Month: May 2013

Photos: Rare Celestial Dance Of Jupiter, Venus And Mercury

This conjunction of Jupiter, Venus and Mercury was shot in Las Vegas with the Stratosphere in the foreground. (Photo by lybrand/ Credit to Yahoo News).
This conjunction of Jupiter, Venus and Mercury was shot in Las Vegas with the Stratosphere in the foreground. (Photo by lybrand/ Credit to Yahoo News).

At the end of May 2013,  Jupiter, Venus and Mercury form a celestial triangle in the night sky.

The three planets shine together in a triangle formation low in the western sky in a planetary meet-up known as a conjunction.

We can even see them with naked eyes if the sky is clear and the place is not too bright.

This cosmic show is so special spectacular because it includes the three brightest planets visible in the May night sky.

Venus is the brightest of the trio, with Jupiter a close second and Mercury coming in third.

Flickr photographers snapped awesome photos of this very rare and special event.

Please click the photos for larger images:

Singapore Warns Malaysian Politicians Not To Interfere In Its Domestic Affairs

The Star reported that Singapore warns Malaysian politicians not to interfere in its domestic affairs.

In the article, DAP’s Kulai MP, Teo Nie Ching argued that “the person she was fighting for was unfairly punished” by Singapore, adding:

“It’s not that we want to interfere with (Singapore’s) internal affairs. If (the one person) only attended one protest, then that is unfair,” and that Singapore’s reaction was too harsh.”

But I thought that PR leaders, members and supporters especially DAP and PKR always praise Singapore as democratic, not corrupted and love the country till they use a Singapore-like flag for their Sang Saka Malaya.

But now, after their supporters were punished for taking part in an illegal protest, a DAP’s MP said that Singapore is unfair.

How confused are the PR supporters that they think they can also break the laws of other country as what they are doing in Malaysia.

I think if the incident happened in Malaysia, they’ll organise another ‘Candlelight Vigil’ and more demonstration asking for freedom of speech and calling the government as undemocratic.

Below is the report by The Star:

Published: Wednesday May 29, 2013 MYT 11:06:00 AM
Updated: Wednesday May 29, 2013 MYT 12:24:44 PM

Singapore warns Malaysian politicians not to interfere in its domestic affairs

By PATRICK LEE

PETALING JAYA: Singapore has warned Malaysian politicians to stay out of its affairs, in the light of the arrests of 21 Malaysians for demonstrating in the island republic.

A joint statement by the Ministries of Home (MHA) and Foreign Affairs (MFA) said demands by Malaysian Members of Parliament for Singapore to let off those arrested was seen as foreign interference.

“Actions to involve foreign parties are attempts to seek special treatment and to further politicise what is essentially a domestic law and order issue in Singapore,” it said in a statement on its website.

Singapore added that it had always taken a strong stand against foreign issues or politics brought into the island nation.

It added that it did not interfere in domestic affairs of other countries, and expected similar treatment in return.

Previously, Malaysians gathered at Singapore’s Merlion Park on May 8 and 11 to protest against the May 5 general election results.

They were a rendition of the Blackout 505 rallies that took place in major cities around Malaysia.

On May 11, 21 Malaysians were arrested by Singaporean police. The work pass of one and visit passes of two others were revoked. The remaining 18 are currently being investigated by authorities there.

Several Malaysians have since approached their political representatives, including DAP’s Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching, for aid.

Last week Thursday, several Pakatan Rakyat MPs also petitioned the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur for leniency against the 21.

Meanwhile, in response, Teo said she was only fighting for the one whose work pass was revoked, arguing that the person was unfairly punished.

She said that the particular person only attended one rally, adding that Singapore’s reaction was too harsh.

“It’s not that we want to interfere with (Singapore’s) internal affairs. If (the one person) only attended one protest, then that is unfair,” she said.

Teo said that eight of the 21 had approached her over the matter, and with some telling her that they accepted their punishment.

She added that there was a spate of miscommunication in the episode, and asked Singapore to re-investigate the case.

“We’re only pleading for the one person…I don’t think this amounts to interfering. They are Malaysian citizens, and we have a duty to them,” she said.

10 Cars To Watch In The Next 24 Months

I love cars and their logos, please click below for: 

Cars – Logo/Country Of Origin/Founded Date – Part 1

Cars – Logo/Country Of Origin/Founded Date – Part 2

Here are some photos of beautiful cars that will be in the market soon.

Name: Ford F-150 
Will be released on 2014. Ford can’t afford to let the F-series franchise grow stale.

Ford F-150
Ford F-150

Name: Acura NSX 
Will be released on 2015. Acura needs a performance halo car–even more so now than when the original NSX debuted back in 1990.

