Nepal pipes biogas expertise abroad 2 December 2011Last updated at 00:10 By Navin Singh Khadka Environment reporter, BBC News, Nepal Tailoring projects to local circumstances is vital for success Having emerged as one of the pioneers in producing biogas from cow dung, the Himalayan nation of Nepal is now successfully transferring its technical expertise to other countries. Several Nepalese experts have been travelling to countries in South East Asia and Africa to introduce the "clean", homegrown technology that helps reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuels and saves forests. Biogas from cow dung is mainly used for cooking in rural areas and also for lighting houses. Renowned for displacing choking smoky ovens with clean cooking stoves, the Nepalese model of biogas has won the prestigious Ashden award. The Biogas Partnership Project Nepal, a collaboration between the government, donors and non-governmental organisations, has already installed plants for nearly 300,000 households across the country.
Is the Universe a Holographic Reality? The Universe as a Hologram by Michael Talbot Does Objective Reality Exist, or is the Universe a Phantasm? In 1982 a remarkable event took place. At the University of Paris a research team led by physicist Alain Aspect performed what may turn out to be one of the most important experiments of the 20th century. You did not hear about it on the evening news. In fact, unless you are in the habit of reading scientific journals you probably have never even heard Aspect's name, though there are some who believe his discovery may change the face of science. Aspect and his team discovered that under certain circumstances subatomic particles such as electrons are able to instantaneously communicate with each other regardless of the distance separating them. University of London physicist David Bohm, for example, believes Aspect's findings imply that objective reality does not exist, that despite its apparent solidity the universe is at heart a phantasm, a gigantic and splendidly detailed hologram.
Police clear Occupy Baltimore protesters from McKeldin Square The eviction of Occupy Baltimore protesters from a park near the Inner Harbor was carried out "in a respectful way," Baltimore's mayor said this morning, adding that she was pleased there were no injuries or arrests. "It certainly wasn't going to go on forever and we decided it was time," Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said after a ground-breaking for a housing development in Fells Point. She added, "This is not about the [Occupy] message … The message resonates with me. But some involved with the protest said they were disappointed the city had used police clad in riot gear to move the group from McKeldin Square during the early morning hours. Iris Kirsch, 30, who said she was an English teacher in Baltimore schools, was holding up a hand-made sign to Pratt Street traffic that read: RIOT COPS? Asked whether the eviction was handled respectfully, she said, "The words were polite, but the 70s riot gear belied the politeness." "I'm very impressed by the level of civility that's been shown.
U.N. rights council condemns Syrian abuses U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva sit in special session to discuss Syria NEW: Human Rights Council vote is 37 yes, 4 no, 6 abstainNEW: U.N. human rights chief warns of "full-fledged civil war"A report cites regime "crimes against humanity"More than 4,000 people have been killed in Syria, the U.N. says (CNN) -- The U.N. Human Rights Council decried a wide range of human rights violations in Syria on Friday and called for U.N. bodies to consider a recent report detailing the abuses and take" appropriate action." The council passed a resolution that "strongly condemns the continued widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities, such as arbitrary executions, excessive use of force and the killing and persecution of protesters, human rights defenders and journalists, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, torture and ill-treatment, including against children." Before the resolution was adopted, U.N. Syria's cyber warfare
Tantra lovemaking positions, I When you play with different positions during lovemaking, you invite a whole spectrum of qualities into your union. Each posture will activate a different kind of response. The more expansive you can be with how you express your love, and the more dimensions you can include, the more spicy and fulfilling your relating will be. Instead of being one-dimensional, always moving into the same habits of behaviour, you will become multi-dimensional – able to access new and unexpected facets of your being. In this posture the man can go wild. In this posture the woman can go wild. This is a relaxing way to be a king and queen of love, sitting together in a chair with the woman on top. In this posture the man enters the woman’s Yoni from behind, allowing for deep penetration and letting the woman feel totally possessed by her mate. This posture allows the man and woman to relax together in the space of valley orgasm. The classic Tantra position. Like Loading...
‘Occupy’ protesters halt operations at some western ports ASSOCIATED PRESS December 13, 2011 5:50AM Updated: December 13, 2011 9:00AM Heady with their successful attempts to block trucks and curb business at busy ports up and down the West Coast, some Occupy Wall Street protesters plan to continue their blockades and keep staging similar protests. Thousands of demonstrators forced shipping terminals in California, Oregon, and Washington state, to halt parts of their operations Monday and some intend to keep their blockade attempts ramped up overnight. At least one outside observer who has followed political movements for decades said the port blockades were an indicator of the disruptive activities likely to continue for months and right until next year’s presidential elections. The movement, which sprang up this fall against what it sees as corporate greed and economic inequality, focused on the ports as the “economic engines for the elite.” Protesters are most upset by two West Coast companies: port operator SSA Marine and grain exporter EGT.
Latin America poverty level lowest in 20 years, says UN 30 November 2011Last updated at 10:23 Peru is among the countries registering the biggest drop in poverty but life is still hard for many Poverty in Latin America is at its lowest level for 20 years, the UN's regional economic body, Eclac, says. From 1990 to 2010, the rate fell from 48.4% to 31.4%, which means 177 million people currently live in poverty. Eclac says the main reason for the reduction in poverty and inequality is the rise in household incomes. But progress is hindered by the big gaps between productive and better paid sectors and work that is poorly paid and of low productivity, Eclac says. "Poverty and inequality continue to decline in the region, which is good news, particularly in the midst of an international economic crisis," said Alicia Barcena, Eclac's executive secretary. "However, this progress is threatened by the yawning gaps in the productive structure in the region and by the labour markets which generate employment in low-productivity sectors." Caribbean challenge
7 Lessons From 7 Great Minds Have you ever wished you could go back in time and have a conversation with one of the greatest minds in history? Well, you can’t sorry, they’re dead. Unless of course you’re clairaudient, be my guest. But for the rest of us, we can still refer to the words they left behind. Even though these great teachers have passed on, their words still live, and in them their wisdom. I’ve made a list of seven what I believe are some of the greatest teachings by the world’s greatest minds. 1. “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” - Lawrence J. In order for us to achieve our dreams, we must have a vision of our goals. Action: Visualize a life of your wildest dreams. 2. “It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, “Always do what you are afraid to do.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson The best way to learn something is to dive right in to it. Action: You must define your fears in order to conquer them. 3. “All that we are is the result of what we have thought.