 7/7 attacks is this image, used by several news outlets, of the bombers entering Luton station on their way to London at around 7.20am on July 7. Theorists claim this image is fake because the man in the white hat - believed to be Mohammed Sidique Khan - has been electronically placed on the picture after it was taken. They claim that it shows his arm behind a railing while the rest of his body is in front and that the bar behind his head goes across and in front of his face. Theorists postulate, among other things, that the bombs which went off on the Tube trains were actually under the floors of the vehicles and not in the alleged plotters' back packs

Paul is dead

“Paul is dead” is an urban legend alleging that Paul McCartney died in a car crash 1966 and was replaced by a look-alike and sound-alike. "Evidence" for McCartney’s death consists of “clues” found among the Beatles’ many recordings. Hundreds have been cited at various times by various people. They include statements allegedly heard when a song is played backwards, symbolism found in obscure lyrics, and ambiguous imagery on album covers. A few of them are well known, such as the fact that McCartney is the only barefooted Beatle and is out of step with the others on the cover of Abbey Road, pictured.

The disappearance of Shergar

On February 8, 1983, a group of men wearing balaclavas and armed with guns turned up at the Ballymany Stud Farm in Co Kildare, Ireland and took a hostage – Jim Fitzgerald, the stud's head groom. "We've come for Shergar," they said. "We want £2m for him." Shergar was arguably the greatest racehorse to have ever lived. But 25 years after he was kidnapped from Ballymany the mystery of exactly what happened to him after he was snatched that night still lingers. The theories are numerous with the IRA, Colonel Gadaffi and the Mafia featuring among the most lurid. One story suggests that the IRA kidnapped the horse for Gadaffi in return for weapons. Another suggests that the New Orleans mafia took him.
Shakespeare was somebody else

Who really was the English language's greatest writer? Among the numerous alternative candidates that have been proposed Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, William Stanley (6th Earl of Derby) and Edward de Vere (17th Earl of Oxford), are the most popular. Theorists believe there is a lack of evidence proving that the actor and businessman sometimes known as Shaksper of Stratford was responsible for the body of works that bear his name. Very little biographical information exists about Shakespeare.

North American Union

The North American Union (NAU) is a theoretical regional union of Canada, Mexico and the United States similar in structure to the European Union, sometimes including a common currency called the amero. Theorists who believe that the three countries are planning for this believe that it is part of a global conspiracy to set up something called the New World Order (NWO). Officials from all three nations have repeatedly denied that there are plans to create a NAU although the idea has been proposed in academic circles, either as a union or as a North American community as proposed by the Independent Task Force on North America. The amero received support in 1999 from Canadian economist Herbert Grubel, a senior fellow of the Fraser Institute think-tank, in a book entitled The Case for the Amero. Robert Pastor, vice-chairman of the Independent Task Force on North America, supported Grubel's conclusions in his 2001 book Toward a North American Community, stating that: "In the long term, the amero is in the best interests of all three countries".

MK-ULTRA

The code name for a covert mind-control and chemical interrogation research programme, run by the Office of Scientific Intelligence. The programme began in the early 1950s, continuing at least through the late 1960s, using US citizens as test subjects. Project MK-ULTRA was brought first to wide public attention in 1975 by Congress and by the Rockefeller Commission. Investigative efforts were hampered by the fact that CIA Director Richard Helms ordered all MK-ULTRA files destroyed in 1973. Although the CIA insisted that MK-ULTRA-type experiments were abandoned, CIA veteran Victor Marchetti has stated in various interviews that the agency routinely conducts disinformation campaigns and that CIA mind control research continued. In a 1977 interview, Marchetti specifically called the CIA claim that MK-ULTRA was abandoned a "cover story". Conspiracy theorists believe that MK-ULTRA was behind many so-called black-ops: Lawrence Teeter, the attorney for Sirhan Sirhan, the man convicted of the assassination of Robert Kennedy, pictured, believed Sirhan was operating under MK-ULTRA mind control techniques. Furthermore, Jonestown, the location in Guyana where members of the Jim Jones cult and Peoples Temple committed mass suicide, was thought to be a test site for MK-ULTRA medical experiments.

Operation Northwoods

A genuine conspiracy involving a plan by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to launch a fake Cuban terror campaign on American soil to persuade the US public to support an invasion against Castro. The plan involved bombings and the simultaneous hijacking and blowing up of American airliners. The operation was quashed by President Kennedy leading many to speculate that it was linked to his assassination a year later. The plan has also been linked by theorists who believe that the September 11, 2001 attacks were a so-called "inside job" because of the use of airliners

Elvis Presley faked his own death

A persistent belief is that "the King" did not die in 1977. Many fans persist in claiming he is still alive, that he went into hiding for various reasons. This claim is allegedly backed up by thousands of so-called sightings. The main reason given in support of the belief that Presley faked his death is that, on his grave, his middle name Aron is spelt as Aaron. But "Aaron" is actually the genuine middle name for Presley. Apparently, either Presley or his parents tried to change the name to "Aron" to make it more similar to Presley's stillborn twin, Jesse Garon Presley. Two tabloid newspapers ran articles covering the continuing "life" of Presley after his death, in great detail, including a broken leg from a motorcycle accident, all the way up to his purported "real death" in the mid 1990s.

Diana, Princess of Wales, was murdered

Despite an official inquiry that found no evidence of a plot by MI6 or any other entity to murder the princess and Dodi Fayed in 1997, fevered speculation continues. The theory is that rogue elements in the British secret service decided that Diana's relationship with Fayed was a threat to the monarchy and, therefore, to the British state. A plot was hatched in which a white Fiat Uno carrying agents was sent to blind and disorientate driver Henri Paul as he sped through the Paris underpass pursued by photographers. Later, Paul's blood was switched with a sample of somebody who had drunk a lot of alcohol. The trouble with the theory? Not a shred of evidence exists to support it.

The Jesus conspiracy

The theory that launched a blockbusting novel (The Da Vinci Code), a film of the same name and a plagiarism battle in the courts Those who believe in this - and they seem to number in their millions - think that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, had one or more children, and that those children or their descendants emigrated to southern France. Once there, they intermarried with the noble families that would eventually become the Merovingian dynasty, whose special claim to the throne of France is championed today by a secret society called the Priory of Sion.

The Illuminati and the New World Order

A conspiracy in which powerful and secretive groups (the Illuminati, the Bilderberg Group and other shadowy cabals) are plotting to rule mankind with a single world government. Many historical events are said to have been engineered by these groups with one goal - the New World Order (NWO). The groups use political finance, social engineering, mind control, and fear-based propaganda to achieve their aims. Signs of the NWO are said to be the pyramid on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States, inset, strange and disturbing murals at Denver International Airport, pictured, and pentagrams in city plans. International organisations such as the World Bank, the IMF, the European Union, the United Nations, and Nato are listed as founding organisations of the New World Order.

Nasa faked the moon landings

People who think that the Apollo moon landings were not all that they seemed at the time believe that Nasa faked some or all of the landings. Some of the theories surrounding this subject are that the Apollo astronauts did not land on the Moon; Nasa and possibly others intentionally deceived the public into believing the landings did occur by manufacturing, destroying, or tampering with evidence, including photos, telemetry tapes, transmissions, and rock samples; and that Nasa and possibly others continue to actively participate in the conspiracy to this day. Those who think that Nasa faked some or all of the landings base their theories on photographs from the lunar surface which they claim show camera crosshairs partially behind rocks, a flag planted by Buzz Aldrin moving in a strange way, the lack of stars over the lunar landscape and shadows falling in different direction. These theories have been generally discounted but belief in them - particularly on the web - persists.

A flying saucer crashed at Roswell in 1947

The event that kick-started more than a half century of conspiracy theories surrounding unidentified flying objects (UFOs). Something did crash at Roswell, New Mexico, sometime before July 7, 1947 and - at first - the US authorities stated explicitly that this was a flying saucer or disk - as shown by the splash story on that day's Roswell Daily Record, pictured. Numerous witnesses reported seeing metallic debris scattered over a wide area and at least one reported seeing a blazing craft crossing the sky shortly before it crashed. In recent years, witnesses have added significant new details, including claims of a large military operation dedicated to recovering alien craft and aliens themselves, at as many as 11 crash sites, and alleged witness intimidation. In 1989, former mortician Glenn Dennis claimed that he was involved in alien autopsies which were carried out at the Roswell air force base.

The conspiracy theory has been fanned by the US military repeatedly changing its story. Within hours of the army telling reporters that it had recovered a crashed saucer, senior officers insisted that the only thing that had fallen from the sky had been a weather balloon. A report by the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force released in 1995, concluded that the reported recovered material in 1947 was likely debris from a secret government program called Project Mogul, which involved high altitude balloons meant to detect sound waves generated by Soviet atom bomb tests and ballistic missiles. A second report, released in 1997, concluded that reports of alien bodies were likely a combination of innocently transformed memories of military accidents involving injured or killed personnel, and the recovery of anthropomorphic dummies in military programs like Project High Dive conducted in the 1950s.

Since the late 1990s the debate about Roswell has polarised with several former pro-UFO researchers concluding that the craft was, indeed, part of a US military project and that it was, most likely, some sort of weather balloon. But further evidence has emerged - notably a signed affidavit by Walter Haut, the Roswell Army Air Field public affairs officer who had drafted the initial press release on July 8, 1947. Haut says in the affidavit -signed in 2002 - that he saw alien corpses and a craft and that he had been involved in a military cover up. Haut died in 2005.

The assassination of John F Kennedy

The 35th President of the United States was shot on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas at 12.30pm . He was fatally wounded by gunshots while riding with his wife - Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy - in a motorcade. The ten-month investigation of the Warren Commission of 1963 to 1964, the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) of 1976 to 1979, and other government investigations concluded that the President had been assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald - who was himself shot dead by Jack Ruby while in police custody.

But doubts about the official explanation and the conclusion that Oswald was the lone gunman firing from the Texas Book Depository overlooking Dealey Plaza where Kennedy was hit surfaced soon after the commission report. Footage of the motorcade taken by Abraham Zapruder on 8mm film supported the growing belief that at least four shots were fired - not the three that the Warren Commission claimed. The moments of impact recorded on the film also suggested that at least one of the shots came from a completely different direction to those supposedly fired by Oswald - evidence backed up by testimony of several eye witnesses. Many believed that several shots were fired by gunmen hiding behind a picket fence on a grassy knoll overlooking the plaza.

