Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

 

I have been shouting from the rooftops, well the blog pages, that Amazon is poised to become a disruptor in the mobile space. The company has its own ecosystem that can compete nicely with that of Apple, and today with the launch of Cloud Drive and Cloud Player Amazon is quietly merging it with that of Android. It’s actually bumping out the Android system with its own, truth be told.

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In 2015: Android first, Windows Phone second, iPhone third

Smartphone vendors will ship more than 450 million smartphones in 2011 compared to the 303.4 million units shipped in 2010. Furthermore, the smartphone market will grow more than four times faster than the overall mobile phone market: 49.2 percent in 2011 as more consumers and enterprise users turn in their feature phones for smartphones, according to International Data Corporation (IDC).

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Safety agency fails to investigate crib bumper cases

Yet group is trying to decide if the popular nursery product poses suffocation risks

Michelle Bobinski's infant son, Tyler Baker, died in 2007. The Wenona, Ill., boy was found at his sitter's home with his face in a crib bumper pad. “I’d never heard about a child suffocating on anything in a crib,” Bobinski said. (Scott Strazzante, Chicago Tribune / March 29, 2011)

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The nanny checked on Madison Morr twice during her afternoon nap. The second time, Madison's skin was blue — her face was pressed against the bumper pad that lined the inside of her crib.

A medical examiner found the 5-month-old baby had suffocated, and federal regulators received a death certificate that said she had been trapped against padding in the corner of the crib.

Yet those regulators never examined whether Madison's death involved an unsafe product.

The baby's death in 2006 is one of at least 17 cases where the Consumer Product Safety Commission did not investigate a child's death, even though the agency had reports on file suggesting bumper pads played roles in the fatalities, the Tribune found.

The Tribune looked into some of the cases and found that medical examiners and coroners said bumper pads were involved in the suffocations.

Now the safety agency is in the midst of trying to decide if the popular nursery products are safe, yet is doing so without having investigated all deaths that involved bumpers, which tie around crib slats.

The agency has been hesitant to take a stand on the products' safety despite warnings from the American Academy of Pediatrics and other groups urging parents not to use bumpers because they present a suffocation risk.

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Potential H1N1 "Swine Flu" Vírus Outbreak Concern On US-Mexico Border

At least three people have died while infected with theH1N1 flu virus, also known asSwine Flu in El Paso, USA and Cuidad Juarez, Mexico, officials have announced. Information regarding one of the patients, a 76-year-old male, indicates that the virus was a secondary factor in his death in February; he had several health problems already.

Fernando Gonzalez, an epidemiologist for El Paso Department of Health, stressed there is no reason for alarm, while at the same time assuring people that the authorities are taking this investigation seriously.

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Enrique Iglesias won't join Britney Spears on tour

NEW YORK (AP) — Enrique Iglesias won't be joining Britney Spears on an upcoming tour despite her announcement that he would.

Spears said Tuesday morning on ABC's "Good Morning America" that the pair would be hitting the road together.

Iglesias representative Gary Mantoosh said later in a statement to The Associated Press his client and Spears won't tour "despite initial reports based on formal discussions of the possible run."

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Finally, California Finds a Surplus: 50 Feet of Snow

David McNew/Getty Images

A field near Bakersfield, Calif., in 2008, part of a three-year drought. Wetter weather has arrived.

SAN FRANCISCO — Sure, fine, California may have its problems right now. There is the budget, yes, what with that pesky $26.5 billion deficit, and the legislative stalemate with its, you know, stalemate-ness. Unemployment is still high, and so is anxiety, about everything from housing prices to radioactive clouds drifting over from Japan.

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Washington Debates Idea of Arming Libyan Rebels

This article is by Mark Landler, Elisabeth Bumiller and Steven Lee Myers..

Anja Niedringhaus/Associated Press

A Libyan rebel urged people to leave as government forces shelled an area near Bin Jawad in northern Libya on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is engaged in a fierce debate over whether to supply weapons to the rebels in Libya, senior officials said on Tuesday, with some fearful that providing arms would deepen American involvement in a civil war and that some fighters may have links to Al Qaeda.

