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2011-01-10T09:28:00.001-08:00

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Tips to play Croquet game

2010-03-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

Croquet is a great game. The guidelines taken from official rules of the United States Croquet Association.

1. Divide players into two teams: a "cool" team that plays the blue and black balls, and a "hot" team that plays the red and yellow balls of a croquet set.

2. Decide which team goes first. They will play the blue and black balls. Take turns in the order of the corresponding colors on the stake - blue first, yellow last.

3. Place your ball 3 feet south of the first wicket, and try hit it through. If you succeed, you earn a bonus stroke. Otherwise, your turn is over.

4. Take two bonus strokes if your ball comes to rest in contact with another player's ball during your turn. This is a "roquet."

5. Use this first bonus stroke to hit your ball so that both your ball and your opponent's ball move. Use your second stroke to hit your own ball toward the proper wicket.

6. Pass your ball through the wickets in the proper order: southwest 1, northwest 2, northeast 3, southeast 4, south-central 5, and north-central 6, followed by 2, 1, 4, 3, 6, and 5.

7. Remove your corresponding colored clip from the wicket when your ball passes through, and place it on the next one.

8. Become a rover once your ball has passed through all six wickets twice (in the proper order.) Take your rover ball out of play when it hits the final stake.

9. Roquet any other ball in play, but no more than once each a turn - unless your rover ball passes through a wicket (any wicket). Your rover, however, cannot roquet the same ball twice in succession, even if it passes through a wicket.

10. Win the game if your team is the first one to hit the final stake with both balls.

The Five wonders of Nature

2010-03-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

The following sites captures the imagination with its natural power and beauty. And they have one thing in common. Nothing made by humans:

1. Aurora Borealis:

The aurora borealis (also called the northern lights) consists of awe-inspiring twirls of light in the sky, caused by “solar wind” — electrically charged particles interacting with Earth’s magnetic field. The aurora borealis can be up to 2,000 miles wide, but it fluctuates in size, shape, and color, with green being the most common color close to the horizon while purples and reds appear higher. Named after Aurora, Roman goddess of dawn, and Boreas, Greek god of the north wind, these ribbons of color are best viewed in northern climates like Alaska but have been seen as far south as Arizona.

2. Great Barrier Reef:

The Great Barrier Reef blankets 137,600 square miles and extends a dramatic 1,242 miles along Australia’s northeastern coast, making it the largest group of reefs in the world. The reef began forming more than 30 million years ago and is made up of the skeletons of marine polyps. Four hundred species of living polyps can also be found there, along with 1,500 species of fish, as well as crabs, clams, and other sea life. The area is an Australian national park and is visited by two million tourists a year.

3. Victoria Falls:

Victoria Falls, originally called Mosi-oa-Tunya (“smoke that thunders”), was named after Queen Victoria of England in 1855. The raging waters of the Zambezi River pour 19 trillion cubic feet of water per minute into a gorge that is 1.25 miles wide and 328 feet deep, making this the largest curtain of falling water in the world. Located between Zambia and Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls is flanked by national parks and is now one of the world’s greatest tourist attractions, with resorts, hiking trails, and observation posts springing up around it. White-water rafting at the foot of the falls makes for a thrilling adventure.

4. Paricutin:

Paricutin provides one of nature’s best lessons in how volatile Earth is. Exploding out of a Mexican cornfield in 1943, Paricutin was the first known volcano to have witnesses at its birth. Within a year, the cone had grown to more than 1,100 feet high. The flow eventually spread over 10 square miles, engulfing the nearby towns of Paricutin and San Juan Parangaricutiro. The eruptions ceased in 1952, and the cone now soars 1,345 feet high.

5. Grand Canyon:

The Grand Canyon in northwestern Arizona was formed by the erosive power of the weather and the Colorado River and its tributaries as they scoured away billion-year-old rocks. Although known to Native Americans for thousands of years, the vast gorge was not discovered by the first Spanish explorers until 1540. Grand Canyon National Park was established in 1919, preserving the more than 1.2 million acres of colorful cliffs and waterways that are home to 75 species of mammals, 50 species of reptiles and amphibians, 25 species of fish, and more than 300 species of birds. The canyon stretches 277 miles, with some sections reaching a mile deep and 18 miles across. More than five million visitors view the canyon annually, often hiking or riding mules down to the canyon floor, while the more adventurous opt for boating or rafting the Colorado River through the canyon.

Trailer of Shrek Forever After

2010-03-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

Process to run a self Web Hosting Service

2010-03-11T07:01:00.000-08:00

A web host is a type of Internet service provider. Instead of providing access to the Internet, a web host provides server storage space for websites online. Every website online is hosted on a server at a data facility. It is far too expensive for most people to own and maintain their own server, so most people opt to lease space on a server that is professionally maintained by another company. These businesses are known as web hosting companies, and they make up a multi-billion dollar industry that is relatively easy for most people to cash in on. If you are looking for a long-term business opportunity that has the ability to generate phenomenal profits, learn how to run your own web hosting service.

1. Acquire your servers. The number of servers really depends on how many websites will be hosted on your servers, as well as how much storage space and bandwidth are allocated to each of those customers. For most small hosts, a single server with a 3.2 GHz Pentium processor is sufficient. If something with more computing power is needed, then using a dual processor, such as dual Opterons or dual Xeons, will expand the speed of your server. If your space begins to fill, you can always add additional servers to your rack as they are needed.

2. Rent rack space in a data center. You can technically use any data center in the world as a home for your servers, but many people prefer to use a center that is close to where they live. Rack space is rented so that you will have a place to keep your server, in an area where it has easy access to an internet connection. Websites, such as Data Center Atlas help locate data centers within your area. Your local telephone company will often have a data center in your vicinity with rack space that can be leased.

3. Provision bandwidth for your server. The bandwidth that you purchase is what connects your server to the Internet and allows people to visit the websites that are hosted on your server. This bandwidth will be divided among your customers, according to how much bandwidth you include in a monthly hosting package. The general idea is that you want to purchase bandwidth at a wholesale price, from either the local telephone company or from a company like Level 3, then sell that same bandwidth at a retail rate to your customers.

4. Choose between Unix and Windows for the operating system on your server. Unix is the overwhelming leader of the market because it is fast, easy to manage and it is free. Unix is also popular since most websites use PHP for the source code. However, if one of your clients likes to build their website with Active Server Pages (ASP), then using Windows is the only option. Most larger web hosts build the bulk of their business around Unix web hosting, but have a Windows server available for those who are willing to pay extra for it.

5. Choose a control panel system to operate on your web server. The control panel is what allows your clients to manage the web site that is hosted on your server. It also includes a web host manager application that allows you to monitor and manage the individual hosting accounts that your clients pay for. There are a number of options available for the control panel function of your web hosting business. The two most common are cPanel and Plesk. Links to each of these can be found in the Resources section.

6. Arrange for a complete data backup at regular intervals. You can never predict when disaster will strike, and you can't rely on your customers to keep an up to date backup of their websites. Many of them will not have an adequate backup and will blame you if their data is lost. This makes it very important to routinely backup everything on the entire server, or server cluster. The most effective way is to use the services of a company, such as BQ Backup, who will make a backup copy of your files and store it at a remote facility. That way you can recover your data even if your entire data center is hit by a natural disaster.

7. Build a website to accompany your web hosting business. Having a website is an essential part of the business. It allows potential customers to review the different options you offer for hosting plans, and also allows them to sign up and create an account in real time. A good website will also offer some form of live customer support as a gateway for potential customers and new customers to get answers to their sales questions. A web hosting business can not expect to get customers without a website, so spend some time looking at competitors' sites to get an idea of what aspects you would like to incorporate into your own design.

8. Integrate a billing system into your website. You will need to obtain an account with a credit card billing company, such as Authorize to handle your credit card orders. Integrating this service into your website will allow give your customers the ability to pay for their service online and to instantly have access to the account they created. You may also want to offer third party payment gateways as an additional option, such as accepting PayPal payments for those who already have an account at Pay Pal.

9. Form an advertising strategy for your web hosting business. You can have the greatest deal in the history of web hosting, but if people don't know about your company they will never sign up. Getting the word out about your company is a critical component in the success of your business. Try sponsoring text ads in search engines

Importance of House Plants

2010-03-11T06:48:00.000-08:00

Caring for house plants is a source of joy and pleasure for many people. For others, it's a nightmare. Learning more about the different types of houseplants and what they need to survive and thrive can give you a greener thumb. Everything from pot size to water needs to sunshine can affect the way a plant grows.

1. Types of House Plants:
House plants have different needs for light exposure. Some plants, like baby tears, crown of thorns, English ivy and jade tree thrive in rooms where there's a lot of natural light; place these by a sunny window. Others, like white flag, heart leaf rhododendron, Boston fern and Chinese evergreen thrive with very little light. These go well in interior rooms, stairwells and other areas that might not get a lot of sunlight. Other plants aren't as finicky, and do well in areas with medium exposure to sunlight, such as begonias, asparagus ferns, coralberry, grape ivy and inch plant.

2. Selecting House Plants:
When you choose a house plant, keep in mind the amount of light that you have to offer and the amount of water the plant will need. If you have a hard time keeping plants watered, then you'll want one that doesn't require a lot of water, such as the Chinese jade tree. You may also want to opt for succulents or cacti. Indoor trees and hanging plants are also popular. The adventurous indoor gardener may want to nurture an orchid.

3. House Plant Needs:
In addition to specific light requirements, each variety of house plant also requires a certain amount of room for its roots to grow. Some plants, like certain fern varieties, prefer to have their roots crowded and cramped, growing greener and fuller when there's less room for their roots. Other plants are crippled by a cramped pot and fail to grow larger if they're not re-potted occasionally. Different plants have different watering requirements as well. Some need their soil to stay wet, others need their soil to stay dry for long periods between watering.

4. Caring for House Plants:
Most house plants can thrive for a long time with weekly watering. Learning the specific light requirements of your plant and placing it in an area with optimal sunlight is the best way to care for your houseplants. Since house plants are generally in potting soil with a fair amount of rich compost soil, they don't need to be fertilized very often. Knowing when the plant has outgrown its pot and then repotting it properly is also important. Remove dead leaves every few weeks and wipe dust from larger leaves with warm water so they look nicer.

5. House Plant Health:
If your house plant is droopy, leaves are yellowing or it fails to grow, then you may have a plant health problem. Failure to grow can be caused by soil mites. Mites in the soil can be killed by adding a small amount of vinegar to the water (1 teaspoon per quart), but some plants can't handle the acidity. Yellowing leaves can be caused by insufficient light or lack of water. Improving the situation may not save the dead leaves but will keep future leaves green. Droopiness is often caused by lack of water, and in most instances can be cured almost instantly just by watering.

6. Benefits of House Plants:
In addition to purifying the air of impurities and increasing the amount of oxygen in a room, house plants can bring psychological joy to many people. They're so important for mental health that in the Chinese system of feng shui, house plants are a required component of every room. Caring for a living thing that doesn't talk back, argue or make messes is joyful. Every time you notice new growth on your houseplant you may rejoice, and feel like a powerful part of the force of creation, knowing that your care and nurture has made a small difference in the world.

Importance & types of Health Insurance

2010-03-11T06:37:00.000-08:00

You can buy health insurance from your employer (group plans) or, if you must, directly from an insurance company. Either source will give you a choice of at least one or more of the four existing types of plans.

1. Groups:
When employers, unions and professional organizations offer health care insurance, they create (or, in rare cases, join) "group" health insurance plans that cover literally thousands of individuals. Because of the large numbers involved, group insurance lets insurers forecast future expenses. That means group plans usually have better benefits at lower costs.

2. Open Market:
When you can't get group health care insurance, your only option is to purchase it directly. Health insurance purchased on the open market typically contains fewer benefits in return for higher premiums, deductibles and co-pays.

3. Four Types:
There are four general types of plans available:
* Fee-for-service (FFS) plans, developed in the 1930s, are rare in the 21st century because of their cost. FSS plans let you choose your providers.

* Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) are unique in that they both insure and deliver medical care to their members. Because HMOs provide services "in house," they offer the best bargain in health care (care versus cost), but give you little choice over who provides that care.

* Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) have a network of providers who have agreed to accept PPO patients on a "discounted" fee-for-service basis. PPOs are more expensive than HMOs but give you more choices.

* If you belong to a Point of Service (POS) plan, you decide each time you need care whether to use HMO or PPO benefits (the plan contains both).

4. Costs:
All health care plans require that you share in the cost of your own care. Consequently, you will pay monthly premiums plus "deductibles" and "co-pays." A deductible is a set amount you must spend before your policy benefits begin. Co-pays are a share of the actual charges, usually expressed in your policy either as a flat fee or as percentages of the total cost. For example, a doctor's visit might cost $20, but you might have to pay 20 percent of the cost of a hospital stay.

5. Balance:
The fact that premiums, deductibles and co-pays are directly related means that raising one usually lowers the other two. Based on your budget, perceived health care needs and desire for personal choice, you want to achieve the balance between your premiums, deductibles and co-pays that's right for you. For example, if you have low yearly medical expenses, you might want a high deductible with lower premiums. On the other hand, if your yearly costs are high, you might be willing to pay higher premiums to get a lower deductible.

Basic steps to perform a Salsa Dance

2010-03-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

The basic steps to perform a Salsa Dance:

1. Forward & Backward: Preferably, place one hand on or around your partner's waist. The other person may rest his/her opposite hand around your shoulder. Hold each other's remaining hands, typically above one's waist and mainly in the air. See the picture provided on this step.

2. Move one of your foot one step forward, then return it to the original position. Move the other foot one step backward, and return to the original position as well. As you do this, your partner should be simultaneously performing the same steps, only in the opposite direction as you go along. When stepping forward, the other person uses the opposite foot to step back. Repeat.

3. Side Steps: Move one foot to the back of the other, then return it to the original spot. Repeat the same step with the other foot. While moving each foot, slightly bend your knees to give more style to your moves. Your partner should be performing the same steps. Feel free to keep your hands in their original positions.

4. Spin/Turn: While performing either of the steps above, keep holding your partner's upper hand and release the ones on your waist and shoulder. Lift it slightly to indicate your next move, the spin. Smoothly, your partner will turn 360 degrees and return to the original position.

5. Switching Positions: While performing steps 1 through 3, simply lower both your hands (opposite from the ones on the waist & shoulder) to indicate a switch in positions. Your partner will take three steps around you, as you do the same to place yourself where he/she previously was.

Alice In Wonderland becomes highest grossing 3D movie

2010-03-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

Disney's Alice In Wonderland is a monster hit alice in wonderland posterdespite blowing past its budget and bringing back mediocre reviews. It clearly becomes the biggest 3D bow ever and the best March release ever and the highest grossing movie of 2010 with $41 million on Friday and $44.3 million on Saturday. Remember, those higher priced 3D tickets make all the difference. Even so, the Tim Burton-directed, Johnny Depp-starring fantasy flick had the biggest 3D release of all time. Of its 3,728 North American locations this weekend, its total domestic 3D count is 2,063, plus 180 Imax 3D engagements. That helped the pic post a $116.3M opening weekend with numbers blowing away Avatar's first Fri-Sat-Sun. IMAX on Friday had the biggest day in their history with $4.3M for Alice. The IMAX weekend take of $11+M also is a record for the big screen company. Overseas, Alice shot to #1 almost everywhere after opening day and date in 40 territories beginning Wednesday. Disney narrowly avoided a boycott overseas when UK and other exhibitors were angered by the studio's plans to shorten the theatrical-to-DVD window from 16 weeks to just 12 weeks.

As for foreign grosses, Alice debuted to $94 million in 40+ markets representing only 60% of the international marketplace. That means the worldwide box office was $210.3M. That's only 2nd to Avatar's $242M global bow, but Wonderland's domestic total blew past Avatar's. The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release:

1. Alice In Wonderland (Disney) NEW [3,728 Theaters]
Friday $41M, Saturday $44.3M, Weekend $116.3M, Worldwide $210.3M
2. Brooklyn's Finest (Overture) NEW [1,936 Theaters]
Friday $4.7M, Saturday $5.2M, Weekend $13.1M
3. Shutter Island (Paramount) Week 3 [3,178 Theaters]
Friday $4.0M, Saturday $6.0M, Weekend $13.0M, Cume $95.6M
4. Cop Out (Warner Bros) Week 2 [3,150 Theaters]
Friday $2.8M, Saturday $4.0M, Weekend $9.1M, Cume $32.3M
5. The Crazies (Overture) Week 2 [2,479 Theaters]
Friday $2.3M, Saturday $3.0M, Weekend $6.9M, Cume $27.3M
6. Avatar (Fox) [2,163 Theaters] Week 12
Friday $1.9M, Saturday $3.6M, Weekend $7.7M, Cume $720.1M
7. Percy Jackson (Fox) Week 4 [2,994 Theaters]
Friday $1.3M, Saturday $2.3M, Weekend $5.1M, Cume $78.0M
8. Valentine's Day (Warner Bros) Week 4 [3,040 Theaters]
Friday $1.4M, Saturday $1.9M, Weekend $4.2M, Cume $106.4M
9. Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight) Week 12 [1,274 Theaters]
Friday $925K, Saturday $1.6M, Weekend $3.3M, Cume $29.5M
10. Dear John (Sony) Week 5 [2,496 Theaters]
Friday $965K, Saturday $1.3M, Weekend $2.8M, Estimated Cume $76.6M

Details of Average College Tuition

2010-03-10T07:17:00.000-08:00

Estimating the average college tuition is not an easy task. Numerous factors go into consideration, including location, type of college, length of the degree and even your geographical location at the time of enrollment. Prices also vary widely between public and private schools.

1. Geography: College costs are different for in-state and out-of-state residents. The standard difference is about 100 percent higher for those who are not residents of the state in which they study.

2. Identification: Estimating the average college tuition takes some work, as prices vary considerably from state to state. Vermont ($15,426), New Jersey ($14,853) and New Hampshire ($14,343) have the highest college tuition fees in the country, while the lowest go to a few states in the South and Midwest, including Oklahoma ($8,295) and Kansas ($9,068).

3. Features: The average tuition for a four-year public college stands at $12,796 as of September 2008. According to national statistics, however, over 50 percent of the students in four-year colleges are paying less than $10,000 a year for tuition. Two-year colleges or junior colleges are considerably cheaper, sometimes up to 50 percent less. Private colleges, on the other hand, rank much higher on cost, coming up to an average of $25,143 per year for a four-year college. Community colleges may be the best bet for those who are on a tight budget. A credit hour at Pratt Community College in Kansas costs $29, while an hour at the University of Kansas (state college) will run about $300.

4. Expert Insight: Rates for college tuition go up an average of 5.9 percent a year. That includes only the actual education and does not take into consideration additional costs, such as room and board (a 5 percent growth per year). In 2005, however, there was a remarkable hike in tuition, and some colleges, such as the University of Colorado, increased their prices up to 27 percent.

5. Potential: The five most expensive colleges in the U.S. are, in order: George Washington University (Washington, D.C.), University of Richmond (Virginia), Sarah Lawrence College (New York), Kenyon College (Ohio) and Vassar College (New York). All cost upward of $36,000 for the 2007-08 year. Some of these colleges were not in the list just a year earlier. The University of Richmond, for example, charged a tuition of less than $25,000 in 2006, which makes for a tuition increase of more than 30 percent in a single school year.

Sandra Bullocks Oscar to be welded to her car

2010-03-10T07:06:00.000-08:00

Sandra Bullock wants to have her Oscar welded to her car. The 45-year-old star, who picked up the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in 'The Blind Side', wants to be reminded she is a movie star when doing mundane daily chores and has asked her husband, biker Jesse James, to attach the statue to her vehicle.

She said: I'm going to have Jesse weld the Oscar to the hood of the car. It will be there to remind me as I do the school and grocery runs. I'm taking my award food shopping. More people will see it. Sandra also admitted she has not yet come to terms with winning the award and being in the company of other Oscar-winning actresses such as Dame Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep - but is glad the ceremony is over so she can go back to leading a normal life. She told the Daily Star newspaper: It's really hard for it so sink in. Now I can go days without wearing make-up, eating cheese burgers, get back to my life walking the dogs and doing the things everybody else does. There's a sense of relief. Now I can look back and think, 'Wow, this is a little piece of history.' I'm glad I got to share this time and exhilaration with extraordinarily beautiful and talented women.