The assassination is still the subject of widespread speculation and has spawned numerous conspiracy theories, though none of these has been proven. In 1979, the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) found both the original FBI investigation and the Warren Commission Report to be seriously flawed. The HSCA also concluded that there were at least four shots fired and that it was probable that a conspiracy existed. However, later studies, including one by the National Academy of Sciences, have called into question the accuracy of the evidence used by the HSCA to support its finding of four shots.

September 11, 2001

Thanks to the power of the web and live broadcasts on television, the conspiracy theories surrounding the events of 9/11 - when terrorists attacked the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington - have surpassed those of Roswell and JFK in traction. Despite repeated claims by al-Qaeda that it planned, organised and orchestrated the attacks, several official and unofficial investigations into the collapse of the Twin Towers which concluded that structural failure was responsible and footage of the events themselves, the conspiracy theories continue to grow in strength.

At the milder end of the spectrum are the theorists who believe that the US government had prior warning of the attacks but did not do enough to stop them. Others believe that the Bush administration deliberately turned a blind eye to those warnings because it wanted a pretext to launch wars in the Middle East to usher in another century of American hegemony. A large group of people - collectively called the 9/11 Truth Movement - cite evidence that an airliner did not hit the Pentagon and that the World Trade Centre could not have been brought down by airliner impacts and burning aviation fuel alone. This final group points to video evidence which they claim shows puffs of smoke - so-called demoliton squibs - emerging from the Twin Towers at levels far below the aircraft impact zones and prior to the collapses. They also believe that, on the day itself, the US air force was deliberately stood down or sent on exercises to prevent intervention that could have saved the lives of nearly 3,000 people.

Many witnesses - including firemen, policemen and people who were inside the towers at the time - claim to have heard explosions below the aircraft impacts (including in basement levels) and before both the collapses and the attacks themselves. As with the assassination of JFK, the official inquiry into the events - the 9/11 Commission Report - is widely derided by the conspiracy community and held up as further evidence that 9/11 was an "inside job". Scientific journals have consistently rejected these hypotheses.

The Most Powerful Modern Women Leaders

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:33:00 +0000

Some represented monumental firsts and some lost their lives for it, but all of these "Iron Ladies" showed that women can indeed run a country, even decades at a time. -- Heather Whipps

Yulia Tymoshenko

With her model's good looks and the brains of a business tycoon, Yulia Tymoshenko was the perfect poster-child for Ukraine's Orange Revolution of 2004. When it was done, she was prime minister and one of the most powerful women in the world. Despite some political ups and downs since, Tymoshenko is again PM and is a possible candidate for the Presidency in 2010.

Sirivamo Bandaranaike

The world's first female prime minister continued in her husband's stead after he was assassinated in 1959 - earning the nickname "the weeping widow" for her frequent tearful outbursts on the campaign trail. Among other accomplishments, Bandranaike changed her country's name to Sri Lanka from Ceylon, a leftover of British rule. Her daughter also became president.

Benazir Bhutto references charges of corruption against prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Jan 9, 1998 in Islamabad.

Having already served two terms as PM, five years in jail for corruption and, finally, a stint in exile, the young and glamorous Benazir Bhutto was enjoying her triumphant return to Pakistan when killed in an apparent assassination attempt in December of 2007. Pundits think she may have regained power in the 2008 elections, continuing on a long Bhutto legacy in Pakistan.

Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino stands before well-wishers at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu, Hawaii, Tuesday, July 13, 2004.

Corazon Aquino

This widow and self-proclaimed housewife took control as President of the Philippines in 1986 as part of the "People Power" revolt that ousted Ferdinand Marcos and his shoe-loving wife, Imelda. With no prior political experience and five children on her hands, Aquino still managed to implement a number of popular reforms and is remembered as a unifying force.

President Johnson-Sirleaf seen during her State of the Nation address on the outskirts of Monrovia, Liberia, Jan. 29 2007.

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

The "Iron Lady" of Liberia became Africa's first elected female head of state in 2005 after leading the campaign to remove controversial President Charles Taylor from office. Johnson-Sirleaf earned her Thatcheresque nickname by surviving several years in prison and exile for criticizing the government. Liberia needed an educated, motherly figure like Sirleaf to set their fractious country back on the right path, pundits have said.

Chancellor Merkel, and Kurt Beck, party leader of the Social Democrats, speak during a press conference in Berlin on Sept. 22, 2006.

Angela Merkel

Forbes' current most powerful woman in the world is Germany's Chancellor, Angela Merkel. A potent symbol of the nation's modern economy, Merkel made history in 2007 when Germany simultaneously took its turn presiding over the Group of Eight and the European Union - putting the chemistry genius, essentially, at the helm of the continent.

Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir gestures at a news conference as she arrived for talks with President Richard M. Nixon in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 26, 1973. Credit: The Associated Press
Golda Meir

It took just 20 years for the new state of Israel to elect its first female prime minister, Golda Meir, who grew up in Milwaukee but settled in Palestine to fight for Israeli statehood. As one of the founding "fathers" of the nation - her predecessor once called her "the only man in the cabinet" - she was brought out of retirement at age 70 to become its leader in 1969, leading Israel through the massacre at the Munich Olympics and the Yom Kippur War.

Margaret Thatcher

After she became Britain's first Prime Minister in 1979, Margaret Thatcher figured she may as well stick around for a bit and get things done too, serving three terms in office until 1990. The original "Iron Lady" had a hand in the fall of Communism, pushed her Conservative policies unabashedly and even survived an IRA bomb attack, raising two kids all the while.

Arrival ceremony for Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, 11/04/1971.
Indira Gandhi

President Nixon once called her an "old witch," but Indira Gandhi still managed to triple his five years in office, serving as India's prime minister from 1966-'77 and again from 1980-'84. Gandhi served during tumultuous times for the country, ultimately losing her life to a bullet fired by her own bodyguards. Continuing on the family tradition, Indira's son succeeded her but was also assassinated.

Queen Elizabeth II receives flowers from a girl as she walks in Latvian National Opera park in Riga, Latvia, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2006.

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen of the British Commonwealth for 56 years and counting, no female head of state even comes close to Elizabeth's record for longevity or clout. Elizabeth II is more than just a figurehead, she is a veritable global institution - just recently slowing her grueling schedule of world travel at the age of 82.

12 Awesome 80’s Movies That Are Perfect

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:31:00 +0000

The 80’s were a decade of decadence, with everything being bigger, crazier, and more over the top. It was the beginning of the age of insanity, and yet somehow, out of the midst of all of the big crazy hair and drug use and Reaganomics, a few gems that could withstand the test of time were born. Even if the hair and clothes change, some things just stay perfect. With that we present…

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

"So far this semester he has been absent nine times. "

"Nine times?"

"Nine times."

"I don't remember him being sick nine times."

"That's probably because he wasn't sick. He was skipping school. Wake up and smell the coffee, Mrs. Bueller. It's a fool's paradise. He is just leading you down the primrose path."

If there’s one thing that John Hughes understood, it was that kids would always want to skip school, and they would employ near genius level plotting and planning to get away with it. Ferris Bueller, a privileged junior in high school, takes his 9th sick day to enjoy a wild and crazy day with his best friend and his girlfriend while avoiding discovery by his overly dedicated (read: obsessed) principal (sorry, Dean of Students) Edward R. Rooney. Rooney is determined to prove that Ferris isn’t sick…he’s skipping school. Hughes’ masterful use of smarmy remarks, ingenious planning by Ferris, and Ben Stein’s droll delivery of “Bueller…Bueller…Bueller…” make it a staple that will go down in history, and a movie that should NEVER be remade.

Repo Man

"The life of a repo man is always intense."

Repo Man is a perfect 80s movie. Tthere isn't a single being alive with an un-lobotomized brain that would dare argue with that statement. Alex Cox manages to deliver a movie that is simultaneous baffling, nonsensical, some might even say pointless and yet completely satisfying. Doing a remake or a changing anything about this movie would not only ruin an 80's masterpiece, it would probably unravel the entire space time continuum. Not to mention you'd probably have to deal with a lot of angry shrimp, after all this is the movie that made shrimp the popular seafood dish they are today. Before 1984 shrimp were seen as the cockroach of the sea, but now people every where have Repo Man to thank for their plate of shrimp.
Top Gun

“I feel the need…the need…for SPEED!”

The movie that made Tom Cruise a household name, Top Gun was the story of Maverick, a young hotshot who was selected to join an elite training academy for pilots. Val Kilmer makes an appearance as Iceman, the cold, steely rival to Cruise’s Maverick who in the end respects Maverick for his skill as a pilot. Fighter jets, brotherhood, and a group of pilots all singing “You’ve lost…that looovin’ feeelin’…whoa oh, that loovin’ feeeeelin’…” to help Maverick get the girl all make this a perfect, untouchable classic.

Top Gun

“I feel the need…the need…for SPEED!”

The movie that made Tom Cruise a household name, Top Gun was the story of Maverick, a young hotshot who was selected to join an elite training academy for pilots. Val Kilmer makes an appearance as Iceman, the cold, steely rival to Cruise’s Maverick who in the end respects Maverick for his skill as a pilot. Fighter jets, brotherhood, and a group of pilots all singing “You’ve lost…that looovin’ feeelin’…whoa oh, that loovin’ feeeeelin’…” to help Maverick get the girl all make this a perfect, untouchable classic.

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

“Put them in the Iron Maiden…”

“EXCELLENT!!”

“Execute them!”

“Bogus…”

Yes, Bill and Ted embodied all that was great about the 80’s. You didn’t have to be smart, good looking, or have a lot of money…you just had to believe in yourself and have a sense of purpose. Their purpose was passing their final presentation in World History, so that they could stay best friends, start their band (The Wyld Stallions!), and create music that would align the heavens and earth and bring peace to the entire universe. To that end, the late, great, George Carlin’s Rufus was their Morpheus, guiding them on a trek through time to gather historical figures to aid them in their presentation and help them learn some responsibility. “Be…excellent…to each other…” preaches Abe Lincoln at the end, “Annnnd….PARTY ON, DUDES!!” Allegedly there’s a remake in the works. I don’t know how or why, but they can’t possibly top perfection.

