DHS will purchase 123 reduced-size explosives detection systems from Reveal Imaging Technologies for approximately $47 million, and 44 advanced technology X-ray units from Rapiscan Systems for about $3 million.
Monday, 11 May 2009
TSA Gets $50 Million for Detection/Scanning Equipment
United States — The DHS announced $50 million in awards from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to purchase new explosive detection systems and advanced technology X-ray units.
Russia Unveiling New Missile Tomorrow
"The [Russian] military will unveil a new missile system Saturday at a Victory Day parade on [Moscow's] Red Square, the highlight of more than 150 city events planned for the three-day holiday weekend."
By:
Progress
On 02:43
National Guard - Too Many Troops, Not Enough Equipment
USA Today is taking a look at the U.S. Army National Guard's impending plan to reduce the number of troops, and cut incentive packages and bonuses. The reason for this, which seemed unlikely only 2 years ago, is there is a surplus of personnel. In fact the Army National Guard has nearly 9,000 more troops than authorized by Congress.
In converse to having too many troops, the National Guard is still concerned about shortfalls in equipment critical to both domestic and warfighting missions, as well as aircraft essential to guarding America's air sovereignty.
By:
Progress
On 02:41
Saturday, 9 May 2009
The facts about Pandemic Flu and how travellers can avoid it
Dear Readers
I was prompted to write this article as I was soaking up the atmosphere and excellent service during a civilized Darjeeling tea afternoon at the Taj Krishna Hotel in Hyderabad India. Just as I was enjoying the moment of life, my partner suddenly sneezed for no apparent reason? The shock reaction of the people around us and their responses towards us suddenly changed, as clearly they were questioning whether we had caught the first case of Swine Flu in India. Only the previous night on CNN we saw 16 Mexican travellers in quarantine in China, just because of their nationality and even though they had no trace of the dreaded Swine Flu. The buzz on the streets of India was to avoid contact with Europeans that have just arrived to the country, which probably explains the reaction during tea-time. My partner by the way is perfectly well and she just sneezed as one occasionally does, but at this moment all those what if questions started to come to the fore…
• What would happen if we did catch Swine Flu?
• What would happen if we just caught a cold or seasonal Flu?
• How can we protect ourselves to avoid catching any Flu?
• What in fact is the difference between Seasonal and Swine Flu?
• Are we at greater risk when travelling?
Fuelled by the mass media, the term Swine Flu has gripped public attention in the past few weeks. Statements and speeches from the World Health Organization (WHO) and world leaders alike tell us that this health scare is certainly at least something we should be aware of in the capacity of frequent travellers. There is however much confusion in the air about the reality of the real danger that Swine Flu presents and other similar outbreaks, in addition to what the best precautions are to avoid catching what could otherwise be dangerous. Here below we have attempted to answer these questions and give the best possible Perpetual Traveller advice…
The difference between Swine Flu and seasonal Flu
Though symptoms for swine flu are similar to seasonal influenza, it's important to note, they are not the same. Here’s a statistic; every year more than 30,000 Americans die from seasonal Flu. However, those who die are generally the most vulnerable in life, such the elderly, the very young and those with weak immune systems for one reason or another.
On the other hand Pandemic Influenza, as this Swine Flu threatens to be, attacks those with the most resilient immune systems, generally being people between the ages of 20 and 40. It causes an inflammatory response (particularly in the lungs), which leads to death. If we look at Mexico where it all started, deaths have occurred in 20-40 year olds. Although this was not unanticipated; in fact it is exactly what experts expect a pandemic flu to do.
Swine Flu is actually a respiratory disease and has some elements of a virus found in pigs. There is no evidence of this disease circulating in pigs to date though. Swine Flu has been confirmed in a number of countries and it is spreading from human to human, which could lead to what we mean by a Pandemic Flu outbreak. Pandemic Flu differs from ordinary Flu, because it’s a new Flu virus that occurs in humans and tends to spread very quickly from person to person, potentially worldwide. The WHO is still closely monitoring cases of Swine Flu globally to see whether this virus develops into a Pandemic. The worry here is that, as it is a completely new virus, no one human will have immunity to it and everyone is potentially at risk of catching it. This includes healthy adults as well the elderly, frail, young children and those with existing medical conditions or weak immune systems.
