Lake-effect methane chills Titan

By Dan Vergano, USA TODAY


Think Minnesota gets cold?
Try Titan, another land of a thousand lakes. Saturn's haze-shrouded moon may be an exotic land of liquid methane lakes, NASA scientists reported Wednesday.
First spotted in July in a flyby by the international Cassini spacecraft, the lakes explain the clouds that cloak the mysterious Titan, researchers say. At minus 290 degrees on its surface, Titan's weather is a chilly replica of Earth's climate, with methane rains and rivers falling and flowing into the lakes, which evaporate once more to form the moon's clouds, says study lead author Ellen Stofan of Proxemy Research in Rectortown, Va.
GRAPHIC: Titan at a glance
Confirmation of the lakes' existence is the latest success in the Cassini mission, which arrived at Saturn, the fabulously ringed, second-largest planet in the solar system, in 2004. The spacecraft has unraveled many riddles of Saturn's rings, discovered new moons and found an intriguing watery geyser on the small moon Enceledus.
Titan, whose atmosphere behaves in ways similar to Earth's, is a great scientific opportunity, Stofan says. Seventeen more flybys of the moon are planned for this year, says project manager Bob Mitchell of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
At 3,200 miles wide, Titan is the second-largest moon in the solar system. It has fascinated scientists since its hazy atmosphere, which is 1½ times thicker than Earth's, was photographed by Voyager probes in the early 1980s.
Methane, which is known on Earth as natural gas, in Titan's lakes fills a role played by oceans on our planet, Stofan says. The study appears in today's Nature journal. "The materials may be different, and certainly the temperatures, but a lot of the basic physical processes which control any weather cycle are similar."
The 730-mile-high July flyby just above the atmosphere peeked under Titan's clouds using radar and covered a 3,800-mile-long strip of the moon's northern surface. The exploration revealed more than 75 lakes, dark patches distinct from the surroundings, some up to 43 miles across.
Channels leading into the lakes "seem to suggest that rivers supply at least part of the liquid," says planetary scientist Christophe Sotin of France's University of Nantes in a commentary in the journal accompanying the study.
"Like a giant puzzle, our understanding of Titan's dynamics is coming together," Sotin says.
The study reveals that Titan's lakes appear to dry up below the north pole region, below 70 degrees latitude. It is winter on Titan's northern hemisphere, and the study's authors suspect that the lakes may dry up during Titan's summer. Titan's seasons are driven by Saturn's 29½-year orbit of the sun; summer will start in the northern hemisphere next year.
Most intriguing, many of the lakes appear to be fed by the equivalent of groundwater, or "groundmethane" hidden under the moon's icy crust, Stofan jokes.
Two years ago, when Cassini launched the European Space Agency's Huygens probe to a parachute landing, many scientists expected that it would end up floating, Sotin says. Instead, it revealed a landscape of dunes, riverbeds and hills before coming to rest in methane-laced slush.
Fifteen lakes were observed inside crater holes, suggesting they originated in "cryovolcanoes" that are believed to regularly burp out frozen slush and add methane to the moon's atmosphere.
Cassini will fly by Titan again on Jan. 13, beginning a very busy series of visits, Mitchell says.
Iapetus, another moon, may offer a highlight when Cassini flies by, Mitchell says. Iapetus has a mysterious mountain belt along its equator that is twice as high as Mount Everest.
"I was concerned that on a four-year mission, I would have trouble keeping people interested," Mitchell says. "But everyone's excited to see what comes next."

Space tourist, crew touch down

POSTED: 11:23 p.m. EDT, September 28, 2006

ARKALYK, Kazakhstan (AP) -- The capsule carrying a female space tourist touched down Friday on the Kazakh steppe after a bone-jarring journey from the international space station.
Anousheh Ansari, Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov and U.S. astronaut Jeffrey Williams had left the station aboard a cramped Russian Soyuz capsule about three hours earlier. After the capsule entered the Earth's atmosphere, search and rescue teams in three planes and 12 helicopters tracked the trajectory and scrambled to help the crew out of the craft.
Officials monitoring the landing from Russia's Mission Control outside Moscow applauded after confirming that the capsule had landed in the target zone around 56 miles north of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, at 5:14 a.m. Moscow time. The crew felt well, Mission Control said.
Officials monitoring the landing from Russia's Mission Control outside Moscow applauded after confirming that the capsule had landed in the target zone.
Video monitors at Mission Control showed Ansari smiling weakly as she sat in a chair surrounded by high grass after exiting the Soyuz. An unidentified official presented her with a large bouquet of red roses. Vinogradov and Williams sat in chairs nearby. Temperatures hovered around 27 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 3 degrees Celsius).
Ansari's husband Hamid surprised her, coming up from behind her chair and planting a kiss on her face. Rescuers then picked up all three chairs and carried them to waiting helicopters for the flight to Kustanai, Kazakhstan, where they were to board a plane for the trip to the Russian cosmonauts' training center at Star City outside Moscow.
They were accompanied by snails, worms and barley grown in experiments conducted aboard the orbiting station.
"Anousheh has done a good job -- she's one of the team," ITAR-Tass quoted Vinogradov as saying.
The space travelers were to undergo a quick medical evaluation through monitors attached to their bodies as soon as they exited the capsule. The information, transmitted to a nearby medical tent, is then sent to the U.S. space agency in Houston for analysis.

