12/13 - 12/14/2011 

Tweets from the past 10hrs. about Japan from Twitter acct. @AlertDisaster. I post these because the acct. is very informative. Newest information on top.

This is a terrible disaster of epic proportions. Thank goodness people are there helping Japan cope with this tragedy. Bless them all. -Cynthia

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Disaster Alert

@alertdisaster

Disaster Alert provides near real-time updates about natural disasters around the world.

http://roound.com/redalert

The Sendai earthquake occurred at 14:46 Japan local time. In 4 mins time, we will pray in silence for 60 seconds. Thank you.

Like China, Russia has had difficult relations with Japan at times but it, too, is helping out now.

Malaysians reacted with anger after local newspaper published cartoon of Japan Ultraman comically trying to outrun a tsunami.

The Sendai earthquake occurred at 14:46 Japan local time. In 20 mins time, we will pray in silence for 60 seconds. Thank you.

Japanese officials have been reassuring the public that radiation levels at the Fukushima 1 are within legal limits.

69 nations will be offering help to Japan in all possible ways. All the best to everyone in Japan.

Russia has sent two rescue teams of 50 experts to assist Japan in struggling with the consequences of the most devastating earthquake.

Toyota says the suspension of work will result in a production loss of 40,000 vehicles.

The Japan Defense Ministry has decided to dispatch for the first time its reserve personnel for disaster relief operations.

In a bid to save power, Toyota is to halt production at all domestic plants till Wednesday

A South Korean national has died in the mega-quake and tsunami in Japan, the first confirmed death of a South Korean in the disaster.

1 SDF officer breaks bones, others slightly injured in Fukushima plant explosion.

Strong wind has been blowing in Minamisanriku, making the effort to find survivors and retrieve bodies from the rubble hazardous.

Officials in Iwate prefecture are appealing for funeral homes nationwide to send body bags and coffins.

Fire department helicopter are now hovering in the air to spot any possible new tsunami that might come its way.

Number of injured in the nuclear plant blast is now known to be 11, the operator Tepco reports.

Crew members of US aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan received a month worth of radiation in about an hour of sailing.

The Japanese government has just said there was no marked change in the radiation level after the blast at Reactor 3.

Tsunami alert lifted on Japan coast, said Fukushima prefecture: AFP

The central control room of Reactor 3 remains intact after the blast, the Japanese government says.

Japanese government spokesman Yukio Edano said that there is a low possibility that a massive amount of radiation has been leaked.

South Korea has added 102 personnel to its team engaged in search and rescue operations in Japan.

Tokyo Electric Power has postponed imposing rolling blackouts in Japan, but is calling for all to try to limit electricity use.

Good news: Plant operator says the 7 people who were earlier reported missing, are now safe.

In a move to save its economy, Japan central bank doubles the amount of money it is ploughing into the economy to 15 trillion yen.

2 hours ago

Earlier report of a new tsunami appears to have been a false alarm. No updates from the live monitor yet. Pray it is false alarm.

2 hours ago

Japan nuclear plant operator says 7 missing and 3 injured after blast at Fukushima 1 nuclear power plant.

Despite warnings, 600 people still live within 20km of the plant where the explosions occurred.

Rescue efforts resume along the north eastern coast of Japan.

Radioactivity levels in Tokyo city, Japan is at normal level. No risk of exposure.

Heart-breaking for those teams responsible to clear up the 2,000 bodies in Miyagi Prefecture.

Back on the 2000 bodies found on shores in Miyagi Prefecture, relief efforts are moving in to retrieve the bodies.

Japanese government spokesman Yukio Edano said major radiation leaks were unlikely from Reactor 3 earlier explosions.

New tsunami has been confirmed to be hitting on north eastern coast of Japan. Timing unknown.

Reactor 3 at Fukushima 1 nuclear power plant withstood the earlier explosions, claimed by authorities.

The governor of Tokyo orders radioactivity levels in the city to be measured.

The wall of a building collapsed as a result of the blast(s) at Reactor 3 at Fukushima 1 nuclear power plant.

