I am very disappointed

Nothing to Share, Nothing to Fear, I was in solitary confinement, Should all this have to happen to me, I was stranded in the darkest gaps, Alone without anyone who cares, I'm better off dead than alive.

Ocean noise rings alarm bells

The impact of continuous, high-intensity noise in the oceans could be considerable.

The rising tumult in the oceans caused by human activity may be causing devastating damage to giant squid and sea life in general.

Research by Rolex Laureate Michel André has found that squid and octopus suffer trauma in their acoustic organs similar to that discovered in land mammals exposed to loud, low-frequency sounds.

Professor André, of the Technical University of Catalonia, received his Rolex Award for Enterprise in 2002 for pioneering a system to prevent collisions between ships and whales.

The researchers, who exposed 87 individual cephalopods – including squid, cuttlefish and octopus – to short sweeps of low intensity sound, found, for example, that the fluid-filled organs which enable squid to maintain balance and position displayed signs of damage. Over time, the nerves in these organs swelled and large holes appeared in the organs’ walls. Although squid probably do not “hear” in the conventional sense, these organs fulfil a vital balance role similar to the human vestibular system.

André says this is the first evidence that manmade noise may be causing havoc even in ocean life which is not sound-dependent. “If the relatively low-intensity, short exposure used in our study can cause such severe acoustic trauma, then the impact of continuous, high-intensity noise in the oceans could be considerable,” Prof. André says, adding that noise-induced damage “would likely affect the cephalopod’s ability to hunt, evade predators and even reproduce; in other words, this would not be compatible with life”.

The findings have prompted him to pose the question: “Is noise pollution capable of impacting the entire web of ocean life?”

The results of the research by Michel André and his colleagues have been made public in the latest issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, a leading environmental science magazine published by the Ecological Society of America.

Julian Cribb

Encouraging innovation for the next generation

The first forum held by Rolex in the Middle East tackled some of the most challenging issues facing the Arab world.

A day-long series of lively debates at Dubai’s Madinat Theatre on 19 November 2008 drew an audience of 300 people, most of them university students. The forum was the culmination of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise outreach in the region over 15 months, including the 13th international Awards ceremony.

Panellists included former and current Rolex Awards Selection Committee members and one past Award winner and their regional counterparts. “These 16 exceptional individuals are here today to share their insights and knowledge during three plenary sessions on issues pertinent to the Arab world,” said Rolex Awards director Rebecca Irvin in welcoming the audience.

Dubai, 19 November 2008, ©Rolex Awards/Kirsten Holst
Signature Forum, (from left): Kathryn Sullivan (2000 & 2008 Rolex Awards Jury Member), HE Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Rebecca Irvin, Director of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise

The state of science and innovation in the MENA region
“I think it is particularly important in helping children learn the sciences to actually listen to and let them express what they currently understand”.
Dr Kathryn D. Sullivan, panellist and 2000 & 2008 Rolex Awards Jury Member

One of the main conclusions of the first panel discussion was that young Emiratis and others in the Middle East and North Africa must be encouraged to think more for themselves. With an impressive 90 per cent of UAE students going into higher education, there was a need to “retool” our educational system, said Dr Tayeb A. Kamali, UAE Higher Colleges of Technology vice chancellor.

World-renowned heart surgeon professor Sir Magdi Habib Yacoub similarly stressed how more originality of thought and centres of excellence, such as the one he has spearheaded in his native Egypt, were required, while scientist Dr Kathryn D. Sullivan, the first American woman to walk in space, challenged the young population to follow their dreams and dare to break barriers.

Preserving the natural environment and cultural heritage
“If we destroy our nature, our biodiversity, it's like destroying… hundreds, thousands of libraries, because these are repositories of information, of knowledge, much of which we still haven't discovered”.
Geh Min, panellist and 2008 Rolex Awards Jury Member

This panel took into account both the region’s unparalleled construction boom over the past 20 years and the demographics of the UAE, where expatriates comprise over 80 per cent of the population. “Marrying conservation and business is a real challenge here,” said Abdul Aziz Al-Midfa of the Sharjah Environment Authority. “People must understand why it is important to save sand dunes rather than converting huge tracts of land into golf courses.”

The six panellists agreed that both a “top-down” (governmental) and “bottom-up” (grass roots) approach to conservation were required. “In Oman, we have a clear directive to preserve the environment,” added Colonel Sulaiman Mohamed Albusaidi, adviser to the Omani environment minister. The solution, he said, was public awareness, especially among children.