How does a Pandemic Flu spread?
All Flu viruses are made up of tiny particles that alarmingly can be spread through the droplets that come out of ones nose and mouth when a person coughs or sneezes. When someone coughs or sneezes without covering their nose and mouth with a tissue, those droplets go airborne and can spread, meaning others are at risk of breathing or taking them in.
Moreover, if you cough or sneeze into your hand, those droplets and the germs in them are easily spread from your hand to any hard surface that is touched and they can survive on such a surface for some time. Everyday items could be hold the particles such as door handles, computer keyboards and your mouse, mobiles, remote controls in your hotel room, ordinary phones and all common surfaces whereby someone with a Flu virus can touch.
Once someone touches these surfaces and then touches their eyes, nose or ears, the germs can enter their system and that person will become infected. This is how all cold and Flu viruses, including Swine and Seasonal Flu, are passed on from person to person.
Is there a vaccination?
Not at this stage for Swine Flu, but for Seasonal Flu there is. Swine Flu involves a completely new type of virus. A vaccine can only be developed when the specific strain has been identified and once this occurs, it would then take several months to produce.
How can you protect yourself against Flu?
The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to follow quality personal hygiene practices. These will help to slow the spread of the virus and will be the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself and others from infection.
When you cough or sneeze it is especially important to follow the common rules of clean hygiene to prevent the spread of germs. Here are some tips…
• Always carry tissues.
• Use only clean tissues and bin them after one use.
• Do not use old Hankies.
• Wash your hands with soap and hot water frequently.
• Travel with a sanitizer gel and use it often.
• If you touch any foreign surface that could be infected, wash you hands or use the gel.
• Be careful of who you kiss or shake hands with.
• Use a face mask if you are on a plane, train or enclosed area and suspect someone has Flu.
NOTE: Keep in mind that recent evidence suggests masks may not work that well.
Is it more dangerous to travel?
If you travel frequently and visit enclosed places that are highly populated, you are at greater risk. Therefore, you should practice the above sanitation rules as a matter of perpetual habit.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms tend to come in the form of a sudden onset of…
• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness
• Breath
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Tiredness
• Aching muscles
• Chills, sneezing
• Runny nose
• Loss of appetite
I trust that this gives you a clear view of what Flu is all about and how you can protect yourself when travelling. Remember that you do not need a Flu epidemic scare to practice our suggested common hygiene tips. If you follow this advice you will catch less colds and maintain better health as you travel.
Healthy travels!
Grant Holmes
Editor
Perpetual Traveller
By:
Progress
On 06:59
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Canada’s magical autumn colours
Discover Quebec City by passing through Charlevoix and heading towards the new frontier of Canadian tourism: Nova Scotia.
It has one of the lowest population densities in the world. It has three inhabitants per square kilometre (the world average is 48; in Europe, for comparison, Italy hovers around 200). And those three inhabitants will in all probability be of different ethnic origin. Canada is a model of integration: since the 1970s it has been successfully integrating immigrants from all over the world, who today represent many of the 33 million Canadians and who have settled mainly in the belt along the border with the US. The peaceful coexistence of languages, cultures, religions, medicines and customs is impressive, as is the harmony between technological progress and environmental conservation.
With a population of 600,000, Quebec City is the most European of all Canadian cities and the second largest in Quebec, a Francophone province 40 times larger than Switzerland. The city moves to a slow beat and it has fortifications, lending it a medieval air. Last year it celebrated its 400th anniversary, and today you can enjoy the quadricentennial memorials by walking along the Promenade Samuel de Champlain, two kilometres of green pathway following the Saint Lawrence river, or seeing the de Tourny fountain in front of Parliament. The old city must be explored on foot to understand why UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage site. Start near the Place de Paris and dive into the Petit Champlain pedestrian-only area with its shops, markets, and open-air cafés serving tarte au sucre d'erable (maple syrup cake). Alternatively visit the old quarter of Saint Roch, popular with artists and designers, or the Vieux Port (old port) with its antique shops. Not far from the city are three fascinating sightseeing destinations: the idyllic, rustic island of Orléans with its windmills, art galleries and Norman-style cottages; the Montmorency waterfalls, higher than Niagara Falls; and the religious park of Saint Anne de Beaupré.
