Archives July 2020

Wikinews interviews Frank Moore, independent candidate for US President

Saturday, March 1, 2008

While nearly all coverage of the 2008 Presidential election has focused on the Democratic and Republican candidates, the race for the White House also includes independents and third party candidates. These parties represent a variety of views that may not be acknowledged by the major party platforms.

Wikinews has impartially reached out to these candidates, throughout the campaign. We now interview independent Presidential candidate Frank Moore, a performance artist.

New ‘clean water’ funding for Djibouti’s drought-stricken rural areas

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

With the announcement Monday of 2 million in new funding from the European Union (EU), the Republic of Djibouti’s Ministry of Agriculture hopes to provide some relief to an estimated 25,000 rural inhabitants suffering through severe drought conditions. The money, to be channeled through UNICEF for its water and sanitation program, will be used to develop new wells and improve existing ones.

UNICEF is to contribute a further €60,000, as well as technical expertise to the Ministry of Agriculture, who will carry out the bulk of the work.

“The two-year water supply project targeting rural districts is very significant since people living in 45 villages and their 40,000 heads of cattle will have access to clean drinking water,” said Joaquin Gonzalez, EU Representative in Djibouti.

At the same time, the UN aid agency World Food Program (WFP) indicated that it is working with the Ministry of Agriculture and UNICEF to gradually shift Djibouti’s reliance on emergency aid to a Food for Work program, which it hopes will assist nomadic herders in Djibouti with long-term sustainability. “What we are trying to do together with the Ministry of Agriculture and UNICEF is, for example to dig wells so that despite drought, these herders will be able to irrigate their fields,” said Simon Pluess, WFP spokesman. “And, together with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, we will try and promote vegetable gardens.”

Djibouti has survived harsh drought conditions for the past 5 years. Groundwater is the primary source of water for drinking and irrigation, but has been difficult to exploit and is often contaminated. Almost 50 percent of people in rural Djibouti do not have ready access to properly developed source of drinking water. And, due to the ongoing drought, water availability for livestock is limited. Livestock have shown signs of distress and, subsequently, milk production is down substantially.

Nearly half of all families in Djibouti’s northwest were forced to migrate to find pasture for their livestock. As the droughts continue, the importance of properly maintained wells has become apparent. “Life is harder and harder for us. Years ago there were more rains and also more pastureland for cattle. Now it is good for us to have functioning wells so that we can keep cattle here,” said Anou Amada, farmer in the village of Andoli.

A 2006 survey indicated that only 15 percent of wells in Djibouti were equipped with a protective concrete wall to prevent contamination. Andoli’s well is one of many undergoing repair through WFP’s Food for Work project.

“WFP couldn’t do this alone, so we work with the Ministry of Agriculture and UNICEF to dig wells and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization for vegetable gardens,” said Benoit Thiry, Director, WFP in Djibouti.

When the project is completed in 2008, it will have increased Djibouti’s water pump capacity by adding 25 solar-power pumps, which would compliment the current 61 diesel-powered pumps. “The advantage of solar…is that it is much cheaper and requires less maintenance,” said Omar Habib, UNICEF communication specialist. “We want the people to participate and to appropriate these pumping stations. The government’s role in the long term should be as restricted as possible,” he added.

The Benefits Of Gold Electroplating

bytimothyharvard

Gold electroplating involves a process wherein a thin layer of gold is applied to an item, or any desired metal surface. It’s most commonly used to apply gold to a copper or silver surface, and the finish results in the surface looking like it is made of gold.

What are the Benefits of Gold Electroplating?The main benefit of gold electroplating is having the end product looking like a gold item. Gold items are very desirable for a lot of people, and although it is obviously not a solid gold item the effect looks very similar. Due to this process being a lot less expensive than having a solid gold item, it is a popular alternative.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_blz2d1Sz0[/youtube]

Gold plating electronic items also makes the electronic device a lot more conductive. In addition to this the device becomes more durable and wear resistant, making the product perform better and last longer.

