Biting Mosquito sucked my blood. I survived! From when it lands suck a HUGE blood meal and flies away

a 12 year-old lebanese girl has baffled medical experts by producing crystals from her eyes

Uploaded by ybinasri on Oct 9, 2008

lebanese girl baffled medical experts by proucing crystals from her eyes :)

diamond layer !!! Amazing !!!

Diamonds form about 100 miles (161 km) below the Earth's surface, in the molten rock of the Earth's mantle, which provides the right amounts of pressure and heat to transform carbon into a diamond. In order for a diamond to be created, carbon must be placed under at least 435,113 pounds per square inch (psi or 30 kilobars) of pressure at a temperature of at least 752 degrees Fahrenheit (400 Celsius). If conditions drop below either of these two points, graphite will be created. At depths of 93 miles (150 km) or more, pressure builds to about 725,189 psi (50 kilobars) and heat can exceed 2,192 F (1,200 C).

Climber Shares Mt. Everest Summit Stories at Library

Craig John helped kick-off “Novel Destinations” and impressed attendees with his worldwide climbing experiences.

It may have been the first day of summer and nearly eighty degrees outside, but there was plenty of snow and ice on display in the meeting room of the Westborough Public Library.   

On Tuesday, June 21, professional mountain guide Craig John transported an audience of adults and children on a journey to the world’s highest mountain peaks. The voyage concluded at the summit of Mt. Everest.

Donna Martel, adult services librarian, told Westborough Patch, “We thought he was the perfect fit with the Novel Destinations adult summer reading program,” adding that “his presentation will offer residents an opportunity to travel somewhere they may never have the opportunity to go.”

John, who has been guiding since 1987, began his two-hour multimedia presentation with a slideshow featuring various mountains that he summited prior to Everest, including Rainier, Cho Oyu, Kilimanjaro and Denali.

John described how he spent four years preparing for his first Everest ascent. “I just took a picture of Everest, slapped it on my Stairmaster and went nuts.” 

On a more serious note, John cautioned that climbers should prepare intensely for an Everest summit attempt. “I’d suggest local mountain and ice climbing, followed by Rainier or McKinley and finally trying a Himalayan Peak other than Everest to gauge how you manage with the altitude." 

Emphasizing the very real dangers of climbing Everest, John’s presentation included a DVD entitledSummit of Dreams which documented a tragedy from John’s first Everest experience:  One survivor lost his toes to frostbite and his climbing partner lost his life just after descending from the summit.

The presentation continued with John’s first-hand account of his climb up the North Ridge of Everest, which he first summited in 1994 and again in 1998, 2001 and 2003.

John noted that it takes six-to-eight weeks to summit Everest due to altitude acclimation, continuing, “It took us seven hours to make the final ascent and we spent only fifteen minutes on top.” 

He called the summit “spectacular” and told the crowd that climbers could see the curvature of the earth with the naked eye. Pointing to a folding table in the corner of the meeting room, John estimated “the summit is about the size of that table. You have to be careful since it’s not a place you want to fall.”

Once they reach the top, John noted that climbers are only half-way through, joking that “ascent is optional. Descent is mandatory. If you don’t get down, it doesn’t count.”

Four-year old April Zheng, asked John, “Why did you climb the big mountain?”  Amid laughter, John replied, “I just wanted to see if I could do it.”

John, who lives in Maine and teaches rock and ice climbing in New Hampshire, wrapped up his presentation by telling the crowd, “Now that I have a seven-year old daughter, I’m not willing to risk my life on Everest again.  There are other places I want to climb and I am also working on a book on climbing Everest written from a guide’s perspective.”

Protection of the Earth & Wildlife Association (Inc.)

Who Are We?

Protection of the Earth and Wildlife Association originated in Perth W.A. and was incorporated there in June of 1992. The Protection of the Earth and Wildlife Association is a non profit Perth based organisation who are dedicated to the financial support of people who care for the Earth and wildlife in Western Australia and other parts of Australia, we are not a marketing company.

Where does the money go?

It helps our network of carers in Western Australia operate native wildlife rehabilitation centres on their own properties, taking in sick or injured native animals, nursing them back to health and releasing them safely back to the environment where they belong. When people find these poor animals, who may have been injured by pets or hit by cars, they bring them to our centres where they are nurtured back to fitness. With our main effort concentrated on the Darling Range Shelter in Martyn, other carers are located at Mundijong, Pinjarra, Mandurah, Bunbury, Margaret River, Nannup and Chidlow. We have also recently supported animals injured in the Victorian Bushfires and have helped towards the fight against Die Back disease which is killing trees south of Perth.

Why do we need public support?

As the population of Perth grows, the suburban development and massive increase is destroying much of the natural habitat. Combine with this the increasing number of people owning cats and dogs. We are fighting to ensure the survival of some of our natural environment for the benefit of ourselves and our future generations. Will our legacy to our children be a city surrounded by, and dotted with, the beauty of Western Australia native flora and fauna? Or will it be a legacy of destruction and neglect?

say no for pollution

Environmental pollution is contamination of air, water and land from man-made waste. Pollution leads to depletion of the ozone layer, global warming and climate change. Air pollution is the release of chemicals and particles into the atmosphere. Water pollution includes surface runoff, leakage into groundwater, liquid spills, wastewater discharge and littering. If toxins are spilled on the ground or if an underground storage tank leaks, soil can become contaminated. Well known contaminants include herbicides and pesticides. Toxic waste is waste material, often in chemical form, which pollutes the natural environment and contaminates groundwater.