Princess Bride

“My name is Inigo Montoya. You keeled my father…prepare to die.”

Princess Bride is one of those movies that EVERYONE can enjoy on some level. Besides just being an awesome movie all around, with humor, action, adventure and romance, it’s a movie that’s enough of a chick flick to get you laid, enough of an action comedy to keep you awake, and enough fun to make everyone happy. And it’s got Andre the Giant in it! And he makes sense there!! And you know a movie has to be perfect if it has Fred Savage in it and it still rocks!!

Coming to America

“The royal penis is clean, your highness.”

So begins another day for Prince Hakeem of Zamunda. Gorgeous women bathing him and servicing his every need and whim, living in a paradise, unsullied by the outside world, and having his OWN money (as in, with his face on it). But, as his arranged marriage arrives, he realizes that he wants to choose his own bride, who “…can arouse my intellect as well as my loins.” So, where does he go? Where else? Queens, New York.

The rest is comedic history, and probably one of Eddie Murphy’s top 5 roles. A classic through and through, Coming to America can not be improved on.

Die Hard

“Yippee ki yay, motherfucker.”

Bruce Willis was propelled to superstardom when he played John McClaine. We won’t beat a dead horse by going through this one again, as we all know the awesomeness that is Die Hard, but we will say that every iota of this movie, from the young and goofy limo driver to the 80’s hot estranged wife to the 80’s badass Hans Gruber was perfect, and the succeeding sequels never reached the heights the first Die Hard achieved.

Transformers: The Movie

“One shall stand…One…shall fall.”

“Why throw away your life so recklessly?”

“That’s a question you should ask yourself, Megatron.”

“NO! I’ll crush you with my bare HANDS!!”

Children of the 80’s, you remember the war between the heroic Autobots and the treacherous Decepticons…before they went CG, before Michael Bay…before Megan Fox. You remember how badass they made Optimus Prime in that movie, and I bet at least half of you reading this cried when Prime died after the epic confrontation between Prime and Megatron. No animated “kids’” movie before or since has had quite the emotional impact on an entire generation of children. It was perfect in its presentation, in its action, and in its marketability. And the only thing to come close to it was…

GI Joe: The Movie

“Cobra-LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!!!!”

A Real American Hero. GIJoe is there. Fighting for freedom over land and air against Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world. You all know the catch phrases and even though this one went direct to video, it was still perfect for the same reasons Transformers: The Movie was. It was the great pinnacle of GIJoe, where the creators took more risks than they had before and presented a deeper (albeit strange) storyline than had previously been attempted. Though the creators backed off from killing Prime’s GIJoe counterpart Duke, it was still ballsier than anything they’d previously attempted. Besides, with badass characters like Nemesis Enforcer, Golobulus, and Serpentor, who didn’t love it?

Conan

"Conan, what is best in life?"

"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women"

The movie that made Arnold a star, Conan the Barbarian has been copied, parodied, and usurped so many times that it’s almost hard to tell what the source material is…except that none of the copies have EVER lived up to the awesomeness that was Arnold’s Conan. In spite of the fact that no one could even understand Arnold’s “English” back then, so much so that they had to dub his dialogue, he was still the perfect and only choice for the role, making him an icon and making the movie, full of barbarian badassity, a true classic, perfect and untouchable.

The Thing

"I know I'm human. And if you were all these things, then you'd just attack me right now, so some of you are still human. This thing doesn't want to show itself, it wants to hide inside an imitation. It'll fight if it has to, but it's vulnerable out in the open. If it takes us over, then it has no more enemies, nobody left to kill it. And then it's won."

There is a reason why The Thing is in IMDB's top 250 movies list, and its because the movie really is that good. And if you've been paying attention over the years (like me) The Thing is actually rising in the ranks. Anyway, The Thing is set in Antarctica and its got one hell of a lead hero: Kurt Russell. That in and of itself should win you, but if it doesn't let me give you the plot description: Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills. Sheer fucking genius. Hell even the tagline is perfect: Man is The Warmest Place to Hide. You think Will Smith's dog in I Am Legend is awesome? Ha! Wait until you check out the Oscar worthy performance by Kurt's dog. He makes Lassie look like a chump. Here's the part that bugs me. This is clearly John Carpenter's best film ever, and it still manages to be underrated. How is that possible?! I am hoping Hollywood does not tread into this masterpiece's waters and decide a remake is in order, because it will not be anywhere near as good nor surpass its predecessor.

The Lost Boys

"And then his dog started chasing my mom like the hounds of hell in 'Vampires Everywhere.'"

"We've been aware there's some very serious vampire activity in this town for some time."

"Santa Carla's become a haven for the undead."

"As a matter of fact, we're almost certain ghouls and werewolves occupy high positions at city hall."

"Kill your brother, you'll feel better."

Lost Boys is the quintessential teenage-horror flick that sprung from the 80's. Back when Joel "Bat Nipples" Schumacher was truly a mastermind, he birthed unto us this gem. I'm not sure about you guys, but I still believe Lost Boys is the best vampire flick of all time. Yep, that includes Blade, Underworld, Interview, etc. - they are all no match for this perfect horror flick. It gave us both Coreys (who incidentally, were born to play their respective roles), one bad ass Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patric's greatest performance. The Lost Boys just so happens to be one of those rare flicks that actually gets better and better every time you watch it. There is absolutely nothing I would change about this movie and that is why it is the essence of pure perfection.

Sardine Run Shark Feeding Frenzy Phenomenon in Africa

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:28:00 +0000

In a spectacular underwater marine ballet, millions of sardines run in hundreds of shoals, swirling, dancing, and transforming in shape in the annual Sardine Run — an unexplained phenomenon that’s been dubbed “the greatest shoal on earth” — for which they make their way through the cold Atlantic waters off the Cape towards the sub-tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, with vast numbers of predators in hot pursuit.

From the last week of May through early July every year, South African pilchard spawn in the cool waters of the Agulhas Bank and move northward in droves for what researchers say could rival East Africa’s great wildebeest migration.

Their sheer numbers create a feeding frenzy along the coastline for sharks, dolphins, and even killer whales for a breathtaking event of the year’s greatest feast which is unique in both magnitude and complexity to the region.

As many as 18,000 Bottlenose and Common dolphins play their role like sheepdogs to expertly herd the sardines, pushing them to the shallow water where they’re more comfortable with hunting.

Running in hundreds of shoals, the sardines desperately attempt to throw off the deadly ambush of legions of predators that congregate in the formerly tranquil waters.

The silvery sardine’s instinctual behavior for defense to group together when they’re threatened creates massive ‘bait balls,’ which are short lived and seldom last longer than 10 to 20 minutes.

Once rounded up, sharks — Hammerheads, Coppers, Blacktip, Tiger, Spinner, and Great White — and other sea life including tuna and sailfish take turns diving through the bait balls, gorging on the fish as they sweep through the groups at will, feasting on massive mouthfuls of fish.

Cape Fur Seals also follow the shoals up the Eastern Cape coastline as far as Port St Johns.

The sardines aren’t even safe from the skies as they’re driven towards the surface, where voracious seabirds — Cape gannet, cormorants, terns and gulls — arrive in flocks and plummet through the blue waters like fighter planes from as high as 90 feet (30 meters), leaving vapor-like trails behind as they devour their victims en masse.

The shoals are often more than 4 miles (7 kilometers) long, 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) wide and 100 feet (30 meters) deep, clearly visible from spotter planes against the sandy shallow waters.

These bait balls can be anywhere from 33 to 66 feet (10 to 20 meters) in diameter and extend to a depth of up to 10 meters or more.

Untold thousands of marine animals — ’super-pods’ of as many as 2,500 dolphins, sharks, up to 300 on just one bait ball, and whales — devour the hapless plankton feeders, but surprisingly make little impact on the overall shoal size.

As one of Mother Nature’s most spectacular natural wonders on the planet, little is known about this phenomenon, but it’s believed that the water temperature has to drop below 70°F (21°C) in order for the migration to take place. Several years when the waters were too warm, the sardines have failed to ‘run.’

It occurs when a current of cold water heads north from the Cape Agulhas Bank — Africa’s most southerly point — during the southern hemisphere’s winter and swim north up to Mozambique, swarming the beaches of KwaZulu-Natal.

The run makes this trip through treacherous ocean currents along the rugged coastline and travels further east, disappearing into the deep Indian Ocean’s high seas — about a 1,000 mile ‘travelling buffet’ journey.

Sardines have a short life-cycle, living only from 2 to 3 years. Adult sardines about 2 years of age amass on the Agulhas Banks off the southern Cape coast where they spawn during spring and summer, releasing tens of thousands of eggs into the water which are then fertilized by males.

The eggs drift west and north with the current into the waters off the west coast, where the larvae mature and develop into juvenile fish. Once strong enough, they aggregate into dense shoals and migrate southwards, returning to the Agulhas banks in order to complete their life cycle.

Thermal satellite images now suggest currents rather than spawning or large plankton blooms trigger the migration. Scientists believe it’s primarily the cool water coming up the coast in the winter months that allows them to extend their range.

But experts are still mystified as to why the fish leave nutrient-rich feeding grounds for emptier, sub-tropical climes.

In these times of dwindling fish stocks, the shoals surprisingly represent a mere fraction of South Africa’s sardine fishery. Just 800 tons are caught off KwaZulu-Natal every year compared to 100,000 tons on the Agulhas Banks.

The Sardine Run also coincides with the annual migration of Humpback Whales that move north for the season into warmer water to mate and calve, performing their own spectacular display of breaching from the waters. They travel up to 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) for the journey in what’s probably the longest mammal migration known to man.

It’s been said that the sardine run is the only place in the world where scientists and tourists can see such extensive predation so close to shore, attracting many adventure seekers and extreme divers for this unique hunting collaboration and feeding competition between different species in a dazzling wildlife extravaganza as one of the largest marine events on the planet.

Horrendous Elephant Poaching and Ivory Auctions

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:26:00 +0000

The magnificent elephant generally has no natural predators due to their massive size — other than mankind, for which ivory poaching and trophy hunting is a perilous crisis. Recent auctions have proven the industry to be a highly lucrative ‘business’ and may have verily opened the floodgates to massive poaching, leading to annihilation and extinction of these stately creatures.

