Two more moon probes in space

From the day that man first landed on the moon, NASA has continued to explore the possibilities of making the moon another 'home' for mankind....

NASA blasted two probes into space on June 18 on a landmark lunar exploration mission to scout water sources and landing sites in anticipation of sending mankind to the moon in 2020.

The launch marked "America's first step in a lasting return to the moon," a NASA official said moments after a rocket carrying the probes launched at 5.32 p.m. (2132 GMT), a day after the US space agency scrubbed the shuttle Endeavour launch for the second time in a week because of a nagging hydrogen fuel leak. The liftoff of the dual LRO and LCROSS missions atop an Atlas V rocket from Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida occurred on June 18, one month shy of the 40th anniversary of NASA's historic first landings on Earth's natural satellite in 1969.

Americans have been the only people to walk on the moon - with the last such outing in 1972 - and the new mission is the first step on the long journey to launch manned missions further into our solar system, to the planet Mars and beyond, from lunar colonies.

AFP

July 5

* Birth of First Lady, Mary McEelroy in 1841.

July 6

* Birth of Dalai Lama, 14th spiritual leader of Tibet in 1935.

* Death of Guy de Maupassant, French writer in 1893.

* Birth of Sylvester Stallone, Hollywood actor in 1946.

* Henry II, King of England (1154-1189) dies at age 56 in 1189.

* Birth of Bill Haley, pioneer American rock musician in 1925.

July 7

* D.E. Henry Pedris executed under Martial Law, in 1915.

* Birth of V.A. Sugathadasa (former Minister of Sports) in 1912.

* Death of H.R. Jothipala, popular Sinhala singer, in 1987.

* Death of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, English author, in 1930.

July 8

* Birth of Ven. Piyadassi Thera of Vajiraramaya, in 1914.

* Death of E.A. Nugawela, Minister of Health, (1952-1956) in 1972.

* Birth of Count Von Zepplin, German soldier who invented the rigid airship in 1838.

July 9

* Birth of Brahmachari Walisinghe Harischandra in 1876.

* Birth of Barbara Cartland, English writer of romantic fiction.

* Death of Yrol Jayawardena, fashion designer, photographer and a writer at age 59 in 1998.

* Birth of Edward Heath, former British Prime Minister (1970-1974) in 1916.

July 10

* Birth of G.B. Senanayake, Sinhala writer in 1913.

* Death of V.A. Sugathadasa (former Minister of Sports) in 1973.

* Birth of Marcel Proust, French author in 1871.

* Birth of Sunil Gavaskar, Indian Cricketer in 1949.

July 11

* Birth of Mrs. Jeremias Dias, founder of Visakha Vidyalaya in 1858.

* Death of Somaweera Chandrasiri, Sinhala poet and a former Minister in 1971.

* Birth of Yul Bryner, American actor in 1920.

* Death of Agha Khan III spiritual head of Islamic Muslim, sect. in 1957.

July 5

*The Salvation Army was founded in London in 1865.

July 6

* Malawi, became independent from Britain, in 1964.

* Mahaweli diversion project stage I, inaugurated in 1969.

July 7

*Trolley bus services in Colombo city began in 1954.

* First five rupee coin issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of universal franchise in Sri Lanka in 1981.

July 9

*Department of Archaeology, established in 1890.

*Ration coupon system introduced for distribution of rice in 1919.

July 11

*World population day, declared by the United Nations Development program in 1989.

*"Lanka Rani" Ceylon Shipping Corporation's first ship arrived in Colombo in 1971.

July 12

Prevention of Terrorism Bill passed in Parliament in 1979.

A little girl goes to see the doctor. She's got a pea in one nostril, a grape in the other, and a string bean stuck in her ear. She says to the doctor, "I don't feel good."

The doctor replies, "The problem is clear to me. You're not eating right!"

**********

Why do dragons sleep during the day?

So they can fight knights.

How does a witch tell time?

She looks at her witch watch.

How does the moon cut his hair?

e-clipse it!

What did the frog order at McDonald's?

French flies and a diet Croak

Why did the frog say meow?

He was learning a foreign language.

What do little ghosts drink?

Evaporated milk.

When do ghosts usually appear?

Just before someone screams.

What should you say when you meet a ghost?

"How do you boo?"

What did the policeman say when a spider ran down his back?

"You're under a vest!"

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Dengue eradication programme:

School children pledge their support

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Over 700,000 school children in Colombo, Kalutara and Gampaha districts recently pledged their support to the health authorities in the Western Provincial Council (WPC) in its endeavour of destroying mosquito breeding grounds in their respective school compounds.

After a careful study, carried out by the provincial health authorities on a directive of WPC Health Minister, Jagath Angage, it was revealed that 80 per cent schools in the Province have not properly maintained their school compounds to destroy mosquito breeding grounds.

According to the WPC programme, principals and teachers of all 1,351 public schools in the WPC have decided to conduct regular dengue eradication programmes in their school gardens and also encourage students to clean mosquito breeding grounds on a daily basis.

Minister Jagath Angage told the Junior Observer that a request has been made to declare a 600 metre area around schools as a safe zone and added that the dengue eradication programme which commenced in schools last month has shown a remarkable progress according to reports from school authorities and also provincial education authorities. He said school children are very keen to clean their school gardens with the objective of eliminating the mosquito menace and that they are engaged in the programme without any interruptions to their day-to-day educational activities.

The children are cleaning mosquito breeding grounds by collecting all the discarded tyres, plastic bottles, used coconut shells and heaps of garbage in and around the schools.

Minister Angage further said that according to Health Department statistics, during the past few weeks the dengue epidemic has spread to many other areas and a large number of persons (including school children) who have contracted dengue were detected from Gampaha, Horana, Panadura, Kalutara, Madurawala, Maharagama, Piliyandala and Homagama.

He said people must pay attention to the fact that the Health Department alone can not make the dengue eradication programme a success.

He pointed out that it is the responsibility of all citizens to keep their environments clean and assist in the cleaning up programme launched by them.

He added that school children could play a vital role in this regard. They can start the mosquito eradication programme from their schools and thereafter from their home gardens.

The Minister also said he directed health authorities in the three Provincial Councils to make regular visits to home gardens in their respective areas and crack down on offenders irrespective of their standing in society.

James Symington with the clones of his late German Shepherd, Trakr.

Clones of a canine hero!

When the World Trade Centre in New York was attacked by terrorists in 2001, James Symington of Los Angeles had helped in the search and rescue efforts that took place, along with his German Shepherd named Trakr. The shep, Trakr had succeeded in sniffing out many survivors from under the rubble including the last human survivor in the rubble.In 2008, a contest titled 'Golden Clone Giveaway' sponsored by BibArts International of Mill Valley, California had been held and Symington had succeeded in winning it for an essay about his dog Trakr's heroism. Trakr was judged the most 'cloneworthy' dog in the world.

Trust, Solace, Prodigy, Valor and Dejavu are the five cloned puppies of the Police dog, late Trakr, who were given free to Symington late last month.

Legendary pop king is no more

Pop legend, Michael Jackson who thrilled millions of music lovers with songs such as Ben,Thriller, Heal the World, We are the World, Beat it, Black or White and Billy Jean died at the age of 50 on June 26.He entered the music world at a very tender age as a member of the musical group Jackson Five. His rhythmic moves on stage at concerts and the lyrics of his songs, most of which had a direct message for youth, had a strong appeal to the younger generations.

Even though the child star turned super star is no more, his music will live on.