Meanwhile, Jesse, 40, has proclaimed how proud he is of Sandra, claiming he loses his breath when he looks at her. He told People magazine: It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to support my wife and her work. She does it all the time for me. She goes to Mexico, to the desert, to the hospital - a lot - to support me and my work. The least I can do is put on a suit and support her. She's beautiful. She's amazing. She takes my breath away. Sometimes I look at her and I do, I just lose my breath. I'm so proud of her. Nobody deserves this more and works harder. She's old-school Hollywood - just gracious and a star who's so much better than you expect them to be.

SRK says Ra.One(Superhero movie) is for my kids

2010-03-10T06:56:00.000-08:00

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is excited about his first superhero film Ra.One”, which will also see him flying. And he says he is doing it for his children and hopes to succeed at the box office. The film ‘Ra.One’ is a superhero film. There is a good guy, there is a bad guy, there is a beautiful girl, there is a wonderful singer and a fantastic director, Shah Rukh told reporters at a press conference organised to welcome the international R&B singer Akon at Sahara Star hotel Tuesday. It’s a kind of film, a genre we guys haven’t tried at ‘Red Chilies’. On behalf of the whole team, I would like to try and I hope we succeed. It’s a new thing for all of us, so we are giving it our best shot. Hopefully, we will be able to do what we are set out to do. I am doing it for my kids, he added. The film is being directed by Anubhav Sinha and Kareena Kapoor plays Shah Rukh’s love interest in it.

SRK said: My superhero character is called Jeeva and he can solidify electricity. It’s a concept we are trying to work on. Hopefully, visually it will be understandable too. It is a superhero film and I am going to fly in it. Shah Rukh confirmed Akon will record a number for the film, but clarified that the R&B singer won’t sing for the promotional song for his IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). No, he is actually here to do a song for ‘Ra.One’. We would love him to do a lot of songs. We haven’t developed the song for KKR, but if I do, I would obviously request him to do that.

No, there is not any business deal with Akon. He has just been very gracious. You know, he is unlike me – I charge for everything. I will be really honest. When you see an artist or a singer, you truly realise that they want to do it for the sake of art. And what I love about him is that he only loves to work, said Shah Rukh. Kareena was also present and welcomed Akon by putting ’tilak’ on his forehead and a garland around his neck.

MINI Countryman Photos

2010-01-20T00:27:00.000-08:00

Kilometer magazine has leaked three photos of the MINI Countryman. Officially not to be shown to the public until March in Geneva, the Countryman was scheduled for an internet debut in a few weeks. As it stands now it’ll be interesting to see how MINI handle this leak and if they release the rest of the information of photos. One thing for certain, Kilometer magazine likely will not be invited to the next MINI vehicle launch.

Initial thoughts? Let’s hear them…

Updated: Look for our full analysis of the Countryman along with dozens of new photos both inside and out. Along with that MINI will be releasing full information on the Countryman for the EU, UK and US markets as well. Finally we’ll be following is all up with video of the car in motion. It all starts tomorrow morning.

Robert Pattinson On for Haiti Telethon

2010-01-20T00:26:00.001-08:00

The Twilight Saga star will join a number of other celebrities this Friday as part of Hope for Haiti, the George Clooney-hosted telethon that will air across all major networks and focus on earthquake relief in that troubled nation.

Reports indicate that Robert will be the sole presenter in London, likely introducing performances by Jay-Z and Bono.

Artists performing during the live, two-hour event will include Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Shakira and Bruce Springsteen.

Meanwhile, other A-listers scheuled to present and/or work the phone lines will be: Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal, Brad Pitt, Anna Kendrick, Sandra Bullock, Zac Efron, Bradley Cooper, Renée Zellweger, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Colin Farrell and Jon Hamm.

Stars such as Sanda Bullock, Gisele Bundchen and Brangelina have already donated at least $1 million each to the cause.

Note to THG readers: stay in Friday night. Save money on drinks at the bar and donate to the victims of this earthquake.

stop using IE6 Use Internet Explorer Says Microsoft

2010-01-20T00:18:00.000-08:00

So Google got hacked, or something, by cyber criminals in China, and Microsoft has acknowledged that their Internet Explorer browser was part of the problem. Specifically, Interent Explorer version 6 was part of the problem, and Microsoft is quick to point out that version 8 is much better, and much more secure. Cliff Evans, Microsoft’s Head of Security and Privacy in the UK, further states that switching away from Internet Explorer is also a bad idea. According to him, it’s MSIE8 or nothing. Firefox? Chrome? Safari? Opera? None of those will keep you as safe from cyber attacks as Microsoft’s Internet Explorer version 8.

Is that true? Microsoft’s Windows — in all its incarnations — is the most popular operating system on planet earth, meaning that if you’re looking to attacks something, attacking Windows is a fairly safe place to start. Similarly, if Internet Explorer is the de facto browser of choice, attacking it will yield a better-than-average chance of finding and exploiting a vulnerability. If you’re trying to attack an Opera exploit, for example, you’re going to be waiting a long time for some poor Opera user to visit your malicious website, simply because there aren’t many Opera users in the world.

Ed Bott makes a rather breathless attack against anyone still using MSIE6, claiming It’s time to stop using IE6 on his ZDNet blog. In general, I agree with the notion that there’s been ample time to move away from MSIE6; but the unfortunate reality is that there’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem with doing so. Until a software vendor certifies that a browser works correctly with their product, most organizations are reluctant to declare that browser a supported product (even though the browser may work flawlessly with the software). IE8 is a case in point: it works with Peoplesoft, but since Oracle (owners of Peoplesoft) haven’t certified IE8 on various Peoplesoft products and versions, it remains “use at your own risk”. If an organization wants to continue to enjoy receiving technical support, they need to use the application vendor’s supported browser versions, and the application vendor may be in no particular rush to certify a new browser version.

The bottom line? Whenever possible use the latest version of your preferred browser, whichever one that might be.

Side Sleeping is More Comfort

2010-01-18T07:28:00.000-08:00

In this crazy lifestyle of ours, sleep is the only rejuvenating factor to look forward to. But slumber hasn’t been easy for 50 per cent of the adult population that sleeps on their sides. That is precisely why AbsolutelyNew has devised the Side Solution Pillow.

The pillow has a unique shape designed so that the entire neck is cradled along with the head and the shoulders. This reduces stiffness and allows good blood circulation in the arms and even prevents snoring and sleep apnea.

Doctor-turned-inventor Paul Mettler created this polyfoam pillow. Mettler works as a physical therapist specialising in treatment of headaches and painful conditions affecting jaw and facial muscles.

Actually, it ws during one of his consultation that Mettler realised that the ailments of some patients, who slept on one side, was the cause of an incorrect sleeping posture owing to the traditional pillow. Their lower shoulder was hunched into their ear.

And so the Absolutely New Side Solution Pillow was born. It is currently available in two models, the Standard with polyfiber fill with a thread count of 260 where as the Deluxe version is a dual sided model with 75 per cent polyfiber fill and 25 percent memory foam. The former is available for USD $49.99 while the latter comes for $79.99 boasting a thread count of 300 with a bacteria inhibitor. Both types are machine washable.

Best Film at Golden Globe 2010 Awards for Avatar

2010-01-18T07:23:00.000-08:00

Avatar and the director of this blockbuster both bagged top awards of Best Film and Best Director at the glittering Golden Globe Awards Ceremony held at Beverly Hilton, Los Angeles. James Cameron’s last blockbuster Titanic too had bagged best film and this award again endorses the cinematic genius of this great director. Haiti’s tragedy loomed large on everyone’s mind at the award ceremony and celebrities, film fraternity showed solidarity with victims by wearing yellow, blue and red ribbons.

The awards function was hosted by Ricky Gervais who kept audience entertained throughout the ceremony. The best actress was bagged by Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side and Jeff Bridges took home the Globe for his brilliant portrayal of a country singer in Crazy Heart. Evergreen Julia Roberts won everyone’s heart when she was awarded Golden Globe for top actress in a comedy for her film Julie & Julia. Best animated movie and original score went to Disney’s Up. Martin Scorsese received lifetime achievement award for his brilliant contribution to the cinema.

It would be another one long year wait for another Golden Globe Award ceremony when celebrities, film stars and noted people of Hollywood will once again converge to celebrate the magic of cinema.

My Name is Khan Official Trailer HQ Released 17 Dec 2009

2009-12-16T10:33:00.001-08:00

The trailer for My Name Is Khan will be released on 16 December 2009 at 10pm across all Star TV channels. It will then be broadcast throughout other news and media outlets. The theatrical debut of the trailer will appear with James Cameron's Avatar.[7] The film is slated for global release to theaters on 12 February 2010

Download Trailer RM Format

Obama Steps for Next Year Against Iran?

2009-12-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

Time is almost up for the Obama administration’s “dual-tracked” approach to Iran. As the Islamic Republic keeps rejecting the administration’s diplomatic outreach and moving forward with its nuclear program, the administration is primed to turn to the U.N. Security Council early next year to seek authorization for a program of multilateral sanctions enforced by Iran’s major trading partners. Perhaps if U.N. ambassador Susan Rice finds that to be an insurmountable challenge, President Obama will seek to assemble his own coalition to enforce a sanctions package. Either way, unless there’s a major breakthrough with Iran very shortly, this will be the path the administration will most likely — and most reluctantly — tread.

But notice a line at the toward the end of Obama’s Nobel acceptance speech about sanctions, coming in the context of a reflection on how to make human-rights guarantees meaningful. It carries with it a tantalizing hint about how diplomacy might proceed with Iran even if Obama wins a new sanctions package.

How to Prepare Mexican Cookies For Christmas

2009-12-11T09:37:00.000-08:00

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Blend the sugar and shortening in an electric mixer. Add the egg and milk.

3. Mix the flour, salt, hazelnuts, almond extract, ground cloves and cinnamon into the dough. Form into a ball, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and knead it with your hands. Sprinkle the dough with some flour to prevent it from sticking and roll out on a large flat surface.

5. Cut the dough using cookie cutters or a small knife (use whatever shapes you like). Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle with colored powdered sugar while still warm, if desired.

Find the IP Address of the URL

2009-12-11T09:35:00.000-08:00

1. The first step is to have a URL that you would like to translate into an IP address. For this tutorial, we'll use www.ehow.com.

2. Next, open a command prompt window. Click on the Start button, and then choose Run. In the Run dialog box, type "cmd" (without the quotation marks) and then Enter. Or, instead of going to Run, you can go to Programs, Accessories, and then Command Prompt to bring up the window.

3. Now, in the command prompt window, type in "nslookup www.ehow.com" substituting your web address in the command, and then press Enter. What is returned is the IP address of the website. In this case, it is 63.123.155.104.

4. You can use this in your web browser in place of the URL by typing in "http://63.123.155.104" in the address bar, and you will be taken to eHow.com.

Christmas Party Decoration

2009-12-11T09:31:00.000-08:00

1. Decorate several small trees with candy canes and popcorn strings, and scatter them around the house.

2. For a centerpiece, decorate a small tree with individually wrapped candy and party favors.

3. Use strings of lights, your fireplace and scented candles as your only lighting to create a more intimate and festive mood.

4. Print short Christmas carols, poems and stories on thick, good-quality parchment paper in a calligraphy font. Place four carols or poems on each page. Fold the pages and tear them apart to give them a rough look, and then decorate the edges with glitter.

5. Scatter these around on tabletops and hang them from doorknobs with ribbon. Guests can take them home as favors.

6. Hang stockings already filled with presents from the mantle to give the illusion that Santa just left.

7. Fill green and red coffee mugs with bunches of different colored candy canes, and scatter them around your home. Or fill the mugs with red and green M&Ms.

Lifetime Achievement award for MJ in next Grammy

2009-12-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

Michael Jackson is to receive a special Lifetime Achievement award at next year’s Grammy Awards.

It will be the 14th Grammy for the late singer – who died in June.

He joins the likes of Bobby Darin, Leonard Cohen and Loretta Lynn who’ll also be honoured at a special ceremony a day before the big show airs in January.

How to Decorate Your Outdoor With Christmas Lights

2009-12-11T09:16:00.000-08:00

1. Sketch the outside of your house, indicating its width and length. Include the locations of any available outlets in your sketch.
2. Figure out and measure where your lights will go - along the eaves, around the windows, on each tree branch? Add an extra 30 feet or so to allow for the pitch of the roof. Measure the height of bushes and the height of the sections of any trees you want to light.

3. Figure out how many strings of lights you'll need based on your measurements; strings come in lengths from 25 lights to 200 lights. (For trees and bushes, figure on about 50 lights per foot of height, or double that number if you're using miniature lights.)

4. Decide what style of lights you want to use: solid, chasing or blinking? Miniature or full-size (C-7 or C-9)? White or colored?

5. Shop for lights and test them before you start hanging them. (See "How to Buy Outdoor Christmas Lights" and "How to Test Outdoor Christmas Lights," under Related eHows.)

6. Make sure your ladder is long enough to reach and that you have a secure place to set it up. It's best to have a helper to hold the ladder for you.

7. Use plastic light clips to hang the strings from your gutters and eaves. They are safer for the wires than a staple gun and much easier to remove.

8. Light your trees by starting at the base of the trunk and wrapping the lights around in a spiral. Work your way to the end of each branch, wrapping the lights around each individual branch.

9. Use full-size C-9 bulbs on evergreens. Start at the top and zigzag the lights through the center of the tree or bush, getting wider with the tree's or bush's shape.

Few Ideas to come into Christmas Spirit

2009-12-11T07:50:00.000-08:00

1. Shop early. Nothing takes away the Christmas spirit like fighting for parking and struggling through crowds.

2. Wish people that you meet in stores and other casual environments a happy holiday. Say it with a smile.

3. Drop spare coins in the Salvation Army collection buckets.

4. Do something nice for someone. Offer to baby-sit so a friend can do her Christmas shopping, take cookies to your neighbors, or shovel an elderly neighbor's walk.

5. Volunteer your time to a worthy holiday cause. Even if you are busy, you can spare an hour or two to help people less fortunate than yourself.

6. Organize a drive at work or in your neighborhood. Collect food and personal items and donate them to a local shelter for the homeless or for battered women.

7. Play Christmas music.

8. Watch Christmas movies. "It's a Wonderful Life" is a good one for reviving a flagging Christmas spirit, as is "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

9. Read "A Christmas Carol" and "A Child's Christmas in Wales."

10. Decorate your house for the holidays.

11. Don't spend more money than you have. Anxiety over after-Christmas bills can ruin your holiday.

Obama celebrates 48th birthday

2009-08-05T07:43:00.000-07:00

On his own 48th birthday, US President Barack Obama Tuesday turned the spotlight on a reporter also celebrating her special day, who pitched up at the White House in the year he was born.Obama sang "Happy Birthday" and presented Helen Thomas, the doyenne of the White House press corps, with cupcakes and a single candle to celebrate her 89th birthday, before planting a kiss on her cheek.

The outspoken Thomas, who has covered every president since John F. Kennedy, spoke quietly to Obama, who ignored reporters' shouted questions about his own birthday and ex-president Bill Clinton's mercy mission to North Korea."Helen wished for world peace, (and) no prejudice, but she and I also had a common birthday wish," Obama said.

"She said she wishes for a healthcare reform bill," Obama said, referring to his signature domestic reform legislation, working its tortuous way through Congress.Thomas, a former UPI wire service reporter who now works for Hearst Newspapers, has a place of honor in the front row of the White House briefing room, and first worked the White House beat in 1961.

Obama celebrated his own birthday by largely avoiding reporters, and holding a lunchtime meeting with a 57 of the 60 Democratic senators and independents who largely control the fact of his domestic agenda in Congress.Missing were senators Edward Kennedy, Robert Byrd and Barbara Mikulski for health reason.White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that Obama celebrated his birthday at the weekend with a trip to the Camp David presidential retreat surrounded by family and friends.

Paula Abdul will not return to 'American Idol'

2009-08-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

If Paula Abdul’s abrupt Twitter announcement that she’s quitting “American Idol” is a contract negotiating ploy, it’s a spectacular one.If not, she’s potentially blown a hole in TV’s top-rated show — and rejected an eight-figure deal that represented a 30 percent raise, according to a person familiar with the talks. The person, lacking authority to speak publicly, asked not to be identified.Abdul dropped her online bombshell Tuesday evening, right before season-nine auditions begin Friday in Denver. That has the whiff of a pressure tactic on Abdul’s part, although boycotting the early auditions that skip from city to city might have been a less dramatic way to negotiate.Her tweets, however, seemed to have an air of finality.

“With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return” to Fox’s singing contest, Abdul said on her Twitter account. “I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon.”There was a sense of closure, too, in a statement from Fox and producers FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment.The companies said Abdul was “an important part of the ‘American Idol’ family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show.”They said she was “a tremendous talent” and wished her the best.

Abdul’s banter and bickering with acerbic fellow judge Simon Cowell was as regular an “Idol” fixture as off-key contestants. So was her shimmying behind the judges’ table when contestants sang uptempo songs.Earlier this year, Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly called Abdul “an integral part of the show.”Her announcement came the day after Fox said that Kara DioGuardi would return for a second season on the “American Idol” judging panel.The addition of Grammy-nominated songwriter DioGuardi last year raised questions about Abdul’s future on the show, which was based on the British series “Pop Idol.”

Cowell, DioGuardi and Randy Jackson are signed through season nine. Ryan Seacrest just agreed to a new deal, reportedly worth $45 million, that keeps him on as “Idol” host through 2012 and provides the opportunity for new entertainment ventures.Despite a decline in its ratings, “American Idol” remains the No. 1-rated show and a money machine for Fox, its producers and for the record labels and singers like Carrie Underwood that have benefited from its star-making power. Removing any part of a familiar and winning TV formula can be risky and makes the show’s future an open question.In July, Abdul told The Associated Press that she had been invited to stay with “Idol” as long as the show lasted and that she was optimistic that she’d be able to negotiate a new contract.

But the 47-year-old singer-dancer said the invitation to come back was subject to agreement on the details of a new deal.Abdul began working with a new manager, David Sonenberg, in recent weeks, and he said last month that prospects for a deal looked dim.“What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me,” Abdul said to followers on Twitter in making her announcement.A onetime-Los Angeles Lakers cheerleader, Abdul became an award-winning choreographer and singer, didn’t indicate her post-“Idol” career plans in her tweet.

DioGuardi didn’t slip smoothly into her new job. She endured eye rolls from Cowell over her comments and criticism of her judging abilities and long-winded, earnest style from viewers. She admitted to suffering nerves and worrying about fitting in.But DioGuardi provided one of the season’s highlights: Her feud with Katrina “Bikini Girl” Darrell during the audition rounds, when the judge — a talented singer in her own right — told the scantily clad wannabe to bring a stripper pole next time.

Exam passes reach record levels in Scotland

2009-08-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

Record numbers of Scottish teenagers opening their exam results this morning will have passed.A total of 98.5% of the nearly 160,000 15- and 16-year-olds were successful in their standard grade exams, with one in five pupils achieving the top level – grade 1 – and more than a quarter reaching grade 2.Nearly three quarters of the 167,635 higher exams taken by 16- and 17-year-olds this year resulted in passes, as did 77.8% of the advanced higher papers, sat by the brightest 17- and 18-year-olds.

The success rate is the highest since the exams were introduced in the 1970s, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) said. Last year, pass rates were 98% for standard grade exam papers and 73.4% for higher papers. For advanced higher papers, the rate was 75.8%. The number of pupils who sat advanced higher papers rose by 4.2% this year to 19,645.But the pass rate for a qualification sat by 15- and 16-year-olds in basic literacy and numeracy fell by 4.7 percentage points, to 63.5% from 68.2% last year. The number of entries for this qualification, known as access 2, fell to 2,457 from 3,049 last year.

The number of pupils who sat standard grade papers this summer compared with last dropped by 28,398 to 358,459. SQA said this was because of a drop in the number of 15- and 16-year-olds in Scotland – and possibly because pupils may be taking other qualifications.The number of pupils who took higher and advanced highers this summer was the highest for five years.Janet Brown, Scotland's chief examining officer, said: "Individual results will determine what the future will hold for individual candidates and, for the vast majority, that future is bright."