Namibia auctioned its 9 tons of ivory on October 28 raising $1.2 million. Zimbabwe and Botswana have also auctioned their ivory to the exclusive Chinese and Japanese buyers making $480,000 and $1.1 million respectively. South Africa auctioned the largest cache of ivory — 51 tons — to conclude this highly controversial sale.

Renowned Kenyan conservationist, Dr. Richard Leakey, the founding Chairman for WildlifeDirect, issued a statement this week denouncing the ongoing CITES-sanctioned one-off auctions of ivory stockpiles.

The conservationist said that the auction would open up the market for illegal ivory and result in poaching, lamenting the inclusion of China — the largest destination for illegal ivory — into the legal ivory trade.

I am deeply concerned about the ongoing one-off ivory auction in South Africa.” said Dr. Leakey.

“I have spent many years looking at issues of elephant conservation and ivory trade and played a major role in successfully eliminating the massive ivory poaching that characterized what is considered the darkest period for African elephants in Kenya in the late 1980’s.”

“I believe that auctioning the ivory stockpiles would cause poaching to increase particularly in the central, eastern and western African elephant range states where poaching is not yet properly controlled.”

“According to the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the parties to the auction, the funds generated from this sale will be channeled directly into conservation. I am skeptical and wonder if there is a way of knowing whether these funds will actually help conservation.”

“The entry of China into the legal trade is also a cause of concern for me. It is hard to believe that a country which in 2002 scored only 5.6 out of 100 points in the CITES Elephant Trade Information Systems (ETIS) ranking — which ranks countries on how effectively they tackle illegal ivory — could have scored 63 points this year.” Dr. Leakey said. “China has admitted loosing track of 120 tons of ivory from the government’s official stockpiles in the past 12 years.”

Recently, Kenya saw the successful conviction of Chinese nationals accused of smuggling ivory that appears to have originated from 22 out of the 37 African elephant range states. The entry of China — the destination for most of the illegal ivory in the market — is an ill advised move that will only serve to open up the illegal ivory markets.
Elephants have been hunted for meat, skin, bones, and tusks. Elephant trophy hunting increased in the 19th and 20th centuries, when tourism and plantations increasingly attracted sport hunters.

In 1989, hunting of the African elephant for ivory trading was forbidden, after the elephant population fell from several million at the beginning of the 20th century to fewer than 700,000. Trophy hunting continues today. The population of African Elephants was halved during the 1980’s.

In 2006, an elephant slaughter was documented in southeastern Chad by aerial surveys. A series of poaching incidents, resulting in the killing of over 100 elephants, was carried out during the late spring and summer of 2006 in the vicinity of Zakouma National Park. This region has a decades-old history of poaching of elephants, which has caused the elephant population of the region, which exceeded 300,000 in 1970, to drop to approximately 10,000 today.

The African Elephant is officially protected by Chadian government, but the resources and manpower provided by the government (with some European Union assistance) have proven insufficient to stop the poaching.

Human encroachment into or adjacent to natural areas where Bush Elephants occur has led to recent research into methods of safely driving groups of elephants away from humans, including the discovery that playback of the recorded sounds of angry honey bees are remarkably effective at prompting elephants to flee an area.

The protection that the elephant now receives has been partially successful, but despite increasingly severe penalties imposed by governments against illegal hunting, poaching is still common. CITES still considers elephants as threatened with extinction.

Reports already indicate that poaching is increasing in most parts of Africa. The Kenya Wildlife Service — Kenya’s official wildlife authority — has reported that poaching is increasing in key elephant zones.

Central and west Africa have also witnessed escalating poaching in recent times. The Democratic Republic of Congo, caught up in a complex civil strife, has become a haven for poachers.

Although CITES secretary-general Willem Wijnstekers says that southern African states have everything under control, it cannot be true for Zimbabwe. Reports by bloggers at WildlifeDirect.org and on independent media show that Zimbabwe is experiencing an unprecedented decimation of wildlife.

Reports indicate that Zimbabwe may have lost up to 80% of its wildlife. There is reason to believe that a large percentage of this wildlife consists of elephants.

“As the hammer fell for the last time in South Africa on Thursday, we cannot in any way say that this is a victory for conservation. It is indeed a great disservice to conservation.” says Dr. Leakey.

“I categorically denounce this auction and call on CITES to rethink how they run endangered species affairs. It should not be lost to CITES that they exist to protect the endangered species against trade malpractices, not to serve partisan interests that work against the species.” he concluded.

Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape Province 72km from Port Elizabeth.

Human encroachment into or adjacent to natural areas where Bush Elephants occur has led to recent research into methods of safely driving groups of elephants away from humans, including the discovery that playback of the recorded sounds of angry honey bees are remarkably effective at prompting elephants to flee an area.

The protection that the elephant now receives has been partially successful, but despite increasingly severe penalties imposed by governments against illegal hunting, poaching is still common. CITES still considers elephants as threatened with extinction.

Reports already indicate that poaching is increasing in most parts of Africa. The Kenya Wildlife Service — Kenya’s official wildlife authority — has reported that poaching is increasing in key elephant zones.

Central and west Africa have also witnessed escalating poaching in recent times. The Democratic Republic of Congo, caught up in a complex civil strife, has become a haven for poachers.

Although CITES secretary-general Willem Wijnstekers says that southern African states have everything under control, it cannot be true for Zimbabwe. Reports by bloggers at WildlifeDirect.org and on independent media show that Zimbabwe is experiencing an unprecedented decimation of wildlife.

Reports indicate that Zimbabwe may have lost up to 80% of its wildlife. There is reason to believe that a large percentage of this wildlife consists of elephants.

“As the hammer fell for the last time in South Africa on Thursday, we cannot in any way say that this is a victory for conservation. It is indeed a great disservice to conservation.” says Dr. Leakey.

“I categorically denounce this auction and call on CITES to rethink how they run endangered species affairs. It should not be lost to CITES that they exist to protect the endangered species against trade malpractices, not to serve partisan interests that work against the species.” he concluded.

Elephants in the evening, Hwange, Zimbabwe.

WildlifeDirect is a non-profit conservation organization based in Kenya that uses the internet to create awareness about conservation issues and to raise funds for conservation through blogs written by field conservationists.

The organization endeavors to create a movement powerful enough to produce a virtual endowment capable of reversing the catastrophic loss of habitats and species. WildlifeDirect is registered as a charity in the USA and in Kenya.

Dolphins Walk on Water in the Wild

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:25:00 +0000

A group of wild dolphins living in waters along the south Australian coast near Adelaide have stunned scientists and researchers, teaching members of the group to walk on their tails — a behavior typically only seen after training in captivity.

‘Tail-walking’ is a trick that dolphins perform using their powerful tails to rise vertically from the water and drive themselves forwards or backwards.

Billie — a female bottlenose dolphin in the group — spent several weeks in captivity at a local dolphinarium in the 1980’s in a rescue effort to recover from malnutrition and sickness after being trapped in a marina lock, and may have seen other dolphins performing tail walking during her short stay.

The scientists studying the group believe that Billie may be teaching the tail-walking — a behavior never before seen in the wild — on to other females in her group as a form of ‘culture.’

“I have observed all the local dolphins over a number of years, and have watched Billie occasionally performing tail-walks in the years since her release, sometimes in the bow wave of large ships, which is an awesome sight!” said Dr. Mike Bossley from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) in Australia, one of the scientists that’s been monitoring the group on the Port River estuary.

“About 5 years ago another female dolphin called Wave began performing the same behavior, but does so with much greater regularity than Billie. A 3rd adult female dolphin has also been seen tail-walking.”

“We can’t for the life of us work out why they do it.” Dr. Bossley added.

The scientists are attempting to figure out whether the behavior might be a form of play or communication, and whether it’s likely other members of the dolphin group will inherit the tail walking talent.

“We’re doing systematic observations now to determine if there’s something that may trigger it, but so far we haven’t found anything.”

“This indicates that they do learn from each other, which is not a surprise really, but it does also seem that they exhibit elements of what in humans we would call ‘cultural’ behavior.” said Dr Bossley.

“These are things that groups develop and are passed between individuals and that come to define those groups, such as language or dancing, and it would seem that among the Port River dolphins we may have an incipient tail-walking culture.”

Stunning Smithsonian Ocean Hall Sea Sights

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:24:00 +0000

Revealing some of the underworld’s untold mysteries from the ocean’s deepest recesses, the breathtaking Sant Ocean Hall at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington opened to the public , teeming with sea life of hundreds of marine specimens, models, and high-definition video experiences.

The project is the largest renovation since the museum opened in 1910, which took 5 years and $49 million to build, and involved more than 1,000 people to create the new exhibit which will allow visitors to plumb the depths of the sea.
More people have stood on the moon than have visited the ocean’s deepest recesses.
The global view of the ocean includes a display of sharks and a Great White Shark jaw, as well as a 1,500 gallon aquarium containing an Indo-Pacific coral reef featuring more than 1,000 specimens of 50 species of live fish and other marine life.
‘Phoenix,’ a North Atlantic right whale model in the Sant Ocean Hall.
‘Phoenix,’ right whale model.
Great White Shark jaw.
The massive ‘Phoenix’ looms overhead — a 45-foot model of a North Atlantic live right whale which was born in 1987 and has been tracked by scientists ever since.

“Phoenix is the ambassador of the hall.” said museum director Cristian Samper.

Sant Ocean Hall is the only place in the world to display the preserved remains of a large prehistoric adult coelacanth fish and its pup, which was thought to have gone extinct 65 million years ago until a fisherman caught one off the coast of South Africa in 1938.

Other preserved remains include male and female giant squids floating in liquid.

“For thousands of years people looked across the ocean and asked, ‘What lies beyond?’ Today we ask, ‘What lies below?’ and ocean explorers with new technologies are finding answers to those deep mysteries.” said Conrad C. Lautenbacher, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“The ocean is a global system essential to all life, including yours.” added Cristian Samper:

Prehistoric Coelacanth and its pup.
Fossil specimen of a Trilobite that dominated the ocean more than
400,000,000 years ago which became extinct.

Other displays and technologies in the 23,000-square-foot exhibition include:

• “Ocean Odyssey,” a film by underwater cinematographer Feodor Pitcairn, which wraps the walls above the exhibit space.