Acura NSX
Acura NSX

Name: BMW M3/M4
Will be released on 2014 (coupe, sedan), early 2015 (convertible). The M3 is an icon for BMW, which makes the name change for the two-doors tricky business.

BMW M3/M4
BMW M3/M4

Name: Porsche 918 Spyder
Will be released late 2013. The dream of a latter-day Carrera GT was too strong to deny. Why 918? 918 isn’t just the model designation, it’s also the production start date (9/18/2013) and the build quantity: 918 units.

Porsche 918 Spyder
Porsche 918 Spyder

Name: Buick Riviera
Will be released late 2015. Buick needs a flagship to solidify its premium-brand credentials, and the name Riviera still has cachet.

Buick Riviera
Buick Riviera

Name: Bentley Falcon
Will be released on 2015. Because no luxury brand can resist the siren’s call of the SUV.

Bentley Falcon
Bentley Falcon

Name: Ford Mustang
Will be released early 2014. Fifty years after the Mustang’s blockbuster debut, expect Ford to set off some fireworks around the 2015 model.

Ford Mastang
Ford Mustang

Name: Jaguar F-type coupe
Will be released on 2014. Jaguar’s new sports car would miss half the market without a hardtop, which should be an even more focused driver’s car.

Jaguar F-type coupe
Jaguar F-type coupe

Name: Mercedes-Benz SLC AMG
Will be released late 2014. Like so many others, Mercedes-Benz wants a Porsche 911 competitor, and neither the SL nor the SLS hits that target.

Mercedes-Benz SLC AMG
Mercedes-Benz SLC AMG

Name: Maserati Ghibli
Will be released late 2013. Why: Maserati needs a sedan in this volume segment if it’s ever to become more than a bit player among luxury brands.

Maserati Ghibli
Maserati Ghibli

Photos: When Lightning Strikes

Lightning strikes over a house during a thunderstorm in the northern Swiss town of Muellheim August 20, 2012. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

Lightnings are dangerous but beautiful.

These rare lightning photos were taken round the world by good photographers.

The lightning strikes very fast, so it is not easy to snap these wonderful photos.

Please click here for more images:

World’s Largest Lego Sculpture: A Life-Size X-Wing Fighter (Photos)

(Photo from POPSCI)
(Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)

Thousands of people gathered in New York City’s Times Square on May 22 to watch the unveiling of the world’s largest LEGO model, a 1:1 replica of the LEGO Star Wars X-wing Starfighter.

It took 32 model builders, 5.3 million LEGO bricks and over 17,000 hours to complete the life-size X-wing fighter.

The X-wing fighter stands at 11 feet tall, with a wingspan of 43 feet and weighing nearly 46,000 pounds.

The engines have lights and speakers, and so they light up and cycle through a pre-programmed series of launch and battle sounds.

LEGO even has the droid, the cute R2-D2 built for the project.

R2-D2. (Photo by Dan Bracaglia credit to POPSCI)
R2-D2. (Photo by Dan Bracaglia credit to POPSCI)

The X-wing is strong enough for a person to sit in the cockpit or perch atop one of the engines and the designers use computer to plan an intricate steel infrastructure that will ensure the X-wing won’t shatter in an earthquake.

After its time in New York City, the X-wing will travel to Legoland in California.

The life-size X-wing fighter is really awesome and I think LEGO made X-wing to promote this coming Star Wars movie.

Please click the photos for larger images:

Photos: Interstate 5 Bridge Collapsed, 3 Injured

An Interstate 5 bridge over a river collapsed north of Seattle Thursday evening, dumping two vehicles into the water.

An Interstate 5 four-lane bridge over Skagit River, about 55 miles north of Seattle, Washinton collapsed at about 7 p.m. on Thursday evening sending two vehicles were into the chilly water of the river.

Rescue effort by boats and divers saved three injured people and they were taken to the Skagit Valley Hospital and the United General Hospital in Sedro-Woolley.

AP reported that authorities said it appeared nobody was killed.

U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NSTB) is still investigating the cause of the disaster.

Anyway State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste said a semi-truck driven southbound struck the bridge just before part of it collapsed.

The freeway is a principal corridor for vehicles between Seattle and Vancouver, Canada.

The bridge was built in 1955 and the disaster raised concerns about the safety of old bridges in the United States.

In August 2007, a bridge fell into the Mississippi River in Minnesota, killing thirteen people.

AP reported that more than a quarter of Washington’s 7,840 bridges are considered structurally deficient of functionally obsolete.

