NASA Bids Adieu To Spirit Mars Rover

The Spirit Rover that NASA sent to Mars in 2004, is not expected to be used again.  Spirit, and it's twin Opportunity were both sent to Mars in 2004, to explore the red planet.  Spirit has had a rough time on Mars, as over the years it had two wheels stop working, it faced a few hard winters, it started sending nonsense data back to Earth, and more.  This robot, has caught the world's attention with all of it's mishaps on the red planet, but now it seems it has faced it's doom, after getting stuck in a sand pit.  NASA has set up listening posts all-around the world, to hear even the tiniest peep from the rover, but nothing has been heard, since the last contact with the rover, before the last Mars winter.  NASA believes that the harsh cold, of temperatures of down-to -55 C, which is the coldest that is has experienced on Mars, may have damaged Spirit's electronics, after the engineers could not properly position the solar panels, which then did not provide enough energy to power it's heaters.  The rover, Opportunity, now is the only moving rover left on Mars, after NASA said goodbye to another rover Phoenix, in 2008, after it had spent five months studying an Arctic Plain on Mars.  NASA says that Opportunity will not be alone for a while though, as they plan to send, a rover the size Mini-Cooper in summer 2012.

I believe that The Mars rovers were a great success, with Opportunity, and Spirit, both almost seven years of exploring on the red planet.  I believe that the rovers have provided us with more information, and a better understanding of Mars.  I also believe that the engineers Spirit have done an excellent job at continuing to work on Spirit through all of it's technical mishaps over the years.  They have persevered immensely, and have gotten through situations where I am not even sure what I would do, and think that almost all hope is lost.  I am pretty sure, that if one of the tires on a rover, that is on a different planet, stopped turning, I would be a little lost, and worried about it we/I could get the rover moving again, but that is what these engineers have gone through, and managed to pull off, which is extraordinary.  The information that we have gained from these explorations, I believe, are well worth the time, and the effort to put all of these massive projects together.

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/offbeat/story/2011/05/24/science-spirit-mars-rover.html

Que. Floods Recedes As More Soldiers Arrive

Over the last few weeks, water levels in Southeastern Quebec have been fluctuating from high, to receding, and back to high again.  Last week, the water levels were beginning to recede when it started to rain, and the wind picked-up, which put water levels to an all-time high.  Later on Tuesday afternoon, it was announced that flood waters had receded by 18 centimetres in 24 hours.  A trend meteorologists predicts that this will continue for a few more days ahead.  The flooding began in early May, and has so far forced-out 1,000 people from their homes, and has flooded more than 3,000 homes since.  On Monday the water levels reached a high, as high gusting winds pushed water into the already full Richelieu, from Lake Champlain.  Soldiers from The Canadian Army have been sent into help with relief events, and provide help where necessary.  Two hundred and fifty new reserve soldiers arrived from CFB Valcartier to help with relief effort, which now puts the number of military personnel at 500 military personnel in the area.  The military personnel arrived, after Quebec Premier, Jean Charest, asked for more help in the relief area's on Monday, and the next day the soldiers arrived.

I believe that this is a very unfortunate matter, which cannot not entirely be prevented, but certain steps, and measures can, and have-to be taken to ensure there is no loss of life, or injury, and reduce the amount of property damage.  I believe that having soldiers sent to the flooded area's to try, and help with problems in the area is an excellent choice, since the more people to help, the better.  This adds more people for sandbagging, and other relief efforts.  This matter is hard to prevent entirely, but by having a detailed evacuation plan that all of the residents in area's that have been flooded before, and this time, would help with a safe evacuation of all of the residents.  To prevent property damage, it is a bit harder, as water is harder to control, especially when there is so much of it, but some improvements could include, building more dikes to try,and maintain the water in heavily hit area's, now, and prior floods.  I believe that this is a very unfortunate matter, but there are a very safety precautions that can be taken to reduce to the injury, and loss of life, and to property.