Cell phones taking over as timepieces

This is for real..I'm checking the time from CP more than my watch. ^_^

Friday, August 25, 2006; Posted: 1:53 p.m. EDT (17:53 GMT)NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Ask graphic designer Parker Weintz the time and he doesn't look to his wrist, he pulls a cell phone out of his pocket -- and he's not alone.The proliferation of cell phones, with their list of extra features, has had the knock-on effect of eliminating the need to wear a wristwatch unless it is to make a fashion statement.Weintz, 37, said he recently abandoned his trusty Swiss Army watch and now relies on his phone to tell time. "The time is right there," said Connecticut-based Weintz as he drew a palm-sized cell phone from his shorts pocket. "And it's all around us in this digital age. Plus, if I see a chick I like on the street, I can ask her the time (with no watch on his wrist)."U.S. watch sales, which have been on the decline since 2001, fell 4.9 percent in 2005, according to a new market research study.Men especially have taken to abandoning watches as cell phones and PDAs (personal digital assistants) become increasingly commonplace, said Tim Dowd, an analyst at market research firm Packaged Facts and author of a report titled "Watches and Clocks in the U.S."Women have emerged as the more loyal wearers as watches have become more decorative. Of the 69.9 million U.S. adults who bought watches last year, 40.3 million were women, according to Dowd."Women are expected to accessorize more," he said.Dowd said watchmakers were starting to exploit the accessory angle by seeking the endorsements of popular figures such as rock stars or snowboarders.Swatch Group, the world's biggest watchmaker that has Omega and Tissot among its brands, has shifted its product mix toward luxury watches.Weintz's business partner, Chris Kelly, with whom he runs graphic design company ignition13, said he continues to wear a watch, a chunky $3,500 Omega, but only as a fashion statement.Kelly, 36, said he also owns a $7,000 watch and is eyeing another that would set him back about $2,000.Dowd's report found that men purchase more luxury watches than women, who buy only 30 percent of the top-priced watches."The personal statement a watch makes is just as relevant as ever," said Josh Rubin, editor-in-chief of coolhunting.com, a blog that tracks trends in design and technology."Whether it's a GPS-enabled watch that helps you find your way and tells people you're techy, or a vintage '70s LED that says you're digital old school, a watch can make a specific statement."

Microsoft warns of PowerPoint virus

Friday, July 21, 2006; Posted: 3:41 p.m. EDT (19:41 GMT) SEATTLE, Washington (Reuters) -- Microsoft Corp. warned about a new computer virus that exploits a vulnerability in its PowerPoint presentation software to allow hackers to infiltrate computer systems.Microsoft issued an advisory on the company's security Web log on July 17 about the virus, which is carried out when a user launches a PowerPoint attachment to an e-mail or opens a file provided to them by the attacker.Hackers could also lure users to a Web page that offers content or advertisements containing a file that exploits the PowerPoint software, Microsoft said. The vulnerability applies to PowerPoint 2000, 2002 and 2003.Once the user triggers the corrupt PowerPoint file, the virus installs a keystroke logging system to capture everything typed on the machine. It also leaves the machine open to having a hacker install other malicious programs."It installs a backdoor and allows for all types of software to be downloaded on the computer and the computer can be remotely controlled," said Alfred Huger, a security expert at Symantec Corp.Microsoft said it was completing development of a security update to fix the vulnerability and was on schedule to release the patch on August 8, or sooner, as part of a monthly security update. The company reported a "limited" number of attacks.

