8.8-magnitude earthquake hits central Chile Tsunami Warnning Issued

A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake capable of tremendous damage struck central Chile early Saturday, shaking the capital for a minute and a half and setting off a tsunami. Buildings collapsed and phone lines and electricity were down, making the extent of the damage difficult to determine.



The quake hit 200 miles (325 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Santiago, at a depth of 22 miles (35 kilometers) at 3:34 a.m. (0634 GMT; 1:34 a.m. EST), the U.S. Geological Survey reported.


The epicenter was just 70 miles (115 kilometers) from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city, where more than 200,000 people live along the Bio Bio river, and 60 miles from the ski town of Chillan, a gateway to Andean ski resorts that was destroyed in a 1939 earthquake.

An Associated Press Television News cameraman said some buildings collapsed in Santiago and power was out in parts of the city. Phone lines were either down or busy, making confirmation of damage difficult elsewhere, especially further south toward the epicenter. The quake was felt in Argentina as well.


The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning for Chile and Peru, and a less-urgent tsunami watch for Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Antarctica.


"Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicenter and could also be a threat to more distant coasts," the center said.

The U.S. west coast tsunami warning center said it did not expect a tsunami along the west of the U.S. or Canada but was continuing to monitor the situation.

The largest earthquake ever recorded struck the same area of Chile on May 22, 1960. The magnitude-9.5 quake killed 1,655 people and left 2 million homeless. The tsunami that it caused killed people in Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines and caused damage to the west coast of the United States.


Associated Press Television News cameraman Mauricio Cuevas contributed to this story.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Home Theater of Star Wars Fan

There is a bit of Star Wars everywhere in this house, from the doorsteps till the home theater room. A little paradise for all Star Wars fans!







































Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Famous Celebrities With their Cats

Our cats are daily inspiration to us, and the fact that so many noteworthy names had cats reminds us that even celebrities are not immune to their charms.

Zooey Deschanel


Marlon Brando


Christina Ricci


Jay Leno


Brigitte Bardot


Clark Gable


Vivien Leigh


George Harrison


Chloe Sevigny


Pete Doherty


Penelope Cruz


Russell Brand


Jane Fonda


Kurt Cobain


Paulina Porizkova


Steve Martin


Elizabeth Taylor


River Viiperi


Julie Delpy


James Dean


Mary Pickford


Nicolas Cage


Joyce Carol Oates


Drew Barrymore


Lauri Nurkse


Audrey Hepburn


David Bowie


Cameron Diaz


Sean Hayes


Bai Ling


Giorgio Armani


Nicole Kidman


Morgan Freeman


Michelle Trachtenberg


Drew Carey


Carole Lombard


Paul McCartney


Smiley Suri


Ernest Hemingway


Marta Toren


Frank Zappa


Ann-Margret


John Travolta


Carly Simon


John Lennon


Yoko Ono


Mark Twain


Kellie Pickler


Sean Connery


Melissa Joan Hart


Kelsey Grammer


Jayne Mansfield


George Clooney


Kim Novak


Rodney Bewes


Kate Beckinsale


Alfonso Ribeiro


Jenna Fischer


Bill Clinton


Elizabeth Montgomery


Regis Philbin


Nicole Richie


Freddie Mercury


Vanna White


Susan Boyle


Michelle Pfeiffer


Martha Stewart