Michael Jackson's 2009 Rehersal on DVD

2009-08-05T07:07:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson’s last days have been entrance to a theater—or DVD rack, during least— nearby you.Sony-owned Columbia Pictures has purchased a rights to a King of Pop’s 2009 operation footage from unison upholder AEG Live for $60 million, according to justice papers filed Friday by Jackson’s estate. A decider still needs to pointer off upon a transaction, which would concede Columbia to qualification a PG-rated, feature-length movie revolving around Jackson’s preparations for what was ostensible to be a 50-date quip rendezvous in London.The $60 million encompasses merchandising rights, product tie-ins, a special director’s cut, etc. AEG has pronounced which some-more than 100 hours of footage exists, yet a movie is authorised to be no longer than 150 minutes.

This contingency be a little of which “significant value” a special administrators were articulate about when they sensitive a justice they were hammering out assorted deals to heighten Jackson’s estate as well as beneficiaries. Of course, that’s presumption there will be a direct for such a film—and which Katherine Jackson, who has sealed a confidentiality agreement permitting her entrance to a estate’s destiny commercial operation dealings—has no vital objections.And because should she? Not usually does a stipulate foreordain which a movie contingency uncover Jackson in a certain light, though 90 percent of a distinction will go to her son’s estate, with a residue starting to AEG Live.The make a difference will be addressed during a subsequent conference upon estate matters, scheduled for Aug. 10.

Salman Khan’s ‘WANTED’ Trailer

2009-08-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

Directed by Prabhu Deva, ‘WANTED’ stars Salman Khan, Ayesha Takia, Mahesh Manjrekar, Asseem Merchant, Vinod Khanna and Prakash Raj. The movie is the story of an undercover cop who infiltrates a gang of hardcore criminals to hunt down a notorious gangster. The movie will release on September 18, 2009.

China will reduce death penalty and cut executions

2009-07-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

China will reduce the number of people it executes and impose more suspended death sentences, a senior judicial official has said.The country is believed to be the world's most prolific executioner, with at least 7,000 sentenced to death and 1,718 executed last year, according to Amnesty International.Zhang Jun, vice-president of the supreme people's court, said it would tighten restrictions on the use of capital punishment. But he stressed that the country would not abandon the death penalty, saying it was "impossible" to do so under current conditions and that people had strongly supported it for a long time."It is an important effort to strictly control the application of the penalty by judicial organs," he said, according to the state newspaper China Daily.

"Judicial departments should use the least number of death sentences possible, and death penalties should not be given to those having a reason for not being executed."Zhang said the highest court was extremely cautious in imposing the sentence on those who killed relatives or neighbours in disputes. People who pleaded guilty, compensated their victims' relatives, or were pardoned by the latter also tended to receive more lenient punishments.He said the death penalty should be applied to "an extremely small number" of serious offenders, but offered no figures for current execution rates or reduction targets.The actual number of executions is a state secret; Amnesty's figures are drawn from recorded cases alone. Several organisations have suggested the true toll runs into several thousand.The death penalty applies to more than 60 offences in China, including many non-violent and economic crimes.

But "death penalty with reprieve" sentences are becoming more common and are usually commuted to life in prison. This can later be reduced to 20 years or less with good behaviour."If there is really a drop in the number of executions and the number of crimes to which the death penalty is applied, this is a move which Amnesty International will welcome," said Si-si Liu, a Hong Kong-based researcher for the human rights group."But right now it's really impossible for external observers to verify or double-check what officials have said about reductions in numbers, because the total is a state secret."She added that Amnesty International was concerned by other remarks from Chinese officials, citing the statement by Li Zhi, Urumqi's Communist party secretary, that violent rioters in Xinjiang would be executed.

"We question how this kind of sentencing decision, which only courts should be eligible to make, can be made by people outside the judicial system," Liu said.Last year the country's most senior judge said only "extremely vile criminals" were executed in 2007 as a result of "kill fewer, kill carefully" reforms that gave the supreme court the right to overturn capital sentences handed down by lower courts.The China Daily said the supreme people's court overturned 15% of death sentences handed down in 2007 and 10 percent in 2008.Independent analysts suggested the policy had caused a drop in executions of as much as 30% year-on-year.

New Pygmy Seahorse discovered

2009-07-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

At under half an inch tall (13 millimeters), Satomi's pygmy seahorse—named after dive guide Satomi Onishi—is a strong contender for the world's smallest seahorse. With their tails stretched out straight, two Satomi's pygmy seahorses would fit head-to-head across the face of a penny.These miniscule seahorses from Indonesian reefs have been seen giving birth to tiny offspring, each about the size of a 12-point apostrophe.Together with two other species, Satomi's pygmy seahorses were named in a December 2008 study.

The Walea pygmy seahorse is one of five species named in a flurry of recent seahorse discoveries from coral reefs in the Red Sea and Indonesia. All five are less than an inch tall (2.5 centimeters) and are among the tiniest known vertebrates.It was thanks to the keen eyes of underwater photographers and divers that these secretive specimens came to light.The seahorses, described in December 2008 and January 2009 studies, are the first to be discovered in five years.The Walea seahorse is named after an island in central Sulawesi, Indonesia—the only place it has so far been found.

One of five newly discovered seahorses, Hippocampus debelius, or the soft-coral seahorse, was named after Helmut Debelius, the underwater photographer who led a successful campaign to track down this miniature Red Sea inhabitant.After initial sightings in 1993, it took over a decade to find the specimens described in a January 2009 study.

Severns's pygmy seahorse, named after diver Mike Severns, is one of three new species named in a December 2008 study.Study co-author Sara Lourie from McGill University in Canada credited local dive guides and photographers without whom the seahorses would have remained a mystery.All the new seahorses were officially recognized after divers had shared photographs of their discoveries with scientists.

Pontoh's pygmy seahorse, named after Indonesian dive guide Hence Pontoh, is one of many tiny specimens described in a December 2008 study.Pygmy seahorses are high on the "wish lists" of many divers, who want to spot one for themselves, co-author Lourie remarked by email."There is a lot of local pride surrounding these and other pygmy seahorses in Indonesia, where they were discovered.

'Microsoft & Yahoo' the big deal

2009-07-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

Microsoft's Bing search engine will power the Yahoo website and Yahoo will in turn become the advertising sales team for Microsoft's online offering.Yahoo has been struggling to make profits in recent years.But last year it rebuffed several takeover bids from Microsoft in an attempt to go it alone.Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer said the 10-year deal would provide Microsoft's Bing search engine with the necessary scale to compete."Through this agreement with Yahoo, we will create more innovation in search, better value for advertisers, and real consumer choice in a market currently dominated by a single company," said Mr Ballmer.

In return for ceding control of its search engine, Yahoo will get to keep 88% of the revenue from all search ad sales on its site for the first five years of the deal, and have the right to sell adverts on some Microsoft sites.Yahoo's search team, meanwhile, will have to brace itself for job losses over the next two years. Some staff will transfer to Microsoft, others can stay on with Yahoo, but redundancies would be unavoidable, Yahoo chief executive Carol Bartz told the BBC.Yahoo and Microsoft have announced a long-rumoured internet search deal that will help the two companies take on chief rival Google.Microsoft's Bing search engine will power the Yahoo website and Yahoo will in turn become the advertising sales team for Microsoft's online offering.Yahoo has been struggling to make profits in recent years.

But last year it rebuffed several takeover bids from Microsoft in an attempt to go it alone.Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer said the 10-year deal would provide Microsoft's Bing search engine with the necessary scale to compete.I believe it establishes the foundation for a new era of internet innovation and development."Through this agreement with Yahoo, we will create more innovation in search, better value for advertisers, and real consumer choice in a market currently dominated by a single company," said Mr Ballmer.In return for ceding control of its search engine, Yahoo will get to keep 88% of the revenue from all search ad sales on its site for the first five years of the deal, and have the right to sell adverts on some Microsoft sites.Yahoo's search team, meanwhile, will have to brace itself for job losses over the next two years. Some staff will transfer to Microsoft, others can stay on with Yahoo, but redundancies would be unavoidable, Yahoo chief executive Carol Bartz told the BBC.

Yahoo said the deal would benefit Yahoo's users and advertisers. "This agreement comes with boatloads of value for Yahoo, our users, and the industry. And I believe it establishes the foundation for a new era of internet innovation and development," said Ms Bartz.The deal became possible after Yahoo's co-founder Jerry Yang stepped down as chief executive of the company late last year."Only a Yahoo outsider like Ms Bartz could do such a deal," said Tim Weber, business editor of the BBC News website."She has no sentimental attachment to what was once the core of Yahoo, its search business. Microsoft was helped by the fact that at long last it managed to develop a search engine - Bing - that is a credible alternative to search giant Google."Yahoo said the deal would boost annual operating income by $500m and secure $200m in savings.The tie-up will give Microsoft and Yahoo a combined market share in the US search ad market of about 30%.Google would still be the dominant force with a share of about 65%.

BMW will withdraw from Formula 1

2009-07-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

BMW will end their involvement in Formula One racing at the end of the current season, it was announced on Wednesday. The move is part of what the German car maker described as a ‘landmark’ decision to restructure its motorsport activities.The news came at a press conference held at the company’s German headquarters in Munich, attended by BMW Sauber team principal Mario Theissen, along with Dr. Norbert Reithofer, the chairman of the BMW board, and Dr. Klaus Draeger, the director for development.

BMW became Formula One entrants in 2006 after taking over the Swiss Sauber team. The company said the decision to withdraw stems from a desire to dedicate more resources to developing new, sustainable road car technologies.“Of course, this was a difficult decision for us,” explained Reithofer. “But it’s a resolute step in view of our company's strategic realignment. Premium will increasingly be defined in terms of sustainability and environmental compatibility. This is an area in which we want to remain in the lead. Our Formula One campaign is thus less a key promoter for us."

Paying tribute to Theissen’s leadership of BMW Sauber, who finished third in last year’s championship, Reithofer added: “Mario has been in charge of our motorsports program since 1999. We have scored a large number of successes in this period, including some in Formula One racing. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mario Theissen and his team for this.”Theissen commented: "Of course, we, the employees in Hinwil and Munich, would all have liked to continue this ambitious campaign and show that this season was just a hiccup following three successful years. But I can understand why this decision was made from a corporate perspective. We will now focus sharply on the remaining races and demonstrate our fighting spirit and put in a good result as we bid farewell to Formula One racing.”

BMW’s original Formula One involvement began in the 1980s as an engine supplier. With Brabham from 1982 to ’85, the company clinched eight Formula One victories and one world title, courtesy of Nelson Piquet in 1983. Following a final win with Benetton in 1986, BMW were absent from F1 competition until 2000 when they began supplying engines to Williams, taking 10 victories over the following five years.In 2006 the company took over the Sauber team and enjoyed a positive first season as a fully-fledged works entry, finishing fifth in the constructors’ championship, with two podium finishes. The team went from strength to strength in 2007, occupying the ‘best of the rest’ slot behind Ferrari and McLaren. Scoring in all 17 races, BMW Sauber eventually finished second in the standings, behind Ferrari.

Worlds longest waterfalls

2009-07-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

Angel Falls:

Angel Falls is the tallest waterfall in the world, as well as the tallest single drop in the world. The falls consist of a 2648 foot plunge, where the water comes out of the face of Auyan Tepui, then it cascades down steep talus before dropping over another 100 foot cascade. Total Height: 3,212 feet or 979 meters.

Tugela Falls:

The Tugela River drops over 3000 feet in 5 major tiers. It is located in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. Total Height: 3,110 feet or 948 meters.

Three Sisters Falls:

The falls is located in Rio Cutivireni, Peru. Total Height: 3,000 feet or 914 meters.

Oloupena Falls:

The most volumnous waterfall in Hawaii. Total Height: 2,953 feet or 900 meters.

Yumbilla, Catarata:

Several sites claim a height of 870m, but Peru’s IGN (Instituto Geografico Nacional) claims a height of 895.4m.

Vinnufossen:

The small stream does flow all year long and can, at times, produce a significant volume. The waterfall is located in More Og Romsdal, Norway. Total Height: 2,822 feet or 860 meters.

Balaifossen:

The falls appear to be fed primarily by several small lakes and tarns, but it’s likely that seasonal snowfields contribute the majority of the stream’s water. The falls is located in Hordaland, Norway. Total Height: 2,788 feet or 850 meters.

Puukaoku Falls:

Located in Hawaii, USA, the north coast of Molokai has the tallest sea cliffs in the world. Total Height: 2,756 feet or 840 meters.

Inglourious Basterds Trailer

2009-07-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

Cuil celebrates its first birthday

2009-07-28T09:25:00.000-07:00

A year ago today, Cuil hit the web.With ex-Google staff and claims that it indexed three times as much of the web as the leading search engine, pundits eagerly suggested the Irish-named search engine would take down Google.It hardly seems sporting to mock in hindsight, especially on its birthday, but Cuil hasn't made much of a dent in market share, leaving Yahoo and Microsoft's newly-launched Bing to compete for second.

Privately-funded Cuil doesn't seem too worried about how many users it's drawing a year on, even though the best its managed is one per cent of the market. By February, it was down to just 130,000 users a month, but Cuil has apparently said that's been doubling every month since then.Co-founder Tom Costello told us last year that it's going to take time. "Even when you see Google – built to the kind of dominant position they have - it took them 10 years to build to that position. Search is not a business where you have overnight success. It’s not a business where you change the behaviour of billions of people worldwide who use search overnight."

But time, and cash, is on his side, he added - despite rumours the company might be spending a bit too carelessly. "It turns out that one of the great things about search is that it’s a very, very profitable business. Search traffic is extra valuable. Even with a very small, negligible market share, you can still easily be profitable. So we’re in this for the long term."

What now?

A report in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Technology Review has suggested Cuil is planning a comeback by trying to be the first search engine to look inside social networks."We are trying to leverage the information found on users social networks to enhance search results. This is similar to what Amazon or eBay already does: 'People who bought this book, also liked this one'," Cuil's vice president of finance Seval Oz Ozveren told the publication.Sounds cool (sorry, we couldn't help it) but only time will tell if it will be enough to make sure Cuil has a second birthday.

How to create a retro bedroom

2009-07-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

When one thinks of the word “retro”, their mind automatically goes to the decorating styles of the 1960’s and 1970’s. For more and more people, however, the 1980’s is also considered retro. Here are some ideas you can use to create a retro bedroom for yourself. The 1960’s was the time of hippies, and free love. Even more than that, it was a time for people to discover love of their fellow man with the emergence of Martin Luther King, Kennedy, and war protests. Home décor was as bold and free as the youth of the generation.

Walls: Room décor did not necessarily come from wall colors. They came from what was hung on them. On your white or neutral wall colors, hang colorful bold flower print fabrics in two or three colors.

Fabrics: Use bold color blocked fabric for your bedding
and window treatment. For example, a white background with orange circles or uneven squares. Colors to look for are orange, brown, white, celadon green, and mustard.

Flooring: Floor tiles were very popular during this time. Purchase floor tiles in two colors and install like in a checkerboard pattern. Add several throw rugs to warm your feet in the morning.

Accessories: Accessorize the room with pop art reminiscent of Andy Warhol who was famous for his paintings of Campbell’s soup and Marilyn Monroe. Lava lamps and Hawaiian tiki carvings are also great room accessories of the time.As the baby boomers came of age in the 1970’s, free love, war protests, and overall cultural awareness faded as disco and nightclubs became the obsession of the generation who needed to work off steam as they worked themselves up the corporate ladder. Home décor and fashions evolved greatly during this time from wild and crazy to clean lines, but bold colors remained.

Walls: Paint the room in a two-toned design like a beige on top and brown on the bottom. Two tones of any color will work well.

Fabrics: Floral designs continued to remain dominant, but more colors were added to the color palate. For your bed, purchase a cozy chenille bedspread and matching sheer curtain panels for your windows.

Flooring: Shag carpet would look great in your 70’s inspired bedroom, but you do not need to stick with the mixed shades of brown that was used to camouflage spills. Purchase your shag carpet in solid colors instead, and stick to area rugs to save money because shag carpet does not have a long shelf life.

Accessories: Mirrors and glass became the main room accessories during this period. Cover a wall with mirrors and add a mirrored disco ball to reflect the light in your room.During the 1980’s the baby boomers became parents and so home décor became more grown up. Patterns became more subtle, subdued, and traditional. Victorian elements re-emerged during this time.

Walls: There was a return to white and neutral colored walls. You can paint your 1980's inspired bedroom walls white with pastel colored trim, or antique white with high gloss white trim.

Fabrics: Pastel colors became the popular color scheme during this period interspersed with subtle florals by designers like Ashley Stewart. For a more masculine room, stick with classic stripes and argyle patterns.

Flooring: During the 1980’s, carpet got colorful and shorter. Short twisted pile carpet in pinks, blues, and greens would work well in your room.

Accessories: Accessories during this period were also a bit more grown up. Glass figurines became popular for adults and hand made bunnies and stuffed animals were the main décor in children’s rooms. Photography became the wall hangings
of choice from candid pictures of family members to posters of rock stars, to black and white landscapes by photographers like Ansel Adams.

King Kong of Skull Island

2009-07-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

Spirit Pictures is looking to breathe new life into King Kong and a project initially developed by effects legend Ray Harryhausen.Producers at the shingle have picked up the rights to the book "Kong: King of Skull Island," a prequel to the well-known tale of the big ape.Penned by Joe DeVito and Brad Strickland, book focuses on the backstory of Skull Island and how the giant gorilla became king there. It introduces other giant gorillas and dinosaurs only hinted at in the previous films.The book was published at the same time Peter Jackson was producing his remake of "King Kong."

Rights to make the movie were brokered with the Merian C. Cooper family, who own the Kong property. Cooper co-directed the original "Kong," released in 1933."We're very concerned with honoring Merian C. Cooper's legacy in Hollywood. We want to make sure that whatever we deliver will honor his memory," said Spirit's Steve Iles, who worked on videogames for the "Star Wars" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchises through his Pocket Studios game company.The plan is to produce the film using motion-capture technology such as Robert Zemeckis used to make "The Polar Express," "Beowulf" and the upcoming "A Christmas Carol." Spirit's own facility would produce the CG work.

Spirit also is developing "War Eagles," a project Cooper and Harryhausen had developed together and were nearly set to produce before the outbreak of WWII. The period actioner is set in 1939 and revolves around an ace fighter-pilot who tests a new jet and winds up crash-landing in the arctic, where he encounters a lost civilization that's been thriving there for centuries."It's one of those films that a certain level of the industry is aware of," said Arnold Kunert, producer on both "Kong" and "Eagles." "It's a combination of all the things that have worked in adventure films for the last 70 or 80 years."Andy Briggs is working on the scripts for both films, with Spirit also developing offshoots like graphic novels, videogames and toys.Iles and Kunert will produce both pics through Spirit, which is still seeking production partners on the projects.

How to Quit Smoking?

2009-07-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that an addiction to cigarettes is one of the toughest habits to break. While there are some people who can quit by the strength of will power alone, the vast majority of the smoking population requires the assistance of cessation aids and numerous attempts before quitting cigarettes for good. But with medical reports and statistics piling up over the years detailing the dangers of nicotine, the need to stop smoking has become more of a trend than smoking ever was.According to some figures, there are still over 1.1 billion people in the world who smoke cigarettes. In the United States alone, nearly 20 percent of the population still claims an affinity for cigarettes, though that number has decreased by more than half since 1965. But as society puts more of a focus on healthy living and positive lifestyle choices, in addition to entire cities across America outlawing smoking in public places, people are finding the motivation to quit the habit.

Quitting cigarettes requires more than will power for most people, though. The addiction to tobacco is not only physical but mental and emotional. Smoking a cigarette becomes part of life for the addicted, and many need to completely readjust their lifestyles in order to successfully kick the habit.The first order of business to quitting the habit is to set a date for the last cigarette, which allows the person to get rid of extra packs of cigarettes, lighters, and ashtrays, as well as begin cleaning clothes, blankets, curtains, and any other household items that retain the smell of smoke. It is important to begin the first day of non-smoking with a fresh environment and little to no remnants of the smoking lifestyle.