Tiger comes up clutch to win third British, 11th major

Posted: Sunday July 23, 2006 1:27PM; Updated: Monday July 24, 2006 1:48AMTiger Woods finished at 18-under 270, missing an 8-foot birdie putt that would have matched his record (19 under) set at St. Andrews six years ago.HOYLAKE, England (AP) -- Tiger Woods bottled up his emotions when he buried his father in May. Even as he stalked the brown, baked links of the British Open on Sunday, his steely focus never wavered.Until he tapped in his final putt.That gave him his third claret jug, his 11th major championship, but the first victory he couldn't share with Pops.And that was all too much for him."I saw this coming last night," said Steve Williams, the caddie and confidante who stood with him at Earl Woods' gravesite. "He played at the Masters, and it was the only time I saw him try too hard. Today, there was a calmness about him. No doubt he wanted to win this for him."Woods plucked the ball from the cup after a 5-under 67 gave him a two-shot victory over Chris DiMarco. His face awash in sadness and satisfaction, he thrust both arms in the air and screamed, "Yes!"He buried his head in Williams' shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably, chest heaving. Tears streamed down both cheeks as he hugged his wife, Elin, for the longest minute.The emotions that poured out of him on the 18th green were as inevitable as his victory at Royal Liverpool."I've never done that," Woods said. "But at that moment, it just came pouring out. I was pretty bummed out after not winning the Masters, because I knew that was the last major he was ever going to see. That one hurt a little bit. And to get this one ... it's just unfortunate he wasn't here to see it."It sure would have looked familiar.Woods was ruthless as ever, running his record to 11-0 in the major when he has the lead going into the final round. And when DiMarco closed to within one shot with a mixture of birdies and a 50-foot par save, Woods fired off three straight birdies to put him away."He's got an uncanny ability, when somebody gets close to him, to just turn it up another level," DiMarco said.Woods became the first player since Tom Watson in 1982-83 to win golf's oldest championship in consecutive years.He captured his 11th major at age 30, tied with Walter Hagen for second on the career list, one step closer to the 18 professional majors won by Jack Nicklaus, the benchmark that drives Woods."He knows how to win these things," said Ernie Els, who shot 71 and finished third. "And it's going to be tough to beat him now."It was only the third time Woods has played since his father died May 3 after a brutal bout with cancer. Some questioned whether he could regain his focus after taking nine weeks off, especially after his 76-76 at the U.S. Open to miss the cut for the first time in a major.Some took issue with his strategy for Hoylake, hosting a British Open for the first time in 39 years. Woods hit driver only once -- on the 16th hole of the first round -- instead staying well short of the bunkers and relying on iron play so impeccable that his caddie kept a list of all the shots his boss missed during the week.It was a short list, indeed.There was that 6-iron that missed the 14th green on Thursday, a 7-iron into the bunker at No. 7 on Saturday, and the 4-iron that went long and left at No. 12 on Sunday, leading to his only bogey of the final round."I don't think anyone has ever hit long irons that well," Williams said.He still had to work hard for this one because of DiMarco, a familiar foe coping with similar grief from a more recent loss.DiMarco's mother, Norma, died of a heart attack July 4 in Colorado, and he made sure his father joined him on this trip to the northwest of England as a chance to heal. DiMarco, who pushed Woods into a playoff at the Masters last year, did all he could to deliver an unlikely victory."I had a lot of divine intervention out there," DiMarco said. "I had my mother with me all week."Woods put him away on the most daunting hole at Royal Liverpool, a long iron that stopped 8 feet away on the 14th for a birdie. DiMarco kept making putts and so did Woods, making birdies from 8 feet on the 15th and two-putting from 25 feet on the par-5 16th.Woods finished at 18-under 270, missing an 8-foot birdie putt that would have matched his record (19 under) set at St. Andrews six years ago.His father was with him for his first taste of links golf in the 1995 Scottish Amateur at Carnoustie, when Woods was a 19-year-old amateur. As he walked up the 18th fairway with a two-shot lead, his ball safely behind the green, memories of Dad poured forth."After the last putt, I realized my dad's never going to see this again, and I wish he could have seen this one last time," Woods said at the trophy presentation. "He was out there today keeping me calm. I had a very calm feeling the entire week, especially today."For DiMarco, his third runner-up finish in the last eight majors came with a consolation prize. He earned enough Ryder Cup points to move from No. 21 to No. 6 in the standings, virtually making him a lock to be on the U.S. team in Ireland two months from now.Masters champion Phil Mickelson finished before the leaders even began the final round. Coming off his collapse in the U.S. Open, he was never a factor during the weekend and closed with a 70 to finish 13 shots behind in a tie for 22nd.

Australian firm invests in PNOC Palawan project

By Abigail L. HoInquirerLast updated 03:16am (Mla time) 07/24/2006Published on page B4 of the July 24, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer NIDO PETROLEUM LTD., an exploration company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, has entered into a farm-in agreement with Philippine National Oil Co. for the development of an oil prospect off Palawan.Under the agreement, Nido will shoulder the entire $8.5-million pre-drill cost, which will cover the acquisition and interpretation of seismic data gathered under Service Contract 58 up to January 2008.The drilling of an exploration well is scheduled between January 2008 and February 2010.Nido will get half of SC 58's earnings in exchange for undertaking the agreed work program.To date, two prospects and six leads have been identified within the contract area."The success of this farm-in and the commencement of seismic operation is a significant benchmark for our company and represents a 'coming of age' for the business following our growth and development over the past two years. Nido is now operational," Nido chief operating officer Craig Martin said in a disclosure to the ASX.SC 58 is adjacent to the Malampaya gas find.SC 58 is also one of the largest contract areas in the Palawan Basin at 1.344 million hectares.Nido's participation in SC 58 will boost its gross acreage in the Palawan Basin by 203 percent from 661,997 hectares to 2 million hectares.

Google's unknown artist has huge following

Wednesday, July 19, 2006; Posted: 3:26 p.m. EDT (19:26 GMT)(CNN) --Dennis Hwang may be the most famous unknown artist in the world -- his work doesn't hang in galleries or museums, but it's been viewed hundreds of millions of times.The 28-year-old webmaster designs the whimsical logos that decorate Google.com's otherwise Spartan Web site on special occasions."It's always a fun kind of challenge to incorporate the logo into the design. Over the years, just because I kind of push myself to use different types of design if I can," Hwang said. (Have a look at Hwangs's Google logos)He has been manipulating the six letters in the Google name into shamrocks, fireworks, hearts and goblins since shortly after he got an internship there in 2000. Company founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin found out that he was an art major in college."They said 'Hey Dennis, why don't you give this a shot,' and I've been doing it ever since," he said.Now he's in charge of all Google's webmasters, and designing the logos is only about 20 percent of his job -- but that doesn't mean it's not a lot of work. Hwang said he had to do a string of all-nighters after he had what he called his "brilliant" idea to do individual designs for each of the 32 teams in this year's World Cup soccer tournament.The logos link to Google search results about the topic, which can drive a lot of traffic to unsuspecting sites."Sometimes we unfortunately take some sites down, so we have to cycle through different search queries midday," he said. "But, yeah, it's kind of the fun aspect of it that users can do more research about a topic or find out more about it on their own if they're not as familiar about what we're recognizing."John Malyon, president of the online art guide Artcyclopedia.com, said his site got a huge surge in traffic in April when Google featured Spanish surrealist painter Joan Miro. He said he got tens of thousands of extra clicks."It didn't cause any server problems or anything. It just took me a while to track down what was happening," Malyon said. "You sort of come in, you turn on your server and look at your stats and they're wildly inflated, so you then have to do some detective work."Malyon said most of the traffic appeared to be "curiosity clicks" -- people who were more interested in the logo than in the artist's work. He said the surge probably didn't help his business much, but he appreciated the interest."I'm quite happy, and every webmaster in the world is happy to have as many people as possible see their babies, but it's not the most targeted traffic in the world," he said.Hwang said users e-mail from all over the world to praise the designs or petition for new ones.Hwang said they did a logo for the Persian New Year after a huge online campaign and that the National Library Day design was very popular."That one was a huge hit among librarians across the whole country," he said. They even sent me library-related cool toys and hats things like that. One was even a librarian action figure with 'shushing action' so that was really funny."He said he meets a few times a year with a small group of Google staffers to decide which events to cover."We talk about interesting holidays that are coming up, or various international holidays or any current events or news events that we think are cool and geeky or 'Google-y' in some sense and then we just sort of give it a go," he said.Hwang said his favorite was the birthday series honoring Michelangelo, Picasso, Van Gogh and other famous artists."Having been a student of art history for a long time those are a little bit more personal," Hwang said. "Of course, trying to mimic the style of a master is always difficult and humbling, so it does take a lot more time to do those, but it's also a lot more fun."But, like any proud parent, he would not say which one was his favorite."If you had me picking just one, I don't think I could. They're just all kind of special in their own little way."