Other types of pollution include ocean pollution and noise pollution. Environmental pollution can have a deadly effect on humans and ecosystems. For example, cigarette smoke, including second-hand smoke, causes cancer, emphysema, stroke and heart attack. Drinking water can become contaminated by untreated sewage, rashes and skin problems occur due to oil spills, while excessive noise can cause hearing loss. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established in 1970 to put a limit on the amount of pollutants in the air. Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1963, the Noise Control Act in 1972 and the Clean Water Act in 1977. Pollution is a bigger concern in other parts of the world, especially developing countries. Time Magazine reported in 2007 that the most polluted spots in the world included China, India, Peru and Russia.

7 Wonders of the United States

Bridges, Buildings and More

Take an inside look at 7 man-made wonders of the US. From a sculpture carved out of a mountain to bridges of magnificent beauty, these wonders are marvels of engineering and design and works of pure genius.

Brooklyn Bridge
Where: East River, Park Row, Manhattan to Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY
In the early 1800s, the residents of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan discussed the idea of a bridge to link the 2 cities together -- allowing people and goods to easily cross the East River. After multiple attempts to get something underway, John Roebling, a bridge designer, proposed a suspension bridge in 1855. Believe it or not, he actually designed the bridge hoping that it would be perceived as a great work of art one day. The proposal was approved 2 years later and work began on Jan. 3, 1870. Roebling had since passed away, so his son, Washington, took over as chief engineer of the project with help from his wife, Emily. Even before it opened in 1883, the bridge was seen as a symbol of greatness in New York, but folks across America were also mesmerized by the size and ingenuity of the project. Today, the bridge is a National Historic Landmark and still has the 44th longest main span among the world's suspension bridges.

Empire State Building
Where: 350 5th Avenue, New York, NY
Built during the Depression, the Empire State Building is a work of determination and pride both in New York and U.S. history. It all started when the Chrysler Corporation and General Motors were in competition to build the tallest building. Architect William Lamb was chosen to design the building and construction began in March 1930. By October that same year, 88 floors were finished with just 14 left to go. Workers were able to maintain this speedy construction pace since the posts, beams and windows were made in factories and then brought in by train to be put up on site. During the time the building was built, there was much talk among New Yorkers and Americans across the country about the incredible speed at which the building was being constructed, as well as weekly updates and stories about the men who built it. The Empire State Building is also a National Historic Landmark.

Golden Gate Bridge
Where: Located on US Highway 101 in San Francisco, CA
Millions of visitors each year flock to San Francisco for warmer weather, unique attractions and to see the Golden Gate Bridge. It was Joseph Strauss who submitted final plans for the bridge in 1930. The 6 counties involved with the bridge approved the $35 million project, and on Jan. 5, 1933, construction began. Just a few short years later, in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge welcomed its first visitor. To everyone's surprise, it opened ahead of schedule and under budget. Since then, the bridge has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, such as the first non-building structure to receive the "Distinguished Building Award" from the Society of American Registered Architects. The bridge can also be found on a commemorative stamp unveiled in 1998 by the United States Postal Service.

Hoover Dam
Where: The dam is located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas on US Highway 93 at the Nevada-Arizona border.
It took over 60 years from the time Maj. John Wesley Powell began to conduct geological studies of the Colorado River in 1869, to the concrete being poured in 1933, for Hoover Dam to be materialized. During this time the 7 basin states had to go through lengthy negotiations on how the water would be distributed, and of course, there were bidding wars on what construction company would get the job. In the end, a group called Six Companies was awarded the contract -- the winning bid was over $48 million. Despite the long years of bids, planning, site inspections and more, it took just five years to complete the mammoth structure. Today, the dam is a testament to the dedication of the country's ability to construct such a structure, especially during the years of the Depression. Hoover Dam is also a National Historic Landmark.

Mount Rushmore
Where: The Black Hills of South Dakota, along Highway 244
The location of Mount Rushmore was once property of the Sioux, including an area called the Black Hills. But once gold was discovered there, prospectors soon displaced the Sioux and began building mining camps. In 1885, an American businessman named Charles Rushmore paid a visit to the Black Hills to check on some titles to properties for a mining company. It was a few years later, after winning over the hearts of the miners and prospectors, that the mountain was named in his honor. So how did those faces end up on the rock? Historian Doane Robinson, in 1923, started the process that later turned into the Mount Harney Bill, allowing a monument to be carved. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum arrived two years later to begin the carving. The monument was officially completed on Oct. 31, 1941. Today, Mount Rushmore sees over 2.6 million visitors per year.

Seattle Space Needle
Where: 219 4th Avenue N, Seattle, WA
Designed for the 1962 World's Fair by Edward E. Carlson, this 605-foot-tall structure was to represent the future but quickly became a symbol for the city of Seattle. The structure is designed to withstand winds of 200 miles per hour, but earth tremors and storms have caused the structure to sway occasionally and close for a day or two. Today, the Space Needle is getting a face-lift as the city of Seattle begins to revitalize the entire centerpiece, including the observation deck, restaurant and surrounding grounds.

Washington Monument
Where: 15th Street, SW, Washington, DC
It doesn't matter what part of the world people come from, one sight of this obelisk design and they know they're in America. Similar to other memorials such as the Taj Mahal or the Great Pyramids, the Washington Monument is a celebration of 1 person's life or legacy -- in this case, the life of America's first president, George Washington. Architect Robert Mills won a contest to design the sculpture. It was intended to be the centerpiece of the capital city, symbolizing each state of the Union. Work on the monument began in 1843, and was completed in 1884. It is 555 feet tall and contains over 36,000 blocks.