Mission to Solve Mystery of How Pioneer Aviator Disappeared

An expedition will test items found on a Pacific island for DNA of 1930s heroine Amelia Earhart.

Aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, who vanished in 1937 while attempting to become the first woman to fly around the world. Photograph: File/Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College/AP

It remains one of the greatest mysteries of the Golden Age of Flight: what happened to the American pioneer aviator Amelia Earhart when she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean 72 years ago?

The question might finally be answered by a forthcoming expedition to a tiny archipelago where researchers believed Earhart might have lived as a lonely and doomed castaway on a desert island.

In order to test their theory, the expedition, organised by The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (Tighar), has obtained DNA samples from a member of the Earhart family and will compare them to any findings they make on isolated Nikumaroro Island. "I am quite optimistic. We have every reason to believe that we can find some material there and now we have a sample to compare it with for the first time," said Ric Gillespie, director of Tighar.

Earhart was a hugely popular figure of the 1920s and 1930s as the fledgling aviation industry became a national obsession. As a woman in a man's world of derring-do she became famous for her tomboyish adventurism.

She hit the headlines as the first woman to command a flight across the Atlantic, although her plane was actually piloted by a man. She then toured the country performing flying feats and organising cross-country races for female pilots. In 1932 she duplicated Charles Lindbergh's famous solo flight over the Atlantic, becoming only the second person to fly alone from America to Europe.

But tragedy struck in 1937. On an epic round-the-world flight Earhart's plane got into trouble over the Pacific. Earhart radioed that she was running out of fuel and then, it is believed, she ditched her plane somewhere near Howland Island, part of the same chain as Nikumaroro Island. A massive air-and-sea search, ordered by President Franklin D Roosevelt, turned up nothing.

Gillespie's team has been working on Nikumaroro for almost a decade, following up reports from 1940 when British officials, who were clearing the then uninhabited island for a coconut plantation, discovered a camp site and skeletal remains of a castaway. Those remains were lost, but their measurements indicated they could be of a Caucasian female. In 2007 Gillespie found the site and uncovered early 20th-century make-up and two pieces of broken glass that could have come from a 1930s-style compact mirror.

Gillespie said that modern DNA analysis techniques meant that any other human artefacts recovered could now be swabbed for the tiniest traces of DNA and compared to the Earhart family sample. His team will be looking for traces of mitochondrial DNA, which breaks down less easily than the chromosomal DNA of a cell's nucleus. Gillespie said that the mission, which will begin next summer, has every chance of success: "It is the intellectual challenge of finding out what happened. It is the thrill of the search. There is rarely any chance in archaeology to have an Indiana Jones experience - it actually all happens in the lab or at your desk when you finally figure something out."

The mission is controversial with some Earhart enthusiasts. It is partly based on a theory that Earhart was able to send distress signals from somewhere on land after she had crashed her plane, the Lady Lindy. Tighar believes those signals show she ditched her plane and survived by making it to an isolated island. Others, including searchers at the time, believe that those calls were cruel hoaxes and misunderstood radio signals.

What is not in doubt is the continued fascination Earhart holds in the popular imagination. She was a character in the movie Night at the Museum 2 earlier this year and in a few months' time a Hollywood biopic of her life starring Hilary Swank will be released. However, Gillespie said that he is actually not a part of the Earhart fan club, just a scientist trying to get to the bottom of a mystery. "We recognise her tremendous accomplishments, but we are scientific investigators. We have to recognise her failings. She ended up where she did because she was not paying enough attention," he said.


----------------
I was extremely curious of what really happens to her.


For more exciting news click here

Kay Sarap Balikan Ang Nakaraan

Kay Sarap Balikan ang Nakaraan

Heto ang KAPAYAPAAN na alam natin, noong wala pang KAUNLARAN...

Si Nanay ay nasa bahay pag-uwi namin galing sa paaralan;
Walang mga bakod at gate ang magkakapit-bahay,
kung meron, gumamela lang;

10 sentimos o diyes lang ang baon: singko sa umaga, singko sa hapon;
Merong free ang mga patpat ng ice drop: buko man o munggo.