Spacecraft carrying commercial space station launches

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- A Russian rocket blasted off Wednesday carrying an experimental inflatable spacecraft for an American entrepreneur who dreams of some day building a commercial space station, officials said.The Genesis I spacecraft lifted off from the southern Ural Mountains at 6:53 p.m. Moscow time aboard a converted Cold War ballistic missile, according to the Russian Strategic Missile Forces.It reached its designated orbit about 320 miles above Earth minutes after liftoff.The launch was a first for Bigelow Aerospace, founded by Las Vegas real estate mogul Robert Bigelow, who owns the Budget Suites of America hotel chain.Bigelow envisions building a private orbiting space complex by 2015 that would be made up of several expandable Genesis-like modules linked together and could be used as a hotel, or perhaps a science lab or college. He has committed $500 million toward the project.Because Wednesday's unmanned mission was experimental, Bigelow said he was prepared for problems."I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if we have a number of different systems fail," he said. "I would hope that we have some success."The watermelon-shaped Genesis I is a one-third scale prototype of the commercial space station to which the company eventually hopes to fly humans. Equipped with a dozen cameras to be aimed at the Earth, it is supposed to circle the planet for at least five years while scientists study its durability.Genesis I measured 14 feet long and 4 feet wide at launch and was to inflate to twice that width in orbit. It carried photos of Bigelow employees and insects that scientists hope to study to determine how well they survive the flight.In the 1990s, NASA studied inflatable technology for a possible trip to Mars, but later dropped the idea after deciding inflatable modules were too expensive.This fall, Bigelow Aerospace hopes to launch Genesis II, which will carry mementos from the public for $295 apiece. Over the next several years, the company plans to test larger prototype spacecraft, including a full-scale mock-up slated to launch in 2012.

Nature, not neon, in Red Rock Canyon

Vegas side trip dazzles visitors

Wednesday, July 5, 2006; Posted: 10:43 a.m. EDT (14:43 GMT)RED ROCK CANYON NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA, Nevada (AP) -- Round a bend on a highway less than a half-hour's drive from the Las Vegas Strip, and a panorama of red rocks, green cactus, gray mountains, blue sky and white clouds opens before you.It's even better at dawn, when rich yellow rays from the east cast a warm hue on the textured hills. Man doesn't shape scenes like this. It smells of fresh mesquite, pinon, creosote and sage. This is nature, not neon.Red Rock Canyon may not be as vast as the Grand Canyon or Death Valley, or as well-known as Zion, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley or Yosemite. But it's got comparable beauty, and history, and it's a lot closer to hotels."The nice part is we're so close to the city," said Pat Williams, president of Friends of Red Rock Canyon and operations manager for the Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association. "It's like an urban park, but you're quickly into wilderness."Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, a federal Bureau of Land Management fee area, has for years quietly lured rock climbers, petroglyph photographers, bicyclists, long-distance runners and lunch-toting hikers.Just driving the 13-mile one-way loop road -- which dips to cross dry washes, bends around hairpin turns and climbs to a commanding Mojave Desert view from a parking overlook at elevation 4,760 feet -- is enough to salve the soul after a night of ultralounging or doubling-down at the blackjack table. It's also completely wheelchair-accessible, with toilets at parking areas.The modern BLM visitor center just added a state-of-the-art interactive nature museum sure to dazzle and teach the kids. Got questions about the plants, wildlife or geology? The answers are here. Like lizards? They're here. Snakes? They're here, too.You might see Mojave Max, a resident desert tortoise whose emergence from his burrow every spring -- maybe early, maybe late -- has kind of a Groundhog Day significance for local schoolchildren trying to guess the date.Native burros, whose ancestors served miners plying the canyons for minerals, might show up at Max's low-walled pen to forage for his meal leftovers. They're not shy, but don't feed them. They don't wear reflectors, and familiarity can be fatal if they hang out next to the road.The area gets 1.2 million visitors a year, which Williams said includes the adjacent Cottonwood Valley mountain biking and equestrian area and the Red Spring picnic area. A no-frills campground across the highway, state Route 159, offers neither shade nor ambiance.Red Rock Canyon itself? The Web site may call it "the best kept secret in Las Vegas," but bicyclists abound and rock climbers are common. Hikers can have it all to themselves if they pack a lunch for the challenging trek up Turtlehead Peak. Or they can greet other folks taking Fido along up the trail to Calico Tanks. Both yield stunning views of Las Vegas in the distance.Friends of Red Rock Canyon spend 16,000 volunteer hours a year tending the 90 miles of trails, including an easy children's nature walk featuring explanatory signs and a boardwalk over a trickling spring feeding an amazingly lush natural garden.Resident southern Nevadans escape scorching summer days with hikes into Pine Creek, Oak Creek or Ice Box canyons, where bighorn sheep dwell and waterfalls are fed by melting snow from the Spring Mountains above.In centuries past, American Indians summered in these same canyons. They roasted agave in poker table-sized open pits that can still be found, and carved petroglyphs depicting animals, maps and family histories into the rocks. Some sites are now marked with interpretive signs.Even the names of the plants tell tales: Spanish bayonet. Mormon tea. Barrel cactus. Cat's claw.A century ago, miners quarried sandstone blocks and hauled them out with a huge tractor engine that became a story in itself. An interpretive sign tells that tale, too.Fire scorched the open desert in 2005, sparked by lightning and leaving scars on both sides of the road not far from the visitor center. But look closer, and wispy grass is growing back. Wildfire is natural. So is Red Rock Canyon.Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge

