icanfly1 (be happy)

2009-10-25T05:03:00.000-07:00

Buddhism, as traditionally conceived, is a path of salvation attained through insight into the ultimate nature of reality.[2] It encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha (Pali/Sanskrit "one who is awake"). Adherents recognize the Buddha as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end suffering, achieve nirvana, and escape what is seen as a cycle of suffering and rebirth. However, Buddhist schools disagree over the historical teachings of the Buddha, and on the importance and canonicity of various scriptures. [3]
Two major branches of Buddhism are recognized: Theravada ("The School of the Elders") and Mahayana ("The Great Vehicle"). Theravada, the oldest surviving, has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, whilst Mahayana, which is found throughout East Asia, includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Shingon, Tendai and Shinnyo-en . In some classifications, a third branch, Vajrayana, is recognized, although many see this as an offshoot of the Mahayana. Other movements have appeared in recent times, sometimes classified as Buddhist modernism.
While Buddhism remains most popular within Asia, both branches are now found throughout the world. Various sources put the number of Buddhists in the world at between 230 million and 500 million.[4][5][6][7]
The foundation of all Buddhist practice is ethical conduct and altruism. Further practices can vary widely, but may include renunciation, meditation, the cultivation of mindfulness and wisdom, the study of scriptures, physical exercises, devotion and ceremonies, or the invocation of bodhisattvas.
佛教由古印度的釋迦牟尼（被稱為佛陀）在大約西元前6世紀建立，與基督教和伊斯蘭教並列為世界三大宗教。[1]
「佛」，全稱「佛陀」，意思是覺悟者。[2]佛教重視人類心靈的進步和覺悟，人們的一切煩惱（苦）都是有因有緣的，“諸法因緣生，諸法因緣滅”。人和其他眾生一樣，沉淪於苦迫之中，並不斷的生死輪迴。惟有斷滅貪、嗔、痴的聖人（佛陀、辟支佛、和阿羅漢）才能脫離生死輪迴，達到涅槃（清涼寂靜之意，即無有煩惱），釋迦牟尼就在35歲時成佛，並對眾人宣揚他所發現的真理。佛教徒的目的即在於從佛陀的教育（正法）裏，看透苦迫和“自我”的真相（緣起法），最終超越生死和苦、斷盡一切煩惱，成佛，或者成阿羅漢。
現代佛教可分為南傳佛教與北傳佛教二大傳承，北傳佛教又可分為漢傳佛教與藏傳佛教，因此又可分為三大傳承（詳細的分類請參考佛教宗派）。南傳佛教大致上就是上座部佛教（又被稱為小乘佛教），北傳佛教大致上包括大乘佛教（主要是漢傳佛教），以及秘密大乘佛教或金剛乘佛教（主要是藏傳佛教）。各傳乘在佛教的根本教義基本上沒有大分別，在修行特色上與一些理論上則有分別，以菩薩行理論的分別為最顯著。
佛教目前主要流行於東亞、東南亞及南亞等地區，在歐洲、美洲、大洋洲和非洲也有少量信徒。
El budismo es una religión [2] no teísta [3] perteneciente a la familia dhármica y, según la filosofía hindú, de tipo nastika.[4] El budismo ha ido evolucionando en la historia hasta adquirir la gran diversidad de escuelas y prácticas hoy presentes.

Le bouddhisme est, selon les points de vue traditionnels, une philosophie, une spiritualité ou une religion [1] apparue en Inde au Ve siècle av. J.-C. Elle compterait aujourd'hui entre 230 et 500 millions d'adeptes[2]. Le bouddhisme présente un ensemble ramifié de pratiques méditatives, de pratiques éthiques, de théories psychologiques, philosophiques et cosmogoniques, abordées dans la perspective de la libération de l'insatisfaction, du plein épanouissement du potentiel humain, et ce, en relation personnelle avec une intangible et ultime réalité spirituelle.

Vitamin D boosts brain power in middle-aged men

2009-05-29T15:43:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON (AFP) - - Higher levels of vitamin D, synthesized in the skin after being exposed to the sun and found in oily fish, are associated with increased brain power among middle-aged men, according to a new British study.

The link between increased vitamin D and faster information processing "was more significant in men aged over 60 years old, although the biological reasons for this remain unclear," read the report, to appear in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Manchester, in collaboration with other European specialists, compared the cognitive performance of more than 3,000 men between the ages of 40 and 79 years.
Men with higher levels of vitamin D "performed consistently better in a simple and sensitive neuropsychological test that assesses an individual's attention and speed of information processing," the study showed.
Resarchers "observed a significant, independent association between a slower information processing speed and lower levels of vitamin D," said lead author David Lee at Manchesters School of Translational Medicine.
The study is based on a large population sample and took into account other possible factors, such as depression, season and levels of physical activity.
The main source of vitamin D is 10 to 15 minutes daily exposure to sunlight. Oily fish are also an excellent source of vitamin D.
A separate 2008 study by researchers in Amsterdam showed that a lack of vitamin D could increase the risk of depression or other psychiatric problems among older people.

花龙舟

2009-05-27T05:42:00.000-07:00

明天是端午节，浙江省长兴县后洋村龙舟队的队员昨天正在进行训练，准备参加端午节的全县龙舟大赛。这次大赛有全县12支农民龙舟代表队参加。长兴县的民间龙舟被称为“花龙舟”，以船身色彩绚丽、装点丰富而著称，当地农民赛龙舟已经有1700多年的历史。每逢端午，当地各村百姓派出自己的“花龙舟”，在比试龙舟图案色彩的同时，也比拼速度，展现村民们积极进取、不服输的精神，是当地一场热闹的民间传统赛事。（新华社）