Coming back up the Saint Lawrence River you discover the Charlevoix region, which has inspired countless artists with its spectacular scenery. The valley was formed from a crater made by a prehistoric meteorite, and today it is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This area attracts whales (blue, humpback, and Beluga) and seals, but not dolphins or sharks. The main observation point is Tadoussac: the name in the aboriginal language (Ilnu) means "breast", and it is here that huge concentrations are found of the plankton that provides food for the whales. This is the access point to the Saguenay fjord, which leads to Lake St. Jean. The river runs for miles across marine parks, animal reserves, and dunes and cliffs up to 400 metres high, creating a truly unique landscape. Cruise ships stop at Saguenay, which is divided into three arrondissements (quarters): Chicoutimi, Jonquière and La Baie. La Baie is the most attractive, and contains the Fjord Museum where you can find out more about the flora and fauna of the area. La Baie is also the starting point for a number of different excursions: in ten minutes you can be at Rivière à Mars, where you can see brown bears, and an hour and a half away is Saint Félicien, where polar bears and moose live in their natural habitat. Not far off is Ha Ha Bay, with its intriguing pyramid built from thousands of road signs. In Chicoutimi you can walk around the port area (pedestrian only) and the buildings that make the town the capital of cellulose production.
Further to the east is Nova Scotia, founded by British colonists. This is the new frontier of the Canadian tourism industry: 7,400 km of coastline, cities and fishing villages that are still as they were in the early twentieth century, not to mention the lobster restaurants. Halifax, with one of the biggest ports in the world, is the regional capital. It is modern and cosmopolitan, but it has an interesting old town centre (check out the Georgian-style Province House, the nearby Art Gallery of Nova Scotia housed in an 1868 building, St Paul’s Church, Canada’s first Protestant church, and, facing it, the Victorian town hall from 1890). The film Titanic was shot here, and the Maritime Museum has exhibits from the real ship. Further along (43 km) is the iconic fishing village: Peggy’s Cove, population 60, with pastel-coloured houses and a lighthouse often enveloped in fog.
Cape Breton Island is the biggest island in Nova Scotia. Wind-beaten and primitively beautiful, it is graced with green hills and long beaches. The only real city on the island is Sydney (pop. 26,000), the hub of the coal district. Not far away is Baddeck, on the Bras d’Or lake, which, together with the Alexander Graham Bell museum, are two equally interesting destinations.
Canadian provinces correspond to US states. The smallest is Prince Edward Island, (capital Charlottetown, pop. 33,000), founded in 1763. Colonial and Victorian styles, tree-lined avenues, and huge silences from September to June: the whole island is a postcard from a far-off world in a far-off time, where the country roads and English country villages still evoke the novel Ann of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, which was written here at the beginning of the twentieth century and which has been made into a television series.
It has one of the lowest population densities in the world. It has three inhabitants per square kilometre (the world average is 48; in Europe, for comparison, Italy hovers around 200). And those three inhabitants will in all probability be of different ethnic origin. Canada is a model of integration: since the 1970s it has been successfully integrating immigrants from all over the world, who today represent many of the 33 million Canadians and who have settled mainly in the belt along the border with the US. The peaceful coexistence of languages, cultures, religions, medicines and customs is impressive, as is the harmony between technological progress and environmental conservation.
With a population of 600,000, Quebec City is the most European of all Canadian cities and the second largest in Quebec, a Francophone province 40 times larger than Switzerland. The city moves to a slow beat and it has fortifications, lending it a medieval air. Last year it celebrated its 400th anniversary, and today you can enjoy the quadricentennial memorials by walking along the Promenade Samuel de Champlain, two kilometres of green pathway following the Saint Lawrence river, or seeing the de Tourny fountain in front of Parliament. The old city must be explored on foot to understand why UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage site. Start near the Place de Paris and dive into the Petit Champlain pedestrian-only area with its shops, markets, and open-air cafés serving tarte au sucre d'erable (maple syrup cake). Alternatively visit the old quarter of Saint Roch, popular with artists and designers, or the Vieux Port (old port) with its antique shops. Not far from the city are three fascinating sightseeing destinations: the idyllic, rustic island of Orléans with its windmills, art galleries and Norman-style cottages; the Montmorency waterfalls, higher than Niagara Falls; and the religious park of Saint Anne de Beaupré.