2,000 bodies have been found on two shores in Miyagi Prefecture, 1,000 on the Ojika Peninsula and 1,000 at Minamisanriku.

A Japanese quake monitor is live on Japanese TV right now saying no live tsunami has been detected at the moment.

Just to sum up: New tsunami (3m high) likely to hit north east, Japan. Fukushima exploded 2 times mins ago.

Fears of a meltdown at Reactor 3 at Fukushima 1 nuclear power plant, following 2 explosion mins ago.

Two explosions occurred at Reactor 3 at the Fukushima 1 nuclear power plant mins ago.

Hydrogen blast occurs at Fukushima nuclear plant’s No 3 reactor. New tsunami reaching the northeast coastal area.

Explosion occurred at reactor 3 at the Fukushima 1 nuclear power plant!!!!

Sea level has dropped 5 metres off Fukushima, confirming imminent arrival of tsunami into the north eastern coast.

Thick smoke is currently escaping from reactor 3 at the Fukushima 1 nuclear power plant.

New updates coming from the nuclear plant at Fukushima. Hold on for a while.

3 hours ago

Saddening news: 1,000 bodies found during the recovery operation in Minamisanriku. New tsunami is likely to hit onto northeast Japan.

Evacuation order has been issued in the city of Hachinohe in the north-east Japan. 3 metre tsunami might hit on.

Another strong tsunami is feared to reach north-eastern coast in matter of minutes…

North-eastern coast on the alert for a 3-metre tsunami!

Cell phone networks are down in Japan. Seems like the only alternative to reach out to the world is to stay online.

Police have confirmed 1,597 deaths to date, not including between 200 and 300 bodies in Sendai, Japan.

Cell phone signal seem to be affected by the latest 6.2 after-shock. Phones are once again down in Tokyo.

The tremor struck off-shore 140km north-east of Tokyo, shaking tall buildings in the capital.

The latest after-shock, magnitude 6.2 would probably have been felt by many people in their homes in Japan.

Mins ago, the latest aftershock was measured at magnitude 6.2, according to Japanese monitors.

Strong tremor felt in Tokyo 5 mins ago!

Mins ago, Japan Prime Minister Naoto Kan says a damaged nuclear power plant is still in an alarming” state.

Finance news: Shares in Japan top car-makers have plunged by more than 10% as investors react to plant shutdowns after the quake.

UK International Search and Rescue Team is in Ofunato, Japan searching for survivors.

Shinmoedake volcano spewed debris, including hot ash and rocks, more than 6,000 feet in the air.

5 hours ago

United States search and rescue teams of 144 people and 12 dogs are on the ground in Misawa, northern Japan.

Shinmoedake volcano in southern Japan erupted earlier, spewing ash and rock onto the island.

In the wake of the disaster, Tokyo Disneyland will be closed until 23rd of March 2011.

The search for survivors and the bodies of the dead is continuing along the north-eastern coast of Japan.

It is 0911 local time and thousands are waking up after another freezing night spent huddled in blankets over heaters in shelters.

Transport chaos in Tokyo this morning as train services interrupted. Despite this few people cycling to work.

About 5,700 of the structures collapsed in the quake or were washed away by the tsunami.

The Japanese government estimates that more than 46,000 homes and buildings were damaged by the quake and tsunami.

Pumping seawater into damaged nuclear reactors should keep them from a full-scale meltdown, but conditions are still so volatile.

6 hours ago

The Tokyo Stock Exchange said it was opening as usual. In early foreign exchange trading, the yen rose sharply.

The Japan government chief spokesman has been urging people to stay home if at all possible to conserve electricity.

East Japan Railways has said it is cancelling numerous rush-hour trains.

Tokyo Metro, one of two subway lines, is reportedly operating trains with longer gaps than usual.

The Tokyo area faces numerous transportation delays early today as it begins its first workday since the quake.

Just a reminder that it’s now 0755 in Japan, a sunny morning in Tokyo.

Most search and rescue efforts have resumed. We wish more people can be rescued today. =)

Radiation levels at Fukushima 1 nuclear plant have again exceeded legal limits, Kyodo News network says.

