text:
Note: This glossary does not undertake fully to explain all the above terms. It is simply an attempt to render into English certain words used in this book, so that the reader may understand their connotation. The majority of the definitions have been culled from the Theosophical glossary, The Secret Doctrine, and the Voice of the Silence.
taken from Initiation Human and Solar, and Letters on Occult Meditation
Adept. A Master, or human being who, having traversed the path of evolution and entered upon the final stage of the path, the Path of Initiation, has taken five of the Initiations, and has therefore passed into the Fifth, or Spiritual kingdom, having but two more Initiations to take.
Adi. The First; the primeval; the atomic plane of the solar system; the highest of the seven planes.
Agni. The Lord of Fire in the Vedas. The oldest and most revered of the Gods in India. One of the three great deities Agni, Vayu and Surya, and also all the three, as he is the triple aspect of fire; fire is the essence of the solar system. The Bible says: "Our God is a consuming fire." It is also the symbol of the mental plane of which Agni is paramountly lord.
Agnichaitans. A group of fire devas.
Atlantis. The continent that was submerged in the Atlantic ocean, according to the occult teaching and Plato. Atlantis was the home of the Fourth Root Race, whom we now call the Atlanteans.
Antahkarana. The path, or bridge, between higher and lower mind, serving as a medium of communication between the two. It is built by the aspirant himself in mental matter.
Ashram. The centre to which the Master gathers the disciples and aspirants for personal instruction.
Atma. The Universal Spirit; the divine Monad; the seventh Principle; so called in the septenary constitution of man. (See diagram in Introduction.)
Atomic Subplane. The matter of the solar system is divided by the occultists into seven planes or states, the highest of which is the atomic plane. Similarly, each of the seven planes is divided into seven subplanes, of which the highest is called the atomic subplane. There are therefore forty-nine subplanes, and seven of these are atomic.
Aura. A subtle invisible essence or fluid which emanates from human and animal bodies, and even from things. It is a psychic effluvium, partaking of both mind and body. It is electro-vital, and also electro-mental.
Auric egg. An appellation that has been given to the causal body owing to its form.
Bodhisattva. Literally, he whose consciousness has become intelligence, or buddhi. Those who need but one more incarnation to become perfect buddhas. As used in these letters the Bodhisattva is the name of the office which is at present occupied by the Lord Maitreya, Who is known in the occident as the Christ. This office might be translated as that of World Teacher. The Bodhisattva is the Head of all the religions of the world, and the Master of the Masters and of the angels.
Buddha. (The). The name given to Gautama. Born in India about B.C. 621 he became a full Buddha in B.C. 592. The Buddha is one who is the "Enlightened," and has attained the highest degree of knowledge possible for man in this solar system.
Buddhi. The Universal Soul or Mind. It is the spiritual soul in man (the Sixth Principle) and therefore the vehicle of Atma, the Spirit, which is the Seventh Principle.
Causal Body. This body is, from the standpoint of the physical plane, no body, either subjective or objective. It is, nevertheless, the centre of the egoic consciousness, and is formed of the conjunction of buddhi and manas. It is relatively permanent and lasts throughout the long cycle of incarnations, and is only dissipated after the fourth initiation, when the need for further rebirth on the part of a human being no longer exists.
Chohan. Lord, Master, a Chief. In this book it refers to those Adepts who have gone on and taken the sixth initiation.
Deva (or Angel). A god. In Sanskrit a resplendent deity. A Deva is a celestial being, whether good, bad, or indifferent. Devas are divided into many groups, and are called not only angels and archangels, but lesser and greater builders.
Egoic Groups. On the third subplane of the fifth plane, the mental, are found the causal bodies of the individual men and women. These bodies, which are the expression of the Ego, or of the individualised self-consciousness, are gathered together into groups according to the ray or quality of the particular Ego involved.
Elementals. The Spirits of the Elements; the creatures involved in the four kingdoms, or elements, Earth, Air,Fire, and Water. Except a few of the higher kinds and their rulers they are forces of nature more than ethereal men and women.
Etheric body. (Etheric double.) The physical body of a human being is, according to occult teaching, formed of two parts, the dense physical body, and the etheric body. The dense physical body is formed of matter of the lowest three subplanes of the physical plane. The etheric body is formed of the four highest or etheric subplanes of the physical plane.
Fifth Principle. The principle of mind; that faculty in man which is the intelligent thinking principle, and which differentiates man from the animals.
Fohat. Cosmic electricity; primordial light; the ever-present electrical energy; the universal propelling vital forces the ceaseless destructive and formative power; the synthesis of the many forms of electrical phenomena.
Guru. Spiritual Teacher. A Master in metaphysical and ethical doctrines.
Hierarchy. That group of spiritual beings on the inner planes of the solar system who are the intelligent forces of nature, and who control the evolutionary processes. They are themselves divided into twelve Hierarchies. Within our planetary scheme, the earth scheme, there is a reflection of this Hierarchy which is called by the occultist the Occult Hierarchy. This Hierarchy is formed of chohans, adepts, and initiates working through their disciples, and, by this means, in the world. (See diagram page 48.)
Initiations. From the Latin root meaning the first principles of any science. Process of penetrating into the mysteries of the science of the Self and of the one self in all selves. The Path of Initiation is the final stage of [Page 219] the path of evolution trodden by man, and is divided into five stages, called the Five Initiations.
Jiva. A separated unit of consciousness.
Kali Yuga. "Yuga" is an age or cycle. According to the Indian philosophy our evolution is divided into four yugas or cycles. The Kali-yuga is the present age. It means the "Black Age," a period of 432,000 years.
Karma. Physical action. Metaphysically, the law of retribution; the law of cause and effect, or ethical causation. There is the karma of merit and the karma of demerit. It is the power that controls all things, the resultant of moral action, or the moral effect of an act committed for the attainment of something which gratifies a personal desire.
Kumaras. The highest seven self-conscious beings in the solar system. These seven Kumaras manifest through the medium of a planetary scheme in the same way as a human being manifests through the medium of a physical body. They are called by the Hindu "the mind-born sons of Brahma", amongst other names. They are the sumtotal of intelligence and of wisdom. Within the planetary scheme the reflection of the systemic order is also seen. At the head of our world evolution stands the first Kumara, aided by six other Kumaras, three exoteric and three esoteric. Who are the focal points for the distribution of the force of the systemic Kumaras.
Kundalini. The power of Life: one of the forces of nature. It is a power known only to those who practise concentration in yoga, and is centred within the spine.
Lemuria. A modern term first used by some naturalists and now adopted by Theosophists to indicate a continent that, according to the Secret Doctrine of the East, preceded Atlantis. It was the home of the third root race.
Logos. The deity manifested through every nation and people. The outward expression, or the effect of the cause which is ever concealed. Thus, speech is the Logos of thought, hence it is aptly translated by the "verbum" and the "word" in its metaphysical sense. (See John 1:1-3.).
Lord of Civilisation. (See Mahachohan.)
Lords of the Flame. One of the great Hierarchies of spiritual beings who guide the solar system. They took control of the evolution of humanity upon this planet about 18 million years ago, during the middle of the Lemurian, or third root race.
Macrocosm. The great universe, literally; or God manifesting through His body, the solar system.
Mahachohan. The Head of the third great department of the Hierarchy. This great being is the Lord of Civilisation, and the flowering forth of the principle of intelligence. He is the embodiment on the planet of the third, or intelligence aspect of deity in its five activities.
Mahamanvantara. The great interludes of time between two solar systems. This term is frequently applied to the greater solar cycles. It implies a period of universal activity.
Manas, or manasic Principle. Literally, the Mind, the mental faculty; that which distinguishes man from the mere animal. It is the individualising principle; that which enables man to know that he exists, feels, and knows. It is divided in some schools into two parts, higher or abstract mind, and lower or concrete mind.
Mantrams. Verses from the Vedas. In the exoteric sense a mantram (or that psychic faculty or power that conveys perception or thought) is the older portion of the Vedas, the second part of which is composed of the Brahmanas. In esoteric phraseology mantram is the word made flesh, or rendered objective through divine magic. A form of words or syllables rhythmically arranged, so that when sounded certain vibrations are generated.
Manu. The representative name of the great Being Who is the Ruler, primal progenitor and chief of the human race. It comes from the Sanskrit root "man"-to think.
Manvantara. A period of activity as opposed to a period of rest, without reference to any specific length of cycle. Frequently used to express a period of planetary activity and its seven races.
Maya. Sanskrit, "Illusion." Of the principle of form or limitation. The result of manifestation. Generally used in a relative sense for phenomena or objective appearances that are created by the mind.
Mayavi rupa. Sanskrit, "Illusive Form." It is the body of manifestation created by the adept by an act of will for use in the three worlds. It has no material connection with the physical body. It is spiritual and ethereal and passes everywhere without let or hindrance. It is built by the power of the lower mind, of the highest type of astral matter.
Microcosm. The little universe, or man manifesting through his body, the physical body.
Monad. The One. The threefold spirit on its own plane. In occultism it often means the unified triad—Atma, Buddhi, Manas; Spiritual Will, Intuition and Higher mind,—or the immortal part of man which reincarnates in the lower kingdoms and gradually progresses through them to man and thence to the final goal.
Nirmanakaya. Those perfected beings who renounce Nirvana (the highest state of spiritual bliss) and choose a life of self-sacrifice, becoming members of that invisible host which ever protects humanity within karmic limits.
Permanent atom. Those five atoms, with the mental unit, one on each of the five planes of human evolution (the mental unit being also on the mental plane) which the monad appropriates for purposes of manifestation. They form a stable centre and are relatively permanent. Around them the various sheaths or bodies are built. They are literally small force centres.
Planetary Logos. This term is generally applied to the seven highest spirits corresponding to the seven archangels of the Christian. They have all passed through the human stage and are now manifesting through a planet and its evolutions, in the same way that man manifests through his physical body. The highest planetary spirit working through any particular globe is, in reality, the personal God of the planet.
Prakriti. Derives its name from its function as the material cause of the first evolution of the universe. It may be said to be composed of two roots, "pra" to manifest, and "krita" to make; meaning, that which caused the universe to manifest itself.
Prana. The Life Principle, the breath of Life. The occultist believes the following statement: "Life we look upon as the one form of existence, manifesting in what is called matter, or what, incorrectly separating them; we name Spirit, Soul, and Matter in man. Matter is the vehicle for the manifestation of soul on this plane of existence; soul is the vehicle for the manifestation of spirit, and these three as a trinity are synthesised by Life, which pervades them all."
Purusha. The spiritual self. The embodied self. The word literally means "The dweller in the city"—that is, in the body. It is derived from the Sanskrit "pura" which means city or body, and "usha" a derivative of the verb "vas," to dwell.
Quaternary. The fourfold lower self, or man, in the three worlds. There are various divisions of this, but perhaps for our purpose the best is to enumerate the four as follows:
1. Lower mind.
2. Emotional or kamic body.
3. Prana, or the Life Principle.
4. The etheric body, or the highest division of the twofold physical body.
Raja Lord. The word "Raja" simply means King or Prince; the word has been applied to those great angels or entities who ensoul the seven planes. These are great devas who are the sumtotal and the controlling intelligence of a plane.
Raja Yoga. The true system of developing psychic and spiritual powers and union with one's higher self or the Ego. It involves the exercise, regulation, and concentration of thought.
Ray. One of the seven streams of force of the Logos; the seven great lights. Each of them is the embodiment of a great cosmic entity. The seven Rays can be divided into the three Rays of Aspect and the four Rays of Attribute, as follows:
Rays of Aspect
1. The Ray of Will, or Power.
2. The Ray of Love-Wisdom.
3. The Ray of Activity or Adaptability.
Rays of Attribute
4. The Ray of Harmony, Beauty, Art, or Unity.
5. The Ray of Concrete Knowledge or Science.
6. The Ray of Abstract Idealism or Devotion.
7. The Ray of Ceremonial Magic, or Law.
The above names are simply some chosen from among many, and embody the different aspects of force by means of which the Logos manifests.
Ring-Pass-not. This is at the circumference of the manifested solar system, and is the periphery of the influence of the sun, both esoterically and exoterically understood. The limit of the field of activity of the central life force.
Root Race. One of the seven races of man which evolve upon a planet during the great cycle of planetary existence. This cycle is called a world period. The Aryan root race, to which the Hindu, European, and modern American races belong, is the fifth, the Chinese and Japanese belonging to the fourth race.
Sensa, or Senzar. The name for the secret sacerdotal language, or the "mystery speech" of the initiated adepts all over the world. It is a universal language, and largely a hieroglyphic cypher.
Shamballa. The City of the Gods, which is in the West to some nations, in the East to others, in the North or South to yet others. It is the sacred island in the Gobi Desert. It is the home of mysticism and the Secret Doctrine.
Triad. The Spiritual Man; the expression of the monad. It is the germinal spirit containing the potentialities of divinity. These potentialities will be unfolded during the course of evolution. This Triad forms the individualised or separated self, or Ego.
Viveka. The Sanskrit "discrimination." The very first step in the path of occultism......is the discrimination between the real and the unreal, between substance and phenomenon, between the Self and the Not-self, between spirit and matter.
Wesak. A festival which takes place in the Himalayas at the full moon of May. It is said that at this festival, at which all the members of the Hierarchy are present, the Buddha, for a brief period, renews his touch and association with the work of our planet.
Yoga. 1. One of the six schools of India, said to be founded by Patanjali, but really of much earlier origin. 2. The practice of Meditation as a means of leading to spiritual liberation.