The debate has drawn in the White House, the State Department and the Pentagon, these officials said, and has prompted an urgent call for intelligence about a ragtag band of rebels who are waging a town-by-town battle against Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, from a base in eastern Libya long suspected of supplying terrorist recruits.

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20 protesters killed in the Syrian town, Sanamein

ELIZABETH JACKSON: The violent protests sweeping the Middle East show no sign of abating.

Big crowds have turned out in Yemen, Bahrain, Syria and Jordan, renewing calls for freedom and democratic reforms.

In Syria witnesses are reporting another mass shooting, with as many as 20 killed in the southern town of Sanamein, not far from where another mass killing happened on Wednesday.

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Does 4G Deliver?

Most wireless carriers’ commercials feature claims that their networks are now 4G, the successor to current 3G networks. One thing these commercials fail to do is explain what 4G really is, and that’s likely because none of the major carriers — AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile — actually has 4G networks.

4G isn’t a technology — it’s a benchmark. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations agency tasked with regulating such things, 4G is a wireless standard. Technologies that achieve this standard can deliver peak download speeds of 100 Mbps — at least that’s what it used to mean. While wireless carriers are eager to market their latest devices as 4G, none actually deliver 100 Mbps. So instead, the carriers essentially have redefined the term “4G” to mean whatever they want it to. And the ITU has somewhat gone along with it, stating in December 2010 that “technologies providing a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third-generation (3G) systems now deployed” can be called 4G. (A 3G system’s minimum download speeds typically are between 128 and 384 kilobits per second.)

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Cara Mendaftar Domain Gratis CO.CC

Pertama tama kunjungi dulu web yang melayani domain gratis www.co.cc, tapi sebelumnya rencanakan terlebih dahulu kira-kira nama domain apa yang akan dijadikan domain web/blognya. Sebagai contoh di sini saya akan membuat domain dengan nama "piran"



selanjutnya karena rencananya saya akan membuat domain dengan nama piran maka ketik kata piran pada kotak kosong antara www. dan Co.CC.

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Household chemical link to early menopause

MORGANTOWN, W.Va., March 24 (UPI) -- Perfluorocarbons, better known as PFCs, contained in many household products such as food containers are linked to early menopause, U.S. researchers say.

Lead author Sarah Knox of the West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown, W.Va., and colleagues says PFCs are man-made chemicals -- used for water- and stain-repellants -- in a variety of household products including food containers, clothing, furniture, carpets and paints. Their broad used has resulted in widespread dissemination in water, air, soil, plant life, animals and humans, Knox says.

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Indonesia Stocks: Astra, Bank Central Asia, Energi Mega

Shares of the following companies may have unusual moves in Indonesian trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and share prices are as of the noon Jakarta-time break.
The Jakarta Composite index (JCI) advanced 38.12 points, or 1.1 percent, to 3,594.36.
Energy companies: PT Medco Energi Internasional (MEDC IJ), Indonesia’s biggest listed oil company, gained 1.8 percent to 2,850 rupiah and PT Energi Mega Persada (ENRG IJ), the second largest, rose 1.6 percent to 127 rupiah.

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In Libyan Conflict, Is Endgame A Stalemate?

Tracer fire is seen from anti-aircraft fire above the hotel where foreign media and government officials are staying, in Tripoli, Libya, on March 20. Allied forces are pounding Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and the forces loyal to him.

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and the forces loyal to him are still getting pounded. Since Operation Odyssey Dawn began last Saturday, more than 160 cruise missiles have been launched and jet fighters from at least four countries have dropped bombs on targets all across Libya. But is the operation achieving its goals? Not yet.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the U.S.-led operation in Libya had achieved air superiority: Gadhafi's aircraft were staying on the ground. Also, maritime superiority: No ship could reach Libyan shores without being stopped and inspected.

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Major Fire Breaks Out at Miami International Airport

Courtesy Gregory Castillo

March 23: Massive fuel fire breaks out at Miami International Airport.

DEVELOPING

A major fuel fire broke out at Miami International Airport late Wednesday night, with fire crews summoned from across the area, the Miami Herald reported.

The conflagration, on the east side of the airport, was graded a second alarm blaze, with smoke and flames visible from nearby roads around 11:00 p.m. local time.

