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POPSNuclear Fusion Will Become Reality by 2011 In its National Ignition Facility (NIF), LLNL will have a laser capable of heating plasma to the absurdly-high temperatures needed for nuclear fusion. The completion of the device is scheduled for 2009, whereas the first test will begin in 2010. Researchers at the lab are confident that, by 2011, they could obtain sustainable and entirely controllable fusion. The year of 2020 was set as a marker for the construction of the first commercial power plant, to employ the new technology. If their endeavors are successful, then the world could see a major transformation, as far as energy production goes. Having a reliable and perfectly safe source of power will virtually eliminate the need for fossil-fuel power plants, and even wind and solar farms will become obsolete. In order for this to happen, governments worldwide will have to make a huge financial effort, to install these energy-producing plants across their territories.
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POPSArmistice Day November 11, 1918 The armistice was formally signed in Foch's railway carriage on 11 November (in 1940 Hitler exacted revenge by forcing the French to sign an armistice - on German terms - in the same railway carriage). The armistice initially ran for 30 days but was regularly renewed until the formal peace treaty was signed at Versailles the following year. Should the Germans have deviated in any way from the terms of the armistice the Allies warned that a resumption of hostilities would begin within 48 hours. The terms of the armistice required the Germans to evacuate German-occupied territories on the Western Front within two weeks. Allied forces were to occupy the left bank of the Rhine within a month, and a neutral zone established on the right bank. View a map detailing the final Allied offensive of the war. http://www.firstworldwar.com/maps/graphics/maps_69_wfront_final_off_(1600).jpg
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POPSWomen trafficking, horrible also in numbers Some more horrifying statistics: In the region of South Eastern Europe, comprising Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, 90% of foreign women in the sex business are alleged victims of trafficking, 10% to 15% of these women and girls are under the age of 18 years. The majority of victims are recruited in Albania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania. The women and girls are often initially trafficked on the local market. They are being moved from one place to another and after a while sold abroad. following a movie i saw, thought to look into figures and was amazed. this is one of the lowest levels that human is reaching. and i say human because putting it away, shoving it aside, excusing oneself from that sight will not do. it is something in within human capabalities, and we should acknowledge that, also the strive to undo it.
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POPSThe True Cost of Rewarding Greedy Bankers Note the names of some of these great institutions that rewarded greed. Note the immediate cost to UK taxpayers. I would be interested to see figures relating to the taxes of US citizens' tax bills compares. (Oh, meanwhile, Barclays in London have just guaranteed 2.5 billion dollars in bonuses and salaries to a firm called Lehmans that they just bought a bit of.)
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POPSWalking speed in different cities 32) Blantyre (Malawi); 31.60 A new study by quirky psychologist Richard Wiseman has revealed that people's average walking speed in cities has increased by 10% in the last decade. People from 32 countries were timed walking over an 18 metre (60 foot) stretch of un-crowded pavement, and the results were compared to findings from a similar study conducted in the 1990s (by Robert V Levine at California State University).
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POPSEastern Europe Can Defend Itself
The small number of interceptors are designed to shoot down an equally small number of Iranian missiles -- not the overwhelming numbers that Russia deploys. Poland and other states should be under no illusion they can count on the U.S. in a crisis. In the past we left Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia in the lurch. More recently we haven't done much to help Georgia. We have already seen how the tiny Georgian armed forces -- with fewer than 30,000 men -- were routed by the Russian invaders. According to the CIA's World Factbook, Georgia has over 900,000 men between the ages of 16 and 49. It could easily create a larger military force than it has, but that would require spending more on defense. By the CIA's estimate, its defense budget was just 0.59% of GDP in 2005. According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies, one country in Eastern Europe spends more than 2% of GDP on defense. Bulgaria at 2.2%. Romania is in second place at 1.9%, followed by Poland at 1.8%.
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POPSMost Ethical Destinations? Worried about your travel footprint? Want to support tourism in a developing country but don't want to support bad environmental practices or human rights abuses? Check out this list of "most ethical destinations" compiled by ethicaltraveler.org.
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