Ukubuka Okwezwe
Izinkinga Zomkhumbi- mkhathi We-Mars
Ngo-December, i-NASA yahluleka ukuphinde ixhumane nomkhumbi-mkhathi i-Mars Polar Lander ngemva kokuba ungene emkhathini we-Mars. Lokhu kwehluleka kwenzeka ezinyangeni ezimbili ngemva kokwehluleka kwe-Mars Climate Orbiter, eyayizosiza ekudluliseni ukwaziswa komkhumbi-mkhathi ikuyise eMhlabeni. Akwaziwa ukuthi kungani lo mkhumbi-mkhathi wehluleka. Kodwa lo ozungeza emkhathini waduka, phakathi kwezinye izizathu, ngoba iziyalezo zohambo lwalo mkhumbi-mkhathi zazibhalwe ngezilinganiso zesiNgisi kunokuba zibhalwe nge-metric system esetshenziswa kabanzi! Lo mehluko wenza ukuba ukwaziswa okumayelana nalolu hambo kungadluliseleki kahle. Nakuba bedumazekile ngokulahlekelwa kwabo, ososayensi be-NASA bahlose ukuqhubeka bephishekela imigomo yabo, kusho i-CNN. Le migomo “eyokufunda ngomlando wesimo sezulu nowokwakheka kwale planethi ebomvu; ukufuna izimpawu zokuba khona kwezinto eziphilayo; ukubeka isisekelo sokuba umuntu akwazi ukuyihlola.”
Isimiso Sokubhala SamaShayina Esishabalalayo
Isimiso sokubhala esiyinqaba esibizwa ngokuthi iNu Shu, esaziwa abesifazane kuphela, sekungamakhulu eminyaka sisetshenziswa oxhaxheni lwamadolobhana amancane eSifundazweni saseHunan, eningizimu yeChina. Sasungulwa abesifazane basemapulazini njengoba amantombazane ayenqatshelwe ukufunda. Sinezinhlamvu zokubhalwa kwamagama ngendlela aphinyiselwa ngayo ezibalelwa ku-700, uma kuqhathaniswa nezinkulungwane zezinhlamvu zesiShayina eziyizimpawu. INu Shu ibhalwa ngemisho emincane egobile netshekile, uYang Yueqing, umenzi wamabhayisikobho owenza ibhayisikobho echaza ngeNu Shu, uyichaza ngokuthi “ifanela abantu besifazane futhi yinhle, . . . futhi icacile ngoba yayithungelwa endwangwini futhi ifekethiswe njengamaphethini,” kubika i-Sunday Times yaseLondon. Abesifazane baqopha amasiko esizwe futhi baveza indlela yabo yokuphila ngezingoma nangezinkondlo ezibhalwe ngeNu Shu. Ngemva kokuba iChina isinikeze abesifazane amalungelo alinganayo ngo-1949, ukusetshenziswa kweNu Shu kwaqala ukuncipha. Namuhla, bathathu kuphela abantu okwaziwa ukuthi basabhala lolu limi lwasendulo, futhi abesifazane abayizakhamuzi esezikhulile.
Imidlalo Yama-video Enobudlova
Ngokocwaningo olwenziwa kubadlali bemidlalo yama-video abangu-600 abasebasha, umcwaningi uBrent Stafford, wase-Simon Fraser University eBritish Columbia, eCanada uxwayisa ngokuthi imidlalo eminingi “iqeqesha izingane zethu ukuba zijabulele ubudlova.” Umagazini i-Maclean’s uyabika: “Abanye abadlali asebeyimilutha abathanda imidlalo enobudlova kakhulu nebonakala ingokoqobo ngempela ‘babulala onkulunkulu abangabantu’ abangaba ngu-1 000 (abadlali abasemshinini) ngobusuku obubodwa, ngokuvamile ezigcawini okuchithwa kuzo igazi.” Lolu cwaningo lwahlaziya izinga imidlalo yobudlova yama-video ehloselwe ukukhanga ngayo imizwelo yomdlali “nokusithibeza izingqondo zentsha ukuze zingabi nandaba nobudlova ngisho nokubulala.” Imboni yemidlalo ye-video, njengoba yenza izigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-107 zama-Randi ngonyaka, “idlula eyamabhayisikobho nethelevishini kuhlangene.” UStafford unxusa abazali ukuba bazi ukuthi imiphi imidlalo edlalwa izingane zabo futhi baqaphele noma ikuphi ukuthambekela kokuba umlutha wayo.