The fire was caused by a fuel tank farm in the southeast corner of the airport, away from the runways and terminals, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokesman Capt. Eric Baum told the Miami Herald.

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Buddhism: Opium for the Masses?

Buddhism has long been ignored in America but now that it is gaining in popularity, it is often being labeled as being practiced mostly by "New Age" types looking for the next spiritual fad. That seems to be the general thesis of Mark Vernon's recent article, "Buddhism is the New Opium of the People" for The Guardian news outlet. His example upfront is that of David and Victoria Beckham's four foot golden Buddha in their living room and how it smacks of consumerism.

And, perhaps he would be right if we were all like David and Victoria Beckham but most of the "western Buddhists" I know (and ones I am in contact with) are just as concerned about the commercialization of Buddhism as anyone else. Read any Buddhist blog for a time and eventually they'll write about Buddhist iconography and concepts being manipulated to sell everything from booze to yogurt. But, what can any of us do in the long run to get such companies to not manipulate our religion for their commercial gain? No much. Unfortunately, religion has long been usurped by those would seek to make a buck off it. However, that crass commercialism does not automatically delegitimize a belief system in and of itself. Sincere adherents can't be expected to answer for opportunists who don't even know what Dharma means, let alone practice it.

Unfortunately, that's not the only gripe that the author has with Buddhism in America. Vernon's article goes onto make the claim that Buddhism in America is a form of "zoning out" and avoidance of the problems of modern life. In doing so, he relied heavily upon a quote philosopher, Slavoj Zizek that paints all of western Buddhism as nothing more than a drug:

Western Buddhism presents itself as a remedy against the stresses of modern life though, as Slavoj Žižek has noted, it actually functions as a perfect supplement to modern life. It allows adherents to decouple from the stress, whilst leaving the causes of the stress intact: consumptive forces continue unhindered along their creatively destructive path. In short, Buddhism is the new opium of the people.

James: Firstly, this quote does nothing to define what Zizek (or Vernon for that matter) mean by, "Western Buddhism" which is an amorphous label of a brand of Buddhism that doesn't even exist in any concrete terms. It's just a catch-all phrase that sweeps up all American Buddhists into a convenient box that is then labeled with nearly every possible misconception of Buddhism imaginable.

It's easy to attack all American Buddhists as starry-eyed, "New Age," wannabe Buddhists when you lump them into a conveniently undefined category. Especially since there are no "Western Buddhist" monasteries to visit, no "Western Buddhist" lineage to consult and no "Western Buddhist" doctrine to define it. In other words, "Western Buddhism" is a blank canvas that anyone can color to define American Buddhists/Buddhism in any way they like-good or bad.

But, getting to the meat of the above quote, Buddhism is not interpreted by most American Buddhists as just another self-help fad that allows you to zone-out of life, disconnect from everyone and feel groovy. You can't compare David and Victoria Beckham's flirtation with Buddhism to all American Buddhists who are trying sincerely to practice what Buddha taught to improve their lives, and the world. And, simply because Buddhism is new to Americans doesn't mean that we see it as a commodity to flash around like a jewel encrusted necklace or watch--even if some high-profile celebrities do so.

The majority of Buddhists I know in America live very humble lives, have small Buddha statues (if at all) and a sparse altar space from, which to meditate. We do seek to "decouple" (to use his word) from the mental poisons of greed, hatred and delusion but that is not the same thing as numbed-out nihilism and disconnecting from the world. Other than that, we buy books from teachers to guide our practice who are highly respected people in their storied lineages and throughout Buddhism world-wide. And to label "Buddhism" as practiced in Asia as "medieval" is demeaning and purely ignorant of 2,500 years of tradition. If Buddhism, at its roots, is "medieval" then why are scientists today finding much to agree with in Buddhist philosophy? Such as seeing comparisons between concepts of rebirth and the first law of thermodynamics?

