The beauty of Vietnam's terraced fieldson world-class: I am so proud of shimmering beauty of "masterpiece" by the Vietnam farmers!
Terrace in Peru
Recently, tourism magazine Travel and Leisure (USA) voted terracing system in Vietnam is the most beautiful terraces in the world. Thus, beauty is woven from the hands of the farmers in Vietnam has passed the famous plot (that are world heritages now) in the Philippines, China ... to win No. 1.
Banauerice terraces(Philippines), this isthe world's culturalheritageandits lifespanis more than2000years.
Terrace in Van Nam (China)
Most of Vietnam's terraces located in the Northwest with hilly terrain and frequent floods, erosion. This is a form of farming efficiency that the minority in the Northwest has been applied for a long time and brought high economic efficiency.
In particular, just few people know that that labor talents created a picture of the great natural wonders in the Northwest region. Terraces is an interesting tourist destination that can not to be missed by tourists in the Vietnam and internationally as well when they have the opportunity to come to this land.
Terraced of my country bring a beauty of soft, curved, and especially the colors of the harmonic fields is extremely romantic and charming. Coming here, you will see the green of the rice, mixing with the parallel "silk" of land that give not only a gentle but also subtle beauty. If you go into the upcoming harvest season, you saw reclining yellow rice, the terraced fields stand out from the blue background of sky and grass. This is the moment captivated many visitors and it was chosen as the subject of many works of cinema, photography, literature - art ...
Now, we're "flying" the beauty "1-0 - 2" of the terraces in the mountains northwest in my country-Vietnam!
ThefieldsinSaparavishingontheoccasion of the harvest.
Hurricane Irene attacked directly in the U.S. East Coast region on 27 Aug 2011 with winds up to 161km/h and caused heavy rain, tornadoes and large waves.
The expected path of storm (NONA)
The city is expected to be affected most severely
by Hurricane Irene (highlighted in purple).
Strolled through the South Carolina state with strong storms, heavy rain, large waves and severe sea; Irene storm with winds up to 161km/h expected landfall on the mainland of North Carolina at around 7 - 8
AM (local time) and to 5AM (local time), the storm had weakened partly with winds reaching 145km/h and was reduced to level 1 warning.
However, the 3.4-meter-high waves constantly struck, sweeping to the coast, destroying homes and the surrounding areas of the North Carolina State.
Hurricanes form in the satellite view.
Hurricane Irene weakened part, but the weather forecasters have emphasized that this is an extremely dangerous storm. Expected in the last week, Irene will scan to the Greater Boston area, and causing widespread flooding in the area Manhattan, New York.
Earlier, U.S. President Barack Obama has warned about the dangers of Hurricane Irene history, the influence of up to 65 million people - can live in the flooding, power outages. In addition, dangerous weather patterns born Irene also has direct influence to big cities like New York, Boston, Washington.
Faced with a storm with such enormous power, then before that, what Americans did?
Tables and chairs outdoors at the Hilton Hotel - Ocean City, Maryland
"float" in the pool to avoid being blown off while waiting for the storm.
In North Wildwood, New Jersey, a McDonalds restaurant
was "defending" the shield to protect the wood surface.
City dwellers Annapolis, Maryland is to get the sandbags protected,
pending hurricane Irene.
Cars waiting in line at a fuel stations north of Cape May, New Jersey.
People in the area are advised to evacuate before Irene enters inland.
Severe waves in coastland of East Florida
Storm is attacking a hotel in Bahamas
More than 500 employees in the park summer beach Morey's Pier is lined up
to catch the bus to avoid rescue Hurricane Irene.
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MANAGE THE ENVIRONMENT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF DEVELOPMENT:
Our planet is in trouble! Almost every day we seem to hear of yet another problem affecting the environment - and what a list of problems! - pollution, acid rain, climate change, the destruction of rainforests and other wild habitats, the decline and extinction of thousands of species of animals and plants....and so on
Nowadays, most of us know that these threats exist and that humans have caused them. Many of us are very worried about the future of our planet and unless we can find a way of solving the problems we have made then the environment will suffer even more.
It all sounds so sad - but we certainly mustn't despair! Every one of us, whatever age we are can do something to help slow down and reverse some of the damage. We cannot leave the problem-solving entirely to the experts - we all have a responsibility for our to use our natural resources which include air, freshwater, forests, wildlife, farmland and seas without damaging them. As populations grow and lifestyles change, we must keep the world in a good condition so that future generations will have the same natural resources that we have.
At the very least, these problems require group and corporate action or government intervention. However, there are some things the individual can control. Our waste reduction and recycling activities can make a difference. That's why so many communities began voluntary recycling programs.
There are some household items that are dangerous if they are just thrown away with the regular garbage these items can damage the environment and injure plant and animal life some of these may include moth balls, spot removers, aerosol cans, fluorescent light tubes and shoe polish. Your local waste management agency has information on how to properly dispose of these items.
A compost bin may be set up in your yard. Compost bins return plant and some food materials to the soil through decomposition so it can be used as a natural soil additive, called compost. Compost improves soil texture, increases the ability of soil to absorb oxygen and water. Compost also suppresses weed growth and reduces the need to add chemicals and pesticides to plants, which may be harmful to the environment.