Imibiko Yezimpi
I-Psychology Today ithi: “Kunezimpi ezingu-27 ezilwiwayo njengamanje emhlabeni wonke.” Njengoba kwabika i-Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, bangaphezu kuka-150 000 abantu baseLiberia ababhubha empini yabo yombango eyathatha iminyaka engu-7, futhi kuye kwafa abantu abangu-500 000 engxabanweni yombango eyathatha iminyaka engu-15 e-Angola. Izingxabano eTurkey ziye zabulala abantu abangaphezu kuka-37 000 kusukela ngo-1984, futhi impi eSri Lanka iye yabulala abantu ababalelwa ku-60 000 kusukela ngo-1983. Lo magazini uthi: “Sekukonke, bangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-20—abaningi babo abayizakhamuzi ezingabuthiwe—abaye bafa empini kusukela kwaphela iMpi Yezwe II. Impi ingase iqhubeke inganqandeki . . . ngenxa yezomnotho. Impi ingenye yezimboni ezinkulu kakhulu emhlabeni, echitha imali eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-800 zama-dollar [izigidi eziyizigidi ezingu-5,1 zamaRandi ngonyaka], futhi yenza umonakalo omkhulu.” Umhleli uyaphawula: “Yeka ukuthi siwuhlobo oluhluke kanjani ezintweni eziphilayo, sinonya ohlotsheni lokuphila olufana nolwethu.” IZizwe Ezihlangene ziye zamemezela unyaka ka-2000 njengonyaka wokuthula wezizwe zonke.
Ukubhema Nobumpumputhe
Iphephandaba i-Canberra Times libika ukuthi: “Ukubhema kuyimbangela eyinhloko yobumpumputhe.” Abacwaningi e-Australian National University naseSydney University balinganisela ukuthi amaphesenti angu-20 abantu base-Australia abayizimpumputhe abaneminyaka engaphezu kwengu-50 kungenxa yokubhema. Abacwaningi babika ukuhlola okwenziwa e-Australia, e-United States naseYurophu okubonisa ukuthi ababhemayo banamathuba aphindwe kabili kuya kwaphindwe kahlanu okuwohloka kwe-macular okuhambisana nokuguga kunalabo abangabhemi. UDkt. Wayne Smith we-Australian National University wasikisela ukuthi amaphakethe kasikilidi abe nesixwayiso esithi: “Ukubhema kuyimbangela eyinhloko yobumpumputhe.”
Ukunganakwa Nokuxhashazwa Kwezingane
I-Asahi Evening News ithi izigigaba zokuxhashazwa kwezingane eJapane zenyukela kumaphesenti angu-30 ngonyaka wezentengiselwano ka-1998, uma kuqhathaniswa nonyaka owandulele. Ochwepheshe bathi lokhu kubangwa “ukucindezeleka okukhulu komama, abaningi babo ababethwele wonke umthwalo wokukhulisa izingane,” kanye nokuthi “umphakathi usuwuphaphamele kakhulu” umthwalo wawo wemfanelo wokubika ukuxhashazwa noma ukunganakwa. I-Daily Yomiuri iphawula ukuthi naseJapane liye landa inani lokufa kwezingane ezincane ezazishiywa zodwa emakhaya noma ezimotweni ezipakiwe. Kwezinye izimo abazali bazo babesuke beyogembula ngemishini yokushaya ibhola i-pachinko. Kuze kube muva nje, bambalwa abazali ababekwa amacala alokho. Nokho, manje iziphathimandla zihlose ukubathathela izinyathelo ezinqala abazali abanganaki ngempela.
