An Ideal Vacation in Fort Walton

2009-05-08T04:30:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a place to come and spend your spring and summer holidays, Fort Walton Beach is the ideal vacation destination for you. It is very famous as a world class resort good for families and friends alike.

The military and tourism are the two main providers of income for Fort Walton. You can come to Fort Walton anytime of the year. The lovely sunshine, crystal clear water, water parks, and mouthwatering food all add up the reason why people come to Fort Walton.

There is something for everyone who comes to Fort Walton. They really enjoy a lot of activities here, like golfing, fishing, festivals, restaurants, shops, and so much more. There are enough activities to make you sweating and busy all the time you’re here at Fort Walton.

Surely, there is a lot that can you can do while you are in Fort Walton. And your vacation here will surely make a difference for your event.

Experience Fort Walton like you’ve never done it before. The Fort Walton Beach rentals and Fort Walton rentals will surely offer you a place to stay while you are here. Book for your accommodations now and enjoy your stay in Fort Walton. There are a lot of activities that you can enjoy while you are here.

It’s hard, yet, its worth joining the Busby SEO Test

2009-01-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

Everyone else finds every contest difficult. And the Busby SEO test is not an exception. As of January, search engines have registered unheard of number of entries. There entries have come from different parts of the world, all SEO enthusiasts who want to make and left their mark in the industry.

It is indeed a competition. The key word here is the Busby SEO test and you have to make this key word rank. This is a lot of work here. Aside from that, you also have to do another hard work to make sure that you site maintains in the rank. This is how hard SEO is yes. Yet, when you win, the reward is far from greater.

Hope in the Face of Disaster

2008-11-06T22:24:00.000-08:00

There was a lot of history that took place that fateful night of June 23. Sure as it is, the event not only added another page to the history of the Philippines but also scathed the memories of many and took the lives of some. Indeed, the havoc that Typhoon Fengshen, more famous for its local name Frank, had wrought to the Filipinos, particularly to those who live in Western Visayas is indelible that cost the region billions of pesos and hundreds of lives.
Typhoon Frank is one of the many natural disasters that continue to plague not only the Philippines, but the entire world. Furthermore, there are also man made disasters – disasters that humans are directly responsible of.
Disasters do come and go. But before they leave, they will surely leave a stain for everyone to relish.

NATURAL HAZARDS AND DISASTERS

You might think that Mother Nature is really full of anger nowadays: anger that causes us to be afraid due to side by side natural hazards that dot the headlines. Natural hazards, indeed, are threat to humans. They are phenomena caused by nature that have negative effects and may cause harm or even cost the lives of people.
Natural disasters are synonymous with natural hazards, sometimes, the two are even interchanged. Actually, there is a thin margin that defines the difference of the two. Natural hazards are dangers that should be foreseen in nature like earthquakes and tidal waves. A natural hazard becomes a natural disaster if it has casualties.
In his book Mapping Vulnerability: Disasters, Development, and People (2003), G. Bankoff et al discussed that natural disasters are the outcome of natural hazard. Examples of natural hazards are volcanic eruption, earthquake, landslide, and any other incidence that no human being can stop. These natural disasters affect human lives and activities, such that they kill the lives of people or inflict economic instability to a certain locality.
“Human vulnerability, exacerbated by the lack of planning or appropriate emergency management, leads to financial, environmental, or human losses,” discussed Bankoff. The result of these disasters, on the other hand, depends on the resilience and means of the people to support or resist the disaster.
In analyzing a natural disaster, one may also ponder on the maxim that “disasters occur when hazards meet vulnerability.” B. Wisner, P. Blaikie, T. Cannon, and I. Davis explained in their book At Risk – Natural Hazards, People’s Vulnerability and Disaster (2004) that “natural disasters will never result in areas without vulnerability,” like strong earthquakes in places where no man lives.

Avalanche

An avalanche occurs if snows from the mountain top, cliff, or slope go down at a speed of more than 160 km/h. These flows can be very destructive, both in lives and properties, especially if an avalanche occur to places where a lot of people live. Slopes in 30° are in danger of avalanche, especially when deep snow flows speedily where chances of cohering are very limited.
There are a lot of factors that causes an avalanche. The most common is noise or sudden vibration. One of the most famous avalanches in history is the Galtür avalanche in Austria on Feb. 23, 1999. The said disaster killed 35 people, destroying houses, and burying victims under tons of snow. In order to prevent avalanches, some countries designate snow patrols that detonate explosives in strategic points that smaller, less destructive flow.