The role of women as forces for social change
"I think women are really are the secret weapon of every country if they want to develop in a sustainable, pro-growth way”.
Dr Kanwaljit Soin, panellist and 2000 & 2004 Rolex Awards Jury Member

The third panel spurred intense questioning by the many young Emirati women attending. “Women here adapt to modernity, while holding on to Arab customs,” observed Singaporean surgeon Dr Kanwaljit Soin. “They are the key agents for sustainable development.”

Dubai, 19 November 2008, ©Rolex Awards/Kirsten Holst
Signature Forum, Panel three (from left): Farkhonda Hassan (2008 Rolex Awards Jury Member), Kanwajit Soin (2000 & 2004 Rolex Awards Jury Member), Yolanda Kakabadse (2008 Rolex Awards Jury Member), Fatma Al-Sayegh, Najla Al-Awadhi, George Kordahi (Moderator)

Editor of the Journal of Social Affairs, Dr Fatma Al-Sayegh, noted that education had been the cornerstone of change for local women. Najla Al-Awadhi, a member of the UAE Federal National Council and deputy CEO of Dubai Media Inc, urged the audience “Don’t compromise. Keep going and be passionate about what you want”.

Rolex Awards entries reach record high

Record number of entries

for 2012:

3,512 applications

from 154 countries

A record number of individuals, including a higher percentage of young people, have applied to the 2012 Rolex Awards for Enterprise, more than doubling the figures from recent series.

Rolex has received 3,512 applications for this edition, which represents by far the highest number of projects submitted to the international philanthropy programme since its launch in 1976.

“We are thrilled that so many people are putting forward projects to benefit our planet,” said Rebecca Irvin, head of the Rolex Institute, who attributes the dramatic rise in applicants to greater awareness worldwide of issues such as renewable energy and the need to protect biodiversity, and to a growing recognition of the power of the individual to change the world.

The application process for the Rolex Awards has also been simplified and this has likely encouraged more people to apply.

Analysis of the entries of the current edition and the previous edition in 2008 (the last comparable Awards series) shows a drop in the average age of applicants from 46 years old in 2008 to 41 today; the percentage of women applying rose to 28 per cent, up from 23 per cent in 2008, and the highest percentage ever recorded; and there was more than a 20 per cent rise in the number of countries in which people submitted applications (126 to 154). Of these countries, a striking number are developing countries.

Rolex welcomes the high level of interest in the Awards. However, as a result, the period for screening entries has been extended. Applicants may have to wait longer than initially anticipated to be informed about the status of their applications. All applicants should receive a message before the end of the year.

The names of the eminent scientists, explorers and environmentalists on the 2012 Jury will be announced in September. The jury will meet at Rolex headquarters in Geneva next year and the winners will be announced in late 2012 on the Rolex Awards website and at a special prize-giving event.

Riot police ready to confront boatpeople

Australian Federal Police riot squad train on Christmas Island yesterday to handle boatpeople who face being deported to Malaysia. Picture: Stephen Cooper Source: The Daily Telegraph.

RIOT police are training daily in a jungle clearing on Christmas Island in preparation for the arrival of 54 asylum-seekers due to be deported to Malaysia.

Shortly after dawn yesterday, the group of about 20 Australian Federal Police from the public order management team practised near a Buddhist temple deep in the rainforest in full riot gear, including shields, shin and kneepads, helmets and batons.

The drills came as the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees moved to distance itself from the controversial refugee swap, with its regional head in Australia, Ric Towle, saying it was "too early to say" whether the transferred asylum-seekers would be protected once in Malaysia.

"Nobody has test-run the arrangement in reality," Mr Towle told The Australian yesterday. "I'm not able to speculate on that."

Asked whether the deal carried the endorsement of the UNHCR, as both the Australian and Malaysian governments have suggested, Mr Towle replied: "We're not signatories to the agreement."

The UNHCR's cool response came as Immigration Minister Chris Bowen was unable to say who would run the immigration transit facilities that will house the detainees when they arrive.

Nor could Mr Bowen say how, or where, an asylum-seeker's right to work would be codified in Malaysian law after they had been transferred from Australia.