What are Common Gold Electroplating Applications?* Jewelry – Gold jewelry is very popular, and somewhat of a status symbol in some communities. People will often plate silver jewelry with gold, giving their jewelry a new look and making it more corrosion resistant.* Electronic Items – Gold is a lot more conductive and corrosion resistant than copper. Gold plating circuit boards and electrical connections will make the electrical item much more effective.* Household Items – Gold plating is often used on household items such as cutlery, plates, bowls and all dinnerware items.

What does the Process Involve?When using the process of gold electroplating on silver items, a nickel and copper layer needs to be deposited onto the silver first. This is because if the process was applied directly onto the silver, over time the silver atoms would diffuse and cause a tarnishing effect to the gold plating.This is why the process should be carried out by professionals with the necessary machinery. There are lots of do-it-yourself gold plating kits on the market, but unless it’s done properly to a high standard, the finish will degrade over time.

When used on electronic items only a layer of nickel is required, when combined with the copper a protective barrier against tarnishing is formed.

Why Should you Plate your Items?It is an inexpensive way to give your jewelry or other household items a beautiful looking gold finish. While it may not be solid gold, it does have a very similar look and is a hard-wearing alternative. When you decide to get something gold plated, get it done by the professionals at General Metal Finishing.

ISS Expedition 10 returns to Earth

Monday, April 25, 2005

With two space walks, 78 million miles and six months on board the International Space Station under their belts, Commander-Science Officer Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov, the station’s 10th crew, landed in Kazakhstan in a Soyuz spacecraft at 6:08 p.m. EDT Sunday.

Also returning was European Space Agency Astronaut Roberto Vittori of Italy, who launched to the Station with the Expedition 11 crew and spent eight days doing experiments. He was aboard under a contract between ESA and the Russian Federal Space Agency.

The re-entry of the ISS Soyuz 9 spacecraft was perfect, returning the astronauts to Earth 53 miles northeast of the town of Arkalyk after 192 days, 19 hours and 2 minutes in space for the Expedition 10 crew. The recovery team reached the capsule in minutes.

They launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan last Oct. 13 at 11:06 p.m. EDT. During their increment they performed two spacewalks, continued station maintenance and did scientific experiments.

Notable accomplishments included replacing critical hardware in the Joint Quest Airlock; repairing U.S. spacesuits; and submitting a scientific research paper on ultrasound use in space. Chiao was also the first astronaut to vote in the U.S. Presidential election from space. The crew completed two spacewalks, including experiment installation and tasks to prepare the Station for the arrival of the new European Automated Transfer Vehicle next year.

Aboard the Station, Commander Sergei Krikalev and Flight Engineer and NASA Station Science Officer John Phillips, the Expedition 11 crew, are beginning a six-month mission. It will include the resumption of Space Shuttle flights and two spacewalks from the Station. Expedition 11 is scheduled to return to Earth on October 7, 2005. The two latest occupants of the station launched with Vittori from Baikonur April 14.

Krikalev and Phillips will have light duty for the next two days, as they rest after completing a busy handover period. For the past week, they have been learning about Station operations from the two men who called the ship home since October. Chiao and Sharipov briefed Krikalev and Phillips on day-to-day operations and gave them hands-on opportunities at Station maintenance. Chiao and Phillips restored the Quest airlock to working order for future spacewalks and practiced operating the Canadarm2 robotic arm.

LA Clippers owner receives lifetime ban from NBA for racist comments

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

File:Donald Sterling.jpg

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has received a lifetime ban from the NBA (National Basketball Association) and has been fined $US2.5million for his racist comments this week. Sterling, who has owned the team since 1981, was overheard telling a woman, identified as girlfriend V. Stiviano, not to bring black people to games or associate with them.

The comments have caused an uproar, not just in the NBA, but within the Clippers team. In protest, players wore their warm-up jerseys inside out before their Game 4 playoff loss against the Golden State Warriors, while in other games throughout the league the San Antonio Spurs played in black socks and the Miami Heat practiced with their warm-up shirts inside out to mimic the LA Clippers.

Former NBA player Kevin Johnson, now mayor of Sacramento, said the league needed to hand out the maximum possible penalty. While NBA legend Michael Jordan, owner of the Charlotte Bobcats said there is no room in the NBA, or anywhere, for this kind of hatred.

The conversation took place on April 9, when a man’s voice, later identified as Sterling’s, told the woman not to pose for photos with black men, including Hall of Famer Ervin “Magic” Johnson. Sterling goes onto say it annoys him that she has to promote her association with black people.

