Called: Joanne
Alter Egos: Ellinix. Centuaris. Mad girl.
Was formerly from: Griffiths Primary. Sembawang Primary. Riverside Secondary. SP DMIT
Is in: The unemployed category
Appeared: 16 June
Craved AKA B421 list
candies, spotlights, and the chocolate shop
Ability to Sew
Knitting & Crocheting
Yamaha Grade 5 (Electone)
ABRSM Grade 5 (Violin)
Driving License
Some (good) reputation
Job!
BALLOON SCULPTURING!
To have BMI of 21
Friends & Family to remain as they are, happy & lovely
A new study from the National Academy of Sciences outlines grim possibilities on Earth for a worst-case scenario solar storm.
Damage to power grids and other communications systems could be catastrophic, the scientists conclude, with effects leading to a potential loss of governmental control of the situation.
The prediction is based in part on a major solar storm in 1859 that caused telegraph wires to short out in the United States and Europe, igniting widespread fires.
It was perhaps the worst in the past 200 years, according to the new study, and with the advent of modern power grids and satellites, much more is at risk.
"A contemporary repetition of the [1859] event would cause significantly more extensive (and possibly catastrophic) social and economic disruptions," the researchers conclude.
When the sun is in the active phase of its 11-year cycle, it can unleash powerful magnetic storms that disable satellites, threaten astronaut safety, and even disrupt communication systems on Earth.
The worst storms can knock out power grids by inducing currents that melt transformers.
Modern power grids are so interconnected that a big space storm — the type expected to occur about once a century — could cause a cascade of failures that would sweep across the United States, cutting power to 130 million people or more in this country alone, the new report concludes.
Such widespread power outages, though expected to be a rare possibility, would affect other vital systems.
"Impacts would be felt on interdependent infrastructures with, for example, potable water distribution affected within several hours; perishable foods and medications lost in 12-24 hours; immediate or eventual loss of heating/air conditioning, sewage disposal, phone service, transportation, fuel resupply and so on," the report states.
Outages could take months to fix, the researchers say. Banks might close, and trade with other countries might halt.
"Emergency services would be strained, and command and control might be lost," write the researchers, led by Daniel Baker, director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
"Whether it is terrestrial catastrophes or extreme space weather incidents, the results can be devastating to modern societies that depend in a myriad of ways on advanced technological systems," Baker said in a statement released with the report.
Stormy past
Solar storms have had significant effects in modern time:
— In 1989, the sun unleashed a tempest that knocked out power to all of Quebec, Canada.
— A remarkable 2003 rampage included 10 major solar flares over a two-week period, knocking out two Earth-orbiting satellites and crippling an instrument aboard a Mars orbiter.
"Obviously, the sun is Earth's life blood," said Richard Fisher, director of the Heliophysics division at NASA. "To mitigate possible public safety issues, it is vital that we better understand extreme space weather events caused by the sun's activity."
"Space weather can produce solar storm electromagnetic fields that induce extreme currents in wires, disrupting power lines, causing wide-spread blackouts and affecting communication cables that support the Internet," the report states. "Severe space weather also produces solar energetic particles and the dislocation of the Earth's radiation belts, which can damage satellites used for commercial communications, global positioning and weather forecasting."
Rush to prepare
The race is on for better forecasting abilities, as the next peak in solar activity is expected to come around 2012.
While the sun is in a lull now, activity can flare up at any moment, and severe space weather — how severe, nobody knows — will ramp up a year or two before the peak.
Some scientists expect the next peak to bring more severe events than other recent peaks.
"A catastrophic failure of commercial and government infrastructure in space and on the ground can be mitigated through raising public awareness, improving vulnerable infrastructure and developing advanced forecasting capabilities," the report states. "Without preventive actions or plans, the trend of increased dependency on modern space-weather sensitive assets could make society more vulnerable in the future."
The report was commissioned and funded by NASA. Experts from around the world in industry, government and academia participated. It was released this week.
In Stuttgart, Germany, a court judge must decide on a case of honorable intentions in a situation where a man hired his neighbor to get his wife pregnant.
It seems that Demetrius Soupolos, 29, and his former beauty queen wife, Traute, wanted a child badly, but Demetrius was told by a doctor that he was sterile.
So, Soupolos, after calming his wife’s protests, hired his neighbor, Frank Maus, 34, to impregnate her. Since Maus was already married and the father of two children, plus looked very much like Soupolos to boot, the plan seemed good.
Soupolos paid Maus $2,500 for the job and for three evenings a week for the next six months, Maus tried desperately, a total of 72 different times, to impregnate Traute.