Mataas ang paggalang sa mga guro at ang tawag sa kanila ay Maestro/a:

Di binibili ang tubig, pwedeng maki-inom sa di mo kakilala.

Malaking bagay na ang pumunta sa ilog para mag-picnic,
o kaya sa tumana;

Grabe na ang kaso pag napatawag ka sa principal's office
o kaya malaking kahihiyan kapag bagsak ka sa exams;

Simple lang ang pangarap: makatapos, makapag-asawa,
mapagtapos ang mga anak...

Pwedeng iwan ang sasakyan at ibilin sa hindi mo kakilala;
wala namang lock ang mga jeep na Willy's noon.

Mayroon kaming mga laruan na gawa namin at hindi binili:
trak-trakan (gawa sa rosebowl ang katawan at darigold na
maliit ang mga gulong, "sketeng" (scooter) na bearing na
maingay ang mga gulong at de-sinkong pako para sa preno;
patining na pinitpit na tansan lang na may 2 butas sa gitna
para suotan ng sinulid (pwede pang makipag-lagutan);
sumpak, pilatok, boca-boca, borador, atbp.

Di nakikialam ang mga matanda sa mga laro ng mga bata:
kasi laro nga iyon.

Maraming usong laro at maraming kasali: laste, gagamba,
turumpo, tatsing ng lata, pera namin ay kaha ng Philip
Morris, Malboro, Champion (kahon-kahon yon!)

May dagta ang dulo ng tinting na hawak mo para makahuli tutubi,
nandadakma ka ng palakang tetot, pero ingat ka sa palakang saging
dahil sa kulugo;

Butas na ang sakong ng Spartan mong tsinelas - suot mo pa rin;
Namumugalgal ang pundiya ng kansolsilyo mo kasi nakasalampak ka sa lupa.

Sa modernong buhay at sa lahat ng kasaganaan sa high technology...
di ba minsan nangarap ka na rin... mas masaya noong araw!
Sana pwedeng maibalik...

Takot tayo ngayon sa buhay. Kasi maraming napapatay, nakikidnap,
maraming addict at masasamang loob...
Noon takot lang tayo sa ating mga magulang at mga lolo at lola. Pero
ngayon, alam na natin na mahal pala nila tayo kayat ayaw tayong
mapahamak o mapariwara... Na una silang nasasaktan pag pinapalo nila
tayo...

Balik tayo sa nakaraan kahit saglit...

Bago magkaroon ng internet, computer, at cellphone.

Noong wala pang mga drugs at malls.
Bago pa nauso ang counter strike at mga game boys.
Tayo noon... Doon ...

Tinutukoy ko ang harang taga o tumbang preso kapag
maliwanag ang buwan;

Ang pagtatakip mo ng mata pero nakasilip sa pagitan
ng mga daliri pag nanonood ka ng nakakatakot sa
"Mga Aninong Gumagalaw"

Unahan tayong sumagot sa Multiplication Table na
kabisado na tin, kasi wala namang calculator.

Pag-akyat natin sa mga puno;

pagkakabit ng kulambo, lundagan sa kama ;

Pagtikwas o pagtitimba sa poso;
pingga ang pang-igib ng lalake at may dikin naman
ang ulo ng babae;

Inaasbaran ng mga suberbiyo;

Nginig na tayo pag lumabas na ang yantok-mindoro o buntot-page.

Nai-sako ka rin ba? O kaya naglagay ka ba ng karton
sa pwet para hindi masakit ang tsinelas o sinturon?

Pamimili ng bato sa bigas;
tinda-tindahan na puro dahon naman;
bahay-bahayan na puro kahon;
naglako ka ba ng ice-candy o pandesal noong araw?

Karera sa takbuhan hanggang maubos ang hininga;
pagtawa hanggang sumakit ang tiyan;

Meron pa bang himbabao, kulitis at pongapong? O kaya
ng lukaok, susuwi at espada?

Susmaryosep ang nadidinig mo pag nagpapaligo ng bata...
Estigo santo kapag nagmamano.