It isn’t the first time Sterling has caused controversy with racist comments. Back in 2009 he was sued by his former General Manager Elgin Baylor who criticised Sterling’s attitude and quoted him as saying “I’m offering you good money for a poor black kid” when negotiating a contract with Danny Manning.

The situation is far from over as Sterling is refusing to sell the team, and the other teams have lobbied against him to force him to sell. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver needs 75% support, or 23 out of the 30 teams, to force Sterling out of the league permanently.

“The fine will be donated to organisations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly selected by the NBA and the Players’ Association” Mr Silver said.

Steelers, Cardinals win championship games to advance to Super Bowl XLIII

Monday, January 19, 2009

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals have won their respective conference championship games to advance to Super Bowl XLIII, the championship game of the National Football League. The game is scheduled to take place on February 1 in Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium. The Steelers were the American Football Conference champion, defeating the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 23 to 14. Meanwhile, the Cardinals became the National Football Conference champions by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 32 to 25.

  1 2 3 4 Total
Baltimore Ravens 0 7 0 7 14
Pittsburgh Steelers 6 7 3 0 23

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was the first rookie quarterback in the history of the NFL to help lead his team to two straight playoff victories, defeating the number 3 seeded Miami Dolphins to win the Wild Card round, and the number 1 seeded Tennessee Titans in the divisional round. They came in to the game against a number 2 seeded Steelers team that had already defeated them twice during the regular season. Early in the game the Steelers defense dominated the field, forcing him to only complete 3 out of 14 pass attempts and end the half with a lowly 9.8 quarterback rating and his team losing 13 to 7. By the beginning of the second half, snow was beginning to fall. Early in the third quarter, Flacco threw a 16 yard pass to wide receiver Derrick Mason, only to be sacked by safety Troy Polamalu for an 8-yard loss on the next play, forcing a punt for the Ravens. The Steelers were held on their next possession, forcing another punt. After the Ravens got the ball back, Flacco led the team down the field in what ended as a 58-yard touchdown drive to put the team up 16 to 14. However, near the end of the game, Flacco threw an errant pass intended for Mason that was intercepted by Polamalu and returned for a 40-yard defensive touchdown. This made the score 23 to 14, and essentially knocked the Ravens out of the game.

With 3:19 remaining in the game and the Ravens in possession of the ball for one last chance, a passing play was called. Flacco dropped back into a throwing position, and threw a short pass to running back Willis McGahee, who caught the ball and turned upfield. Going full speed up the field, Steelers safety Ryan Clark collided with McGahee, also running at full speed. The two made helmet-to-helmet-contact, knocking both players to the ground and knocking the ball out of the hands of McGahee. Ray Rice, another running back, commented “It was tough to watch. He’s like a brother to me.” Clark was helped off of the field by the Steelers medical staff, but McGahee remained down on the field with movement in only his legs and arms. He told team doctors that he had significant pain in his neck, and was taken off the field on a cart and taken to a nearby hospital. It is unknown how severe the injuries are at this time.

After the game, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in a statement “I’m not going to sit here and say Joe played a certain way. Joe went out there and competed and battled and fought and tried to find a way to win the football game. So I certainly have no complaints about that.” Flacco completed only 17 out of 30 pass attempts for 141 yards passing. He was also sacked 3 times and threw 3 interceptions. “I’m not blaming it on any rookie-wall stuff. I don’t believe in any of that stuff,” said Flacco.

  1 2 3 4 Total
Philadelphia Eagles 3 3 13 6 25
Arizona Cardinals 7 17 0 0 32

In the NFC championship, the Arizona Cardinals had not made it to a Super Bowl in the past 60 years. They were matched up against the high-powered offense of the Philadelphia Eagles, who were the number 6 seed in the NFC. The Cardinals were the number 4 seed, defeating the number 5 seeded Atlanta Falcons on Wild Card weekend, and the number 2 seeded Carolina Panthers in the NFC Divisional playoff round. The Cardinals were led by quarterback Kurt Warner, who became the second quarterback in NFL history to lead two different teams to a Super Bowl, the other being the St. Louis Rams. During the first half, the Cardinals quickly took the lead. By halftime, their lead was extended to 18 points in what looked like an easy win for the team. However, in the third quarter, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb threw three touchdown passes, two of them being to tight end Brent Celek. After kicker David Akers missed an extra point attempt after the third touchdown pass, the score was 25 to 24 in favor of the Eagles. After the Cardinals received the ball, they drove up the field. With just under 3 minutes remaining in the game, Kurt Warner completed a game-winning touchdown pass to running back Tim Hightower, making the score 32 to 25,. and sealing the game for the Cardinals.