The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge (明石海峡大橋, Akashi Kaikyō Ō-hashi?), also known as Pearl Bridge, is a suspension bridge in Japan that crosses the Akashi Strait; it links Maiko in Kobe and Iwaya on Awaji Island as part of the Honshu-Shikoku Highway. The central section is the longest bridge span in the world at 1991 meters (6532 ft). It was planned to be one of three Honshu-Shikoku connecting bridges, annexing two borders of the Inland Sea.Before the Akashi-Kaikyo bridge was built, ferries carried passengers back and forth across the Akashi Strait in Japan. This dangerous waterway often experiences severe storms, and in 1955, two ferries sank in the strait during a storm, killing 168 children. The ensuing shock and public outrage convinced the Japanese government to draw up plans for a suspension bridge to cross the strait. The original plan was for a mixed railway-road bridge but when the bridge was begun in April 1986 it was restricted to road only, with six lanes. Actual construction did not begin until May 1988 and the bridge was opened for traffic on April 5, 1998. The Akashi Strait is an international waterway and required a 1500 metre wide shipping lane.The bridge has three spans. The central span is 1991 metres, with the two other sections each 960 metres. The bridge is 3911 metres long overall. The central span was originally only 1990 metres but was stretched by a further metre in the Kobe earthquake on January 17, 1995. It was designed on a two-hinged stiffening girder system, allowing it to withstand 286 kilometers per hour (178 mph) winds, earthquakes measuring up to 8.5 on the Richter scale, and harsh sea currents. The bridge also contains pendula which operate at the resonant frequency of the bridge to dampen forces on it.The total cost is estimated at ¥ 500 billion (≈USD 5 billion). This cost is expected to be defrayed by charging commuters a toll to cross the bridge. However, the toll is so high that, ironically, very few drivers actually use the expensive bridge, preferring instead to use the slower-but-cheaper ferries.Two parks in proximity of the bridge have been built for tourists. One in Maiko (including a small museum) and one in Asagiri. Both are accessible by the coastal train line.[edit]IlluminationThe Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge has a total of 1737 illumination lights: 1084 for the main cables, 116 for the main towers, 405 for the girders, and 132 for the anchorages. On the main cables three high light discharged tubes are mounted in the colors red, green, and blue. The RGB model and computer technology make for a variety of combinations. Currently, 28 patterns are used for such occasions as national or regional holidays, memorial days or festivities.

Dolphins, like humans, recognize names

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Bottlenose dolphins can call each other by name when they whistle, making them the only animals besides humans known to recognize such identity information, scientists reported on Monday.Scientists have long known that dolphins' whistling calls include repeated information thought to be their names, but a new study indicates dolphins recognize these names even when voice cues are removed from the sound.For example, a dolphin might be expected to recognize its name if called by its mother, but the new study found most dolphins recognized names -- their signature whistles -- even when emitted without inflection or other vocal cues.More than that, two dolphins may refer to a third by the third animal's name, said Laela Sayigh, one of three authors of a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."They are known to produce these individually distinctive signature whistles, like names," Sayigh said in a telephone interview. She said the researchers wanted to know what information in the whistles helped dolphins identify each other's names.The scientists already knew that dolphins responded to whistles, but wondered if something in the actual voice of the whistling dolphin was making the identity clear, or if the name itself was enough for recognition.To find out, they studied bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay, Florida. Instead of playing recordings of actual dolphins making signature whistles, the researchers synthesized signature whistles with the caller's voice features removed and played them to dolphins through an underwater speaker.In nine out of 14 cases, the dolphin would turn more often toward the speaker if it heard a whistle that sounded like a close relative's."It's a very interesting finding that encourages further research, because they are using whistles as referential signals -- that's what words are," said Sayigh, of the University of North Carolina Wilmington. "Dolphins appear to be using these arbitrary signals to identify another dolphin."She stopped short of saying dolphins might have a human-like language."I tend to shy away from using the word 'language' myself, because it's such a loaded term," Sayigh said. "I still really feel strongly that there is no evidence for something like our language. (Dolphins) have got the cognitive skills at least to have referential signals."