Earthquake

Earthquake is a sudden shaking of the ground caused by the movement of the tectonic plates. An earthquake is caused by tectonic places that either slide to one another or bump at each other. Though earthquakes today seem to be very disastrous, in reality, an earthquake alone barely kills humans or destroys the wildlife. The one that kills and destroys is the secondary event that comes after the earthquake like buildings that collapse, tsunamis, landslides, volcano eruptions, or fires.
Geologist Haraldur Sigurdsson, professor of volcanology at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, said in an interview to Encarta that the deadliest earthquake in the world occurred in Huahsien, China in 1556 which killed 830,000 people. Another earthquake, in Tangshan, China, ranked second when it killed 240,000 in 1976.
“Figures of this type become even more tragic when we realize that the losses of life and property associated with earthquake disasters are almost entirely due to the failure of human-made structures,” he said, citing that some cities are situated on mud covered by soil which only amplified the impact of the earthquake.
The world around, the results of earthquake have produced destruction and agony for those who lost their lives (See separate article about earthquakes).

Landslide

A landslide is the sudden descent of soil or rocks down from a mountain or slope. Landslides nowadays are often attributed to illegal logging, which causes mountains to be cropped, thereby making it easier for the soil to be carried away down the mountain when heavy rain falls or when strong wind blows.

Volcanic Eruption

Volcanic eruption is another disaster that poses a threat to humans, properties, and agriculture. It is caused by the explosion of a volcano and the fall of rocks and pumice that follows afterward. Another destructive effect of volcanic eruptions are mobility of explosive and hot materials, falling ashes, lava and volcanic debris fall. Volcanic eruptions even in deserted areas can be dangerous since ashes can be thrown to the atmosphere. These volcanic ashes can pose hazard to airplanes.

Flood

Floods are caused when the soil fails to absorb the water that comes from rain or snow. According to Encarta Encyclopedia, (2003), “water runs off the land in quantities that cannot be carried in stream channels or retained in natural ponds and constructed reservoirs,” cause flood.
Floods do not only cause damage to properties, they also hamper the economy of a certain place and puts menace to the lives of humans and animals. Strong currents of flood can hamper soil erosion or sediment deposition that causes the surface of lakes and rivers to rise.
The Great Flood in China in 1931 is probably the greatest recorded flood in history. It resulted after the Huang He (Yellow River) overflowed, killing between 800,000 and 4 million people.

Limnic Eruption

According to Wikipedia.com (2007), limnic eruption takes place when carbon dioxide located deep within a lake erupts. This eruption can suffocate the wildlife, livestock, and humans that live around the lake, causing them to die. Limnic eruption may also cause a tsunami within a lake as the rise of carbon dioxide causes the water to move. According to scientists, limnic eruption may be caused by landslides, volcanic activity, or explosions.
The limnic eruptions in Lake Monoun in 1984 and in Lake Nyos in 1986 were the two well recorded limnic eruptions in history. The former killed 10,000 people while the latter, though bigger, killed as much as 1, 800 people.

Tsunami

A tsunami is a Japanese word for harbor wave. It is a term used to describe an undersea earthquake or undersea landslide which often takes place along the Ring of Fire, 32, 500 km long, which circles the Pacific Ocean. Usually, a tsunami has a wavelength of up to 200 km and travels to up to 800 km/h.
Tsunamis are wrongly called as tidal waves because some think that tsunamis are caused by gravitational forces. No one can detect a tsunami unless it reaches the shallow part of the water, when the traveling wave becomes larger.

Cyclonic Storm

Typhoons, hurricanes, and tropical cyclones are the varying names for a certain phenomenon: an area of low atmospheric pressure surrounded by strong winds that forms on the ocean.

Wildfire

A wildfire is an uncontrollable burning of a wide wildland area. The main causes of a wildfire may be lighting, extreme heat, human negligence, and arson. Wild fires can be a threat to both the people and the wild life. If a wild fire worsens, it may lead to firestorm. A firestorm may create its own wind and weather and may itself ruin a town, like what happened in 1962 in Centralia, Pennsylvania.

Epidemic

An epidemic is the occurrence of infectious diseases that usually affects a large number of people. An epidemic becomes a pandemic when it affects the entire world. Some epidemics may be short-lived, others last for years. Epidemics are caused by the rising number of disease-causing organisms which are transmitted in food and drinks, physical contact among people, or exchange of semen, saliva, or blood. Animals, such as rats, rodents, and insects, also called as vectors, are also agents of bacteria and viruses that cause epidemics.
In the history of the world, there have been a lot of instances where epidemics have claimed the lives of many. This includes the Bubonic Plague, more popularly called the Black Death, which ravaged throughout Europe from 1347 to 1351 and killed one-fourth of Europe’s population. But it was the Spanish Flu, or the Influenza of 1918-1919 that served as the worst epidemic in the history. According to the Dec. 22, 2005 issue of Awake Magazine, “victims die en masse, for there was no effective treatment or cure. Millions of healthy young people were suddenly cut down during their most productive time of life. Corpses piled up faster that they could be buried. In some places, entire towns and villages were ‘wiped out” and that “majority of those who died were between 20 and 40 years old.”
Other than these, there are also epidemics of lesser degrees that scathe the lives of humans everywhere.
Famine