• “Journey through Time,” looking at the past with fossils of ancient organisms, some more than 500 million years old.

• “Deep Ocean Explorers,” a video that follows a dive through the zones of the open ocean to the deep bottom aboard the submersible, Alvin.

• “Living on an Ocean Planet” traces the connection between the ocean and daily life.

• “Human Connection,” a series of 30 stories told throughout the hall, highlighting the relationship between humans and the ocean.

• “Science on a Sphere,” a room-sized, 360-degree global display system, developed by NOAA, displaying information on what the ocean produces, how it changes and how it interacts with the atmosphere to moderate our climate.

• “The Ocean as a Laboratory,” developed with the History Channel, a series of audiovisual stories and supplemental photo essays that introduces the work of marine scientists around the world.

The Science on a Sphere globe created by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Sant Ocean Hall

Sant Ocean Hall is named for Roger and Vicki Sant, D.C. philanthropists and Smithsonian supporters who donated $15 million to support the new hall and related programs and outreach activities, making them the largest donors to the museum.

$21 million was also provided by a federal appropriation for the renovation of the hall.

The hall was created in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Smithsonian’s partnership with The History Channel resulted in several audio-visual stories about marine scientist work around the world. Hall-wide teaching points include habitat transformation, pollution and climate change.

Most Incredible Ancient Oases in the World

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:23:00 +0000

Springing up from arid deserts and desolate, isolated locations, oases have been vital in providing life and sustenance to all forms of creatures, animals and humans alike since ancient times. Here are 10 of the most incredible and magnificent oases in the world.
Bahariya Oasis
El-Waha, el-Bahariya, or Bahariya (meaning the “northern oasis”) is an oasis in Egypt about 300 miles (500 kilometers) from Cairo, set in the lowest point in Egypt in a depression covering over 1250 sq. miles (2000 sq. kilometers), and the least technologically advanced Oasis in the country

The Bahariya Oasis and much of today’s Libyan Desert was once the floor of an immense ocean, but since approximately 3,000 BC to now, very little rainfall graces the area, so groundwater is its life blood.

Most of the villages and cultivated land can be seen from the top of the 165 foot (50 meter) high Jebel al-Mi’ysrah, along with the massive dunes which threaten to engulf some of the older settlements.

Bawiti is the largest village in the oasis and the administrative center with its picturesque hillside quarter overlooking lush palm groves irrigated by the Ain al-Beshmo — a natural spring carved from the rock in Roman times which gushes water at 90 degrees F (30 C). Qasr is Bawiti’s neighboring twin village, and the near-by village of al-Qast was built on the remains of a 26th dynasty temple at Qarat Hilwah where you can still see tombs with paintings dating from the same period.

To the east, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) away are the villages of Mandishah and el Zabu. A smaller village called Aguz lies between Bawiti and Mandishah. Harrah, the eastern most village, is a few kilometers east of Mandishah and el Zabu.

Bahariya Oasis Burial Tomb
Bahariya Oasis Burial Tomb.
he ruins of a temple to Alexander the Great is located within the Bahariya Oasis where it’s believed by some Egyptologists that the Greek conqueror passed through Bahariya while returning from the oracle of Ammon at Siwa Oasis. Excavations of the Greco-Roman necropolis — known as the Valley of the Golden Mummies — began in 1996 with about 34 tombs that have been excavated from the area.
Farafra Oasis
Arguably claimed to be the smallest oasis in Western Egypt, the Farafra Oasis is famed for one of Egypt’s foremost nature attractions in Farafra’s depression — the White Desert known as Sahara el Beyda, located in the Libyan Desert 112 miles (180 kilometers) south of the Bahariya Oasis and 335 miles (540 kilometers) southwest of Cairo.

The White Desert of Egypt is located 28 miles (45 kilometers) north of Farafra. The desert has a white, cream color and is inundated with massive sparkling white chalk rock formations created as a result of sandstorms.

The main settlement is Qasr Farafra, with about 5,000 inhabitants living within its single village. Areas of the village have complete quarters of traditional architecture, simple, smooth, unadorned, and all in mud color.

Sunset in the White Desert.
The oldest identified settlements go back to Roman times, with indications to have been part of ancient Libya rather than the Ancient Egyptian culture and civilization.

There are several hot springs near Farafra including Bir Setta, and even a small lake named El-Mufid lake.

The decorated front wall of the home of Egyptian artist, Bader, in Farafra Oasis
in Egypt’s Western Desert.

Qatif Oasis
Qatif or Al-Qatif — also spelled Qateef or Al-Qateef — is one of the largest and oldest oases in the world, dating back to 3,500 BC in the late Bronze Age, famous for its springs and palm trees and the large Shi’i community that has caused much tension located on the western shore of the Persian Gulf in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

t’s a green oasis surrounded by a jungle of palm trees with rich agricultural soil. Springs are abundant in the Oasis of Qatif, with some springs found in the midst of its waters. On the west lies the Al-Dahna Desert with its golden sands intermingled with small rocky heights, and the Persian Gulf to the east with its warm and calm waters rich of marine life and pearls.

Qatif functioned as the main town and port in this region of the Gulf for centuries, and was famous for spear making. It was called Cateus by the Greeks, and some early European maps labeled the entire present-day Persian Gulf as the “Sea of El Catif”.

Qatif oasis and the nearby island of Tarout are some of the most interesting tourist and archeological sites in the Kingdom.

An amazing site not to be missed is the Tarut Citadel, built over 5000-year old settlements, constructed around 1515 to 1521 AD, with its hidden passages and high towers that were used to protect the city from Portuguese attackers.

Ein Gedi is mentioned several times in biblical writings, such as the Song of Songs. According to Jewish tradition, David hid from Saul in the caves here. Book of Joshua enumerates Ein Gedi among the cities of the Tribe of Judah in the desert Betharaba, but the Book of Ezekiel shows that it was also a fisherman’s town.

A kibbutz, founded in 1956, is located about a kilometer from the oasis that offers various tourist attractions and takes advantage of the abundance of natural water to cultivate produce. Prior to the founding of the kibbutz, the Ein Gedi area had not been permanently inhabited for 500 years.

The indigenous Jewish town of Ein Gedi was a major source of balsam for the Greco-Roman world until its destruction by Byzantine emperor Justinian as part of his persecution of the Jews in his realm. A beautiful synagogue mosaic still remains, including a Judeo-Aramaic inscription warning inhabitants against “revealing the town’s secret” to the outside world — the methods for extraction and preparation of the much-prized balsam resin.

Between the 13th century and the Israeli War of Independence, Ein Gedi was inhabited at various times by both Jews and Bedouin Arabs.

In April 1848, Lieutenant William Francis Lynch led an American expedition down the Jordan River into the Dead Sea and renamed it George Washington Spring.

Ein Gedi National Park is one of the most important reserves in Israel, situated on the eastern border of the Judean Desert on the Dead Sea coast, covering an area of 6,250 acres, which was founded in 1972. The elevation of the land ranges from the level of the Dead Sea at 1,371 feet 418 meters) below sea level to the plateau of the Judean Desert at 655 feet (200 meters) above sea level.

The National Park has 2 spring-fed streams with flowing water year-round — Nachal David (David Stream) and Nachal Arugot (Arugot Stream), as well as 2 other springs, the Shulamit and Ein Gedi springs. Together the springs generate about 3,000,000 cubic meters of water a year which is used for agriculture and bottled for consumption.

The park is a sanctuary for many types of plant, bird and animal species. The many species of resident birds are supplemented by over 200 additional species during the migration periods in the spring and fall.

Al-Hasa Oasis
Famed for being the largest groundwater-fed oasis in the world and possibly the most fascinating, the Al-Hasa oasis has been inhabited since ancient times, being the only water source in a vast arid region, located 40 miles (65 kilometers) inland from the Persian Gulf, with a surface of roughly 75 sq. miles (120 sq. kilometers).

In ancient times, Al-Hasa was at the center of the trade routes which traders followed between the east of the Arabian peninsula and India, Persia and the Far East.

The Oasis has a dry tropical climate, with a 5-month summer and relatively cold winter, enjoying the benefits of copious reserves of underground water.

The wind carries and deposits tons of sand over the land, so the Kingdom has planted large barriers of trees to prevent the wind-borne sand from damaging inhabited and agricultural areas, which also adds a bit more shade and coolness.

The Al-Hasa region derives its name from the oasis at its center, stretching north to Kuwait, out to the Persian Gulf, ending in the south with the Rub al-Khali — the Empty Quarter — and the ad-Dahna desert in the west. The region has an estimated population of 3.4 million, which accounts for more than 95% of the total population of the Eastern Province.

There are about 50 traditional Arabian villages spread around the oasis.

Al-Hasa is part of the region known historically as Al-Bahrayn, which included the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula down to the borders of Oman, and also included the island of Awal, modern-day Bahrain.

The main cities of Al-Hasa region are Dammam out on the coast — a new, modern urban area thriving from the oil industry — Hofuf which is the chief town administrated as the Eastern Province, and Mubarraz which lies north of Al-Hasa Oasis.

The region is the home of some of the richest oil fields in the world. In 1938, petroleum deposits were discovered near Dammam, resulting in rapid modernization of the region, and by the early 1960’s, production levels reached 1,000,000 barrels a day.

One of the region’s few strategic and economic prizes prior to the oil era, Al-Hasa has been controlled from Al-Hufuf in the past 2 centuries by Ottomans, Egyptians, the Bani Khalid tribe, and the Al Saud family.

Huacachina Oasis
Called the “oasis of America,” Huacachina is a little town built around a small lake in the desert in the Ica Region in southwestern Peru, located in the Ica Province near the city of Ica in the Ica District with a whopping population of 115 in 1999.

Legend has it that the lagoon was created when a beautiful native princess was apprehended at her bath by a young hunter. She fled, leaving the pool of water she had been bathing in to become the lagoon. The folds of her mantle streaming behind her as she ran became the surrounding sand dunes, and she’s said to still live in the oasis as a mermaid.

Huacachina serves as a resort for local families from the nearby city of Ica, renowned worldwide for being the picture-perfect oasis in any mirage, and increasingly becoming an attraction for tourists drawn by the sport of sandboarding on sand dunes that stretch several hundred feet high.