Skywalk to offer thrilling Grand Canyon view

Take a stroll over the all-glass Skywalk, and you can hover above the Grand Canyon.PopSci.com) --

Step out onto the new Skywalk, and only a few sheets of glass will stand between you and a 15-second free-fall to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Set to open late this year, this horseshoe-shaped footbridge (commissioned by the Hualapai Indian tribe, which owns the land) will jut 65 feet from the cliff edge and suspend 3,800 feet above the canyon floor, a height more than twice that of the world's tallest skyscraper. If you're a bridge, the Grand Canyon is probably the last place you'd want to be: 90 miles per hour vertical winds whip upward with tornado-like force, a condition endured by no other bridge in the world. To secure the Skywalk, Lochsa Engineering in Las Vegas has cantilevered it atop the cliff with 94 steel rods that bore 46 feet into the limestone rock. As a result, it can support 70 tons of weight, equivalent to roughly 700 hefty men, although the maximum occupancy is set at 120 people. Three oscillating dampers -- steel plates, each 3,200 pounds -- inside the hollow bridge beams act as shock absorbers, moving up and down to neutralize the vibrations from foot traffic and wind gusts. For further support, the walkway itself will be constructed of three-inch-thick, heat-strengthened glass and enclosed by five-foot-tall glass walls.Too tame for you? Lochsa hints at future plans to ratchet up the thrill factor by turning a maintenance car designed to run on a track along the bottom of the Skywalk into a trolley ride for visitors.

Good Cry

THIS IS SOOO Right!


Maybe you need a good cry LIVING ALIVE By Dero Pedero The Philippine STAR 09/12/2006

Everybody knows that laughter is the best medicine. But did you know that crying has amazing therapeutic benefits, too? Crying is nature's remarkable way of releasing sadness and easing pain, yet no other element of life carries so much mystery, misunderstanding, and confusion as the human tear.

Humans are unique in creation because laughter and tears intertwine in the emotional roller-coaster of our existence. Tears signify our very humanity ? they are produced by the gamut of emotions we experience in life. It is not at all surprising that great poets refer to life as "a valley of tears."

Why People Cry

Although most of us correlate crying with painful or unpleasant experiences and events, tears can be triggered by positive factors like happiness. Watching an awe-inspiring movie, listening to a beautiful classical concerto, beaming with pride as you watch your child receive an award in school, seeing your national flag being raised at an international convention, and even happy weddings can bring a tear to your eye.

A study headed by Dr. William Frey, biochemist and tear expert at the Dry Eye and Tear Research Center, has come up with this tear percentage pattern: Sadness accounts for 49 percent of tears; happiness, 21 percent; anger, 10 percent; sympathy, 7 percent; anxiety, 5; and fear, 4 percent. In babies, tears are caused mainly by hunger, discomfort or pain.

According to Dr. Frey, emotional tears differ chemically from tears that moisten our eyes (like the ones produced when cutting onions), indicating that crying releases specific toxins. Just like in perspiration, we release through the tears we cry poisonous body chemicals that build up during times of stress. Crying is nature's way of helping us cope with the pain and hardships of living, expelling toxic substances in the process.

Benefits Of A Good Cry

Aristotle theorized that a good cry cleanses the mind. Not only does it cleanse the mind; it is also beneficial for the body and the spirit. Tears can make you feel better and studies show that after a good cry, people even look better. The release of sadness and unclogging of negative energy blockages are believed to cause a liberating change that produces the pleasant feeling and look of well-being.

A lover who cries a river over a romantic breakup can get over the negative feelings faster. Mourning relatives face their loss better after crying their grief out. Traumatic childhood experiences can be released from one's negative memory bank by remembering and crying over them in a psychiatric session. After crying, problematic persons are provided a clean slate and are able to start anew and move on.

You can only cry if you really get in touch with your innermost feelings. It is only when you permit yourself to connect with your deepest sentiments that the tears will flow. To release your pain and sadness, you must acknowledge their presence, know the reasons causing them, and then flush them out of your consciousness by crying. Different individuals have different tear threshold levels; determining yours will help you properly process and release your pain.

Let The Children Cry

In most societies, crying in public is a big no-no. We often see parents command their children to hush and stop crying. Most resort to the old "whip 'em to stop their crying" method of disciplining children. Young boys are told that crying is for sissies, that it is a sign of weakness. As kids grow up, they learn to bottle negative emotions, deny how they feel, and keep themselves from crying. This is very dangerous because the negative emotions and internal pain or sadness get bottled up inside the individual, putting perpetual tension in the body, and subsequently developing into some physical illness.

What do you do when a child cries? Determine the cause of his discomfort. If he is hungry, feed him; if he is wet, change his diapers. A child's attention can be diverted by giving him a colorful toy, a plaything that emits musical tones, or something interesting he can play with. Older children may be harder to deal with. If they persist in crying, let them; they will eventually stop when they get tired. But don't command them to bottle their emotions ? it is unhealthy.

Cry And Be Healthy

Like laughter, crying is one of nature's most effective anti-sadness therapies. Tears help reduce stress, stabilize emotions, remove toxins, and enhance the body's ability to heal itself. Scientists now conclude that people who cry enjoy better health. In fact, some hospitals in the US refrain from giving depressed patients anti-depressant medication right away. They allow them time to cry out their miseries.

Crying is letting the dam overflow, so to speak. If you keep denying and boxing in the negative feelings in your life, they would soon accumulate so much pent-up energy that the dam would break. This often leads to a psychological breakdown or a destructive rampage like a school shooting or road rage.