脱发基因找到了！

2009-05-27T05:36:00.000-07:00

日本科学家昨天说，他们通过老鼠试验已经找到了跟早期脱发有关的基因，为预防头发稀疏和秃头带来了希望。这个研究小组发现，当缺乏一种叫做Sox21的基因时，就会出现早期脱发，而且这种基因是人和老鼠都拥有的。研究人员用生物工程技术阻止了老鼠的Sox21基因起作用，结果发现这些啮齿动物在出生15天后头上开始掉毛，一星期后全身的毛都脱光，变成全秃了。从国立遗传研究所的这组照片可以看到，出生13天时的小老鼠全身毛茸茸的（上），16天后头上的毛就掉光了（中），到25天的时候全身光秃秃了（下）。（法新社）

无奇不有！长“翅膀”的猫

2009-05-26T05:18:00.000-07:00

长翅膀的不一定是天使”，还可能是猫，你相信嘛？对于这只“长翅膀的猫”，重庆居民都很好奇，有人给它送吃的，有人给它梳毛，还有人给它取了个很可爱的名字——家飞。居民们说，这只全身白毛的猫是重庆电机厂家属区80多岁的刘婆婆养的。动物专家说，猫长“翅膀”在俄罗斯、美国等国家都发生过，“翅膀可能是多长出的器官，这种非正常现象，可能是由于环境污染的原因，导致猫的基因发生改变，出现生理缺陷。”

“热锅上的蚂蚁”美味

2009-05-25T02:47:00.001-07:00

每年四月到六月期间，哥伦比亚桑坦德省的成千上万农民和居民，都会到田里去捕捉南美切叶蚁。南美切叶蚁长得很大，加以烹制后就成了当地一道独特的美味食品，可以自己食用或出售。这是当地一名男子正端起锅来翻炒蚂蚁。（路透社）

送企鹅回返家园

2009-05-24T05:39:00.000-07:00

南非开普敦的南部非洲海鸟保育基金会昨天在当地一个海边，释放了84只非洲企鹅。这些企鹅都是该组织从非洲的纳米比亚南部海岸救回来的。那里发生的漏油事件使得企鹅身上的羽毛都沾满了油，该组织便展开了首个跨国拯救行动，并把企鹅带回南非为它们清理干净。看着这些左摇右晃的企鹅一步步走向大海，并且健康地回返它们的家园，保育人员的心中想必是充满了无限的欣慰。（法新社）

我国女子登山队队长李贞瑱通过卫星传讯接受访问

2009-05-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

攀上珠穆朗玛峰峰顶的女子登山队队长李贞瑱率先登上峰顶后兴奋地展示国旗与全国旅行社协会会徽。（图片由登山队提供）

男孩43只蜗牛爬脸破纪录

2009-05-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

一名来自美国犹他州的11岁男孩希望打破健力士纪录，不惜让43只呕心的蜗牛爬在自己的脸上「驻足」10秒。

Listen for fish, hear music

2009-05-21T20:12:00.000-07:00

SAN MIGUEL, The Philppines: Tired of Manila’s relentless nightlife and mega malls, I left the city to check out the fishing village of San Miguel in the country’s north-east. Situated three-and-a-half hours by bus from the Philippine capital and tucked in the coast of Zambales province, San Miguel is off the radar for most tourists. There are no shopping centres, spas or golf courses here, but there is plenty of beauty — in the land, the warmth of the people and oddly, for this is an obscure village, in the strains of classical music. The music is thanks to Casa San Miguel, a community-based arts centre that nurtures the talents of local children in various disciplines. The centre is run by music director Alfonso “Coke” Bolipata, an alumnus of the Julliard School of Music in New York and the University of Indiana. The San Miguel experience starts with the journey. From Manila, the trip is a scenic one, with villages and verdant rice paddies making up the landscape. Along the coast, travellers will see the infamous Subic Bay — a former US naval base that saw numerous Japanese ships sunk in its water during World War II — as well as the clear blue of the South China Sea and lush green mountains. The bus stops at the town of San Antonio en route to Olongapo City. San Miguel is a 10-minute pedicab ride away. The area is worth a three day stay for the bucolic atmosphere alone. First up, hire a fishing boat for 700 pesos ($22) to reach Anawangin, a crescent-shaped island-cove better known to Filipinos than tourists. Many come from Manila to picnic and set up tents under the shelter of the soaring pine trees lining the beach. The sand is soft, the sea clear, with fish and turtles in abundance. It’s all very idyllic, the secluded location of the cove a boon for those weary of the tourist crowds. Back on the mainland, the laidback island mood makes way for artistic fervour at Casa San Miguel. Coke, who heads the arts centre cum school, had quit his job as a professional musician in New York to set up the centre. It was his way of giving back to the community. Situated on his family’s mango orchard, Casa San Miguel has a two-storey visual arts gallery, residences for artists, a hall that can accommodate chamber orchestra concerts and a 1,000-seat circular outdoor theatre set amid the cool shades of the mango trees. The centre is where the young of San Miguel can get a quality education in the arts, be it visual arts, photography or music. Most of the students are children of fishermen and farmers from the village, but some hail from affluent neighbourhoods in Manila. Classes and workshops are conducted by Coke and volunteer Filipino artists. The school’s alumni have gone on to win prizes in the Philippines as well as been talent spotted by agents from the Julliard School of Music whom Coke invites to the village’s annual showcase of artistry. Indeed, the opening night of the 16th Pundaquit Festival of Music and the Arts on March 28 saw the Pundaquit Virtuosi — a string orchestra featuring gifted children from five to 15 — giving a stunning performance that would not be out of place at the best concert halls in the world. The festival’s events run well into October. For a slice of local life, one will have to wake up at 3am, for that’s when fishing boats return from their 12-hour shifts at sea. As each fish or squid laden vessel lands on the beach, the male-folk — both young and old — rush to help haul it further onto land. For their services, each is rewarded with a small “catch of the day”. These are accumulated and sold for extra cash to supplement the family income. The beach is a five-minute walk from Casa San Miguel. In the wee hours of the morning, it is packed with villagers, men and women waiting patiently for the boats to come in. As the sun rises, lighting up the fishing village and the feverish activity on the beach, and as the waves crash and the roosters crow, it’s apparent that another kind of symphony is at play here. For anyone who wants to experience the rural bits of the Philippines, there’s magic in such simplicity. Getting there: San Miguel is not a common tourist destination but a trip is worthwhile. Various airlines fly to Manila. From there, take a coach from Cubao Bus Terminal in Quezon City en route to Olongapo City. A one-way trip on the comfortable, air conditioned bus costs 260 pesos ($8). Stop at the town of San Antonio and take a pedicab to the fishing village of San Miguel. This costs about 40 pesos per person. Stay: Casa San Miguel provides freelodging to volunteer who contributes to its programmes. Otherwise, travellers can find guesthouses in nearby San Antonio. See: The Pundaquit Festival of Arts and Music is held at Casa San Miguel from April to October and features music, film and visual arts events. All are free. - TODAY/sh