When his own wife objected, he explained, "I don’t like this any more than you. I’m simply doing it for the money. Try and understand."
When Traute failed to get pregnant after six months, however, Soupolos was not understanding and insisted that Maus have a medical examination, which he did.
The doctor’s announcement that Maus was also sterile shocked everyone except his wife, who was forced to confess that Maus was not the real father of their two children.
Now Soupolos is suing Maus for breach of contract in an effort to get his money back, but Maus refuses to give it up because he said he did not guarantee conception, but only that he would give an honest effort.
Feels weird not seeing the other half for so many days.
But but, =D
Hehhehehehe!!! =D
// Friday, April 17, 2009 12:21 PM
My claves hurt so much, I was crawling up the stairs just now. Why why why am I slping at the top bunk?? *miserable*
And the evillllllll other half is tempting me to go out with fooodddd!! FOOD!!
World seems a lot clearer with 8 hours of rest. MMM, if only leggies would heal faster...
I'm starving btw. =(=( think I will end up koping the chicken thigh that was left for Jean.
Okay, back to my crawling adventure!
// Tuesday, April 14, 2009 11:44 PM
Why are we fighting?
Waiting and waiting...
// 1:29 PM
And here I am, back from Hainan, waiting for sis's sms. Apparently, the school just screwed her laptop and she's not very happy with it.
Tmr would be the official day that I am no longer a student of SP. It feels weird really... I'm now just part of the stat of an unemployed/employed individual.
There's something I need to get off my chest though... I saw a reallyyy beautiful wallet in Hainan but I didn't get to buy it. =(=(=( Apparently there isn't a disney stall in SG. How can it be???? WHY IS IT IN CHINA BUT NOT IN SINGAPORE?! =(=(=(
Waiting for this to be out... It's gonna be good, no wait, it BETTER be good! =D I hearts the book!
And did I mention that Ewan Mchandsome is in it? =D=D=D
Ohhhhh, meet ups this weekend okay? If you wanna know bout Hainan! Muahahah! I didn;t get anything for anyone including myself so the only thing I can give is like info about that country and loads of temptation (cuz it is a really nice place)
I'm planning to go swimming on Thursday or Friday though, anyone interested? Sms okay! I don't mind travelling to a totally random area as long as it means that there will be good company during the swim.
P.s: I think I'm unemployed again cuz I didn't reply to like a million messages that the higher up sent. So I probably have screwed up one project so badly that they probably have decided to fire me. >< But then again I might be over reacting as I alwayyyss do, seeing that it IS a freelance project which means they might not call me for some time. Oh well, time to act like a tai tai~ =D
// 1:22 AM
Sometimes, I really wished I knew the right words to say.
// Wednesday, April 08, 2009 1:15 AM
=D
It's nice to be walked alllll the way home. Nice to be told that you're loved. Nice to be told that you'll be missed.
I guess no matter how strong we make ourselves seem to be, we are only human afterall.
I miss all of you guys in Hainan Dao. Keep me in on the gossip! AHHAH!
// Monday, April 06, 2009 12:52 AM
Just finished talking to the gang. And omfg, didn't know that PL went off le. SRY DEARRR!!
http://twitter.com/_jigglypuff_ even pokemon's twittering now! LOLOLOL! It's so bloody amusing lah! HAHAH
For more LOLs, http://www.davidcole.me/pokemon/ the list is there! =D
Cool game! Why don't we have it on symphonic 92.4??
I'm actually trying to learn to make clothes and such whilst working. Happy days ahead!
Btw, I passed my Grade 6 exams. I have no idea how, but I am like super determined to get a distinction for the next exam though it's gonna be hard hard hard! Ginny said Wan Yee tried 3 times le but still...
Gonna meet up with the gang later. It's been a looonnnggg time.
Lately I felt the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I guess in the end, it's only those who were with me during those times are the people that I can truly call my pillars.
Some thing happened and I realized that the world that I live in might not be so innocent anymore. I have no idea why it's affecting me so much since it was kinda obvious from the start but still... I really trusted that person a lot. I guess I just wanna know why? Why do you hate me so?
Haiii, low low points. Shall not think about it as the handsome bestie and the bf advises.
Anyway, because of person X I have decided, I shdn't be civil to the people I don't trust. Simple and highly effective.
Okay, back to clothes making. Oh yah, anyone anything from HaiNan Dao? Cheryl says that the fried ice cream is superly nice there but I seriously don't think that I will be able to take it back for you guys. So, tag and I'll see if it's there! I'll be leaving on Wed so tell me by Tuesday okay? =D