So if you feel you have some deep-seated stress, depression, problem or rage that you can't seem to shrug off, let your emotional dam overflow. Maybe all you need is a good cry.

Pluto gets the boot

Pluto no longer a planet, say astronomers
Friday, August 25, 2006; Posted: 1:04 p.m. EDT (17:04 GMT)

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- Leading astronomers declared Thursday that Pluto is no longer a planet under historic new guidelines that downsize the solar system from nine planets to eight.
After a tumultuous week of clashing over the essence of the cosmos, the International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of the planetary status it has held since its discovery in 1930. The new definition of what is -- and isn't -- a planet fills a centuries-old black hole for scientists who have labored since Copernicus without one.
Although astronomers applauded after the vote, Jocelyn Bell Burnell -- a specialist in neutron stars from Northern Ireland who oversaw the proceedings -- urged those who might be "quite disappointed" to look on the bright side.
"It could be argued that we are creating an umbrella called 'planet' under which the dwarf planets exist," she said, drawing laughter by waving a stuffed Pluto of Walt Disney fame beneath a real umbrella.
The decision by the prestigious international group spells out the basic tests that celestial objects will have to meet before they can be considered for admission to the elite cosmic club.
For now, membership will be restricted to the eight "classical" planets in the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Much-maligned Pluto doesn't make the grade under the new rules for a planet: "a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a ... nearly round shape, and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit."
Instead, it will be reclassified in a new category of "dwarf planets," similar to what long have been termed "minor planets." The definition also lays out a third class of lesser objects that orbit the sun -- "small solar system bodies," a term that will apply to numerous asteroids, comets and other natural satellites.
It was unclear how Pluto's demotion might affect the mission of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, which earlier this year began a 9 1/2-year journey to the oddball object to unearth more of its secrets.
The decision at a conference of 2,500 astronomers from 75 countries was a dramatic shift from just a week ago, when the group's leaders floated a proposal that would have reaffirmed Pluto's planetary status and made planets of its largest moon and two other objects. (Watch why some think planet size doesn't matter -- 3:39)
That plan proved highly unpopular, splitting astronomers into factions and triggering days of sometimes combative debate that led to Pluto's undoing.
Now, two of the objects that at one point were cruising toward possible full-fledged planethood will join Pluto as dwarfs: the asteroid Ceres, which was a planet in the 1800s before it got demoted, and 2003 UB313, an icy object slightly larger than Pluto whose discoverer, Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology, has nicknamed "Xena."
Charon, the largest of Pluto's three moons, is no longer under consideration for any special designation.
Brown was pleased by the decision. He had argued that Pluto and similar bodies didn't deserve planet status, saying that would "take the magic out of the solar system."
"UB313 is the largest dwarf planet. That's kind of cool," he said

By Jupiter, scientists find 'Red Spot Jr.'

High resolution images captured by the Keck II telescope in Hawaii show a second red spot on Jupiter


WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Jupiter's Great Red Spot -- a high-pressure storm on the big planet's surface -- has been around for centuries, but Monday astronomers released images of a new, smaller Jovian storm they call Red Spot Jr.
Using the Keck II telescope on Hawaii's Mauna Kea, scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, and the W.M. Keck Observatory captured a high-resolution picture of both spots on July 20.
Red Spot Jr. is about as wide as Earth's diameter and formed from the merger of three white spots very recently, sometime between 1998 and 2000, and only turned red in December 2005, the astronomers said in a statement.
The Great Red Spot is nearly twice its smaller companion's size and has been circling Jupiter for at least 342 years. But the two are located in the same area and appear to be racing each other around the planet.
The two spots are about the same color when seen in visible light, but Red Spot Jr. was much darker when viewed at infrared wavelengths, the scientists said.
That difference could mean the smaller storm's cloud tops are lower than the big storm's.

Thoughts to Live By....Paradigm Shift

Just want to share this with you... very true.. paradigm shift

Imagine you're in a Airport. While you're waiting for your flight, you notice a kiosk selling shortbread> cookies. You buy a box, put them in your traveling bag and then you patiently search for an available seat so you can sit down and enjoy your cookies. Finally you find a seat next to a gentleman. You reach down into your traveling bag and pull out your box of shortbread cookies. As you do so, you notice that the gentleman starts watching you intensely. He stares as you open the box and his eyes follow your hand as you pick up the cookie and bring it to your mouth. Just then he reaches over and takes one of your cookies from the box and eats it!
You're more than a little surprised at this. Actually, you're at a loss for words. Not only does he take one cookie, but he alternates with you. For every one cookie you take, he takes one. Now, what's your immediate impression of this guy? Crazy? Greedy? He's got some nerve! Can you imagine the words you might use to describe this man to your associates back at the office? Meanwhile, you both continue eating the cookies until there's just one left. To your surprise, the man reaches over and takes it. But then he does something unexpected. He breaks it in half, and gives half to you. After he's finished with his half he gets up, and without a word, he leaves.

You think to yourself, "Did this really happen?" You're left sitting there dumbfounded and still hungry. So you go back to the kiosk and buy another box of cookies. You then return to your seat and begin opening your new box of cookies when you glance down into your traveling bag. Sitting there in your bag is your original box of cookies -- still unopened. Only then did you realize that when you reached down earlier, you had reached into the other man's bag and grabbed his box of cookies by mistake. Now what do you think of the man? Generous? Tolerant? You've just experienced a profound paradigm shift. You're seeing things from a new point of view. Is it time to change your point of view? Now, think of this story as it relates to your life. Seeing things from a new point of view can be very enlightening.