The delay in planned power cuts is due to smaller-than- expected demand, Kyodo News.

7 hours ago

About 3000 people has since been rescued by the Japanese troops and they are currently placed in safe shelters

Ongoing fires are occurring throughout the devastated areas in Japan, dampening rescue efforts.

More than 190 people suspected of radioactive contamination.

Over 10,000 people in Japan remained unaccounted for. Police department feared that these people might be dead.

Planned power cuts in the north-east of Japan have been delayed, Japanese media said.

Cleaning efforts have begun. Debris are being cleared to assist search and rescue efforts

Radioactivity levels at the site boundary of the Onagawa nuclear power plant have returned to normal.

Winds in the area of the Fukushima nuclear plants were set to turn westerly towards the Pacific

The rolling power outages set to begin on Monday in the region served by Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco)

We provide real-time updates on Japan disaster. Support our efforts. Share this link - http://roound.com/redalert

Satellite photo of Yuriage City Before and After The Earthquake and Tsunami http://goo.gl/5psO2

None of the secure vessels holding radioactive material at the reactors in Japan has broken.

The rolling, three-hour power outages scheduled to affect prefectures in Kanto and Chubu on Monday

Satellite photo of Arahama City Before and After The Earthquake and Tsunami http://goo.gl/peszQ

World Vision, which normally works in developing countries, is to send staff to Japan.

We will be posting satellite photos of Japan cities before and after the disaster. Visit http://roound.com/redalert for more info

Available information indicates weather conditions have taken the releases from the Fukushima reactors out to sea away from population.

News of survivors are surfacing. We will be posting survival updates shortly. Please stay tuned.

Electricity supply problem will affect most production lines in Japan, plunging its economy further.

The triple blow of an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident is set to damage the world’s third largest economy possibly more deeply.

Toyota, Nissan and Honda are all suspending production at all their plants in Japan, starting Monday.

Do take note when you are making donations to help Japan. Japan govt has not requested relief help from international organisations.

10 hours ago

In Souma city, Fukushima prefecture, rescuers have still not been able to reach residents trapped in their homes because of flooded roads.

There are currently more than 3,400 people waiting for help in the city of Kesennuma, 2,300 in Minamisanriku, and 3,800 in Ishinomaki..

Rescuers are struggling to get to thousands of people who remain stranded in the north-eastern Japanese region of Tohoku.

WNN says the area around the Onagawa nuclear plant was hit very hard by the tsunami and about 200 survivors are sheltering in the plant. Read more at twitter.com

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Ashes and Snow- Feather to Fire

975,164

Gregory Colbert has used both still and movie cameras to explore extraordinary interactions between humans and animals. His exhibition, Ashes and Snow, consists of over 50 large-scale photographic artworks, a 60-minute film, and two 9-minute film haikus. The show will next open in Mexico City on December 15. This excerpt is entitled Feather to Fire, and is narrated in three languages by Laurence Fishburne (English), Ken Watanabe (Japanese), and Enrique Rocha (Spanish). More information about Gregory Colbert and Ashes and Snow is available at www.ashesandsnow.com.Ashes and Snow® and Nomadic Museum® are registered trademarks of Gregory Colbert. Read more at www.youtube.com

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Yes! The most important Twitter rule for 2011 is kindness and acceptance.

Amplify’d from www.bitrebels.com

It really only makes sense that things have changed. Twitter is like any other community of people. As it grows larger, it evolves. The site itself changes, along with the people on it. Back in the day (2009), there were “unofficial rules” that most people attempted to follow. The new people would quickly try to learn the rules when they joined so they would be accepted into the group.