Setting the date also allows the person to stock up on items that may help during the first 72 hours, when nicotine still resides in the body and the cravings for a cigarette will be the strongest. A person may choose to stock up on items like nicotine gum or patches to gradually let the body know that the process has begun. It also may be helpful to gather items that will help the oral fixation, such as straws or toothpicks, chewing gum, candy or lollipops, and snack items like carrots, celery sticks, and grapes. It may also be helpful to buy extra mouthwash and dental hygiene items to keep the mouth smelling and feeling fresh.In addition to sharing the plan with family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors, it can also be helpful to start a journal. While it will be helpful to lean on everyone involved in daily life for encouragement and support, a log of thoughts and feelings may help put the process in perspective, especially if the journal focuses on the motivations for quitting.

A complete change in daily routine might be necessary. If smoking with coffee in the morning was a habit, there may be a need to start the day with water or juice instead. If smoking after meals was the norm, it might be helpful to immediately go for a walk after meals. Some form of exercise should be integrated into daily life as well, since the body will be craving some form of adrenaline that could be found in the healthy feeling that exercise provides.After the first few days or weeks, it can be motivational to figure out the amount of money saved from not buying cigarettes and use it to buy something fun. Whether it is something that can aid the new, healthy lifestyle or simply something rewarding, it can further prove that cigarettes were more than a physical threat to one’s life but a financial strain as well.

The most important thing to keep in mind when quitting cigarettes is that the person has more control than the cigarette or the tobacco in it. Self-control is an asset, and remembering that you are in control of your life is the key to quitting. The assistance of others and cessation aids may be integral to success, but ultimately it is the person that is in control of habits and lifestyle choices. But if it so happens that a cigarette works its way into the person’s hands and he or she falls off the wagon, there is no reason to give up the process entirely. One mistake does not ruin the plan, and resuming the quitting process should be automatic.It took time to become addicted to smoking, and it may take time to quit the habit. But your body, mind, pets, friends, and family will be forever grateful if the process of quitting is successful.

Ads that people love or hate

2009-07-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the ads that have come up repeatedly in our discussion. But we're not done yet! Just because an ad isn't listed does not mean it can't still top the contest. Describe it in the comments.

BEST ADS:
I'm not quite sure what computer-generated roller-skating rapper babies has to do with drinking Evian, but darn if this ad doesn't stop me in my tracks and make me watch. Has anyone actually seen this on TV yet, or just on YouTube? Here's an article about the ad's popularity.

This Prius commercial, in which people dressed like flowers, grass and other bits of nature pop up as the car drives by, is still a favorite of many, and a leading contender. But some people just find it creepy.Front-front, back-back, side-to-side. The Kia Soul ad with giant hamsters driving a Kia past others of their species stuck in dull wheels entertains some, but others think it's a weird way to sell cars.Why so many car ads among your faves this year? In this VW ad, a Jetta TDI and an old Beetle talk to a neighbor who owns a Prius. Reader Dan O. says: "I love the VW commercial that compares itself to the Toyota Prius -- after its owner makes the quiet engine noise the VW still says 'that's cool'.... That's cool."

Some commercials create a fictional spokesperson that just makes people hate the product he or she represents. (Plastic-headed Burger King, that's your cue!) But Dos Equis' Most Interesting Man in the World seems to be earning more fans than foes. ("Police often question him just because they find him interesting. ... His blood smells like cologne.")

WORST AD CONTENDERS:
When you first see this ad, for Boost Mobile, you may think that's just the girl's lovely long tresses blowing back into her boyfriend's face. Then you realize it's her armpit hair, which apparently has grown to Sasquatch-length. (Boost Mobile also has this horror, where a man carries another adult man in a baby carrier strapped to his chest. In the end, the man in the carrier says, "I also like breast milk.")

Here's another major contender for worst: In Dannon Light and Fit's ad, a beautiful blonde so can't resist their product that she opens it and sucks it down right in the supermarket. The slurping noises send the ad right into "disturbing" territory.When I first mentioned this Quizno's ad, where the oven wants the employee to "put it in me, Scott," a couple of readers accused me of homophobia, apparently because the employee is male and the oven has a male voice. I can assure you, I was creeped out by the idea of any employee, male or female, putting any body part in a hot sandwich oven. The sexuality of the oven in question never once entered my mind.Red Bull's slogan is "Red Bull gives you wings" (or, in their lingo, "wiiings") but in this ad, the drink, and a woman on a nude beach, are apparently giving the little cartoon guy something else, as indicated by the way his black censorship bar takes an upward twist.

I can imagine the pitch session for this series of Geico commercials: We're saving them money, why not show them the money? And make it cute, with googly Muppet eyes. But why is it stalking me? That creepy-but-catchy Rockwell song doesn't help matters.Are any of these ads your pick for the best or worst of the year, or do you think other commercials need to be mentioned here? The comments are open.

Kelly Clarkson's latest music video

2009-07-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

Smart phones now used to educate kids

2009-07-27T09:15:00.000-07:00

Smart phones now have hundreds of applications meant to educate kids — from graphic calculators to animation programs that teach spelling and phonics.And while most public schools don't allow the devices because they're considered distractions — and sometimes portable cheating tools — some school districts have started to put the technology to use.The key, educators say, is controlling the environment in which they are used.In St. Mary's, Ohio, a school district of 2,300 students is continuing a pilot program where third-, fourth- and fifth-graders are assigned PDAs for use as a learning tool in the classroom, and at home. They use applications created by a company called Go Know! to draw pictures and create sketches, journal and write essays, said Kyle Menchhofer, the district's technology coordinator. Other applications create flash cards for spelling and math.

Students took the phones on a museum field trip where they took photos, uploaded them to a server where the teacher could view the assignment and wrote blurbs about what they saw.In addition to the applications that students use, having the PDA teaches them responsibility, he said."Cellphones aren't going away. Mobile technology isn't going away," he said. "Right now, what we're telling kids is 'You go home and use whatever technology you want, but when you get to school, we're going to ask you to step back in time.' It doesn't make any sense," he said.The district started the program last school year with $40,000 and 60 Palm personal data devices that were handed out to students. Menchhofer said teachers who used to wait weeks to use computer labs were now able to use technology right in their classrooms — and students love it.

But there are many questions districts face before opening the door to allow cellphones: If children had their own, fancier phones, would they be allowed those instead of school-issued devices? How would they fund PDAs in larger districts?And do kids really need technology always at their fingertips?Orlando, dad Ken Schneider says he doesn't want his two daughters, ages 12 and 19, to be distracted in class by buzzing phones or text messages. Still, he says a limited, school-sponsored version is a good idea."A very controlled form of communication would be great," he said. "To the extent you can build computer literacy at the youngest age, it's great. That's where the world is moving."In St. Mary's, parents and district officials decided to expand the program for the upcoming school year. Text and cellphone applications are shut off, so the data plan will cost about $17 a month per phone. The phones are free because of government pricing, but students will have to foot the bill if they're lost or broken.

It's worth it, Menchhofer argues. "We need to teach them to be responsible users of cellphones," he said. "There's a right time and a wrong time to use them."Elliot Soloway, the creator of Go Know!, which developed the software, said trying to sell it was a slog for years because of the cellphone ban in most schools. But he said he thinks it's about to change because he's been getting increasing requests."Kids want to use the same tools inside school they use when they walk out the door," he said. "Kids don't worry about small screen sizes or typing trouble. Kids today are the mobile generation and it's time we embraced this as a way to better educate our students."But the purported educational value of the cellphones doesn't seem to sway most school districts, including New York, the largest in the country with a million students. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is in charge of the schools, emphasized his opposition in a recent speech to National Urban League executives, who exploded into applause.

Working on Michael Jackson Theories

2009-07-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

The strange circumstances surrounding the death of Michael Jackson have law enforcement personnel working overtime to figure out exactly what happened.It seems that the longer the investigation into just how the superstar passed away continues, the more disturbing and perplexing some of the details become.

One of the theories investigators are exploring, according to TMZ, is that the singer's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray administered Propofol to him.After giving Jackson the hospital-grade anesthesia, the mere possession of which is probably enough for him to face criminal charges, Murray left the room.When he returned, he discovered Michael Jackson's dead body.

We emphasize that this is only a theory. However, it would explain the timeline gap between when Murray says he found MJ and when a 911 call was made.Sources say when paramedics arrived Michael Jackson was already dead - even though Murray would not let them pronounce him as such on the scene - and found with an IV in his arm, an IV stand nearby along with an empty IV bag and oxygen tank.The paramedics on the scene say Dr. Conrad Murray's conduct was "strange" - he was "hard to deal with" and was "getting in the way" of emergency responders.

The paramedics wanted to pronounce Michael Jackson dead at the house but Dr. Murray, who has higher authority, insisted they transport the singer to a hospital.At the UCLA Medical Center, doctors gave up on resuscitation efforts because Jackson was clearly dead, but Dr. Murray - now the target of a manslaughter investigation - continued CPR, which some of the doctors found odd, to say the least.

Luck released

2009-07-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

This is a film about subverted heroes. People who need big money so desperately they are willing to participate in a crazy game of life and death orchestrated by a man who has turned betting on human beings into a galloping global industry.Sanjay Dutt strides across the wide screen and its accompanying pomp and paraphernalia with aplomb. He’s accompanied by a cast that knows this film means macho business.However, the real heroes of this tale of perverse heroism are the action by Allan Amin, dialogues by Soham Shah, locations — ranging from the super-rugged to the ultra-chic — the thundering background score by Amar Mohile and the cinematography of Santosh Thundiyil.All these technical components enrich the experience of watching an extended video-game done at an adrenaline-defying speed.

So is “Luck” just a series of action sequences threaded together? To a large extent the skills that have gone into Shah’s storytelling tend to be eclipsed by the sheer volume and impact of the virile action. Even the female characters (Shruti Haasan and Chitrashi) are devoted to money and machismo.So, play the game. Shah displays a penchant for pyrotechnics that hit you in your face and rev up the proceedings from the word go. Every principal character (barring debutante Shruti Haasan) is given a back story done with an economy of narration that impresses with its austere suppleness.Particularly riveting is Imran Khan’s introductory episode where in a Harshad Mehta-like scam the boy’s life and finances come undone because of his father’s economic misadventures. Here, the character’s desperation of monetary redemption comes alive as much through Imran’s clenched jaws and anguished eyes as the small details that go into constructing an ambience of desperate destiny.Then there’s Danny Denzongpa, filled with smothered anguish at the thought of a dying wife (Roopa Ganguly) and the millions needed to keep her alive.

Most interesting of all is Ravi Kishan. As a psycho on death row who cheats death, he gets some of the juiciest lines in this well-written jigsaw of fallen lives and scamsters. Kishan makes the best of the situation and comes up with a performance that pervades the screen with a wolf-like wackiness.Also a treat is Chitrashi, who as the zestful stowaway from Pakistan comes up with a great performance. Her sequence from the hospital bed after mechanical sharks bite off her limb is the sort of foolproof emotional intervention in the rugged plot that cannot go wrong.You love Shah for making such telling use of Mithun Chakbraorty and Danny’s immense rabble-rousing personalities.Why didn’t other directors think of casting these actors in such tailor made roles? Like the cinema of Sanjay Gupta, Shah’s film shows materialism to be the motivating mantra of modern times.

Money makes the world of “Luck” go around unapologetically.Some of the pauses dividing the five-six principal action scenes don’t quite succeed in giving the goings-on a sense of rhythm and grace. But you can’t really fault “Luck” for its ration of kinetic momentum. The narration is propelled forward by a pulsating integrity to the genre of action movies.Original in concept and engaging in execution, “Luck” is cinema at its macho peak. It pumps up the octane to an optimum level and lets the plot devise its own pauses and porous outlets.You don’t come away liking too many characters in this tale of guns and deaths. But you don’t dislike these people for their monstrous materialism either. That’s the real success of “Luck”.

Beautiful cities in the world - 1

2009-07-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

Sydney

Geneva

Frankfurt

Liverpool

Monaco

Tempe Town Lake

Avila

London

Bill Gates received Indira Gandhi award

2009-07-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates Saturday received the Indian government's prestigious Indira Gandhi prize the work done by his foundation in fighting poverty and illness, specially HIV-AIDS, in India. "When a technological giant like Bill Gates joins the cause of changing the lives of people through philanthropy, we have reasons to be optimistic," Indian President Pratibha Patil said in presenting the award at a ceremony in the Indian capital.

Noting this was the first time a business leader had been given the award, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was an inspiration for business leaders around the world."Others have also showed the world how to create wealth from knowledge, but very few before him (Gates) have worked as hard and as selflessly as he has to share that wealth with marginalized people and also create knowledge in that process," Singh said.

Singh hoped more Indian business leaders would follow Gate's example and share their wealth by investing in education and healthcare for the elderly and disabled.The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has to date committed nearly 1 billion dollars for health and development projects in India. Most of the money has been targeted to prevent AIDS and eradicate polio.The foundation launched an initiative called Avahan in 2003 which works closely with the Indian government's HIV-AIDS prevention programme in six states and along the national trucking routes.Previous winners of the Indira Gandhi peace prize include Medecins sans Frontieres, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and former United States president Jimmy Carter.

Tiniest animals in the world

2009-07-26T06:59:00.000-07:00

Okeanos Explorer new developement

2009-07-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

Docked off San Francisco's Pier 27 and rocking calmly in the bay, the Okeanos Explorer awaits its return to sea.The ship--once a U.S. Navy vessel now under control of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)--is in the midst of being outfitted exclusively for deep-ocean exploration and discovery. Its purpose will be to investigate unknown, misunderstood, and other below-the-surface phenomena. It is expected to be fully operational by next summer.With up to 95 percent of the ocean unexplored, there are vast amounts of research for the ship to pursue. However, the Okeanos Explorer will have a second function as well: education.On Friday, NOAA announced a five-year partnership with San Francisco's Exploratorium that will enable the public to learn about discoveries in real time as the vessel crisscrosses the globe.

"Imagine being there as discoveries are made," said Richard Spinrad, assistant administrator for NOAA. "That's what we'll be able to do with this partnership." Cameras cover the ship. With the 224-foot-long vessel's live broadcast and satellite capabilities, scientists hope to engage students, teachers, and the general public. Data will be available to anyone who is interested."This new partnership is intended to engage the public with a special focus on oceans and science," said Jane Lubchenco, who holds the joint title of NOAA's administrator and the Commerce Department's under secretary for oceans and atmosphere. "(We) need partners who are experts to help us create a scientifically literate society."To bring this information to the public, the Exploratorium is in the midst of creating an online package for the Okeanos Explorer, complete with blogs, video and audio clips, RSS feeds, and even tweets from the ship's scientists. They will post information on recent discoveries, as well as general information on climate change and weather phenomena. Tried and true fans will even be able to track the ship through Google Earth and live streaming video.

At first glance the Okeanos Explorer doesn't look particularly high tech--it has the typical life boats, anchors, and an average looking deck. But jutting out of the mast, high above the ship's bridge, is what looks like a giant white soccer ball. This is its satellite dome."The first time in there can be pretty scary," said Richard Conway, chief electronic technician for the vessel, "especially because it moves, tilting down and tilting up." As it moves, the 12-foot diameter satellite dome is transmitting data to scientists, shifting to find the best connection. It live-feeds videos and information to the "Exploration Command Centers" based on land--and to the Exploratorium. The dome can send information anywhere in the world and "can even track well in rough waters," said Conway.Working in conjunction with the dome is the control room, the nerve center of the ship. It's a windowless, black-walled room, covered floor to ceiling with high-definition computer screens that beam colorful topographical maps and videos of the ocean floor. All data, from the ocean's surface to its floor, is collected and tracked here. Using telepresence technology, this same data is transmitted to more scientists, based on land, who can then examine the information more thoroughly.

One of the means of gathering information about oceans are remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). The Okeanos Explorer will have two ROVs equipped with high-definition cameras, lights, and sensors, tethered to a 19,700-foot cable.ROVs are perfect for searching underexplored parts of the ocean, including shipwrecks.One specific shipwreck in the Black Sea has particularly caught Okeanos Explorer scientists' interest. The vessel is 2,000 years old and is perfectly preserved because it is in a part of the sea where oxygen doesn't exist. They intend to explore it once the Okeanos Explorer is fully operational.Even though the Okeanos Explorer is not yet completely up and running, it has done some preliminary missions and has even discovered an anomaly near Cape Mendocino, Calif. In May, with a multibeam sonar mounted on the ship's hull, it detected a 4,500-foot plume of what the scientists believe to be methane gas rising from the seafloor.Next week, the ship sets sail for Honolulu where it will continue to work out kinks and conduct field trials. When ready, it will embark on its first official exploratory trip--a voyage to Indonesia, where it will closely study the surrounding geology, sea volcanoes, and biological hotspots.

South Africa expects more international visitors for FIFA 2010

2009-07-26T06:40:00.000-07:00

South Africa still expects between 430 000 and 460 000 international visitors to come to the country for the FIFA World Cup™ next year.This despite an economic recession which has seen a decline in tourism numbers of 6 per cent worldwide this year, according to South African Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Marthinus van Schalkwyk."It is our view, and also the view of the tour operators we have spoken to, that the economic recession will not have an impact on visitors to the 2010 FIFA World Cup," said Van Schalkwyk at a briefing at the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa's head office, SAFA House, earlier today.

"We predict that South Africa will also experience a slowdown but as a country we expect to do better than the global average and outperform our competitors."Five years ago South Africa predicted that visitors to the country would grow to 10 million by 2010. Despite a change in economic climate since that target was made, the country still expects to reach it next year thanks to a focused international marketing campaign and increased air traffic into the country."In the last couple of years we have seen a substantial increase in tourist numbers coming to South Africa. A total of 9.5 million tourists visited South Africa last year and there is no question that by next year we will reach the 10 million mark," said Van Schalkwyk.

The country is also confident that it has the accommodation facilities for the nearly half a million expected visitors to the country, as well as domestic tourists, during the tournament. "FIFA requires 55,000 graded rooms a night for the FIFA family during the tournament. South Africa has over 100,000 graded rooms in the country and hundreds of thousands of ungraded rooms," explained Van Schalkwyk.However, many of these rooms are outside of the nine host cities where the tournament will take place. Therefore satellite accommodation areas will be created and fans transported in and out of these areas on match days, with added land and air transport facilities made available. This is not unusual - many fans at the FIFA World Cup in Germany came in from neighbouring European countries on match days.

"As we have always said, this is an African World Cup and accommodation in neighbouring countries, such as Swaziland and Botswana, will also be used. We are also putting up luxury tented camps in game reserves around the country," said Van Schalkwyk.Also in attendance at the briefing, Sports and Recreation Minister Makhenkesi Stofile, reflected on a successful FIFA Confederations Cup saying that South Africa should capitalise on the good spirit it had created."South Africa must embrace this wave of positive sentiment and use it to our advantage. There were many doubters before the FIFA Confederations Cup but even those who have since admitted they were skeptical have given us very positive feedback," said Stofile.

Decorating Ideas for your bathroom with Mirror

2009-07-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

When you think of bathroom mirrors, they hardly bring to mind the epitome of style. More often a functional necessity than a fanciful form, the mirror often gets lost or just forgotten in bathroom decorating endeavors. Decorating a bathroom mirror may be a little puzzling at first, but with endless possibilities it can provide the inspiration for the entire decorating theme in the bathroom or it can be the crowning glory of a magnificently decorated room. Whether you have a mirrored vanity or a flat mirror, following are a few suggestions that could make your looking glass a glass worth looking at. Obviously, when considering the decorating options for mirrors, you have to remember the purpose of the object and maintain enough viewing space to still use the mirror. You will also have to take into consideration opening ability if it’s a vanity or medicine cabinet, what type of lighting is above the mirror and how close the mirror’s edge is to any other objects. Now that you have those things in mind it’s time to browse through a few options.

This first suggestion is etching your mirror. This is a great idea because it can be used on either a flat mirror or a vanity and you don’t have to worry about whether it opens or where the lights are. The one drawback is that it is permanent, so be sure this is the look you want before beginning. You will need etching cream, a new craft paintbrush, a craft knife and clear contact paper. All of these items are easily found in most craft stores. Decide on the pattern you want etched into the glass and draw or trace it onto the contact paper. Choose an item from your shower curtain or wall border or a nice flower border that complements your design. The sky is the limit for etching patterns. You can even bring in leaves from your yard to trace if that’s the look you want. Once you have your pattern on the contact paper, cut the design out with the craft knife. Peel and stick the contact paper on the mirror with the cutout where you want your etching. Be sure the edges of the cutout are firmly adhered to the mirror’s surface by smoothing around them with your fingertip. Now, following the directions on the container, apply the etching cream to the mirror with the paintbrush. When it is finished, based on the time provided in the directions, wash with warm water and remove the contact paper. Now you have a custom mirror with very little money or effort!