Vernon digs his hole of confusion deeper by saying, "For if Buddhism is to live in the modern world, it must be treated as a living tradition, not a preformed import." Is he honestly saying that the only valid form of Buddhism that can be treated as a living tradition in America has to be American made? If so, that's just plain absurd. There is no reason why Zen in America can't be a living, valid tradition for American culture despite it's Japanese roots. That's just silly. We'd have to say the same for Christianity; that's it's just a preformed import from Israel and not a valid living tradition. It seems, for someone who has a lot of strong criticism of American Buddhists, Vernon doesn't seem to understand the adaptability built within Buddhism very well.

As for meditation, it's not seen as the defining Buddhist practice except to a few traditions; namely Zen and Tibetan Buddhism. It preposterous to claim that meditation was never apart of early Buddhism because that was how Buddha realized enlightenment. Now, the modern, English word, "meditation" surely wasn't used but the concepts are still the same. But don't believe my supposedly ignorant, "New Age" American Buddhist, mind. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh wrote a lengthy book on the Buddha's life, and if meditation wasn't a fundamental aspect to Buddhist practice then the 82 year old Zen monk Nhat Hanh must be a liar?

Vernon then makes the implicit claim that most American Buddhists don't even know what meditation is about; that we see it as just some "feel good" vibe in an isolated moment and not something that helps us deal with the real world in a more balanced and responsible way:

What is also missed in the focus on meditation is the ethical challenge implicit in his call. Any practice must concern your whole stance towards the world, and it's a stance that is intensely, relentlessly critical. The aim is to enquire into all aspects of your form of life.

James: Anyone who is practicing Buddhism as a way to escape life hasn't fully studied the Dharma from long-time practitioners and teachers. And, to lump those people in with all American Buddhists is irresponsible and makes the authors come across as simply looking for away to demean and discredit the growing number of sincere Buddhists across America.

~Peace to all beings~

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Cara Kirim Dokumen Lewat Email

Sebenarnya artikel ini sudah banyak yg tulis di blognya masing-masing, namun pagi ini saya biasa selalu membuka group Belajar Ilmu Komputer di Facebook, kebetulan ada yang menanyakan bagaimana cara mengirim file presentasi power melalui email dan pertanyaan selengkapnya seperti ini : kang klo kita ingin mengirim gambar/power poin lewat email gimana caranya a?



Mau bergabung bersama Belajar

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Libya activity 'may accept averted massacre' - PM

The aggressive activity by affiliation armament in Libya may accept helped to anticipate a "bloody massacre" in Benghazi, Prime Abbot David Cameron has told MPs.
On 21 March 2011, aperture a Commons agitation on the UN Security Council resolution authorising the intervention, the prime abbot claimed that the activity had amorphous "just in the nick of time".

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Japan battles to revive power to quake-hit nuke plant, radiation found in food and water

TOKYO, March twenty one (Xinhua) -- Efforts to rig power cables to 2 reactors at the quake-hit Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in northeast Japan were suspended Monday evening following the looks of smoke rising from the reactors' housing buildings.

Owner and operator of the stricken plant, Tokyo electrical Power Co. (TEPCO), said it pulled out its employees briefly at around 3:55 p.m. native time as a precautionary live following the sighting of grey billowing smoke, though the utility noted that no explosion was heard at the No. three reactor building.

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Explosions bedrock Libyan capital

Anti-aircraft blaze erupts in Tripoli afterwards day of abundant angry amid protesters and Gaddafi armament elsewhere.
Loud explosions accept rocked the Libyan capital, Tripoli, for a third night as armament loyal to Muammar Gaddafi advance to stop any new advance from an all-embracing aggressive affiliation administration a no-fly breadth over the country.
Gunfire and anti-aircraft blaze aswell lit up the sky backward on Monday in and about the capital, breadth two ample explosions could be heard about 10 account afar anon afterwards 9pm, Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught, advertisement from Tripoli, said.

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Consistentcy

Source: Lotus Health King February 23, 2011 French Discovery Some people do not use persistence, a lot of people to learn what law are not very conscientious, be a few days to forget, this is no way. Like me, Master perseverance and writing every day, to be able to write two hundred and twenty, we must amend the law every day, four years remain unchanged, daily Jade Pond Golden Mother of the seven Dafa, all are the same, in fact, we Buddhist practice is to never change

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Cara Install dan Membuat Web Blog Wordpress di Komputer Lokal

Untuk membuat web blog dengan wordpress ini saya anggap rekan blogger sudah paham melakukan install dan menggunakan apache dan mysql pada komputer lokal. Jika belum silahkan baca cara artikel Cara Install Apache dan MySQL dalam Paket XAMPP.



