Neighboring towns feel the heat of Merapi eruption

Three days of falling ash from Mount Merapi, which lies between the provinces of Yogyakarta and Central Java, has seriously affected the social and economic life of neighboring cities.
Dalyunani of Karanganyar district, Kebumen regency, said only a few stalls were open at the region’s market since Friday as most vendors preferred to stay at home following the first heavy rain of ash the day before.
“This has caused the price of many vegetables such as potatoes and watercress to double,” she told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
Umi, a watercress farmer from Sruweng district, said she could not sell her produce at market since Thursday as her fields were covered by volcanic ash.
“There is no chance that I can harvest watercress again until the eruptions fully end,” she said.
Both Umi and Dalyunani said they had also warned family members to wear face masks when they ventured outside.

Airlines Resuming Canceled Jakarta Flights

Jakarta. Thousands of international air travelers are in limbo after airlines on Saturday canceled scores of weekend flights into and out of Jakarta over fears that ash clouds from Mount Merapi posed a danger, but then began reinstating or rescheduling many of the flights on Sunday.

The notoriously volatile Mount Merapi unleashed nearly 50 million cubic meters of gas, rocks and ash on Friday, its most powerful eruption in a century. Up to 138 people have now died on Merapi's slopes in the past ten days of eruptions and gas cloud ash emissions, and authorities were still struggling on Sunday to deal with those injured in the latest blast.

Airlines canceled 50 Sunday flights in addition to 36 on Saturday over concerns about volcanic ash being spewed into the sky 430  kilometers to the east.

The airlines halting flights to the capital include Singapore Airlines, Air Asia, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa and Japan Airlines.

However, some carriers resumed some flights on Sunday. Singapore Airlines reinstated two morning flights, and has added a supplementary flight from Singapore to Jakarta and back tonight. Malaysia Airlines said three flights from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta and three from Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur would be operated as normal, but two flights in each direction remain canceled.

Soekarno-Hatta Airport operator Angkasa Pura II issued an official list of flights affected as of 12.15pm on Sunday:

Cancelled flights:
Emirates Airlines: 4 flights; EK-356/357 (15.45/17.45) EK-358/359 (21.45/00.15)
Philippine Airlines: 2 flights; PR-503/504 (12.30/13.20)
ValuAir: 2 flights; VF-507/508 (11.35/12.15)
Cathay Pacific: 2 flights; X-777/776 (13.05/14.50)
JetStar: 2 flights; JQ-115 (20.05/20.35)
Japan Airlines: 2 flights; JL-725/726 (17.20/22.05)

SBY leads disaster response in Yogya

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered Cabinet ministers and senior government officials to coordinate effectively with local authorities to manage the Mount Merapi disaster and help victims, but refrained from criticizing local authorities.

He also asked officials to concentrate on their jobs, saying he would only meet with them when urgent problems arose that required his intervention.
“I want assurances that my instructions are carried out at both the national and local levels,” Yudhoyono said.
The President, who arrived in Yogyakarta on Saturday afternoon, also received reports from National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) head Syamsul Maarif, who is in charge of coordinating all emergency and rescue operations there. The President was scheduled to visit hospitals and refugee camps.
Meanwhile, the continuing eruption of gas clouds and lava accompanied by thunderous sounds
from Mt. Merapi have driven many Yogyakarta residents to flee the ancient city and seek temporary
refuge with family members in other towns.

SNSD Dreams Of Having Their Own Radio Program

The girls were recently featured on “KBS Entertainment Relay,” where they were interviewed by Kim Taejin, a KBS reporter, before their Music Bank comeback stage. One of the questions Kim Taejin asked was what they wanted to do in the future. In reply, the girls answered, “We hope to do broadcast of ‘SNSD Radio’.”


Jessica added, “If it happens, I hope the DJs will be rotated on daily basis. When we talk, there will be a lot of funny stories and we will be making a lot of noise”.