There are sand tours on sand buggies where you can explore the surroundings, and you can also see the surreal images of ancient whales’ skeleton fossils uncovered by the wind and rain.

Gaberoun Oasis
Gaberoun — also spelled as Gaber Awhn, Gabr Awhn, Gabr Own, and Gabraun — is an oasis with a large lake located in the municipality Sabha in the Libyan Sahara. Now lying in ruins, the old Bedouin settlement by the western shore of the lake has been abandoned. A rudimentary tourist camp is situated on the northeastern shore, with an open patio and sleeping huts.

A small tribe inhabited the oasis, with the ruins of their settlement scattered between the palms at the northwestern shore of the lake. They were moved in the 1980’s to a new location outside the sand dunes in the Wadi Bashir south of the erg, a settlement of concrete apartments built specifically for the resettlement of the tribe.

The oasis is accessible from the Sabha-Ubari road 93 miles (150 kilometers) west of Sabha and north in the sand dunes at the settlement of Qasr Larocu by a 22 mile (36 kilometer) 4-wheel-drive ride through the dunes of the Awbari sand sea — also called Ramlat al Dauada.

Mzab Oasis
The M’zab or Mzab, (Tumzabt Aghlan) is a region of the northern Sahara, in the Ghardaia wilaya “province” of Algeria, around 500km south of Algiers. The Mzab itself is a limestone plateau, centered around the Wad Mzab (Oued Mzab). The intense heat during the summer makies it one of the hottest areas of the world.

There are 5 qsur — “walled villages” — located on rocky outcrops along the Wəd Mzab rising out from the desolate Sahara collectively known as the Pentapolis — Ghardaïa Tagherdayt, the principal settlement today, Beni Isguen At Isjen, Melika At Mlishet, Bounoura At Bunur, and El-Ateuf Tajnint. Adding the more recent settlements of Bérianne and El Guerara, the Mzab Heptapolis is completed.

In the summer the Mzabites migrated to ’summer citadels’ centered around palm grove oases. Each citadel has a fortress-like mosque, whose minaret served as a watchtower. Houses of standard size and type were constructed in concentric circles around the mosque. This is one of the major oasis groups of the Sahara Desert, and is bounded by arid country known as chebka, crossed by dry river beds.

Siwa Oasis is one of Egypt’s isolated settlements, with 23,000 people, mostly ethnic Berbers who speak a distinct language of the Berber family known as taSiwit. Tourism has become a vital source of income, with much attention given to creating hotels that use local materials and play on local styles.

The ancient fortress of Siwa — known as the Shali Ghali — was built of natural rock made of salt, mud-brick and palm logs. Three days of heavy rain in 1926 were enough to destroy the city of Shali. Although now mostly abandoned and ‘melted,’ the ruins remain a prominent feature and maintain the morbid beauty of the 13th century city, towering 5 storeys above the modern town.

Other local historic sites include the remains of the oracle temple, the Gebel al Mawta — the Mountain of the Dead — a Roman-era necropolis featuring dozens of rock-cut tombs, and “Cleopatra’s Bath,” an antique natural spring.

Prior to his campaign of conquest in Persia, Alexander the Great reached the oasis allegedly by following birds across the desert. The oracle is said to have confirmed him as both a divine personage and the legitimate Pharaoh of Egypt.
It was in here that Alexandra the Great consulted the Oracle of Amun and was answered by the priest/oracle through a hole in the wall. There would have been a statue of Amun in front of the hole so that it seemed as if the answer was coming from the statue. This may seem a bit of a confidence trick, but although the Oracle was a man he was supposed to be a channel for the god Amun, the “Hidden One.”

The fragmentary remains of the oracle temple with some inscriptions dating from the 4th century BC lie within the ruins of Aghurmi. The revelations of the oracle fell into disrepute under the Roman occupation of Egypt.

Although the oasis is known to have been settled since at least the 10th millennium BC, the earliest evidence of connection with ancient Egypt is the 26th Dynasty, when a necropolis was established.

Greek settlers at Cyrene made contact with the oasis around the 7th century BC, and the oracle temple of Ammon (Zeus Ammon) was already famous during the time of Herodotus.

The Romans later used Siwa as a place of banishment. Evidence of Christianity at Siwa is dubious, but in 708 the Siwans resisted an Islamic army, and did not likely convert until the 12th century. A local manuscript mentions only 7 families totaling 40 men living at the oasis in 1203.

Tozeur Oasis
Tozeur is a large oasis and the capital city of the Tozeur Governorate in southwest Tunisia, located northwest of Chott el-Djerid, in between Chott and the smaller Chott el-Gharsa, famous for its yellow-brownish brick architecture with hundreds of thousands of palm trees.

Known in antiquity as Tusuros, the oasis was an important Roman outpost, and was significant for the transportation through the Sahara in ancient times before the advent of motorized vehicles, which took place in caravans.

In the medina (old city) of Tozeur, you can still find traditional architecture with fascinating patterns in simple and rich geometric designs forming the façades of most buildings as well as the new tourist zone. The old town of Ouled El Hwadef is a magnificent example of the local brick work.

Mandated by the local government, the old town narrow streets, walls and facades were decorated with bricks resulting in one of the most distinct and beautiful architectural styles of Tunisia, which took more than 10 years to complete.

One of the gates of the old town, but symbolically it is much more. Tozeur itself is a gate as it
is located at the edge of the large terrible dry salt lake Chott el Jerid, Photo DarkFrame

The old Medina, with its fabulous decorative brick work dating back many centuries. This
style of brickwork can only be found here and in nearby Nefta. Photo Gail Delderfield

Abu Yazid Mukhallad ibn Kayrad, nicknamed Saheb Al Himar led a mostly Berber revolution against the Fatimid ruler. The revolution was nearly a success, but was eventually crushed. Sahib Al Himar was caught hiding in a cave and ordered to be executed, skinned and stuffed with cotton. His mutilated body was put on display at the southern main entrance to El Mahdia — a Tunisian coastal city — where he initially began his revolution by implanting his spear in the very same door a few years earlier.

The government initiated 2 large scale projects which are slowly leading to the decay of the old oasis and incremental to causing extinction of the endemic fishes and small animals, most of them either now gone or severely endangered with no protection.

Tozeur’s oasis has traditionally been irrigated based on an open surface canal system designed in the 1200’s by the famous engineer Ibn Chabbat which is currently being replaced by an ‘eye sore’ system of concrete pipes.

Most natural springs that Tozeur is very famous for that supported a delicate ecological system are being depleted from tapping of deep aquifers by wells, which counted more than 2,500 a few decades ago.

The second project entails a futile effort for the initiation of new (young) oases around town, but poor planning, corruption, lack of skilled workers and disregard to local traditions places the natural springs in jeopardy.

Tourism is heavily developed and promoted, and Tozeur is considered a center of “desert tourism,” where the “International Festival of Oases” takes place in November / December of every year. From Tozeur you can take trips by camel to explore the Sahara Desert and get to know the Chott el-Djerid.

Most Dangerous Natural Infinity Pool on Earth

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:21:00 +0000

Attracting daredevils and water babies who love to live on the edge and will go to any depth to experience the ultimate life’s thrill, Devil’s Swimming Pool has to be the world’s most dangerous naturally formed pool, located mere inches from the lip of the Victoria Falls rim at a height of 360 feet (108 meters), before the raging waters spill into the vast gorges below in deafening sound.

She wants to jump!
During rainy season, some are swept instantly over the falls — including the occasional hippo and foolish humans — to their death and oftentimes found swirling about and washed up at the north-east end of the Second Gorge, about 820 feet (250 meters) south of the falls.

But generally from September through December when water levels are lower, daring individuals can jump in to be carried away within inches of the chasm without continuing over the edge and falling into the gorge.

Frizt jumps into the pool

A natural but slippery rock wall just below the water’s surface at the very edge of the falls forms a barrier that stops them from crashing over despite the current, with thrill-seekers exhilarated from the dangers nearby as the swimmers get within inches of their deaths.

Devil’s Pool is definitely one of the most surreal locations on Earth.

Looking down may make you dizzy!

Edge of the pool.

Other end of Devil’s Pool.

Forming the largest single sheet of falling water in the world, the Victoria Falls — originally called Mosi-oa-Tunya, or Smoke That Thunders by locals — are situated on the Zambezi River, on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe in southern Africa, accessed via Livingstone Island.

The falls are by some measures, the largest waterfall in the world, as well as being among the most unusual in form, and having arguably the most diverse and easily seen wildlife of any major waterfall.

Up to 500 million liters (132,275 gallons) of water cascade per minute over the mile-wide (1.7 kilometer) falls, creating a spectacular explosion of rainbow colored spray that rises over 1,300 feet (400 meters) — and sometimes even twice as high — which can be seen as far as 30 miles (50 kilometers) away.

At full moon, a ‘moonbow’ can be seen in the spray instead of the usual daylight rainbow.

Lone tree living on the edge.

View from Livingstone Island.

During the flood season from February to May, it’s impossible to see the foot of the falls and most of its face, and the walks along the cliff opposite it are in a constant shower and shrouded in mist. Close to the edge of the cliff, spray shoots upward like inverted rain, especially at Zambia’s Knife-Edge Bridge.

Victoria Falls — later named as such by Europeans — are one of Africa’s major tourist attractions, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where many of Africa’s animals and birds can be seen in the immediate vicinity.

Thousands of thrill-seekers descend on the falls annually, scuttling across rocks and wading through shallows across the precipice to reach the pool from the town of Victoria Falls in Nature’s most exhilarating theme park.

Crossing the river against the current, hand in hand.

The unusual form of Victoria Falls virtually enables the entire width of the falls to be viewed face-on at the same level as the top, from as close as 200 feet (60 meters). Few other waterfalls allow such a close approach on foot.

The whole Zambezi River drops into a deep, narrow slot-like chasm, connected to a long series of gorges.

For a long distance leading to the falls, the Zambezi river flows over a level sheet of basalt, in a shallow valley bounded by low and distant sandstone hills. The river’s course is speckled with numerous tree covered islands, increasing in number as it approaches the falls.

No mountains, escarpments, or deep valleys are present which might be expected to create a waterfall — only a flat plateau extending hundreds of miles in all directions.