Coming back up the Saint Lawrence River you discover the Charlevoix region, which has inspired countless artists with its spectacular scenery. The valley was formed from a crater made by a prehistoric meteorite, and today it is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This area attracts whales (blue, humpback, and Beluga) and seals, but not dolphins or sharks. The main observation point is Tadoussac: the name in the aboriginal language (Ilnu) means "breast", and it is here that huge concentrations are found of the plankton that provides food for the whales. This is the access point to the Saguenay fjord, which leads to Lake St. Jean. The river runs for miles across marine parks, animal reserves, and dunes and cliffs up to 400 metres high, creating a truly unique landscape. Cruise ships stop at Saguenay, which is divided into three arrondissements (quarters): Chicoutimi, Jonquière and La Baie. La Baie is the most attractive, and contains the Fjord Museum where you can find out more about the flora and fauna of the area. La Baie is also the starting point for a number of different excursions: in ten minutes you can be at Rivière à Mars, where you can see brown bears, and an hour and a half away is Saint Félicien, where polar bears and moose live in their natural habitat. Not far off is Ha Ha Bay, with its intriguing pyramid built from thousands of road signs. In Chicoutimi you can walk around the port area (pedestrian only) and the buildings that make the town the capital of cellulose production.
Further to the east is Nova Scotia, founded by British colonists. This is the new frontier of the Canadian tourism industry: 7,400 km of coastline, cities and fishing villages that are still as they were in the early twentieth century, not to mention the lobster restaurants. Halifax, with one of the biggest ports in the world, is the regional capital. It is modern and cosmopolitan, but it has an interesting old town centre (check out the Georgian-style Province House, the nearby Art Gallery of Nova Scotia housed in an 1868 building, St Paul’s Church, Canada’s first Protestant church, and, facing it, the Victorian town hall from 1890). The film Titanic was shot here, and the Maritime Museum has exhibits from the real ship. Further along (43 km) is the iconic fishing village: Peggy’s Cove, population 60, with pastel-coloured houses and a lighthouse often enveloped in fog.
Cape Breton Island is the biggest island in Nova Scotia. Wind-beaten and primitively beautiful, it is graced with green hills and long beaches. The only real city on the island is Sydney (pop. 26,000), the hub of the coal district. Not far away is Baddeck, on the Bras d’Or lake, which, together with the Alexander Graham Bell museum, are two equally interesting destinations.
Canadian provinces correspond to US states. The smallest is Prince Edward Island, (capital Charlottetown, pop. 33,000), founded in 1763. Colonial and Victorian styles, tree-lined avenues, and huge silences from September to June: the whole island is a postcard from a far-off world in a far-off time, where the country roads and English country villages still evoke the novel Ann of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, which was written here at the beginning of the twentieth century and which has been made into a television series.
By:
Progress
On 04:07
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Russian Helicopter Crew Survives Crash in Baltic Sea
A Russian military Ka-27 Helix helicopter crashed Monday (4/4) in the Baltic Sea while conducting sea trials with the frigate Yaroslav Mudry. The 2 pilots and 3 other crewmembers survived. The rotor blades of the helicopter had grazed the ship before the crash.
By:
Progress
On 23:10
Bolivia Nationalizes BP Aviation Division
On May 1, Bolivian President Evo Morales took action to nationalize the local unit of BP's aviation division, Air BP. From the May Day speech announcing the decision, Reuters quotes Morales saying, "I want to ask the Bolivian armed forces along with (Bolivian state energy company) YPFB to gain control of Air BP, the multinational that sells jet fuel. With this decree Air BP is now nationalized."
By:
Progress
On 23:09
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