Sooyoung also added, “Then, invitation for guests to be on the show is also not required. We have so many members, thus, there is no need for guests,” but Jessica responded that she still wanted to invite guests.
The reporter, then asked who, in particular, would Jessica want to invite as a guest to their radio program and Jessica dorkily looked at the camera and replied, “well..everyone!”

In this particular clip of “KBS Entertainment Relay,” you can also see footages of the girls backstage on music bank, giving out their new “Hoot” mini-albums to other singers and watching other singers’ performances.
Hopefully, the video will be subbed and we can say what else the girls were saying :]

Taeyeon and Sooyoung’s kiss on Music Core was actually for Halloween.

It’s been a few days since the girls’ shot arrows into our hearts with their comeback stages for hoot, but a different type of attention has already surfaced regarding their performances.




On Saturday’s Music Core, the girls’ performed their new song ‘My Best Friend‘ off of their third mini-album, coming on stage in white dresses.
This brought a sense of nostalgia to many fans, as it was reminiscent of SNSD’s innocent ‘Kissing You‘ concept. The members were very playful during the performance, with Taeyeon and Sooyoung’s kiss at the end being a big topic of discussion amongst fans. It now turns out however, the girls’ white dresses and playfulness were all part of their halloween roles to surprise fans – for they were all dressed up as… OTP Killers.
While it was still the 30th on Music Core (and thus not quite halloween), soshi had decided that they likely won’t get a chance to present themselves in such a way during their Inkigayo performances of Hoot and Mistake. Being the fun and mischievous girls that they were, the opportunity to dress up for halloween on Music Core just could not be passed up.
As Sooyoung explains:

Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's is a brain disease that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.

• Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 50 to 70 percent of dementia cases.
  

	Alzheimer's is not the only cause of memory loss. Many people have trouble with memory — this does NOT mean they have Alzheimer's. In fact, most do not. There are many different causes of memory loss. If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms, it is best to visit a doctor so the cause can be determined.

• Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging, although the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older. But Alzheimer's is not just a disease of old age. Up to 5 percent of people with the disease have early-onset Alzheimer's (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when someone is in their 40s or 50s.
  Learn more: Risk Factors
• Alzheimer's worsens over time. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Those with Alzheimer's live an average of eight years after their symptoms become noticeable to others, but survival can range from three to 20 years, depending on age and other health conditions.

Brand New Playstation Phone

 

There were several ongoing gossips that Sony Ericsson is coming up by a grand disclosure that might hit the mobile phone and gaming console marketplace. It appears that, Sony Ericsson is almost immediately to launch a Playstation-branded gaming mobile phone which will run a newest Android 3.0 OS.

A fine convictions source gave a clue the Sony Ericsson is presently working on a product’s new device that is purportedly intended to redefine gaming on Google’s mobile phone platform. The said device is described as a mixture of the Samsung Captivate and PSP Go and in fact this device is already on its previous stages of preparation already.

Stewart Rips Fox News For Making Obama's Car Analogy Racist

Stewart returned "The Daily Show" to New York last night after a week in Washington D.C., and didn't waste any time doing what he does best: exposing Fox News for their hypocrisies.
While the President was rallying for Democrats this weekend, he used one of his favorite analogies for a Republican take over of Congress, saying that it's like they want the keys back after driving the car into a ditch. He finished by saying that they can come along for the ride, but "they've got to sit in the back."
Stewart thought the comment innocuous, but then asked the audience if they had "heard it the Fox way?"

Why does Demi Lovato going rehab?

Now that Demi Lovato has bowed out of the Jonas Brothers' tour to  "emotional and physical issues," concerned fans are rallying behind the singer-actress and wondering what was troubling her.
A representative for the 18-year-old teen sweetheart declined to describe the nature of Demi's issues, but a source close to the Camp Rock star's family telss people that in the past, she has "fought through eating disorders and has struggled with cutting. … Demi is taking control by getting help."