The falls are formed as the full width of the river plummets in a single vertical drop into a chasm 200 to 400 feet (60 to120 meters) wide, carved by its waters along a fracture zone in the basalt plateau.

The depth of the chasm — called the First Gorge — varies from 262 feet (80 meters) on the western end to 360 feet (108 meters) in the center. The only outlet to the First Gorge is a 360 foot (110 meter) wide gap about two-thirds of the way across the width of the falls from the western end, through which the entire river pours into the Victoria Falls gorges.

View of Victoria Falls from the island

Victoria Falls’ Second Gorge (with bridge) and Third Gorge (right). The peninsular
cliffs are in Zambia, the outer cliffs in Zimbabwe.

Two islands on the crest of the falls — Boaruka Island (or Cataract Island) near the western bank, and Livingstone Island near the middle — are large enough to divide the curtain of water even at full flood. At less than full flood, additional islets divide the curtain of water into separate parallel streams.

The main streams are named Leaping Water — called Devil’s Cataract by some — Main Falls, Rainbow Falls (the highest) and the Eastern Cataract.

The gorge below the Songwe called the Batoka Gorge — also used as an umbrella name for all the gorges — is about 75 miles (120 kilometers) long. The straight line distance to its end is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of the falls and takes the river through the basalt plateau to the valley in which Lake Kariba now lies.

For more than 100,000 years, the falls have been receding upstream through the Batoka Gorges, eroding the sandstone-filled cracks to form the gorges. The river has fallen in different eras into different chasms which now form a series of sharply zig-zagging gorges downstream from the falls.

Zambia and Zimbabwe each share the falls, and both have national parks to protect them and towns serving as tourism centers — Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and Livingstone in Zambia, and Victoria Falls National Park and the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.

In 2006, hotel occupancy on the Zimbabwean side was about 30%, while the Zambian side was at near-capacity, with rates reaching $630 US per night. The rapid development has prompted the United Nations to consider revoking the fall’s status as a World Heritage Site. Problems of waste disposal and a lack of effective management of the falls’ environment are also a concern.

Swimming In Victoria Falls Devil’s Pool

Storm Chasers and Nature at its Fiercest

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:00 +0000

Storm chasers — a rare breed of zany adventurers, whose sole objective is the pursuit of ferocious tornadoes, ravaging hurricanes and menacing thunderstorms as Mother Nature wreaks her havoc on our world. What drives these individuals, risking life and limb to experience an ominous tornado in full force?

A violent swirling mass darkens the skies over Grand Island, NE May 10, 2007

Some are adrenaline junkies, others are research scientists, or journalists competing to get first dibbs on tornado warnings to boost their ratings. Many chasers are also storm spotters, reporting their observations of hazardous weather to authorities.

But for storm chasers Mike Hollingshead and Eric Nguyen, perhaps it has simply been the thrill in seeking cumulonimbus structure, watching a barrage of hail and lightning, and witnessing skyscapes unfold — their sense of heaven on Earth as nature puts on a show of her deadly and hypnotic beauty.

Cloud over Sioux City, Iowa, whipped into a massive, spaceship-like doughnut a mile in diameter.

Alma Nebraska HP Supercell September 6, 2007

Up to 800 tornados are reported in the U.S. annually, with the majority found in “Tornado Alley” — in the Mid-West.

The storms there are triggered by the unique weather in the area which has a constant low pressure system that draws moist, warm air from the southern Gulf of Mexico towards the cool dry air of the Northern Rockies and the warm dry air of the Western deserts.

These conflicting air systems produce monstrous, violently raging masses of air called supercells, and when the cloud formation touches ground, another twister is born.

Chasers quickly learn to interpret the signs of a major storm brewing like towering cumulus — fluffy clouds — with the most hopeful sight being a “gust front” — an angry black wall of indigo cloud.

The thrill of the chase and the possibility of seeing nature at its wildest will typically lure the chasers in.

A monstrous tornado unleashes its wrath across Alvo, Nebraska, travelling at over 70mph.

O’Neill NE Supercells, Creighton NE Intense Mammatus August 21, 2007

Motivations for Chasing
Storm chasing is chiefly a recreational endeavor, with motives usually given toward photographing the storm for personal reasons. Though scientific work is sometimes cited as a goal, such work is almost always impractical except for those participating in a university or government project.

Storm chasers are not paid to chase, with the exception of some television media crews, video stringers and photographers, and a handful of graduate meteorologists and professors. A few entrepreneurs, however, manage to sell storm videos and pictures or operate “chase tour” services.

Financial returns are relatively meager given the expenses with most chasers spending more than they take in. No degree or certification is required to be a storm chaser. The NWS (National Weather Service) does conduct severe weather workshops and storm spotter training, usually early in the spring.

Murray Hill Iowa Morning Fog August 25, 2007
Murray Hill Iowa Morning Fog August 25, 2007
A house in Mulvane, Kansas, misses the path of terror.

Typical Storm Chase
Chasing often involves driving thousands of miles in order to witness the relatively short window of time of active severe thunderstorms. It’s not uncommon for a storm chaser to end up empty handed on any particular day. Storm chasers’ degrees of involvement, philosophies, and techniques vary widely, but many chasers spend a significant amount of time forecasting; both before going on the road as well as during the chase, using a variety of sources for weather data.

Dangers
There are inherent dangers involved in pursuing hazardous weather, ranging from lightning, tornadoes, large hail, flooding, hazardous road conditions, animals on the road, reduced visibility from heavy rain (often wind blown), and hail fog. Most directly weather-related hazards are minimal, provided the storm chaser is knowledgeable and cautious.

Tornadoes affect a relatively small area and are predictable enough to be avoided if a safe distance is maintained. Lightning, however, is an unavoidable hazard.

The most significant hazard is actually is driving, intensified by the severe weather. Adding still more to this hazard are the numerous distractions vying for a chasers’ attention such as driving, communicating to chase partners and to others with a phone or radio, navigating, watching the sky, checking weather data, and shooting photos or video.

Plant Cloud Creation January 20, 2008
Sunrise and Steamy Icy River Missouri January 17 - 19, 2008
Niobrara Nebraska Storm September 20, 2007

Seasonal
Storm chasers are most active in May and June across the Great Plains of the United States (extending into Canada), with perhaps a few hundred individuals active on any given day during this period. This coincides with the most consistent tornado days in the most desirable topography of the Great Plains.

Not only are the most intense supercells common here, but because of the moisture profile of the atmosphere, the storms tend to be more visible than locations farther east where there are also frequent severe thunderstorms. Storms occurring later in the year tend to be more isolated and slower moving, both of which are also desirable to chasers.

Spring abounds with activity, with more sporadically occurring in warmer months of the year, especially further north. An annually inconsistent and smaller peak of severe thunderstorm and tornado activity also arises in autumn, particularly October and November.

NW of Kansas, Tornadic Supercell May 22, 2007
Alton Kansas Supercell May 4, 2007
Chester NE to Kansas Tornadoes May 24, 2004

Some organized chasing efforts have also begun in southeast Australia, with the largest successes in November and December. A handful of individuals are also known to chase in other countries, including Israel, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and New Zealand; although many people trek to the Great Plains of North America from these and other countries around the world.

Equipment
Storm chasers will vary with regards to the amount of equipment used — some prefer a minimalist approach, where only basic photographic equipment is taken on a chase, while others use everything from satellite based tracking systems and live data feeds to vehicle mounted weather stations.

The first in-field technology consisted of radio gear for communication which could also be adapted to receive radiofax data which was useful for receiving basic observational and analysis data, with primary users being university research groups who often had larger budgets than individual chasers.

Radio scanners were also heavily used to listen in on emergency services and storm spotters to determine where the most active or dangerous weather was located. A number of chasers were also radio amateurs, and used mobile amateur radio to communicate directly with spotters and other chasers, allowing them to keep abreast of what they couldn’t see themselves

Radar

Most meteorological data was acquired all at once early in the morning, and the rest of day’s chasing was based on analysis and forecast gleaned from this; as well as visual clues in the field.

Some chasers made stops at rural airstrips or NWS offices for an update on weather conditions. NOAA weather radio could provide information in the vehicle, such as weather watches and warnings, surface weather conditions, convective outlooks, and NWS radar updates.

With the development of solid state technology, television sets could be installed in most vehicles in the 1990’s allowing storm chasers to actively view local TV stations.

The mid 1990’s marked the development of smaller more efficient marine radars, but they were illegal if used in land-mobile situations, and found to interfere with research radars. The first personal lightning detection and mapping devices also became available and the first online radar data was offered by private corporations.

Top of an NSSL chase vehicle showing A/C unit, compass, and GPS.

The Internet was awash in weather data and free weather software in the late 1990’s, the first true cellular internet modems for consumer providing chasers access to data in the field without having to rely on a nowcaster, and the NWS released the first free, up to date NEXRAD Level 3 radar data.

Wi-Fi units began to emerge offering wireless broadband service in 2001, and the first Windows-based package to combine GPS positioning and doppler radar appeared called SWIFT WX in 2002 which allowed storm chasers to accurately position themselves relative to tornadic storms while mobile.

XM Satellite Radio based systems came about in 2004, utilizing a special receiver and Baron Systems weather software. Unlike pre-existing cellular-based services there was no risk of dead spots, providing storm chasers with live data feed even in the most remote areas. The software GRLevel3 utilized both free and subscription based raw weather radar files, displaying the data in a true vector format.

The most common chaser communications device is a cell phone, used for both voice and data connections. It’s not uncommon for chasers to travel in small groups of cars, and some use Citizen Band radios or GMRS / FRS hand-held transceivers for inter-car communication.

Many chasers are amateur radio operators and use the 2 meters VHF to communicate between vehicles or with SKYWARN spotter networks. Scanners are often used to monitor spotter and sometimes public safety communications.

In-field environmental data is still popular among some storm chasers, especially temperature, moisture, and wind speed data, and many have weather stations mounted atop their vehicles.

Chasers have heavily utilized still photography since the beginning. Videography gained prominence by the 1990’s, but a resurgence of photography has occurred with the advent of affordable digital cameras.

History
The very first storm chaser is generally agreed to be Roger Jensen, a Fargo, North Dakota native who pursued western Minnesota storms from Lake Park around 1953, and David Hoadley began chasing North Dakota storms in 1956. Bringing research chasing to the forefront was Neil Ward who in the 1950’s and 1960’s enlisted the help of Oklahoma state police to study storms. His work pioneered modern storm spotting and made institutional chasing a reality.