For example, back then; many people wouldn’t follow a Twitter account without an avatar. Scheduled tweets and auto tweets were frowned upon. I also remember that back then people (me included) even tried to watch the percentage of how many of our tweets were replies to people, how many were links and how many were engaging, etc… There were even rules about how many tweets per day was appropriate.

the most important Twitter rule for 2011 is kindness and acceptance Read more at www.bitrebels.com

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January 11, 2011 a collection of quotes from TIME quotes.
http://www.time.com/time/quotes/0,26174,2041906,00.html

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| Source: Boston.com To be honest with you, with a 500-, 600-, 700-lb. patient — it’s just too much for you. - JOSE ARCHILA, Boston Emergency Medical Services captain, explaining why the city’s EMS team has equipped an ambulance with a hydraulic lift and a stretcher capable of carrying people up to 850 lb. (385 kg)

Photo: ALIASQAR OFTADEH / AFP / Getty Images | Source: Reuters “Then, exactly like in the movies, the plane hit the ground and the lights went out.- HOSSEIN HAQIQI, a survivor of Sunday’s crash-landing of an Iran Air Boeing 727, which killed 77 of the 106 passengers onboard”

Photo: Larry Downing / Pool / Getty Images | Source: Wall Street Journal “China’s position has been clear and consistent: We are against it. - LIANG GUANGLIE, Chinese Defense Minister, on the sale of U.S. arms to Taiwan, during a joint press conference with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates in Beijing ”

Photo: Tomas Guerin / Reuters | Source: AFP “Some people are saying an inland tsunami, and I think that probably sums it up.- PETER TAYLOR, mayor of Toowoomba in the state of Queensland, Australia, where at least eight people were killed and 72 others were left missing on Tuesday in the wake of an overnight downpour that caused raging flash floods”

Photo: Arnd Wiegmann / Reuters | Source: The Daily Telegraph “They asked the crew what would happen if they didn’t get off and were told there were three policeman waiting for them outside and they would be forced off. - JAYNE WEBB, a passenger on an EasyJet flight in England, on how the crew responded to two angry girls when they and 35 others were told to exit the plane after it was overfilled with fuel”

Photo: Pima County Sheriff’s Forensic Unit / Handout / Reuters | Source: AZCentral “They can’t talk without breaking down and just crying, doing their best, you know, they’re hurting. - WAYNE SMITH, a neighbor of Jared Loughner’s parents, Amy and Randy, saying they are devastated; Loughner is suspected of killing six and injuring 14 others, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, in Tucson, Ariz.

Photo: Danny Moloshok / Reuters | Source: AP “All I knew was the whistle wasn’t blowing and my coach was saying, ‘Go!’ MICHAEL DYER, a freshman running back for Auburn, whose 37-yard run set up the winning field goal on the final play that defeated Oregon 22-19 in the Bowl Championship Series title game; it was Auburn’s first championship since 1957”

Photo Source: Washington Post “People just don’t have the same respect for churches that they used to.” - ELLA REDFIELD, pastor of New Creation Church in Maryland, where an intruder recently stole 40,000 pennies, cooked and ate a meal and left pornographic images on a computer”

Photo: Kyodo / Reuters | Source: BBC “President Hu … said that the test had absolutely nothing to do with my visit and had been a preplanned test. And that’s where we left it. - ROBERT GATES, U.S. Defense Secretary, on China’s first test flight of its stealth aircraft, which took place during Gates’ three-day visit to Beijing”

Photo: John Wilkes Studio / Corbis | Source: Reuters “We’re obviously in favor of testing and not in favor of using illegal drugs of any sort.” - BILL LAVIN, president of the New Jersey firefighters’ union, on the state’s decision to introduce a bill to routinely test police officers and firefighters for steroids and growth hormones; a local doctor is accused of providing such drugs to hundreds of officers” Read more at www.stumbleupon.com

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Great kitty photos.
via:http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/xineann/reviews/30/

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via: http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/xineann/reviews/

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Imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, “This is an interesting world I find myself in, an interesting hole I find myself in, fits me rather neatly, doesn’t it? In fact it fits me staggeringly well, must have been made to have me in it!” This is such a powerful idea that as the sun rises in the sky and the air heats up and as, gradually, the puddle gets smaller and smaller, it’s still frantically hanging on to the notion that everything’s going to be alright, because this world was meant to have him in it, was built to have him in it; so the moment he disappears catches him rather by surprise. I think this may be something we need to be on the watch out for. ~Douglas Adams

This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of life. Finally, to take a step without feet. ~Rumi