Kurt Warner completed 21 passes out of 28 pass attempts, for a total of 279 passing yards. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald caught three touchdown passes of 9, 62, and 1 yard, building on his record-breaking playoff performance of 23 catches, 419 yards, and 5 receiving touchdowns over 3 games. “It really set in when I saw the confetti. I always dreamed of being in the confetti. This is beyond my wildest dreams,” said Cardinals linebacker Bertrand Berry after the game. On the other side, Donovan McNabb remarked on not making it to the Super Bowl again. “You never want anything to end. It’s tough when you’re that close to making it to the Super Bowl,” he commented.

A Note On Women Dresses And Formal Evening Wear}

Submitted by: Smart Web

Dresses have dependably been a thing of enthusiasm for ladies from all the ages. Right from the time of the old civilizations, we can discover records of wonderful dresses which were worn by ladies. A percentage of the plans are as of now being taken after today. Dresses, particularly trendy dresses have pulled in ladies from all age bunch. Independent of the age, ladies dependably has a solid slant towards extravagant and shimmering dresses.

There are different sorts and manifestation of dresses everywhere throughout the world which connections to a certain society or a nation. These outfits are not just constrained to the topographical restriction of that specific area, they are presently been utilized by ladies from everywhere throughout the world. For instance, in India, the customary dress for ladies has dependably been a sari. Presently, as the world transformed into a worldwide town and trade of society and custom occurred, it plainly had an impact on how individuals dress. The individuals who were limited to their social outfit, and never seen or may be never even known about some other sorts of dresses began wearing them. These sorts of dresses are exceptionally normal everywhere throughout the world, particularly among the high scholars and young people. We offer a huge range of matric dance dresses in different styles, colours, fabrics and your size in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria & Durban. At Divas by Design you will find just the right formal dress for that next special event whether it be your varsity graduation, wedding, a party, a ball, your own matric dance, prom, or a pageant.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgau0Mj4qqo[/youtube]

Dresses are currently being foreign made by nations everywhere throughout the world. These transported in dresses, convey the characteristic of convention and society of the nation they have a place with. Furthermore the individual wearing these clothing types even has a tendency to reflect this perspective. When you discover an Indian lady wearing a little skirt, you won’t have the capacity to relate her to the customary Indian sort, she for that purpose of time turns hundred percent western. Similarly, envision an American lady wearing a Salwar Kamiz, which excessively is customary Indian clothing, would look more an Indian than an American! Dresses dependably had a colossal effect regarding recognizable proof. Shop the exclusive collection of formal evening wear, evening dresses and gowns for ladies in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria & Durban! At Divas by Design you will find just the right formal dress for that next special event whether it be your varsity graduation, wedding, a party, a ball, your own matric dance, prom, or a pageant.In prior days, individuals from distinctive nations, fitting in with diverse societies could be recognized structure the dresses they wore. When it comes to Western form of evening dresses and formal evening wear there are numerous options to choose from. Divas by Design stock an extensive range of cocktail dresses, imported, matric and short dresses in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria & Durban! At Divas by Design you will find just the right formal dress for that next special event whether it be your varsity graduation, wedding, a party, a ball, your own matric dance, prom, or a pageant.

Divas by Design

Divas by design is a well known brand. They have a huge collection of women clothing with various styles, colors and designs. These items are available at reasonable rates on their online store. Divas by Design specialises in beautiful and exclusive imported wedding dresses and bridal gowns of the highest quality and standards. At Divas by Design you will find just the right formal dress for that next special event whether it be your varsity graduation, wedding, a party, a ball, your own matric dance, prom, or a pageant.

