YeinJee's Asian Journal

This is how baby elephant is produced… (NSFW)

A farm not far from where Gerald R. Ford grew up created a maze in a cornfield in the likeness of the America’s 38th president, who died last December.

Each year, Gull Meadow Farms near Richland cuts a maze in its corn fields. A company that specializes in corn maze design drew up the plans for the Ford portrait, which says PRESIDENT FORD across the top and THANKS below.

“Instead of just creating a path for people to travel through, we decided to make it a tribute to the late President Ford,” said Justin Wendzel, a spokesman for the farm.

Ford was 93 when he died Dec. 26 at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He grew up in Grand Rapids, about 42 miles north of Gull Meadow Farms, and represented the area in Congress for years before becoming president in 1974.

The Blacksmith Institute, a US-based independent environmental group, has published a list of the world’s most polluted places. [Full Pdf report]

Sumgayit, Azerbaijan; Potentially 275,000 affected
Linfen, China; Potentially 3m affected
Tianying, China; Potentially 140,000 affected
Sukinda, India; Potentially 2.6m affected
Vapi, India; Potentially 71,000 affected
La Oroya, Peru; Potentially 35,000 affected
Dzerzhinsk, Russia; Potentially 300,000 affected
Norilsk, Russia; Potentially 134,000 affected
Chernobyl, Ukraine; Potentially 5.5m affected
Kabwe, Zambia; Potentially 255,000 affected

The report said an estimated 12 million people were affected by the severe pollution, which was mainly caused by chemical, metal and mining industries. Chronic illness and premature deaths were listed as possible side-effects.

The Blacksmith Institute’s director, Richard Fuller, said: “The fact of the matter is that children are sick and dying in these polluted places, and it’s not rocket science to fix them.

“This year, there has been more focus on pollution in the media, but there has been little action in terms of new funding or programmes. We all need to step up to the plate and get moving,” he said. [BBC]

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries successfully launched the H2A rocket carrying the lunar orbit explorer Kaguya on Friday morning (Sep 14).

Japan launches Kaguya lunar probe (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

The liftoff occurred at Tanegashima Space Center at 10.31am; 45 minutes after liftoff, at an altitude of about 390 kilometers, the satellite separated from the rocket, successfully concluding the launch.

The three-tonne probe is called Selene, the Selenological and Engineering Explorer. It has been nicknamed Kaguya, after a princess in a folk story who ascended to the moon.

Japanese scientists say it is the most complex lunar mission since NASA’s Apollo programme in the 1960s and 70s, when astronauts walked on the moon. Over the course of a year, the orbiter will gather data on the moon’s origin and evolution. [BBC]

The Pink Sands Beach in Harbour Island, Bahama, is often rated as one of the sexiest (and most romantic) beaches in the world. The colour of the 3-miles beach, as it name implies, is pink in colour.

Pink Sands Beach, Bahama (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

The sand of the beach isn’t really pink though; it appears pink because of the red corals in the area, mixing with the white sand and giving the pinkish look.

Didn’t expect to see a name like this… Drinkwater.

Manchester United youth player, Daniel Drinkwater (Image courtesy of Mike)

Jamaican Asafa Powell has set a new world record for 100m sprinting on Sunday (Sep 9). The 24-year-old set the new record in 9.74 seconds at the Rieti Grand Prix, Italy.

Powell beat his own record of 9.77 seconds, which he shared with American Justin Gatlin.

Asafa Powell with his new record (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

Over 50 people participated in the 3rd annual dustbin race in the sleepy town of Hermeskeil in Germany on Saturday (Sep 8).

Most people probably took part for fun… some of them seems really serious for a win though (Images courtesy of Mailonsunday, via Spluch)