Sound of Sunday: Most intriguing quotes

(CNN) -- Here are some of the most quotable sound bites from the Sunday morning shows:
On Election Day predictions:

"If we get 39 seats and take the majority, that's success. If we get 37 seats, that's success. ... We have battled our way back here, so to have the kind of night that we're anticipating on Tuesday is not just a blessing, but it comes from the hard work of our candidates out there engaging with the people." -- Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, CNN's "State of the Union"

"People aren't going to be voting for generic candidates on Tuesday. They'll be voting for actual candidates. And what I found as I traveled around is that in many of the states that I visited, when people listen to the candidates and know them and directly ask them questions and trust them, you get a much different outcome." -- Majority Whip Dick Durbin, "State of the Union" 

"I don't know what the headlines are going to be the day after the election. I don't think there's much doubt because of public opinion polls that Republicans are going to take over control of the House of Representatives. That's almost a foregone conclusion. I hope they won't get Senate as well, and I don't think they will. But this, I think, may have some benefits in the long term." -- Former President Jimmy Carter, CNN's "Reliable Sources"
Carter: Tea Party forebears elected me

Demi Lovato going for rehab

As the entertainment world continues to try to figure out exactly what was behind Demi Lovato's sudden tour cancellation and entry into a treatment facility, editors and experts are coming out to give their take on the situation.
While Demi is seeking treatment for "emotional and physical issues," the Today show explored her history -- which includes reports of cutting -- and spoke with psychiatrist Gail Saltz about how Demi could have wound up in this position, and where she can go from here.

Coffee Shops Face New Trend

Coffee shops all over the United States (and possibly the whole world) is about to deal with a new trend in coffee service that will definitely make customers feel like a coffee experience is almost an art form.

In the recently concluded Coffee Fest this weekend in Seattle, Washington, baristas were taught to pay attention to the value of ‘by-the-cup brewing’. This means that individualism in responding to orders is going to be necessary so that the customer would learn a little something about the coffee that he or she ordered. This also helps making coffee consistency and taste better.

lowing things down inside coffee shops is thought to be the best way to speed things up in the business. Since special attention is going to be doled out to each customer, coffee drinkers are more apt to return to that blessed coffee shop again.

Prep golf: Hart group plays through

The golf course at Las Posas Country Club in Camarillo pushed scores higher at Monday’s CIF-Southern Section Northern Individual Regional.

But it didn’t push any of the Hart girls golfers out of the individual postseason.

All four Indians taking part in the event made the cut, led by senior Brenna Carlson’s 5-over 76. They will now take part in the CIF-SS Individual Final, which will be held next Monday at La Purisima Golf Course in Lompoc.

Hart senior Amanda Corr shot a 77, while sophomore Jamie Corr shot an 80 and senior Nikki Prichard carded an 85, which turned out to be the cut.

Three other locals competed but none advanced. Saugus senior Nicole DeFrancisco fired a round of 92, and fellow senior Catherine Walgamuth shot a 97.

West Ranch sophomore Sarah Hong shot a 102 at Las Posas, which is very narrow and hilly with fast greens.

Voting locations by zip code & midterm US elections 2010

As things stand at the moment, the Republicans are on their way to reclaim claim of the lower house after a long time. Most of the polls and surveys favor them. Later Tuesday, voters will be allowed to cast their votes as polling stations open at that time.
Polls show that Democrats will be routed. If the Republicans win back the Senate then it will be a huge blow to President Barack Obama who had come to power just two years back on promise to address all the burning issues including jobs and economy. Over the period of time the voters are angry with the government for its failure to handle the issue properly.


Despite these setbacks, the President and his Democratic Party has not lost all hope. They continue to be involved in damage control.
However, some political pundits that the last-ditch effort would fail to yield positive results. They say a landslide victory for the Republicans is in the making. But it is too early to jump to any conclusion. It is better to wait for the results to pour in. But opinion polls are suggesting landslide for the Republicans.