text:
TALLINN, ESTONIA–On my last evening in Estonia this year I finally had time to figure out how to post some of the short video clips I've taken over the past several weeks. The Iceland group pioneered the concept on this blog with their excellent Great Basalt Race. I can't come close to matching that excitement, but since we have this cool equipment I might as well display the results! These clips are also now included in the appropriate blog posts.
First, going back to the May work in Israel, here is a brief view of some girls dancing just outside the Old City of Jerusalem. Next is a simple pan from outside Andrey Dronov's cottage in Russia looking at the Lynna River. Then sailing into pack ice in Isfjorden, Svalbard, Norway. Soon afterwards I filmed waves lapping on an iceberg in the same area. Finally, today we saw some Medieval dancing in the town square of Tallinn, Estonia.
I've also uploaded a couple of very short movies from the 2005 Wooster Israel expedition: Yoav Avni explaining some geology at Makhtesh Ramon, and Jeff Bowen collecting in Makhtesh Gadol.
No Oscars coming my way for these, but maybe a little flavor of these places is conveyed by the sound and movement. The clips are also mercifully short!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Bubble Butts of the Olympic Ice
Bringing you the most important Olympics coverage on the internet, Gawker is investigating the mysteries of the games. Yesterday we discussed the Couch of Shame. Today: Why do the male pairs figure skaters have such big butts?
Seriously! We know they're athletes and all, so their muscles will always be more pronounced, but... damn, Gina. For some reason these dudes are just really stacked in the buttockal region. We'll say nothing of their lady counterparts' nearly across-the-board jacked-up grill issues, but for the most part, last night's pairs men had all shoved some slabs of Canadian bacon down the back of their sparklepants. We suppose it makes practical sense. Cushioning for all of the falling they did last night. Below is some photo evidence, though the pictures don't really do the phenomenon justice. You may think we're grasping at straws here, but we're not. The trend was verified last night by an objective viewing partner. So, have a look. And be sure to continue reading Gawker for more hard-hitting Olympics analysis.


text:
1969 Plymouth A12 Road Runner - Agent M From OKC
Don Grotheer: One of the Only Factory Drivers with an A12 Package Car In 1969
They arrived late and left early, but everyone knew they had been there. As the 1969 model year began winding down, Chrysler released a very special street vehicle. At the time, muscle car engineering was going full-bore, and this car was a direct result of the desire by Chrysler to have a highly-visible yet affordable package car for boulevard cruising. It was package-coded as A12, and the standout part of it was the M-digit in the VIN, denoting a 440 engine. Indeed, before this particular offering, the two vehicles getting that M in this way had never been optioned with the 440 before; Plymouth's Road Runner and Dodge's Super Bee had been available with the 335hp 383 and the 426 Hemi only until this point.
As most readers know, the 440 in these cars was not your father's Imperial mill. The factory had deliberately beefed this thing up with heavy-duty connecting rods, a special cam, and a new 3x2 Holley setup that Dodge famously called a Six Pack, and a rating of a fat 390 ponies. The crowning touch was a lift-off hood in that only came in black, and five chrome lug nuts in place of hubcaps. Despite a standard 4.10 rear gear, this was not just a drag car; all the best possible suspension pieces and wide (for the time) tires on all four corners were used to create a two-ton supercar that could corner as well.
Produced in two short batches, very few of them ended up being raced in competition by specific racing personalities. The well-known Chevy guy, Wally Booth, had a one-year Dodge deal in 1969 but chose to campaign a Hemi powered version of the Super Bee. The bigger known Mopar teams were mainly busy with the '68 Hurst-built A-bombs, though some factory racers also had B-Bodies that were running in Street and Modified classes. With Challenger and 'Cuda E-Bodies on the near horizon, the few summer months would not have made a big difference in marketing, and besides, the factory production run suffered from parts shortages and quickly sold out with less than 5,000 units released between the two divisions.
OK, so that's the history. What about this car? Owner Don Grotheer was a prolific Chrysler-backed driver, covering the broad sway of the Great Plains states in a series of entries he nicknamed "Cable Car," after his sponsor Cable Chrysler/Plymouth. Grotheer was actually having an excellent year in 1969, winning the Winternationals in Pomona with his Barracuda (which is now owned by collector Chuck Smith). The Cable dealership got the new A12 car from the factory in April for Don as a demonstrator.
Like his contemporaries, Don would not race this A12 machine in sanctioned racing, but he did need one as part of the performance clinics he did. Everyone remembers those factory-sponsored events at dealerships used to promote the product line. For that purpose, Don did competition modifications to the car and would even throw it down the quarter-mile as a demonstration vehicle on occasion.
Changes included a fresh block with full blueprinting, including forged 13.0:1 pistons, an Isky 1012B cam, chromed hooker headers, a Prestolite ignition, and careful assembly. The four-speed was modified for "slick shifting" and stirred with a Hurst Competition Plus shifter with Reverse Loc-Out and Roll Control, and a 4.89 ring was in the Dana centersection. On the panels, Imperial Customs laid down a colorful graphics scheme using Don's special colors.
The car was used for clinic and occasional driving demonstrations until Don sold it in August 1970, since he no longer was promoting that body style. It was then accidentally "preserved" by two other owners who had limited chances to race it. In 2003, Fred Engelhart latched onto the original masterpiece. Fred in turn sold it to a collector in Las Vegas, and after a few years out there, it ended up with collectors Clark and Collene Rand, who proudly added it to their collection of authentic Chrysler drag cars. What is most important is that this car is a survivor; while it has been cleaned up and detailed, the Road Runner still has the original paint, interior, and race motor with speed parts Don himself had built. The numbers-matching factory 440 Six-barrel engine was also with the car.
"We wanted an original unrestored car," says Clark, "one that had a solid trail of ownership and documentation. This one was perfect in those respects. But for us, we've also gotten to know Don and Joan Grotheer very well, and that made this car really special for us to own and display."
There are other A12s out there in more perfect shape, and there are other drag cars with more notoriety, but for the Rands and Grotheers, this example could never be improved upon. A special agent, indeed...
Special thanks to the Midwest Mopar Club and the Mopars in the Park show; www.midwestmopars.com, for arranging this location onsite in Farmington, MN.
Fast Facts
'69 1/2 A12 Road Runner
Owned by: Clark and Collene Rand, Springfield, Missouri
Mopar Power
- Engine: The original numbers-matching 440 was replaced by Don Grotheer back in 1969, by a fresh block with full blueprinting. It was then outfitted with forged 13.0:1 pistons, an Isky 1012B cam, chromed hooker headers, a Prestolite ignition, and careful assembly. The four-speed was modified for "slick shifting" and stirred with a Hurst Competition Plus shifter with Reverse Loc-Out and Roll Control, and a 4.89 ring was in the Dana
Sure Grip
- Suspension: There weren't a lot of modifications done to the stock suspension, as this car was not intended to be competitively raced.
- Wheels and Tires: Keystone mags installed by Don back in 1969. Bias-ply fronts and slicks out back are replacements.
High Impact
- Body: Original in every way.
- Paint: The Don Grotheer specific colors are the same paint that Don had applied back in 1969.
- Interior: Bone stock original with Don's additions from 1969.