新加坡三女登山员攀上珠穆朗玛峰

2009-05-21T00:24:00.000-07:00

五年的努力，终于尝到了果实。新加坡女子登山队的其中三名成员昨早成功攀上珠峰。

猫“粉丝”惊现欧洲联盟杯决赛

2009-05-21T00:20:00.000-07:00

一只野猫从欧洲联盟杯决赛现场的广告牌上跳下。当日，在土耳其伊斯坦布尔举行的2008-2009赛季欧洲联盟杯决赛中，乌克兰顿涅茨克矿工队通过加时赛以2比1战胜德甲劲旅不来梅队，获得冠军。（路透社、新华社）

Boutique hotels rise in popularity in Taiwan

2009-05-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

TAIPEI: Boutique hotels are becoming increasingly popular in Taiwan, even as big hotel chains see a fall in demand for rooms. Taiwan's five-star hotel market is finding it tough in the current sluggish economic climate, but the so-called budget hotels are springing up all over Taipei. To stand out from the competition, one chain is combining creativity at an affordable price. Wei Chou-Fu, Vice-General Manager, Taipei Inn Group, said: "We realised it is a market worth investing in. Most people want to see lower hotel fares and good service quality. We decide to create affordable hotels with quality and creations that are beyond expectations." The privately-run hotel, licensed to accommodate foreign diplomats during the sixties, has now undergone a face-lift and transformed into a bright and stylish inn, attracting tourists from around the world. Though the hotel sacrifices space, it has not done so at the expense of good design. Visitors will see guestrooms decorated with a unique style of art. And the hotel says the trick is to make its 30 tiny rooms feel charming and special rather than simply cramped. Mr Wei said: "The concept is to ‘create hotels that are more than hotels’. We put creativity into guestrooms, building up sense of fashion and Taiwanese culture. We hope to deliver the idea of Taiwanese culture and to exceed tourists' expectations." One of its guests said: "I think the hotel's professional service is the biggest attraction. I enjoy it a lot." Rooms with themes like the grass garden and the artificial winter capsule are the most talked about among guests. The hotel plans to invite more artists to do up another 25 rooms this June. Mr Wei said: "The hotel is a showcase for artists. We have over 100,000 guests staying in the hotel chain each month. They then pass on their thoughts about the hotels and art works via blogs or word-of-mouth to the world. That's the invisible value." From as little as US$70, tourists say they enjoy both a good night's sleep as well as an artistic experience. So it is no wonder that demand is rising steadily. - CNA/yt

52年前法拉利跑车拍卖1800万元创纪录

2009-05-19T00:18:00.000-07:00

这辆稀有的法拉利250 Testa Rossa跑车创下车辆拍卖价最高纪录。（法新社）

非常新加坡品牌展

2009-05-19T00:15:00.000-07:00

昨日在福州开幕的第六届中国福建商品交易会“非常新加坡品牌展”上，新加坡风情舞蹈吸引观众的眼球。（中通社）

Martin Clunes: why I love Britain's islands

2009-05-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

On an island called Unst, right at the top of the Shetlands, there’s a bus stop. It might be the best bus stop in the world.
The tiny shelter has a comfy armchair, paintings on the wall, fresh flowers, knick-knacks, books and a computer in case you get bored. It’s all provided, gratis, by people from the local community, just to make life that bit more pleasant.
It wouldn’t last five minutes elsewhere in Britain. Things would be stolen or vandalised. But it’s on an island, and islands are different. They have an otherness, a removal from the norm, which springs from geography, but ends up being much more than that. They’re out there, in more ways than one.
Believe me, I know. There are about 1,000 islands around Britain, and I recently spent four months travelling round some of them. What they all have in common, what makes them so exciting and magnetic, is that otherness.

It starts with the journey. Getting to an island requires planning and consideration; it can be unreliable and challenging, so it becomes an event in itself. They get harder to reach — and, in many ways, harder to live on — the further north you go. In the Shetlands and the Hebrides, survival is a constant battle against the elements.
On Eigg, a tremendous little place in the Hebrides, I was climbing An Sgurr, the central volcanic peak, with Scruff, my local guide (and, in the way of islands, a fisherman, builder and lifeboat man). It was fine weather when we started, but then the rain came, and the wind.
What a wind. A blast almost blew me up a canyon, and as I was getting my breath back, Scruff calmly mentioned that a 120mph gust had taken his roof off the year before. I wondered what it did to you, living in a place where that could happen so casually. “Oh, islanders are a bit more patient,” he said with a wry smile. That’s resilience for you.
All across the northern islands, you feel a powerful sense of community. It’s as if the surrounding circle of coastline concentrates and focuses it. And the marvellous thing is that there’s no tension between that and tourism.
Visitors aren’t about to spoil these places; they enhance them. The money they spend goes towards keeping the islands alive — and it’s a particular type of tourist who visits an isolated northern island. They don’t want a casino, they don’t want a bouncy castle.
It’s not much good for Americans, because there’s no cable TV or ranch dressing. People come to see the flora and fauna, and to appreciate the place for what it is, so the welcome’s still genuine.
They come for the beauty, too, of course. Barra is officially the most beautiful place in Britain. I’m not sure how they measure that — by length or by weight? — but it certainly is lovely: the contours, the colours, the beaches. (It has the only airport in the world where the beach is an official runway, which is rather fun.)
It’s a hard life, though, and the sense of togetherness is just as strong. While I was there, I happened to meet three different people whose lives had been affected by a drink-driving death. They all talked of being “enveloped by care” from the whole community. What a wonderful phrase. What a wonderful thing.

