Info War

There are those who are environmentally conscious and recycle their plastic bottles, there are those who just don’t care and dump them where they want to and then there are those who collect plastic bottles so that they can make ocean going vessels.

David de Rothschild and his crew constructed the Plastiki mostly out of plastic bottles - 12,500 of them. They used an organic glue that comprised of Cashew and Sugar Cane to hold the bottles together. Among the other recycled/recyclable items that were used to build the boat was a recycled aluminum irrigation pipe which was used as the mast. Power was supplied via windmills and solar panels located on the boat.

The Plastiki spent 128 days at sea travelling from San Francisco to Sydney Harbor. While on its journey, the boat did make a few stops at Pacific islands it encountered along its way. The islands of Samoa and Kiribati were among those stops. The six crew members consisted of five men and one woman. They encountered varying weather patterns including temperatures that hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit and wind speeds in excess of 60 knots. They also had to deal with torn sails and one of the last storms they encountered had them making an emergency stop in Queensland to make repairs.

According to de Rothschild, the idea behind the bottle boat was to show people that trash could be reused effectively. After the long journey, the crew have changed their mind as to the fate of their beloved Plastiki. It will no longer be recycled as it was originally planned to be. Instead, it will be preserved and put on display as a means of inspiring others and raising awareness on recycling.

They say that the “devil is in the detail” but when it comes to signifying a special occasion with something as simple as a personalized ribbon says a lot about the effort that you have put into the occasion.

The truth is that the detail is the difference maker for any occasion whether it is a baby shower, a wedding, an engagement, a birthday or even a simple barbecue. However, appropriateness is also the watchword where one shouldn’t go over the top when it comes to literally nitpicking every flaw that can be seen.

Take for example, the difference silk flowers can make to a wedding arrangement as opposed to normal flowers. Yes, of course, every woman’s dream come true has something or the other to do with flowers but if one wants to be practical they will find that this type of flowers will meet the purpose while not costing that much either.

Favor boxes are another way to add that unique touch to a wedding celebration in thanking your guests for being a part of the ceremony, and which can be a memento to treasure as time passes by in your marriage.

And there are organizations that will help you to take care of these details so that you can share these special moments with your loved ones just the way you want it.

LeBron James has cooked up quite speculative whirlwind over where he is going to go. It has become such a spectacle that sponsors and media are bending over backwards to be the ones associated with him when he makes “his revelation”.

Microsoft is the latest big player to throw in their name in the ring. Bing is already the Official Search Engine Provider of James’s website. But now it has offered to sponsor what can only seem to be the most ridiculous and pompous gesture of all - “The Decision”.

The fact that LeBron James is taking a one hour special on primetime TV to announce who’s request he will consider is atrocious. The fact that ESPN did one of those backward bending exercises is even more atrocious. ESPN agreed to give him the slot, let him pick his own interviewer and let him sell the sponsorship rights to whomever he preferred to. However, in James’s defense, the proceeds from the sponsorship will all go to charity (The Boy & Girls clubs of America).

All this (apart from the charity angle) is causing public opinion to turn sour on James. The program will essentially be a self-promoting slot of James where he will also plug his sponsors. The whole thing is taking on the look and feel of Pro Wrestling. In the event that all of this does end badly, it won’t look too good on him or his sponsors either (i.e. Bing). So should Bing really get involved in this?

The siege in front of the U.N. office in Colombo, Sri Lanka shows no signs of abating. Adding a further twist to the whole matter is Sri Lanka’s Minister for Housing, Wimal Weerawansa.

Weerawansa was the main instigator of the U.N. office siege which began on Tuesday and now he claims that he has begun a fast unto death, until his demands are met. His goal is to get the U.N. to dismantle the panel that has been set up to investigate war crimes in Sri Lanka. A three decade old war ended last year, when the terrorists were routed and wiped out in an intense military push.