text:
Happy New Year!
OOTJ wishes all our friends, families and occasional readers a very happy New Year! Here is a link to an entertaining site that lists some history and traditions of New Years celebrations in the western world. Wilstar (the site) notes that winter-time, January 1 is a pretty arbitrary date on which to celebrate a new year starting. Why not mark it in the spring, when the natural world begins to spring back to life? Or perhaps right on the solstice? According to the linked website, the January 1 date was arbitrarily fixed by the Roman Senate in 153 BC to try to repair the shifts their calendar endured under various emperors' decrees, setting it back in sync with the sun. That seems like a pretty poor choice, unless the solstice occurred at a different date back then.
Those wanting the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne, and more info on New Years' traditions around the world, can visit Infoplease.
Whether you eat black-eyed peas for luck, bang pans and firecrackers to scare off evil spirits, party hearty or hit the hay early, have a happy and safe New Years Eve!


text:
Is there any doubt that the Mac has become an important part of the digital music scene? Apple operates the most successful online music store. It sells the most popular hard drive-based music player. And when Bono and The Edge decide to appear on stage with a tech executive to announce a U2-themed music device and the release of a digital boxed set of their albums, it's Steve Jobs and not Michael Dell or Steve Ballmer that gets the nod.
So it's no surprise that five of the products deserving of a 2004 Editors' Choice Award had a distinctly musical bent. Music is important to Mac users—whether it's listening to songs or creating them. And music has proven to be a source of inspiration for Mac developers as well, driving them to create some truly inventive and useful hardware and software. (You can comment on our choices—or offer up some of your own—in the Macworld forums .)
Our list of Eddy-winning digital music products includes a pair of offerings from the biggest player on the Mac music scene (hint: its name rhymes with "Apple"), as well as cool hardware and software from developers ranging from the mid-size to the obscure. It just goes to show that music really does bring the world closer together—especially when it's music from the Mac.
Most Stylish Music Player
Sure, from the moment Apple's iPod mini arrived, everyone complained that its 4GB capacity—enough for roughly 1,000 songs at 128 Kbps—lagged behind those of the 20GB, 40GB, and 60GB iPods. But it's design that makes the mini Eddy-worthy. Those five metallic hues make a serious fashion statement (and make the white iPod seem sterile by contrast), and the slim size and feathery weight make it ridiculously easy to forget you're carrying the thing. The iPod mini was also the proving ground for the new Click Wheel interface—which proved to be so popular that Apple has now deployed it across the fourth-generation iPod line.—JONATHAN SEFF
iPod mini: May 2004; $249 (see Best Current Price ); Apple;
Best iPod Accessory
Plenty of iPod add-ons will let you play tunes from your iPod over the nearest FM radio—great if you want to play said tunes in the car or on your home hi-fi. But Sonnet Technologies' PodFreq is the first iPod transmitter that really gets it right. Its interface is digital (instead of switch- or iPod-based), and it acts as a dock—with USB and FireWire ports—when the iPod is attached. A friendly interface makes it easy to pick the frequency you want, and the signal is consistently crisp, clear, and strong. The PodFreq isn't inexpensive—it costs at least $30 more than other transmitters. But it'll keep you rocking no matter where your journey takes you.—PHILIP MICHAELS
PodFreq: August 2004; $100 (see Best Current Price ); Sonnet Technologies
Best Way to Listen to Non-iTunes Audio
Rogue Amoeba's Nicecast is the easiest, most flexible way to broadcast your Mac's audio over a local network or the Internet. It's an audio fan's must-have. And with the release of Apple's AirPort Express Base Station, Nicecast became even better: it extends AirTunes' functionality to any audio on your Mac.—DAN FRAKES
Nicecast: March 2004; $40; Rogue Amoeba;
Best Way to Stream iTunes
AirPort Express can stream music from your office Mac to your stereo. Shirt Pocket's netTunes lets you control those tunes—and more. This AirTunes companion streams your music, acts as a remote control for AirTunes, and keeps your play counts and ratings up-to-date.—JIM DALRYMPLE
netTunes: $20; Shirt Pocket
Best Part of iLife
Just as it did with movies and DVDs, Apple brought music-making to the masses with the inexpensive and easy-to-use GarageBand 1.1. Whether your thing is layering built-in loops, playing a MIDI keyboard, or recording live instruments and vocals with nondestructive effects—or a combination of all three—GarageBand is your first step to actually creating music instead of just listening to it. And when you're done, you can save your masterpiece to iTunes and share it with the world.—JONATHAN SEFF
GarageBand 1.1: Apple; May 2004; $49 as part of iLife '04 suite, free with new systems;


text:
Pressured on the innovation front from Google's Chrome and Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9, Mozilla dug deep and came out with a set of innovations that radically change world's #2 browser. We have already reported about the imminent release of Firefox 4, the next iteration of the popular open source web browser. Here we will provide an overview of the most important changes added to the browser. Note that some of the described experiences may depend on the operating system. While we tried to explain such differences, do note that the article is written from the perspective of a Firefox 4 Beta/RC user on Windows 7 with Aero enabled.
Minimalism by Mozilla: Firefox 4 hides the traditional menu. If you still want to see it, press left "Alt" key on your keyboard
On first glance you will notice some major changes to the interface. The new default interface moves the tabs on top of the address and search bar. The top menu will only consist of a prominent Firefox button in order to save as much space as possible for actual web content. When you hit the Alt-key, a traditional menu will be displayed. The address bar also received more space due to the removal of the reload, stop and home buttons to the left. The stop and reload buttons are right next to the address bar. While a page is loading a prominent red stop button marked with an X is displayed. Once the site finished loading, the button will turn into a reload button. The home button moved to the right of the search box.
The status bar has been removed, however a addon bar can be displayed at the users discretion. When you hover the cursor over a link it will still be displayed in an overlay in the down left corner (oddly when you have the search-text bar open, it will be displayed in the down right corner). Tab management also received some major changes. When you enter the URL or keywords of a website into the address bar that's already opened, Firefox will suggest to jump to the respective tab instead of opening the site in a fresh tab.
For websites you have constantly opened, like social networks, webmail or the like, you can pin the tab as an app tab by rightclicking the tab and selecting the respective option. The tab will then be displayed at the left side of the tab bar. Whenever the content in the pinned tab changes, it will be subtly highlighted to notify you about new tweets, wall posts, mails or whatever you have pinned up there. The important thing about this feature is that the tab will only be displayed by the icon of the website and the pinned tabs are always visible regardless of how many tabs are opened or which tab group you are currently in.
This brings us to the next feature ? tab groups. The feature has been developed under the name of Tab Candy and provides an overview of all the opened tabs in the browser. Per default there is only one tab group, though the user can create different tab groups and move tabs via drag and drop from one group to another. The size of the tab preview depends on the available space. Firefox will automatically decide on the size and arrangement of the tabs in the group. If the tab group is sized very small, the tabs will be displayed as a stack of sites where only a preview of the topmost tab is displayed.
There are also some major changes under the hood. Firefox 4 uses a new JavaScript engine dubbed JägerMonkey. It combines the previous tracing mechanism with a JIT compilation technique that jumps in whenever the previous method fails to provide performance gains. This allows Firefox to compete on JavaScript benchmarks again. On top of that the JavaScript heap is now managed in compartments, meaning that JS objects of each website get their own heap as opposed to one single large heap for all websites.
The big buzzword among current generation browsers is hardware acceleration. The competition added it to their latest browsers so Mozilla followed suit and is now able to provide that as well. Even under Windows XP Mozilla tries to provide some level of hardware acceleration. Contrary to Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 the open source browser will continue to support Windows 2000 and upwards. Some features are only available on later generations of Windows, namely Vista and 7. In Firefox both content acceleration and compositing acceleration are used. The former will not be available on Windows XP as there is no suitable API available. The latter is based on Direct3D on Windows, so even XP users will get it. Some people object to the quality of font rendering with Direct2D content acceleration enabled. To be fair it should be stated that IE9 is affected by this as well. As a longtime user of the beta I can only say that in the beginning it is irritating but over time you'll get used to it. That really can be said about a lot of the new features.
When talking about hardware acceleration we really should mention WebGL. WebGL is a 3D interface for browsers based on OpenGL ES 2.0, which is a subset of the full OpenGL. Some impressive demos can be seen at Mozilla. Google has implemented a WebGL-based browser of the human body. At the moment WebGL is not supported by Microsoft?s Internet Explorer. For Opera and Safari there are at least development versions that have added support for it. Once the technology gets broader support, I'm sure we will see a lot more WebGL use in actual websites apart from demos. [at BSN*, we're working on using the API].
GPU-accelerated 3D inside a browser: WebGL really works!
HTML5 support has also been vastly improved. The new web standard is still a little bit volatile in some parts, but the most current versions of different web browsers already support a good deal of the features. One disputed HTML5 feature is the video tag. In Firefox only WebM video is supported out of t
he box, while support for other codecs like H.264 can be added via plugins. The same is true for Google Chrome, while Microsoft and Apple support H.264 and don't include WebM. The advantages and disadvantages of each of these formats can make an article of their own, but it's something that should be known about the feature sets of the respective browsers.
If you use Firefox on different computers and mobile devices you should probably give Firefox Sync a try. Firefox Sync provides cloud-based storage of history, bookmarks, tabs and passwords. All that is required is to sign up for an account at Mozilla and set it up in the Firefox config. The process is detailed on the Sync website. For mobile devices it is either advised to use Firefox Mobile. For iOS devices Mozilla provides Firefox Home which syncs history, bookmarks and open tabs via your Sync account.
The new release of Firefox includes a lot of other changes as well. For example the addon manager has been redesigned. Also Firefox now supports a new addon API dubbed JetPack that should be stable over future browser versions. This should help keep addons compatible with future updates to the browser. Talking about updates, Mozilla wants to change the development cycle of Firefox in the future. Firefox 4 took very long to be completed and end users had to wait quite long to get all the new features in a release version. Future releases should focus on smaller changes and will be released more often in order to bring new features more quickly to users.
Detailing every change in this article would go a bit too far – we tried to focus on the most notable ones which really affect daily use. The full list of changes can be seen at the Mozilla website.