Izinsana Ezinegciwane Lengculaza
I-United Press International ibika ukuthi: “Inani eliyingxenye lazo zonke izingane ezizalwa e-Afrika zizalwa zinegciwane lengculaza.” UDkt. Peter Piot, umqondisi we-Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, wathi igciwane lengculaza nengculaza kuye kwanciphisa isikhathi okulindeleke ukuba umuntu asiphile ngeminyaka engu-25 kwezinye izingxenye ze-Afrika. Lo mbiko uyanezela: “Amazwe angu-21 ase-Afrika anezinga eliphezulu legciwane lengculaza, futhi kwayishumi alawo mazwe, okungenani kunamaphesenti ayishumi omphakathi analeli gciwane.” Kubo bonke abantu ababulawe yizifo ezihlobene nengculaza emhlabeni wonke, abangamaphesenti angu-80 kwakungabase-Afrika.
Amandla Esishovo
Umbiko we-Reuters uthi: “Enye yezindlela eziwukonga kakhulu zokuhamba kungaba ibhayisikili—hhayi kuphela ngenxa yokuthi lisebenzisa amandla esishovo kodwa ngenxa yokuthi indlela eliklanywe ngayo isebenzisa amandla amancane kakhulu.” Behlola ibhayisikili elilawulwa i-computer ngekhamera enemisebe e-infrared, onjiniyela eJohns Hopkins University eBaltimore baphawula ukuthi kwakukuncane ukushisa okwakuphuma njengoba iketanga laliphenduka. Lo mbiko uthi: “Okwamangaza labo njiniyela ukuthola ukuthi lokhu kuzungeza kweketanga kwakonga amandla angamaphesenti angu-98,6, okusho ukuthi angaphansi kwamaphesenti amabili amandla ayesetshenziselwa ukuphendula isonjwana langaphambili okuzungeza kulo iketanga. Amandla aphansi kunawo wonke ongiwa yibhayisikili, ngaphansi kwezimo ezihlukahlukene, kwakungamaphesenti angu-81.” UJames Spicer, owayehola kulolu cwaningo, wathi: “Lokhu kwakumangaza, ikakhulukazi uma ubona ukuthi into eyinhloko okwakhiwe ngayo leli ketanga ayikashintshi eminyakeni engaphezu kwekhulu.”
“Imvula Eyingozi”
Isenzakalo esingokwemvelo, esaziwa ngokuthi imvula eyingozi, senzeka eTurpan, eSifundazweni Esizimele saseChina iSinkiang Uighur. I-China Today ibika ukuthi ngisho noma amafu emvula amnyama edlula phezulu, isimo sezulu singase sihlale sishisa futhi somile phansi. Kubonakala sengathi imvula ina ivela phezulu, futhi umuntu angayizwa ngokuphakamisela isandla sakhe emoyeni. Nokho, esimweni sezulu esome kakhulu saseTurpan, umhwamuko wenzeka ngezinga elishesha kakhulu kunalelo okuna ngalo imvula. Ngakho-ke, “imvula eyingozi” ihwamuka ingakafiki naphansi.
Ukudla Okubulalayo
I-Week, umagazini waseKerala, eNdiya ubika ukuthi udokotela ohlinza izilwane esifundeni saseKutch entshonalanga yeNdiya muva nje wakhipha amakhilogremu ayikhulu ezikhwama zepulasitiki esiswini senkomo egulayo. Ngaphandle kwezikhwama, wathola nendwangu, amagobolondo kakhukhunathi, inkatha yocingo nesikulufu. Izinkomo ezidukile eNdiya ziphila ngokudla udoti, futhi izikhwama zepulasitiki ezilahliwe ziyingozi kuzo. Ngisho nezinkomo zobisi ezifuywe abantu abathile zivame ukudla udoti endleleni ngesikhathi ziya lapho ziyoklaba khona. Udokotela wezilwane, uDkt. Jadeja, uthi ukudla ipulasitiki kuyinkinga elandela isifo samatele ezinkomweni. Lezi zinto ezingagayeki zivala isisu bese inkomo ingakwazi ukwetshisa. Izinkomo ezinjalo ngokuvamile ziyafa. UDkt. Jadeja waqasheliswa lesi simo umkhandi wezicathulo owathola inqwaba yepulasitiki eziswini zezinkomo ezifile lapho ezihlinza ekhipha izikhumba.