Current Events

U.S. helicopter shot down in Afghanistan - CNN.com

It was very lucky that all U.S. 10 soldiers survived when their helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan today. The Taliban fighters used a rocket-propelled grenade to bring down the U.S. Chinook helicopter about 30 miles west of Kabul in the Wardak province.
The helicopter, says a U.S. military spokesman Major Redfield, went down in the Wardak province after an exchange of fire with enemy on the ground.

Also, another suicide bomber killed two soldiers and injured 3 others in north Afghanistan. This bombing took place when the U.S officials were to gather and meet with the police in chief of that province. An american soldier and a small child were killed. The Taliban also took responsibility of this bombing.

October 27, 2008
CNN.com

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2 Dead in Arkansas campus shooting; one suspect in custody - CNN.com

A police van , just outside the dorms of the university where the shooting took place


This is the second campus shooting I've heard of since the summer vacation. 2 students were killed at a shooting in the University of Central Arkansas on Sunday. Shots were heard near the Arkansas Hall and the Snow Fine Arts Center at 9:22 pm, says Freshman Sam Hausen who was only 50 feet away from the shooters. One student died on campus and the other in a hospital. Hausen actually saw vans speed away but wasn't sure those were the shooters or just students trying to get away.
After the shooting, the whole campus was put on lock down and all classes were canceled.
One person, we don't know whether it was a student or part of the faculty have been held for questioning but not yet arrested.

October 27, 2008
CNN.com

Current Events

Suspected U.S. missiles kill 8 in Pakistan

Just hours after the Pakistan parliament passed a national security resolution, 2 missiles from an unmanned drone (a remote controlled aircraft or missile) hit a religious school in a village in North Waziristan. This is kind of ironic because the national security resolution stated that "the nation stands united against any incursion and invasions" and the country's national security was in need of a review of the way it was trying to stop terrorism.
Why do they suspect the U.S? Well the United States is the only country that posted there and have the capability to launch missiles from drones. The U.S military hasn't said anything about the incident. The 2 missiles filled 8 people and injured 6 others, says military sources.

October 23, 2008
CNN.com

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Ballesteros faces 3rd and 'complex' brain op

As said from my last current events, the famous Spanish golf legend Seve Ballesteros had a recent surgery on his brain tumor where surgeons tried to remove as much as the brain tumor as possible. Ballesteros was said to be in stable condition after the surgery. On Friday October 24, Ballesteros will again for the third time undergo a more "complex" surgery, says the La Paz hospital, where Ballesteros has been staying at at his current situation.
This time, the surgeons will try to relive some pressure on his brain that was caused by bleeding after the first surgery.

October 23, 2008
CNN.com

Current Events

Ballesteros conscious in intensive care

World know gold legend Seve Ballesteros is conscious after the surgical removal of his brain tumor. Most people don't survive these operations and while performing the surgery, you have to be extremely careful as one small mistake could kill the patient.
Ballesteros is a 51 year old Spanish golfer who won a record 50 times on a European golf tour and the British Open 3 times and many other competitions before retiring last year. He is right now in stable condition when doctor tried to remove as much of the tumor as possible.

October 16, 2008
CNN.com

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Spain: Mechanic of crashed plane questioned

A few months ago in August, a plane crash in Madrid killed 154 people. They're still investigating the plane crash and the court will be questioning three plane mechanics suspected of tempering with the plane. Two of the mechanics were working on the plane the day of the crash and the third was the head of maintenance.
What most people found out so far from the investigation was that the plane's wing flaps didn't deploy while the plane was taking off. The cockpit warning system didn't work and it didn't warn the pilots on time to the problem. However, they did not say that this was the reason why the plane crashed and only left 18 alive. This plane crash was the worst the Spain had had all this year.

October 16, 2008
CNN.com

Current Events

Earthquake kills 12 people in Chechnya

More than 100 people injured and at least 12 people were killed yesterday in a 5.3 magnitude earthquake. This earthquake took place in Russia's Chechnya region.
Many buildings were destroyed and many roads cracked in some areas including a district called Grozny. The British Virgin Islands were also shaken with a stronger earthquake However, this earthquake held less deaths and damages.

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Suspect in High-profile murder case kills himself

In 1981, thats 27 years ago, a Japanese couple came to visit Los Angeles. The husband, Kazuyoshi Miura was shot in the long and hiss wife was shot in the head and died a year later.
The Los Angeles officials thought that Miura wanted to kill his wife so he could get the $750,000 of her life insurance policies. Miura was accused of killing his wife and was arrested on February 1988.
Just a few days ago on Friday night, Miura arrive in Los Angeles to face conspiracy charges on his wife's murder 27 years ago. However, within the 24 hours of him in Los Angeles, Miura committed suicide in his jail-cell by hanging himself with a piece of his shirt. Officials found him dead after routine checks of the cells at 9:45 pm on Friday. Miura was taken to a local hospital and later pronounced dead.
His attorney, Mark Geragos said, "I'm shocked. One of my lawyers was with him for 12 hours yesterday and he seemed in good spirits.."

Which is more dense -- A stack of 20 NT coins or a stack of 5 NT coins

A stack of 20 NT coins would be denser than a stack of 5 NT coins. This is because to find the density of an object, you have the mass divided by the volume. The mass of the 20 NT coin stack would be more than the mass of the 5 NT coin stack. The volume would be different too because there are more coins in the 20 NT stack than the 5 NT stack. Thus, the data in the density formula would be different and the stack of 20 NT would be more dense because it has more coins than the other stack.