Famine came from the Latin word fames meaning hunger. Famine is the extreme shortage of food that affects a large area where victims are usually children and the older ones of poor countries. Famine is caused by two aspects: natural and human. Natural causes include flood, drought, pestilence, and plant disease. The human causes include: warfare, crop destruction, sieges, and corruption. Famine may also root from extreme poverty, unequal distribution of food, or the sharp rise of population that the food supply could no longer sustain the need of the people, thereby causing malnutrition and death, especially to the infants, children, and the aged.

Solar Flare

Solar flare takes place when the abruptly discharges a solar radiation that’s above the normal. Studies of the sun’s corona, as conducted by scientists, have revealed striking, violent solar flares and coronal mass injection (CMEs). These solar flares eject power from the magnetic holes in the corona. This heats the gases of the corona where particles and radiation are sent to the solar system. According to Randolph Levin and Kenneth Lang (2002), “solar flares release energy equivalent to that of billions of hydrogen bombs in a few short minutes.”

MANMADE HAZARDS AND DISASTERS

Manmade hazards and disasters are occurrences caused by man. Among them are:

Crime

Crime is a wrongful conduct where law has been violated. A person who performs a crime may be punished or sanctioned by the state. Crimes are considered to be dangerous to society.

Arson

Arson is the intentional and malicious burning of an infrastructure, either private or public, houses, or properties. Before, arson’s meaning is only limited to burning of buildings. Today, burning of bridges, vehicles, and other private or public property is already considered arson.

Civil Unrest

Civil unrest, also called as civil disorder, is a form of public disturbance that causes chaos and disaster to the public. Riot, a form of civil unrest, is a disturbance of public peace after people have illegally assembled. Civil unrests and riots may lead to casualties and destruction of public properties.

Terrorism

There are a lot of definitions that pops into a person’s mind when one speaks about terrorism. The first term is the creation and dispersion of fear among the civilians by a group of people who want to make change in the society. The second is the use of violence to create political, social, economic, and religious upheaval. T he second definition may target anyone, or even the mass, so as to call the attention of the government to act upon certain changes. The most famous act of terrorism occurred when the Taliban movement high jacked two airplanes that hit the twin towers of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, otherwise known as the 9/11 attack. Here in the Philippines, the Rizal Day Bombing in Manila, allegedly claimed to have been master minded by the Abu Sayyaf group, caused both public furor and fear in the said terrorist group.

Warfare

Warfare takes place when two opposing countries or groups take arms against one another. Warfare usually arises when these two groups fail to settle an issue diplomatically. There are a lot of forms of warfare. This includes civil war, insurrection or rebellion, coup d e’tat, guerilla warfare, and even terrorism. Aside from the two world wars, that caused the lives of millions, other warfare have dotted the map of the world throughout her history. In the Philippines, warfare is prevalent among the government forces and the Communist rebels, as well as with the Abu Sayaf terrorist groups, and the Muslim separatist movements (MILF and MNLF).

Power Outage

Power outage is the interruption of power supply in a certain place. Power outage may take place for a short period of time or for even a longer pace. Power outage is usually prevalent during incidences of earthquakes or typhoons. Short-term power outage is normal, and may take place for an hour or two. On the other hand, long-term power outage may hamper personal, medical and emergency, and business activities. The power outage during the Aquino and Ramos Administration had hampered the economy of the Philippines, while the power outage in New York in 1977 has cause civil disturbance.

Radiation Contamination

Radiation contamination takes place after nuclear weapons are detonated, thus, releasing and scattering airborne radioactive particles, also called nuclear fallout, in the surrounding. This radioactive fallout does not only cause death; it also causes long-term effects that pose hazard even to the next generation. Ionization of radiation even makes a certain place unsafe for habitation.
One example of radiation contamination occurred after the United States armed forces dropped atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, thus, contaminating the food and water supplies, even putting the lives of half of the cities’ population into danger.
The same is also true when the reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant suffered a meltdown in 1986. Today, Chernobyl is an abandoned, haunted town; no one lives there because of fear of nuclear fall out.

Weapon of Mass Destruction

Of all the man-made hazards and disasters, the weapon of mass destruction is the most nouveau. The weapons of mass destruction are also called as the CBRNs (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear). According to Wikipedia (2007), it is a “nonconventional terror threat” that when used may kill a lot of people. The Halabja gas poisoning, reputedly initiated by Saddam Hussein, is one example of the use of weapon of mass destruction.
These disasters and tragedies serve as a menace to the existence of human being and steadily weaken their morale. Indeed, when one of these tragedies strike, there is a great need for hope that these souls may not sink into despair.