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2011/05/24/flooding-quebec-richelieu.html

Busy Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast

This year for the Atlantic Hurricane Forecast, is predicting 12 to 18 named storms that will hit the U.S., and surrounding area.  The U.S. National Weather Service is also predicting that 6 to 10 of these storms will be hurricanes.  Three to six of these storms are supposed to major storms, which is at least a category three hurricane, and the winds in these storms can possibly be gusting up to 180 kilometres an hour, the U.S. National Weather Service added.  The storms are supposed to hit The Atlantic Coast harder than the last few years.  People are probably worrying again in the southern states, after what happened with Hurricane Katrina.  Analysts say that the reason for the spike in the predicted amount of storms, compared to last year is, because the temperature is warmer is than usual, the fact that the weather phenomenon La Nina is supposed to be present in the hurricane season this season, seasonal climate models suggest that an above-average hurricane season is likely.  These storms, also have the potential to travel up The Atlantic Coast, and hit Canada.

I believe that this is a very unfortunate matter which has to be dealt with almost every year.  Each year, people of these regions are devastated as they have their homes, and property destroyed by storms. Each year as well, more safety precautions are taken to try, and prevent the loss of life, and damage to property.  I think that it is also, just a poor geographical location to live in with all of the storms that pass through The U.S. Area.  I hope that with this high number of hurricane season predicted ahead of us people have a plan to evacuate the dangered area, efficiently, and effectively.  I hope that this hurricane season, is not as bad as it is predicted to be.

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/05/19/jurricane-forecast-noaa.html

New Faces, But Stability Key In Harper Cabinet Shuffle

Stephen Harper, just recently announced his first majority cabinet members.  There were a few new faces, and a few shuffles, but Prime Minister Harper seemed to keep more experienced ministers in prior positions.  Prime Minister Harper said that he had to make some significant changes due to the fact of two retirements, and four election losses.  He says that the new cabinet is, "fundamentally about stability and continuity."  After the cabinet was sworn in at Rideau Hall on Wedenesday, Prime Minister Harper said that he never had a deeper roster of talent to choose his new cabinet ministers from.  Some of the new faces in the ministry include, Steven Blaney as Minister Of Vetran Affairs, Bal Gosal as Minister Of State For Sport, Joes Oliver as Minister For Natural Resources, and a few others.  Prime Minister Harper said, that he wanted to make as few changes as possible, and says also, that the MP's who were not given a promotion, will gain more political experience, which will give The Conservative Party Of Canada, a bright future in terms of possible cabinet ministers.

I believe that Prime Minister Harper did an excellent job at organizing his first majority ministry.  I think that the idea of keeping experienced cabinet ministers in there prior positions to the elections was a smart move, as Canada recovered from the recent recession with most of these cabinet ministers in the spots they are in today.  I believe that this was a smart decision to keep them like this, as Canada continues to recover from the recent recession, and the people who were in-charge before, should still be in-charge now.  I think that it is also good that there are some new ministers in the ministry, because there needs to be some new ministers as well, with some new ideas.  I think that his will bring some new, and creative decisions within the ministry, and will overall, improve the ministry.  Overall, I think that Prime Minister Harper did an excellent job at creating his new ministry, and made the right decisions with the placement, and how he keep where he put his cabinet ministers.

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/05/18/pol-cabinet-shuffle.html

Pakastani Leaders Unaware Of Osama Hideout, Gates Says

After Osama bin Laden's death a few weeks ago, during a U.S. Navy Seal Raid on a compound in Pakistan, there have been some speculations that The Pakistani Government knew that bid Laden was living there for the last five years.  The question of whether, or not Pakistani Officials knew about bin Laden being within their country, is still unclear, but it is quite possible that they had no idea what so ever.  This is what U.S. Defence Secretary, Robert Gates, thinks as well.  He thinks that no, high-level government official knew about bin Laden living in their country, and has seen no evidence to show him that they did, and has, in fact, seen evidence to prove that they did not.  This issue is very controversial, because over the past ten years, ten billion dollars, have been sent to Pakistan in aid.  If it turns-out that Pakistan knew that bin Laden was living in Pakistan, then the bill in The Senate would not likely be passed, and The U.S. would stop funding aid to Pakistan.  This would mean that innocent people would suffer from this, because the money that The U.S. Government provides to Pakistan, is a very significant number, and it probably helps many people.