The director of a leading Malaysian human rights group, Lawyers for Liberty, Renuka Balasubramaniam, said the Malay-language press packs dealing with the agreement made no mention of work rights. "It seemed to be only Bowen that was saying that," Ms Balasubramaniam told The Australian yesterday. "The thing about how they will be given the right to work is a big question."

In training yesterday, the AFP officers shouted phrases such as "get back" as they went through their drills, which included charging up an incline with batons above their shoulders.

The Christmas Island authorities have been told to expect children among the first asylum-seekers due to reach the Australian territory on Thursday aboard a Customs vessel.

Officers ordered to put the asylum-seekers on charter flights can use teargas, batons and beanbag bullets, in line with the rules about police use of force.

"Obeying instructions here is not a question of volunteering," Julia Gillard said yesterday.

"People will be given an instruction to board a plane. We will be looking to people to obey that instruction. If it's not obeyed, then we have security personnel, we have the Australian Federal Police, we also have counsellors available to talk things through with people."

The Prime Minister said the government was "determined to get this done".

"The Australian Federal Police can speak on operational matters, but we will do what is necessary to ensure people who are taken to Malaysia under the agreement are taken," she said

There are 70 AFP officers on the island. Those on assignment to respond to detainee unrest are not allowed to drink alcohol and they keep fit with daily running.

The potential use of force on asylum-seekers who refuse to go to Malaysia has appalled the Coalition of Asylum-Seekers, Refugees and Detainees.

CARAD chair Rosemary Hudson Miler said she remembered forcible removals from the mid-2000s when detainees were offered and accepted sedatives.

The prospect of that happening again was alarming, she said, because it was widely understood that detainees in such stresssful situations were not in a position to give full and proper consent to taking a sedative.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship aims to remove the asylum-seekers quickly.

The AFP said the riot police were on the island to respond to unrest at the detention centre, as well as any resistance to the deportations to Kuala Lumpur.

"The AFP's role is to provide security escort services during the flight from Christmas Island to Malaysia," a spokesman said.

"Officers will be deployed to staging and departure areas to provide support to DIAC during the transport of people on to the aircraft - this is to ensure security and safety."

The AFP's security role will end at the door of the aircraft when it touches down in Malaysia.

From there, the responsibility for moving the asylum-seekers into transit facilities will rest with the Malaysians.

Fire burns 36-unit apartment building

Michelle Davies | The Journal Gazette

A fire at the Dupont Lakes apartment complex gutted several homes on Saturday night. 

 Last updated: August 1, 2011 11:16 a.m.

Fire burns 36-unit apartment building

Archie Ingersoll | The Journal Gazette

The residents of a 36-unit apartment building in north Fort Wayne were displaced after a fire burned through the roof and gutted part of the upper floor early Sunday, city fire officials said.

Firefighters were sent to 10004 Dupont Lakes Drive, near Dupont Road and Interstate 69, shortly after 3 a.m. As they drove to the building, they could see flames shooting through the roof from a block away, Assistant Chief Jim Murua said.

Murua said many of the residents had evacuated the three-story structure by the time fire crews arrived. He said firefighters went through the building knocking on doors, making sure all the apartments were empty.

It took firefighters about one hour and 15 minutes to get the fire under control.

Murua said a resident’s grill on a second-floor balcony started the fire. “The hot coals that were still in the grill ignited combustibles that were too close,” he said, adding that having a grill on the balcony was a fire-code violation.

Not all 36 apartments were damaged by the flames and smoke. Murua estimated that 18 of them were not affected by the fire. Residents in those 18 units were allowed to go back into their homes to gather belongings.

Anna Prindle, 28, and her 4-year-old son, Tyler, were waiting outside the building Sunday afternoon to retrieve some their things. “We weren’t even home last night, thank God,” she said.

She said the company that manages the building, Edward Rose & Sons, was going to be putting up some of the displaced residents in vacant apartments elsewhere in the Dupont Lakes complex.

The building that caught fire Sunday has six sections, and each section contains six apartments and has its own street address.

Addresses 10002 and 10004 appeared to have the worst damage and were boarded up Sunday afternoon. Blue sky could be seen where the roofs of those addresses once were.

Heaps of various soot-covered debris – a shoe, a clothes hanger, a gym bag – sat on the grass in front of the burned structure. On the back side of the building, where the fire is believed to have started, the heaps were bigger and contained couches, tables and chairs.