Keeping recycle bens in the kitchen may help to stop people from accidentally throwing into the trash an item that could have been recycled. Some recyclable items include glass, paper, and most types of mettle. You want to be sure that glass, paper and mettle are all separated into different bins. Once these bins are full of recyclable materials they can be given to your local recycle center.
Solar panels are a series of mirrors that transform sunlight into solar energy. Solar energy can help heat water and power home appliances. Solar energy is a great source of clean, non-polluting energy.
The home is not the only place wear people can pitch in and help the environment. School playgrounds can use recyclable materials for play equipment and to make the play ground safe for the children. Old rubber tires can be made into a recreation area where kids can crawl in and out. Sports coaches may also use old tires, by having the kids run through them, to test the kids stamina and agility. Jungle gyms, slides and swing sets can be made from recycled mettles.
The school and public libraries are great examples of the reuse of materials. Books can be barrowed, read and returned instead of every one who wants to read a certain book going and purchasing a copy. The reuse of these books saves thousands of trees that would be used to make copies of books. The library also offers computers that can be used for research, by using the Internet, by taping the local or global newspaper web sights and other research centers around the world. Receiving information through the Internet saves paper and energy consumption is reduced.
By taking school buses or car pools to school instead of individual vehicles, students can not only save fuel but also reduce both traffic and air pollution. People may also try to invest in electronic vehicles, which do not pollute. People should make sure to keep maintenance up on their vehicles to prevent unnecessary toxins from entering the environment.
The idea of a landfill is a great one, but it won’t work if people continue to believe it is a place for all trash. A landfill is a big divot dug out of the earth for garbage disposal.
We need to make sure we don’t put chemicals or non-biodegradable substances into these landfills because they are harmful to plants and animals, they may also contaminate our drinking water. A few of these chemicals include antifreeze, insecticide, batteries and Styrofoam, for proper disposal of these items contact your local waste management agency.
You can help save natural resources by taking your old belongings that are no longer needed to a second hand store. A second hand store is a place where people can purchase donated items at a cheaper price than if they were to buy it brand new. The Salvation Army is much like a second hand store, but the items are free. Most items found at a second hand store or The Salvation Army are articles of clothing. The benefit to donating old items is that when people find what they need at a second hand store or The Salvation Army fewer items are manufactured which means you are saving natural recourses.
We can help, over the last twenty to thirty years we have been trying every thing in our power to conserve energy and natural resources, many plans have been developed as to what should be done all of which are very good ones. The problem with these plans is that not every one contributes to the efforts to reduce pollution and waste, in fact most of the people I know believe recycling is a waste of time and they by them selves cannot make the difference. In some cases, I have found myself questioning my efforts. However, it is still important that we don’t quit. If only every one in every home would decide to do their part and help to eke our air clean, our water unpolluted and our wild life safe. The Earth is our home and we need to protect it.
“TSUNAMI - THE AFTERMATH” focuses on the harrowing aftermath of the tsunami that devastated the coast of Thailand - Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket on Dec 26, 2004.
The production, from Kudos Film and TV, has been commissioned by the BBC and HBO channels, with a screenplay penned by award-winning writer Abi Morgan. With the working title ‘Tsunami’, the two-part mini-series will take a hard look at how the real life disaster affected a disparate group of fictional characters from tourists to aid agency officials. Many celebrity names - Sophie Okonedo, Gina McKee, Tim Roth and Toni Collette - have been associated with the production, but none have been confirmed at the time of writing. There has been particular outrage at a poster for an open audition, originating from the local Thai casting team, that lists the type of extras required for the film as: “Victim [...] A lot of people!!!!”. Filming is expected to take around two months.
Here are some of the film's stars at an HBO press conference, along with some of their thoughts on filming:
Tim Roth plays Nick, a hard-nosed reporter dispatched by an international news agency in the Thai capital on the day of the tsunami to cover the disaster. He said "I was very wary of it," Tim Roth admitted about taking a role in the miniseries coming in December, less than two years after 300,000 were killed in the tragedy. "But I found it not to be exploitive at all. If I lost my kid, our family, I don't know that I'd watch it. But I think it's quite honorable."
Toni Collette plays an Australian missionary teacher caught up in the aftermath of the deadly Indian Ocean tsunami of Dec 2004. "She's an Australian woman who has been living in Thailand for 11 years," Collette says, "a Christian who runs an education programme for local kids in local fishing villages. Some people may think it's too early for a film about the tsunami, (and) it may be too early for the survivors, but it's not too early to tell their story for the rest of the world."
Toni Collette agreed, saying, "I was slightly nervous," but she cited a survivor who said, "Maybe it's too early for the survivors, but it's not too early for the people who weren't there."
Sophie Okenedo and Chiwetel Ejiofor play married couple Ian and Susie Carter, who are on holiday in Thailand when the tsunami strikes. Ian hangs onto his child as long as he can, but the wave is too powerful and he loses hold. The film follows the Carters' search to locate their child.