text:
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Software Monetization Tools
Computers are an indispensable part of today's world. They are found almost everywhere and are responsible for amazing increases in productivity and efficiency. The extent that we rely on our computers is usually only apparent when they malfunction. Then, just like when we wake up in the morning feeling sick, and long to feel good like when we are healthy, do we realize how dependent we are on these technological marvels. However, what would a computer be without software?
Why do you think that Microsoft, SAP, and Oracle rank as some of the largest companies in the world? It's called software. Software is a highly lucrative business. Why? Because once the software is created, it can be replicated almost infinitely at very little additional cost. For software multinationals with the financial clout to design new software, the marketing of their new product is handled by their marketing departments. However, for individual or small teams of software developers, whose expertise is usually limited to creating software and not marketing, getting their product recognized and accepted in the market is a huge task. And, who's kidding who, what use is it creating the world's next must have program, if you can't sell it? This is where software monetization comes into play.
Software monetization is the task of making money from your software and it invariably involves the appropriate marketing of your software. As a small fish in an ocean of sharks, you have to nimble and smart to get ahead and make your product stand out. This can be achieved in many different ways.
Perhaps this is not what Isaac Newton intended when penning the famous quote, "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulder of giants," however, by bundling your software with a better known piece of software, you can use their already established market to gain quicker and greater market penetration than attempting to go it alone.
Whether as a standalone operation or in conjunction with bundling, you can divide your software into different versions with different features and price points. This enables buyers or potential buyers to get a feel for your product offering before fully committing. Similarly, you can integrate a dynamic installer into your software to facilitate quicker and more stable downloads as well as accessing revenues from Tier 1 advertisers.
All these software monetization options will cost you money in revenue share but will save you money in the short and medium term in marketing costs and should provide quicker market penetration than what you could've achieved on your own.
Author bio: This article was written by software marketing experts at Somoto.
Posted by Unknown at 9:46 AM
0 comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Home Energy Audits
Quick Home Energy Check-ups
Multifamily QHECs
Now Hiring
COVID Safety
Get a whole home energy audit and improve your comfort. Schedule your audit today!
Quick Home Energy Check-Ups are provided at no additional cost to Maryland residents. Sign up now!
We have openings for Master Electricians and often openings for technicians. Awesome candidates, unite!
© Elysian Energy, LLC 2013. Terms and Privacy 877-456-9928
Web design and development by cleanui.com


text:
New Collection at Moscow Grand Prix!
Grand Prix in Moscow is taking place right now! Gymnasts from all over the world are competing in hope to get the highest awards. There is no doubt that their costumes look fascinating adding beauty to their performances.
Are you watching Grand Prix right now? We can assure you that this is not the only thing you can do at Moscow Grand Prix! Gymnastics Fantastic is waiting for you with brand new collection of leotards!!!
Be the first to see this beauty!
- Find your own skating dress!
14 May 2016 at 21:00
20 Jun 2014 at 07:00
09 Apr 2017 at 20:05
Like it? Tell your friends


text:
It's Purim – and everything is hafuch – upside down. This guy will only be around for the holiday!
Rabbi Ruth Adar will return on the 15th of Adar.
Hi, Neat post. There is a problem with your web site in internet explorer,
would test this… IE still is the market leader and a large portion of people will miss
your excellent writing because of this problem.


text:
MIAMI — In basketball, they call it winning time, when the hour is late and the outcome in the balance.
But for Ryan Tannehill through 10 weeks, it was more like wincing time.
Four times previously in Tannehill's rookie season, he had a chance to be the hero — holding the ball with an opportunity to win the game late in regulation or in overtime. And each time, he failed.
So backed up in his own end, with the league's third-best pass defense swarming, the odds weren't with Tannehill on Sunday. Other coaches would have sat on the rock and played for overtime.
Instead, Tannehill proved it was his time.
Tannehill calmly directed a frantic, decisive drive Sunday — the first of his young career — moving the Dolphins from their own 10-yard line deep into Seattle territory in just a minute and half.
Dan Carpenter — on his 27th birthday, no less — did the rest, booting through a 43-yard field goal to lift the Dolphins past the Seahawks 24-21 and snap Miami's three-game losing streak.
"Ryan never ceases to amaze me," receiver Marlon Moore said afterward in a celebratory locker room. "His composure, his poise … he's just in it to win it.
"He's growing, and he's going to be an elite quarterback in this league."
He sure looked it on the final drive.
Tannehill completed three of four passes for 51 yards on that fateful possession. His only incompletion was a clock-stopping spike. He also picked up 15 yards with his legs. And most importantly, he didn't turn the ball over, putting his team in position to win.
Tannehill shrugged off an early interception — which was his sixth in 64 passes — to complete 18-of-26 attempts for 253 yards and a score. In the process, he broke Dan Marino's rookie passing record (2,210, set in 1983), and will likely obliterate that mark by season's end.
Plus, he proved he had the full confidence of his coach. Joe Philbin would have spent the next week getting second-guessed if Tannehill had made a fatal mistake. With 92 seconds to play and an entire field to go, many would have thought the risk outweighed the reward.
Instead …
"You play to win the game," Tannehill said, channeling Herm Edwards. "I think that, as an offense, coach Philbin has some confidence in us, even when we haven't had our best games the past few games."
For Philbin, it was about winning the game, for sure, but so much more. Like providing a psychological pick-me-up for his fragile team. That's not to say he was OK with being reckless. A sack or any other negative play on the final drive's first snap, and Philbin would have been tempted to bleed clock and aim for overtime, he acknowledged.
But Tannehill found Davone Bess for 19 yards on first down (and then Bess again for 25 more) to make the point moot. Bess finished with seven catches for a career-best 129 yards. Charles Clay also went off, catching six balls for 84 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown reception to tie the game at 21-21 with 5:13 to play.
"You need to win some games like this," Philbin said. "I think it's important for a quarterback to do this — any quarterback. Ryan Tannehill, certainly, but any quarterback in this league, I think has to demonstrate an ability to do this."
This town hasn't had such a quarterback in more than a decade. The Dolphins, meanwhile, hadn't had a fourth-quarter comeback victory since 2009.
And Carpenter's game-winning kick was his first since 2010, atoning for a missed would-be winner in Miami's home loss to the Jets.
While Tannehill and Carpenter closed it out, a resurgent running game and a stout defense made it possible.
Reggie Bush had 87 yards on 14 carries. Daniel Thomas went for 60 on nine. Both had touchdowns. And as a team, the Dolphins grinded out 189, cracking 100 yards for the first time in 63 days.
Meanwhile the defense regrouped late after Russell Wilson gashed them early. He threw for 224 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 38 more, accounting for 81 percent of Seattle's total offensive output.
But the Dolphins got a stop when they had to have one. Jared Odrick, who let Wilson slip away on the quarterback's first touchdown pass, sacked him on third down to end a Seahawks (6-5) drive with less than two minutes to play.
Seattle had to punt, and hope Tannehill would play to form. Instead, he began writing his legacy, which is still mostly blank.
And by doing so, he gave a jolt to the Dolphins' faint playoff hopes. They're now 5-6 and, amazingly, just a game out of the AFC's final wild card spot, with division-leading New England on deck.
Talk to us
- You can tell us about news and ask us about our journalism by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com or by calling 425-339-3428.
- If you have an opinion you wish to share for publication, send a letter to the editor to firstname.lastname@example.com or by regular mail to The Daily Herald, Letters, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.
- More contact information is here.


text: [Ludacris - imitating Austin Powers] Yeahhhh baby, heh heh, yeahh! [Ludacris] Back again (that's right) Luda! Ha ha ha ha (Feel this) It gets meaner and meaner each time baby Feelin real good too (holla at 'em man) What up Uncle 'Face! (Yeah) I'm a bull in this industry man (tell 'em) Some would rather run down and get one cow (nah) I think I'd rather walk down and get 'em all You know what I'm talkin 'bout right? Look [Verse 1] I'm never goin nowhere so don't try me My music sticks in fans veins like an IV Flows poison like Ivy, oh they grimy Already offers on my 6th album from labels tryin to sign me Respected highly, HIIII MR. O'REILLY Hope all is well, kiss the plantiff and the wifey Drove through the window, the industry super sized me Now the girls see me and a river's what they cry me I'm on the rise, so many people despise me Got party ammunition for those tryin to surprise me (surprise!) It's a celebration and everyone should invite me Roll with the crew or meet the bottom of our Nikes (blaow!) Explorer like Dora these swipers can't swipe me My whole aura's so MEAN in my white tee Nobody light-skinded reppin harder since Ice-T You disagree, take the Tyson approach and bite me! [Chorus] Whoa! Don't slip up or get got! (Why not man?) I'm comin for that number one spot! (Alright) Rappers swearin they on top! (Nuh uh, uh uh) But I'm comin' for they number one spot! (Alright man) Scheme scheme, plot plot (say WHAT?) I'm comin for that number one spot! (Woo, hey) Keep it goin it won't stop! (What you doin man?) I'm comin for that number one spot! [Verse 2] Yes indeed, Ludacris I'm hotter than Nevada Ready to break the steerin column on yo' Impala If I get caught, bail out, po'-po' I tell 'em holla In court I never show up, like Austin Powers fa-zha Father, father, and hey I love gold But can buy anything I want from the records I've sold Jacuzzi's hot, Cristal is so cold Neighbors catch contacts, from the blunts that I've rolled A pig in a blanket, a smoke and a pancake Drop albums non-stop once a year for my fans sake I crush mics until my hand breaks Then shag now and shag later 'til these women can't stand straight The Luda-meister got 'em feelin so randy I'm +XXL+ so I call 'em my +Eye Candy+ Brush my shoulder and I, pop my collar Cause I'm worth a million ga-zillion fa-fillion dollars [Chorus] [Verse 3] Causin lyrical disasters, it's the master Make music for Mini-Me's, models and Fat Bastards These women tryin to get me out my Pelle Pelle They strip off my clothes and tell me, "Get in my belly!" Stay on the track, hit the ground runnin like Flo-Jo Sent back in time and I've never lost my mojo Ladies and gentlemen ahh, boys and girls Ludacris sent down to take over the whole world! [Chorus]