The world honey bee population has plunged in recent years, worrying beekeepers and farmers who know how critical bee pollination is for many crops. A number of theories have popped up as to why the North American honey bee population has declined—electromagnetic radiation, malnutrition, and climate change have all been pinpointed. Now a leaked EPA document reveals that the agency allowed the widespread use of a bee-toxic pesticide, despite warnings from EPA scientists. The document, which was leaked to a Colorado beekeeper, shows that the EPA has ignored warnings about the use of clothianidin, a pesticide produced by Bayer that mainly is used to pre-treat corn seeds…. Suspicions about clothianidin aren’t new; the EPA’s Environmental Fate and Effects Division (EFAD) first expressed concern when the pesticide was introduced, in 2003, about the “possibility of toxic exposure to nontarget pollinators [e.g., honeybees] through the translocation of clothianidin residues that result from seed treatment.” Read more of the article (Wait for the splash screen to redirect)

I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent. ~Taylor Caldwell

City Life and the Brain

from the page: Some people might call these stimuli distractions, but as Lazar points out, they are actually vital pieces of information. Yet these stimuli do use up a lot of the brain’s natural processing power. The result is something called directed attention fatigue, a neurological symptom that occurs when our voluntary attention system, the part of the brain that allows us to concentrate in spite of distractions, becomes worn down. People suffering from directed attention fatigue can experience short-term feelings of heightened distraction, impatience, or forgetfulness. When the condition is severe enough, people can exhibit poor judgment and feel increased levels of stress.

Fortunately, there are quick, easy fixes to help the brain restore its ability to focus. Studies show that spending a short period of time — even one as brief as 20 minutes — in a more natural setting can help the brain recover from the stresses of city life. That may be why urban greenways such as Central Park in New York City, Hyde Park in London, and the Emerald Necklace in Boston remain such popular venues — they allow city dwellers a place to escape the turbulence around them…. such findings may help explain why urban life can affect our ability to hold things in memory. Memory, she says, relies on the hippocampus, a neural region that is sensitive to cortisol, a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. Cortisol is linked with stress and secretion of it increases during the body’s fight-or-flight response to fear or danger. “If people are stressed about basic survival, they will have more cortisol and a smaller hippocampus, and thus potential difficulties with memory formation,” says Lazar. “Moving to a quieter place could help reduce stress, which in turn can reduce cortisol levels and create conditions conducive to neuroplasticity. ” Neuroplasticity describes the brain’s ability to form new neuronal connections to compensate for injury or changes in one’s environment. And then, I received a Science Daily stumble, Dogs have bigger brains than cats because they are more sociable, from OliviaB — I still recommend this article, even though we know that cats are more socialable, don’t we? You’ve never met a cat with insomnia, now have you? Maybe they’re just using more of their brain. Yeah, that’s it. More: Read the rest of City Life and the Brain

Cat Works Collection

How cats dress at Ani’s house. Many fine cats to be discovered in this set.

When you walk down the street and a dog barks at you, don’t stop and bark back. ~Etcetera

..wisdom comes to us when it can no longer do any good. from Love in the Time of Cholera ~Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Treasure Hunt

Imagination and fiction make up more than three quarters of our real life. ~Simone Weil

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Boundaries: Certain immutable principles by which to live life.

Read the key sentence at least 3 times out loud:

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How can a businessman come to have and keep both his honor and dignity, when he has to deal with certain people who are continuously trying to ruin him?

Roger Ehrenberg, Managing partner at IA Ventures

By remaining true to yourself and by taking control http://informationarbitrage.com/…. If you have certain immutable principles by which to live life, it is very emancipating. There is little ambiguity if a potential customer or business colleague asks you to do something unethical for reward; the answer is simply no. If this means losing the deal, then the deal will be lost. It’s unfortunate, but that’s life. Others may try to ruin you, but only you can ruin you.

Discipline and moral toughness are not easy principles to consistently apply, especially in the face of trying to well in a job, provide for one’s family, etc. In my experience doing the right thing is most often respected as opposed to reviled. Read more at www.quora.com

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