How 'A Tell Tale Heart' relates to me

The story A Tell Tale heart is a horror story about death and how when you do something wrong, the guilt will always eat you up from the inside. Right now I'm not feeling any guilt 'cause I haven't done anything wrong yet.
But I guess it could relate to my life how the man tried every night to kill the man but couldn't because the eye wasn't hunting him as the old man was asleep. I'm a procrastinator. I guess this stroy can relate to me when I tell myself to do my homework but I can't seem to do it. I get distracted very easily and I usually drift away in my mind I guess only when it gets really late at night, around 12 midnight (just like the man) do I complete my homework. Today I seem to do my homework really early, probably because this is due tomorrow and I have a lot of other homework that I have due tomorrow (that was assigned today).

Current Events

Tibet quake toll lowered to 9, hundreds homeless - CNN.com

Just yesterday, two earth quakes (one with a 6.6 magnitude and the other 15 minutes later at about 5.1 magnitude). This earthquake killed about nine people which is a smaller number than the original toll of 30, this was inaccurate because it used "unauthoritative sources" (CNN.com). These earthquakes caused 147 homes to collasped, leaving 153 families homeless. The government has sent tents to the areas of the damaged. About 19 people were injured.
This is really said because you don't actually see news about earthquakes in Tibet on the news. Tibet has already experienced many more that 5.0 magnitude earthquakes this past few months since May. Even though this area is really accident prone though it doesn't turn up on the news that other people know of. China has an earthquake and the whole world knows.

October 7, 2008
CNN.com

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Death toll rises amid India ethnic violence - CNN.com

Fights between tribal people and Muslims in India have raised the death toll to 47 since Friday. This "decade-old rivalry" (CNN.com) between the Muslims and tribal people has sent about 100,00 people to escape from the deadly riots to 50 relief camps.
The rioting started on Friday between the Bodo tribesmen and probably the Bangladeshi settlers in India's remote northeastern state of Assam.
The riots have so far stopped since yesterday. "But some people injured in the clashes have died in hospitals, and some more dead bodies have been recovered." said State home commissioner Rajiv Kumar Bora. 22 people died from police firing.
The police are looking into the fact whether it was the decade-old rivalry between the Bodo and the Muslims that made the attackers attack each other with traditional weapons like arrows and spears.

October 7, 2008
CNN.com

How 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' relates to my god damned terrible life..

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge tells a story about a man's imagination; how it got in his mind making him think that he was escaping and going to live. I think the theme of this story is how our minds can trick us as to believe something else. I can relate to this story at this very second as I type this and as my eye gradually become more puffy.
I know now that I shouldn't trust anybody, not even my mind. I thought that my life was starting to get better. Turns out things always get worse when the fat lady sings -- or in this case, my dad. I feel like the last few days since Friday have been quite easy; my dad ain't yelling (my mom yells on a regular basis), I had steak for breakfast yesterday..etc. Now I feel my neck breaking, like Peyton Farquhar. My dad is apparently on some drug or something. I was doing my homework when he barged in and yelled at me and my sisters to go shower then continue our homework on the dining table. That's quite ironic as last time when I did my homework at the dining table, he told me to get the hell away and "I gave you a desk for a reason...". As I sit here laughing to myself, I silently laugh how lucky I am. I was pretty stumped an hour ago at this particular question, and now my dad comes in and hangs me and somehow in a way gives me the answer to the question.
I indeed am the Peyton Farquhar in this story except it was worse; I actually did (physically and mentally) experienced the dream...

Current Events

More melamine found in chocolate bars - CNN.com

China's Milk Power Scandal has caused countries like South Korea to order four more Chinese-made food products to be destroyed. Right now, the number of tainted products known to South Korea that have melamine in them are 10 products. About 430 products have already been pulled down from stores for testing. South Korea, like many other countries, has stopped all Chinese-made products that have milk (or in general dairy) altogether.
The poisonous melamine was found in Snickers bars, M&Ms, and KitKat. These products were made from different companies like Mars and Nestle. Though Nestle comes from China, I know that the Snickers were made in Russia. So right now, you'll never know where your food comes from; the milk powder may have been made in China.Lotte and Mars Korea has said they're taking back all their products and foodstuff.

October 4, 2008. CNN.com

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Four pirate attacks off Somalia in 24 hours, U.S. says - CNN.com

Pirates in the coast of Somalia have gained the international attention after a recent attack on a Ukrainian ship containing 33 Soviet-designed tanks and weaponry. Now in one day, there have been 4 pirate failed pirate attacks, although there were 6 American warships being sentinels on other ships filled with weapons.
3 of the 4 attacks were able to escape because they were so fast. The fourth, however, were foiled due to the fact that the ladder that they had brought to climb up to the ship was too short.
These failed attacks after some 26 ships successfully attacked and hijacked this year is probably because of the ships have taken these as a major priority after the attack on the 33 tanks. Already 8 European countries have offered Somalia coast to form an anti-piracy force.

October 4, 2008. CNN.com

Why Did We Spend 3 days Answering the Wrong Question?

Why did we spend 3 days trying to figure out what mass, volume, and matter is when the question is "Can matter disappear?". This is because matter is made up of mass and volume; weight and space being taken up. To find the answer to this question, we have to first find out what matter is made of and can that stuff disappear. When matter disappears, that would have to mean that the weight that was there on the Earth is gone and the space that was being taken up is empty.
See, if we study about what really is matter, then can we fully understand and answer the question of Can Matter Disappear?