I believe that this is an unfortunate matter for Pakistan, because no one will believe that they did not know.  It is possible for Osama bin Laden to have crossed the Afghanistan, and Pakistan border, and then move freely about in Pakistan undercover.  The border between Afghanistan, and Pakistan, is desert, and mountains, which would make an easy task to sneak through the border at some place, un-noticed, and undercover.  Once he was in Pakistan, without the government not knowing of his presence in their country, then it would be quite simply to just lay low, and stay within the compound, that the U.S. Navy Seals raided on May 2nd, 2011.  I personally believe that it is most likely that The Pakistani Government, had no knowledge of Osama bin Laden being within their country.  I am not ruling-out that they knew, but I think that it is most likely that they did not.

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/05/18/gates-pakistan-osama.html

Slave Lake Evacuees Complain Of Little Warning

The residents of Slave Lake, a town in Alberta, are complaining that they did not have enough warning to leave their homes, and be evacuated from the area before raging forest fires closed in from all around.  There was no word of evacuation, until the radio stations were closed, and police had to go door-to-door, warning people of the need to evacuate.  People had to find-out about the evacuation through social media, which is a terrible means of communication when lives are at danger.  Some of the evacuees were told to leave the area, when their homes were on fire already.  There needs to be more action taken to properly evacuate residents in a safe, and efficient way, to be properly evacuated before any danger is near the residents.  Officials say that residents in the area are not allowed back into their homes, for at least a week, and it possibly could be two weeks.  Many of the homes are being destroyed, and burned, and 7 RCMP Officers homes were also included in the destruction.

I believe that when the residents return to their homes, there has to be a proper evacuation plan implemented, so that if there ever was another forest fire nearby, and there was a need to evacuate.  This is an essential need for a community that has had problems like this in the past, or could potentially have problems like this in the future, for the safety of it's residents.  This plan needs to be implemented immediately, for the safety of it's residents.  I think that as soon as people are allowed back into their homes, and The Town Council can assemble, then they need to have this issue at the top of their, "To Do List."  As for the effort that was made to make the evacuation possible, I believe that they did an excellent job at trying to go door-to-door to try, and communicate the danger that was heading their way.  This matter is very unfortunate, but some safety measures can be taken to prevent lives being at a greater of a risk.

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/05/17/slave-lake-tues.html

Afghan Chopper Crash Was "Choatic": Reporter

Early Monday morning, a Canadian Chinook Helicopter crash landed in a remote part of the Panjwaii in Afghanistan.  The helicopter crashed on landing at night, when the pilot misjudged his altitude, and the helicopter flipped on it's side.  On-board the helicopter were 25 soldiers, 5 crew members, and one reporter.  The reporter said that it all happened so fast, and there was hardly any time to think about what was happening.  The helicopter flipped on its side, sending all of the soldiers on one side of the helicopter toppling onto the other soldiers on the other side.  Luckily enough, there were no insurgents in the area, and so the personnel on-board were able to secure the area around the crash site.  Four soldiers were injured in the crash, one was seriously injured, and was loud at the site of the crash, because of the injuries he sustained.

I believe that this is a very unfortunate accident, and it was human that caused it, so there is some room for improvement.  Night landings in a helicopter can be extremely tricky, and it was human-error that this accident happened.  Taking away from this accident, I hope that now The Royal Canadian Air Force (The RCAF) should include some more night landing training into their helicopter pilot training.  This would hopefully prevent further accidents, like this one, in the future.  The reporter on-board the helicopter during the accident, has described the accident in detail, and it truly sounded chaotic.  I am just glad to hear that no soldiers were killed, or more were hurt.

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2011/05/16/afghan-chopper-crash.html