The Isle of Man was a complete contrast. Life is faster, busier; and, among some people (those who have moved there for the low tax rates, generally), there’s a smugness that grates a little. Still, there’s an awful lot to like. It has a beauty of its own, and some fascinating people.
I met a man called Desi, who had worked for two years as the warden on the Calf of Man, a tiny island off the coast. We talked one evening, just as the sun was sinking, bathing this tiny island he loved in golden light.
I think he hadn’t had an easy life on the mainland, but when he spoke about living alone on that wild place, he just glowed. “The thing is,” he said, “when you live on an island, you are somebody.” That’ll stay with me.
Sark is somewhere I’d love to return to. It’s a tiny dot in the Channel Islands, with just 600 or so residents, and until a few months ago it was the last feudal territory in Europe. It felt like it, too. Life moves very, very slowly.
There are no cars allowed — you can have a tractor if your work demands it, but otherwise it’s horses, cycles or your legs. I went everywhere on a bike — great fun, especially in the dark, with no streetlights.
They had their first full democratic election last year, and I was glad to see that they voted to keep many of the old ways. What they have is worth preserving.
There was so much more: Piel Island, in Morecambe Bay, where I saw the coronation of the local king — by tradition, he’s the landlord of the pub; Forvik, in the Shetlands, where the only resident, Stuart Hill, has declared independence, and stamps your passport on entry.
Some dismiss him as a nutter, but he’s far from that: he’s making a point and doing it in a charming, brave way.
For all their diversity, our islands do have something in common. Being physically disconnected might just seem like an inconvenience, but it has deeper implications for the way islanders are.
It comes back to that journey. It’s never reliable — a fog or high seas and you can be cut off, in some places for weeks. On a whim, nature can throw your plans into turmoil. That’s healthy: it forces you to think again, take stock.
Most of us are insulated from nature and chance — we have the illusion that we’re in control. For an islander, however, the uncertainty of nature is part of the fabric of everyday life, and that does something to your psyche.
It gives a sense of perspective. Paradoxically, being on these small, confined places gives you a breadth of vision that’s hard to achieve on the wide open spaces of the mainland. And we could all do with a little bit more of that.

Britain's best family campsites

2009-05-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

Clover Stroud, author of Cool Camping: Kids, explains why a night under canvas is good for young ’uns

Seychelles to join regional stance on climate change

2009-05-17T17:20:00.000-07:00

Local conservationists have discussed issues relating to climate change that are affecting Seychelles as it moves to adopt a national position on the subject. Their talks took the form of a round-table discussion at the International Conference Centre last week, when they also learned about Africas stance on the problem. Seychelles will now communicate its national...

Astronauts trying to revive Hubble spectrograph

2009-05-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

For the second straight day, astronauts stepped out on a spacewalk to bring a scientific instrument back from the dead on the Hubble Space Telescope. This time , the work involved removing 117 screws, all but six of them tiny enough to slip through the fingers. It was expected to be much harder for spacewalker Michael Massimino because of his bulky gloves. Mr. Massimino and Michael Good ventured out as space shuttle Atlantis sailed 560 kilometres above Australia . They promptly began working on...

Cloud ice crystals carry biological matter - research

2009-05-17T16:49:00.001-07:00

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Ice crystals plucked from clouds and quickly analyzed in flight show bits of biological material -- bacteria, spores and plants -- play a role in the formation of clouds, U.S. re... (photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech file)

Today ---Caribbean Dreamer

2009-05-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

“沙漠米老鼠”

2009-05-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

新疆吐鲁番火焰山景区工作人员在火焰山下发现一只长耳跳鼠。长耳跳鼠是一种陆地啮齿动物，它长着长长的耳朵，靠长而有力的后腿跳跃行进。由于长耳跳鼠生活在沙漠地区而被誉为“沙漠中的米老鼠”，已被列为全球濒临灭绝物种之一。（新华社、路透社）

美丽的沙雕

2009-05-15T14:20:00.000-07:00

2009年国际沙雕节5月14日在佩拉举行。雕塑家正在制作 “思想家”的沙雕像。一个国际研究小组的60雕刻家将利用3.5万吨沙子塑造成雕塑超过15,000平方米，并在5月22日向公众开放。（路透社）

Visitors throng Japan's snow-laden northern alps in spring

2009-05-15T02:20:00.000-07:00

TATEYAMA, Toyama Prefecture: Cherry blossoms represents the coming of spring in many parts of Japan. But in the northern alps, it's the appearance of tall snow walls. Channel NewsAsia takes us to the amazing symbol of spring that draws many tourists. There's little snow at the 977-metre point of the Tateyama Kurobe alpine route. But as visitors take the bus up the 23-kilometre route, the snow on the side of the road becomes higher and higher. The area experiences one of the heaviest snow fall in Japan and it is closed to the public from December to early April. In February, the removal of the steep snow begins to create a passageway to the 2,450-metre point. The tall poles installed before the snowy season are the indicators. It is a job only for highly-skilled workers, which Mr Kenichi Hatakeyama and his employees take pride in. Mr Hatakeyama, Executive Director of Furutochi Construction, said: "When we forced through the tough final stage of the Big Valley of Snow with our 11 workers this year, many visitors were overjoyed. It was worth the effort." An estimated quarter of a million people visit the area from April to May. The 500-metre stretch of the road has been opened since April 17, and the highest part of the wall is up there. It is 15 metres high, and about the height of a five-storey high building. But that's still far short of the record, which is 24 metres. One woman visitor said: "I feel that there will be less snow so I wanted to see it while it's there. It's the first time I see so much snow." A young Taiwanese man added: "It's incredible. Taiwan has no sights like this. It's amazing!" The walk around the big wall ends after May, but it will be replaced by another snow passage. Mr Shinichiro Kanamori, Chief of Overseas Sales at the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, said: "This is actually a walkway, but we wanted customers to enjoy from June to July so we are making a corridor through which they can go through freely and have a good time." There were fewer visitors this year compared to the same time last year. Many Korean visitors gave it a miss because of the unfavourable exchange rate, but the authorities hope to attract more local tourists by offering various snow experiences. - CNA/de