Pertama dowload wordpress terbaru dari alamat resminya di http://wordpress.org/latest.zip dan simpan di drive lokal komputer anda. Ingat folder wordpress

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Radiation Fears Aggravate Nation’s Woes

Add fears of radiation to the long list of troubles threatening Japan’s export-led economy.

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Rungroj Yongrit/European Pressphoto Agency

Officials from Thailand's food safety agency take samples of frozen fishes and food products imported from Japan at the Bangkok airport.

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• Japan Races to Restart Reactors’ Cooling System (March 19, 2011)

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Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters

Food testing in Bangkok. No significant contamination has yet been found in Japanese products.

As Japan struggles to contain radiation leaking from crippled nuclear reactors, many countries, including China, Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand have already started to test food imported from Japan for radiation, and the European Union has recommended that member countries do so. Manufacturers have also begun sweeping cars waiting for oversea shipment. No reports of significant product contamination have surfaced.

Some sushi restaurants in Asia are reportedly dropping fish from Japan from their menus. In Hong Kong there was a run on baby formula from Japan because mothers feared future supplies would be contaminated or unavailable.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it was considering increasing the monitoring of imported food and raw ingredients made in Japan, or that had traveled through the country. However, the agency said, “based on current information, there is no risk to the U.S. food supply.”

Despite the excellent reputation of Japan’s Kobe beef, premium tuna belly sushi or toro and fine sake, food is only a minor part of Japanese exports. The country imports far more food than it exports.

Far greater damage could occur if Japanese automobiles or electronics get contaminated with radiation, or if fear spreads among consumers that they could be exposed to radiation by sitting in a Prius or playing a DVD.

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A Wish of Comfort for the Japanese People.

My heart throbs with empathy for the Japanese who are experiencing such all-encompassing destruction and suffering from the natural disaster.

I hold you in my heart through-out the day, and wish I could just spend some time with each person suffering to offer a warm blanket, listen to your fears and comfort your distress in any small way that I can. Perhaps a warm wash cloth to wipe off the grit or soft socks to bring some small comfort to your strong spirit.

I don't have a lot of money but I have found a few dollars to send with love; from one family member to another. I watch the news reports with the level of concern that I would have for a direct family member. I truly feel each human being as family because I have seen the power and reality of interconnection. We are all in this thing called life together and when one of us suffers, we all suffer.

My tears give way to conviction that the proud Japanese culture will over-come this trial like the noble and spiritually strong siblings that they are. I lend them my heart for whatever these words of electronic bit and bites can convey. I am with you in spirit--I listen to your cries on the news and embrace you with my energy and offer my patient ear should your stress call for such aid. I bow to your resilience and await the day when I can visit the land of Zen.

May the deep compassion of the Buddha's soothing words carry you through this time of struggle. The international internet Sangha is holding you tight in our collective arms and send you our support in full. We are with you for the long-haul--you are not alone, ever. Even though there is a long physical distance, we are together in the oneness of the Dharma--think upon your international sangha family and take hope and strength in our united determination. I leave you with this wish, from my heart to yours, from the mouth of the wise Buddhist scholar, Shantideva...

For as long as space exists
And sentient beings endure,
May I too remain,
To dispel the misery of the world.

Whatever joy there is in this world
All comes from desiring others to be happy,
And whatever suffering there is in this world
All comes from desiring myself to be happy.

~Peace to Japan~

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Local Radio Station Threatened by Cuts

ORLAND — Roughly a quarter of WERU 89.9 FM’s annual operating budget would disappear if lawmakers kill federal funding for public broadcasting.

Karen Doherty deejays her Monday afternoon radio program at WERU’s Orland headquarters. The community radio station, which broadcasts everything from reggae to organic gardening tips, is threatened by possible cuts to federal funding for public broadcasting. — ELLSWORTH AMERICAN PHOTO BY CYNDI WOOD

“Everything we do there could be less of,” said General Manager Matt Murphy.