A fun idea for dressing up a flat mirror is to frame it, either with a custom cut frame or rough-cut lumber, again depending on the look you want to achieve. This idea requires figuring out how much space you have between the mirror and any object, including light fixtures, mounted around or above it before you decide on the type of frame material you want. If you want to use a custom frame, call your local frame shop and ask them how to measure the dimensions. When you have your measurements, visit the frame shop and decide on the frame material you want. It may take a couple of hours or a couple of weeks to get your frame, depending on the shop. Once you have your frame, place it around your mirror (you might need an extra set of hands for this) and nail it in place with finishing nails (make sure the nails are long enough to go through the frame and into the wall). Cover the nail heads with matching putty or paint and presto – instant artwork! The process is pretty much the same if you are using rough-cut lumber except you will need to plan on staining or painting the wood. Or, if you have a lot of space around the sides of your mirror you can mount shutters to give the room an outdoorsy, spring window feeling. Old shutters can often be found at flea markets or antique stores. New shutters can be purchased from most building supply stores or hardware stores.Another look for your bathroom mirror is to finish it off with curtains. This is easier done with a flat mirror but can be used on a vanity, particularly if it is set into the wall. For a light, airy look use a floral or lace valance across the top with a hidden rod. For a more dramatic look drape a rich, heavy fabric across a decorative rod and let it hand down the sides of the mirror, framing it in elegance. Again, the sky is the limit with this idea. Keep in mind that due to the moisture in a bathroom, the fabric may need to be laundered more often than your living room drapes.

Beautiful & rare photos of Nature

2009-07-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

M Night Shyamalan’s : The Last Airbender Trailer

2009-07-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film is set in a world where human civilization is divided into four nations: Water, Earth, Air and Fire.The Fire Nation is waging a ruthless, oppressive war against the other three nations. The film’s hero, the reluctant young Aang, is the “Last Airbender” — the Avatar who, according to prophecy, has the ability to manipulate all of the elements and bring all the nations together. Aided by a protective teenage Waterbender named Katara (Nicola Peltz) and her bull-headed brother Sokka, Aang proceeds on a perilous journey to restore balance to their war-torn world.

Microsoft to open up windows to different Internet browsers

2009-07-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has agreed to open up Windows to different Internet browsers in order to fend off European Union litigation, the European Commission announced Friday."Microsoft has proposed a consumer ballot screen as a solution to the pending antitrust case about the tying of Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browser with Windows," it said in a statement.It said computer users would be able to "easily install competing Web browsers, set one of those browsers as a default, and disable Internet Explorer" from the ballot screen."We believe that if ultimately accepted, this proposal will fully address the European competition law issues relating to the inclusion of Internet Explorer in Windows and interoperability with our high-volume products," Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith said in a release."This would mark a big step forward in addressing a decade of legal issues and would be good news for European consumers and our partners in the industry.

"The commission, Europe's top competition watchdog, opened a new front in its epic anti-trust battle with Microsoft in January.It hit the company with fresh charges of unfairly squashing competition by bundling its Internet Explorer Web browser into its ubiquitous Windows personal computer operating system.Under the plan, rival browsers including Firefox (Mozilla), Google's Chrome or Opera by Norway's Opera Software will now be placed before consumers at the point when they set up a new computer's operating preferences.European consumers who buy new Windows-based personal computers with Internet Explorer pre-set as the browser would be shown a "ballot screen" from which they could easily install competing browsers from the Web, Smith said.If the commission accepts the proposal, Microsoft will ship Windows 7 in Europe with IE built-in, as will be the case in the rest of the world with the software release in October, according to the Redmond, Washington-based firm.

"It's a win-win compromise... even more so for Microsoft," said Gartner analyst Neil MacDonald."Many consumers are going to choose Microsoft anyway, and it does avoid a really bad scenario where consumers get a machine without a browser and have no way to go get one."In an effort to appease EU regulators, Microsoft currently plans to ship "E versions" of Windows 7 to Europe without Web browsers."I think the EU finally understood that maybe they'd gone too far; in the name of protecting consumers they were actually hurting them," said MacDonald.Smith said Microsoft's proposal includes a "public undertaking" designed to promote interoperability between third party software and products including Windows, Windows Server, Office, Exchange, and SharePoint.

"The Commission welcomes this proposal, and will now investigate its practical effectiveness in terms of ensuring genuine consumer choice," the statement said.Microsoft on Wednesday declared its next-generation Windows 7 operating system ready for delivery to computer makers.More than 10 million people joined in testing Windows 7 software in a voluntary test program, according to the US company.Because of the regulatory wrangling in Europe, the Windows 7 version going on sale there was originally to have seen Internet Explorer completely removed.

Titanic Will in 3D

2009-07-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

3D has been the big focus of this year’s San Diego Comic Con, so it’s no surprise that when you get a bunch of movie industry visionaries together, watching movies while wearing funny glasses is a front and center topic. EW attended the Visionaries Panel at Comic Con tonight where Peter Jackson and James Cameron took center stage, and talked 3D.

In particular, Cameron confirmed that a 3D version of Titanic is coming. In fact it’s already underway, though the conversion process will take 18 months. Cameron said, “We've seen a couple of minutes already, and it looks great.”On the other hand, 3D doesn’t seem to be in the cards for Lord of the Rings. Now that New Line Cinema is all but defunct, Warner Bros. is in charge of the Lord of the Rings universe and Peter Jackson says they aren’t enthusiastic about converting them. What’s the problem? They just don’t think there are enough 3D screens out there to justify the expense. They’re probably right.

Right now pushing 3D is Hollywood’s way of pushing us towards a future where it’s the norm, it’s not really about making big profit from it now. 3D is the long view. Some are buying into it, other like Warner Bros. apparently aren’t. Give the choice though, I think I’d rather watch Frodo leap out of the screen than be forced to watch Leonardo DiCaprio drown into the row in front of me.

Amazing Photos taken without any graphics

2009-07-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

Shadow

Shadow Heart

Running on the wall

Heavenly lights

Standing on the water

Ant in the dew

Dancing on the water

Dancing with the fire

Photo in the eye

Weight-Loss Drug Shows Promise for Diabetics

2009-07-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

In experimental drug making its way through clinical trials not only shows promise in helping obese patients lose weight, but it also may improve blood sugar in those who are obese and have type 2 diabetes.Orexigen Therapeutics plans to seek approval from the Federal Drug Administration in the first half of 2010 for Contrave, a drug that combines naltrexone, which is used to treat alcohol and drug addictions, and bupropion, which is used to fight seasonal affective disorder and depression, and as a smoking cessation drug. According to Orexigen, the combination was chosen “in order to block compensating mechanisms that attempt to prevent long-term, sustained weight loss.”

The medication comes in three different dosages, including one called Contrave32. Contrave32 has 360 milligrams of bupropion and 32 mg of naltrexone. Other versions of the drug contain the same amount of bupropion and more or less naltrexone; Contrave16 contains 16 mg of naltrexone, and Contrave48 contains 48 mg of naltrexone.The company recently announced that in one trial of 505 obese people with type 2 diabetes, 45% of patients taking Contrave32 lost at least 5% of their body weight compared to patients in a placebo group; only 19% of the placebo group lost at least 5% of their body weight.

People with type 2 diabetes who took Contrave seemed to have an improvement in blood sugar control, compared with those who did not take the drug. Patients on Contrave saw their HbA1c, a test used to measure blood sugar, drop 0.6%. People in the placebo group with diabetes only saw a 0.1% drop in HbA1c.Weight loss in type 2 diabetics can often improve blood sugar control. It’s unclear if the drug itself, or the weight loss, resulted in lower levels of blood sugar.The company conducted three trials—each for 56 months—with different groups, including a total of more than 4,500 patients. There were seven serious adverse outcomes attributed to the drug during the trial: cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gallbladder; seizures; heart palpitations; paresthesia, tingling or numbness of the skin; and vertigo. Other side effects experienced by a small percentage of the Contrave groups, but less than 1% of the placebo groups, included nausea, headaches, and dizziness.

Unseen photos of Michael Jackson

2009-07-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

Funding for teaching at England's universities is being cut

2009-07-24T10:32:00.000-07:00

Every university is affected by the revised grant allocations from the funding council (Hefce).But the biggest cuts are at those with the most students: £2.5m at the OU, £1.4m at Manchester, £1.2m at Leeds.Unions reacted angrily but the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Bis) said the sector had to tighten its belt like everyone else.

The University and College Union (UCU) said the £65m would equate to the loss of a further 1,500 full time lecturing and support staff, days after it had complained at nearly 6,000 cuts affecting 100,000 students.UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said this was just the first wave of likely new cuts."What kind of message does this send out to future generations of educators?

"It seems absurd that in a week when the government has done so much soul searching over widening participation that it is putting up new barriers for people wishing to study."The news would come as "a hammer blow" to staff and students, she said.National Union of Students president Wes Streeting said: "It is disgraceful that the quality of teaching in our universities is going to be compromised by significant cuts to the teaching budget."Any savings should be made from peripheral areas of the sector, not from the bread and butter of teaching itself."In a time of economic crisis, it was essential to maintain high standards in higher education so people could improve their skills or retrain to meet the changing demands of the labour market, he added.

The chief executive of the vice-chancellors' organisation Universities UK, Diana Warwick, said: "We said back in May, when the secretary of state first outlined this £65m cut, that this was a blow to institutions, not least in that the detail of the institutional allocation would not be available until now, so late in the year."This has made planning for the year ahead, 2009-10, all the more difficult in what is already a very challenging financial climate."She said a properly funded higher education sector was vital if it was to continue to make a substantial contribution to the UK economy and to remain internationally competitive.The impact of the teaching funding cuts will be compounded by this week's announcement that universities in England can recruit another 10,000 students this year - but will not be given any funding for teaching them.These are for full-time undergraduate student places for 2009-10, in courses which the government says will equip young people with the skills they need for the jobs of the future.

It says this means sectors such as digital industries, the low carbon economy and advanced manufacturing and business services.

Priority course areas are:

* Biological and related health sciences (excluding psychology, sports science and those that are primarily practice-based)
* Physical sciences (excluding geography)
* Mathematical and computer science
* Engineering
* Technology
* Economics
* Business studies

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is expected to make a speech on the future of higher education early next week.

A Place With No Name-Unreleased MJ song

2009-07-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

Bollywood is no longer shy of onscreen kiss

2009-07-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

Forthcoming movies “Love Aaj Kal” and “Kites” have the lead pairs sharing passionate kisses on screen, but they are just following the examples set by flicks like “”Hum Tum”, “Jab We Met”, “Dev D” and “Kambakkht Ishq”.While “Love Aaj Kal” sees Saif Ali Khan kissing Deepika Padukone, Anurag Basu’s “Kites” has already stirred a controversy for its steamy smooches between Hrithik Roshan and Latino beauty Barbara Mori.“Love Aaj Kal” director Imtiaz Ali, however, insists that despite the kissing scenes, his film is a complete family entertainer.“Kisses included…nobody will feel inhibited watching ‘Love Aaj Kal’. No one will hesitate walking into the film with his family. All that is potentially objectionable in the film in the strictest of sense has been taken care of,” Ali had told IANS.

The film, which has Saif playing a double role, releases July 31.Similarly, “Kites” producer Rakesh Roshan insists the sensuality in his film is “not meant to titillate”. “The scenes are well integrated into the screenplay with conviction, purity and honesty,” he added.Said Hrithik: “Why are we even talking about kissing? Is that such a big deal? Hasn’t our cinema grown up? Yes, there are kissing scenes in the film, but nothing to make me squirm. In fact, I’d be more than happy and completely comfortable watching those kissing scenes with my wife, son and parents when the film is released.”Ketan Mehta’s much-awaited bilingual “Rang Rasiya” has also been in the news for its kissing sequences and sensuous scenes between Randeep Hooda and Nandana Sen.

But the young brigade still has to break Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai’s record — the two gave the longest kissing scene in the 1933 movie “Karma”. It was four minutes long and even Mallika Sherawat, who set a new record by doing 19 kissing scenes with Himanshu Malik in her debut film “Khwaish”, couldn’t break it.Considering the trend, the latest movies to have unabashed lip-locks are “Kambakkht Ishq” and “New York”.While the former had kisses between Askhay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor, and a much publicised lip-lock between Akshay and Hollywood actress Denise Richards, “New York” had a quick peck between John Abraham and Katrina Kaif.Former Bond girl Richards even went on to describe her co-star as a “good kisser”.“Akshay was so down to earth and very genuine. He made me feel very comfortable; plus he’s a good kisser! I can see why he’s India’s sexiest actor,” Richards had remarked.

Other recent films that have the lead actors sharing kisses are “Ru Ba Ru”, “Karma, Confessions And Holi”, “Bachna Ae Haseeno” and “Yuvvraaj”.Also, the actors don’t seem to mind kissing each other’s real-life partners either. While Akshay kissed Saif’s girlfriend Kareena in “Kambakkht Ishq”, Saif kisses Ranbir Kapoor’s lady love Deepika in “Love Aaj Kal”.Ranbir on the other hand smooched John Abraham’S real-life partner Bipasha Basu in “Bachna Ae Haseeno” and John recently exchanged a kiss with Salman Khan’s girlfriend Katrina in their hit “New York”.Bollywood also has its ’serial kisser’ in Emraan Hashmi, who earned the nickname for having passionate smooches in most of his films.

It’s not as though kissing never existed in Hindi cinema earlier. Filmmakers of today seem to be bringing back the 1920s and 30s trend when actresses were not averse to kissing on screen. Released in 1921, “Bilat Ferat” was the first love story that was interspersed with loads of intimate scenes and kisses.The lingering kissing scenes appreantely disappeared from the Indian silver screen ever since a large group of women in Delhi presented a petition in 1954 to then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, asking him to curb the evil influence of films as it made their children acquire precocious sex habits and indulge in vices.For Nehru, films were linked to modernisation. But this medium had to be checked and stricter censorship laws were enforced. After that nudity and intimate scenes became a no-no in Indian movies till the late 80s.

Oldest cities in the world

2009-07-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

Urban society may seem a modern phenomenon but cities have been around for a lot longer than one might think. Indeed, once nomadic tribes began to settle in one location, they saw that it was good, became fruitful, and multiplied. Decades, centuries and millennia passed while war, climate change and human migration all took their toll. Relatively few ancient cities have managed to survive the test of time. Here are 10 that have not only survived, but continue to thrive.

Jericho, West Bank

Susa, Iran

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Jerusalem

Athens, Greece

Tyre, Lebanon

Lisbon, Portugal

Cholula, Mexico

Robot drones revolutionising the warfare

2009-07-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

Barely an hour's drive from the casinos of Las Vegas, a group of unassuming buildings have become as important as the trenches were to WWI. The big difference? Today's warriors are fighting without getting in harm's way, using drones to attack targets in Afghanistan and Pakistan. USAF fighter pilot Major Morgan Andrews is one such combatant. He kisses his wife goodbye, drives to Creech, a tiny desert airbase in Nevada -- and within minutes could be killing insurgents on the other side of the world.Andrews fights not from the seat of the F16 he joined the air force to fly but from a darkened ground control station. He pilots a remote-controlled Predator, a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) which can spy on and attack positions and personnel without risk to its controller, shooting deadly Hellfire missiles at enemy fighters in support of fellow soldiers."

You're talking to them on the radios as if we were in a normal airplane flying overhead," says Andrews. "You see the imagery, you know what's going on, you see what you're looking at. It's very easy when something like that is happening to project yourself there and feel a part of the battle. Like I said, your heart starts racing a little bit." Is remote-controlled warfare a good or a bad idea? Tell us what you think.Meanwhile intelligence analysts get to see images in real time and can identify personnel on the ground.There are now more than 7,000 UAVs ranging from the workhorse, the Predator, and its beefier, deadlier kin the Reaper, to army drones like the tiny hand-launched Raven and the larger Shadow.The drones are dramatically tilting the war in favor of the United States. Predators, for example, played a key role in killing al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi in 2006. UAVs are credited with killing more than half al-Qaeda's top 20 leaders.

Now U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wants more UAVs. Already he has said that the next generation of fighter planes -- the F-35 that took decades to develop at a cost of more than half-a-billion dollars each -- will be the last manned fighter aircraft.General David Deptula, USAF, explains that the next phase will enable a single drone to provide as many as 60 simultaneous live video feeds direct to combat troops. Some new drones will be as small as flies, others walk -- all appear destined to work with decreasing human input."The future of how you use these un-manned systems or remotely piloted systems is really unlimited," says Deptula, based at the Pentagon and racing to keep pace with battlefield needs as well as Gates's demands. "We need to open our minds and think more about capability and impact we are going to achieve as opposed to how we've done business in the past." Video Watch how UAVs are changing the face of warfare »

At Creech frontline requests surged when weapons were first put on the Predator. In Iraq and Afghanistan drones have become so indispensable that missions are cancelled if they are not availableRobotic warfare expert Peter Singer, who advised President Barack Obama's campaign team and has authored "Wired for War," says that remote warfare is changing mankind's monopoly on how conflict is fought for the first time in 5,000 years. All that limits its advance is its application, not the technology."The barriers of war in our society are already lowering," he says. "This tech may allow them to lower to the ground. And we might already be seeing this in the strikes being carried out on Pakistan." He points out that raw numbers over the last year show the same number of strikes as the opening of the Kosovo war. "But we didn't debate about it in Congress, we don't talk about it daily in our media."Pakistani officials say drones are killing al Qaeda leaders who thought they were beyond US reach. But even the U.S. government admits civilians are dying in those attacks too.Singer fears the use of drones is misunderstood as cowardice, undermining the effectiveness of attacks and ultimately losing the war UAVs are fighting.

He explains that last year one of the most popular songs in the Pakistani charts talked about America fighting without honor, adding that the U.S. is "getting better and better at targeting leaders but perhaps creating a context that gets more recruits."Colonel Chris Chambliss, based at Creech, explains: "If you look at younger people right now, they multitask much better than I do. They can do a lot of things with a lot of different information, gather all that in. That's certainly a skill set we need."Cadet Greg Groves, who is in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, has never flown a plane before -- but is well aware of his responsibilities. He says: "It's pretty clear that it's not a video game, and it is real life and that what I do directly affects someone else halfway around the world. So I don't think that's going to be a big problem for me."Groves' father and grandfather were both in the military: when he leaves for Creech he'll be the first in his family to go to war without fear of dying.Some commanders, such as Colonel Baxter Swift, based at USAF Balad in Iraq, says the future has only just begun.

He says: "It's almost like what the hot air balloon was back in the Civil War for us. 'Hey, I can rise above and look around and see what the forces are doing on the battlefield.' So now we are just in the pioneering stage."Yet if U.S. forces can have UAVs, so can other nations. An estimated 40 or more countries also developing drones, with an Iranian UAV already shot down over Iraq a few months ago.Even Hezbollah -- a political movement, not a state --- has used them against Israel. Video For his part, Singer draws another historical parallel, comparing the U.S and the UAV to the British invention of the tank in the early 20th century. "There is no such thing as a permanent first maneuver advantage," Singer says. "The British came out of WWI with the most tanks, they invented the tank and yet they didn't figure out the best way to use it in the wars they would be fighting. It was the Germans that figured that out and it was the Germans that would be fighting and would win with the tank when WWII starts.

Beautiful & strange looking animals in the wild

2009-07-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

AT&T Inc.'s earnings fell 15 percent

2009-07-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

AT&T Inc.'s earnings fell 15 percent in the second quarter as it subsidized a record-setting launch of the newest iPhone. The weak economy also continued to sap its landline business.The profit beat Wall Street estimates, however.The country's largest telecommunications provider said Thursday it earned $3.20 billion, or 54 cents per share, in the April to June period. That was down from $3.77 billion, or 63 cents per share, a year earlier.Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were expecting earnings of 51 cents per share.