WHO needs time to evaluate H1N1 flu vaccine

2009-05-15T02:17:00.000-07:00

Scientists need more time to decide whether to mass produce a vaccine against H1N1 flu, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday, as the number of cases topped 6,000 around the globe.Full Story »

One video that should go viral

2009-05-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

In 2006, Dr. Larry Brilliant - Google.org's Chief Philanthropic Evangelist - won the prestigious TED Prize. He delivered a powerful talk that highlighted the risk of a devastating future pandemic, and described one of his big ideas for combating the threat. His mantra of 'Early Detection, Early Response' inspired other groups such as InSTEDD, who recently launched a suite of open-source applications to allow collaboration between first responders during disease outbreaks and disasters, and the team behind Google Flu Trends.Now, this important theme has been revisited at TED by Dr. Nathan Wolfe, founder of the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative (GVFI), a new non-profit funded by Google.org and the Skoll Foundation. Dr Wolfe's rousing message is that when it comes to pandemics, early detection in humans isn't early enough. We know that 75% of new human diseases begin in animals – so to discover a pandemic before it devastates the human population, we need to catch new viruses when they take the very first leap from animals into humans.This mission has taken the GVFI team into some remote and difficult locations, from the jungles of Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo (profiled on CNN's Planet in Peril), to the wet markets of China and Malaysia. Here, they collect blood samples from animals and the humans with whom they're in contact, in order to analyse them for evidence of early viral crossover.You can hear more about this important work and some of GVFI's exciting viral discoveries by watching Dr Wolfe's talk at TED. Pass this on, and help spread ideas, not diseases!

A classic train trip across northern Spain

2009-05-13T00:48:00.000-07:00

Experience Spain’s most heart-stopping views, juiciest seafood and greediest nuns on the Transcantábrico

出世时被调包 56年后知真相

2009-05-13T00:46:00.000-07:00

凯勒内（左）和迪伊安56年来在对方的家庭中成长，最近才惊觉自己原来出世后就被调包。（美联社）美国两名女婴在医院出世后被糊涂的护士给调包，结果在对方家庭成长、结婚生子，还当了祖母。两人终于在56年后发现真相。凯勒内·里德·奎尔斯和迪伊安·安杰尔·谢弗出世后就被调包……

Homeless Korean dies with 100,000 dollars in bank

2009-05-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

SEOUL (AFP) - - A homeless South Korean unable to withdraw his life savings because he could not remember his real name has died in poverty, officials said.
The man, believed to be aged 56, died of cancer last month, leaving 128 million won (just over 100,000 dollars) in a bank account that was opened in early 1993 under the alias of Na Hae-Dong.
The account was frozen several months later when a law took effect to ban accounts held under false names, as an anti-corruption measure.
Deposits were still allowed but the account holder had to register a real name to withdraw money, something "Na" could not do.
"He didn't know what his real name was or where he was born. We tried but failed to identify him," Yoo Joon-Soo, the senior official of Yongbong district in the southwestern city of Gwangju, told AFP by phone.
The man collected scrap iron and other junk and slept on his cart under plastic sheets before moving in 2007 into a makeshift shelter made from a shipping container.
Though he could not withdraw from the account, he kept putting in savings.
"He used to say he wanted to buy a home with his savings," Yoo said.
"Last month, we applied for court approval to create his new ID and the court procedure was under way."
A local court is expected to order that the savings revert to the state, he added.

全球海洋大会吁重视海洋环保

2009-05-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

全球首届海洋大会警告，全球气候变化将加速破坏珍贵的海洋资源。
　　昨天，共有来自70多个国家的官员和部长参加为期5天的全球海洋大会，他们将着重讨论气候暖化对海平面上升以及海洋生态造成的冲击，并最终签署联合宣言，希望能影响于12月在丹麦举行的气候变化会议。
　　它促请各国合作，延续即将到期的《京都议定书》，以防止气候变化问题恶化。
　　大会主办当局表示，各国在应对气候变化问题时，大多集中在汽车、工厂以及森林，而忽略了海洋，此次大会正好填补缺失的部分。
　　联合国环境规划署海洋单位负责人阿尔德说：“基本上，如果没有海洋，就不会有气候……在气候变化的讨论中，并没有涉及诸如此类的联系和理解。”
　　据报道，在2005年至2007年排放的温室气体中，有大约25%是由海洋所吸收的。各国代表希望能制定一个系统，提供资金协助各国维护有助于防止气候变化的主要海洋环境。
　　另外，东帝汶、印尼、马来西亚、巴布亚新几内亚、菲律宾以及所罗门群岛6国领袖也将举行会谈，以制定一个拯救珊瑚三角区的计划。珊瑚三角区拥有巨大的海底生态系统，全球有半数以上的珊瑚礁都在该海域。

汶川大地震一周年

2009-05-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

图为安徽含山中学举行“放飞心愿、祈福汶川”为主题的汶川大地震一周年纪念活动，数百名师生共同放飞孔明灯，祭奠汶川大地震遇难者，为灾区人民祈愿。中国各地举办活动纪念汶川大地震一周年。（香港中通社）

Judge rejects splitting up suit over Western bird

2009-05-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

BOISE, Idaho -- Environmental advocates say a judge's recent decision in their lawsuit over dwindling Western bird habitat will let them fight for a sweeping regional solution and avoid costly state-by-state legal battles. The Western Watershed Project accuses the U.S. Bureau of Land Management of improperly giving priority to grazing and energy development over habitat for the sage grouse, a hen-sized game bird the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering adding to the list of threatened...