Since the production shot on location in Thailand in areas devastated by the tsunami, Sophie Okonedo conceded the work was difficult. "We cried quite a lot of the time," she said. "It was very emotional because it was all around us. You didn't have to do too much acting."
(L.A. Daily News, 18/7/06)
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake:
It had a magnitude of 9.3, triggered a series of lethal tsunamis on December 26, 2004 that killed approximately 230,000 people (including 168,000 in Indonesia alone), making it the deadliest tsunami as well as one of the worst natural disasters in recorded history. It also had one of the largest earthquakes.
The tsunami killed people over an area ranging from the immediate vicinity of the quake in Indonesia, Thailand and the north-western coast of Malaysia to thousands of kilometres away in Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and even as far as Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania in eastern Africa.
Reflection movie:
As its title suggests, HBO Films' Tsunami: The Aftermath begins not with a crashing wave of water but rather with something far more chilling.
A boatload of vacationing scuba divers returns to their Phuket resort after a morning outing on December 26, 2004 and notice all sorts of debris, and then bodies, in the water. At the dock they see that the entire landscape is destroyed, the hotel is in ruins, and everyone, including their families and friends, is gone. As they run through the wreckage screaming, you'll feel chills. Among the group is Susie Carter (Sophie Okonedo), who quickly reunites with her husband Ian (Chiwetel Ejiofor) but is devastated to learn their four-year-old daughter slipped out of her father's arms and has disappeared. Meanwhile, Kim Peabody (Gina McKee) has lost her husband but finds her teenage son horribly injured. The Thai perspective comes from Than (Samrit Machielsen), a young hotel worker who aids guests even as he realizes his own nearby village (and everyone in it) is probably gone.
The British Consul Tony Whittaker (Hugh Bonneville) rushes in from Bangkok accompanied by a scrappy aid worker named Kathy (Toni Collette) and finds himself utterly unable to provide what his stranded countrymen need. Hot on his heels is muckraking gonzo journalist Nick Fraser (Tim Roth) and his photographer sidekick Chai (Will Yun Lee) who zip around on a motorcycle with sidecar looking for stories.
The multiple storylines bounce off each other as the chaotic days following the tsunami unfold. For Ian and Susie, terror morphs into panic as they race around looking for their daughter. Susie can't help but cruelly blame Ian for "losing" their daughter, and he heads off on a frantic search of temples, hospitals, and morgues looking for information. Susie, on the other hand, is nearly catatonic with horror. Kim worries that her son will die from his injuries but faces the ineptitude of Tony and his consulate, while Kathy does what she can to help and also tends to the Thai community. Nick is outraged to discover that Buddhist monks are burning bodies that haven't been identified, and in one of many East-vs.-West cultural clashes, Chai explains the Buddhist attitude toward death and urges Nick, who's firing off angry news bulletins to Europe, to accept those differences. Than eventually returns to his ruined village and takes his grandmother's cherished bracelets only to be arrested for looting even as he watches a secret government land grab unfold. Will a megaresort sweep in and steal his village's beach? Nick is soon on the story.
That's a lot of plot (the film runs over three hours), but the stories speed along in gripping fashion. The question of whether Ian and Susie will find their daughter alive is the most dramatic throughline, and Okenedo and Ejiofor, who turn in Golden Globe-nominated performances, are outstanding. It's as if they're acting out their own little Beckett psychodrama in the midst of all this chaos. (Collette earned a Golden Globe nomination as well.) With each plot line, you'll appreciate writer Abi Morgan's rigorous avoidance of clichéd happy endings. This is tough stuff. But it's the production designers who really deserve the trophies. Tsunami looks fantastic, and the making-of featurette is essential viewing for anyone who's curious about how the team went in to recreate devastation that the community had just spent more than a year cleaning up. When the monks burn the bodies and when Kim and Ian make terrifying trips to the morgue, you can almost smell the stench. It makes you feel like you are there... and glad you weren't.
Whale and dolphin hunting has been the tradition of the inhabitants of Faroe Islands (near Denmark) since the 10th century. And most of the descendants of the medieval whalers have passed this tradition from generations to generations. For the record, there are 17 villages in the island that have these kind of scenario every year which are authorized to conduct such massacre.
After killing the whales in methods so gruesome, the villages part take the meat of their hunt and distribute them among the inhabitants. Some carcasses or what has been left from meat scraping and fat extractions of the killed whales and dolphins are laid right on the pier where most birds and flies scavenge on what is left of the poor creature, skin and bones.
The locals use the whale meat for food because it is one of their staple diet. But recently, a law was passed in the area stating that whale meat consumption must only be once every two weeks because of high levels of mercury, insecticides and other poisons contained in it. This Tradition has met worldwide outrage and criticism that even Greenpeace Activists tried to stop this from ever occurring again. But the islanders insist that the outsiders doesn’t know the implication of this tradition to their identity and culture as Faroe islanders. Activists however argued that during the medieval times, Faroe islanders have shortage of food compare to this time of ours that food is already abundant and that using tradition as an excuse for the slaughter of these gentle animals is truly unacceptable.