Mapagod sa kakalaro, minsan mapalo;

matakot sa "berdugo" at sa "kapre";

Tuwang-tuwa kami pag tinalo ang tinale ni itay kasi may tinola!

Yung crush mo?

Pag recess: mamimili ka sa garapon ng tinapay -
alembong, taeng-kabayo o biscocho?

Pwede ring ang sukli ay kending Vicks (meron pang
libreng singsing) o kaya nougat o karamel;
Kung gusto mo naman - pakumbo o kaya kariba,
mas masaya kung inuyat;

Puriko ang mantika, at mauling na ang mukha at ubos
na ang hininga mo sa ihip kasi mahirap magpa-rikit ng apoy.

Madami pa...

Masarap ang kamatis na piniga sa kamay at lumabas
sa pagitan ng daliri para sa sawsawan;
ang palutong pag isawsaw sa sukang may siling labuyo;
ang duhat kapag inalog sa asin;
ang isa-sang isubo ang daliri kasi puno na ng kanin...

Halo-halo: yelo, asukal at gatas lang ang sahog;

Sakang ang lakad mo at nakasaya ka kasi bagong tuli ka;
o naghahanap ka ng chalk kasi tinagusan ang palda mo sa eskwelahan.

Lipstick mo ay papel de hapon;
Labaha ang gamit para sa white-side-wall na gupit;

Naglululon ka ng banig pagkagising;
matigas na amirol ang mga punda at kumot;
madumi ang manggas ng damit mo kasi doon ka nagpapahid ng sipon, di ba?
Pwede rin sa laylayan...

May mga program kapag Lunes sa paaralan;
May pakiling kang dala kung Biyernes kasi magi-isis ka ng desk.

Di ba masaya? Naalala mo pa ba?

Wala nang sasaya at gaganda pa sa panahon na yon...
Masaya noon at masaya pa rin tayo ngayon habang ina-alaala iyon...

Di ba noon...
Ang mga desisyon ay ginagawa sa awit na "sino ba sa dalawang ito?
Ito ba o ito?" Pag ayaw ang resulta di ulitin:
"sino ba sa dalawang ito? Ito ba o ito?"...
Awit muna: Penpen de Serapen, de kutsilyo, de almasen. How how the
carabao batuten...

Presidente ng klase ay ang pinakamagaling, hindi ang pinaka-mayaman;
Masaya na tayo basta sama-sama kahit hati-hati sa kokonti;
Nauubos ang oras natin sa pagku-kwentuhan, may oras tayo sa isat-isa;
Naaasar ka kapag marami kang sunog sa sungka;
kapag buro ka sa pitik-bulag o matagal ka ng taya sa holen.

Yung matatandang kapatid ang pinaka-ayaw natin pero
sila ang tinatawag natin pag napapa-trouble tayo.

Di natutulog si Inay, nagbabantay pag may trangkaso tayo;
meron tayong skyflakes at Royal sa tabi.

Kung naaalaala mo ito... nabuhay ka na sa
KAPAYAPAAN!

History Mystery

History Mistery Have a history teacher explain this----- if they can. Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946. Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960. Both were particularly concerned with civil rights. Both wives lost their children while living in the White House. Both Presidents were shot on a Friday. Both Presidents were shot in the head Now it gets really weird. Lincoln 's secretary was named Kennedy. Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln . Both were assassinated by Southerners. Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson. Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Linc oln , was born in 1808. Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908. John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln , was born in 1839. Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939. Both assassins were known by their three names. Both names are composed of fifteen letters. Now hang on to your seat. Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford.' Kennedy was shot in a car called ' Lincoln ' made by 'Ford.' Lincoln was shot in a theater and his assassin ran and hid in a warehouse. Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and his assassin ran and hid in a theater. Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials. And here's the kicker... A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe , Maryland A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe.

WHO FIGURED THIS OUT?

INCREDIBLE
1) Fold a NEW PINK $20 bill in half...

2) Fold again, taking care to fold it exactly as below
3) Fold the other end, exactly as before

4) Now, simply turn it over...

What a coincidence! A simple geometric fold creates a catastrophic premonition printed on all $20 bills!!!
COINCIDENCE?YOU DECIDE