Plugging Holes in the Science of Forensics

2009-05-12T05:36:00.000-07:00

A report in February by a committee of the National Academy of Sciences found “serious problems” with much of the work performed by crime laboratories in the United States. Recent incidents of faulty evidence analysis — including the case of an Oregon lawyer who was arrested by the F.B.I. after the 2004 Madrid terrorist bombings based on fingerprint identification that turned out to be wrong — were just high-profile examples of wider deficiencies, the committee said. Crime labs were overworked, there were few certification programs for investigators and technicians, and the entire field suffered from a lack of oversight.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/science/12fore.html?ref=science

Google Offering Training Services for Hyperlocal News in Europe

2009-05-12T05:21:00.000-07:00

What can be done to help professional news organizations survive in this internet era? The New York Times made mention this weekend of a particularly interesting project in the Czech Republic. Google is providing local staff to train reporters in one hyperlocal news network in the use of services like Google Maps, Google Translate and YouTube.

汉江走钢缆比赛

2009-05-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

8个国家18名走钢缆选手，在韩国首都首尔的汉江上，参加第三届世界跨汉江走钢缆比赛。选手先后在直径30毫米的钢缆上，小心翼翼地从一端走到1公里外的末端。南美洲厄瓜多尔选手奥赫达（图），稍胜一筹，夺得冠军。（美联社）

台数万信众庆祝佛诞节暨母亲节

2009-05-11T06:32:00.001-07:00

国际佛光会中华总会、佛光山寺及行政院环保署在凯达格兰大道举办盛大的“千僧万众祝佛诞，一心十愿报母恩”佛诞暨谢母恩法会，数万信众前来与会。马英九应邀在法会上致词。（中新社）

Times Walks: the best rambles in Britain

2009-05-11T05:36:00.000-07:00

Christopher Somerville introduces Times Walks, a selection of well-known and obscure routes in the British Isles

Singapore Airlines offering £1 hotel stopovers

2009-05-11T04:49:00.000-07:00

Singapore Airlines is offering stopovers at Singapore hotels for as little as £1 if you book with the airline between now and 15 June 2009 for travel until 30 September 2009. The deal is available to any passenger passing through Singapore to a destination beyond the country.
The £1 deal covers the Allson Hotel, Hotel Royal, Hotel Royal @ Queens, Hotel Re! @ Pearl’s Hill, Paramount Hotel and Peninsula Excelsior although discounted rates of £90 are available for an overnight at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, The Sentosa Resort & Spa and the Shangri-la Hotel Singapore. Additional nights are charged at higher rates but still with a discount. The price includes 50% discount on the à la carte food menu only at the designated food outlet in the hotel, a free airport coach transfer and free admission to seven attractions but does not include breakfast.
We reported recently how Emirates is offering free stopovers in some of Dubai's top hotels for passengers passing through the country.

Survey says French excel at eating, sleeping - by AP

2009-05-10T20:19:00.000-07:00

PARIS - The French are living up to their image as lovers of food and can add a new love to the mix, sleep, according to a survey released Monday. In fact, the French excel at the two leisure activities, spending more time at table and in bed than many other nations.

The Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development looked at the use of leisure time among 18 of its 30 member countries.
Norwegians spend the most time at leisure, just over a quarter of their day, while at the low end, Mexicans spend just 16 percent of their time having fun.
The French still win in the sleeping and eating categories, spending on average nearly 9 hours a day in bed. For the French, leisure continues in the waking hours, with more than 2 hours a day spent eating and drinking _ nearly twice as much time at the table as Americans, Canadians or Mexicans.
Americans also like their sleep, spending some 8.5 hours a day doing just that.
Despite the moderate amount of time Americans spend eating each day _ about an hour and a quarter _ U.S. obesity rates are the highest in the 30-member OECD with 34 percent of the American population with a Body Mass Index, or BMI, over the critical 30 mark. The lowest obesity rates are found in Korea, followed by Japan, with less than 4 percent of the population with a BMI over 30.
The Koreans followed by the Japanese clock in at the low end of the sleep spectrum, getting 7.8 hours a day with the Japanese not far behind.
The profiles on the use of leisure time were constructed by the OECD using 2006 data from the 18 member countries for which up to date surveys on use of time were available.
Television ranks high among leisure activities in Japan _ where it takes up 55 percent of free time, compared to a low of 25 percent for New Zealanders.
The Turks are the most sociable population. They spend more than 35 percent of their time entertaining, compared to an OECD average of 11 percent.
AP - Tuesday, May 5

CHANGE!!!

2009-05-10T18:05:00.000-07:00

We Cannot Change The Direction Of The Wind...
...But We Can Adjust The Sail.

Pandas having fun on the slide!

2009-05-08T20:37:00.000-07:00

Baby panda playing football!

2009-05-08T20:31:00.000-07:00

Cute Panda Growth!

2009-05-08T20:17:00.000-07:00

British fundraiser wins "best job in the world"

2009-05-06T17:13:00.000-07:00

CANBERRA, May 6 - British charity fundraiser Ben Southall won the "best job in the world" on Wednesday -- caretaker of an Australia tropical island -- after an innovative marketing campaign that highlighted the power of social media.
Southall, 34, was picked from 16 final contestants in a highly publicised contest by Tourism Queensland which attracted 34,684 video entries from almost 200 countries and surpassed all expectations in promoting tourism in the Australian state.
The job description? Explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef for six months and report back to Tourism Queensland and the world via blogs, a photo diary, video updates and interviews.
Also, if you feel like it, feed the fish, collect the mail and clean the pool -- and collect a wage of A$150,000
While the job itself attracted global attention so did the campaign by the government body Tourism Queensland as it highlighted how companies can tap the power of online social media such as YouTube and Facebook, for marketing.
"This is probably the first time that a campaign has achieved this sort of reach with so little advertising spend other than a few strategically place job ads around the world," said Australian marketing analyst Tim Burrowes, editor of media and marketing website Mumbrella.
"This has all been about the power of people passing things on, largely through YouTube. The main lesson to be learned here is that if you have an original, exciting idea that gets people talking you don't need so spend huge on advertising."
The "Best Job in the World" campaign began in January with Tourism Queensland launching a tourism advertising campaign centered around the lure of "the best job in the world."
Within days the campaign went viral as applicants from all over the world sent in 60-second video applications and news of the contest spread on social networking sites such as Facebook and the video sharing site YouTube.