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UN Approves Military Action by U.S., Allies Against Libya

By Ola Galal, Massoud A. Derhally and Bill Varner

(Updates 11th paragraph with Obama telephone call to British, French leaders. For more news on Mideast turmoil, see EXTRA and MET.)

March 18 (Bloomberg) -- The United Nations Security Council authorized a no-fly zone and other military action to prevent Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi from making good on his threat to conquer the rebel capital, Benghazi, and “destroy” the opposition movement.

The council provided the legal basis for the U.S., France, the U.K. and several Arab nations to intervene in the Libyan conflict to avert a feared bloodbath if Qaddafi defeats the opposition. The embattled Libyan dictator said yesterday he would show “no mercy” to “traitors” who do not surrender.

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Japan works to restore power at crippled reactors

Japanese engineers are racing to restore a power cable to the quake-ravaged Fukushima nuclear power plant in the hope of restarting pumps needed to pour cold water on overheating fuel rods and avert a catastrophic release of radiation.

Even if the engineers manage to connect the power, it is not clear the pumps will work as they may have been damaged in the earthquake or subsequent explosions and there are real fears of the electricity shorting and causing another explosion.

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Japan works to restore power at crippled reactors

Japanese engineers are racing to restore a power cable to the quake-ravaged Fukushima nuclear power plant in the hope of restarting pumps needed to pour cold water on overheating fuel rods and avert a catastrophic release of radiation.

Even if the engineers manage to connect the power, it is not clear the pumps will work as they may have been damaged in the earthquake or subsequent explosions and there are real fears of the electricity shorting and causing another explosion.

Officials will also continue water-bombing in the hope of bringing radiation emissions under control.

Australia is among a number of countries expressing growing alarm about radiation leaking from the plant, about 240 kilometres north of Tokyo, which was severely damaged by a magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami a week ago.

The disaster triggered a series of destructive explosions, compromising the nuclear reactors and depleting fuel storage tanks.

Authorities are also hoping they will be able to reconnect electricity supplies to the Fukushima plant by the weekend, meaning they can restore pumps and cooling systems that would lessen the chance of further radiation leaks.

Yesterday, helicopters and fire trucks were used to douse the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors with water.

It is believed fuel rods stored in a spent fuel pond have started to heat up after cooling systems broke down.

"Preparatory work has so far not progressed as fast as we had hoped," an official of plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) told a news briefing, adding that engineers had to be constantly checked for radiation levels.

Radiation readings at the troubled nuclear plant have consistently followed a downward path through Friday morning, according to measurements by Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.

The agency said the radiation reading at 5:00am (local time) came to 279.4 microsievert per hour, compared with 292.2 microsievert per hour at 8:40pm Thursday, shortly after the self-defence forces discharged water from fire trucks.

US president Barack Obama said the crisis posed no risk to any US territory but ordered a comprehensive review of domestic nuclear plants.

Yukiya Amano, head of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was due back in his homeland later Friday with an international team of experts after earlier complaining about a lack of information from Japan.

This afternoon Japanese police said 6,405 people were now confirmed dead and more than 10,000 were missing

Twelve Australians are currently unaccounted for.

- ABC/wires

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Cara Install Apache dan MySQL dalam paket XAMPP

Apache adalah merupakan sebuah program yang berfungsi sebagai server web yang dapat dijalankan di banyak sistem operasi (OS). Apache ini harus di install di komputer lokal agar kita bisa memiliki web server lokal sebelum web blog yang kita buat di upload atau disimpan di web server online. Dengan kata lain apache menjadikan komputer kita adalah webserver lokal yang mampu menerima respon dari

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Buddhism: A Refuge for the Japanese.

Video feed from myfoxphilly.com
Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, which is Japan's oldest, survived the earthquake but it's spire shook quite a bit; as you can see in this video. I'm not sure what the laughing was about in the background of the clip but the footage is a metaphor for the stability of the Dharma. The temple is dedicated to the Bodhisattva, Guan Yin, (Avalokiteshvara) the Bodhisattva of compassion.