University of Oklahoma in cooperation with the National Severe Storms Laboratory began the Tornado Intercept Project in 1972 — the first large-scale chase activity sponsored by an institution. The Union City, Oklahoma provided a foundation for tornado morphology which produced the first legion of veteran storm chasers.

Storm chasing became popular with the broadcast of a segment on the TV program In Search Of, and the movie Twister in 1996 which provided an action-packed but comically distorted glimpse at the hobby. Various TV programs and the Internet have also contributed to a significant growth of storm chasing since the 1990’s.

Storm Chasers TV Series
Storm Chasers is a docudrama television show in the U.S. that follows 2 teams of storm chasers as they attempt to intercept and film a tornado from inside it. The team uses a fleet of 3 vehicles, the Tornado Intercept Vehicle or TIV, the scout car, and a Doppler on Wheels or DOW.

An early version of the TIV

The crew is lead by Joshua Wurman, a renowned scientist and tornado expert, whose goal is to collect tornado data in order to improve warnings systems. Aiding in this mission are Herb Stein (DOW Driver), Mara McFalls (Scout Driver/Journalist), Justin Walker (Scout Navigator/meteorologist), Danny Cheresnick (DOW Navigator/Meteorologist), and Karen Kosiba (DOW Navigator/Meteorologist).

The TIV is outfitted with weather instruments that collect data from about 12 feet off the deck that, when combined with the DOW radar imagery and the probe data, can help to give Josh a more complete picture of a tornado’s structure.

The show is technically in its second season, as an original season was filmed in 2006, but never aired.

About Mike Hollingshead and Eric Nguyen
Considered one of the elite amongst his peers, Mike Hollingshead, of Blair, Nebraska, has been chasing storms since May, 1999.

“I started out as a storm chaser, with no plans or desire to shoot still images. My thing was just video taping storms with a cheap camcorder.” says Mike Hollingshead.

“I began storm chasing in 1999, but had always filmed and watched storms from town. I soon saw a few cool skies … and began to show the images on my site.”

“If one ever wants to see amazing storms you’re going to have to drive a lot and often for nothing.”

“Each year I would increase my chases. I’m now to around 40 chases a year. In 2005 I had just over 18,000 miles dedicated just to chasing storms. In 2006 it was around 22,000 miles which ranged from Texas to North Dakota and Colorado to IN.”

“One can become so addicted to something that they lose all ability to view it from an outside angle. It’s hard for me to step back and see how crazy doing this kind of is.”

“I’ve woke up early in the morning and driven to Texas from near Omaha Nebraska, all for nothing, hoping to see cool clouds. To a chaser this does not seem at all crazy.”

“The odds are very stacked against you seeing something very crazy, but we go anyway, often afraid of missing something.”

“I don’t think of this hobby as dangerous at all, as goofy as that might seem. A deer coming through my windshield while driving home at night scares me much more than anything from the storms.”

“Probably the worst part about chasing is some of those drives home in rain.”

A graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a B.S. in meteorology, Eric Nguyen passed away on September 9, 2007 at the age of 29.

He began seriously getting into storm chasing in 1996, oftentimes alone with nothing more than a map, scanner, and a camera.

Lounge Lizards You Will Not Meet in Bars

malikimranawan_786@yahoo.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:16:00 +0000

Not the typical lounge lizards you may be used to meeting in bars, these reptiles are the highly trained and skilled models whose photos are created by one Henry Lizardlover of Los Angeles, California. Chilling out on chaises lounges, cuddling beneath bedcovers, swinging in a hammock, jet skiing and even plunking strings of a guitar, these creatures look as if they’re living the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Henry Lizardlover — who changed his surname from Schifberg — is an unusual fellow living with his unconventional family of 33 lizards since 1982. He photographs them in a series of bona fide, live poses, as pampered pet lizards. Henry insists that no tricks of any kind are ever used.

“It doesn’t cause them any pain or discomfort” he says. “But out of 50 or 60 lizards, only 1 or 2 are going to be calm and comfortable enough to be posed up like this.”

“Some lizards will develop precious calm, trust and intelligent behavior, with ability of accurate memory to learn and live in peaceful harmony with other creatures.” says Henry. “A safe, friendly environment helps the lizard build trust and grow out of the primal state. By careful cultivation or fluke of mere happenstance, the New Lizard may be born. To what degree, there’s no guarantee.”

“Many people fear lizards or lack lizard love, but hearts moved are hearts improved. To see lizards do the unexpected is but one of the mysterious ways that can stir us up with radical amazement and the sense of awe and wonder.”

“It’s important to me to shrug off old stereotype views of lizards — they have potential for good and intelligent behavior. Besides their good looks, it’s all something to be recognized and admired.”

“I’ve lived with some wonderful lizards and observed impressive behavior, such as calm, trust, memory of people, places, animals, cars, etc.” adds Henry. “And just like humans, I’ve seen lots of egocentric and violent behavior in lizards.”

Henry Lizardlover says that lizards are individuals that vary in significant ways from one ato the next — very much like people, there are those that naturally become very calm and civil while others are overwhelmed with fear and have difficult behaviors, no matter how well you raise or treat them. They have various forms of intelligence, all sorts of body language, human-like behavior, and human-like character and ego — they truly want to live and enjoy being alive and basking in the sunshine just like people.

BUT he says, as pets, iguanas are a considerable gamble to get involved with. They can become too large for most people to deal with. Male iguanas pose a potential of getting into serious aggressive breeding season moods once they grow up and there’s no way of preventing or predicting that behavior, no way of knowing whether your iguana will or will not develop a grave attack mood and change from being sweet pet to raging bull.

Henry has always maintained a group of 30 to 50 iguanas since 1982, including Chinese water dragons, Solomon Island tree skinks and Sneider skinks.

“I felt sorry for lizards I would see in pet shops and knew I could give some of them a good home at my place and place others in ‘qualified’ homes. I raised hundreds of iguanas and lizards including ones that were difficult and not suitable for placement in other homes.”

“By actually living with a large variety of iguanas and lizards, I came to realize things about them that few people ever have a chance to see. There is a radical variation in behavior and personality among the whole population of iguanas — the temperaments will vary as much as they do among humans.”

“Many iguanas have a natural ability to adapt and get along with humans in ways that a cat or dog will.” says Henry. “I found that once the iguanas / lizards feel safe and take on their potential state of calm if and when they develop a relative absence of fear, they will demonstrate all kinds of intelligence and civil ‘tame’ behavior, automatically on their own, without any training. They can develop amazing qualities of genuine trust and harmony around humans and other friendly animals.”

“I often had to find good homes for some male iguanas once they became adults and started fighting. There was a limit to the number I could keep, as the males required separate rooms but females did not in most cases.”

“As time when on, lizards became a major part of my life — I was even sleeping with one of my favorites, a male iguana that started sleeping by my side from the age of 6 months and for the next 14 years.”

“I was taking [them] with me everywhere I’d go — to work traveling to auto dealerships and auctions, to restaurants, movies, on dates, to weddings, funerals, banks, even to the dentist.”

“I could take some of them out to places like empty parking lots or the mountains and with all the bushes and such, none of these adult iguanas would ever try to leave me. They just pace around, bob their heads to show off and explore a little or follow me.”

“They would go up to my vehicle and climb in on their own, something you expect a dog to do. But when a lizard does that, it can make you rethink your whole idea of reptiles and small brains.”

“Most all of my iguanas had free roam within certain rooms and pens. Some could be trusted to wander the house without any restrictions, even wandering outside in the back yard all day long, and always returning back to the house on their own.”

“The ultimate thing that impressed me the most about lizards, is the state of perfect calm and trust they can develop around people [which] is a most significant thing to behold.”

Henry quickly recognized the truly human-like character in the reptiles. “In raising hundreds of iguanas throughout the years, I was able to let go of preconceptions and the same limited views that most people tend to have of lizards.”

“My lizards became so incredibly calm and trusting, I found out they would easily cooperate and sit in human-like positions for long periods of time — not stuck or hypnotized, not stressed, not chained down, no tricks of any kind, free to get up and go if they felt like it.”

“I love to photograph and soon started into production as a popular line of picture post cards and greeting cards. There is a lot of controversy about the posing thing that I do with lizards.”

“False and ugly assumptions are made that these lizards must be either drugged, chilled, hypnotized, unhealthy or dead to get them to do this.” said Henry. “Over time in raising these lizards, some of them do become very calm and trusting — or tame if you like — no longer afraid of people or even dogs. Then and only then do they become ready and good enough to bring out in public and do these human-like poses.”

Since 1988, Henry has attracted media attention world-wide. These uncanny lizards have been featured in numerous TV news spots, newspapers, magazines and talk shows both local and international.

But Henry doesn’t encourage anyone to take on lizards as pets, as so many remain scared and freaked out. Iguanas get very large, and some turn treacherously violent — a dangerous dilemma for owner and pet alike.

“Most lizards make for HORRIBLE and difficult pets.” says Henry. “Better to adopt a dog or cat instead.”

About Henry Lizardlover

“I decided to go all the way to having a house full of lizards by collecting iguanas, to keep in my home as pets and eventually as subjects for a photographic project I wanted to do, which later became the images I would use on a line of post cards and greeting cards. I had plenty of room in my house and garage and the time was right.”

“This was long before the iguana fad and frenzy of the 1990’s, when iguanas were not popular pets and very little was written about them.”

“Early on when I started collecting iguanas, I got all the vital tips and basic principles that covered iguana diet, health problems and general care from a wise veterinarian, DVM Clyde Pitts of the Studio City Animal Hospital.”

“By 1986, I changed my last name to “Lizardlover” to promote my new line of post cards and greeting cards featuring photos I did of my lizards and to show my love and dedication for my pet lizards.”

Henry wrote the Iguana Owner’s Manual in 1992 which he sells through mail order and various pet shops.

Henry Lizardlover and friend

Henry Lizardlover provides more than one could ever need to know about lizards and iguanas on his site, as well as his greeting cards and postcards. Visit his website to learn more, or you can contact him by email

All photos property of Henry Lizardlover.

Lounge Lizard Photoshoot