text:
Great Things in Small Packages
I enjoy making clutches, great things come in small packages. Elegant, sleek and slender, they co-ordinate with your outfit to add that extra bit of class and image. A vital element to complement any evening wear, a pocket in your hand.
The small size and relative simplicity of the majority of clutch designs makes it easier to invest in the most luxurious of materials available for the manufacture such as exotic skins* and solid silver hardware in the form of rings and chains.
*crocodile, ostrich and python.
The Process
The finest leathers or skins are chosen, cut and dyed by hand ready to be assembled with selected metal hardware.
Clutches are generally sewn by hand using French linen thread. All zips are from YKK's Excelia range. Clutches can be ordered as a bespoke venture or made to measure.
I also try to ensure that there is a limited number available for purchase at my Boutique Atelier in Barcelona.
Some questions, some answers
Like so many artists or craftsmen my inspiration comes from nature, my life, the place I live, the people I meet and the trips I take.
Necessity is also a great driver to be creative. If I were not creative I would have to close my business. This is a powerful incentive to create and innovate.
Basically because I enjoy it that way. My workshop is so small it would be difficult to fit another person in, although I have had temporary apprentices from time to time. If one person makes an article from start to finish, it is different from a product that has passed through many hands before its completion. The character and personality of the artisan impregnates the work in a way that is imposible if a team made it.
If you would like your items to be gift packaged, please indicate that your purchase is a gift. If you have selected 'Gift Packaging', you will have the opportunity to add a personal gift message to your order.
Our gift packaging consists of a red-lined box and tissue paper, and is finished with a coloured ribbon. Please note that we will always put the condition of your items first and, therefore, we may be unable to offer gift boxes for large items. Products will be individually gift packaged.
As I make so many products with very different techniques, it is difficult to give an accurate guide to prices, but I will give you a few guidelines so that you can get a rough idea.
Belts would start around 120 euros for classic simple models and could go over a 1000 euros for the more fancy labour intensive designs. Small bags and clutches would probably start around 300 euros and could go to around a 1000 depending on the type of leather and labour intensity. Bigger bags would be made to measure only and tend to cost around 2000 euros or more. Sandals are only made to measure and start at around 300 euros.
I design and make carefully handcrafted accessories in my small workshop in the heart of Barcelona to highest of standards. Production is severely restricted, as I personally make all articles, and this ensures that there is no compromising the quality. By signing my products with my own name, I am extending a guarantee linked to my reputation as a maker in a kind of unspoken contract.
The great majority of the leather is tanned here in Spain in a town called Igualada, very close to Barcelona, a traditional centre for the production of leather for centuries. I have visited the tanneries personally checking out the supply chain. I also make a large percentage of my own metal hardware. The metal is poured in a foundry on the outskirts of Barcelona and is hand polished in my workshop.
My products are made to last, luxury is an item that is worth repairing, and I will always repair my designs, if it is at all possible. As they are made to live a long life, their impact on the environment is far less than anything that comes from fast fashion and luxury brands who make goods with programmed obsolescence.
I use traditional techniques like that of the hand sewn saddle stitch with two needles employing French linen thread. I don't use cardboard to reinforce weaknesses or make volume. Only leather is introduced between layers.
Orders can be cancelled (excluding personalised or monogrammed items) in accordance with your statutory rights. Please contact us within 14 days from the day after the date on which the item in question was received and follow the instructions in Returns & Cancellations.
Due to the personalised nature of monogrammed items changes or cancellations are not accepted once an order has been placed. This does not affect your statutory rights. Your order will be processed and a confirmation email sent on shipping.
Returns can be made by posting the item or items back to my workshop. Being such a small operation we cannot pay the postage which will be paid by the client. Returns should be posted to:
Alexis Fasoli,
C/Volta dels Tamborets nº4 Local 2,
Barcelona 08003
We do not accept responsibility for lost parcels. We strongly recommend you use registered post or a private shipper.
• Items returned must be in their unused original condition with all Alexis Fasoli item tags attached and any related accessories or instruction booklets included.
• Incomplete, damaged, worn, soiled or altered returns, or anything Alexis Fasoli reasonably believes has been used, will not be accepted and therefore sent back to the customer. On receipt of a return, we will process the refund as soon as possible. We estimate refunds will be made by the provider of your payment method within 7-10 working days. Working days are Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays
Unfortunately we do not deliver to freight forwarding addresses or P.O Boxes.
As a result I might not be the guy for your order, although I will try to drive the project in a direction to a place where we can both be exited.
Sizing is a complicated business especially for footwear and for that reason I don't sell footwear online or at a distance without a fitting.
Sizing your belt is relatively easy. The measurement should be made from the end of the leather, ignoring the buckle up to the main hole you are currently using. That is your belt size. Similar is true of watch straps or bracelets that should be measured.
Bag sizing will normally be determined by what you want to fit inside.


text:
Thank you for viewing our new season range of Sterling Silver pieces. With over 30 years' experience, professionalism & quality service, we value the support our customers & promote shop local, stay local business.
Deirdre & Phyllis Kelly
Business Owners
Eanair was launched in 1984 by Mum & Dad, Phyllis & Tony Kelly. I am proud to be building on their legacy in showcasing Eanair's range of elegant Sterling Silver Rings (see our 'Promise' Range), Pendants, Earrings, Bracelets & Necklets. Each piece comes boxed & beautifully presented making it the perfect gift for everyday celebrations.
Shop now or contact us for an appointment to view the range at a time and place convenient to you.
Thank you,


text:
Snowden gave a more than 14-hour interview to The Washington Post, which says it's the first he has conducted in person since arriving in the Russian capital in June. He follows that up by speaking directly to the British public in a televised message that will be broadcast Wednesday as an alternative to the queen's annual Christmas speech.
Snowden told the Post he was satisfied because journalists have been able to tell the story of the U.S. government's collection of bulk Internet and phone records, an activity that has grown dramatically in the decade since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
"For me, in terms of personal satisfaction, the mission's already accomplished," he said in the interview, which was published online Monday night. "I already won."
"As soon as the journalists were able to work, everything that I had been trying to do was validated," Snowden told the Post. "Because, remember, I didn't want to change society. I wanted to give society a chance to determine if it should change itself."
Snowden also gave insight into his life in Russia, suggesting that he's not getting out much by being "an indoor cat."
Now, Snowden will set out why he believes mass surveillance by governments is wrong and note the importance of the debate his disclosures have ignited.
"The conversation occurring today will determine the amount of trust we can place both in the technology that surrounds us and the government that regulates it," he says, according to excerpts from the message released by Channel 4. "Together we can find a better balance, end mass surveillance and remind the government that if it really wants to know how we feel asking is always cheaper than spying."
The queen delivers Britain's "Royal Christmas Message," but Channel 4 has used its annual alternative version to give a platform to people as diverse as Iran's then-President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in 2008, and fictional characters including Ali G. and Marge Simpson in 1999 and 2004, respectively.
In his U.K. message, Snowden calls modern surveillance more invasive than any envisioned by "1984" author George Orwell, saying that children today will grow up without knowing what it means to have an unrecorded or private moment.
"That's a problem because privacy matters, privacy is what allows us to determine who we are and who we want to be," he says.
Snowden was interviewed by the Post in Moscow over two days by reporter Barton Gellman, who has received numerous leaks from Snowden. The interview was conducted six months after Snowden's revelations first appeared in the Post and the Guardian newspaper.
Gellman described Snowden as relaxed and animated over two days of nearly unbroken conversation.
In June, the Justice Department unsealed a criminal complaint charging Snowden, a former NSA contractor, with espionage and felony theft of government property. Russia granted him temporary asylum five months ago.
The effects of Snowden's revelations have been evident in the courts, Congress, Silicon Valley and capitals around the world, where even U.S. allies have reacted angrily to reports of U.S. monitoring of their leaders' cellphone calls. Brazil and members of the European Union are considering ways to better protect their data and U.S. technology companies such as Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are looking at ways to block the collection of data by the government.
Snowden, now 30, said he is not being disloyal to the U.S. or to his former employer.
"I am not trying to bring down the NSA, I am working to improve the NSA," he said. "I am still working for the NSA right now. They are the only ones who don't realize it."