Addresses 10006, 10008, 10010 and 10012 were not boarded up and did not have damage that could be seen from outside.

Murua said utilities were turned off throughout the entire building, therefore no one was able to stay there.

He said residents of unaffected apartments may be able to return to their homes in a few days.

For residents in apartments that received fire damage, firefighters gathered essentials like purses, wallets, cell phones and prescriptions, Murua said.

Katherine MacAulay, chief operations officer of the American Red Cross in northeast Indiana, said her organization assisted families from 19 of the apartments, providing them with food, lodging, clothing and replacement medication. She said three of the units in the building were vacant.

Cherry Tree Varieties

There are over one hundred cherry tree varieties in Japan. A few of them are wild varieties native to Japan's forests, such as the Yamazakura, but the large majority of them have been cultivated by humans over the centuries for decorative use in gardens and parks. By far the most popular cherry tree variety today is the particularly pretty, cultivated Somei Yoshino.

There are several characteristics differentiating the many cherry tree varieties. Some of the obvious ones, that can also be easily recognized by beginners, are listed below:

Number of petals

Most wild trees, but also a lot of cultivated tree varieties, have blossoms with five petals. However, some species have blossoms which consist of ten, twenty or more petals. Trees with blossoms of more than five petals are called yaezakura.

about 20 petals (e.g. Ichiyo)

about 100 petals (e.g. Kikuzakura)

Color of the blossoms

Most varieties produce light pink to white blossoms, but there are also cherry trees with dark pink, yellow or green blossoms. Furthermore, the color of some varieties' cherry blossoms may change while they are in bloom. For example, a blossom may open as a white flower and change color to pink over the course of a few days.

white blossoms (e.g. Shogetsu)

pink blossoms (e.g. Kanzan)

The fresh leaves

In case of early blooming trees, the fresh leaves usually do not appear until after full bloom, which gives the trees an attractive, homogeneous look while they are in full bloom. In case of later blooming trees, the leaves usually appear before the blossoms, giving the trees a more heterogeneous look. Furthermore, the color of the fresh leaves differs between the varieties. In most cases, the fresh leaves are green, coppery brown, or something in between.

Time of blooming

Most cherry tree varieties carry blossoms in spring. Yaezakura, i.e. cherry trees with blossoms of more than five petals, are typically the last ones to open their blossoms, with blooming periods about two to four weeks after most five-petaled species. Some extreme varieties bloom in late autumn and during the winter months. Read more about when cherry trees are in bloom.

Red and White growing closer

Both sets of fans may not like the comparison, but there are signs that Arsenal and Tottenham are becoming linked by more than just the 'N' in their postcode.

GettyImagesLuka Modric and Cesc Fabregas are both keen to move on

With both clubs fighting to play Champions League football over the past few seasons, Arsenal's decline and Spurs' rise have caused a meeting in the middle that is most evident when you look across the squad lists of both sides. Of course, Arsenal's success with their academy still puts them on a different plane when it comes to youth, but there are a few similarities when you consider the first-team players who could leave this summer.

To start with, both sides possess a star creative midfielder who has his eyes on better things. Cesc Fabregas and Luka Modric have both expressed their desire to further their careers elsewhere, but have also signed long-term contracts a few years ago and will not be allowed to leave unless either Barcelona or Chelsea come in with offers of around £40 million. They are both key to dictating the attacking tempo of their respective clubs and would be a massive loss when, ultimately, they do move on.

On the left-hand side of midfield Arsenal and Tottenham possess a rebel who is keen to leave. Arsenal have Samir Nasri, while Spurs' Niko Kranjcar has been angling for a move for some time. While Nasri's problem is his wages and ambition to win trophies, Kranjcar just wants more playing time after failing to oust Gareth Bale from the side. Both could soon be available for next to nothing, as they continue to let their expiring contracts run down.

In goal, there are two men who look set for pastures new after a series of high profile errors. Manuel Almunia will almost certainly return to Spain, while Brazilian Heurelho 'The Octopus' Gomes is likely to head back to former club PSV with his tentacles between his legs. Neither will be missed much.

Arsenal were not allowed the chance to turn to experience between the sticks as Fulham blocked their move for Australian keeper Mark Schwarzer, but Spurs did when signing 40-year-old Aston Villa shot-stopper Brad Friedel. The emergence of Wojciech Szczesny suggests that the Gunners won't worry too much about this position, but both Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp appear to value the idea of having an experienced man around.