THERE IS HOPE

When do we feel the greatest need for hope? Is it when death knocks at our doors? Or is it when our loved ones is taken by death? But what is hope that even in the gravest of the tragedies, some continue to remain standing?
Hope, known in the Greek mythology as Elpis, is synonymous with the story of Pandora and her mythical box. When Pandora opened the box, she let all the evil get out and roam the world, except for hope. The Greeks then considered hope to be as dangerous as the other evils. But little did they know that without hope, the world would be filled with despair as troubles and trial test their lives. The Greek mythology also noted that hope was described as a weak spirit; but in the contrary, hope is stronger than all the evils that had escaped the box.
To think of all these disasters and hazards on earth causes a stupor in the mind of a person. Indeed, what do ordinary people can hope for in all of these adversities? Hope, indeed, is a very promising term; there is a bit of shimmer that shines in the eyes of a person when he hears the word hope.
The American Heritage Dictionary (2008) described hope as “a belief in positive outcome to events and circumstances in one’s life.” Thus, no matter how hard-pressed a person is, as long as hope exists within him, there is still a patch of positive ideas that resides in his mind. However, hope also “implies a certain amount of despair, wanting, wishing, suffering, or perseverance.” To some, hope is prolonging the desperation that a person feels while to others, hope is a form of positive thinking, a way of fighting pessimism, or thinking what is negative.
The Christian Bible’s concept of hope is broader, compared to the way psychologists and doctors explain it. According to Awake, hope, in the original texts used in the Bible, means to “wait eagerly and to expect for good to arrive.” Awake further explained that hope is composed of two elements. It involves the desire for something good as well as believing that good will come. thus, it is just a wishful thinking.
On the other hand, hope can serve as form of passive wishing. According to Wikipedia (2007), it may be “active as a plan or idea, often against popular belief, with persistent, personal action to execute the plan or to prove an idea.” You may consider a person who never gave up his hope of getting out from poverty. Despite all the adversities that came along his way, he strove to study hard at one hand and worked at the same time just to make the ends meet. In conclusion, he accomplished what he aimed for all because of his strong desire to fulfill what he had hoped for in life. On the contrary, consider another person who merely wished to get out from poverty but never did anything and in the end, he lost all the hope of becoming rich.
Having hope amidst the catastrophes and disasters that befall in our lives is such a difficult thing to do. But there is no other way that a certain person deeply buried in disparity can be saved but to hope for salvation to come. Thus, this little light of hope that keeps on burning within his heart serves as a motivation to move forward and help himself stand up despite the scathing adversities that continue to stop him from moving on.
In her poem, Emily Dickenson wrote: “Hope is the thing with feather/ That perches in the soul,” emphasizing that hope springs within the heart of every individual; ably serving as a guide behind every person, making him strong enough to wrestle the trials and think of solutions to overcome his problems.
In the field of medicine, experts agree that hope and optimism have positive effects in the life of a person’s health. According to Dr. Gifford Jones, a medical journalist, “Hope is a powerful therapy,” and that optimism, Awake discussed, benefits patients due to their positive outlook. Such is the power of hope.

HOPE IS FAITH

Religion deeply plays a big part in spreading the meaning of hope to the people. For the Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, and Christians, hope plays a vital role in man’s existence. But to take a look at the Scriptures, one will see that to have hope is to have faith; that faith and hope are intertwined and that to have hope in the heart is the most potent means of healing one’s self despite the most hurtful trials that brings havoc to life.
Thus, it is wise to say that having faith with God is a sure source of hope. Though sometimes our faith is put to test and hope seems to waver, don’t let the pain blind you for it will only lead you to perdition. Instead, seek help from God and pray that He may rescue you and offer you comfort despite the scorching pain that you feel inside you, just what Proverbs 3: 5-6 said, “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not in your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He Himself will lead you to a straight path.”
Take note the story of Andrea, a mother of two who managed to fight disparity with hope and faith. “Only by prayer did I have the strength to rebound when periods of uncertainty arise in my life. If I keep God as the one constant in my life, it is easier to maintain stability.”

In this world full of distress, we must act for our own survival. If hope is the only thing that keeps us alive, then, we must keep a strong hold of it. Amidst disaster, let hope shine within the deepest parts of your wounded soul. No matter how hard it is we must do everything for our own good. It is better to try than not doing at all, because losing hope means giving up your life. There are just too many things that we must be hopeful of. With God on our side, we can be assured of his promises of the future. This is more than enough a reason to have a sound mind to be optimistic about the future. Yes, a wonderful future awaits us all and you must be a part of it.