Think outside the box. Don't settle for the status quo. Be open to suggestions. Things may not be what they seem.

Freedom of Simplicity

Happiness is not found outside of you. It doesn't come from cars, clothes, cash, or Caribbean cruises. Happiness is found within. But how can you find it if you don't have the simplicity of time and space to discover the most important things in your life? How can you search the depths of your soul if you are too busy impressing others, acquiring wealth, protecting your properties, and paying your debts? Simplicity is not about the external either:

living in a doghouse, eating in Hepatitis joints, wearing rags.

Let me define what it is: Simplicity is living from the core of your being. A TREASURE MAP OF HAPPINESS Simplicity will point to you where and what and who the gold is in your life.

Let me share with you the seven powerful lessons I've learned on simple

living:

1. LIVE ON LESS, AND DELIGHT IN THEM MORE Some take their pleasure dining in classy restaurants, trips to Europe,and owning the latest home theatre-equipment.

I've chosen the simple path: If I can simply be with my wife, or take a quiet stroll under a canopy of stars, or play with a child, or read a good book in my home, or laugh with friends over a pizza, I consider myself richly blessed.

Focus on what you have and not on what you don't have.


2. STOP RUNNING AND WALK INSTEAD

Here's the truth: The person who has covered the greatest distance does NOT win, but the one who has most enjoyed the journey does. Stop running around chasing your own tail!

Get off your hurried pace and learn to breathe. Replace doing with being. Learn to say no to invitations, appointments, and commitments, activities and events that will rob you of your focus. Learn to say "yes" to rest,to tranquility, to quietness.

3. YOU ARE MORE THAN YOUR WEALTH

I own very few things today. Because I am more than the brand of my watch, the logo of my shoes, the name of my car.

I believe that if in my soul I deeply respect and value myself, people around me will sense that, and they too, will value and respect me-whether I'm wearing Armani or not.

You are more than your wealth.

4. AVOID BUYING ON CREDIT

I don't believe in borrowing from credit cards. (For convenience, I use one card but I pay the whole amount at the end of each month.) If I need something really bad, I save up for it.

Sometimes, at midpoint, I realize I don't really need the darn thing and give up the whole idea. The only exception I feel we should enter into a credit is when buying a non-depreciating item, such as housing or land.

I believe we should always live within our earning capacity.

Proverbs 22:7 says, "Those who borrow are slaves of moneylenders."


5. GIVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

If I content myself with P250 shirt instead of P4,000 Lacoste, I can help others more. Trust me, there is immense pleasure!

You will find that the empty thrill of owning a diamond ring on your finger pales in comparison to the joy of handling a piece of bread to an orphan child.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."(2Corinthians 9:8)

The Old Testament of tithing, or giving 10% of your income is a good guideline to follow. The New Testament challenges us to give with a cheerful heart. (When you're cheerful, you may give more than 10%!) Make it a habit.


6. SAVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

Saving is essential to being good stewards of the money that God "lends" to us.

Saving is an important way of providing for our future-both for our needs and to be generous to others. I recommend that you save at least 10% of your income. I can almost hear you now:

"Bo, that's impossible!" Oh yeah? Well, how did you live three years back when your salary was one-half its present amount?"

Sacrifice. Many of our needs are actually wants.

Is cable TV a need? Will you suddenly die if you can't watch CNN or HBO? Are those new golf clubs essential to your existence?

Invest in time deposits, long-term stocks and housing.

7. BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET

Make a list of all your monthly expenses, according to categories. Make also a list of irregular expenses-those that don't come monthly. Set up another savings account for these expenses and put in a little money each month. To differentiate this from the savings account, we call ours "freedom account"

because it frees us from worrying about them when they suddenly attack.

And stick to your budget!

ONE LAST WORD BEFORE WE CLOSE

Balance.

Don't take living simply to the extremes! Living simply doesn't mean living in deprivation. There are special days when my wife and I eat in a fancy restaurant. Or, when we splurge into a vacation.

Very rare, yes, but my point is that you take living simply NOT as a rigid goal-but as a happy process towards the goals of generosity, inner peace and holiness.

Everything happens for a good reason!

SOME PEOPLE COME INTO OUR LIVES, AND THEN QUICKLY GO...
OTHERS LEAVE FOOTPRINTS IN OUR HEARTS, AND WE ARE NEVER THE SAME AGAIN!
THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF MY WONDERFUL LIFE!!!

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they
were meant to be there...to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a
lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become. You
never know who these people may be but you lock eyes with them, you
know
that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.



And sometimes things happen to you at the time that may seem horrible,
painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without
overcoming those obstacles you would never realize your potential,
strength, will power or heart.




Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means
of luck. Illness, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer
stupidity all occur to test limits of your soul.





Without these small tests, life would be like a smoothly paved,
straight, flat road to nowhere safe and comfortable but dull and
utterly pointless.

The people you meet affect your life. The successes and downfalls that
you experience can create whom you are, and the bad experiences can be
learned from. In fact they are probably the most poignant and important
ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive
them because they have helped you learn about trust and the importance
of being cautious to whom you open your heart.



If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because
they love you, but also because they are teaching you to love and open
your heart and eyes to little things. Make every day count. Appreciate
everything that you possibly can, for you may never experience it
again.


Talk to people whom you have never talked to before, and actually
listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high.
Hold your head up because you have every right to.

Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for
if
you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you. Create
you own life and then go out and live it.