text:
The U.S. heat wave is slowly shaking the foundations of American politics. It may take years for the deep rumble to evolve into an above ground, institution-shattering earthquake, but U.S. society has changed for good.
The heat wave has helped convince tens of millions of Americans that climate change is real, overpowering the fake science and right-wing media – funded by corporate cash – to convince Americans otherwise.
Republicans and Democrats alike also erect roadblocks to understanding climate change. By the politicians' complete lack of action towards addressing the issue, the "climate change is fake" movement was strengthened, since Americans presumed that any sane government would be actively trying to address an issue that had the potential to destroy civilization.
But working people have finally made up their mind. A recent poll showed that 70 percent of Americans now believe that climate change is real, up from 52 percent in 2010. And a growing number of people are recognizing that the warming of the planet is caused by human activity.
Business Week explains: "A record heat wave, drought and catastrophic wildfires are accomplishing what climate scientists could not: convincing a wide swath of Americans that global temperatures are rising."
This means that working class families throughout the Midwest and southern states simply don't believe what their media and politicians are telling them.
It also implies that these millions of Americans are being further politicized in a deeper sense.
Believing that climate change exists implies that you are somewhat aware about the massive consequences to humanity if the global economy doesn't drastically change, and fast.
This awareness has revolutionary implications. As millions of Americans watch the environment destroyed – for their grandchildren or themselves – while politicians do absolutely nothing in response, or make tiny token gestures – a growing number of Americans will demand political alternatives, and fight to see them created. The American political system as it exists today cannot cope with this inevitable happening.
The New York Times explains why: "…the American political system is not ready to agree to a [climate] treaty that would force the United States, over time, to accept profound changes in its energy [coal, oil], transport [trucking and airline industry] and manufacturing [corporate] sectors."
In short, the U.S. government will not force corporations to make less profit by behaving more eco-friendly. This is the essence of the problem.
In order for humanity to survive climate change, the economy must be radically transformed; massive investments must be made in renewable energy, public transportation, and recycling, while dirty energy sources must be quickly swept into the dustbin of history.
But the economy is currently owned by giant, privately run corporations, that will continue destroying the earth if it earns them huge profits, and they make massive "contributions" to political parties to ensure this remains so. It's becoming increasingly obvious that government inaction on climate change is directly linked to the "special interests" of corporations that dominate these governments.
This fact of U.S. politics is present in every other capitalist country as well, which means that international agreements on reducing greenhouse gasses will remain impossible, as each country's corporations vie for market domination, reducing pollution simply puts them at a competitive disadvantage.
This dynamic has already caused massive delays in the UN's already inadequate efforts at addressing climate change. The Kyoto climate agreement was the by-product of years of cooperation and planning between many nations that included legally binding agreements to reduce greenhouse gasses. The Bush and Obama administrations helped destroy these efforts.
For example, Instead of building upon the foundation of the Kyoto Protocol, the Obama administration demanded a whole new structure, something that would take years to achieve. The Kyoto framework (itself insufficient) was abandoned because it included legally binding agreements, and was based on multilateral, agreed-upon reductions of greenhouse gasses.
In an article by the Guardian entitled "US Planning to Weaken Copenhagen Climate Deal," the Obama administration's UN position is exposed, as he dismisses the Kyoto Protocol by proposing that "…each country set its own rules and to decide unilaterally how to meet its target."
Obama's proposal came straight from the mouth of U.S. corporations, who wanted to ensure that there was zero accountability, zero oversight, zero climate progress, and therefore no dent to their profits. Instead of using its massive international leverage for climate justice, the U.S. has used it to promote divisiveness and inaction, to the potential detriment of billions of people globally.
The stakes are too high to hold out any hope that governments will act boldly. The Business Week article below explains the profound changes happening to the climate:
"The average temperature for the U.S. during June was 71.2 degrees Fahrenheit (21.7 Celsius), which is 2 degrees higher than the average for the 20th century, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The June temperatures made the preceding 12 months the warmest since record-keeping began in 1895, the government agency said."
Activists who are radicalized by this global problem face a crisis of what to do about it. It is difficult to put forth a positive climate change demand, since the problem is global. Demanding that governments "act boldly" to address climate change hasn't worked, and lesser demands seem inadequate.
The environmental rights movement continues to go through a variety of phases: individual and small group eco-"terrorism," causing property damage to environmentally damaging companies; corporate campaigns that target especially bad polluters with high-profile direct action; and massive education programs that have been highly successful, but fall short when it comes to winning change.
Ultimately, climate activists must come face to face with political and corporate power. Corporate-owned governments are the ones with the power to adequately address the climate change issue, and they will not be swayed by good science, common sense, basic decency, or even a torched planet.
Those in power only respond to power, and the only power capable of displacing corporate power is when people unite and act collectively, as was done in Egypt, Tunisia, and is still developing throughout Europe.
Climate groups cannot view their issue as separate from other groups that are organizing against corporate power. The social movements that have emerged to battle austerity measures are natural allies, as are anti-war and labor activists. The climate solution will inevitably require revolutionary measures, which first requires that alliances and demands are put forward that unite Labor, working people in general, community, and student groups towards collective action.
One possible immediate demand is for environmental activists to unite with Labor groups over a federal jobs program, paid for by taxing the rich, that makes massive investments in jobs that are climate related, such as solar panel production, transportation, building recycling centers, home retro-fitting, etc.
Another demand could be to insist that the government convene the most knowledgeable scientists in the area of clean energy. These scientists should be given all the resources they need in order to collectively create alternative sources of clean energy that would allow for a realistic alternative to the current polluting and toxic sources of energy.
However, any type of immediate demand will meet giant corporate resistance from both political parties. Fighting for a uniting demand will thus strengthen the movement, and for this reason it is important to link climate solutions to the creation of jobs, which are the number one concern of most Americans. This unity will in turn lead allies toward a deeper understanding of the problem, and therefore deeper solutions will emerge that challenge the whole economic structure that is deaf to the needs of humans and the climate and sacrifices everything to the private profit of a few.
We need to update you on where Truthout stands this month.
To be brutally honest, Truthout is behind on our fundraising goals for the year. There are a lot of reasons why. We're dealing with broad trends in our industry, trends that have led publications like Vice, BuzzFeed, and National Geographic to make painful cuts. Everyone is feeling the squeeze of inflation. And despite its lasting importance, news readership is declining.
To ensure we stay out of the red by the end of the year, we have a long way to go. Our future is threatened.
We've stayed online over two decades thanks to the support of our readers. Because you believe in the power of our work, share our transformative stories, and give to keep us going strong, we know we can make it through this tough moment.
Our fundraising campaign ends in a few hours, and we still must raise $11,000. Please consider making a donation before time runs out.


text:
Kiss an Electric Car: Highlights from National Plug In Day
This past weekend, National Plug in Day was celebrated in 29 cities across the country. There were hundreds of electric vehicles on display, and thousands of people learned how a switch to EVs will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and help break the U.S.'s costly dependence on oil. The Sierra Club was pleased to organize these events in partnership with Plug In America, Electric Auto Association, and many local partner groups.
In Los Angeles, at least 170 plug-in electric vehicles participated in the largest (and quietest) EV parade in history. Congresswoman Janice Hahn of California proudly drove her brand new Nissan Leaf in the parade and spoke at the press conference, as did Sierra Club member Tim Goodrich, an Air Force veteran who drives a Nissan Leaf. Plug In America, Electric Auto Association, and the Sierra Club were recognized with a Certificate of Achievement from California state Senator Fran Pavley (a hero in the vehicle emissions reduction world). The director of the films Who Killed the Electric Car? and the soon to be released Revenge of the Electric Car Chris Paine and actor Ed Bedgley Jr. spoke on the importance of quitting our addiction to oil by switching to electric vehicles and renewable energy.
The Austin EV Club, Apollo Alliance, and the Sierra Club's Lone Star Chapter displayed a wide array of electric vehicles and EV infrastructure. The 200-plus attendees in Austin were able to explore 22 vehicles, two charging stations from Coulomb and GRIDbot and one Actacell lithium ion battery cell. They were also given the opportunity to chat with a Ford Motors sustainability expert and test-drive their two 2012 plug-in models on site: the Focus Electric and the Transit Connect Electric.
Tennessee represented great enthusiasm for electric vehicles through events in Nashville, Knoxville and Kingsport. The Knoxville EV Show reached a crowd of almost 300 people.
Denver's Plug In Day was a great success –- even in a state where people are just now gearing up to be able to purchase electric vehicles. They boasted 300 attendees, 15 EVs, four charging stations, one film screening of What is the Electric Car?, one expert panel Q&A moderated by a representative from the EPA (Region 8), and emcee weatherman Mike Nelson from Denver's Channel 7 News. There were also government officials there from the Govenor's Energy Office and the City of Denver.
In New York City, the Sierra Club, the Electric Auto Association, and others put on an electric tailgate party with dozens of EVs on display at the trendy Pier 54. Meanwhile, in Orange, CA, at least 70 plug-in vehicles participated in a "Tailgate without Tailpipes" where the city's mayor spoke, and the EV drivers in attendance added up their "oil-free miles driven" with a result well over 1 million and counting.
In Washington, DC, Plug In Day made some noise in front of the Capitol building. Ten electric cars, e-bikes, e-scooters, and solar charging stations were on display. A honky-tonk band sang songs about dirty fossil fuels, and their sound system was even powered by a Prius PHEV that its owner had converted to electric, with supplementary solar panels on the roof. I was pleased to join alongside the good folks of the Electric Vehicle Association of DC and speak about the dangers of oil and the benefits of switching to electric.
In Concord, the New Hampshire chapter of the Sierra Club and other local groups displayed in front of the Capitol Building seven electric cars plus several electric bikes and motorcycles. They also hosted a panel discussion and showed off an electric charging station. Meanwhile, the Sierra Club's Hawaii Chapter, Plug In America, and other local partners put on "EVs charging across the island" events in Honolulu and surrounding areas.
And these are just some examples of so many exciting events that took place nationwide.
The day after National Plug In Day, I was thrilled to accept the invitation by White House officials to drive to the White House in an electric vehicle (thank you to Diane Davidson of Maryland who drove us in her Nissan Leaf!) and hand-deliver on a flashdrive the signatures of more than 52,000 people who signed a Sierra Club petition to President Obama applauding his stated goal of getting 1 million EVs on US roads by 2015.
-- Gina Coplon-Newfield, Sierra Club's Senior Campaign Representative for Electric Vehicles. This blog was also written by EV Campaign Intern Sarina Sawyer.