The Best Job in the World

2009-05-06T17:08:00.000-07:00

"The Best Job in the World" competition finalists George Karellas (L) of Ireland and Ben Southall of Britain sit on a mermaid statue during a media opportunity on Daydream Island, about 950km (590 miles) north of Brisbane, May 5, 2009. Karellas and Southall are two of 16 finalists from 15 nations in the tourism promotion competition aimed at attracting visitors to Australia's northeast tropical state of Queensland. The winner will earn A$150,000 ($110,000) in the role of "Island Caretaker" on the Great Barrier Reef for six months. REUTERS/Tourism Queensland/Eddie Safarik/Handout

Was the Alarm over Swine Flu Justified?

2009-05-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

Like a patient suffering from a particularly tenacious case of, well, the flu, the H1N1 virus seemed to gain ground and then lose it over the weekend, leaving health officials cautious but hopeful that the disease might be on the wane. The number of confirmed infections continues to rise, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting 898 infections in 18 countries as of May 3, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tallying 226 confirmed cases in 30 U.S. states. The continuing spread led Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to predict on Sunday that the WHO might soon raise its pandemic alert level from phase 5 to the highest stage, phase 6, which would indicate that a full flu pandemic was underway. "The virus has arrived, I would say, in most of the country now," said Anne Schuchat, interim deputy director for science and public health at the CDC.

Photos: Thermal Scanners Hunt for Swine Flu

2009-05-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

Belgian student

2009-05-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

A Belgian student repatriated from Mexico poses with a sombrero and a surgical mask upon her arrival at Brussels Airport May 5, 2009.REUTERS/Thierry Roge

'Best job'

2009-05-04T21:21:00.001-07:00

Candidates for "the best job in the world" experienced the daily grind of life as caretakers of an Australian tropical island -- diving reefs and eating gourmet meals.
The workday for the 16 hopefuls selected from more than 34,000 applicants globally began with a dip in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef, showing them first-hand one of the tourist attractions they must tout if they win the job.
Tourism Queensland chief executive Anthony Hayes said the contenders then lunched on local delicacies cooked by gourmet chefs in a variety of cuisine styles.
Haynes said there was a serious intent behind the activities, which are part of a competition to select a temporary caretaker who can promote the Hamilton Island area to a global audience.
"We are closely monitoring their ability to deal with media and an intense itinerary, all the while blogging about their experiences to the world," he said.
The winner of the competition, which has attracted worldwide attention and snared free publicity worth an estimated 110 million Australian dollars (77 million US dollars), will be named Wednesday.
The successful candidate will receive 150,000 Australian dollars for six months' work in the tourist paradise.
They will be expected to have as much fun as possible -- soaking up the sun, swimming, snorkeling and sailing -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.
The 16 finalists hail from 15 countries, including Korean journalist Juweon Kim, Japanese receptionist Mieko Kobayashi, manager Yi Yao from China, sports teacher Greg Reynen from Singapore and DJ Anjaan RJ from India.
Taiwanese interpreter Clare Wang won a wildcard spot among the finalists after attracting 151,676 votes from the public in an online poll, almost three times as many as her closest rivals.
HAMILTON ISLAND, Australia (AFP)

creative bicycle with ads

2009-05-03T21:24:00.000-07:00

China --- Acrobatic bicycle

2009-05-03T20:58:00.000-07:00

Amazing Bird Swarm

2009-05-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

Amazing Bird Swarm @ Yahoo! Video

How to Kick football?

2009-04-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

Kid Can't Figure Out How To Kick Ball @ Yahoo! Video

Cat playing with a sack

2009-04-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

Cat In A Sack @ Yahoo! Video

墨西哥街头艺术表演反映现况 !

2009-04-29T20:08:00.000-07:00

猪流感疫情导致外国旅客怯步，影响墨西哥的旅游业。当地一名墨西哥街头艺术表演者戴着口罩，反映该城市的现况。（路透社）

swine flu 猪流感

2009-04-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

A swine flu outbreak appears to have killed dozens in Mexico and more cases are showing up in the United States and around the world.
Health officials are recommending several steps to prevent the spread of the virus:
1.If you have flu symptoms, stay home from work or school to avoid spreading the disease. Do not return until two days after your symptoms are gone.
2.Wash your hands often and cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
3.Go to the hospital if you have severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing; but if your symptoms are mild, stay home to avoid spreading the virus to others at the hospital.
4.Masks may be recommended for health care workers, family members and others who come in close contact with swine flu patients, but there is no need for the general public to wear masks.
5.It is safe to eat properly handled pork. Cook it to at least 160F.