About the Author: If you want to get more details about formal evening wear so please look at

divasbydesign.co.za/evening-wear.php

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=1910861&ca=Womens+Interest}

SpaceX scrubs Falcon I rocket launch

Monday, November 28, 2005

SpaceX called off the much-delayed inaugural launch of their new Falcon 1 rocket on Saturday from Kwajalein’s Omelek Island launch site. The intent was to launch the U.S. Air Force Academy’s FalconSat 2 satellite, which will monitor plasma interactions with the Earth’s upper atmosphere and magnetosphere.

The launch was delayed, then finally cancelled after an oxygen boil-off vent had accidentally been left open. The oxygen was unable to cool the helium pressurant, which then proceeded to evaporate faster than it could be replenished. A main computer issue, probably serious enough to cause a scrub on its own, was also discovered.

This long-anticipated flight was originally expected to be launched in January 2005, however a series of setbacks forced a series of delays, with the flight most recently scheduled to be in early 2006. It was intended to be launched from the Kwajalein atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The maiden voyage was originally intended to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California with a Naval Research Laboratory satellite and a Space Services Incorporated space burial payload.

Choose The Right Houston Air Conditioning Company And Save Big

Choose The Right Houston Air Conditioning Company And Save Big

by

Roger SDesign

For many, it may seem like Houston air conditioning companies are all the same: same services, same prices, same quality of work, etc. However, the truth is that although many of the offered services are the same, there can be, without a doubt, an enormous difference in the pricing, level of quality, and a number of other factors from company to company. This is why doing your

AC> company homework can save you lots of time & money!Price is certainly an important factor to consider when selecting a Houston air conditioning company, but simply going with the company with the lowest service price is not necessarily going to save you money, especially not in the long run. Why not? Simply put: as it is with many things, you oftentimes get what you pay for, and going with the cheapest service may prove to be a bad decision as the technician may install or repair your AC in a very low-quality manner, which can lead to frequent and perhaps costly repairs down the road. Instead of going with the cheapest service, it’s important to go with the “right” service, but how can that be determined?How is it possible to know which Houston air conditioning

company will provide you with the most bang for your buck while ensuring a super high quality AC repair or installation? One way is to take a look at how long the company’s been around. A company that’s been around for a longer time is a good indication that high quality service at a good price is available, but company age is not the only factor to look at. It’s also important to take a look at whether or not customers are satisfied with the work and the price of the service, and this can be done simply by taking a look at testimonials or reviews by previous customers. Doing this kind of homework doesn’t take up a great deal of time, and it will certainly go a long way in ensuring that you will hire the most cost-effective and highest quality

ArticleRich.com

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq2JNuxc8r0[/youtube]

Daylight savings extended in New Zealand

Monday, April 30, 2007

The New Zealand Government has announced that the daylight saving period has been extended by three weeks. Clocks will be brought forward by one hour for 27 weeks in a year beginning a week earlier on the last Sunday of September and ending on the first Sunday of April.

The extension is due primarily to a petition signed by 42,000 New Zealanders backed by Mark Holmes, Nelson city councillor, who says it will benefit those workers who work from 9.00 a.m. till 5.00 p.m.. It was also backed by politician Peter Dunne, leader of minor political party, United Future.

The change is done by an Order-in-Council signed by the Governor-General, Anand Satyanand, acting under section 4(1) of the 1974 Time Act.

The Department of Internal Affairs and the Internal Affairs minister, Rick Barker, also received a lot of support for a change, including from the Federated Farmers. Farmers had usually opposed a change to the daylight saving period because it hampered with operations.

Helen Clark, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, stated that she personally did not support a change to the start of daylight saving in March. However the main reason that the start was altered was to avoid clashes with the fourth school term.

Rick Barker says that they will be working with various companies in the information technology sector to make sure computers are updated and ready for the first new daylight saving period change since 1990.

The Department of Internal Affairs will monitor the amount of energy has been saved because of the longer amount of daylight, and the effects it has on the economy.

In a press release, Mr Barker said, “The decision means people will have an extra hour of daylight in the evenings from late September to early April to enjoy the outdoors. This builds upon the extra half an hour already built into New Zealand’s time throughout the year.”

The United States and Canada have both also recently extended their daylight saving to a 34-week period.