I personally don't believe in the literal existence of the Bodhisattva, but I believe in the archetype and that it can help uplift ourselves, others and give us a feeling of safety. It also gives us the inspiration to help others, which can help alleviate feelings of self-pity, helplessness and depression. That refuge, as represented through the temple, and it's monks, have a role to play in healing the Japanese. The temple (and many others) will provide a welcoming, embracing, compassionate and calming beacon for the many emotionally and physically injured in the aftermath of the quake and tsunami.

The Japanese people will benefit greatly from the Buddhist monks, as they have trained much of their lives to relieve suffering and show others how to do the same. I don't for one minute think that any of this rebuilding and healing will be easy, quick or without obstacles but Japan's Buddhist tradition will serve the people quite well in surviving the deep suffering that comes out of such a life-altering disaster. I have always seen the Japanese as admirably resilient, determined and patient, which will serve them well in the years to come. I believe that a lot of those qualities come from their cultural influence of Buddhist philosophy.

I have read that Buddhism has declined in some communities within Japan, especially amongst the youth. However, I think this tragedy will renew the embrace of Buddha's calm, compassionate and peaceful teachings because disasters often shake us from the modern delusion that materialism is a better way to find fulfillment in this world. When everything you own is lost, your house in rubble and maybe a loved one (or many) dead, material wealth doesn't seem so helpful. It's moments like this sobering event in Japan that remind us what truly matters in our journey in this life.

We need tools that can survive an earthquake, outlast a tsunami and restore peace of mind. The Dharma is a toolbox that we can carry anywhere, at anytime and is specifically geared toward learning how to live in a world of suffering that is full of empty promises of long-term happiness. It is my hope that in this time of need the Japanese (and all of us) will remember how the Dharma helped our ancestors not only survive a world of disasters, sickness and under-development, but thrive in it. May the Japanese people be healed by the soothing words of Buddha. I bow with compassion and love toward you all.

~Peace to all beings~

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Last Defense at Troubled Reactors: 50 Japanese Workers - 2

(Page 2 of 2)

Daiichi is not synonymous with Chernobyl in terms of the severity of contamination. The Ukrainian reactor blew up and spewed huge amounts of radiation for 10 days in 1986. But workers at the plants have a bond.

Multimedia

Interactive Feature

How a Reactor Shuts Down and What Happens in a Meltdown

Interactive Feature

Video: Japan’s Natural and Nuclear Disasters

Related

• Blaze at Reactor Adds to Challenges (March 16, 2011)

• Certainties of Modern Life Upended in Japan (March 16, 2011)

• Wind and Rain Steer Radiation’s Reach (March 16, 2011)

• Experts Had Long Criticized Potential Weakness in Design of Stricken Reactor (March 16, 2011)

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• Read All Comments (28) »

Among plant employees and firefighters at Chernobyl, many volunteered to try to tame, and then entomb, the burning reactor — although it is not clear that all were told the truth about the risks. Within three months, 28 of them died from radiation exposure. At least 19 of them were killed by infections that resulted from having large areas of their skin burned off by radiation, according to a recent report by a United Nations scientific committee. And 106 others developed radiation sickness, with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and dropping blood counts that left them highly vulnerable to infections.

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Last Defense at Troubled Reactors: 50 Japanese Workers

A small crew of technicians, braving radiation and fire, became the only people remaining at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on Tuesday — and perhaps Japan’s last chance of preventing a broader nuclear catastrophe.

Multimedia

Interactive Feature

How a Reactor Shuts Down and What Happens in a Meltdown

Interactive Feature

Video: Japan’s Natural and Nuclear Disasters

Related

• Blaze at Reactor Adds to Challenges (March 16, 2011)

• Certainties of Modern Life Upended in Japan (March 16, 2011)

• Wind and Rain Steer Radiation’s Reach (March 16, 2011)

• Experts Had Long Criticized Potential Weakness in Design of Stricken Reactor (March 16, 2011)

Readers' Comments

Share your thoughts.

• Post a Comment »
• Read All Comments (23) »

They crawl through labyrinths of equipment in utter darkness pierced only by their flashlights, listening for periodic explosions as hydrogen gas escaping from crippled reactors ignites on contact with air.

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