Dallas-based AT&T's revenue fell 0.6 percent to $30.7 billion, matching analyst expectations.AT&T activated more than 2.4 million iPhones in the quarter, and more than a third of those were for customers who were new to the carrier. Apple Inc. and AT&T launched a new model of the phone on June 19.AT&T subsidizes each new iPhone by hundreds of dollars, expecting to make the money back in service fees over a two-year contract. AT&T's operating margin in wireless declined to 23.8 percent from 25.5 percent a year ago.AT&T added a net 1.37 million wireless subscribers, a strong showing in a market that's approaching saturation, and more than analysts had expected. Together with the evident popularity of the iPhone, it could mean that AT&T has benefited at the expense of other carriers this quarter.

AT&T is the first major telecom company to post results for the season. Verizon Communications Inc. reports on Monday, followed by Sprint Nextel Corp. and Qwest Communications International Inc. on Wednesday.AT&T ended the quarter with 79.6 million wireless subscribers, remaining in second place behind Verizon Wireless.In pre-market trading Thursday, AT&T shares rose 66 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $25.50. While the stock held up well in the market meltdown last fall, it has failed to keep pace with the recovery this spring. It has traded between $20.90 and $33.56 over the past year.A long-running trend continued in the second quarter as AT&T lost 921,000 residential phone lines. Households are signing up for phone service from cable TV providers or opting to rely on cell phones alone.AT&T said its earnings were also weighed down by pension and retiree benefit expenses that were $400 million higher, or 5 cents per share, than in the same period last year.

The Longest solar eclipse of the century shadows over Asia

2009-07-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

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The longest solar eclipse of the century cast a wide shadow for several minutes over Asia and the Pacific Ocean Wednesday, luring throngs of people outside to watch the spectacle. Day turned into night, temperatures turned cooler in cities and villages teemed with amateur stargazers.The total eclipse started in India on Wednesday morning and moved eastward across Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Vietnam, China and parts of the Pacific. Millions cast their eyes towards the heavens to catch a rare view of the sun's corona.Cloud cover in some areas prevented people from fully savoring the phenomenon. Still, many were awed.Tim O'Rourke, a 45-year-old freelance photographer from Detroit, Michigan, lives in Hong Kong but traveled up to Shanghai -- touted as one of the best spots to watch the eclipse. "It was pitch black like midnight," said O'Rourke, standing in People's Square with what appeared to be a crowd of thousands.

"Definitely not disappointed we came. Of course it would have been much better with nice weather, blue skies. But still it was a great experience, it was a lot of fun." he said. Total eclipses occur about twice a year as the moon passes between the Earth and the sun on the same plane as Earth's orbit. Wednesday's event lasted up to more than six minutes in some places.In India, where an eclipse pits science against superstition, thousands took a dip in the Ganges River in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi to cleanse their souls, said Ajay Kumar Upadhyay, the district's most senior official.The ritual turned into tragedy when an 80-year-old woman died and eight others were injured in what was called a stampede in some media reports. Upadhyay called the incident a "commotion" during sacred rituals in Varanasi."Apparently, the woman died because of suffocation and after that there was some commotion, in which some eight other elderly women were injured. But it was not a stampede-like situation," Upadhyay told CNN.

It was sunny skies in Hong Kong for the eclipse, where students, parents and the elderly flooded a primary school to watch in the southern Chinese enclave.The local astronomy society gave a presentation on how an eclipse happens and children climbed up ladders to look through two large telescopes on the school roof -- packed with skygazers -- to catch a glimpse of the moon moving across the sun.Others looked through binoculars covered with solar filter paper or through a large rectangular block labeled "Large Solar Filter," where they could take pictures of the moon moving over the sun.Astronomy enthusiast Louis Chung, 13, brought his teacher to the school to witness the eclipse."City folks wouldn't usually be able to see this. Nature is wonderful. It is awesome to know that nature can provide such spectacular sights," said Chung, a member of the Hong Kong Astronomical Society."Nature is incredible, and there is too much we don't know about," said another Hong Kong local, Yee Ping, a journalist for a financial newspaper. "We try to know more and see by our own eyes so we can feel the power of nature."

Richard Binzel, an astronomer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said the total eclipse will first be visible at sunrise in India and about four hours later just east of Hawaii. A partial eclipse will be visible as far south as northern Australia and as far north as Siberia, he said.In some cultures, legends and folklore surrounds eclipses. In India, an eclipse is considered inauspicious. Women forbid pregnant daughters-in-law from going outside out of the belief that their children could be born with marks. Some temples won't offer any prayers on the day of an eclipse -- such as the one next to the planetarium in Mumbai, which said it won't even light a stick of incense.In Chinese tradition, there is a story about a heavenly dog eating the sun. As the story goes, people would make noise to scare off the dog and rescue the sun, said Bill Yeung, president of the Hong Kong Astronomical Society.

"In ancient China, we shared the same impression with our Indian friends that a solar eclipse was not a good thing," he told CNN.More conventional viewing parties in Shanghai had been planned along the beach, in a park and in skyscrapers. A music festival has been organized in Japan's Amami island, with more than 6,000 people expected, and Japanese television has shown rows of tents set up on Akusekijima island.The witnesses of the eclipse will range "from the farmer who only knows legends of eclipses and may not know this is happening at all to the world's experts who have come specifically to the Shanghai region to make the most detailed scientific analysis possible," added Binzel, the MIT astronomer.Bob Johnson, of Sasketchewan, Canada, applied for his first passport to come and see the eclipse in Shanghai."During totality, we didn't see anything. We saw up to 60 percent partial eclipse but then the clouds came in and it downpoured," said Johnson. "I am not really disappointed. I'm a lot happier than yesterday because I didn't think I'd see anything. The partial was beautiful."

Cape Town hotels ready for Brazil and Mexico football fans

2009-07-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

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As South Africa enters its final year of preparation before the kick-off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, hotel bookings in Cape Town are fast gaining momentum with tourists from South and Central America currently leading the way - despite early predictions of a slump due to the effect of the global economic crisis.The latest example of this increasing positive sentiment is the recording of pre-bookings of almost 80% by predominately Brazilian and Mexican tourists at yet-to-be-opened R400 million five star luxury hotel and spa, Pepper Club - located in the heart of Cape Town.

"The current economic crisis has taken its toll on pockets around the globe and travel and tourism is often an expense which takes a backseat during touch times, but strong enquiries have been streaming in at Cape hotels for World Cup accommodation," says David Solomon, Chairman of Solomon Brothers Property Holdings and developer of Pepper Club."The fact that both Brazil and Mexico's teams have yet to officially qualify for the tournament, but that their fans are already planning to be based in Cape Town is testament to both their passionate support and the appeal of the city."

According to adjusted statistics by the Department of Home Affairs, South Africa can still expect between 450 000 and 500 000 visitors for the duration of the event. "Cape Town International Airport alone is expected to handle about 2 400 travellers per hour, an unprecedented influx of tourists."The R400 million 20-storey Pepper Club is set to open its doors a few months before the tournament in February 2010, addressing the growing need for a luxury hotel in the heart of the city. Catering for the business and leisure traveller, the hotel will feature a fine-dining restaurant, an intimate private cinema, a swimming pool with panoramic views, a fully-equipped gymnasium, a luxurious spa, 24-hour concierge service and security. In addition, a serene palm tree-lined courtyard will connect directly to the Cape Town's vibrant Long Street with its boutique shops and cosmopolitan night life.

Solomon says that the coming year is Cape Town's chance to demonstrate its service excellence in the hospitality industry, by surpassing international standards and creating a scenario for repeat visits beyond 2010. "An event of this global scale is the perfect showcase for what our country can offer international visitors from both a tourism and investment perspective. We only have one chance to get it right," concludes Solomon.

Beautiful picture of our Nature

2009-07-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

2009-07-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is an upcoming live action film adaptation of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy franchise, to be released on August 7, 2009.The film is directed by Stephen Sommers, produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and written by Stuart Beattie based on a 1998 screenplay by John Paul Kay. G.I. Joe features an ensemble cast Channing Tatum, Rachel Nichols, Marlon Wayans, Jonathan Pryce, Joseph Gordon-Levitt with Ray Park and Dennis Quaid based on the various characters of the franchise. Filming took place in Downey, California and Prague's Barrandov Studios.

Google Wave to be unveiled soon

2009-07-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

Google Wave will be unveiled to 100,000 users at the end of September,Announced in May, the real-time communications platform is expected to roll social networking and other web activity into one Google-owned place. At the moment, it's open to just 6,000 developers.

In a blog post on its Wave developer blog, Google said it would open that up to 20,000 more developers over the next month or so, and add 100,000 invited general users by 30 September - you can request an invite here.

"In addition to the developers already using Wave, we will invite groups of users from the hundreds of thousands who offered to help report bugs when they signed up on wave.google.com," wrote Google Wave product manager Dan Peterson.

On that date, Google Wave will also move out of its testing "sandbox" and onto its own domain at Wave.Google.com, the post said.

The news was released as part of Google's Hackathon, which saw developers creating Wave-related tools, including ways to manage groups and subscriptions, games, and an API for blog platform WordPress.

Indeed, Peterson said that Google wants third-party add-ons using the Wave API to integrate as cleanly as possible. "As we have mentioned in the past, our goal is that extensions built by third parties feel fully on-par with Google Wave's native features to users," he said.

Make you own inexpensive headboard

2009-07-21T07:53:00.000-07:00

Is your bedroom crying out for a headboard for your bed? Have you searched the stores for headboards and found them to be too expensive? Here are some ideas you can use to make a quick, easy, inexpensive headboard. Create a headboard for a garden themed room by placing a section of picket fence at the top of the bed. You can use a distressed, found piece of fence that you have cleaned up, or purchase a brand new plastic length of fence from the hardware store. Have it cut to the width of the bed or have it cover the entire wall so you can put both the bed and side tables in front of it.

Use a wedding or garden gazebo as a canopy headboard. The piece will arch over the top part of the bed and you can hang fabric from it to form the headboard and canopy drape. Adorn it with flowers and place a picket fence bench at the foot of the bed to complete the look. A hockey goal is the perfect size and shape to use in the place of a headboard in a boys room. Just place it as-is at the top of the bed. With it facing inward, it will gently curve around the top of the bed. With it facing the wall, it will give you a somewhat sturdy headboard on which you can lean your pillows. You can add buttons with hockey sayings onto the netting to finish the look, or your child can borrow it to take outside and play and then put back in place when finished. Using hockey sticks for curtain rods would complete the look.

Bi-fold doors and standing screens also make excellent headboards. You can upholster them with fabric and batting or if they are see-through, you can staple (or glue of the item is metal) fabric to the backside. You can attach it to the wall with a couple of screws at the top. A cork wall would double as a great place to hang posters and notes as well as a neat headboard for a teen’s room. Just purchase cork squares or rolls and install according to the manufacturers instructions. You can then paint, stamp, or leave the cork wall in its natural state. Add special decorative pushpins in floral or sports shapes to finish off the look. You can also cut the corkboard into shapes before installing on the wall.

Shutters are also a great substitute for a headboard. You can transform it with a distressed paint finish and mount them on the wall. You will need two shutters for a twin bed, and four for a king sized bed.A fireplace mantel either found in the attic or purchased new, also makes a great headboard. Just attach fabric-covered plywood to the opening and place behind the head of the bed.For a quick headboard for a king sized bed, turn a door on its side and mount on the wall. Alternatively, you can choose to build a frame for it with legs so you can stand it on the floor. The door can be plain, painted, carved, or upholstered.

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time-May 2010

2009-07-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

With Entertainment Weekly (EW)’s Comic-Con preview hitting the newsstands, a brand new photo of “Prince of Persia: Sands of Time” has been unraveled by the magazine. It is the first official picture from the upcoming video game adaptation, and it features Jake Gyllenhaal as Dastan, a sixth-century Persian prince.

Accompanying the photo, EW included a piece of its interview with the leading actor. “I’m tired of taking myself so seriously,” the 28-year-old Academy Awards nominee talked about doing his own stunts, like sword-fighting, climbing walls, and jumping off of buildings. “It’s nice when a stuntman turns to you and is like, ‘Actors don’t normally do this.’ ”Back in 2008, set photos of the actor had surfaced. Taken from the Moroccan set of the movie, the pictures display topless Gyllenhaal dressed in a full Prince of Persia’s costume, while holding hands with his girlfriend Reese Witherspoon. There, he is seen sporting a scruffy look with new long hairdo.

Based on Ubisoft Montreal’s 2003 video game of the same name, “Prince of Persia: Sands of Time” follows Dastan, a street urchin in 6th century Persia who after showing valor in battle, is adopted by the king as his heir. Now as the fate of the world is in jeopardy, he must join forces with Tamina, a feisty and exotic princess, to prevent a villainous nobleman from possessing the Sands of Time, a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world.

Directed by “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” helmer Mike Newell, the Walt Disney’s feature project is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Joining Jake Gyllenhaal in the cast are Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina. The action adventure movie is set to be released in the U.S. May 28, 2010.

Vegetable Proteins helps in Lower Blood Pressure

2009-07-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

As if you need one more reason to jam that grocery cart full of fresh produce, another study produces results that just reinforce what mama always told us: veggies are good for you. Not only are those vegetables cold and crispy and perfect for a summer day, indulging in what is known as “vegetable proteins” can help to stave off heart disease and lower your blood pressure.Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago along with a team from the U.K. reviewed data from 4,680 patients living in the U.K., U.S., China, and Japan between the ages of 40 and 59. By finding and isolating an amino acid found in vegetable proteins, they found that a diet rich in this amino acid translates to lowered blood pressure.

This amino acid, called glutamic acid, is found in foods like whole grain rice, pasta, tofu and beans. As of now, the researchers could not indicate whether or not supplements made of glutamic acid would perform in the same way as eating foods that provide this amino acid to the body.The study, which was published in the recent edition of a journal called Circulation, concluded that a small decrease in blood pressure can be aided by consuming 5 percent more glutamic acid in your diet. This diet recommendation is approved by the American Heart Association, as well as the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

While a 5 percent drop may seem small in other facets of life, according to your blood pressure, the overall percentage can reap a large benefit. According to the American Heart Association—who helped publish the findings—an average drop of 1 to 3 units may seem insignificant but if every American lowered their blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) by this amount, over 26,000 lives could be saved from death caused by heart disease or stroke.One of the traits of glutamic acid is that it enhances the flavor of whole grains, pastas, and vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage. The recommended “5-a-day” rule is supposed to protect against heart disease and the researchers think glutamic acid is the reason.

Northwestern University Professor, Jeremiah Stamler, a preventative medicine specialist hopes his study will stress the importance of a regular, healthy diet. Dr. Ian Brown, an epidemiologist and co-author of the study from Imperial College in London, says that while the link may be there, the next step is to finding out how the link between glutamic acid affects blood pressure and overall health in order to proceed positively, “Our new research suggests glutamic acid may partly explain the link between vegetable protein and lower blood pressure. The next steps will be to reproduce this finding in other studies, and investigate how glutamic acid might exert an effect on blood pressure.”

As with most emerging research, follow up studies are necessary to prove the efficacy of the findings and new dietary rules could follow suit. Keep in mind that the “5-a-day” rule with vegetables is a recommendation and although vegetable proteins are important and helpful for slightly lowering at-risk blood pressures, an excess of whole grains and pastas in pursuit of this goal could be unhealthy and all diets should be nutritionally balanced.

Nicolas Cage in Green Hornet movie as “gangster villain”

2009-07-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

Seth Rogen’s Green Hornet movie has had trouble holding on to any cast beyond Rogen himself in the title role, especially after Stephen Chow dropped out of the sidekick Kato role. But now casting is picking up steam again, and is heading in some pretty strange directions– Nicolas Cage is in talks to play the “gangster villain” in the film, and Cameron Diaz is negotiating a role as a reporter and love interest.

Variety says that the film is still set for a fall start date, even though the Kato role has yet to be filled. But let’s deal with these two pieces of casting news first. Cameron Diaz, eh, fine– a decent if utterly uninspired choice for a female lead, even though it’s a little weird that she’s a solid 10 years older than 27-year-old Rogen. But Nicolas Cage? Wasn’t it weird enough when he agreed to play the magic man in Disney’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice? Aren’t we all kind of sick of seeing him play bug-eyed wild man villain, just a variation on his immortal Face-Off villain?

Of course, this Green Hornet project is so out-of-bounds, so beyond what we usually expect of a superhero movie, that it’s hard to predict how any of this will influence the film. After all, Michel Gondry was the genius who thought to cast Kate Winslet as the energetic fireball and Jim Carrey as the sad sack in Eternal Sunshine, and we all know how that turned out. But when it comes to people who would make a good love interest and villain opposite a superhero played by Seth Rogen, Diaz and Cage feel like wrong, overly traditional choices.

Colleges offering courses in programming iPhone applications

2009-07-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

There's an app for just about anything, or so Apple says.And colleges and universities across the country are taking notice, offering courses in programming iPhone applications to computer-related majors. The courses represent a new path of study for many colleges and universities recognizing the longevity of smartphones and social media, college professors say.iPhone apps, short for applications, are single-purpose programs that allow users to do everything from read the news to play musical instruments. They are largely produced by independent programmers who pay a $99 fee to create, test and distribute — many times for profit — their app.An iPhone Developer University Program launched last fall, however, allows qualifying colleges and universities to produce iPhone apps at no cost, spurring several institutions to offer a course in the technology.

Apple declined to comment on the number of schools participating, but they include Stanford and NJIT.Stanford University is offering a course to 60 students taught by two Apple employees in app development technology. The university started the program last fall and expanded it for the spring semester."Students are really liking it," says teaching assistant Paul Salzman. "We have twice as many students apply as there are slots, so we distribute a survey and have to slim it down." The two Apple-employed lecturers declined to comment, as per an Apple company policy.The information taught in the class is so popular, Salzman says, that the course is filmed and distributed at no charge on iTunes. The video downloads have prompted viewers around the world to create discussion boards and even a website based on the course."It's such a big marketplace," Salzman says. "It's a low entry fee — getting your app on the store is not that hard, there's not a big price — and then you have so many users that can get your application. So it's the current big thing, applications on the iPhone. And we're putting it within the reach of students."

NJIT, a science and technology university in New Jersey, offered the course for the first time this spring. Jim Robertson, director of university Web services, came up with the idea before he even heard of Apple's university program."It was only after we really started going down the line and writing it up as a course and running it by the dean to get it on the schedule that we realized, 'Oh! There's a developer program for universities that we can apply to,' " he says, noting that they have since opted to take advantage of the program.Robertson says he used money out of his own budget to give each student an iPod Touch to test his or her apps. Among the apps his students are working on are a "rock, paper, scissors" app and a financial engineering calculator for use on the NJIT campus.

"I started the course because there's a low threshold to entry and because Apple has set up this whole iPhone economy," Robertson says. "Student entrepreneurs can get into this and start making money and gaining experience. And I think some of these apps that our students are developing are only going to be steppingstones toward more complex and involved apps."The opportunity to make money off a college course was a major draw for Tyler Auten, a senior information technology student at NJIT. So far, Auten has made hundreds of dollars off of three apps he has in the iPhone store.The first app Auten created was "Kids Be Gone," designed in Robertson's class, which emits a high-frequency sound only kids can hear. The app, as the name suggests, was designed to keep children away from the iPhone user. Auten says he experimentally provided the app at no charge for 24 hours and was shocked to see it downloaded by 2,000 users."It blew my mind," he says. "Most classes at NJIT are theory-based, but this one really gives you a way of making money."

Other schools are incorporating the course in a smaller way, either as a part of its existing curriculum or a seminar. At Massachusetts Institute of Technology, iPhone app development was taught as a zero-credit, week-long seminar."It was very focused on the mechanics of how to program for this particular platform," says Ph.D. student Edward Benson, who taught the course. "I think the hurdle to the development platform for the iPod is very high, so it was primarily a launching pad to get them familiar with the technology." Benson says the program was inspired by Stanford's course and has led to one of his students working with a Boston-area hospital on a health care app.He says the seminar inspired students to solve real-world problems."It's incredibly empowering and gives students a sense of urgency that they don't normally have," he says. "You start to see a maturity in these students as they start to solve these problems."