教育的未來

2009-04-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

Did you know? Changes 'amplify Arctic warming'

2009-04-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

Scientists say they now have unambiguous evidence that the warming in the Arctic is accelerating.
Computer models have long predicted that decreasing sea ice should amplify temperature changes in the northern polar region.
Julienne Stroeve, from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center, told a meeting of the American Geophysical Union that this process was under way.
Arctic ice cover in summer has seen rapid retreat in recent years.
The minimum extents reached in 2007 and 2008 were the smallest recorded in the satellite age.
"The sea ice is entering a new state where the ice cover has become so thin that no matter what happens during the summer in terms of temperature or circulation patterns, you're still going to have very low ice conditions," she told the meeting.
Autumn return
Theory predicts that as ice is lost in the Arctic, more of the ocean's surface will be exposed to solar radiation and will warm up.
When the autumn comes and the Sun goes down on the Arctic, that warmth should be released back into the atmosphere, delaying the fall in air temperatures.
Ultimately, this feedback process should result in Arctic temperatures rising faster than the global mean.
Dr Stroeve and colleagues have now analysed Arctic autumn (September, October, November) air temperatures for the period 2004-2008 and compared them to the long term average (1979 to 2008).
The results, they believe, are evidence of the predicted amplification effect.
"You see this large warming over the Arctic ocean of around 3C in these last four years compared to the long-term mean," explained Dr Stroeve.
"You see some smaller areas where you have temperature warming of maybe 5C; and this warming is directly located over those areas where we've lost all the ice."
Wider changes
If this process continues, it will extend the melting season for Arctic ice, delaying the onset of winter freezing and weakening further the whole system.
These warming effects are not just restricted to the ocean, Dr Stroeve said. Circulation patterns could then move the warmth over land areas, she added.
"The Arctic is really the air conditioner of the Northern Hemisphere, and as you lose that sea ice you change that air conditioner; and the rest of the system has to respond.
"You start affecting the temperature gradient between the Arctic and equator which affects atmospheric patterns and precipitation patterns.
"Exactly how this is going to play out, we really don't know yet. Our research is in its infancy."
The study reported by Dr Stroeve will be published in the journal Cryosphere shortly.

Did YOU KNOW?

2009-04-23T18:27:00.001-07:00

Beautiful Sentosa Island

2009-04-14T19:15:00.000-07:00

Singapore Map

2009-04-12T21:35:00.001-07:00

View Larger Map

National Parks Singapore - Nature Reserves

2009-04-12T17:49:00.001-07:00

National Parks Singapore - Nature Reserves

Singapore Merlion

2009-04-09T01:40:00.000-07:00

The Merlion has a lion head and a fish body resting on a crest of waves. The lion head symbolises the legend of the rediscovery of Singapura, as recorded in the "Malay Annals". In ancient times, Singapore was known as Temasek, a Javanese word for sea. In the 11th century A.D, Prince Sang Nila Utama of the Sri Vijaya Empire rediscovered the island. When the Prince first landed on Singapore's shores, he sighted a mystical beast which he later learnt was a lion. The Prince then decided to name the island "Singapura" which in Sanskrit means Lion (Singa) City (Pura). The fish tail of the Merlion symbolises the ancient city of Temasek and represents Singapore's humble beginnings as a fishing village.The MerlionThe Merlion statue, measuring 8.6 metres high and weighing 70 tonnes, was built by the late Singapore craftsman, Mr Lim Nang Seng. It is made of cement fondue. A smaller Merlion statue, measuring two metres high and weighing three tonnes was also built by Mr Lim. The body is made of cement fondue, the skin from porcelain plates and eyes from small red teacups.

Life

2009-03-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

Life is like a journey and the people we meet in out lives are like travelers. We meet them, we know them and one day we have to leave them to carry on our journey.

Singapore Changi Airport!

2009-03-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

Singapore Changi Airport is well known as the best airport in the world. In order to enhance its status, The Changi Airport has just completed a third terminal, known as T3, at a cost of S$1.75 billion with a total area of 380,000 sq M. It can help Singapore to receive up to 22 million visitors a year.

Let's fly!

2009-03-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

We love flying!

2009-03-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

Beautiful fly!

2009-03-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

I love to fly!

2009-03-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

I fly around, I fly around

2009-03-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

icanfly1 (be happy)

Vitamin D boosts brain power in middle-aged men

花龙舟

脱发基因找到了！

无奇不有！长“翅膀”的猫

“热锅上的蚂蚁”美味

送企鹅回返家园

我国女子登山队队长李贞瑱通过卫星传讯接受访问

男孩43只蜗牛爬脸破纪录

Listen for fish, hear music

新加坡三女登山员攀上珠穆朗玛峰

猫“粉丝”惊现欧洲联盟杯决赛

Boutique hotels rise in popularity in Taiwan

52年前法拉利跑车 拍卖1800万元创纪录

非常新加坡品牌展

Martin Clunes: why I love Britain's islands

Britain's best family campsites

Seychelles to join regional stance on climate change

Astronauts trying to revive Hubble spectrograph

Cloud ice crystals carry biological matter - research

Today ---Caribbean Dreamer

“沙漠米老鼠”

美丽的沙雕

Visitors throng Japan's snow-laden northern alps in spring

WHO needs time to evaluate H1N1 flu vaccine

One video that should go viral

A classic train trip across northern Spain

出世时被调包 56年后知真相

Homeless Korean dies with 100,000 dollars in bank

全球海洋大会吁重视海洋环保

汶川大地震一周年

Judge rejects splitting up suit over Western bird

Plugging Holes in the Science of Forensics

Google Offering Training Services for Hyperlocal News in Europe

汉江走钢缆比赛

台数万信众庆祝佛诞节暨母亲节

Times Walks: the best rambles in Britain

Singapore Airlines offering £1 hotel stopovers

Survey says French excel at eating, sleeping - by AP

CHANGE!!!

Pandas having fun on the slide!

Baby panda playing football!

Cute Panda Growth!

British fundraiser wins "best job in the world"

The Best Job in the World

Was the Alarm over Swine Flu Justified?

Photos: Thermal Scanners Hunt for Swine Flu

Belgian student

'Best job'

creative bicycle with ads

China --- Acrobatic bicycle

Amazing Bird Swarm

How to Kick football?

Cat playing with a sack

墨西哥街头艺术表演反映现况 !

swine flu 猪流感

教育的未來

Did you know? Changes 'amplify Arctic warming'

Did YOU KNOW?

Beautiful Sentosa Island

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National Parks Singapore - Nature Reserves

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Singapore Changi Airport!

Let's fly!

We love flying!

Beautiful fly!

I love to fly!

I fly around, I fly around

52年前法拉利跑车拍卖1800万元创纪录