The U.N. is investigating claims of extra judicial killings of more than 7,000 ethnic Tamil civilians. In this regard, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon engaged a three man panel to look into the matter and to advise him on how to proceed. It is against this panel that Weerawansa is protesting against.

Weerawansa is a staunch ally of the President and leader of the National Freedom Front. He was member of the leftist JVP party until he was thrown out for not following party rules. His initial blockade of the U.N. premises was diffused and cleared after Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister G. L. Peiris intervened. However, Weerawansa returned on Thursday with an agenda that he refuses to back down from.

A spokesman for the U.N. in New York, Farhan Haq, said that there was no possibility of the panel being disbanded.

Here are a few great ideas for presents you can give your mother on her 50th birthday:

An outside adventure - just because she is turning fifty, does not mean outdoorsy stuff will be too challenging. Choose something your mom would like to do, something new and exciting. Giving her the chance to do something she has never done, or has always wanted to do will be the perfect gift. If your mom is not the type who would like physical outdoor activities, then take her on a hot-air balloon ride.

A fabulous holiday - if it fits your budget, then take your mom on a holiday to a place she has never been to before. This will be a superb gift to give. Not only will she get to visit a brand new place, but also experience something entirely new. Take your mom’s interests into consideration. If she is into history, perhaps a trip to Egypt might do the trick, or if she loves the beach, then a trip to Bali.

Memories - this is a very personal gift - and would be sure to move your mom to tears. Put together all your old memories in scrap book or find all your old home videos and compile a special DVD for your mom. This is a gift she will treasure forever.

Spa - gift your mom a day of luxury. She will most definitely appreciate the extra attention and treatments such as a manicure, pedicure, facial, sauna, massages and so on.

Whichever gift you choose, ensure that you make your mom’s birthday extra special and unforgettable.

Just as Goethe said that anger clouds reasoning, one must understand that anger can be a destructive force when actions that are taken are not thought through. It is imperative that one finds techniques by which by he/ she can control his anger, and this requires a conscious decision to divert one’s attention from thoughts that create anger internally while also avoiding external circumstances that can incite anger as well.

Here are some techniques that should help you control your anger both internally and externally as well:

1) Since anger is a long-term habit, one must determine to remain calm in the midst of triggers in order to change his behavior from reaction to a response. This takes work but just being aware of your anger can help you avoid it.

2) If the source of your anger is based on what someone said, it is important to communicate what you feel with the person who has angered you. However, you should choose to communicate in a calm manner where reasoning is given precedence over emotion.

3) Sometimes, removing yourself from the scene is much better than rushing in with a response that will resemble a reaction more than anything else. A few hours away can bring things back into perspective after which you proceed to respond to the situation at hand. A little time for yourself regularly perhaps in meditation helps you to relax the mind.

4) Finally, as anger is rooted in fear, the source of negativity, it is important to view the potentially threatening situation in a negative light. Try and take a balanced view of the situation by choosing to look at the positive as well.

Picking a pet requires careful thought as it depends on the interests, abilities and age of your child as well as which pet might fit in best along with the rest of the members in your household.

Here are some guidelines that can put things in perspective concerning picking a pet for your child:

1) Buy a pet only when you child expresses his/ her interest in a particular animal. Or else this will result in extra work for you.

2) When your child does express his/ her interest, make sure that you explain to your child which animals you can have in the house, and which
ones you cannot. Based on the choices available, have your child pick a pet that is most suited to not only his preferences but also in consideration of the family’s needs as well.

3) Once you both decide on a particular pet, research information about the animal and how it should be raised ideally in a domestic environment. Based on this information, you have to set tasks for your child to take care of the animal, or else you will end doing all the work later.

4) Ensure that you set aside a budget for the animal when going to the pet store/s, and tell your child honestly how much you can afford.

5) It is important to check several pet stores before you pick an animal, while giving the animal’s health the highest priority for selection.