Madonna's performing tribute to Michael Jackson

2009-07-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson was supposed to perform a series of concerts at 02 arena; speculation has been that the preparation may or may not have been what killed him. Madonna performed there and threw down for Jackson in tribute.

Madge's semi-impromptu throwdown involved bringing a Jackson "impersonator" (probably one of her dancers) on stage to do a few key Jackson dance moves. "Let's give it up to one of the greatest artists the world has ever known: Michael Jackson. Long live the king," she noted. It's strange, if only because of Madonna's Warriors-esque crew standing with her in freeze-pose while the dancer kicks it to a medley involving "Billy Jean" and the key "Mama Se" bridge in "Wanna Be Startin' Something" that can make even the most spatially braindead person want to engage in some kind of tribal pop-infused raindance at the whim of Jackson's song. It's true.

SRK - First Bollywood star to buy 20 million pounds apartment in Foreign

2009-07-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

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Shahrukh Khan has added another luxurious apartment to his list of houses around the world, this time it is a 20 million pounds worth apartment in the Park Lane area of Central London.

A source says, “It is a known fact that the King Khan likes to visit London every year for vacation with his family. He generally stays in the best of the hotels on his visits there, but for past few months he was eyeing an apartment in London’s plush area for himself, so that he doesn’t have to stay in hotels every time. After going through many choices both him and wife Gauri ended up liking this particular place. But given its very high cost they took some while to take the final decision. Finally as he went there this time with his kids, even they liked the place a lot and he there and then decided to lock it forever.”

He is the first Bollywood star to buy such a high cost property ever in a foreign location.

Ten Largest Cities in the world

2009-07-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

1. Tokyo

2. Seoul

3. Mexico City

4. Delhi

5. Mumbai (Bombay)

6. New York

7. Sao Paulo

8. Manila

9. Los Angeles

10. Shanghai

British airlines stop swine flu victims flying

2009-07-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

British airlines have put into effect measures to stop people with swine flu boarding flights in a bid to prevent the virus from spreading further. British Airways said there had been a "very small number of cases" where people who had checked in with symptoms of H1N1 had been advised not to travel after having medical checks.Virgin Atlantic also said victims would not be allowed to board one of its planes without a fit-to-fly certificate from their doctor or a hospital, though there had been no cases yet.The World Health Organization declared the virus a global pandemic June 11. More than 120 countries have reported cases of human infection. About 98,000 cases have been documented worldwide, with 440 deaths, according to the WHO.

With 29 deaths and a huge rise in the number of cases, Britain has the worst swine flu figures in Europe.Eight British schoolchildren remained in hospital in China on Monday after contracting swine flu on a trip to the country, the Foreign Office said. The teenagers were diagnosed with the H1N1 virus in Beijing. More than 50 of their classmates and teachers are also quarantined in a hotel. Watch as students are quarantined VideoMedical screening for the swine flu virus has been introduced at many airports around the world for passengers arriving on international flights but there are concerns that many people may not be aware they are infected.

Those who do have symptoms have been advised by Britain's health authorities to delay their journeys until the signs have cleared up."We have a medical team within the airline as well as a contingency planning group which has met for the past few years to look at the issue of a flu pandemic," A British Airways spokeswoman said. "We have a wide range of contingency plans in place which we can use depending on how the situation may evolve."If we have concerns about a customer or the customer is concerned, then we have a 24-hour medical service we can call to give advice to staff."They will speak to the customer and an assessment will be made about their fitness to fly."There have been a number of cases where we have advised customers not to fly on the basis of their diagnosis or symptoms of H1N1."BA told CNN Monday though that it was "business as usual" and all flights were operating normally.

Virgin Atlantic spokesman Paul Charles said: "If there are signs of something being wrong, be it excessive sneezing or coughing, not looking well, high temperature, then the airport staff can call in a medical team for extra advice."If the medical team believe there are reasons not to fly, the passenger will be asked to produce a fit to fly certificate from their doctor or a hospital, and they will be put at our cost on to the next available flight."Swine flu has spread so rapidly and extensively around the globe that the World Health Organization is changing tactics against the H1N1 virus, including stopping a tally of cases and focusing on unusual patterns."At this point, further spread of the pandemic, within affected countries and to new countries, is considered inevitable," the WHO said.The counting of all cases is no longer essential because it is exhausting countries' resources, the organization said."In some countries, this strategy is absorbing most national laboratory and response capacity, leaving little capacity for the monitoring and investigation of severe cases, and other exceptional events."

Monitoring is still required, the organization urged, but should focus on exceptional patterns."Because the numbers of cases have increased in so many countries, it is very hard to keep up," Keiji Fukuda, WHO assistant director-general, said earlier this month.Laboratories have been inundated with testing requests and the virus is showing up in most lab tests in countries with major outbreaks, he said.The organization said it will not issue global tables showing confirmed cases for countries that have reported cases, according to the release.However, it will still report on nations that have not had cases so that its presence can be confirmed. "WHO will continue to request that these countries report the first confirmed cases and, as far as feasible, provide weekly aggregated case numbers and descriptive epidemiology of the early cases."Meanwhile, governments should should be on the lookout for unusual patterns, the organization said.While most patients have reported mild symptoms, a rise in severe symptoms or respiratory ailments that require hospitalization should be cause for concern, it said. Governments should also pay attention to unusual patterns linked to fatal cases, the WHO said.

Any changes in prevailing patterns should be flagged, including a rise in school and job absenteeism, and an increase in visits to the emergency room.An overwhelmed health system may mean there is a rise in severe cases, the organization said

Strange looking Trees

2009-07-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

Check out these trees,they just look very strange.

Apple disables its rival smart phones

2009-07-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

The latest update of Apple's iTunes has included a fix to block devices such as the Palm Pre that use the program for synchronising music and content.The Palm Pre smartphone is seen by many as a direct rival to Apple's iPhone because of its innovative interface and web based software.Marketing for the new Palm Pre touted "seamless" synchronisation with iTunes, because it appeared as an Apple device.

Palm called the move a "direct blow" to Apple's users.While many devices can, through intermediary software, connect and synchronise with iTunes, the Pre was able to do so because it identified itself as an iPod.In June, Apple issued a note stressing that it "does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players" and warned that "newer versions of Apple's iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality" with them.Now, the latest version of iTunes, 8.2.1, has patched the hole through which devices could masquerade as Apple products.

Apple said in a statement that the update, in addition to other bug fixes, "also disables devices falsely pretending to be iPods, including the Palm Pre".Palm said that the Pre would work with previous versions of iTunes."If Apple chooses to disable media sync in iTunes, it will be a direct blow to their users who will be deprived of a seamless synchronization experience," the firm said in a statement.The statement added that "there are other third-party applications we can consider" and that users could simply choose not to update iTunes or could use a USB cable to directly transfer files.

Srilankan fast bowler Vaas to retire from Test Cricket

2009-07-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vaas will retire from Test cricket after the third Test against Pakistan, starting on Monday.The 35-year-old left-arm seamer says he wishes to continue playing in Twenty20 and one-day internationals and would explain his decision after the Test.

The news comes after a public row with chief selector Ashantha de Mel.De Mel had said Vaas would retire from Tests, which the bowler denied, but having been included in the Test squad, he revealed it was be his last game.Vaas, who had spells playing county cricket for Middlesex and Worcestershire, made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1995 and went on to play in 110 Tests.

He took 354 wickets which makes him Sri Lanka's second highest wicket taker after Muttiah Muralitharan, with 770.In his later years he also matured into a fine allrounder, scoring over than 3,000 Test runs.He was also one of the players injured in the attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Pakistan earlier this year.

Varieties of flowers gifted from our nature

2009-07-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Check these wonderful & varieties of flowers gifted by our nature.They are so pretty in the picture itself,just imagine having them in your backyard.

The Final Destination 3D (2009)

2009-07-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

Nick and some friends head to the racetrack for the weekend to watch a car race. , when the terrifying accident flys into the audience at 180 mph. People will splatter and be ripped apart, one girl gets her head knocked off by a flying tire, massive explosions, and eventually the entire stadium collapses onto the rest of the audience.Then Nick discovers it was just a vision that's about to happen, and he gets himself and about 12 other people ejected from the stadium.But Death returns to finish off the survivors, with the freak accidents being more brutal than ever.

On what should have been a fun-filled day at the races, Nick O'Bannon has a horrific premonition in which a bizarre sequence of events causes multiple race cars to crash, sending flaming debris into the stands, brutally killing his friends and causing the upper deck of the stands to collapse on him. When he comes out of this grisly nightmare Nick panics, persuading his girlfriend, Lori, and their friends, Janet and Hunt, to leave...escaping seconds before Nick's frightening vision becomes a terrible reality. Thinking they've cheated death, the group has a new lease on life, but unfortunately for Nick and Lori, it is only the beginning. As his premonitions continue and the crash survivors begin to die one-by-one--in increasingly gruesome ways--Nick must figure out how to cheat death once and for all before he, too, reaches his final destination. The film marks the latest in the highly popular "Final Destination" series, and its first 3D installment, giving horror fans an especially visceral thrill ride.

Keep Users' Browser Defaults finally changed by IE8

2009-07-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

After years of complaints by users and competitors, Microsoft quietly announced in a blog post Thursday that Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) will no longer automatically set itself as the default during any part of its installation process.Additionally, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) said it will distribute the new settings and screens to IE8 users next month.Under the new settings, IE8 will specifically ask the user during the installation process whether or not he or she would like IE to be the system's default browser. It will not change the user's default browser without asking the user first, and the screen will not default to checking the box marked "IE."

"IE will never install, or become the default browser without your explicit consent," said the posting on the IEBlog. Microsoft will distribute the changes via dynamic updates -- i.e., Windows Update and Automatic Update, the company's automated sites for distributing software updates."We decided to use dynamic updates in order to deliver this change to the market as quickly as possible, rather than re-release IE8 in over 60 languages," Microsoft said in the post. "We expect to roll this out in mid-August."

The change will arrive as part of a cumulative security update for IE.Microsoft's decision affects installations on both Vista and XP, as well as users who have installed a different default browser in Windows 7, the team said. Microsoft launched IE8 in mid-March and has touted its speed as being as fast or faster than competitors.Ironically, scaling back on IE's behavior comes as the company would dearly like to retake market share that the browser has lost in recent years. Still, the move signals some willingness to yield to both users' complaints as well as complains of unfair competitive behavior raised by rival browser makers like Mozilla (Firefox), Apple (Safari), Google (Chrome) and Opera.

Competing companies aren't the only ones keeping an eye on Microsoft's browser-based activities.Microsoft is currently under fire by the European Commission's (EC) competition directorate for what it said has been the illegally bundling of IE with Windows going back to 1996.The EC's case against Microsoft, which is expected to be decided any day, promises to not only force Microsoft to unbundle IE from Windows versions sold in European Union nations, but also require that the software giant provide a selection of competing browsers from which the user can chose when setting up their OS.That is not to mention an expected fine that could go into the billions of euros.

How to design an oversized bedroom

2009-07-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

While it can be a great joy to have an oversized bedroom, such room can be a huge challenge to decorate. It may be difficult give a large space the cozy feeling necessary in a bedroom. Here are some ideas to make your oversized bedroom more conducive to sleep, rest and relaxation. Keep it simple: Just because the room is large does not mean that you need to fill it with lots of things like exercise equipment computer systems. These things do not promote rest. All you really need in your bedroom is a bed, the bigger the better. All other items are expendable.

Get it off the wall: In a very large room, there is no reason to place your bed against the wall. Put it in the center of the room facing the windows with the best view. It is preferable for the bed to be facing a direction so someone entering the room would not be able to see the bed, but only the headboard. You can add to more privacy to the bed by placing a large armoire or dresser with the back of it to the headboard. If the back of the dresser shows through the headboard, you can upholster the back of the dresser with fabric, to coordinate with the bed. Sleigh beds adapt well to this placement because they have high headboards. Canopy beds would work as well because you can use fabric hanging from the bed poles as a screen. Folding floor screens can be placed at the head of the bed if you do not have a dresser or armoire that will fit in the space. For side tables, find pieces that look good from all sides like round tables instead of traditional nightstands. You can also choose to purchase a headboard unit designed for such a placement. Side tables are usually attached.

Break it up: Break the room into two or three zones, sleeping, lounging and dressing. Creating a sleeping area is obvious. Place the bed and side tables in one area of the room. For the lounging area, add sofas and chairs to the bedroom for an area to sit and talk, or even furnish an area where the children can feel comfortable. If you find you are sharing your bed with children, and want them to transition into their own beds, make sure that your bedroom sofa or lounge chair is comfortable. You may even want to add a day bed to your room. This way they can sleep in your room, but not in your bed. Once they can sleep without being next to you, transitioning them to their own bed will be easier. For your dressing areas, you can place your dressers, armoires and mirrors grouped together and add a bench or chaise that you can sit on when dressing. You can separate the room for more privacy if you wish. To do this, add a folding screen to block the view to your dressing area or use a two-sided bookshelf. The shelves can display beautiful items on the side facing the bed, and clothing related items on the other side.

Super-size it: Buy big furniture. A big room calls for big furniture. Get a California king bed with a double pillow top mattress that sits high off the floor. Add a set of bed steps or stools so you will not have to pole vault into the bed. Instead of traditional side tables, use three or four-drawer dressers on each side of the bed. Placed next to a large bed, they will look like night tables. You can use the drawers to eliminate clutter around the bed as well. Instead of a bench or regular chest at the foot of the bed, as they will tend to look like miniatures, place a low dresser without the mirror. You will have a super sized footlocker in which you can store spare bedding. Another option for the foot of the bed is a cabinet in which a television on a hydraulic system is housed. This way the TV is seen only when it is in use. Instead of traditional dressers in a room of this size, you might opt for a full wall unit or built in cabinets instead. Take advantage of the shape: Many large rooms are also odd shaped rooms. Use the shape of the room to your advantage. You can place one of your room zones, like your dressing area out of sight in an L-shaped room. Alternatively, you can tuck your sleeping area into the nook of a T-shaped room.

Jackie Chan is impressed with Kung fu of Will Smith's son

2009-07-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

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Jackie Chan says "Kung Fu Kid" co-star Jaden Smith's dedication to martial arts puts his own son to shame.The 11-year-old son of Hollywood stars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith has been training under Chan's stunt co-ordinator for his role in the China Film Group-Columbia Pictures remake of the 1984 hit "The Karate Kid," which kicked off filming in Beijing on July 11.In a diary entry on his official Web site, Chan said he was deeply impressed by the younger Smith's progress when he visited Los Angeles last month.

The veteran Hong Kong action star said Jaden Smith learned the Chinese phrases for different kung fu moves, responded to orders in Mandarin, and treated his teacher, Wu Gang, according to traditional Chinese custom."When he was thirsty, he gave the traditional hand gesture, putting one fist into the palm of the other, bowed and asked permission to drink some water," Chan said.Chan said Smith even learned the drunken fighter routine he made famous in his 1978 film "Drunken Master."

"He put my son to shame! I provided my son with the best martial artists in the world, and he could not be persuaded to try it. In just two months, Jaden had learned so much. He is truly a talented boy," he said, adding he felt Smith was ready to perform his own stunts in "Kung Fu Kid."Chan's son, Jaycee, is a singer and actor but has not followed in his father's footsteps as an action star.Chan posted several photos with the diary entry showing him with Jaden Smith and his father.

He said he was skeptical at first of Jaden Smith's work ethic because he was born into a privileged family."Training in martial arts is hard work. It takes years to perfect even one punch or kick. Jaden's father is a famous celebrity, and Jaden probably knows he could get away without having to work very hard. If I couldn't get my own son to train in martial arts, how could anybody else succeed?" Chan said.Chan said he suggested to Will Smith that he send his son to China for a few years of kung fu training, predicting "when he returns, his martial arts will be truly incredible."Jaden Smith costarred with his father in the 2006 movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" and appeared in the 2008 Keanu Reeves sci-fi movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

Red wine is good for health

2009-07-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

Scientists already knew that drinking red wine in moderation is good for your health; now they are figuring out why.New research is uncovering the disease-prevention secrets of a polyphenol called resveratrol, one of compounds in red wine that seems to improve health. Although the benefits have been touted for years, researchers weren’t sure how polyphenols, and resveratrol in particular, worked in the body.

“The breadth of benefits is remarkable — cancer prevention, protection of the heart and brain from damage, reducing age-related diseases, such as inflammation, reversing diabetes
and obesity, and many more,” said Lindsay Brown, an associate professor of the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia and co-author of a study that will appear in the September issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

Brown said scientists are beginning to understand how resveratrol does its work. Possible mechanisms include:

* High doses of the compound may prevent cancer by increasing the process of apoptosis (programmed cell death).
* Low doses improve cardiac health by increasing cellular protection and reducing damage.
* Resveratrol may help remove very reactive oxidants in the body and improve blood supply to cells.

Scientists are also studying how the body absorbs resveratrol into the blood stream, since the compound is largely inactivated in the gut and liver.”Most of the resveratrol in imbibed red wine does not reach the circulation,” Stephen Taylor, a professor of pharmacology at the University of Queensland, said in a journal news release. “Interestingly, absorption via the mucous membranes in the mouth can result in up to around 100 times the blood levels, if done slowly rather than simply gulping it down.”

Oldest student to hold a High school diploma

2009-07-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

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There’s at least one guy with a new high school diploma who’s not worrying about getting into college or finding a job.After all, Takeshi Murata is 84.Murata was 18 and a student at University High School in Greeley, Colorado, in 1944 when he was drafted to fight in World War II, according to the Greeley Daily Tribune newspaper.

Though he was the son of Japanese immigrants, he grew up speaking English. In the Army, he was trained in an intelligence unit and given some studies in Japanese. After the war, he was sent to serve in U.S. military headquarters in Tokyo.”I really didn’t know Japanese that well,” Murata told the Tribune. “But I’d learned a little in the intelligence schools, so they sent me.”

He met his wife, Chikako, there, he said. They married in Japan and in 1947 returned to northeast Colorado.Murata approached his old school, thinking his military intelligence classes should suffice for any coursework he missed when he left school at 18.”The school officials told me I wasn’t qualified to graduate,” he told the Tribune.Murata dropped the diploma quest and followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a farmer. He raised five children — each of whom earned college degrees.

But Murata still had no diploma of his own until a teacher at the school, Jeanne Lipman, heard his story last year. She found Murata’s report cards, got an original diploma from one of his old classmates and turned them over to University of Northern Colorado President Kay Norton. The high school is now called University High; the university ran it when Murata attended.Norton presented the diploma to Murata on Wednesday night, and his family celebrated with cake and a party. Murata, smiling, joked about the lengthy process.”I’m 84 years old now,” he said. “What am I going to do with a diploma? Look for a job?”

After San Fransico MY NAME IS KHAN shoot in Mumbai

2009-07-18T09:49:00.000-07:00

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The entire cast and crew of Karan Johar's Shahrukh Khan-Kajol starrer MY NAME IS KHAN is back from San Fransico, USA and it is learnt that now they will be shooting soon in Mumbai for the last portions of their film, which incidentally is a hurricane scene. Presently for the same, a huge set is being constructed at Filmcity, Mumbai.

An industry insider reveals, ''At the Josh Maidan in Filmcity the set being constructed is of a dam that is measuring around three feet in depth and is 135 by 240 meters in size. Then apart from that, a church and few small houses around it shall be constructed soon. There are plans to shoot a hurricane sequences showing these places such as the church and the houses getting completely submerged and devastated under it.''

The source further added, ''After this sequence is shot, the film's talkie portions will be complete and only the post-production will be left. The makers hope to release the film by January 2010 end.''

Madonna's stage accident kills 2

2009-07-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

Madonna's Sticky and Sweet tour just turned deadly.Tragedy struck in Marseille this morning, when the roof of a massive stage being crafted for the Material Mama's upcoming concert collapsed on several workers, leaving one dead and seven injured.Madonna was rehearsing her show in Udine, Italy, when the incident occurred, but wasted no time in sending her heartfelt condolences to everyone involved in the collapse at France's Velodrome Stadium.

