The Ring of Fire

Located at borders of several tectonic plates
90% of the world's earthquakes occur along it
Also zone of frequent volcanic activity

The Pacific Ring of Fire is making a grand statement.
Remember Johnny Cash singing
I went down down down
to the burning ring of fire
?
The teutonic plates are shifting, and those of us alive at this time are witnessing it.
Here's the story. Light, love and compassion to those who are so devastatingly affected by it. Sighs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5023874.stm#graphic

Search for Java quake survivors

Footage from Java

A frantic search for survivors is continuing after a strong earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Java, killing more than 4,200 people.

Many people are still believed trapped under rubble and collapsed buildings, but rescue teams say the chances of finding anyone alive are slim.

Relief efforts are picking up speed, with teams from across the country and abroad arriving in the disaster zone.
The area struck by the quake is densely-populated.

In pictures: quake aftermath
Yogyakarta: Rich in culture
The Indonesian Red Cross estimates some 200,000 people fled their homes after it hit early on Saturday morning.

At least 4,285 are thought to have been killed and more than 10,000 injured when the quake, measuring 6.3, flattened buildings south of the city of Yogyakarta.

The BBC's Rachel Harvey at the scene says the situation is still desperate in the worst affected region around the city of Yogyakarta - badly injured people are arriving at hospitals already short of space and hundreds of victims are having to be treated outdoors.

Field clinics are being set up to relieve the pressure on hospitals.
The worst devastation was in the town of Bantul, south of Yogyakarta city, where an official said more than 2,000 people had been killed.

Tens of thousands have been left homeless

There were also reports that one of the country's most important ancient temple complexes was badly damaged by the quake.

Initial surveys showed collapsed stone walls and statues lying scattered around the site at the Hindu Prambanan complex in Yogyakarta.

The temples are more than 1,000 years old and listed by the UN as a world heritage site.
Aid appeal
The Red Cross launched an appeal for $10m (7.7m euros), as world leaders pledged aid.
Unicef said it was sending emergency supplies including 2,000 tents, 9,000 tarpaulins and hygiene kits.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on rescuers to work around the clock, as he visited the stricken area with a team of Cabinet ministers on Saturday.

Yogyakarta is near the Mount Merapi volcano, which threatened to erupt earlier this month, forcing thousands of people to be evacuated.

Experts were divided over whether the quake would affect Merapi, but there are reports of heightened activity at the volcano.

Officials said that although the area affected was coastal there was no tsunami resulting from the quake.

The quake hit at 0554 local time (2253 GMT Friday), around 25km (15 miles) south of the city of Yogyakarta, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia's ancient royal capital and one of its biggest cities, is about 440km (275 miles) south-east of the capital, Jakarta.

Aid effort hampered

Yogyakarta's airport was closed after sustaining damage. Indonesia's Transport Minister Hatta Radjasa said it would remain shut until at least Sunday while inspections were carried out, AP reported.
AID PLEDGES SO FAR
UK - $5.5m
EU - $3.8m
US - $2.5m
Australia - $2.3m
China - $2m
Canada - $1.8m

The aid effort was also reportedly hampered as the quake cut electricity and communications in some areas.

Indonesia is in a zone known as the Pacific "ring of fire", which is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity.

In December 2004, a huge earthquake off Indonesia's coast killed hundreds of thousands of people across the Indian Ocean by triggering a tsunami.

Two more earthquakes rocked the Pacific islands of Tonga and Papua New Guinea on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries caused by the tremors, which measured 6.7 and 6.2 respectively.

.....

News about Ariel Sharon. I guess he is still in some state of aliveness. There hasn't been any word on him for quite a while now. I almost lost the story - It zapped from the headline page to the Middle East page right before my eyes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5024688.stm

Sharon moved for long-term care

Curtains shield the ambulance said to be carrying Mr Sharon Former Israeli Prime Minister

Ariel Sharon has been moved from hospital to a specialist care centre in Tel Aviv.

Mr Sharon, 78, suffered a major stroke in January and has remained in a coma despite eight operations.

He was moved from Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital to the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv, where doctors say he can receive appropriate long-term care.

Mr Sharon's deputy, Ehud Olmert, assumed his powers in January and was recently elected prime minister.

The director of the Sheba centre, Dr Zeev Rotstein, told reporters that Mr Sharon's treatment would be "difficult, because in his condition, complications are expected".

Legacy
Correspondents say the move away from the Hadassah hospital signals an acceptance that Mr Sharon is unlikely to emerge from his coma any time soon.

"We will treat him as best we can. It is not a short-term treatment, we are talking about long-term treatment," Dr Rotstein added.

Mr Sharon, a former army commander who fought in a series of Middle East wars, held a number of cabinet positions before he became prime minister in 2001.

He is among the best known politicians in Israel's history, but is widely hated by many in the Arab world.

His tenure in office was dominated by security concerns, and he pushed through Israel's withdrawal from settlements in the Gaza Strip in 2005.

.....

Short story. Everything is changed now.

Today is 1 Sivan, 45th day of the Omer. Energy shifts again.

Froggie went a courtin' he did ride uh huh froggie went a courtin he did ride froggie went a courtin' he did ride a sword and pistol by his side uh huh uh huh uh huh.

Peace

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