text:
Marc Webb made music videos, and then he made 500 Days of Summer, and then he made The Amazing Spider-Man, a reboot of that feature movie franchise. But when Sony Pictures boss Amy Pascal offered him the Spidey gig, he called it "the stupidest idea I ever heard," Webb said today at SXSW in Austin.
In the report in Variety, Webb then claimed Pascal responded with a cool, "Honey, you can't turn down Spider-Man." And he didn't, but this anecdote is nonetheless amusing because Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is kicking off this summer movie season in May, and he's said before that he sees this one as the beginning of a new trilogy.
Yes, so Webb is probably doing at least four megabudget pictures as a result of this most stupid of ideas. That sure is something. That the reboot itself was kinda bad is something else, but at least this new one has a blue, glowing Jamie Foxx.
Follow Phil on Twitter: @philrowen
Amazing Spider-Man 2 still c/o Columbia Pictures


text:
Divine Grace
In stock
|Small = A4
|Medium = A3
|Large = A2
|X-Large = A1
|210 x 297 mm
|297 x 420 mm
|420 x 600 mm
|600 x 900 mm
|21 x 29.7 cm
|29.7 x 42 cm
|42 x 60 cm
|60 x 90 cm
|8 x 12 inch
|12 x 16 inch
|16 x 24 inch
|24 x 36 inch
Quick Overview
Bring life to your space with unique metal posters from top designers. Shop Divine Grace at £20.50.
|Small = A4
|Medium = A3
|Large = A2
|X-Large = A1
|210 x 297 mm
|297 x 420 mm
|420 x 600 mm
|600 x 900 mm
|21 x 29.7 cm
|29.7 x 42 cm
|42 x 60 cm
|60 x 90 cm
|8 x 12 inch
|12 x 16 inch
|16 x 24 inch
|24 x 36 inch
30 Metal Posters Faqs
Yes. Metal Posters respects your privacy; therefore, we will never distribute any of your personal information that is submitted on our site.
Yes, of course. The mounting system is included in the price which you pay for purchasing the metal wall art.
It's recommended to stick a mounting on an even surface only. But many customers have also tried the same on wallpapers. However, we can't conclude whether it will hold on particular wallpaper.
If you want to remove a magnet from walls, then just remove the magnet system and peel the wall protector off the wall.
We don't recommend any other methods of mounting Metal Posters to the wall. You could Make a hole in the magnet mount to hang it on your choice walls by using a nail or screws.
Generally, we don't recommend mounting a Metal Posters on uneven surfaces. You can use adhesive to stick the Metal Posters to your walls. Or you could try just using the magnet system without the wall protector, failing that you could make a hole in the magnet to mount it to the walls using the nail.
Generally, we recommend you to add Metal Posters to a straight surface as it might not fit correctly on uneven walls.
We have not done enough extensive testing to categorically say we use galvanised steel for the Metal Posters, which helps in preventing them from getting rusted. Generally, we do not recommend mounting your Metal Posters in a steamy room as the humidity might affect your magnet's. However I can say we have had customers use these in their bathrooms for many months now without any issues, they have just kept them away from the direct steam.
Yes, you can purchase additional magnets from us. Check more details right here:
You can pay online with credit/ debit cards or any of the payment gateways we support. You need to pay extra charges if you use USD, GBP, EUR, SEK, CHF, DKK, or any other currency.
Enter discount code in the required field you can view below the cart. Make sure to enter the code in the box before moving to the final checkout process.
You can't add two discount codes for one order; we don't allow multiple discount code entries for the same order.
Sorry, but we don't allow you to apply discount codes on already paid orders. We will not refund the amount. If you require a refund, then the only solution is to cancel the order and then follow the ordering process again. But before cancelling the order, please look into our cancellation policy.
Unfortunately, we don't allow any customisation to orders already paid (but please try reaching out to us 1st so we can double check your metal poster has not or has gone through the manufacturing process. ) The only way to change or add another item to your order is to cancel it and place the new one. But make sure that you can only cancel the order as per our cancellation policy. You can't cancel the order due to us working on shipping your items out the next day, so it is vital to our manufacturing process that we keep this streamlined.
Yes, it's possible. (only if your order is not in the manufacturing stage) You can cancel the placed order (however if this is in the manufacturing stage unfortunately this can not be cancelled) This is because after that we start printing your product this means all shipping is booked and item is processed. For further inquiries contact us here
Your refund will be created to your account within 14 days of product cancellation.
It entirely depends on the destination of product delivery. The custom fee depends on the country's regulations. You need to pay for all the costs related to customs duties.
One of the primary reasons for unsuccessful payment can be bank providers' policies. Some of the banks restrict foreign payments.
We ensure to provide you with an encrypted and secure payment. You can check our privacy policies and terms & conditions as well right away to know how we assure complete security.
We ship our metal art globally including France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Switzerland, UK, the US, Venezuela, and many others. No matters where you live, you can get the product delivered right at your doorsteps with few taps.
You can check the shipping status of the product by following easy and quick steps. Enter your order number to know the real-time status of your order magnet mounting metal art. A tracking number from the courier will always be emailed you the email provided.
Make sure to remember to check the parcel in the presence of the service provider. And after opening the package if you find a lack of content or a damaged or defective product, send us some images. Our team assures you to solve all your inconveniences as soon as possible.
We're incredibly sorry for the inconvenience. Please contact our team to resolve all your issues as soon as possible.
The estimated delivery time is around 19 to 20 days, including the manufacturing, handling, and shipping.
The shipping cost ultimately depends on various aspects such as country shipment, total weight, and fuel fee. If you need to know the shipping cost, it becomes essential for you to add the product to the cart.
All Metal Posters is packed securely and is shipped by one of our selected courier service. We prefer to use our chosen service to deliver our metal art to European countries whereas use ups or one of the providers chosen in the menu before placing your order to deliver the product outside Europe.
Unfortunately, we don't deliver to PO BOX addresses. Make sure to use your regular address to get your Metal Posters delivered right at your doorsteps without any fail.
You can quickly return Metal Poster within 28 calendar days after the product delivery. We will provide you with a 100% refund as per our return policy. You are allowed to return the product only if it's in its original state and you haven't made use of the mounting system. You need to return Metal Posters at your own cost. In case of a partial return, the shipping cost is not refundable. PERSONALISED POSTERS (Note: All Personal Metal Posters are 100% Non-refundable) Also, make sure to write down the packages' full shipping details and put a note with your order number inside it. The address for return is: 175 Westella Road West Ella Hu107RP Once we get the return package, we will contact you to confirm that we have received the cancelled product. Your refund will be provided to you within 14 days once we receive the package.
Unfortunately, no exchanges are allowed. However, you can return your Metal Poster within 28 calendar days of delivery and make a new order.
Custom metal plates are available You can find more information on Personalised Metal Plates Page here.
There are many ways to add a touch of charm and modern style to your home decor. One way is with our wide range of metal art posters, all hand crafted which can be easily mounted on the wall using magnetic safe wall protection system provided for easy installation - no tools needed! All in a box These eye-catching metal posters will blend beautifully in any setting while still being unique; they're perfect because these incredible images look amazing close up, but if you look at them far away from their original context, something new arises every time one looks at them again. They'll help bring life back into any room in the house. Get started with our vast selection of eye-catching designs. These make a perfect gift for friends or family members, you can even add to there collection of posters year on year as there made from ultra violet printing they do not fade, your first metal poster will look the same quality as your tenth piece of art. The metal wall decor comes in different sizes to find the right size for any room within minutes. How would you like a wall art piece that is both appealing and durable using premium materials like high-quality print. Metal Posters has an extensive selection of hand-crafted metal posters. No matter what you choose movies, gaming, abstract, astrology, cars, black and white, fantasy or animals we have an amazing collection from experienced artists all around the world and we are adding designers on a daily basis. The possibilities are endless from your man-cave, living room, bed-room or even your offices we have something perfect for everyone. Go ahead and choose something for yourself and start your art collection With worldwide shipping available, there is nothing to stop you !! only your imagination
Write Your Own Review
Related Products
Check items to add to the cart or
We found other products you might like!
Check items to add to the cart or