Please click here for more photos:

In Photos: Chelsea Flower Show 2013

A Dahlia 'Spectacular' plant is seen during media day at the Chelsea Flower Show in London May 20, 2013. The annual show opens to the public on Tuesday. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth (BRITAIN - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY)
A Dahlia ‘Spectacular’ plant is seen during media day at the Chelsea Flower Show in London May 20, 2013. The annual show opens to the public on Tuesday. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

The Chelsea Flower Show 2013 started on May 21 in London and will end on May 25.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the Chelsea Flower Show.

There are lots of beautiful, colorful, big blooming flowers all around the place.

Some are arranged nicely to make large, colourful big circles.

Please click the photos for larger images:

Aerial Photos: Moore, Oklahoma May 20 Tornado Aftermath

Flyover of tornado damage from the May 20 tornado in Moore, Okla. (Photo courtesy of Maj. Geoff Legler, Oklahoma National Guard Public Affairs)
Flyover of tornado damage from the May 20 tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. (Photo courtesy of Maj. Geoff Legler, Oklahoma National Guard Public Affairs)

These photos from the Oklahoma National Guard show the widespread destruction from Monday’s tornadoes.

(Please click here for the news and more photos).

According to the National Weather Service, the twister churned a path 1.3 miles wide and 17 miles long.

Please click the photos for larger images:

Photos And Videos: 91 Feared Dead In Tornado-Hit Oklahoma (May 20, 2013)

A woman walks through debris after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. REUTERS/Richard Rowe
A woman walks through debris after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. REUTERS/Richard Rowe

On Monday, May 20, 2013 a huge and powerful tornado rated at EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with winds up to 200 miles per hour, struck the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore causing massive destruction.

At least fifty-one people were confirmed dead, twenty to thirty school children were still missing and feared dead beneath the rubble while lots of people were injured.

A spokeswoman for the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center said that the devastating, mile-wide tornado touched down at 3:01 p.m. local time (4.01 p.m. EDT).

According to the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, the tornado was on the ground for approximately 40 minutes, and a tornado warning was in effect for 16 minutes before the twister developed.

It was reported that the devastated area covered thirty square miles and some area look like a war-zone with blocks of houses, buildings, farms, trees and other structures were knocked down by the tornado.

The mayor of Moore, Glenn Lewis told NBC:

“The whole city looks like a debris field. It looks like we have lost our hospital. I drove by there a while ago and it’s pretty much destroyed.”

Blocks of homes were leveled by the powerful tornado, cars piled atop one another and some buildings were on fire.

Among the buildings destroyed were the Plaza Towers Elementary school and Briarwood Elementary School while Moore Medical Center sustained significant damage.

Most of the injured were brought to the Integris Southwest Medical Center, University of Oklahoma Medical Center, St. Anthony Healthplex South and Midwest Regional.

The National Weather Service predicted a 10 percent chance of tornadoes in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois.

It also said parts of Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan and Iowa have a 5 percent risk of tornadoes.

The area at greatest risk includes Joplin, which on Wednesday will mark two years since the tornado that killed 161 people.

On Sunday, tornadoes killed two people and injured 39 in Oklahoma.

Please click the photos for larger images:

A shopping plaza lies in ruin after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. REUTERS/Richard Rowe (UNITED STATES – Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT
Parts of trees and household debris cover the ground after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. REUTERS/Richard Rowe (UNITED STATES – Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT
People look at the destruction after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. At least four people were killed, KFOR television said, citing a reporter’s eyewitness account, and hospitals said dozens of people were injured as the dangerous storm system threatened as many as 10 U.S. states with more twisters. REUTERS/Gene Blevins (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENVIRONMENT DISASTER)
A shredded tree stands amid debris after a massive tornado touched down in the town of Moore, near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two schools and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage as a dangerous storm system threatened as many as 10 U.S. states. REUTERS/Richard Rowe (UNITED STATES – Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)
Downed power lines block a road after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. REUTERS/Richard Rowe (UNITED STATES – Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)
People walk near destroyed buildings and vehicles after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. At least 91 people, including 20 children, were feared killed when a 2 mile wide tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, trapping victims beneath the rubble as one elementary school took a direct hit and another was destroyed. REUTERS/Gene Blevins (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENVIRONMENT DISASTER)
A shopping center and parking lot are filled with debris after a huge tornado struck in Moore, Oklahoma near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. REUTERS/Richard Rowe
A fire burns in the Tower Plaza Addition in Moore, Okla., following a tornado Monday, May 20, 2013. A tornado as much as a mile wide with winds up to 200 mph roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. (AP Photo Sue Ogrocki
A boy is pulled from beneath a collapsed wall at the Plaza Towers Elementary School following a tornado in Moore, Okla., Monday, May 20, 2013. A tornado as much as a mile (1.6 kilometer) wide with winds up to 200 mph (320 kph) roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on the elementary school. (AP Photo Sue Ogrocki)
Parts of trees and household debris cover the ground after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. REUTERS/Richard Rowe (UNITED STATES – Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT
Rescue workers help free one of the 15 people that were trapped at a medical building at the Moore hospital complex after a tornado tore through the area of Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. REUTERS/Gene Blevins (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENVIRONMENT DISASTER TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
A destroyed house remains after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. REUTERS/Richard Rowe (UNITED STATES – Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)
REFILE – CORRECTING GRAMMAR IN FIRST SENTENCE Rescue workers help free one of 15 people trapped in a medical building at the Moore hospital complex after a tornado tore through the area of Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. REUTERS/Gene Blevins (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENVIRONMENT DISASTER)
A church steeple lies on the ground after it was toppled by a huge tornado which struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. REUTERS/Richard Rowe
A sign for a local restaurant lies on the ground after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. REUTERS/Richard Rowe (UNITED STATES – Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)
Teachers carry children away from Briarwood Elementary school after a tornado destroyed the school in south Oklahoma City, Monday, May 20, 2013. A monstrous tornado roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs, flattening entire neighborhoods with winds up to 200 mph, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. (AP Photo/The Oklahoman, Paul Hellstern)
A woman carries her child through a field near the collapsed Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla., Monday, May 20, 2013. A tornado as much as a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide with winds up to 200 mph (320 kph) roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. (AP Photo Sue Ogrocki)
Picture taken with my iPhone of a tornado forming just north of my home in Bridge Creek, Oklahoma 5/20/2013
A nurse walks past the destruction at Moore hospital after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. REUTERS/Gene Blevins (UNITED STATES – Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)
Overturned cars are seen after a huge tornado touched down in the town of Moore, near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. REUTERS/Richard Rowe
A man looks through the remains of a home after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. REUTERS/Richard Rowe (UNITED STATES – Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT
Fifty-five million Americans in the storm zone. Sam Champion discusses the storm and its path.
Stripped trees and destroyed houses remain after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. REUTERS/Richard Rowe (UNITED STATES – Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)
Overturned cars are seen after a massive tornado touched down near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. REUTERS/Richard Rowe
Kay James holds her cat as she sits in her driveway after her home was destroyed by the tornado that hit the area on Monday, May 20, 2013 in Oklahoma City, Okla. (AP Photo/The Oklahoman, Chris Landsberger)
Destroyed buildings and overturned cars are seen after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. REUTERS/Richard Rowe
A rescue worker looks for victims in the Moore Hospital parking lot after being hit by a tornado that destroyed buildings and overturned cars in Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. At least four people were killed, KFOR television said, citing a reporter’s eyewitness account, and hospitals said dozens of people were injured. REUTERS/Gene Blevins (UNITED STATES – Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)
Stripped trees and destroyed houses remain after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. REUTERS/Richard Rowe
Destroyed cars are seen after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. REUTERS/Gene Blevins
A child is pulled from the rubble of the Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla., and passed along to rescuers Monday, May 20, 2013. A tornado as much as a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide with winds up to 200 mph (320 kph) roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school.(AP Photo Sue Ogrocki)
A woman is pulled out from under tornado debris at the Plaza Towers School in Moore, Okla., Monday, May 20, 2013. A tornado as much as a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide with winds up to 200 mph (320 kph) roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. (AP Photo Sue Ogrocki)
REFILE – CORRECTING GRAMMAR IN FIRST SENTENCE Rescue workers help free one of 15 people trapped in a medical building at the Moore hospital complex after a tornado tore through the area of Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. REUTERS/Gene Blevins (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENVIRONMENT DISASTER)


Richard Silvers’s Mind-Bending Wonders Of The World’s Photos

Machu Picchu, Peru (Photo by Richard Silver)
Machu Picchu, Peru (Photo by Richard Silver)

Richard Silver’s photos of the world’s biggest sights are special because he uses artistic visual constructions like the combinations of sharpness and blur.

He wrote that, “By employing techniques such as Tilt Shift, HDR, Vertical Panoramas and Time Slice, this allows me to grow as a photographer while exposing our everyday world in an altered visual context.”

Silver says:

“People always ask me, How do I make people look so small or why do I make people look so small? Simple, WE ARE. In the big picture we are just a small blip of what the world truly is. I enjoy the power I have to change the perspective of the way people look at the world and maybe at themselves.”

Please click here for more photos