StumbleUpon | yopp's blog posts

http://yopp.stumbleupon.com/review/29123738/

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:59:49 -0800

RAVAGES OF WAR
Cheryl Williams

How easy it is to look upon the ravaged faces
from the comfort of our living rooms,
watching foreign people in a foreign land cry
for the loss of all that they possess,
family, friends, homes, and their very dignity.

How easy it is to kick back and wait for the next episode
of American Idol while we watch the children cry out in hunger
with tummies that are swollen and empty...and parents
who lie dead before them,
or a mother who cradles her dying child in her arms,
merely because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time,
taking the punishment meant to erase terrorism
from the world.

How easy it is to view the true reality of war
while we wait to watch the "reality" shows which
entertain us to the point of addiction.

How easy it is to numb ourselves to the pain of the world
when we are consumed with our own pain and struggles.
We complain of traffic jams,
stress at work,
not enough money to go on that vacation;
We complain about any kind of interruption
that might interfere with our perfect day.
Yet overseas people are dying.
Our people are dying.
Yes, we send our condolences
and try to care
and protest about how we
wish we weren't even there.

But do we get it?
Do we really?
Can we really imagine
what it's like to live in constant fear?
Can we really imagine what it feels like
to wake up each day wondering who will die,
or if it will be the last day we see our children,
our parents, our brother, our sister?
Can we imagine wondering if we will have a home
at the end of every day?
We pretend to know, for to ignore it
means that we are callous and cruel;
We protest, and we justify;
We rationalize, and point fingers;
We look to the "greater" good,
but don't really know what it is.
It is hard to see the greater good
when anguished hollow eyes
are staring at you.

But we can turn off the TV,
and it's over for us.
We can move on to more pleasant things
and it's over for us;
We can go hug our babies
and it's over for us;
We can make love
and laugh in the rain,
and it's over for us;
We can eat a good meal
and it's over for us.

But the thing is,
It's not really over for us.
We live in denial,
and bask in our delusions.
We leave it to everyone else
to deal with, for what do we know?
We know how to pray;
we know how to care,
truly care.

We must learn to look upon
these children as if they were our own;
We must learn to look upon the
ravaged faces of war as if they
are our dearest family,
and we must embrace them
within our hearts,
just as we embrace the soldiers
who fight for our freedoms.
Yes, we can turn off the TV
and it's over for us;
But if we lose our humanity,
it really is over for us,
and that should be our
greatest fear.

http://yopp.stumbleupon.com/review/28592258/

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 11:58:43 -0800

Must see, hive of activity of the world wide air traffic.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=o4g930pm8Ms

http://yopp.stumbleupon.com/review/28573785/

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:07:49 -0800

Santa needs bailing out, must watch, too funny.
http://www.yourememberthat.com/media/9407/Santa_Claus_Bailout_Hearings/

http://yopp.stumbleupon.com/review/26450698/

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:30:37 -0700

Move Over Grand Central, World Trade Center (WTC) Transport Hub Revealed

Last week, the Port Authority of New York, New Jersey, and the Spanish Architect Santiago Calatrava released revised renderings of the World Trade Center Transportation Hub.
The building is planned to be completed by 2012.
Thanks ciucu123

http://yopp.stumbleupon.com/review/25540055/

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:35:08 -0700

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZOSYrsgMJI
;)

http://yopp.stumbleupon.com/review/25161894/

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:33:55 -0700

Must see!!
Talent of a young elephant.

Thanks Tommy

http://yopp.stumbleupon.com/review/20275896/

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:41:28 -0700

Earth Day April 22, 2008
http://ww2.earthday.net/

Understand Protect Appreciate

Each year Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.

The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts.

In 1990 the Earth Day became a global event and gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and also helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

By following the chain of posts here on SU you can learn about and enjoy various aspects of our home planet.

List of other SU contributors are cleverly compiled by our resident astrophysicist here.

Earthquakes

Strongest quake in 40 years rattles Midwest
WEST SALEM, Ill. -- Residents across the Midwest were awakened Friday 18th April 2008 by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake that rattled skyscrapers in Chicago's Loop and homes in Cincinnati but appeared to cause no major injuries or damage.

April 19 2008, an undersea quake measuring above 6.0 on the Richter scale has struck off the East Timor coast, shaking buildings in the capital, Dili. There were no reports of injuries or damage due to Saturday's earthquake

A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck off the Pacific coast of Guatemala on Monday April 15, 2008, sending residents of the capital out into the street in panic but there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries.

The quake struck at 9:03 p.m. (0303 GMT on Tuesday) with an epicenter 45 miles (73 km) south-southeast of the city of Escuintla

Epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or other underground explosion originate

Earthquake prediction in California

Most of the time earthquakes occur deep in the oceans or remote unpopulated places, but there are times when they hit populated places too. Unfortunately a recent valid scientific prediction, seems not to bode well to our wonderful Golden state of California.

It looks like before I turn 50, California will almost certainly be hit by an earthquake capable of causing widespread destruction within the next 30 years.

According to the first geological forecast of its kind, the chance of a magnitude 6.7 or larger tremor striking before 2038 is more than 99 per cent.

Los Angeles and San Francisco are more than 63 per cent likely to experience such a quake.

A jolt of this force last hit the state in 1994, in Northridge near Los Angeles, killing 60 people and causing damage estimated at more than �6 billion.

This photograph by Arnold Genthe 1906 shows Sacramento Street and approaching fire.

http://yopp.stumbleupon.com/review/19159987/

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:02:01 -0700

"A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience."
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

http://yopp.stumbleupon.com/review/18989525/

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:13:28 -0700

Ancient Greek Humor

Mortal: What is a million years like to you?

Zeus: Like one second.

Mortal: What is a million dollars like to you?

Zeus: Like one penny.

Mortal: Can I have a penny?

Zeus: Just a second...

http://yopp.stumbleupon.com/review/11605802/

Sun, 05 Aug 2007 13:46:17 -0700

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtWF-fOjBWQ