"I am devastated to have just received this tragic news," she said."My prayers go out to those who were injured and their families, along with my deepest sympathy to all those affected by this heartbreaking news."The sold-out Marseille concert stop, scheduled for Sunday, has since been canceled.There's been no official word yet on what caused the stadium's roof to collapse, though firefighters told the Agence France-Presse that the roof became unbalanced as it was being lifted by four cranes.One of the cranes reportedly fell over, crashing onto the stage below.

Marseille city councilor Maurice Di Nocera, meanwhile, told France-Info radio that the roof was roughly two-thirds complete when it began "shaking and collapsing," before gradually falling on the workers just after 5 p.m. local time. He credited the gradualness of the event with allowing several people to flee before its collapse."Fortunately, it didn't collapse too quickly, as there would have been quite a few victims," he said.

According to the AFP, up to a dozen people were initially trapped when the structure, which has since been barricaded by emergency workers, first collapsed.All of the injured workers were immediately taken to local hospitals. Two were listed in very serious condition, while the others suffered fractured bones. None of their identities has yet been released.

'2012' Trailer

2009-07-17T07:41:00.000-07:00

Sony Pictures has released the first full trailer for 2012, the next big disaster film from Roland Emmerich, the director of Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow and Godzilla.

Top 10 coolest place in the world

2009-07-17T07:15:00.000-07:00

1. Stromboli, Italy

I thought Stromboli was an Italian food similar to a calzone. It took a book to enlighten me to the error. Stromboli is a very active volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The thing is, people live on it. Imagine falling asleep to the gentle hum of liquid magma pouring out of the crater a few hundred feet from your house. Need to relax? Head to the Sciara del Fuoco, and watch as car-size molten boulders crash into the sea.

2. Seychelles

I had a teacher in high school tell me the most beautiful place on Earth was a tiny archipelago nation called the Seychelles. I’d never heard of it. It took the development of the internet (yes, I’m that old) to read about such a place. And since then, I’ve been dreaming about it ever since. White sand beaches. Crystal blue water. Warm ocean breezes. This is paradise defined. Of course, getting there is nothing short of being obscenely expensive. So, if you’d like to fund my trip, please e-mail the YesButNoButYes and put “Funding Echowood’s Trip” in the subject line.

3. Meteora, Greece

Sandstone pinnacles rising hundreds of feet straight into the air, capped off by 16th century Greek Orthadox monasteries? Is that something you might be looking for? Such a place exists, and it’s called Meteora. (Not to be confused with the Linkin Park album, which as far as I’m aware, has nothing to do with monasteries or sandstone … or Greece.)

4. Devil’s Hopyard, United States

The Devil’s Hopyard may not be as outstanding as Santorini, or Palau, but the legends it’s created are pretty interesting. (Cue Puritanical mythology via Curbstone) Of all the places in Connecticut bearing the Devil’s name, the one with the greatest variety of legendary etymologies is the 860-acre state park in East Haddam known as the Devil’s Hopyard. Here, the combination of booming Chapman’s Falls, pothole-scarred rocks, the unearthly quiet in the dark glen below the falls and the steep, cave-pocked cliffs flanking turbulent Eight Mile River makes a likely setting for the growth and development of legends. Then, too, the “hellish” appearance of the Hopyard’s gorge was probably enhanced for the early English settlers by local Indian tribes, which are said to have used Devil’s Hopyard for religious rites and powwows.

5. Palau

Take a long look at that picture and tell me you wouldn’t want to be there right now. Aside from a season of Survivor, Palau remains mostly paradise on Earth. There’s an interesting phenomenon in Palau known as Jellyfish Lake. The lake, once open to the ocean, closed up allowing for an amazing reproduction of Jellyfish. On the flip side, the lake has a layer of hydrogen sulfide beneath the surface which, after coming into contact with, would make someone’s day pretty horrible.

6. Santorini, Greece

Here’s an idea, let’s build a village on the edge of partially submerged extinct volcano. While we’re at it, let’s make it absolutely beautiful. Santorini is an island off the coast of Greece (part of the Cyclades), and it’s quickly becoming one of Europe’s hot spots. A giant central lagoon, more or less rectangular, and measuring about 12 km by 7 km (8 mi by 4 mi), is surrounded by 300 m (984 ft) high steep cliffs on three sides. The island slopes downward from the cliffs to the surrounding Aegean Sea. On the fourth side, the lagoon is separated from the sea by another much smaller island called Therasia; the lagoon merges with the sea in two places, in the northwest and southwest. The water in the center of the lagoon is nearly 400 m (1300 ft) deep, thus making it a safe harbor for all kinds of shipping. The island’s harbors all lie in the lagoon and there are no ports on the outer perimeter of the island.

7. Iguaçu Falls, Brazil/Argentina

Niagara Falls has nothing on Iguaçu Falls. The waterfall system consists of 275 falls along 2.7 kilometres (1.67 miles) of the Iguaçu River. Most of the falls are about 210 feet in height, and the average water falling over Iguaçu in peak flow has a surface area of about 40 ha (1.3 million ft²). The falls were also featured in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

8. Oak Island, Canada

This is one of those things you hope is true. While not necessarily an amazing landscape, the story and legends of Oak Island bring out the Goonies in all of us. The long and the short of it is, there may or may not be a horde of pirate treasure buried in a pit on the island. (Some say the Holy Grail could be buried there too.) What we do know is over 200 years ago, some children found a depression on the island, started digging, and found a layer of flagstone a few feet down. Excavation continued with more discoveries of logs, charcoal, and coconut fiber, all placed there, seemingly, by humans.

9. The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland

Have a thing for hexagons? How about basalt hexagonal columns? There’s no better place to find such a rarity than at the Giant’s Causeway.
Folklore has it that the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight his Scottish counterpart, Benandonner. The more accurate, but less fun story behind the causeway states that during the Paleogene period, the region was subject to intense volcanic activity, when highly fluid molten basalt intruded through chalk beds to form an extensive lava plateau. As the lava cooled rapidly, contraction occurred. While contraction in the vertical direction reduced the flow thickness (without fracturing), horizontal contraction could only be accommodated by cracking throughout the flow.

10. Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest unbroken, unflooded volcanic caldera and the closest you may come to the Garden of Eden. What’s more, and because of its naturally occurring borders, it houses an amazing array of plant and animal life. There is even speculation that life on Earth originated from the extinct volcano. There are lodges and safaris touring the crater, and if you can get your hands on a ticket to East Africa, I’m sure you’ll find your money well spent.

Really amazing Ice & Snow Sculptures

2009-07-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

You always seen the ice sculptures. But following are very interesting ice and snow sculptures which can be made by different artist.

Below one is very inresting and these sculpture is of Marilyn Monroe & it is made in snow area.

Next one is sculpture of king.

Dinosaurs are also created of snow by artist. Below one is picture of Dinosaurs made of snow and different people are seeing such an amazing snow sculpture of Dinosaurs.

Dragon come in exist in form of ice…… yes below picture is of Dragon made up of ice.

Below one picture is of ice sculpture of New York.

A replica of the Mayan Temple which is from the Chichen Itza in Mexico. By using 80 individual blocks of frosted ice these sculpture is constructed, also incorporating clear ice for the steps.

Below are also sculpture that made up of ice.

Twenty20 tournament in the USA

2009-07-17T06:39:00.000-07:00

There was a certain irony that on the day plans for a major Twenty20 tournament in the USA were announced, the USA Cricket Association's chief executive, Don Lockerbie, was at Lord's watching an Ashes Test, a format many seem to think is growing less relevant by the year. Lockerbie was in town to meet with leading administrators to advance his plan to make the USA a major cricketing destination. While he wants to build the USA into a leading cricketing power, he also believes Twenty20 cricket is a format made for the American audience.

"I'd like to see a successful, world-class, best-players-in-the-game tournament, an invitational franchise league or something like that, in the near future," he said. "That would be the dream. It's too early to say what kind of format that would be, but we're putting out a tender for proposal."Will that, as has been rumoured, be another IPL? "The IPL as I look at it now is a remarkable, fantastic model to follow. Look at what it's been able to do. Our hat is off to Lalit [Modi] and the people behind this fantastic sports property.

"So, of course, you want to look at it as a model to emulate, or as a model to partner with, or at least to come up with something that has its own fresh appeal."The USA is a country that wants to see the superstars, and that's what we have to focus on. We have to invite them to come and play in the USA, and eventually we hope to develop our own superstars."The USA already has one major venue, in Florida, and Lockerbie said more are planned, either in new areas, such as Indianapolis, or by expanding existing facilities in California and New York.

"The proof will be, is the USA ready to undertake these type of events? When the US was announced back in the late 1980s as the host for the 1994 [football] World Cup, the world laughed and said 'what are they going to do with our game'. And yet we still hold the record for the most tickets sold at a football World Cup."Before the world laughs at the US taking on cricket, it's important to say we're going to do it well, we're going to do it smart, we're going to do it best and with the world's experts and put together a programme that will be successful."

And he added that his plans were very much in tune with the ICC and would fit in with the existing international calendar. "We're going to make sure what we do has ICC backing. That's the promise we made when we did a presentation to the ICC in Dubai [in April]."We made a commitment we will be a significant contributor to the world of cricket and a good partner. I don't see us as a competitor, I see as being a partner in something that will make sense to the game as it continues to evolve."Unlike many previous comets who have blazed into US cricket with bold ideas only to disappear without trace, Lockerbie has the professionalism and drive to make you think he really can pull off these plans. A highly-regarded sports organiser and event administrator, he was venue director at the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean and is well connected in not only the game but also the corporate world, something vital for the backing he seeks.

Unseen Video of Jackson’s Pepsi Accident

2009-07-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

Us Weekly magazine has obtained video it says shows never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson’s head catching on fire during filming of his 1984 Pepsi commercial.Jackson suffered severe burns after a pyrotechnics mishap caused his hair and scalp to catch afire. Still photos of the accident have been seen before, but the new video on Us Weekly’s Web site shows the moment Jackson’s hair caught on fire and the top of his head became engulfed in flames.

Jackson didn’t realize his hair was on fire. In the video, he’s still dancing as the flames are on his head. When he spins, the flames go out. People on the set tackle him to extinguish the fire, and his brother Jermaine Jackson, playing the guitar in front of him and oblivious to the commotion, turns around. When Michael Jackson emerges from the pile of people trying to help him, the top of his head is bald.

The accident, witnessed by thousands of stunned fans at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, came at the height of Jackson’s fame, about a year after the release of his best-selling “Thriller” album. It marked what would be the beginning of serious, lifelong pain for Jackson, who had been treated for painkiller addiction and has been described by relatives and friends as being hooked on pain medication at the time of his death last month at age 50.

Jackson, who was photographed in an ambulance with a bandage on his head and his trademark sequined white glove on his right hand, required several surgeries and needed skin grafts to treat the injury.In his autobiography, “Moonwalk,” he described the cause of the accident as “stupidity, pure and simple.”As he described the accident, he wrote: “... bombs went off on either side of my head, and the sparks set my hair on fire. I was dancing down this ramp and turning around, spinning, not knowing I was on fire. Suddenly I felt my hands reflexively go to my head in an attempt to smother the flames.”As a result of the accident, Pepsi gave Jackson $1.5 million, which he donated to a burn center named after him.A representative for Us Weekly had no immediate comment on where the video came from.

Decorative wall to hold your speakers

2009-07-16T08:34:00.000-07:00

Although home theatre speakers greatly enhance the sound quality of your movies and music, they can detract from the look of an otherwise well decorated room. Here are some ideas you can use to create innovative speaker shelves that will be a lot more attractive than seeing a black box stuck to the wall. If you have small speakers, you can camouflage them by painting the walls and the speaker mounts the color of the speakers. Of course, this seriously limits your decorating choices, but if you like the idea of a white, black, or gray wall, this will work. Simply cut a piece of plywood roughly the same size as the speaker that will sit on it. Screw a smaller supporting block into the wall just below where the speaker will sit. Then take your shelf, and screw it into your supporting block. Paint the wall and your homemade shelf to match the speaker.

You can use beautiful decorative wall sconces to hold your speakers. They come in many shapes sizes and styles. You can find wood or plaster sconces with details or cherubs and angels. You can find antique weathered sconces shaped as acanthus leaves. You can also use African motif carved sconces carved from rich ebony wood, or you can choose gilded floral sconces. Any of these will detract from the boring square speaker by drawing attention to it-self.

You can hide your entertainment center speakers. Install them into the wall by cutting out a piece of drywall the size of the speakers. Install a small’s shelf between the studs to hold the speakers. Then hang a lightweight sheer fabric painting over the speaker. You can make such a speaker cover yourself purchasing simple wooden picture frames without the glass and sheer pieces of fabric that can double as art. Staple the fabric into the frame making sure it is taut. You will have instant art and speaker covers at the same time. You may want to use a deep picture frame like a shadow box. You can also hide your speakers by purchasing wall mounted flower baskets and placing the speaker amongst the fake flowers. Just make sure no one tries to water the flowers.

You can show off your speakers by placing them on floating shelves
. They are available in many styles form a simple piece of glass, to a plate ledge, to a square block on the wall. There is an infinite number of finish choices that will go well with any design style. Another option for creating innovative shelving for your speakers is to make it a part of an art collage. It can be mounted on the wall in the midst of sculptures, pictures, and empty picture frames. It can even be mounted inside of an otherwise empty picture frame. A fun idea would be to place it on a shelf amongst a collection of different boxes. Choose wooden boxes, leather boxes and metal boxes to display your speakers along side. Even you will have trouble figuring out which item is your speaker from a distance.

Dell's dark days are finally over?

2009-07-16T08:15:00.000-07:00

All signs are pointing to an improved PC market that will start to materialize later this year and really regain ground next year. Dell, the PC maker that's arguably been battered most by the downturn, also stands to make the greatest gains when the seas begin to calm. Why Dell? The key to a full turnaround within the PC industry is when large corporate customers start buying computers for their employees again. Many had virtually stopped making new PC purchases due to increasingly tight budgets, combined with decisions to wait until Microsoft released the update to its operating system.

But there have been three good signs this week that point to an imminent recovery for the industry. On Monday, Dell took the trouble to send a press release announcing that it's seeing the demand for its products--PCs, services, servers--"stabilizing." That means more people and businesses are shopping, which it said will send its second-quarter revenue up slightly when it reports next month.That was followed by Intel's upbeat outlook during its second-quarter results Tuesday. Intel's feel for the market is an important bellwether for the tech industry, and the chipmaker reported its best first-to-second-quarter growth in almost two decades. CEO Paul Otellini declared it a "clear expectation for a seasonally stronger second half."

Wednesday's study from PC market analysts at IDC showing better-than-expected growth worldwide in PC shipments serves to tie all the news together. For the second straight quarter, PC shipments were down, but beat expectations. Shipments were down just 3.1 percent last quarter, according to IDC. A recovery, it seems, is on the way.Both Dell and Hewlett-Packard, the world's largest PC maker for several years running, will benefit when the recovery does start to kick in. Both are heavyweights in corporate computing. But HP has survived the tech industry slowdown better than Dell due to strong management, cost cutting, and its ability to react quickly to emerging consumer trends like Netbooks. So when companies do start to spend money in large volume again this fall when Windows 7 is released, and into next year as budgets soften, Dell's improvement should be relatively better overall than HP's--if only because HP hasn't slipped that much in the past months. HP's shipments improved 3.6 percent in the most recent quarter; Dell's shrunk 17.1 percent.

The last few years have been rough for Dell. The company appeared caught off guard by the surge in consumer spending on laptops starting in 2006. HP (and Acer) recognized the change in the market, made some successful adjustments, and never looked back. Since then, Dell has employed several new tactics to invigorate its business, including getting back into retail, focusing more on product design, shaking up the organizational structure, and looking to shed costs through shutting down some manufacturing plants and several rounds of layoffs.Though Dell is still trying to get its costs right, it has, however, paid a lot of attention to improving the breadth of its consumer offerings recently. It released the very pricey Adamo notebook several months ago and has also shipped more models of lower-priced Inspiron Mini Netbooks. While that hasn't reaped great results yet (its most recent earnings saw a fall of 63 percent), once the market is more stable, a wider variety of choices for consumers and its corporate customers should help.

And though Acer has gathered a lot of attention recently for its aggressive pricing and huge growth in the consumer market, an improvement in commercial spending could temper that momentum some."When we get to commercial recovery, (Acer) won't be as well-positioned as HP and Dell," said Loren Loverde, PC analyst for IDC. "They're still a smaller player in the U.S., and are half the size of Dell and HP. They don't have quite the scale in the U.S."Acer's focus on selling more units at lower prices may also come back to bite it. When consumers are ready to buy more expensive systems--which carry better margins for the manufacturer--they're not likely to think of Acer, or its premium Gateway brand.

Harry Potter earns $22.2 million from midnight screenings

2009-07-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

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Harry Potter has conjured up a record-breaking witching hour.The latest adventure of the teen wizard, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” took in $22.2 million domestically from midnight screenings, distributor Warner Bros. said Wednesday. That breaks the record set by another Warner blockbuster, “The Dark Knight,” which grossed $18.5 million from midnight shows last summer.The sixth installment in the “Harry Potter” franchise also topped this year’s biggest hit, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” which pulled in $16 million from midnight screenings on its first day in June.“Half-Blood Prince” raked in $10 million more from midnight screenings than part five, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” in summer 2007.

There was pent-up demand for “Harry Potter” after that last movie. The two-year lag since “Order of the Phoenix” was the longest fans have had to wait for a new “Harry Potter” flick since the first movie arrived in 2001.Warner originally planned to release “Half-Blood Prince” last November but bumped it to 2009 to take advantage of an open weekend in Hollywood’s busy summer schedule.“We’re sorry that it caused some angst with our fans, but they’re troopers, and they came out and supported the movie,” said Dan Fellman, head of domestic distribution for Warner.The new movie has Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) trying to pry loose a hidden memory from one of his teachers, who holds key information about the wizard world’s darkest enemy, Lord Voldemort.

Earning some of the best reviews in the franchise’s history, the new “Harry Potter” tale played to packed crowds in 3,003 theaters for its midnight debut. Domestically, that theater count climbed to 4,275 later Wednesday, and 50 more cinemas will be added Friday.With that kind of market saturation, “Half-Blood Prince” could set other new box-office highs — both for the “Harry Potter” franchise and Hollywood in general.“It’s definitely within reach of some of the biggest records in box-office history,” said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com“Order of the Phoenix” also opened on a Wednesday and had the franchise’s best five-day debut at $139.7 million. “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” had the top three-day weekend opening of $102.7 million.

“The Dark Knight” is the record-holder for best opening day ($67.2 million), best weekend ($158.4 million) and best five-day debut ($203.8 million).The seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling’s fantasy series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” is being split into two parts for the big screen, with the first movie due out in November 2010 and the second in July 2011.

Getting your muscles

2009-07-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

Ever wish you could be as muscular as a superhero or your favorite professional athlete? Well, the big muscles you're thinking about aren't possible for kids. Superheroes, of course, aren't real, and professional athletes are grown-ups, whose bodies are different from kids' bodies in many ways.

Boys, especially, might wish for bigger muscles, but their bodies can't build that kind of grown-up muscle until they're older. On the bright side, both boys and girls can do a lot to build strong, healthy muscles. Let's find out how.
Playing Makes Muscles

It sounds too simple, but it's true. Playing, running, jumping, and riding your bike can make your muscles stronger. Any physical activity you like to do - from dancing to playing football - can make you stronger. Why? Because you're using your muscles when you do it.

Eat Strong

What should you eat if you want strong muscles? You might think you need a lot of foods that contain protein (such as meat and eggs) or foods that contain iron. But there's no one magical food that helps build muscles. Your muscles - and your entire body - will be strong and healthy if you eat a variety of nutritious foods.

Should You Pump Iron?

Some kids want to lift weights so they can look bigger and stronger. But lifting weights won't produce big muscles in kids who haven't gone through puberty yet, and lifting heavy weights can be dangerous to kids’ muscles and tendons.

With supervision from a coach or trainer, kids can do some light weight lifting or exercise with resistance bands (large rubber bands). This kind of exercise can improve muscle tone, meaning a kid's muscles will be leaner and stronger, but not really bigger.

Push-ups, sit-ups, and chin-ups also help build strong muscles. But so can plain old running, jumping, and climbing. Get the message? More play time means stronger muscles. Now that's something to get pumped up about!