We Are the People

The world has not only bad people but also good and kind hearted people. People with compassion and action. Otherwise world would already have been a hell. Michael Jackson was also kind hearted guy who with his friends try to address the plight of starving people from Ethiopia due to severe famine and subsequent hunger. In 1985 Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote the charity song called We Are the world (Also the album of same title). The song was honored numerous times — including three Grammy Awards, one American Music Award and a People’s Choice Award — The song was promoted with music video, a home video, a special edition magazine, a simulcast, and several books, posters and shirts.


More than 7 million units of the album, single and cassettes, plus nearly 2 million digital sales and related merchandise has contributed revenue more than $63 million. About half of the income was spent on emergency relief (food, medicine, and refugee services) and supporting more than 500 different relief, rehabilitation and development projects in 18 different countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The group now tries to address big disaster following Haiti earthquake in which more than 230,000 people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands people homeless. People and institutions around the world are feeling sorry for Haitian people and showing solidarity through different means. One way to support them is giving donation through reputed organization like Redcross, Doctors without borders and of course world 25.

The charity group is primarily focused for African development but seeing the devastation of Haiti they now have formed The World 25 for Haiti (exactly 25 years after Ethiopian famine) and remake the song and music video in support to the plight of the Haitian People. More than 80 artists and performers gather together to sing a charity song. The charity group expects to draw donation after seeing video from viewers or downloading into itunes. The donation will go for the relief and reconstruction works of Haiti.

If you have credit card you too can donate after watching the video ;

Stations to locate quake-prone zones

B Basnet ,(The Kathmandu Post)

KATHMANDU, Jan 3 ,2009-

The government has installed 24 Global Positioning System (GPS) stations across the country in order to monitor tectonic movement and identify earthquake-prone zones, said officials at the National Seismological Centre (NSC).

According to the officials, GPS stations were installed to monitor tectonic movement -- shifting of the earth's upper mantle -- which causes earthquakes in the Himalayan region.
"We completed GPS installation in October. These stations will help us identify earthquake-prone zones," said NSC chief Som Sapkota.

The stations will provide valuable information about the changes in the earth's layers and help us alert the government about potential danger, he said.

Experts say Nepal should be prepared for a high-magnitude earthquake, one potentially measuring 7 or more on the Richter scale. "The NSC also excavated at four places in Dhangadi and Mahottrari districts to find out the frequency of earthquakes in the past. This will help us know when earthquakes are likely to jolt particular regions," said Sapkota.

The NSC chief added that the discovery of earthquake frequency in a region is the most crucial information that can help minimise loss of life and property. Sapkota also informed that the NSC would produce a seismic hazard map soon.

Experts say Nepal lies in one of the most active seismic zones in the world. After the Indian subcontinent collided with the Tibetan Plateau some 45 million years ago, it has continued to drive under the plateau at a rate of two metres per century. This movement creates pressure between the landmasses. The pressure is released rapidly and results in earthquakes. Earthquakes frequently rattle Nepal. According to Dilli Ram Tiwari, survey officer at the NSC, Nepal experiences 10 small-scale earthquakes on average per day. He said most earthquakes are, however, rated under 4 on the Richter scale.

Earthquakes measuring over 4.8 on the Richter Scale are hazardous, he said. Nepal experienced its last destructive earthquake in 1934. It had the magnitude of 8.3. Experts say there will be massive loss of life and properties if an earthquake with 7-plus magnitude rocks the Kathmandu Valley.

According to National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET), the kind of soil in the Valley strongly influences the amount of damage caused during earthquakes. The valley is filled with soft sediment, as it rests on the bed of a prehistoric lake. Soft sediment amplifies the energy released by an earthquake at a greater degree than dense sediment does, causing greater damage.

(Collected by :Er. Pradeep )