Up front, Nicklas Bendtner has similarities with Roman Pavlyuchenko in style, although that may perhaps paint the Russian in a slightly unfair light. Still, Redknapp seems to treat Pavlyuchenko with the same distain as Wenger does the Dane and, without guaranteed first-team football, both could well be off with Sporting Lisbon and Zenit St Petersburg rumoured to be keen.

But the playing staff who are in no danger of leaving are also worth noting for their similarities with each other.

There are obvious comparisons to be made between the flying English wingers down the right - Theo Walcott and Aaron Lennon - as both have the same style of play and have struggled with injuries.

Arsenal and Spurs also rely on a Dutchman (albeit in a slightly different area of the pitch) for their goals, with Robin van Persie and Rafael van der Vaart bearing the brunt of expectations up front. And continuing the international theme, both sides also contain a rising star of the Welsh team: Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey and Spurs' Gareth Bale.

If further proof was needed, this summer has seen the comparisons take on an additional dimension as they each dipped into the transfer market to bring in an Ivorian attacker, possibly to replace their Mexican flops Carlos Vela and Giovani Dos Santos. Arsenal landed the more established Gervinho, while Spurs took the plunge on the 16-year-old Souleymane Coulibaly, who has been getting rave reviews for his performances at the Under-17 World Cup.

The two clubs are even getting closer in terms of the style of attacking football that they play and, crucially, in their transfer concerns. Spurs may be following the frugal Arsenal blueprint after a few failures under the wing of a sporting director, but those in charge of running of the club are also following the same targets.

Tottenham failed to land Andrei Arshavin back in 2009, but may consider that they have more of a chance of offering Valencia's Juan Mata - rated at over €20 million - a chance of regular games even if they can't offer Champions League football this season.

GettyImagesArsene Wenger would love his own Michael Dawson.

But for all of these similarities, there are two major differences. Arsenal lack a commanding English central defender in the mould of Michael Dawson - although a transfer window move for Phil Jagielka or Gary Cahill would soon change this - and Spurs are without another midfielder of the skill and potential of Jack Wilshere.

Arsenal's defensive concerns have ensured that Wenger is certain to add a new centre-back to the mix before the summer is out, while the onus on doing the Wilshere job in the Spurs midfield could fall on Brazilian Sandro, who won praise for his box-to-box style after a slow start to life in England, once he recovers from injury.

Ultimately, the signs are that North London's finest have been growing ever closer and may yet continue to do before the transfer window slams shut. The one similarity that may hurt most of all is that each may soon have to cope with the loss of a major star and how they rebuild will be key to ensuring that they are both not left behind.

Final Fantasy XII Information

Archadian Imperial Fleets

Carbuncle.

The Archadian Imperial Fleets in Final Fantasy XII boasts probably the largest fleet of airships in the Final Fantasy series. The Archadian Imperial Army relies heavily on the firepower of these fleet during their invasions and campaigns. The most prominent fleet in the story is the Western Armada, under the command of Vayne Solidor, Consul of Rabanastre, which commands the skies and seas within Archadia's western territories.

Fleets

Each fleet consists of several Light Cruiser and Cruiser Class ships, and is usually led by a Dreadnought Class ship. While the exact number of fleets is never revealed, there are at least 12 fleets.

1st Fleet

Led by the Odin, this fleet was part of the large fleet involved with guarding Archadia from the Resistance fleet.

 

2nd Kerwon Expeditionary Force

The fleet called in to replace the 8th fleet, which has been decimated during their flight above Jagd Yensa.

8th Fleet

The 8th Fleet is a formidable force, and the fleet most featured in Final Fantasy XII. The entire fleet is led by Judge Ghis, onboard his ship the Leviathan. The following ships are part of the 8th fleet:

§  Light Cruiser Class, the Shiva

§  Cruiser Class, the Ifrit

§  Dreadnought Class, the Leviathan

However, this fleet was sunk when Judge Ghis tried using the Dawn Shard. Every ship sank in the heavy mist explosion. Later, the fleet is reassembled, and the Shiva is seen taking place in the final airship battle involving the Sky Fortress Bahamut. It is probably the very same ship that is seen withLeviathan, as Shiva is seen to fall towards the Sandsea, to detonate with the rest of the 8th Fleet during the mist explosion induced by the Dawn Shard.