6) Let the child make the decisions as to which pet he would like, the accessories that he see fit for the animal, and then proceed to purchase the animal.

World of Warcraft (also known as WoW), a massively multiplayer online role-playing game released on November 23, 2004, is one of the most popular games played online today with almost 10 million subscribers based on estimates in the year 2008.

Although similar role-playing games have come before WoW, this game has taken the concept to the next level. Critics and players alike have enthusiastically given the game rave review for its exceptional graphics, sound and overall ‘concept’. World of Warcraft has also received several awards for its ingenuity, most notably the Editor’s Choice Awards.

Once a player has picked characters from the Horde or Alliance factions, a class (mages, warriors and priests) and a realm (a server) which is either Player versus Player or Player versus environment, he then finds himself in the fantasy world of Azeroth that is divided into two continents namely Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms and further subdivided into towns and cities.

So, in exploring one of these locations, players fight dangerous monsters, explore the countryside, undertake various quests which help them gain experience levels and new abilities while also acquiring powerful items, by either going solo, with other players or by interacting with NPCs.

Another interesting aspect of the cities on World of Warcraft is divided into Horde and Alliance cities, where either human, dwarves, orcs or trolls are its residents. So, here are the main cities in World of Warcraft:

1. Dalaran City
2. Shattrath City
3. Silvermoon City
4. The Undercity
5. Thunder Bluff
6. Orgrimmar
7. The Exodar
8. Darnassus
9. Ironforge
10. Stormwind

For many people, exploring the beautiful landscapes the Australian Outback has to offer is an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. It is not comparable to any other location in the world, which perhaps explains the fascination people have with it. If you are looking for the crowning outdoor experience, there are a few simple steps to consider before you set out on your adventure.

The Australian Outback is a sparsely populated area, and a little common sense will help you avoid trouble. Visiting unreal natural sites and aboriginal locations is exciting, but the key to doing any of these safely is to plan. For example, apart from being one Australia’s landmarks, Ayers Rock (also known locally as Uluru) is a place people flock to because of its sheer natural beauty. What visitors do not realize, is the time it takes to get there. Ayers Rock, situated more than 400 km from Alice Springs, will require you to plan the long drive time, to-and-from the Rock, if you are to enjoy the experience. Be sure to pack enough supplies for the drive and have enough fuel in your car to be able reach the next gas station.

While there are dangerous animals, insects and reptiles in the bush, the unknown assailant of most visitors to the outback is the brutal Australian sun. This, as well as fatigue caused by long drives to-and-from the location can lead to an unpleasant experience. Follow the Scout’s motto and Be Prepared! Doing your homework on the place you want to visit, some basic common sense and planning will help you enjoy your Australian Outback holiday to the fullest.

Debuting on Tuesdays at 8pm EST, V is a promising reboot of the ’80s sci-fi television show of the same name. The question is, can V sustain the intrigue sparked in its premiere episode? The TV series is brought to life by the presence of Morena Baccarin, previously known for her work in Stargate SG-1, Serenity and Firefly. Her portrayal of her character is superb and nearly hypnotic. She proceeds to convert earthlings to the vague alien cause with a promise of universal healthcare and a hard to refuse line - “We are at peace, always.”

As always there are a handful of skeptics who can resist the charms dished out by Baccarin. Amongst these skeptics is FBI Counterterrorist Agent, Erica Evans, played by Elizabeth Mitchell. Mitchell has left behind her character from Lost, to portray the role of an FBI agent.

The CG based spacecraft add a surreal touch to the TV show, although the computer generated imagery bears a stark resemblance to District 9’s steel-gray spacecraft. Produced by Scott Peters of The 4400 and Alias, the show promises to thrill intrigue audiences across the nation. Like ABC’s other ambitious new sci-fi series, FlashForward, V shows promise as a twisty-turny saga of global scope. The only problem might be is the fact that once the novelty of the CG spaceships wear off they lose their wow factor.