text:
Difference between revisions of "Google Code In 2017"
|Line 53:
|Line 53:
** plan to share mentor invites to all OSGeo projects
** plan to share mentor invites to all OSGeo projects
** Collect questions to discuss with other mentor orgs at mentor summit
** Collect questions to discuss with other mentor orgs at mentor summit
= Open questions =
= Open questions =
= Insights from other orgs =
= Insights from other orgs =
Revision as of 10:07, 10 October 2017
Central page for administering OSGeo participation in Google Code In 2017
- Google Code In program has been officially announced
- Google Code In main page
- How Google Code-in Works
- Examples of Google Code-in Tasks
- Logo, flyer and presentation
- Roles and responsibilities of Students, Mentors and Admins
- Full timeline
- Oct 9 2017: Open source organizations can apply to be mentoring organizations (we should have mentors and tasks by then)
- Nov 28 2017: Contest opens for entries by student participants
- Jan 15 2018: Deadline for students to claim new tasks
- Jan 17 2018: All student work must be submitted; contest ends
- Jan 18 2018: Mentoring organizations complete all evaluations of students' work
- Jan 31 2018: Grand Prize Winners and Finalists announced
- June (exact dates TBD): Grand Prize Winner's Trip
- IRC-channel: #osgeo-gsoc channel on freenode.net
- how to connect: choose your favorite IRC client, or go directly through browser with webchat
- Margherita Di Leo <libravatar email="email@example.com"/> (IRC nickname: "madi")
- Jeff McKenna <libravatar email="email@example.com"/> (IRC nickname: "jmckenna")
- Florin-Daniel Cioloboc <libravatar email="email@example.com"/>
- Helmut Kudrnovsky
Interested mentors / volunteers
- fill out the Google form mentioned at Google Code In 2017 Mentors
- see our page: Google Code In 2017 Tasks
Kickoff (virtual) meeting
- 2017-09-25 at 20.00 UTC
- On IRC in the #osgeo-gsoc channel on irc.freenode.net (connect directly in your browser via webchat)
- agenda:
- discuss ideas for tasks for the students
- plan to share mentor invites to all OSGeo projects
- Collect questions to discuss with other mentor orgs at mentor summit
Adrien Destugues (PulkoMandy) mentor for Haiku has replied to some of our questions:
Q: It is not clear to me if it's possible to use more than one bug tracker or we must use the osgeo tracker for all the projects <libravatar email="firstname.lastname@example.com"/>
A: You don't need a single bugtracker. You will have to import your tasks into the dedicated GCI website, and student work from that. The goal is that they learn how to find their way in your project and GSoC in general. In the case of Haiku, some tasks involve the OS itself (with a dedicated bugtracker), some involve contributing to existing projects (on github, for example), and some tasks are about writing an application from scratch so there isn't even a bugtracker to start with
Q: The how it works page doesn't mention how the word of this gets out to students, or does Google handle that?? How is promotion to students handled?? <libravatar email="email@example.com"/>
A: Google handles some of it, students from past years handle some of it, and you can have a task like "make a 20 minute talk about our project and GCI for other students around you" so the students help you spread the word. Of course you can also do your own communication.
Q: Discuss the opportunity to create "virtual environments" for the students to play with, and eventually come up with a patch? For example, for tasks that would otherwise require access to sensitive systems, e.g. SAC, web pages, etc.. <libravatar email="email@example.com"/>
A: About setting up the environment for building the project: if that part of your project is really complex, providing a preset environment might be a good idea. We went a different way: GCI has "beginner" tasks which are things the students should do first before moving on to other tasks in the project. In our cases, these were something like "get the source, compile it, and add your name to the about box" or even "get the Haiku operating system running, open a text document and put your name in it, then take a screenshot". This allows the students to get points for just getting started with these things. Our documentation tasks also included tasks to write or update pages about setting up the development environment.
Q: Is it necessary for the students to pick from different "types" of tasks or they can decide to complete only one type? <libravatar email="firstname.lastname@example.com"/>
A: The student can mix types of tasks as they wish. At Haiku we are unfortunately putting a lot more coding tasks than anything else, mostly because that's what we can mentor best.
Q: When is the deadline to prepare the tasks: Oct 9th (Open source organizations can apply to be mentoring organizations) or Nov 28th (Contest opens for entries by student participants)? What is the minimum number of tasks we need to get ready by the deadline? <libravatar email="firstname.lastname@example.com"/>
A: The deadline for tasks is, AFAIK, just before the contest opens to students. In fact you can continue adding new tasks to the contest after it opens and all the way until january, to keep the students busy. However, be prepared to have a few hundred tasks ready when the contest opens.
Q: How many mentors do other organizations have (to be on the safe side and not underestimate the work load)? <libravatar email="email@example.com"/>
A: I don't remember the exact number of mentors, but I'd say about 10 to 12 is a minimum. Expect hundreds of students trying to complete tasks, lot of activity on your IRC channel and other communication mediums. It always feels strange to us when things come back to their normal quiet state after GCI ends.I have started to work on a tool to edit Haiku tasks. You may not find it of much use as it runs only in the Haiku operating system. However, alongside it is a JSON file with our tasks from the 2016 edition. This can give you an idea of the number of tasks and their contents: https://github.com/pulkomandy/gcitool
Open questions
- Add yours
Insights from other orgs
Tim Abbot from the Zulip project says:
The Zulip project did GCI for the first time last year, and we learned basically everything we needed to know at the mentor summit GCI session. If you're spending time on preparation in advance of that, I'd encourage you to focus on a few things: * Recruiting volunteers to help the students; we had over 30 people organized in 4-hour shifts to provide continuous coverage. * Writing really good developer onboarding documentation, and testing it on inexperienced programmers. * Creating a few really polished starter tasks (e.g. we had one that was basically "figure out how to do manual and automatic testing in Zulip, including writing a simple unit test" * Planning out some larger categories of tasks (e.g. where you want 15 similar things done) that you can write really good guides for.


text:
It must have been one of the sweetest victories ever as veteran partners, Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng, today filled the glaring gap on their badminton CVs.
The reigning Men's Doubles world champions (featured image) and the Olympic top seeds, finally – after ten years together – captured that elusive Olympic gold medal they have sought for so long. Their 21-16 21-15 triumph over Denmark's Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen, in the last match of the London 2012 tournament, also sealed a first-ever gold-medal sweep at the Olympics for China, who won every category.
It replicated that country's spectacular sweep at last year's World Championships at the same venue – Wembley Arena.
Earlier, Korea's No. 2 seeds Chung Jae Sung and Lee Yong Dae earned a consolation bronze by beating Malaysia's Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong in straight games, 23-21 21-10. This was Chung's last match in international badminton.
Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng are the most accomplished contemporary Men's Doubles pair, with four World Championships gold medals. The only title missing from their collection was the Olympic gold and – after settling for silver in Beijing – they ensured it would not elude them again.
Fu Haifeng, 28, said they had dreamt of Olympic glory for years.
"Now we've become more experienced with several World Championships and Superseries titles, it had become a long-term desire. Today is a dream come true."
His 32-year-old teammate was just as delighted.
"The last time in Beijing we only achieved the silver medal. It's ten years I've been partnering Fu Haifeng and we finally realised our dream."
Boe and Mogenesen had upset the top-seeded Koreans in the semi-finals, but Cai and Haifeng did not give them an opportunity to impose their attacking game.
The two Chinese were steady at the net, judicious with their lifts, and served and returned so tightly that they denied the Danes the chance to pressure them. The Chinese cruised ahead steadily, moving confidently to 19-14 when Fu Haifeng smashed down the middle. The game was won soon after.
The Danes attempted a comeback in the second game and, for a while stayed close to their opponents, but the Chinese took the mid-game break 11-9.
Thereafter, Denmark could not get close and were further frustrated by their unforced errors at crucial junctures.
In the bronze play-off, 29-year-old Chung Jae Sung bowed out of international competition with a medal for himself, his partner Lee Yong Dae and his country.
Though they began sluggishly, the Korean pair got into their groove and from there dominated the Malaysians Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong.
Reflecting on his career, an emotional Chung said: "I've been with Lee Yong Dae for seven years. This medal has a special meaning for me. I didn't want to fail twice (after losing the semi-final). I regarded this bronze-medal match as a gold-medal match."
Lee Yong Dae, 23, expressed his disappointment at missing the gold medal and paid tribute to his senior partner.
"Over the last four years, we have been focusing on the gold medal, but unfortunately we lost in the semi-final. We got the bronze medal as consolation. I'm glad we won bronze. Chung Jae Sung was my best partner. It was my good fortune to be with big brother Jae Sung. I met him when I was in 10th grade when I wasn't as good as I am now."


text:
CHINA – A young Chinese boy has had to endure a very unusual condition until now!
The boy, who remains unnamed, was born with 31 fingers and toes. The six-year-old had five extra fingers and 6 extra toes. He has undergone a 6 1/2-hour surgery in Shengjing Hospital in Shenyang, China.
Some of the child's fingers had fused together but doctor's were able to remove 11 fingers and toes. According to his mother, the boy had been called a "monster" by his kindergarten classmates. He may, however, hold the record for the greatest number of fingers and toes on a human being according to the Daily Mail.
The condition responsible for the extra fingers and toes is known as polydactyly and is considered a relatively rare genetic disorder. It's common with this condition to have the extra digits grow on the little finger side of the hand. The unnamed boy has central polydactyly however, a rarer version of the condition in which the middle fingers are affected.
CHINA – A young Chinese boy has had to endure a very unusual condition until now!


text:
Justine Austen
Justine Austen — Pink Gold Hand Stud Earrings
Balancing somewhere between fine art and kitsch, Justine's creations seem quirky, playful, absurd and offbeat. Justine recently completed a Master of Fine Art at RMIT University researching the relationship between the body, architecture and jewellery. She gained a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Gold and Silversmithing from Monash University in 1998 and followed her passion for gemmology, gaining a Certificate IV in Gemmology from the Gemmological Association of Australia in 2004. Justine has exhibited in both solo and group shows nationally and is currently based in Melbourne.
Materials: 9ct pink gold
Dimensions: approx. 1cm x 0.7cm


text:
As you may have heard, Microsoft is now internally testing a new search engine codenamed "Kumo." Here's the text of the internal email announcing this to Microsoft employees yesterday:
From: Satya Nadella
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 4:18 PM
To: Microsoft - All Employees (QBDG)
Subject: Announcement: Internal Search Test Experience
The Search team needs you. We've been working hard to improve our search service and want to share the progress we are making with you. We are launching a new test program called kumo.com for employees to try and provide feedback. Kumo.com exists only inside the corporate network, and in order to get enough feedback we will be redirecting internal live.com traffic over to the test site in the coming days. Kumo is the codename we have chosen for the internal test.
In spite of the progress made by search engines, 40 percent of queries go unanswered; half of queries are about searchers returning to previous tasks; and 46 percent of search sessions are longer than 20 minutes. These and many other learnings suggest that customers often don't find what they need from search today.
We believe we can provide a better and more useful search experience that helps you not just search but accomplish tasks. During the test, features will vary by country, but you'll see results organized in a way that saves you more time. An explorer pane on the left side of results pages will give you access to tools that help you with your tasks. Other features like single session history and hover preview help accomplish more in search sessions.
Your Next Search...
To get started, visit kumo.com or click one of the samples below to see how it's possible to find the right results more easily:
As employees, you are some of our most informed users and our toughest critics, and we highly value your input and feedback to help us build a better service. You have been an important voice in our efforts, and the feedback you've sent us since the company meeting has been amazing.
When you visit kumo.com, at the bottom right corner of the each page you'll see a feedback badge. We ask that each time you use the test site, click the feedback badge and take a moment to answer four quick and simple questions. Feel free to reach out to give us extra feedback directly on our blog and by mailing (an internal alias). For answers to common questions make sure to see our FAQ.
We are committed to rapid innovation and improvement. Please give the test site a try, rate the results and let us know what you think.
- Satya
CNET also has an interesting screenshot of Kumo:
The big question, of course is ... who cares? Can Microsoft ever really regain lost ground in this market? I don't think they can, to be honest. And I'm wondering if continued investment here isn't just a huge waste of time.


text: The prior mission of our faculty is to train high qualified and responsible engenieers in the broad field of Electrical Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Engineering for future leading positions in industry and society. Our faculty nationally and internationally holds a leading position in teaching and research in this field. The excellence of our faculty results from a close relationship between teaching and research, a good balance between a fundamental scientific approach and important industrial applications and intensive cooperations within the RWTH Aachen University, within the Jülich-Aachen-Research Alliance (JARA) and with associated institutes and external research partners. We are continuously improving this position aiming at long-lasting results.